Expert Reviews | Katharine Byrne

The camera could be better, but the Xperia M4 Aqua has both the build quality and speed to put its rivals to shame

Register Hardware | Alun Taylor

Can you ask more of a phone than it looks and feels the same as one costing two and a half times as much? Not in my book.

Android Authority | Bailey Stein

While being resistant to dust and water is a very useful feature, the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua does fall short in other key areas when compared to the, in some cases cheaper, competition.

S21

Things started out so well between us and the M4 Aqua.It just looks so nice. We were really rooting for it.

Trusted Reviews | Sean Keach

The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is an attractive, well-performing 4G Android smartphone that – while not class-leading – won't disappoint fans of the brand.

Pocket-lint | Britta O'Boyle

Overall the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a good mid-range smartphone, made even better by full waterproofing. That's one feature to make it standout in among the madness of the mid-range market, and therefore well worthy of consideration.

Digital Versus | Romain Thuret

The Xperia M4 Aqua is no flagship killer, but it does everything you ask of it (and then some), all on a bright, high-quality screen. Most importantly, it has value-for-money that few big brands like Sony have been able to offer so far. At this game, it's much better than the Galaxy A5-plus, it's waterproof. But if you do go for one, then hear us now and get the 16 GB, not the 8 GB model.

PC Advisor | Chris Martin

It offers flagship-like design, a great camera and a user-friendly Android Lollipop. If you are looking for a mid-range smartphone, the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a solid choice.

Stuff | Andrew Williams

It's fairly long-lasting, won't destroy your bank balance, and feels well-made despite being crafted of plastic rather than Sony's signature glass and metal. However, it shoots itself in the foot by letting preinstalled apps gobble up almost all of its limited storage space and the camera, while well-specced, is pretty awful.

NotebookCheck | Michael Moser

The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a compact mainstream smartphone with many good features. Thanks to the decent battery runtimes, the device easily manages a whole day without a socket, but the charging time of the integrated battery is unfortunately painfully long.

Gadgets Now | Ravi Sharma

Buy this smartphone if you want a smartphone with a decent screen, good battery life and attractive design, though the inconsistent camera can be a deal-breaker.

Recombu | Chris Barraclough

The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a solid all-round handset, even if it does nothing at all to blow away the competition. If you're a big fan of Sony's mobile design but can't afford the pricy Xperia Z3, the M4 Aqua is a likable alternative.

phoneArena | Victor H

The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua features one of our favorite designs for an affordable phone: it's slim and stylish, and while it's all plastic, it has the looks and feel of a more expensive gadget. This, however, would not mean much if the phone could not perform well. Luckily, that's not the case, and the device handles the daily Android grind quickly and mostly stutter-free. The two big downsides of the Xperia M4 Aqua are in the camera department and the limited amount of built-in storage.

Mobile Syrup | Igor Bonifacic

With the exception of the M4's screen, Sony has created a phone that is, by all accounts, an excellent entry into the mid-range market. As with any device in this price range, there are compromises. But, for the most part, the company has packed in features that many different types of consumers can appreciate. Overall, the Xperia M4 Aqua is an easy phone to recommend, especially if you don't want to break the bank with your next smartphone purchase.

Wired UK | Dave Oliver

The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a solid mid-range, 4G-equipped phone that has certain benefits for outdoorsy and clumsy types, even if it's perhaps not quite as waterproof as its name implies. It's a shame the camera doesn't live up to Sony's usual high standards.

The Gadget Show

The Sony Xperia M4 Aqua is a decent mid-range effort that not only looks good, but it's solidly built and won't completely burn a hole in your wallet. It's let down by its awful camera though, and the built-in storage will get eaten up quickly, meaning you'll have to buy a microSD card too.

TechRadar | Matt Hanson

A decent little phone that lives in the murky mid-range waters - but looks a lot like a flagship.