One of the three smartphones presented at IFA 2017. A model of the middle segment with the usual, at first glance, characteristics, but a number of small but nice chips and features.

Characteristics

Specifications
Dimensions	155 x 75 x 8.7mm
The weight	189 grams
Housing materials	Plastic lid, aluminum edges
Screen diagonal	5.5 inches
Screen resolution	1920 x 1080 dots
Matrix type	IPS
Protective covering	Gorilla Glass 4
Oleophobic coating	There is
Network	2G: 850/900/1800/1900 3G: 850/900/1700/1900/2100 4G: b3/b7/b20/b38 LTE cat.6 Dual SIM, non-hybrid slot
Platform	MediaTek MT6757 Helio P20
CPU	Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex A53 and 4x1.6 GHz Cortex A53)
video accelerator	Mali-T880MP2
Inner memory	32 GB
RAM	4 GB
Memory card slot	Yes, separate
WiFi	Yes, b/g/n, dual band
Bluetooth	Yes, 4.2, A2DP, aptX, LE
NFC	There is
Main camera	23 MP, f/2.0, 24mm, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
Front-camera	8 MP, f/2.0, 23mm, autofocus
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Sensors	Fingerprint scanner, accelerometer, proximity sensor, light sensor, compass
Battery	3430 mAh
Price	20 000 rubles

Equipment

• Smartphone
• Charger
• PC connection cable (also part of the charger)

Appearance and materials

In terms of design, we have a typical Sony Style: sharp corners, a strict appearance, large bezels at the top and bottom. The smartphone is sold in four colors: pink, gold, blue and black. It was the latter that I had on the test.

Back cover made of matte practical plastic. In the black version, streaks and prints are noticeable at a certain angle, I will allow myself to assume that all this is not visible on lighter cases.

The top and bottom ends are also plastic, but the side faces are made of aluminum.

Control elements, assembly

Above the display you can see the peephole of the front camera, light and proximity sensors, earpiece mesh, and a light indicator.

On the right side are the power button, volume rocker and camera key. A fingerprint scanner is inscribed in the button, so it is slightly recessed into the body. Placing the scanner on the side saves space under the screen and simplifies the unlocking process, because the finger immediately rests on the scanner, but if you need to see information from the lock screen, this will be problematic, because when you touch the display immediately unlocks.

On the left is a tray for two nano-SIM-cards and a slot for a memory card. Important: the slot and the tray are not combined, now you rarely see this.

On the bottom end there is a Type C port and an external speaker, and on the top end there is a minijack and a second microphone.

For a month of use, I did not have any problems with the assembly, the device does not creak, does not play, there are no gaps.

Dimensions

I always want to call the design of Sony smartphones strict and light. Based on the renders and photographs, one gets the feeling that the devices are thin and light. Unfortunately, these descriptions have nothing to do with XA1 Plus. The smartphone is thick and heavy, while it is completely incomprehensible what this is connected with, pay attention to the competitors from the table, each of them is thinner and lighter, while the XA1 Plus has the smallest battery capacity. After the same XZ1 XA1 Plus feels very different. I know that there are people who like to feel the heaviness of a smartphone in their hands, but I am not one of them, so I will attribute the dimensions to the shortcomings of the model.

Compared to Apple iPhone 7 Plus

Screen

The smartphone uses a high-quality display: it has good viewing angles, no air gap, color reproduction is close to natural, the brightness range is above average. I liked the good oleophobic coating and high screen resolution. Automatic brightness is too aggressive, you have to manually tweak it.

Separately, I note the small side frames around the display, it feels like the glass is slightly bent at the edges, just a little bit, but the perception of the frames is completely different because of this.

But the upper and lower frames, traditionally for Sony, are large. Some may not like it, but I did not feel much discomfort during use.

Despite the large diagonal, the smartphone has a rather large interface, I would attribute this to the shortcomings of the model, but, fortunately, you can change the scaling and size of elements in the settings.

Sony traditionally delights with the ability to fine-tune the display. You can change the white balance yourself and choose from three color presets.

Operating system

Smartphone works under Android control 7.0 and branded shell XperiaUI. Sony has plans to update it to 8.0, but so far the current firmware works on the "seven".

The Xperia UI changes the stock Android interface very neatly without changing the look of it too much. I like this approach. We recently released a detailed xperia review UI, be sure to read it if you want to learn more about the smartphone.

Performance

The performance of the device, in my opinion, is the second weak point of the smartphone (after the dimensions). I tested a number of FHD models running on the Helio P20, and in theory this chipset should support FHD perfectly, however, on the XA1 Plus, there are slight stutters when scrolling the interface. This applies to both desktops and web browsers. third party applications. Let me suggest that the matter is rather a lack of optimization than a lack of power in the Helio P20. By the way, at your request, I am now running an additional speed test random access memory. His results are below.

Offline work

As I wrote above, the battery capacity with such a thickness and weight of a smartphone is surprising. However, let's not judge a book by its cover and look at the test results. And they, in general, are not bad: 10 hours in video mode, and 2% of the background discharge per night. Add to this that with everyday use, you can count on 4-5 hours of display on, and we get quite a good picture.

By the way, the smartphone supports fast charging using MediaTek Pump Express + 2.0 technology, the smartphone is fully charged in about 80-85 minutes.

Camera

Daytime shots on a smartphone are not bad, but artificial lighting and night shooting are much harder for him. Keep in mind that shots in this light will either be blurry or noisy. At night, the picture also turns out to be overexposed; manual mode decrease brightness.

Video shooting is common for this price segment, but the selfie camera pleased with the presence of autofocus. Sample pictures are below.

Wireless interfaces

But in terms of wireless interfaces, Sony can only be praised. Firstly, the smartphone supports the aptX codec, secondly, it has separate slots for a memory card and SIM cards, and thirdly, it has a full-fledged NFC module, which is rare for this price segment.

Conclusion

I had no complaints about the quality of speech transmission, you and your interlocutor hear each other perfectly. The external speaker is mono, yet loud enough you're unlikely to miss incoming call or notice.

In retail for the Xperia XA1 Plus, they ask for 20 thousand rubles. For this money, the device turned out to be somewhat contradictory. On the one hand, it has many advantages: good time work, Type C port, NFC support, aptX wireless codec, high-quality display, separate slots for SIM cards and memory cards. On the other hand, there are also enough shortcomings: a thick and heavy body, average performance, not such a good camera.

In the sub-20K segment, the XA1 Plus has many competitors from Chinese companies, including conventional smartphones and newfangled full-screen ones. True, half of them do not have a Type C port and almost no one has an NFC module.

But the Chinese are not the only competitors for the XA1 Plus. Separately, it is worth highlighting samsung galaxy J7 2017 is a strong Korean opponent. J7 2017 also has an NFC module, better camera, and of the minuses, one can single out perhaps a microUSB port. And even on the trump card XA1 Plus, a separate slot for SIM and microSD, Samsung answers the same.

And what is the result? If you need a bunch of NFC + Type C + a separate slot + almost stock Android, while the dimensions and camera do not play a key role, then you should look towards the XA1 Plus. As soon as priorities shift, strong competitors immediately appear in the form of Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi and Meizu.

In fact, Sony did almost everything perfectly, I would have worked a little on the dimensions and performance (I would have taken the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 625), and an excellent device would have come out. Especially for geeks who appreciate all these little things like NFC, Type C and separate slots.

"Plus" version of the popular smartphone Sony Xperia XA1 is a striking example of a balanced mid-range device with a decent hardware base and artsy appearance.

Recognizable design

Thanks to the characteristic squared shapes, the model is recognizable among thousands of peers of the same type. Slightly spoil the picture in appearance only large upper and lower overhangs, which in the era of framelessness does not look in the best way. Between the “forehead” and “chin” on the front panel of the gadget, a FullHD screen with classic 16:9 proportions and a diagonal of 5.5 inches is clamped. Traditionally for Sony, the image on it is slightly "cold" by default. However, the color temperature of the display can be easily changed in the settings.

Hardware base

At the heart of the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus hardware platform, an 8-core chip is not the first freshness MediaTek Helio P20. "Gaining" over 62 thousand "parrots" in the AnTuTu synthetic test, the trio of CPU, 3/4 GB of RAM and graphics ARM Mali-T880 MP2 demonstrates an acceptable response rate of the device to user actions, if they are not aimed at turning applications of a serious level of "severity". By the way, only the version of the device with 4 GB of “RAM” has a side fingerprint scanner. In the younger configuration of the model with 3 GB of RAM, its place is taken by the most ordinary unlock key.

Benefits to Karma

A separate plus in the karma of the smartphone is for the strong main camera, which uses an image sensor with physical dimensions 1 / 2.3 "and has a resolution of 23 MP. In contrast to it, an 8 MP selfie camera can be found on the front panel. The model also gets praise for the presence of an NFC chip and a USB C port. Through this interface connector, the gadget's battery is charged, the capacity of which is 3430 mAh.Taking into account the effective energy-saving algorithms of Sony smartphones, without recharging, the device stays afloat for up to 2 days in a row.

The Sony Xperia XA1 and Xperia XA1 Ultra smartphones (introduced in early 2017) received an update to the second generation on CES 2018. These devices belong to the entry and top level of the Japanese brand's frameless line, and the middle place model range occupies the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus - a smartphone that was announced in September 2017 and does not lose its relevance in the new year.

The appearance of the smartphone continues the development of the proprietary concept of the symmetry of the Loop Surface case and the frameless screen of the Xperia XA line. Protective glass The display on the wide sides literally rests against the metal frame of the perimeter, and massive inserts remain in the upper and lower parts of the case, which have become a recognizable feature of Sony smartphones. The back panel is made of high-quality and practical matte plastic. Interestingly, visually and tactilely it is difficult to distinguish it from the metal of the side frame, which makes appearance Sony Xperia XA1 Plus monolithic.

On the front side of the panel above the screen is a notification indicator, front camera, Sony logo, light sensor and earpiece. Below the screen is a microphone cutout similar to the speaker. On the top there is a mini-jack for connecting headphones and an auxiliary noise-canceling microphone, and on the bottom there is a charging connector. USB Type-C and main speaker. The rear panel is standard: the camera lens is flush with the body, the flash is below, and closer to the center is applied NFC icon and the inscription Xperia.

On the left side there is only a slot for SIM-cards and memory cards. It is not hybrid, that is, the user does not need to choose between installing a memory card and a second SIM card. The dual nano-SIM tray slides out with the lid, and microSD cards inserted directly into the body. On the right side is the volume rocker, power button and camera launch. Despite the frameless design, Sony engineers still managed to integrate a fingerprint scanner into the power key. This was partly helped by the variable thickness of the slightly rounded metal frame. The bending of the metal also has a positive effect on the ergonomics of the device. If you take the smartphone with one hand and put your little finger to the bottom for a better grip, the edges of the case do not dig into the skin and allow you to comfortably hold the device even for a long time.

Screen

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus has a 5.5-inch IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels. On top - a reliable protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass with smoothly rounded edges, the so-called 2.5D effect. There is a high-quality oleophobic coating, due to which the screen is less dirty, and prints are easier to erase. The viewing angles are close to the maximum, and even with a significant deviation of the device from the line of sight, the picture remains well readable without color distortion. The color rendition of the screen is accurate, with a slight predominance of cold shades. However, the white balance can be adjusted to your liking, for example, if you like the pronounced warmth of the color. The contrast and brightness of the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus screen are also at a good level, there will be no problems using the device in direct sunlight - images and texts will remain distinguishable.

Main and front cameras

The main camera of the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is the Exmor RS module from the flagship smartphone of the end of 2015, the Sony Xperia Z5. The sensor size is 1/2.3 inches, the resolution is 23 megapixels. The optics used are a fast, 24mm f/2.0 wide-angle lens. The camera has SteadyShot digital image stabilization and hybrid autofocus, which ensures fast focusing even in difficult shooting conditions. Due high resolution Sensor smartphone supports Clear Image Zoom - five times digital zoom without loss of quality. Separately, it is worth noting the presence of a dedicated button to launch the camera on the side of the case. This is a rarity in the smartphone market these days. It takes only 0.6 seconds from pressing the key to being able to touch the shutter button, which reduces the risk of missing interesting shots while waiting for the camera to launch.

The front camera is built on the basis of a proprietary 1/4-inch Sony Exmor R sensor with a resolution of 8 megapixels and fast optics with f/2.0 aperture. There is also a SteadyShot stabilization system for clear shots and a wide-angle lens so that in addition to the portrait itself, sights in the background can be seen in the selfie or the friends of the owner of the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus fit.

Performance

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is powered by a 64-bit octa-core MediaTek helio P20 processor. Four fast cores operate at a frequency of 2.3 GHz, energy efficient - 1.6 GHz. The chip is manufactured using the 16 nm process technology. The amount of RAM is 4 GB. For those who prefer to evaluate the performance of devices with dry numbers, according to the AnTuTu 6 synthetic benchmark, the smartphone scores more than 55,000 points. In practice, the operation of the device corresponds to the best representatives of the middle class - smooth and fast operation operating system, instantly launch applications and switch between them, the ability to run most games with maximum settings charts. Reduce quality visual effects to medium values ​​will only be necessary in the most demanding games. At the same time, the power of the device and optimal choice components are not forced to compromise on the time of work without recharging.

autonomy

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus uses a 3430 mAh non-removable battery, one of the highest in the lineup. The network connection is via a symmetrical USB Type-C connector, and there is also support for MediaTek Pump Express technology, which provides accelerated charging. Traditionally, Sony uses proprietary power saving and battery life extension modes. STAMINA allows you to reduce your energy consumption on the busiest days. active use smartphone and with a significant decrease in charge, Ultra STAMINA prolongs work in critical situations when the minimum functionality of the device is sufficient. In addition, there is a "Battery care" mode, which provides gentle charging of the smartphone according to user scenarios. If you put the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus on charge for a long time (for example, overnight), the battery charge will be maintained at 90%, and the missing 10% will be added before the alarm is set. As for the battery capacity and autonomy, it all depends on the scenarios of the owner, but in general, the smartphone has a very good duration on a single charge and can last up to a day and a half without significant restrictions on use.

Specifications Sony Xperia XA1 Plus

Operating system: Android Nougat(Xperia UI)
Screen: IPS, 5.5 inches, Full HD (1080p)
Protective glass: 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass
Processor: MediaTek helio P20 64-bit octa-core
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 32 GB
Memory card support: separate microSD slot up to 256 GB
Primary camera: Exmor RS 23 MP, hybrid autofocus, f/2.0 wide-angle lens
Front camera: Exmor R 8 MP, f/2.0 wide-angle lens
Audio: 3.5mm jack, Bluetooth 4.2, aptX/A2DP
Mobile connection: two nano-SIM, 2G/3G/4G (cat.6)
Wireless connections: A-GNSS, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
Connector: USB Type-C
Battery: 3430 mAh, fast charging MediaTek Pump Express
Fingerprint scanner: in the side power button
Body colors: black, blue, gold
Dimensions: 155 x 75 x 8.7mm
Weight: 190 g.

What cannot be taken away from Sony smartphones is recognition. They have not changed the design of their devices for so long that, perhaps, everyone is used to it. Today we will talk about their new mid-range smartphone - Sony Xperia XA1 Plus.

Appearance and ergonomics

For a long time, Sony smartphones have retained their distinct design. To some, it seems outdated and boring, someone, on the contrary, loves them because they are easy to recognize and they do not look Chinese. All this applies to XA1 Plus. But it was not without nuances in terms of ease of use.

The phone is too elongated and has a large bottom overhang, so even with a large palm it is inconvenient to use. At the same time, the device is slippery, and taking into account the fact that it constantly needs to be intercepted, it is not very convenient to use it without a case. Fortunately, the side margins of the screen are minimal. In this case, there will be no accidental clicks - the sidewall is rounded.

All mechanical keys are located on the right sidewall: the volume rocker, the fingerprint scanner combined with the power key and the two-way camera key. Even for me, with my large palm and long fingers, it is inconvenient to use the volume key during a call. Why it was installed so high is not clear.

Combining the power key with a fingerprint scanner is also not the best The best decision. For example, to see the time, you need to put the finger that is not “crammed” into the scanner, otherwise the phone will unlock and you will need to press the key again to lock it. Agree - it's inconvenient. At the same time, the scanner works well and in most cases recognizes the print quickly and the first time.

The tray for two SIM-cards nanoSIM is located under the cover next to the slot for memory cards. If you want to change the SIM card or memory card, or just open it, the phone will reboot. To be honest, I'm out of the habit of this.

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is equipped with a USB Type-C connector, but the data transfer rate is USB 2.0.

Display

The display size is 5.5 inches. It is made using IPS technology and has Full HD resolution. The protective glass resists scratches well, as they did not appear during testing. Oleophobic coating is present. On the street, the image on the screen fades a little, but it remains readable.

The brightness varies from 33 to 452 cd / m², and the contrast is 1 to 893. The minimum brightness is very high - if you want to read a book on your phone before going to bed in the dark, the display will shine very brightly, which will cause excessive load.

Standard screen calibration is not the best. The color temperature is high, which indicates that the colors on the screen are cold. Gamma is also far from reference value 2,2.

Traditionally, on Sony smartphones you can adjust the white balance.

Performance

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is equipped with a MediaTek Helio P20 quad-core processor. This is already very old cpu, which is not able to satisfy those users who actively play on the phone and use it to its fullest.

The amount of RAM is 4 GB (there are versions with 3 GB), and the user 32 GB, expandable through the use of memory cards.

At the same time, the interface works smoothly and very quickly. The shell itself is well known to those who have ever used Sony smartphones. On the this moment the device is running Android 7.0 Nougat, but an update to Android 8.0 is promised for it.

There is only one multimedia speaker located on the bottom end. It is loud, but at maximum volume there is a lack low frequencies. Speaker loud and clear. But there are complaints about the work of noise reduction. When talking near a busy road, the interlocutor clearly hears the noise from the road.

autonomy

The battery capacity is 3430 mAh. This is enough for the smartphone to work up to two days with a light load and one day for those who actively use it. social networks. Time battery life in the PCMark Work 2.0 test at a brightness of 200 cd / m² was 8 hours.

It should be noted that the smartphone is not charged from every power supply. From Xiaomi fast charging, he stubbornly did not want to charge. But conventional power supplies with parameters 5V / 2A are suitable. This should be taken into account when using a smartphone.

cameras

The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus is equipped with a 23 MP main camera. The sensor is 1/2.3 inch. Maximum Resolution video recording - Full HD (30 fps). Front camera 8 MP.

The test device once again proves that the quality of photos on Sony smartphones has not been the best for a long time.

Aggressive noise reduction reduces the fact that the pictures are obtained with poor detail, and at 100% magnification, they most often look like porridge.

Site score

Pros: the ability to use two SIM-cards and a memory card at the same time, the presence of NFC, the speed of the fingerprint scanner

Minuses: slippery case, ergonomics, too high minimum screen brightness

Conclusion: Sony Xperia XA1 Plus will appeal primarily to adherents of the brand. If you are not ready to endure and get used to the peculiarities of ergonomics, then we can safely say that this is not the phone that you need to pay attention to. I won’t say that the smartphone is expensive, but looking at it it’s hard to find an excuse for such a rather big price, because it has neither an 18:9 screen nor a dual camera. At this time, competitors already have everything and at the same time are devoid of problems with ergonomics.

Sony developers cannot stop there, striving to continue to occupy a leading position in the global market. With his Sony Xperia XA1 Plus, which carried over some features from the Xperia Z5 and Xperia XA1. Enlarging the display, upgrading the camera and much more - everything that may be of interest to potential consumers.

Body and screen design

The minimal size of the side frames around the display has become one of the recognizable advantages of the latest Sony models. For Sony Xperia XA1 Plus inherent:

• rectangular monoblock body;
• touch screen with a size of 5.5 inches;
• glass material - Full HD display is designed to cover the entire sRGB color spectrum;
• there is a sensor for determining the fingerprints of the owner;
• matte back cover material - plastic;
• the proposed colors of the device: gold, black and blue, in some countries - pink.

What's under the lid?

On the seventh version of the Android operating system, the new smartphone is equipped with a modern MediaTek chipset - Helio P20, designed to operate at frequencies up to 2.3 GHz. The Mali accelerator, which has proven itself in previous models, is responsible for the graphic part. To maintain speed performance, the device has a built-in memory of 32 GB (expandable up to 256 GB with a separate microSD card, there is a slot) and 3 gigabytes of RAM. This contributes to the launch of LTE (Cat. 6 or Cat. 4), NFC, familiar Bluetooth (4.2) and Wi-Fi networks. With apt X support is feasible wireless transmission sound without significant loss.

Fans of using their smartphone as an audio player will be satisfied - there is a USB Type-C connector. The Xperia XA1 Plus also features Smart Amp and Clear Audio+ apps.

Considering that the battery is designed for a capacity of 3430 mAh, manufacturers have installed quite powerful video cameras with advanced features on the new smartphone. The main camera is 23MP with 1/2.3” Exmor RS. The focus power is f/2.0. The LED flash supports hybrid autofocus, while Steady Shot stabilization and 5x Clear Image Zoom ensure personal quality for photos and videos.

More modest indicators of the front camera - 8 megapixels do not mean worse quality, because the presence of an Exmor RS sensor and a 23 mm lens compensate for everything else.

For the gadget, manufacturers have provided another advantage - the ability to quickly recharge: adaptive QNOVO and patented proprietary technology.

findings

Solid design, balanced hardware and battery software solutions put the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus at the forefront of the global ranking of related products.