[4] The Xperia T features a 4.55-inch 720p (720x1280 pixels resolution) LCD display with Mobile BRAVIA Engine and 323 ppi pixel density,[6] Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 SoC with a 1.5 GHz dual-core (Krait) CPU, 1 GB of RAM, and 16 GB of internal storage that can be expanded by using a microSD card.

[1][9][5] The Smart Connect app allows actions to be triggered when specific events occur, such as scanning an NFC "SmartTag".

[1][9][3] The Xperia T was cross-promoted with the then-latest installment in the James Bond film franchise, Skyfall (released by Sony subsidiary Columbia Pictures), which features product placement of the device being used by the title character.

The AT&T, O2 (United Kingdom), and Canadian models of the Xperia T were bundled with James Bond-themed content, including a Gun barrel sequence wallpaper, special ringtones, behind-the-scenes footage, and geotagged photos from the filming of Skyfall.

Ars Technica praised the screen's "crisp" and legible appearance, but found that the Xperia T's performance was underwhelming in comparison to competitors such as the LG Optimus G and iPhone 5.

[6] CNET felt that the Xperia TL was a major improvement over the Xperia Ion, citing its newer Android platform (albeit not using the latest version on-launch), better CPU, "snapping quality" camera, and fast LTE data speeds, but felt that the design of the T lacked "style" in comparison to devices such as the HTC One X, and that the display had low contrast and poor viewing angles in comparison to AMOLED displays such as the Samsung Galaxy S III.