TechRadar Verdict
A real surprise package from Sony Ericsson - instead of bringing a poor version of the X10, it's a great teeny smartphone in its own right with some great and quirky features.
Pros
- +
Super-fast, lag-free operation
- +
Best battery life of any Android phone
- +
UI customisations suit the tiny form
- +
Runs demanding apps with ease
Cons
- -
A bit outdated
- -
Limited to T9 text entry
- -
No physical D-pad
- -
Timescape is rather a waste of time
Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
UPDATE: Sony Ericsson has recently updated its X-range of Android phones to Android 2.1, so we've revisited our X10 Mini review now we have the new (ish) Android 2.1 on it.
It seems a little odd to be reviewing Android 2.1 as if it's a new release when we expect Android phones to arrive with 2.2 or higher these days, but it's still a welcome update for Sony Ericsson's tiny little telephone. Obviously the hardware is still the same – click through to the later pages to read about the software enhancements now on offer in the 2.1 update.
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 Mini should be nothing more than a shrunken version of the Xperia X10 – but in reality it's a whole new phone that gives Android a complete makeover.
Oh yes, it's small. Sony Ericsson isn't joking when it says the Xperia X10 Mini is the same size as a credit card. Obviously it's a lot thicker, but the overall size and weight of the super-small Android phone is about equivalent to a packet of Swan matches. It is tiny.
The exterior is smooth with only three buttons on the face of the phone – Menu, Home and Back – and there's no D-pad or joystick whatsoever here.
The combination screen lock and power button is on the top edge, with a volume up/down toggle and dedicated camera button on the right-hand side.
On the bottom edge sits a 3.5mm headphone jack and the micro-USB connector, which requires a sharp, unbitten fingernail to pull open the little rubber stopper that stops pocket fluff build up. It's a simple, straightforward layout.
People who are afraid of buttons won't find the X10 Mini an intimidating experience.
Inside the box of this unlocked version direct from Sony Ericsson sat the phone, a 2GB microSD card, a micro-USB connector, headphones with inline pause button and five alternate-colour snap-on back panels.
Supplied colours will vary depending on who you buy yours from, as the company's fixed up a few exclusive deals for bundling different colour cases with the networks.
But there's no battery in the box – that's permanently fixed inside the phone. You're not able to replace it yourself, as it's locked within the core of the handset beneath a few layers of circuit boards, behind those funny star-shaped screws.
It's very light and could possibly do with feeling a little heavier, if only so it doesn't blow out of your hand in a breeze. But for a phone so affordable – currently going for around £140 on PAYG deals – the X10 Mini has a remarkably high-class feel about it.
However, with the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Ace and Samsung Galaxy Mini rocking up to the low-cost Android scene, it might not be enough in today's enlightened Android age.
