Xperia XA Quick Review: $6.9 million, Stunning Device, Premium Finish, Bezel-less, Android 6, Helio P10

Among the recent X-series phones by Sony, the Xperia XA is the most affordable (followed by Xperia X and X Performance).

1. Xperia XA Quick Review: $6.9 million, Stunning Device, Premium Finish, Bezel-less, Android 6, Helio P10

Among the three recent X-series phones by Sony, the Xperia XA has the lowest price at $6.99 million, placing it in the 'top-tier' of the mid-range segment. The high price of Xperia XA is justified by its beautiful design, premium finish, high-quality display, and the addition of a beautiful Lemon Yellow color that is rare among phones. Official accessories include: cable, charger, earphones, and user manual.

Beautiful Design

Xperia XA boasts an overall attractive appearance. The slim and elongated form is due to the thick upper and lower bezels around the screen. The frame, specifically the frame around the screen, is very thin. In this area, only the frame directly connects to the glass screen, completely lacking any connection between the upper and lower parts of the screen. As a result, when the curved glass extends to the edge, it touches the frame directly without any bezel. However, under the glass, you can still observe a black border running around the screen. Even when considering this black line, the bezel of the XA is still remarkably thin, with few devices being thinner. At first glance, the device resembles a metal block encased in a highly cohesive glass panel.  

I don't know why Sony made the upper and lower parts of the screen so thick, but personally, I think it serves two purposes: first, to create a distinct look for the Xperia XA among thousands of other Android phones, and second, to provide a grip when held horizontally. Sony has tried to make this distinction as beautiful as possible by using premium details such as the 2.5D curved screen, eliminating the bezel, and ultimately making it monochromatic with the frame and back shell (applies to all 4 colors) for high uniformity. The purpose of providing a grip for the finger when holding the phone horizontally is evident when playing games or watching movies, ensuring a secure hold without accidentally touching the three touch buttons as they are all within the screen.

Premium Finish

The back of the Xperia XA is made of plastic, but at first glance, it doesn't look any different from the metal material of the frame. Even when you touch it for the first time, you can't be sure it's plastic; it feels hard and cool like metal. Only when you tap your finger on the back and hear a 'thud' sound, similar to tapping on a plastic sheet, can you be sure it's plastic. From this, we can see that the finishing quality of Sony phones remains very high even when it's just a mid-range device. Overall, the Xperia XA is a beautiful phone with a very high-quality finish. However, the thick upper and lower edges along with the three touch buttons within the screen will undoubtedly make many people not like it at first glance. A better perception is gained when viewed in reality and picked up.

Display

The Xperia XA has a 5' screen with a resolution of only 720p, a notch lower than the common level of 1080p in this price range. But with the 5' size of this screen, the pixel density is not too low (294 ppi). Fonts on the screen may not appear as smooth, but it's hard to notice any text blurring if not paying close attention. In my usage experience, for an IPS screen, only when it reaches 5.5' does it really need 1080p; a 5' 720p screen is still good enough, not bad.

The display quality on the XA's screen is supported by two noteworthy things: first, the curved screen combined with the 'bezel-less' border, and second, the Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 image processing engine. The screen panel is placed very close to the top for a pronounced floating effect. Images extending to the edges due to the curved screen make them more prominent and add a glossy effect due to the curved light. The result is a sense of images overflowing to the edge, everything also appears more vibrant because of the high floating screen.  

The Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 is Sony's software that enhances image and video quality. You can enable/disable Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 in the Settings > Display menu. There are two main options: Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 and Super-vivid mode, both enhancing color, contrast, and image clarity. The first slightly increases the effect, and the second increases it even more. If you are familiar with and like the colors of Super AMOLED screens, choose the second option; otherwise, choose the first or turn it off altogether.

Camera

You can quickly launch the camera by holding down the shutter button on the right side. The camera startup speed with the screen off takes about 1.5 seconds. The Exmor RS 1/3' sensor along with the Helio P10 chip makes the camera work very fast, especially noticeable when pointing the camera in low-light conditions; the live view on the screen can still display everything quickly and smoothly without lag due to low light.

The Xperia XA's photo capture speed is very fast, under 1 second, but when tapping the corner to review the photo, it takes a bit longer, around 1 second. The phone has all the familiar shooting modes of Sony, such as Superior Auto, Manual, and additional camera effect apps. Among them, the Superior Auto super automatic mode has many smaller shooting modes, such as backlight shooting, food shooting, low-light shooting, etc., automatically activated based on the scene, so the shooter doesn't need to manually select them.

The Xperia XA's camera also has a premium feature called Object Tracking, automatically following moving objects while shooting. For example, you tap on a person's face on the camera screen, and when that person moves, the focus box will automatically move along; you don't need to touch it again to focus. Object Tracking works with any type of subject, not limited to human faces, such as animals and objects. Just touch once, the camera will remember its shape and color and continuously move the focus point accordingly. Real-world testing shows that Object Tracking works very quickly and accurately, reducing fatigue when capturing scenes with a lot of movement, such as children playing or capturing moving vehicles. Below are some photos I took with the Xperia XA this morning (resized to a width of 960px, original images, no editing):

Configuration

The Xperia XA doesn't boast a high-end configuration with its 720p screen resolution and the absence of a fingerprint sensor—features commonly found even in budget-friendly devices. As mentioned earlier, the Xperia XA's premium quality and design contribute to its higher cost. While the configuration might not be its forte, it holds up well with the Helio P10 chip, a strong contender in the mid-range processor category, comparable to Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon 801 from two years ago.

After powering up and hitting Update All in the Play Store to update all apps, I installed a few favorite games to play. This updating phase is typically strenuous, causing lag and quick heating in weaker devices, but not with the XA. The phone remains smooth, and the back only warms up slightly. Even during continuous gaming, the XA stays remarkably cool, with the back almost not emitting any heat. In contrast, my Flash Plus 2 (also equipped with the Helio P10) heats up considerably during prolonged gaming. This indicates the XA's cooling system works exceptionally well. Regarding gaming speed, I don't notice any significant difference between the Xperia XA, Flash Plus 2 (Helio P10, 2 GB RAM), and OnePlus X (Snapdragon 801, 3 GB RAM). However, the XA stands out for its impressive coolness, from the back to the metal frame, which remains cool.

Additionally, you can use 2 nano SIM cards and a microSD card simultaneously with the Xperia XA since the memory card slot is separate from the SIM tray, eliminating the need to sacrifice SIM 2 for a memory card.

Battery

The XA has a modest 2,300 mAh battery capacity, but Sony confidently claims the phone can last up to two days on a single charge. I've been using it since yesterday evening, so I don't have much of a review yet, but I'm somewhat impressed with the fast charging technology, Pump Express+ 2.0 (MediaTek). Charging with an Anker 5-port charger (2.4A output), going from 50% to 100% takes about 30 minutes.

Conclusion

The Sony Xperia XA boasts a beautiful design and high-quality finish, embodying many characteristics of a premium device. However, the absence of a fingerprint sensor and the 720p screen resolution may lead users to hesitate when comparing it to other more affordable options. Yet, within the same price range or even slightly higher, it's challenging to find a device as aesthetically pleasing as the Xperia XA.

Pros

• Beautiful design with premium finish.
• Ultra-thin screen bezels, no bezel.
• Remarkably cool device, hardly emits heat even during continuous gaming.
• 5D curved and vibrant display.
• Pre-installed Android 6.0.
• High-speed camera, efficient operation, includes Object Tracking.

Cons

• 720p resolution screen.
• Lacks a fingerprint sensor.
• Excessively thick top and bottom screen bezels.

Xperia XA Specifications:

• Release Date: February 2016
• Operating System: Android 6.0.1
• Processor: Mediatek Helio P10, Octa-core 2.0 GHz
• Display: IPS 5”, 720p, 294 ppi
• RAM: 2 GB
• Internal Storage: 16 GB
• External Storage: microSD
• Main Camera: 13 MP, PDAF, LED Flash, 1080p@30fps
• Front Camera: 8 MP, AF, 1080p, HDR
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, BT 4.1 with aptX, A-GPS, NFC,
• Network: 4G LTE Cat 4, 2 x nano SIM (dedicated microSD slot)
• Dimensions: 143.6 x 66.8 x 7.9 mm
• Weight: 137.4 grams
• Battery: 2,300 mAh, Fast Charging Pump Express+ 2.0