Sony Xperia XA1 Plus and Plus Dual 32GB smartphones - pros and cons

Today Sony is not very popular in the smartphone market. Despite the fact that the developers produce high-quality functional devices, the company has lost its former glory. Now the manufacturers of this brand build their line of mobile devices on the processor from MediaTek. Each model is recognizable among other smartphones. Today the choice fell on the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus and Plus Dual 32GB for the review. These models are absolutely identical in almost all respects.

Specifications

In the table we see that absolutely all indicators are identical, the difference lies only in the possibility of installing 2 SIM cards with a variable operating mode on the Dual model.

Equipment

• Directly smartphone;
• Mains charger;
• USB cable;
• Documents and instructions.

Appearance and ease of use

The design of the Sony smartphone has not changed after many years, some like it, and some don't. Many people complain about the huge dimensions, because of which jeans are rubbed when exposed to sharp corners. Fans of the device claim that it is convenient, since it can be easily distinguished from thin models that regularly copy each other. These models are made of plastic and metal and look very simple.

The build quality is high. If you try to twist the phone, then rainbow stains will remain on the display, but it will not creak. If you use only basic functions, then such distortion on the screen will not be noticeable.

The curved side panel makes the screen look elegant. Above the display are located:

• Speaker for conversations;
• Light sensor;
• Front-camera;
• LED indicator of events.

The decorative grill is located at the bottom of the device under the screen. Potentially, there should be a second speaker, but unfortunately the developers only installed the microphone.

The LED flash and main camera lens are mounted at the top of the rear panel.

On the left side panel there is a slot for two SIM cards and an additional compartment for a flash card.

On the right side panel are installed:

• Photo button (allows you to take pictures with gloves);
• Unlock button with integrated fingerprint scanner;
• Volume key.

The microphone and headphone jack are located at the top of the device.

The system speaker and USB Type-C charger connector are installed at the bottom.

Screen

5.5 inches is the diagonal of the display.This screen supports Full HD resolution. The protective glass copes well with scratches. There is also a good oleophobic coating that prevents fingers from smudging the screen. The image fades slightly in sunny weather, but remains readable. The brightness level varies from 33 to 452 cd / m2. The minimum brightness is very high, therefore it is not recommended to read in the dark before going to bed, because this will put a lot of stress on the eyes.

The brightness of the screen can be adjusted manually, or you can use the automatic settings.

The display has good viewing angles. There is also a good light tone as well as brightness uniformity. Screen colors are moderately saturated. If we look at the screen at an angle of 45 degrees, then the contrast of the picture decreases.

In the center of the screen, the contrast is normal: 860: 1. It is not possible to fully adjust the brightness as it changes slightly automatically in reading mode. This can sometimes be a little annoying.

In general, display colors are naturally saturated. Color balance can be corrected with three primary colors.

So, this device has a wide range of brightness and excellent anti-glare properties. It can be used comfortably in sunny weather, or in complete darkness (preferably not in reading mode, otherwise your eyes will get tired).

Yes, the screen has drawbacks, in the form of non-switchable dynamic brightness adjustment, but if you compare with other models in this price range, the screen works excellently.

Performance

There is a four-core processor MediaTek Helio P20. It is very old and will not suit those people who play games often. It will just hang constantly. Therefore, it is better to use basic functions. This processor is designed for smartphones in the mid-range price range.

The performance of the smartphone is good enough that it can cope with virtually all modern tasks, despite the fact that these processors are 2016 models. Quietly pulls virtually all modern games, including Modern Combat 5, Mortal Kombat X.

The table shows the performance of different models in games. The more points, the better the smartphone copes with the game.

The internal memory is 32 GB, and the operative memory is 4. If you do not have enough device memory, you can additionally install a flash card.

The device itself works fast enough, if you do not load it with cumbersome programs and games.

The operating system is Android 7.0. In the future, they promise to update to Android 8.

The device is equipped with a single multimedia speaker. This speaker is loud enough, but it is noticeable that there is not enough low frequencies if you set the volume to maximum. The speaker for conversations is loud and clear. True, some complain about poor noise suppression. For example, the person on the other end of the line hears road noise while talking on a busy street.

Cameras

"Frontalka"

This camera is equipped with an eight megapixel module and does not have its own flash. Despite the lack of a flash, the front camera shoots quite well. The result is a light image with good detail and sharpness. Light sensitivity matrix ISO 3200.

Rear camera

It has a resolution of 23 megapixels. Sony always tries to put cool cameras. The sensitivity of the matrix is ​​ISO 6400. In manual mode, it is possible to set only ISO 3200. Additional amplifiers:

• Fast hybrid autofocus;
• Proprietary electronic image stabilization;
• 5x digital zoom.

The menu is standard for all Sony devices, but at the same time it is simple and easy to use. For beginners, it may seem unusual, but for experienced users, finding all the settings will not be a problem. In addition to manual and automatic shooting modes, additional modes can be used.It is also possible to use augmented reality effects.

In manual settings, you can choose access to:

• White balance;
• Focus modes;
• Excorrection;
• Photosensitivity;
• Excerpt.

If you use the side button, only the camera will work in automatic mode.

The maximum resolution of the camera is 1080p, therefore it is not suitable for fans of 4K shooting (for this purpose, a new iPhone starting from model 6 and either an action camera is suitable). The camera of this model shoots with poor detail. There is a clear sound recording here, but it loses its naturalness due to too much sound cancellation.

The camera does a good job in high light mode. In general, the camera is not bad, but you need to choose well-lit places for shooting. Then it will be comparable in quality to documentary filming.

Communication capabilities

The maximum file upload speed is up to 300Mbps in 4G mode.

With this machine, you can purchase travel documents, for example, thanks to the contactless payment function. It is also possible to organize a wireless network using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi channels.

The navigation system works great with both GLONASS and GPS (with A-GPS). Within a minute, the system finds satellites that are on a cold start. The digital compass is based on a special magnetic field sensor.

There is also a function to search for a contact by first letters. In addition, there are standard phone book sorting options.

We recognize the interlocutor's voice during a conversation, but the speaker volume is rather weak. If you place a call with vibration, the volume will be 2 times quieter than without it.

Dual system supports 2 SIM cards at the same time on standby in 3G and 4G networks. For transmission, you can pre-configure a specific SIM card.

Sound

The smartphone has only one system speaker. Even so, it sounds great. During the work, no defects or noise were noticed.

At the same time, the lack of bass is striking, because it is almost impossible to listen to video clips and audio tracks. Here you can watch a movie and that is difficult. But the speaker volume margin is quite sufficient. Ideal for listening to music with headphones.

There is also a dynamic normalizer.

Programs and multimedia

Programs

The gadget is equipped with a proprietary shell, which has not changed much throughout the existence of the Sony company. The operating system is Android 7.0. Despite the fact that updates are released very rarely, they update the firmware as much as possible and add all sorts of functions, and do not stuff the smartphone with regular upgrades that only clog the device's memory.

This device has a special function Xperia Actions, which learns the user's behavior and helps to act in different situations. For example, it determines when you fall asleep or wake up in order to minimize power consumption and speaker volume during this time. To free memory and cache, there is a special Smart Cleaner application.

Keyboard type: SwiftKey.

Multimedia

For listening to music, a proprietary player from Sony is installed here, which has a number of settings and functions to optimize the sound.

The sound of the main speaker is quite quiet. It also lacks the two stereo speakers that previous models are equipped with. Louder and clearer sound is heard through the speakers. However, it is difficult to call it crystal clear, because there is minimal interference. There is also a radio.

By the way, it's very strange that the developers did not install the voice recorder application.

Video playback

The most common formats were used to test the video quality. They most often distribute video over the Internet.As it turned out, it is almost impossible to process modern video formats without decoding video clips at the chip level. The processor alone cannot cope with the power of its cores. Also, in fact, the mobile device itself is unable to decode absolutely everything (for example, 4K format). All data for the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus and Plus Dual 32GB models are included in the table.

The video plays well enough, but there are some flaws. But for a mid-range model, that's great.

Autonomous work

The phone has a 3340 milliampere hour non-removable battery. This is the average among the models in this price range. Tests have shown that this model will work in the reading mode for about 16 hours, and in the open mode there are slightly fewer videos. In game mode, the battery will run out after 5 hours if played at maximum brightness. The charging time is about 2.5 hours. There is also a special battery care mode.

Conclusion: advantages and disadvantages

• Stylish recognizable design;
• Separate memory card slot;
• Physical camera button;
• Support for contactless payments;
• The system speaker demonstrates sufficient volume;
• High brightness of the screen;
• There is a radio;
• Long operating time of the device without recharging;
• Clear and pleasant sound over headphones.

• Horrible image processing;
• Weak LED flash;
• Large dimensions and weight.

They ask for an average of 20 thousand rubles for a phone, but in some way this is contradictory, because the smartphone is good enough, but you can find better models in this price range. Among the competitors are: Huawei Nova 2i, Huawei Nova 2 Plus (BAC-L21), Meizu M6 Note, Redmi Note 4X Hatsune Miku Special Edition. But, apart from Chinese opponents, the Samsung Galaxy J7 2017 can be distinguished, which has the best performance in virtually all characteristics.

If good connectivity and performance are important to you, but you do not need a great camera, and you are not embarrassed by the sheer size, then you do not need to look at competitors, but simply buy the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus and Plus Dual 32GB.