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Sony Ericsson Xperia PlayRetro / Emulation
Retro / EmulationDiscontinued

Sony Ericsson Xperia Play

Sony Ericsson · Released Apr 2011 ·

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is a 4.0" TFT handheld from Sony Ericsson powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255. It launched at around $80.

6.2
out of 10
$80
Launch price $80
⚖️ Compare this device

Pros

  • +Small form factor, portable and pocket-friendly
  • +Ease of access to Android games and apps
  • +Supports connection to external displays
  • +The touchscreen is useful for navigation and touch/stylus-based games

Cons

  • Letterboxing (black bars) on classic retro systems
  • No support for L3/R3 inputs (button clicks on analog sticks)
  • Older TFT panel type
  • Unstable emulation on more demanding systems

What can it play?

Emulation performance by platform, based on real-world testing.

Full speedPlayableLimitedNot supported
Game BoyFull speed
Game Boy AdvanceFull speed
NESFull speed
SNESFull speed
Nintendo 64Playable
GameCubeNot supported
WiiNot supported
Wii UNot supported
Nintendo DSPlayable
Nintendo 3DSNot supported
Nintendo SwitchNot supported
Sega GenesisFull speed
Sega SaturnNot supported
DreamcastNot supported
PlayStationFull speed
PlayStation 2Not supported
PSPNot supported

Full specifications

Hardware

Chipset (SoC)
Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255
CPU
Scorpion, Single cores, 1.0 GHz - 1.5 GHz
GPU
Qualcomm Adreno 205, 245 MHz
RAM
512 MB
Storage
400 MB Internal
Weight
175 g
Dimensions
119 x 62 x 16 mm
Cooling
Passive

Display

Size
4″
Resolution
854 x 480
Panel
TFT
Refresh rate
60 Hz
Touchscreen
Yes

Battery & Connectivity

Battery
1500 mAh
Real-world life
~0 hours
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Bluetooth
Bluetooth 2.1
Ports
Video out, 3.5mm headphone, microSD
Expandable storage
Yes (microSD)

Controls

Analog sticks
2
D-pad
Yes
Face buttons
Yes
Analog triggers
No
Gyroscope
No
Hall effect sticks
No

Software & custom firmware

Ships with: Android 2.3.7

Also plays natively: Android

No third-party custom firmware tracked for this device.

Our verdict

Value10.0
Build5.1
Screen7.3
Performance3.3

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Play is a 4.0" TFT handheld from Sony Ericsson powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255. It launched at around $80. It carries 512 MB of RAM and runs Android 2.3.7. Highlights include: Small form factor, portable and pocket-friendly; Ease of access to Android games and apps; Supports connection to external displays; The touchscreen is useful for navigation and touch/stylus-based games. Trade-offs to note: Letterboxing (black bars) on classic retro systems; No support for L3/R3 inputs (button clicks on analog sticks); Older TFT panel type.