Sony Xperia XA1 Plus Review: A Smartphone To Perfectly Join The Dots
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After launching the Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra earlier this year, the Japanese smartphone manufacturer is back with another mid-ranger in the form of Sony Xperia XA1 Plus which has been launched at a price of Rs 24,990.
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is being marketed as the ‘super mid-tier smartphone’, as it fits perfectly between Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra in what seems to be Sony’s slightly confusing mid-budget lineup.
However, the solid metal build, rounded edges as well as a flat back and front, have brought the classic Sony design back to the market but with a large 5.5-inch edge-to-edge display a 23MP camera and one of the most sought-after non-Snapdragon processor, the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus looks like a promising device but to be brutally true, we have seen better devices than the one in question but it comes with the brand value as well as trust of Sony.
image source: fonearena
That being said, is it enough to tackle the challenges posed by the recently launched Moto X4, Honor 8 Pro and segment leader the Moto Z2 Play? Let’s see!!
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus Specifications
5.5-inch (1920 x 1080) Full HD edge-to-edge display with Image Enhance Technology, Corning Gorilla Glass protection, offering 401 ppi
2.3GHz GHz MediaTek Helio P20 Octa-Core 64-bit processor coupled with ARM Mali T880 GPU
4GB RAM and 32GB storage, expandable up to 256GB via microSD card
Android 7.0 (Nougat) out of the box
Dual SIM 23MP rear camera with f/2.0 aperture, LED flash, 1/2.3″ Exmos RS sensor, Hybrid AF, Quick Launch & Capture, SteadyShot and Low-light photo: ISO6400
8MP front camera with f/2.0 aperture, 1/4″ Exmor R sensor, 23mm wide-angle lens, and SteadyShot
Fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button. Yes, you read it right!!
IP68 Water and Dust resistance rating.
3430mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive fast charging
4G LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, WiFi 820.11 a/b/g/n, GPS/GLONASS, NFC and USB Type-C
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus Dimensions: 155 x 75 x 8.7 mm; Weight: 190g
Color Options: Gold, Black and Blue color
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus Review
While the fingerprint scanner is a welcome change in the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus and there are very thin bezels at both sides, the one on the top and bottom feel almost unnecessarily, however, the extra space is home to dual front-facing speakers.
image source: sonymobile
As far as the camera capabilities are concerned, while rear setup is same to that of XA1 Ultra and know can know more about its capabilities in our Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra Review, the front camera has been borrowed from the lower end version the Xperia XA1 about which, you can read more here.
Moreover, the IP68 rating is something that most of the devices in this segment fail to offer and this can give an edge to Sony Xperia XA1 Plus against its competitors.
Coming to the 5.5-inch FHD display, it offers great viewing angles but due to the flat built it struggles a little under direct sunlight. However, as far as the color production is concerned, Sonny’s devices have been some of the best ones in this department and Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is no exception.
For stock Android lovers, Sony Xperia XA1 Plus runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat, with minimalistic UI on top and the company has always done a great job by keeping the user interface as close and as stock Android. And of course, users also get Sony’s own bundle of apps on-board, to help further enhance the experience.
The one thing that both the Xperia XA1 and the Ultra version lacked was battery backup but the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus comes with 3430 mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive fast charging that can easily last for a full day of mixed usage.
Coming to the performance credentials, this is where the smartphone surprisingly shines, barring the 32GB of internal storage, as Helio P20 is one of the best non-SD chipset available in the market and that coupled with 4GB of RAM and a powerhouse of a GPU, makes Sony Xperia XA1 Plus one of the well-rounded packages for power users who can’t live without multitasking and running heavy applications at the same time.
Verdict
image source: fonearena
As a package, Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is better than both its higher as well as lower-end versions but when it comes to the competition, Moto X is still the best in the segment while the Z2 Plus now seems a little outdated. However, with just a couple of thousands more from your pocket, you can even get the Honor 8 Pro.
As far as the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is concerned, if you have been a fan of the company’s lineup and want to give it a chance once again, there is nothing better than the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus in the market, as of now.
