As we enter the midway point of 2016, it's particularly significant part of the year for Sony, as the company is readying a number of devices for release in the next couple of months. Along with the Xperia X smartphones which we saw at MWC 16 in February, Sony is now preparing its mid-range Xperia E5 for release in August locally. 

The Xperia E5 is sporting a 5" display up front with a HD (720p) resolution to call upon. The frame for this offering is in keeping with Sony's current smartphone aesthetic, and bares a striking resemblance to the Xperia X range of devices. Unfortunately, it's not packing the same sort of specifications, but is still solid given its R3 999 recommended price tag. 

Internally, Sony has opted for a MediaTek chipset, with a quad-core MTK6735 unit doing the heavy lifting. It's complemented by 1.5 GB of RAM and 15 GB of onboard storage. Added to this is a microSD slot for an additional 200 GB of memory. It will also feature Android Marshmallow, making it one of the first Xperia devices to natively include this. 

On the rear is a 13 MP camera, with a 5 MP one pulling duty up front. In terms of other features, the Japanese manufacturer has ensured the E5 can deliver two days battery life from its 2700 mAh unit. Finally worth noting is 4G/LTE connectivity, an important consideration when looking at a mid-range device.