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The Sony Xperia E5 has a perfectly decent display, good software, and a camera that performs well in the right conditions. It's a very comfortable phone to use, and the design is among the most attractive at this price point.
As expected, the CPU and GPU let it down somewhat, and the limited RAM is going to impact on day-to-day performance; we just don't think manufacturers should be shipping Android phones with less than 2GB anymore. We're also a little disappointed by the battery life.
Who's it for?
Perhaps the E5 will tempt people upgrading from a sub-£100 smartphone, or coming from an older feature phone, but it doesn't really do enough to stand out from the budget crowd.
Should you buy it?
We have seen worse budget phones, but we've also seen better. If the bigger size isn't an issue for you, then scrape together another £20 and opt for the Moto E4 Plus.
If you're set on this form factor, take a closer look at the Moto E4. Both are more powerful than the Xperia E5, and that gap will extend with age.
The Xperia E5 is a nice enough phone – it's one of Sony's better budget releases, and we can see a few people being reeled in by it.
If you don't care about graphically intensive games, and you've never experienced anything faster, then it's unlikely to offend. But take our word for it – you can do better.
If you're thinking about buying the Sony Xperia E5, you should also consider these handsets…
Sony Xperia XA1
Sony's got a better smartphone that's not that much more expensive than the Xperia E5. The newer Sony Xperia XA1 boasts the latest Android software, a punchier processor, more RAM, more storage and excellent cameras front and rear.
The kick though is the price, you can currently find it for around £170 SIM-free, which isn't all that much more than the E5. If your budget can stretch, it's the better phone by far.
Read our full Sony Xperia XA1 review.
Moto E4 Plus
The Moto E4 Plus is faster than the Xperia E5, has a bigger HD screen, and probably edges the win on camera performance.
On the other hand, it doesn't look or feel as nice as the Xperia E5, but it will only cost you an extra £20, at £149, but it does more than enough to justify the extra cost.
If you want a bigger screen, and if performance trumps looks, then you should choose the Moto E4 Plus.
Read our full Moto E4 Plus review
Moto E4
Fancy sticking with the size and price point of the Sony Xperia E5? Well good news, as it's not your only option with the 5-inch, £130 SIM free Moto E4 providing stiff competition.
The low cost Motorola packs in more RAM and a newer chipset to deliver more power, plus it also has fingerprint scanner.
The rear camera is its weak point, but as a budget all rounder the Moto E4 is tough to beat.
Read our full Moto E4 review
- Thanks to Vodafone for providing an Xperia E5 for review
