Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Smartphone Review

The chassis of the Xperia M4 Aqua follows Sony‘s typical OmniBalance design and is completely made of plastic. Besides our white review unit, it is also available in silver and coral (red). At 136 grams (~4.8 oz), it is even lighter than the predecessor Xperia M2 Aqua. Only the Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini and the ZTE Blade S6 are slightly lighter. The Xperia M4 Aqua is just 7.3 mm (~0.3 in) thin and therefore thinner than the competition, even though they have dimensions that are more compact.

It is not possible to remove the rear cover of the Xperia M4 Aqua, and the battery is integrated as well. Still, the smartphone is not as sturdy as expected and there is loud creaking when we try to twist it. While this should not be a huge deal in practice, another issue might be because of the high-gloss back, the smartphone is susceptible to scratches and dirt – not really the best solution for a “ruggedized smartphone”.

The circled power button and the volume rocker as well as a dedicated camera trigger are located at the right side of the case. The pressure points are okay and are only slightly spongy. The encapsulated Micro-USB 2.0 port and the microSD port are at the left side, the latter port is behind a protective cover. The slot for the Nano-SIM is at the right side and also has a special cover. The encapsulated 3.5 mm stereo jack is at the top of the Xperia M4 Aqua and therefore easy to reach when you have the smartphone in your pocket. The mono speaker is once again at the bottom of the case.

If you already planned a diving trip to the Caribbean, be warned: The smartphone can only be submerged in fresh water with a depth of up to 1.5 meters (~5 feet) for up to 30 minutes, and you should immediately clean the smartphone after you use it in a chlorinated pool.