Sony Xperia L1 review: Level one

23 June 2017
The Xperia L1 marks Sony's return to the still growing and highly-competitive entry-level market. Putting together a good smartphone for beginners can often turn out to be an even tougher task than designing a flagship. Maybe that's why Sony is retiring its E-series and introducing a new contender in the Xperia L1.

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  • B
  • Bopsy
  • pLQ
  • 07 May 2022

I brought the dual card phone so I could use overseas, with a seperate sim. However, I cannot find a usa sim which is compatible. Everytime I check my imei number it comes back no coverage in usa. Does any one know a sim which will work even on 3g in usa on the xperia l1 g3312 phone?

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • y6V
    • 02 Mar 2021

    Anonymous, 06 Oct 2020i've had this phone since 2018 and i really love it. t... moreI also had this phone G3311.i installed Google 1 to get FREE additional 15G memory..for saving Other Documents as well.. I dOnt need to buy an SD card.. And the price still not going down faster.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • 3I{
      • 06 Oct 2020

      i've had this phone since 2018 and i really love it. the battery lasts for about 2 days and it's kinda fast. 16gb isn't much though and the phone do get kinda hot when you stress it but it's otherwise a really good phone.

        • M
        • Misscombobulated
        • 3Je
        • 06 Oct 2019

        I wish i had got a better phone the l1 is slow 16g isnt much. The battery goes real quick and dont evan buy one. Its got shite camera that ruined most of my photoes in Japan 🇯🇵 on vacation. I had to send it back once has the battey wouldnt hold chsrge. I hadnt had it long. So big no no buy a better bigger phone. I only went for it has im with sky and wanted a big screen. I got a slow peace of crap

          L1 is very good phone , but I'm suffering from overheating & the battery draining so fast

            • ?
            • Anonymous
            • 3x$
            • 21 Oct 2018

            why does some sms are coverted into mms? can i desactive it, or something??

              • s
              • sony's fun
              • fwG
              • 09 Jul 2018

              I love Sony they have specific aspects and high quality

                • S
                • Sir Furoshki
                • fm$
                • 23 Apr 2018

                My Sony L1 by far the best phone i'v used. The battery, camera, screen resolution is the best. However it sometimes gets overheating on the top left part of the screen if used under duress and this actually causes a screen discolour (brown patches). Its plastic material chips off easily when u drop it.... But its a good buy and value for money

                  • D
                  • Deima
                  • J8x
                  • 12 Dec 2017

                  Aravind , 25 Aug 2017I'm using Sony Experia Z1 compact since 3years, two years i... moreYour phone is already more than 3 years old, I really doubt that they would support that old product for so long. Phone is weak, no point in releasing more android versions. My Z3 was supported for 3 years and support ended because the phone got too old. Outdated.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • Lec
                    • 28 Nov 2017

                    Anonymous, 26 Jun 2017So you're okay with Sony's phones and the gaps near camera,... moreSony fanboys are so delusional.

                    I've had two Z3Cs (one purchased and replacement one under warranty), they both glued off, charging ports stopped working, camera not working etc. My brother also has Z3C with screen popping out. There are reports of such cases with M series, Z5C, XC...

                    I don't know why it is hard to accept that, just as LG has bootlooping and screen issues, Sony has serious build quality issues.

                      • w
                      • waasu
                      • tet
                      • 27 Oct 2017

                      hi, i hope to buy sony xperia L1 or sony xperia XA1 .so i want to know good & bad things of this mobiles so , who can tell me about that please?

                        • m
                        • mehta
                        • nXF
                        • 01 Oct 2017

                        can some one tell me sony L1 in charging how much take time too full chargie phon if battery is in 20% to go full 100% how much take time normally ..2 or 3 hours ....and can any one post l1 charger usb photo plz

                          • n
                          • navneet
                          • 7j%
                          • 27 Sep 2017

                          Charging problem and power i.c. wrong

                            • D
                            • AnonD-499272
                            • 8mp
                            • 19 Sep 2017

                            OK, this is actually a well built and sturdy device. It is very prone to easy scratching though, well black version. The screen is bright, vibrant and although standard HD quite usable. The audio quality through speaker is a little weak, but for voice calls excellent. Can't better audio through earphones, as has that Walkman style base eq. The camera is actually quite good, remember the default 16:9 mode is 10mp, but at 4 by 3, better at 13mp. Selfy camera passable, but not stunning. Despite specs on paper it is quite a speedy phone, battery life average though. I'd prefer this device to the Chinese manufacturers like Huawei at similar price point at £119 UK sim free is a bargain, highly recommend.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-590249
                              • 0Tc
                              • 13 Sep 2017

                              AnonD-654964, 01 Jul 2017I must say this entry level is the best non-chinese brand b... moreI think photos look bad, even with my Xperia XA looked bad and it has lower focal aperature. I expected more especially when I know Sony specializes in cameras, but I am not surprised they do not fit them inside low-cost phones. I just would not consider them good without comparing to any other model. Too much of visible noise.

                                • A
                                • Aravind
                                • uud
                                • 25 Aug 2017

                                I'm using Sony Experia Z1 compact since 3years, two years it's working was good and next one year it's working is worst and it has no updates, no service so I feel it's very worst coustomer support to the buyers

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • Ibx
                                  • 16 Aug 2017

                                  Sanarul.sk, 12 Aug 2017sony xperia L1 very network problem Come on India, expect more Buy Sony!

                                    • S
                                    • Sanarul.sk
                                    • 6kt
                                    • 12 Aug 2017

                                    sony xperia L1 very network problem

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • IbE
                                      • 12 Aug 2017

                                      AnonD-678118, 29 Jun 2017Huh, i bought two of them, one for my sister and one for my... moreYes, true Sony cell phone owner.

                                        • C
                                        • Cali
                                        • IbE
                                        • 12 Aug 2017

                                        Not impressed with thus review, especially how they favor Sony competition cell cos that offer impressive on paper specs, only .
                                        But fail within short time with real world usage and No updates.
                                        What Sony offers: Performance, Quality and Durable cells!