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Verdict
The Sony Xperia 10 doesn’t feel like the full package it needs to be in order to compete in the tough mid-range market.
It’s a perfectly fine mid-range phone which does the job, but it doesn’t excel like competing phones we’ve reviewed in the last year like the Honor 10 or the Moto G7 Plus.
Instead, it sits in a bit of a middle ground between ‘okay’ and ‘good’ making it a difficult handset to recommend.
Who’s it for?
If you watch a lot of video on your phone, the Xperia 10 duo are a good choice. When content is available in the 21:9 aspect ratio, it looks fantastic on the display.
The problem is finding that content – otherwise you’ll be watching your favorite TV shows and films with black bars down either side of the display, which rather defeats the object of buying this phone.
And if it’s a phone for consuming media you’re looking for, the Xperia 10 Plus is a touch bigger and comes with some more powerful internals and may be the better choice for you overall.
Should you buy it?
Only buy this phone if you’re excited by the 21:9 aspect ratio display. Everything else on the phone is okay, but the only way in which it excels is with that longer display, which makes watching content that’s available in that format a joy.
Otherwise, the Xperia 10 is a bit of a mishmash, with disappointing battery life and a lack of exciting features – other than its display – to make the price worthwhile paying.
If you love Sony phones, the Xperia 10 may be up your street – but if that’s the case, then as we’ve said, it makes much more sense to opt for the Xpeeria 10 Plus, or to seriously save up your money and go for the Sony Xperia 1.
The competition
Don’t think you’re sold on the Xperia 10? We’ve put together a selection of handsets you should consider instead.
Sony Xperia 10 Plus
Like what you see in the Xperia 10 but want a slightly bigger screen with a more powerful processor? The Xperia 10 Plus doesn’t cost much more, and it offers pretty much the exact same experience, but with some core improvements.
- Read our Sony Xperia 10 Plus review
Moto G7
Don’t want to spend as much as the Xperia 10 costs? Then you may want to go for Motorola’s new line of budget phones, which are a lot cheaper and offer a similar experience. The design of the Moto G7 isn’t as premium, but it offers similar features for less money.
- Read our Moto G7 review
Sony Xperia XZ3
This is a big ask, but if money is no object the Xperia XZ3 is now much more affordable, since it came out last year, and it offers one of the best displays we’ve seen on a smartphone. It isn’t 21:9 like the Xperia 1 or Xperia 10, but it does look gorgeous – and it’s a better screen for watching TV shows and many films than the Xperia 10.
- Read our Sony Xperia XZ3 review
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