Review of the smartphone Sony Xperia XA: modest charm. Sony Xperia XA review – Beautiful and affordable smartphone from Sony Sony xperia xa
Simplified and cheaper modification of the new season, but not without a twist
Sony is releasing four new smartphones this year: Xperia X, Xperia X Performance, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra. The basis of the line is the balanced flagship Xperia X and its advanced modification X Performance. We already got acquainted with the Xperia X model in the previous review, and will soon consider the older version in detail. For now, let's turn to the younger version. The Sony Xperia XA model described today may well be called a simplified modification of the Xperia X smartphone. They have a lot in common, and in some ways this cheaper and more modest version may turn out to be even more interesting than its older brother in the new line.
Key Features of Sony Xperia XA (Model F3112)
- SoC MediaTek Helio P10 (MT6755), 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53 @2.0 GHz
- GPU ARM Mali-T860 MP2 @700 MHz
- Operating system Android 6.0
- Touchscreen display IPS 5″, 1280 × 720, 293 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 2 GB, internal memory 16 GB
- SIM cards: Nano-SIM (1 or 2 pcs.)
- Support for microSD memory cards up to 200 GB
- GSM networks 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- WCDMA networks 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
- LTE networks FDD Band 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20
- Wi-Fi 802.11n/ac with MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct
- DLNA, Miracast
- Bluetooth 4.1 LE A2DP, apt-X, NFC
- USB 2.0, OTG
- GPS/A-GPS, Glonass
- Direction, proximity, lighting sensors, accelerometer, geomagnetic
- Camera 13 MP, f/2.0, autofocus, LED flash
- Front camera 8 MP, f/2.0
- Battery 2300 mAh
- Dimensions 144×67×7.9 mm
- Weight 135 g
Appearance and usability
The dimensions of the five-inch model Xperia X and Xperia XA are almost the same, and in shape too. Here, the continuity of the design is obvious, it has been passed down from generation to generation in one way or another since the Xperia Z, and now all this is reproduced in the updated Xperia X / XA family, but adjusted for modern realities.
Not much has changed: the corners have become slightly more rounded, the sides have become smoother and more rounded, the front panels have acquired 2.5D glass with sloping edges, which is why all new Sony smartphones have become more streamlined and smooth.
But there are also differences between the XA and X versions, the most noticeable of which are on the front and rear panels. As for the back side, everything is prosaic here: the cheaper Xperia XA model has a cheaper case, which received not metal as the back wall, like the Xperia X, but plastic imitating metal.
But with the front side, everything is not so obvious, and here, oddly enough, it is the simplified Xperia XA model that wins. The fact is that this novelty has the same notorious “frameless” design, when the thickness of the frame around the display is minimized. In Xperia XA, the width of the frame on the sides is no more than a millimeter, it is almost invisible. The older model Xperia X does not have such a “frameless” effect, its frame width is quite familiar, and this is surprising.
As for the quality of materials, assembly, in this regard, the Xperia XA is up to the mark, although a couple of annoying moments can be mentioned. The first is a weak grease-repellent coating on the front glass of the screen. It really is covered with fingerprints very quickly, but it is rubbed off badly, which is why the smartphone sometimes looks sloppy.
The second point is related to the sidewalls. The side faces of the Xperia XA case are covered for some reason with metal (or metallized) plates, very reminiscent of smooth metal and very slippery. Other surfaces of the smartphone as a whole are not slippery, but the side edges suffer from this drawback. And this is wrong: because of them, the device is constantly trying to slip out of the hands.
 |
 |
In terms of the distribution of elements on the body, the Xperia XA is familiar. Cards are inserted into the side slot on the left, and here you can highlight the second (after the "frameless" display, which the older model lacks) the positive difference between Xperia XA and Xperia X. The fact is that it has two card slots under the cover, and not one hybrid, as in the Xperia X. That is, in the Xperia XA you can simultaneously insert two SIM cards and another microSD memory card, and for this you do not have to remove one of the SIM cards, which is good news.
Under SIM-cards there are two equivalent compartments for Nano-SIM cards. Hot-swap is not provided: Sony smartphones always reboot themselves as soon as the cover of the corresponding slots is opened. The pleasant moment is that in Japanese smartphones, the SIM tray does not need to be squeezed out with a paper clip, it can be easily removed after picking it up with a fingernail.
Mechanical buttons are located on the opposite, right side face of the case. Unlike older models, there is no fingerprint scanner inscribed in the power button. And the button itself is different in shape: it is not elongated, but round, as in previous Xperia Z models even before the appearance of fingerprint sensors in them.
The front panel received all the proper elements, including an LED event indicator that shines a dot above the screen in case of charging or missed messages.
In the lower part under the screen, Sony has long had no touch buttons, only virtual ones on the screen. And in this regard, it can be noted that quite a lot of completely free, unoccupied space is left under the screen.
On the back of the case there is nothing but a camera window with a flash. The camera module does not protrude beyond the surface, the flash is implemented by one LED, not too bright.
The main speaker is brought to the bottom end, next to the Micro-USB connector located in the center and supporting the connection of third-party devices in USB OTG (USB Host) mode. Between them you can see a small hole in the speaking microphone.
The second microphone, for the noise reduction system, is located on the upper end, next to the headphone audio output.
Like the Xperia X, our hero of the review did not receive protection against water and dust; in the new family, only the most advanced Xperia X Performance has it. As for the colors of the case, here the buyer is given a choice of four colors: white, black (“graphite black”), lemon (“golden lime”) and copper-pink (“rose gold”). These colors will be present in one way or another in all modern Sony models.
Screen
The smartphone is equipped with an IPS touch screen with a fashionable 2.5D glass with sloping edges. The physical dimensions of the display are 62 × 110 mm, the diagonal is 5 inches. The size is exactly the same as the Xperia X, but the resolution is half that, only 1280x720, and the dot density is 293 ppi. But the frame around the screen, unlike the Xperia X, is so thin that it is difficult to measure. However, despite the thin frame and rounded edges of the glass, there are no accidental touches of the screen, the lack of a frame does not cause discomfort.
The display brightness is automatically adjusted based on a light sensor. There is also a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology allows you to handle 10 simultaneous touches - however, the standard AnTuTu test could not adequately cope with this screen. Support for working with the screen with gloves, unlike the Xperia X, the smartphone in question does not. And of course, the wet-finger feature is a thing of the past, since Sony's new smartphones are not water-resistant.
 |
 |
A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the test sample.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than the screen of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photo in which a white surface is reflected in the off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia XA, as it is not difficult to determine, is on the right, then they can be distinguished by size):
Both screens are dark, but the Sony screen is still darker (its brightness in the photo is 103 versus 111 for the Nexus 7). The tripling of reflected objects on the Sony Xperia XA screen is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the outer glass (it is also a touch sensor) and the matrix surface (OGS type screen - One Glass Solution). Due to the smaller number of borders (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better with strong external illumination, but their repair in case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be changed. There is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating on the outer surface of the screen (not very effective, noticeably worse than Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed more easily, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
With manual brightness control and with a white field displayed in full screen, its maximum value was about 550 cd/m², and the minimum was 3.6 cd/m². The maximum value is very high, and given the excellent anti-reflective properties, in bright daylight and even in direct sunlight, the image on the screen should be clearly distinguishable. In complete darkness, the brightness can be lowered to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness control works by light sensor (it is located to the left of the logo on the front panel). In automatic mode, when the ambient light conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. This function depends on the brightness adjustment. If it is at a minimum, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 4.7 cd / m² (dark), in an artificially lit office (about 400 lux) it sets it to 37 cd / m² (it could have been brighter), in bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a slightly cloudy day outdoors - about 10,000 lux) increases to 460 cd/m² (sufficient). If the brightness slider is at half the scale, then the screen brightness for the three conditions above is as follows: 44, 160 and 550 cd/m² (suitable values). If the brightness control is set to maximum - 180, 310, 600 cd / m² (the first two values are too high). Everything looks good, but the problem is that in very bright light (on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more), the brightness of the backlight is greatly underestimated. As third-party programs have shown, this is due to a light sensor that does not work correctly. As a result, it cannot be argued that the auto-brightness function works adequately. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.
This screen uses an IPS type matrix. Micrographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The screen has good viewing angles without color inversion (except for the very darkest when deviated along one diagonal) and without significant color shift even at large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here is a photograph in which the same images are displayed on the Nexus 7 and Sony Xperia XA screens, while the brightness of the screens is initially set to about 200 cd / m² (on a white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K Perpendicular to the plane of the screens is a white field:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:
The colors are saturated on both screens, the color balance is noticeably different. Now at an angle of about 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, and on the Sony Xperia XA, the contrast decreased to a greater extent due to more black highlights and a greater drop in brightness, and there were also signs of inverting dark shades. And the white box:
The brightness at an angle for both screens has noticeably decreased, but in the case of the Sony Xperia XA, the brightness drop is slightly larger. The black field, when deviated diagonally, is highlighted strongly and acquires a purple or reddish tint. The photos below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):
And from another angle:
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good:
It can be seen that the curved edges refract the light from the black field illuminated at the corners, which does not look very good. Contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 970:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 15 ms (7.5 ms on + 7.5 ms off). The transition between 25% and 75% grayscale (according to the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 25 ms. The gamma curve constructed from 32 points with an equal interval according to the numerical value of the shade of gray did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. The exponent of the approximating power function is 2.63, which is higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve strongly deviates from the power dependence:
Due to the presence of dynamic adjustment of the brightness of the backlight in accordance with the nature of the displayed image (brightness tends to decrease on dark images), the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential output of grayscale almost full screen. For this reason, a number of tests - determining the contrast and response time, comparing black light at angles - we carried out when displaying special patterns with a constant average brightness, and not monochromatic fields in full screen. In general, such a non-switchable brightness correction does nothing but harm, since it reduces the visibility of gradations in the shadows in the case of dark images. In addition, this dynamic adjustment, when displaying any image other than a white field in full screen, significantly lowers the brightness, which impairs readability in bright light, and besides, constantly adjusting the brightness can be very annoying.
The color gamut is slightly different from sRGB:
The spectra show that the matrix filters moderately mix the components to each other:
As a result, visually the colors have a natural saturation. The balance of shades on the gray scale is acceptable, since the color temperature is even higher than the standard 6500 K, but the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is below 10, which is considered a good indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the color temperature and ΔE change little from shade to shade - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since the color balance does not matter much there, and the measurement error of color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
This smartphone has the ability to correct the color balance by adjusting the intensities of the three primary colors.
What we tried to do, the result is data signed as Corr. on the charts above. As a result, we improved the balance on the white field, but the spread of values on dark shades grew catastrophically. In fact, it makes no sense to engage in correction in this case. In the settings, you can choose one of three correction profiles.
The photos above are for option Switch off. Note that the correction only works in Sony applications - when viewing images and, apparently, in a video player. Here's what happens if you choose a profile Extreme brightness mode:
The color contrast increases, nothing remains of the naturalness of the colors. In mode Mobile Bravia Engine 2 nothing terrible happens to the image - on the contrary, contour sharpening is turned off:
Let's summarize. The brightness adjustment range of this screen is very wide, anti-glare properties are excellent, which allows you to comfortably use your smartphone both on a sunny day on the beach and in complete darkness. It is possible to use the auto-brightness mode, but be prepared for the fact that in very bright ambient light conditions this function will make the screen unreadable due to a strong reduction in backlight brightness. The advantages include the absence of an air gap in the screen layers and flicker, high contrast, good black field uniformity, as well as a color gamut close to sRGB and an acceptable color balance. The disadvantages are an ineffective oleophobic coating, low black stability to the deviation of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen plane, as well as dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness that cannot be switched off. And the curved edges of the outer glass do not add comfort, since they glare all the time, and in the dark they tend to light up. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of the characteristics for this particular class of devices (and the most important thing is the visibility of information in a wide range of external conditions), the screen quality can be considered high.
Sound
The Xperia XA sounds less interesting than the Xperia X, the sound of the main speaker is rather simple here. For a call signal, this high, piercing, monophonic high-frequency sound is enough, but for listening to melodies, neither the width of the frequency spectrum, nor the depth and brightness of the sound, nor, in general, even the volume reserve is enough. The sound is certainly more interesting in headphones, everything is pretty good here, but there are fewer settings than the flagships. There is an automatic optimization of all sound parameters using the complex ClearAudio + function, but if you turn it off, then from the manual settings you can only find an equalizer with preset values and surround sound emulation, which few people use at all.
There are no complaints about the spoken speaker and microphone: the intonation and timbre of a familiar voice remain recognizable, there is practically no noise, the sound is clear, although it is also not at all saturated and bright. The sensitivity of the microphones is normal, the voice is recorded cleanly on the recorder and is clearly distinguishable during playback, the noise reduction system copes with its tasks adequately.
There is an FM radio in the smartphone; there is no automatic recording of telephone conversations from the line using standard tools.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Camera
Smartphone Sony Xperia XA is equipped with two cameras with a resolution of 13 and 8 megapixels. This, of course, is not 23 and 13 megapixels, like the older Xperia X, but still not bad. The front camera here has an 8-megapixel sensor with an Exmor R matrix for mobile devices and a wide-angle lens (88 °) with an f / 2.0 aperture without autofocus and its own flash. Here, as for the main camera, automatic and manual control modes are supported, you can use HDR and even add animation effects using the creative AR effect mode. The front camera produces high-quality pictures, with good sharpness and color reproduction, for a selfie level it is quite decent.
 |
 |
The main camera is equipped with a 13-megapixel 1/3-inch Exmor RS sensor for mobile devices and a 24mm f/2.0 wide-angle G Lens with fast hybrid autofocus. The maximum sensitivity is manually set to ISO 3200, but ISO 12800 is declared in the official settings.
All new Sony smartphones, as before, received SteadyShot stabilization with Intelligent Active Mode, which ensures smooth shooting without distortion. And of course, Sony is practically the only manufacturer that still installs a separate hardware camera control button in its smartphones.
In manual mode, everything is exactly the same as in older models: you can set the sensitivity, white balance, change the type of focus. There is a five-fold digital zoom, carried out using Clear Image scaling technology. Additional modes are also present, including those downloaded separately - panoramic, photo with sound, Sticker Creator, face in the image - everything is in place. One of the most unusual is the familiar augmented reality mode called AR effect, which allows you to combine real shots with animation.
By the way, unlike older models, here camera control is not transferred to third-party applications via the Camera2 API, RAW recording is also not supported.
 |
 |
 |
 |
The camera cannot shoot video in 4K (since even the older Xperia X does not), the maximum resolution is 1920 × 1080. True, on the Xperia X you can shoot at 60 fps, but there is not even that. The operation of the SteadyShot stabilization function is very noticeable when shooting on the move, the image really becomes smooth. On the whole, the camera copes with shooting video with dignity: the image is bright, without noticeable artifacts, with good color reproduction, although loose and with poor detail. The sound is recorded with high quality, Sony traditionally pays a lot of attention to the noise reduction system in its cameras.
- Movie #1 (35 MB, 1920×1080 @30 fps, H.264, AAC)
- Movie #2 (23 MB, 1920×1080 @30 fps, H.264, AAC)
 |
Good field and plan sharpness. On the left is a blur zone. |
 |
Sometimes the camera has little problems with white balance. |
 |
The camera does a good job with macro photography. |
 |
With the removal of the plan, the sharpness drops very smoothly. |
 |
Good long-range sharpness. |
 |
The text is well done. |
 |
Good close-up detail. |
| Sony Xperia XA | Apple iPhone 6 Plus |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
The camera is pretty good. Software processing is not very striking, and shortcomings like a not very accurate white balance and a blur zone on the left can be forgiven for good sharpness across the field and according to the plans in the rest of the frame. So the camera is able to handle most situations.
Telephone part and communications
Sony Xperia XA operates on most bands of 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA networks, and also has support for LTE Cat.4 with a theoretical maximum download speed of up to 150 Mbps. The smartphone supports all three of the most common LTE FDD bands among domestic operators (B3, B7 and B20). The connection speed in 4G networks and work with cellular networks of Russian operators in general does not cause any complaints from Sony Xperia XA: the smartphone instantly reconnects after a break, does not lose connection in areas of uncertain reception, gives the highest possible speeds in 4G in test places where competitors show much worse results. In terms of communication capabilities, Sony smartphones are always on top, this is one of their advantages.
The device also supports Bluetooth 4.1 LE, NFC, supports two Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz) MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, DLNA and Miracast, you can organize a wireless access point through channels WiFi or Bluetooth. The Micro-USB connector supports the USB 2.0 specification and the connection of external devices in USB OTG mode. The NFC module demonstrates compatibility with the Mifare Classic protocol, which is necessary for the successful operation of the "" application with the Troika transport card.
The navigation module works with GPS (A-GPS) and Glonass without the support of the Chinese Beidou. There are no complaints about the speed of the navigation module, the first satellites are detected during a cold start within the first seconds. The smartphone is equipped with a magnetic field sensor, on the basis of which the compass of navigation programs functions.
 |
 |
The smartphone provides work with two SIM-cards according to the Dual SIM Dual Standby standard. There is only one radio module, so there can only be one active conversation. A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G / 4G networks, however, only one of the cards can work in this mode at the same time (the second one will work only in 2G). The choice between two SIM cards for making a call, sending SMS, etc. can be made in advance or immediately before the connection.
 |
 |
 |
 |
OS and software
Xperia XA is based on the Android 6.0 platform with its own shell, it is exactly the same as the older model Xperia X. Compared to previous generations, only the external presentation has changed: icons are completely redrawn, themes change depending on the color of the case.
The internal structure, the location of the menu sections, the organization of desktops, etc. - everything remains the same except for the little things. The regular keyboard has changed: now SwiftKey has come in its place, it is installed by default. Mini-applications have completely disappeared - apparently, few people used them. The pull-out menu in the installed programs section has also been removed. Accustomed to the proprietary interface of Sony smartphones, such changes are unlikely to seem catastrophic, the interface has become a little simpler and more intuitive.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Performance
Sony has chosen Taiwanese MediaTek for the hardware of its cheaper XA series smartphones, while the more expensive Xperia X uses Qualcomm Snapdragon. The Sony Xperia XA has the SoC MT6755, also known as the Helio P10. The Helio P10 is configured with a 64-bit octa-core ARM Cortex-A53 processor running at 2GHz and an ARM Mali-T860 GPU running at 700MHz.
The amount of RAM of the smartphone is 2 GB, the amount of built-in flash memory is 16 GB, of which about 11 GB are initially available to the user for his needs. This volume can be increased with microSD cards, and unlike the older models of the X series, here you don't have to remove one of the SIM cards for this, all three cards are installed in the device at the same time. It is also possible to connect external flash drives to the USB port in OTG mode. MicroSD cards are supported up to 200 GB, in practice our 128 GB Transcend Premium microSDXC UHS-1 test card was recognized by the device with confidence.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Judging by the comparison table with the test data of other current mobile platforms, we can state that the new SoC MediaTek MT6755 (Helio P10) is noticeably ahead of the mid-range MT6753, which was extremely popular with manufacturers last season, in all respects, and even the once-flagship MediaTek MT6795 is already in nothing no better than our heroine. That is, the current average level of mobile platforms in terms of its capabilities turns out to be better than the top level of last year, which cannot but rejoice.
Most of all, Helio P10 is close in results to another fresh mid-range platform - HiSilicon Kirin 650. Only here the graphics are slightly better, and absolute parity is observed between them in complex and specialized browser tests.
It is interesting to compare the performance of the Xperia XA with the older model Xperia X. That one is also not built on the top Qualcomm platform, but on a mid-range SoC. However, its results in all tests are noticeably higher, both in general and specialized tests, including graphics, which allows us to evaluate Helio P10 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 650/652 as solutions of different levels. And if we call the MediaTek MT6755 and HiSilicon Kirin 650 platforms mid-level, then for higher in all respects, but still not the flagship Qualcomm Snapdragon 650/652, we will have to add some sub-flagship level, which is above average, but below the top. In any case, the Xperia X turns out to be more productive than the Xperia XA in all tests, which is quite logical for the older and more expensive model in the line.
According to the results of testing, we can say with confidence that the level of Helio P10 is not top-end, but a confident average. At the same time, for all modern tasks, the capabilities of this SoC at the moment should be more than enough. So far, it can handle demanding games too: World of Tanks can be comfortably played at maximum fps, heavier games do not run at such high fps, but also do not show the slightest delay.
 |
 |
Testing in the latest versions of AnTuTu and GeekBench 3 comprehensive benchmarks:
For convenience, we have summarized all the results obtained by us when testing a smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks in tables. Several other devices from different segments are usually added to the table, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the received dry numbers). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison, it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
Testing the graphics subsystem in 3DMark gaming tests, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:
When testing in 3DMark for the highest performing smartphones, it is now possible to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (due to which the speed can rise above 60 fps).
 |
 |
Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for evaluating the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowances for the fact that the results in them depend significantly on the browser in which they are launched, so that the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this possibility is available when testing not always. In the case of Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
thermal images
Below is a thermal image of the back surface, obtained after 10 minutes of running a battery test in the GFXBenchmark program (the lighter, the higher the temperature):
Heating is clearly localized in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 41 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), this is the average heating in this test for modern smartphones.
Video playback
To test the "omnivorous" when playing video (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Web. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern versions using processor cores alone. Also, do not expect everything from a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.
According to the test results, the test subject was not equipped with all the necessary decoders that are needed for the full playback of most of the most common multimedia files on the network, in this case, sound ones. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, it is also necessary to change the settings in it and manually install additional custom codecs, because now this player does not officially support the AC3 audio format.
| Format | container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Regular video player |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720, 24fps, AAC | plays normally | plays normally |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720, 24fps, AC3 | video plays fine, no sound | |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24fps, AAC | plays normally | plays normally |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24fps, AC3 | video plays fine, no sound | video plays fine, no sound |
Further testing of video playback performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.
We did not find an MHL interface, as well as Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video signal playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) Red marks indicate possible problems associated with playback of the corresponding files.
According to the frame output criterion, the quality of video files playback on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) to be displayed with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without frame drops. We note an atypically high screen refresh rate of approximately 67-68 Hz. As a result, in the case of files with 60 fps, 7-8 frames per second are output with an increased duration. When playing video files with a resolution of 1280 by 720 (720p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly along the border of the screen, one to one in pixels, that is, in its original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235 (all gradations of shades are displayed in the shadows and in the highlights), which is required for the correct playback of typical video files.
Battery life
The capacity of the non-removable battery installed in the Sony Xperia XA is 2300 mAh, which is small by modern standards. And we must admit that Sony did not think through the issue of the power consumption of their device well enough - apparently, relying on the assurances of MediaTek developers that the new process technology and the new platform as a whole have become much more economical. MediaTek always claims this, and things are still there: the Sony Xperia XA showed poor battery life, there’s no other way to say it. It's clear that Sony is counting on the capabilities of its Stamina power-saving modes, but without them, in all standard tests, the smartphone performs hardly satisfactorily.
Continuous reading in the Moon + Reader program (with a standard, light theme, with auto scrolling) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd / m²) lasted more than 9.5 hours to a full discharge. When continuously watching videos from Youtube in high quality (720p) with the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network, the device did not reach even up to 8 hours. In the 3D-games mode, the smartphone functions for 2.5-3 hours.
The smartphone is charged from its own network charger for approximately 1 hour 40-50 minutes with a current of 1 A at a voltage of 5 V. The device does not support wireless charging.
Outcome
Many liked the price of Xperia XA: the device is sold at the time of writing the review for 22 thousand rubles, and they ask for a thousand more for a two-term modification of the same model. What can I say? For the level of Sony, this may be a low price, and it is significantly lower than that of the same Xperia X, offered for 40-41 thousand. However, in the same price category is, for example, the no less interesting model Huawei P9 lite, which does not add anything to the price for a two-SIM modification - they are all dual-SIM. And a Huawei smartphone with similar characteristics costs 20 thousand, not 23, that is, 3 thousand cheaper than the hero of the review. Is this a payment for a more famous brand? But with a price of up to 20 thousand, you can count a lot of other interesting devices. However, for true connoisseurs of the Sony brand, the Xperia XA smartphone may seem like an interesting offer, it all depends on your own wallet, and not the wallet of an abstract user. Objective cons of the new Sony model: water protection is removed, autonomy is low, the sound is simple. The rest is at a decent level: screen, platform, communication capabilities, cameras in general are at least good. And yet, the thought that the model is a little overrated does not leave.
Galuzov Go 2017-02-16
To be honest, I did not expect that the budget segment could please me so much. Especially after reading the negative reviews, I mentally prepared for the fact that I would have to suffer (although I am skeptical of such opinions, preferring to get acquainted with the object of interest to me from my own experience). So. After spending more than two months with the phone, I summarize. The phone is comfortable, fits perfectly in the hand, at first there is no desire to let go of it. I haven't experienced any problems with the battery. Having initially optimized the operation of the device, using it only for its intended purpose and not assigning super-tasks, I calmly, without being nervous, walked around with the phone all day, not risking being without a connection by 17.00. From morning to evening + 20 percent remained. I think that for modern phones this is a common result. As for performance. The phone does not hang, does not tupit. The camera works well. I am satisfied.
Advantages
Design Features Camera Ease of use
Basamov Afanasy 2017-02-15
A lot of nerves spent with this phone. Was the first experience with Sony. Didn't expect this at all. Huge disappointment.
Advantages
Refined exterior design. Really beautiful model.
Flaws
The most egregious drawback is that this phone may not always ring (it doesn’t matter which mobile operator). The antenna is full, but the call does not go - there are no beeps. People can't get through either. The phone starts freezing almost immediately after purchase. Charging lasts a maximum of 3 hours. The camera is terrible. Inconvenient phone book. Pre-installed music and video players are absolutely inoperable. Sometimes the screen goes blank when you put the phone on a table or other surface. Incredibly uncomfortable gallery. The keyboard shortcut for taking a screenshot does not always work. Non-removable battery. This is so, offhand. The device is absolutely identical to androids for 10-13 thousand, but its price is incredibly high.
Pridorogin Roman 2017-02-14
Advantages
Nimble. Not dull, the screen is good
Flaws
The camera is not very good (in the dark or poor lighting it is better not to get it), the battery lasts for a day with the Internet turned on. Everything breaks off around the body.
Marko Artyom 2017-02-11
I took z3 as a replacement, of course it’s inferior in terms of battery, but after all the firmware for a day of active use, it’s enough without using the stamina mode (turns on at 25 percent) I chose between z5 and X, the appearance outweighed the scales, elegant framelessness, omni front screen coverage . Definitely worth the money, in the case it loses all its beauty. The second month I wear without covers, with careful use I did not notice a single scratch. In terms of speed, it is slightly inferior to z3, apparently due to the RAM, but this is almost not noticeable. Do not carry with keys and change in your pocket, do not put on rough surfaces and you will be happy. The camera is an order of magnitude cooler than the z3, both rear and front, the pictures are clear, sharp, the white balance is adequately maintained. The screen is bright, juicy, colors are saturated. I advise you to subscribe to updates on the sony website and update through the computer, because. The latest firmware versions through the settings do not see. I recommend the model.
Accelerometer(or G-sensor) - device position sensor in space. As a main function, the accelerometer is used to automatically change the orientation of the image on the display (vertical or horizontal). Also, the G-sensor is used as a pedometer, it can be controlled by various functions of the device by turning or shaking.
Gyroscope- a sensor that measures the angles of rotation relative to a fixed coordinate system. Able to measure rotation angles in several planes simultaneously. The gyroscope together with the accelerometer allows you to determine the position of the device in space with high accuracy. In devices that use only accelerometers, measurement accuracy is lower, especially when moving quickly. Also, the capabilities of the gyroscope can be used in modern games for mobile devices.
Light sensor- a sensor, thanks to which the optimal values of brightness and contrast are set for a given level of illumination. The presence of the sensor allows you to increase the operating time of the device from the battery.
Proximity sensor- a sensor that detects when the device is close to the face during a call, turns off the backlight and locks the screen, preventing accidental pressing. The presence of the sensor allows you to increase the operating time of the device from the battery.
Geomagnetic sensor- a sensor for determining the direction of the world in which the device is directed. Tracks the orientation of the device in space relative to the Earth's magnetic poles. The information received from the sensor is used in mapping programs for orientation in the area.
Atmospheric pressure sensor- sensor for accurate measurement of atmospheric pressure. It is part of the GPS system, allows you to determine the height above sea level and speed up the location.
touch ID- Fingerprint identification sensor.
Accelerometer / Geomagnetic / Gyroscope / Illumination / Proximity
Satellite navigation:
GPS(Global Positioning System - global positioning system) - a satellite navigation system that measures distance, time, speed and determines the location of objects anywhere on the Earth. The system was developed, implemented and operated by the US Department of Defense. The basic principle of using the system is to determine the location by measuring the distances to the object from points with known coordinates - satellites. The distance is calculated from the signal propagation delay time from sending it by the satellite to receiving it by the GPS receiver antenna.
GLONASS(Global Navigation Satellite System) - Soviet and Russian satellite navigation system, developed by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense. The measurement principle is similar to the American GPS navigation system. GLONASS is intended for operational navigation and time support for ground, sea, air and space-based users. The main difference from the GPS system is that GLONASS satellites in their orbital movement do not have resonance (synchronism) with the Earth's rotation, which provides them with greater stability.
Smartphone Sony Xperia X (F5122) - Overview
I am often reproached for the fact that, as a fan of smartphones with large displays, I very rarely do reviews of smartphones with a diagonal of up to 5 ". It's true, I'm not particularly interested in them, especially since smartphones with a small diagonal are usually enough frail, and in almost all components: platform, sound, camera, battery, etc. And there are users who are very annoyed by this approach of manufacturers, because they need a good powerful smartphone, but with a small display. requirements is very, very small. In this review, we will consider one of these options - a small smartphone that actually has flagship characteristics. This is the Sony Xperia X - a phone with a diagonal of 5 ".
Display: 5", 1920×1080, Full HD, 2.5D, IPS, 441 PPI
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 650
GPU: Adreno 510
RAM: 3 GB
Flash memory: 32 (64 for Dual SIM) GB
Memory card: microSD up to 200 GB
Fingerprint Scanner: No
IR port: there is
Net: GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS, HDSPA/HSUPA, LTE
Wireless connection: Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC
Camera: 23 MP, predictive autofocus, flash
Front-camera: 13 MP
Ports: microUSB, audio jack
Navigation: GPS (A-GPS), GLONASS
SIM card: nanoSIM
Battery: 2620 mAh, non-removable
Dimensions: 143×69×7.9mm
The weight: 153 g
Additionally: proximity, light, pressure sensors, gyroscope, accelerometer, compass
Body colors: black, silver, gold, rose gold
Price: 36-41 thousand rubles on "Yandex.Market" There is also a version of Dual SIM, which has 64 GB of internal memory. This is what the color options look like.
There are also several other modifications of the Xperia X. These are the cheaper Xperia XA (weaker platform, worse performance and HD display), the more powerful Xperia X Performance on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, which has dust and water protection, and the hefty Xperia XA Ultra with a display of 6 "FullHD on MediaTek MT6755. Contents of delivery The packaging is a strict white box with a bright Sony inscription and a barely noticeable Xperia X inscription. 
The bundle is extremely ascetic: a smartphone, a power adapter, a USB-microUSB cable. 
On the other hand, what else do you need? Headset? All of these bundled headsets are usually of very low quality and hardly anyone uses them. At the same time, they increase the cost of the kit. Well, to hell? Another thing is that, for example, Apple completes iPhones with really high-quality Earpods, and so many people use them. Power adapter - 5V and 1.5A. 
By the way, this smartphone supports fast charging according to the Qualcom QuickCharge 3.0 standard, but you will have to buy a UCH12 adapter from Sony for it. Appearance and features
The design of the Sony Xperia X is traditional and expected. Sony generally does not indulge users with variety in design, and the Xperia X is no exception. The case is made of painted aluminum alloy, the display is covered with tempered glass with rounded edges. The ends are slightly rounded, but the phone is quite comfortable to take with one hand from the table, it also fits very well and grips in the hand. 
There are inconspicuous plastic inserts for antennas only at the bottom end, the back cover also does not contain any plastic inserts - it is made of aluminum alloy. happened to me several times. 
Interestingly, in this smartphone there are no holes for the speaker at all. The right end from the bottom up: the camera call button (I warmly welcome such things), the volume rocker and the power button. 
I didn't like the buttons at all. Well, okay - the camera, in any case, it requires a long press so that there are no accidental triggers. The volume rocker is inconveniently located, has an extremely small and very indistinct stroke. The power button is even weirder. At first I thought that it, like in Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, has a built-in fingerprint scanner, which made the button so uncomfortable (and in older Xperia models it was done very well), but there is no scanner here, and the button is terribly uncomfortable in itself: it not only does not rise above the surface, but is also slightly recessed. Why this is done is completely incomprehensible to me personally. The upper end is an audio output and a second microphone for noise reduction 
The left end is a plug insert for a SIM card and a memory card. 
Well, the bottom end is a microUSB output and a microphone. 
Well, here is the Xperia X next to the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge and Lenovo Note 5. 
The smartphone looks good, but, let's say, without a twist, the materials and assembly are expected to be very high quality. The control buttons here are traditionally on-screen, and also quite large, so they occupy a rather large part of the screen area.
I also really don't like the fact that here, as in other Sony smartphones, you can't swap "Return" and "List of running applications", well, and in principle, the "Menu" is not called up by any combination at all. This, on the one hand, is experienced, but very inconvenient. Okay, even when the buttons are located on the bottom panel and are not reconfigured (although, for example, HTC is reconfigured), but since they are already on-screen, why can't they be reconfigured? For example, I'm very used to the fact that "Return" is on the right. Actually, almost all smartphones have it on the right, and only Sony has it on the left - and this cannot be changed. Annoying. However, Sony users will probably quickly get used to this and they do not like it when the return is on the right. (But for right-handed people, the return should by definition be on the right, because this button is used much more often than calling up running applications.) Display
IPS display with OGS technology. Very good image quality, good margin of brightness. In direct sunlight, like the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, the image is very clearly distinguishable. There is an effective anti-reflective filter and a high-quality oleophobic coating. pinkish tint. The same thing happens when the adaptive adjustment greatly reduces the brightness (well, or you lower it yourself), - the white color acquires such a shade. I tried to show it in the photo - I took it at an angle. It seems to be clearly visible that it is not white. And next in comparison is OnePlus 3, whose white color does not change at this angle. 
That is, in general, the display is very high quality, but there is such a feature that I did not like. Device operation
Android 6.0.1 is installed here, but, as usual with Sony, it uses its own shell and its own system applications. The main desktop.
Applications installed on the system.
Fast switches. They are being edited.
Editing quick switches.
Blocking window.
As usual, a wide variety of themes are offered for download and installation.
Conversation mode.
Call quality is good, noise cancellation works effectively. I was afraid that due to the aluminum case with almost no plastic inserts, the level would be worse than that of other smartphones, but this was not noticeable in test conversations. The only thing is that when I measured the Wi-Fi level in comparison with the Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, it showed the level slightly higher than the Xperia X. However, slightly higher. Wi-Fi and mobile Internet speed tests showed quite normal speed (compared to the same Samsung Galaxy S7 edge).
I listened to HiRes (FLAC) sound in headphones. Sennheiser CX 2.00G in-ear headphones are very good: the sound is clear, voluminous, excellent detail, good, but, for my taste, harsh and sometimes downright cutting high (for certain compositions).
Audio-Technica ATH-M50x full-size headphones are also very good: the sound is quite voluminous, clear, good bass and decent highs. There is a DSEE HX option in the audio settings, which should improve the quality of playback of compressed files. Yes, it works. Not that they turn into HiRes Audio, but the detail is clearly improved, although the sound takes on a slightly metallic tint. There is also a ClearAudio + option that does not work with DSEE HX - also interesting: playback quality does improve for most songs. Video The performance of the system is enough to play even 4K videos. 
Games 3D games play smoothly and briskly.
For tanks, the FPS is kept almost at the maximum - 59-60.
Performance test by Epic Citadel.
Connected devices have traditionally been a strong point of Sony smartphones.
"Smart" memory cleaning mode.
There are two power-saving modes here: the proprietary STAMINA, which really significantly increases battery life, and the ultra-saving Ultra STAMINA mode.
Here are the apps available in Ultra STAMINA mode.
This is what the desktop looks like with Ultra STAMINA enabled.
The manufacturer promises that in this mode the smartphone will last up to 20 days. I tested, I got 16 days of occasional use. Camera Camera interface.
Photo settings.
Video settings.
It uses a 1/2.3" Exmor RS sensor. A 24mm-equivalent lens with f/2.0 aperture. The camera is launched either by a long press on a separate dedicated button or by a long press of the power button when the display is off. Example shots. (All clickable, open in full size.)Indoors. 
On the street. 
Well, in bad lighting conditions. 
In the dark. 
Video example.
In my opinion, the camera is wonderful. Excellent autofocus - really very fast and tenacious. Didn't miss at all in normal lighting conditions. In some reviews, I saw claims that it focused poorly in insufficient lighting conditions - nothing like this happened to me. The focus only floated when shooting at night in situations where my mirrorless camera was also messing with the focus. The pictures are very clear, with excellent detail. The colors are vibrant yet natural. With white balance, the camera practically did not miss. The video is of good quality, and I liked how the stabilizer works there: you can see from the video that the picture is stabilizing. Of course, this is not such a good stabilizer as in cameras, but this is not a camera, but a small smartphone. In general, the camera impressed. System and performance Data on CPU-Z.
AnTuTu test.
In the comparison table, the smartphone is in 22nd place, next to the iPhone 6.
Geekbench 3 tests.
Well, the overall index for PCMark.
The smartphone is really powerful and nimble, there are no problems with performance here. Battery Life My battery life tests. (STAMINA mode is off.) Internet. The brightness is set to a comfortable 40%, wireless networks are turned on, the page is updated in the browser every 30 seconds. 10 hours 40 minutes. Video. Wireless communications are disabled, the brightness of the player is set to a comfortable 10th level (15 in total), in MX Player the video of the series is spinning in a cycle. 9 hours 45 minutes. I expected it to be a couple of hours longer. Synthetic test PCMark issued 10 hours 1 minute. And here I expected that it would be a couple of hours less.
Nevertheless, the smartphone, which is practically promised by the manufacturer for two days without recharging, does not survive during normal use. One day lives iron even with a very serious load (10 hours on PCMark is quite a lot). Two days - only with not too active use and with the STAMINA mode turned on. In general, the autonomy indicators for these characteristics and battery capacity are quite normal. Observations at work and conclusions During testing, I did not find any problems. When running 3D games or applications that heavily load the system, there was a slight heating in the area of the chipset. In general, I liked the smartphone. For those who need a small but powerful and high-quality smartphone, this is a good option, and in almost all respects: performance, display, sound, camera, battery life. Price - yes, the price is high, I do not argue. Actually, smartphones from Sony have always been expensive. But a high-quality and powerful smartphone will not be cheap by definition.
Among the presented flagship solutions of the X-series from Sony in 2016, one of the most interesting was the smartphone Sony Xperia XA. It should be noted that the device does not have the highest performance, but it will find many buyers. Mostly because of its design.
New design
Despite the high performance of the Sony Xperia X Performance, many buyers will prefer the XA-series. All because sony xperia ha It captivates with its design: compact, slim and neat. The 5-inch HD display is hidden behind a protective 2.5D glass. But the main feature that Xperia X and X Perfomans do not have is the lack of side frames. Such a solution can be found in ZTE Nubia Prague S or in ZTE Blade V Plus, which the new Sony is somewhat reminiscent of. But still, some signs let you know that this is an Xperia. And, despite the plastic back, rounded frame, as well as the usual keys on the side faces, the smartphone does not look like a Z-series. This makes it unique among other devices from Sony.
Technical capabilities
The device runs on a media library platform and, despite the productive Helio P10, it can be called a flagship with an interference fit. In general, the characteristics are quite enough for many everyday tasks: 2 GB of RAM, as well as 16 GB of permanent memory, a 2300 mAh battery, an eight-megapixel front and a thirteen-megapixel main camera. Isn't that enough for comfortable use? In addition, the new product supports the work of two SIM cards - and this is much more important for many consumers. There is also a slot for microSD, with a capacity of up to two hundred gigabytes. It is also important that there are all modern wireless interfaces, including NFC. In addition, support for LTE is announced, and more and more users are evaluating the benefits of this wireless network every day.
Although the device looks attractive, it is more likely not a flagship, but a line of the middle price segment. On the other hand, the bezel-less 2.5D display creates the feeling of being in the hands of a modern exclusive device. First of all, the smartphone will be of interest to women, especially when it comes to pink design.
Sony Xperia XA review – Beautiful and affordable smartphone from Sony Sony xperia xa
LG K7 X210DS review: a budget smartphone for selfies
Samsung Gear VR Virtual Reality Glasses