While the Xperia M was far from a benchmark-buster, Sony tells us that its successor is the best in class on device thickness, display size, camera resolution and processor cores. We'd say its main competition comes in the form of the Moto G, which impressed us when it launched last year. Its slim 8.6mm profile, NFC and LTE support certainly help in that regard, especially as the Moto G is 3G-only, but the Xperia M2's 960 x 540 display is some way off its rival's.

For Sony, diversity certainly isn't key when it comes to handset design. The Xperia M2 may lack the top-level internals found in the Z2, but it's rocking the same "OmniBalance" design as Sony's new flagship. You'll notice, on closer inspection, that its lacks the premium finish of the Xperia Z2, but for those looking for flagship looks at a mid-range price, the Xperia M2 will still invoke the odd double-take.

We're still waiting on exact pricing info, but what we do know now is that Sony is looking around the €220 ($302) mark. It's not limiting its launch either: black, white and purple variants are all set to hit stores when the company launches the Xperia M2 globally in April.

James Trew contributed to this report.