• Android 8.0 Sony Xperia UI
• Display 5.2 inches, FHD (1920x1080 pixels), 424 ppi, automatic brightness adjustment, white balance adjustment, 2.5D protective glass
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 chipset, 8 cores 2.2 GHz, Adreno 508 video accelerator
• 3 GB random access memory, 32 GB built-in (eMMC), memory cards up to 400 GB, combo slot
• nanoSIM, up to two cards, one radio module, hybrid slot
• Li-Ion 3300 mAh battery, fast charging (Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0) in 90 minutes to 100 percent
• Front-camera, 8 megapixels, autofocus, f/2.4
• Main camera, 23 megapixels, f/2.0, LED flash, 4K video recording
• Google Pay (NFC)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 LE (aptX HD support), USB Type-C, NFC, FM radio
• GPS, GLONASS
• Fingerprint scanner (on the back cover)
• Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor
• LTE cat.13
• Dimensions – 142 x 70 x 9.7 mm, weight – 171 grams

Contents of delivery

• Smartphone
• Charger
• USB to USB cable Type C
• Instructions

Positioning

At the moment, Sony has three current lines. Flagship models XZ2 and XZ2 Compact, mid-segment XA2 and XA2 Ultra and budget L2 series. The XA2 we are considering today, both in positioning and price, is a typical strong mid-ranger.

The target audience of this model is Sony fans who prefer not to pay more than 30 thousand rubles for a smartphone. At the same time, such users are not ready to compromise on the display, time and speed. They also want to see the full set wireless interfaces, as in flagships.

Design, dimensions, control elements

Before us is one of latest models in the old classic design from Sony: sharp corners, “rectangular” body, strict appearance. The smartphone is easy to recognize against the background of faceless devices from some Chinese companies.

The back cover is made of matte smooth plastic; fingerprints remain on it, but are not as noticeable as on glossy surfaces. The ends and edges of the device are made of aluminum.

On the left are the power button and volume rocker, and on the right is a tray for two nanoSIM cards and a memory card. More precisely, there are two trays, one for a SIM card, the second for a nanoSIM or memory card. I would also like to note that the second tray is very difficult to pull out; you have to pry it off with your fingernail. Also keep in mind that when you remove the tray, the smartphone will automatically restart.

Since the fingerprint scanner was moved to the back cover, the design of the power button in the model is the same as that of older Sony smartphones.

At the bottom you can see the USB-C port, an external speaker and the main microphone, and at the top there is an additional microphone and a mini-jack for headphones.

The fingerprint scanner was moved to the back cover; this is one of the innovations in the control elements. Personally, I fully support this decision; using the scanner on the side was not very convenient: due to the fact that it was included in the power button, you immediately went to the main screen, and viewing notifications on the lock screen was problematic. I have no complaints about the speed of the scanner; unlocking occurs instantly.

The smartphone itself is perfectly assembled, there are no gaps, creaks or other problems with the body. There will be four colors on sale: black, silver, blue and pink. Sony traditionally pleases with interesting colors; you definitely don’t want to take the boring black version.

Model dimensions – 142 x 70 x 9.7 m, weight – 171 grams. The device is thicker and heavier than most of its competitors, but its battery capacity is far from the maximum (3300 mAh). Sony explains the thickness by the large camera module, but I can’t say that the smartphone takes better photos than its competitors in this segment.

Interestingly, after the XA2 Ultra, the dimensions of the regular XA2 do not feel so bulky; you get used to them after a couple of days of use. However, if you switch to the XA2 from a regular, more or less thin smartphone, you will definitely notice the difference.

Screen

For its price, the XA2 has an excellent display: a good range of brightness, large viewing angles, narrow side frames (paired with 2.5D glass, it seems as if there are almost no frames), natural color rendition and an excellent oleophobic coating.

Note the small frames

In terms of white balance, the screen was initially calibrated for cooler colors, this is clearly visible in a direct comparison with the iPhone 7 Plus. However, in the settings you can set the white balance yourself if you prefer warmer tones.

In addition, there are three presets to customize the display colors. In the first case, the quality of the picture does not change, in the second it becomes more juicy and colorful, and the third mode makes the colors more poisonous, I did not like it.

In the sun, the display noticeably dims, the information remains visible, but using the smartphone becomes less comfortable.

Scaling is also located in the settings; if you wish, you can change the display of elements so that more information fits on the display or so that the interface itself becomes, on the contrary, larger.

Battery

Sony usually does not install capacious batteries of 4000 mAh or higher; the company compensates for the lower capacity with various energy-saving technologies. For example, turning on the Stamina mode can, on average, extend the operating time of a smartphone by 15-20% by limiting background activity of applications and reducing the processor frequency. Ultra STAMINA mode is suitable for those situations when you need to extend the operating time as much as possible so that your smartphone does not run out of charge before you get home. When you turn it on, only a few applications remain available; in fact, you can only make calls, write SMS, listen to music and take photos.

Xperia UI also has a separate battery care mode. It is suitable for those who charge their smartphone at night and unplug it in the morning (and get up at about the same time). The device charges up to 90%, then charging stops, and half an hour before you wake up it charges up to 100%. Keep in mind that it will take several days for the utility to remember your daily routine.

For everyday use (email, twitter, social media, mobile Internet, brightness 70-80%) you can count on 4 hours of display on; if you lower the brightness and turn on Stamina mode, you will get an additional hour of screen. I was particularly pleased with the slight discharge during the night.

The device supports fast charging Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, full charge takes approximately 90 minutes.

Memory, chipset, performance

The performance of the Snapdragon 630 is enough to work with FHD resolution, and the Xperia XA2 once again confirms these words. In two weeks of use, I did not have any problems with stuttering or stuttering in the interface. Here it is worth saying thanks not only to the chipset, but also to the optimization in Android 8.0. The device heats up only when running benchmarks or performance games; the rest of the time the heating is absent or unnoticeable.

Communication capabilities

Sony traditionally pleases us with a good set of wireless interfaces, here you have Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX HD support, and a full-fledged NFC that works with Troika, and even Wi-Fi Calling and VoLTE. The first one already works at MTS, and the second one at Megafon. It's always nice to test a device that hasn't skimped on the little things.

Camera

Sony cameras have a laconic but functional interface, with all the necessary elements at hand. By default, the camera shoots in super auto mode, which is notable for the fact that the device automatically detects the scene and adjusts the camera settings to it. If you don’t like how the software works, it’s easy to switch to manual settings mode; it has a convenient slider for adjusting the brightness of the photo and setting the white balance.

Review of the Xperia XA2 Plus - Sony's first smartphone in the mid-price segment that doesn't make you yawn. A really interesting, albeit peculiar product that deserves attention.

Before starting the Xperia XA2 Plus test, it seemed to me that the XA2 series could no longer be saved from failure. The top one in the line turned out to be completely sad, and the brand new XA2 Plus seemed almost a complete copy of it.

Fortunately, I was very wrong, but in order to experience all the advantages, I had to use the smartphone as my main one for almost 4 weeks.

Specifications Sony Xperia XA2 Plus

• Display: 6 inches, 18:9, 2160x1080 pixels
• Camera: 23 MP, 1/2.3″ sensor, hybrid autofocus, f/2.0, 85 degree capture angle, 2160p or 120 fps video recording
• Front camera: 8 MP, 1/4″ sensor, f/2.4, 120 degree viewing angle
• Processor: 8 cores, 4 x 2.2 GHz + 4 x 1.8 GHz, 14 nm, Qualcomm Snapdragon 630
• Graphics chip: Adreno 509
• RAM: 4 GB
• Internal memory: 32 GB
• Memory card: microSD up to 400 GB
• A-GPS, GLONASS
• FM radio
• Bluetooth 5, LDAC
• WiFi
• Ports: USB Type-C, 3.5 mm
• Fingerprint's scanner
• Battery: 3580 mAh
• Charging: Qnovo, Quick Charge 3.0
• Platform: Android 8.0 Oreo
• Dimensions: 157x75x9.6 mm with a weight of 204 grams

Design, ergonomics

The appearance of the Sony Xperia XA2 Plus does not evoke strong emotions; the body of the smartphone is made in approximately the same vein as other products in the XA2 line.

That is, it is a plastic case with a plastic back and metal insert ends. Inside there is a metal chassis, making the structure more rigid and durable.

Due to the screen with an aspect ratio of 18:9 and attention to detail, the smartphone does not seem old-fashioned, but a completely modern device. They even brought USB Type-C, but they forgot to remove the mini-jack. This already looks like a market trend - cutting out the 3.5 mm jack from flagships and leaving it in mid-segment smartphones.

The device cannot be twisted or bent, even despite the plastic parts. It seems almost monolithic, devoid of creaks and dents, as often happens with plastic phones. The assembly is wonderful, there is nothing to complain about.

Ergonomics

There are questions about the ease of use of the Xperia XA2 Plus. Not only is the phone large and wide (75 mm), but the metal inserts on the ends tend to cut into the palm. They turned out to be quite sharp on the edge.

I already mentioned durability; the smartphone is especially strong. As for wear resistance, everything is also in order - plastic shows itself noticeably better than glass or metal in terms of scratches.

Screen

Sony Xperia XA2 Plus has a 6-inch screen with FHD+ resolution and an 18:9 aspect ratio. The screen occupies almost 79%, which is almost a record for Sony Xperia smartphones.

The main complaint about the screen lies in the insufficient maximum brightness, something around 400 nits. It’s enough for indoor use, but in sunny weather the display goes blind and it’s not comfortable to use. Otherwise, everything is fine - the contrast is excellent, viewing angles are maximum, color rendition is close to sRGB.

In general, I liked the screen of the Xperia XA2 Plus more than the one on the Xperia XA2 Plus (both are LCD, FHD+ and lack maximum brightness). Nokia's incorrect color rendering is probably to blame for this.

Camera

The biggest pain point of the Xperia XA2 Plus is its main camera. It is based on a Sony IMX300 image sensor, which was installed in Xperia flagships 2014-2016. Now this camera is hopelessly outdated, which confirms the results of the shooting.

Take a look at the test images and you will understand everything. This is too low a result for a smartphone costing 21,000 - 28,000 rubles in official retail. Competitors from Huawei and Xiaomi are two heads higher in this regard.

Test shots:

Add to this the clumsy camera app, which looks like a prehistoric artifact compared to analogues on the market, and you will understand that it is better to perceive the phone as if it does not have a main camera at all. Or it is intended only for some extremely utilitarian things - taking a photo of the price tag in a store, documents, etc.

The front camera, on the contrary, even pleased me, it can make quite suitable selfies. But against the backdrop of the terribly weak main camera, this is only so-so consolation.

Software

As much as I am ready to criticize the camera in the inexpensive Sony Xperia, I praise them for their excellent firmware optimization.

Xperia XA2 Plus runs on the proprietary Xperia UI shell, which is not much different from stock Android. A few cosmetic improvements, a couple of programs, that's all the changes compared to Pure Google.

I don’t know how the Sony Mobile engineers managed it, but the Xperia XA2 Plus on the Snapdragon 630 works MUCH more stable and noticeably faster than the Nokia 7 Plus on a completely bare Android and Snapdragon 660. Both have eMMC memory, which is 2-3 times slower than UFS 2.0 memory, but the magic is that the XA2 Plus somehow opens applications faster, has less lag in the interface, and is more responsive in everyday use.

Therefore, do not believe the fairy tales that you just need to install a stock Android on the “Chinese” and everything will go like clockwork. It won’t work, there are many hidden nuances associated with perfecting the hardware + software combination. Sony Mobile developers are masters at this.

Performance, operating time

The Sony Xperia XA2 Plus is built on the Snapdragon 630 chipset, which automatically puts this smartphone in the “not for gaming” category. There is enough productivity for everyday tasks - social networks, YouTube, Twitch, photo editing in VSCO. The phone covered all my basic needs almost completely.

Yes, the XA2 Plus is not as fast as the flagships with Snapdragon 845/Kirin 970, but if you are not a power user, then you are unlikely to feel any inconvenience. At least until you try playing demanding games like PUBG or Fortnite.

Autonomy

I liked the operating time of the Xperia XA2 Plus; the 3580 mAh battery consistently lasted for 1.5 days. My usage scenario involves a lot of social networks (especially Twitter and Instagram), about two hours of YouTube, streaming music on Bluetooth headphones, browsing for about 30 minutes and calling for 15-20 minutes.

The battery life of the phone is above average, given the 6-inch FHD+ screen.

Communication, sound

There are no complaints about the quality of cellular communications and voice transmission during conversations. Like the older Xperia models I tested previously, the XA2 Plus is great for long calls. The speaker is loud and of high quality, and none of the interlocutors complained about the microphones either.

The situation with the sound from the speakers is worse; there is only one, but it is quite loud and clear in sound. Quite a decent level if you like to listen to music from your phone.

Everything is simpler with headphones. The device did not receive a separate DAC for audio processing, so it can only rely on the audio chip built into the Snapdragon 630. Sony's wireless sound, as always, is at the highest level, Bluetooth 5.0 and the LDAC codec provide top sound quality over a wireless connection, the main thing is to buy the appropriate ones Sony headphones. For example, h.ear in 2 or h.ear on 2 Wireless NC.

Xperia XA2 Plus review. Conclusion

The high price, compared to competitors, will be the main inhibitory factor in sales of the Xperia XA2 Plus. In the Sony Store, a smartphone costs as much as 28,000 rubles, and in Yandex Market it can be found for 24,000 rubles if you look for the PCT option.

This is very expensive, because for this amount you can find Mate 20 Lite and even popular Xiaomi flagship Mi 8 6/64 GB Global Version. I can’t imagine what could force a buyer towards the Xperia XA2 plus against the backdrop of such cool analogues.

Unless you love Sony and their firmware, love for quick updates. And in general, do not chase after technical innovations and the very best.

In any case, the Xperia XA2 Plus turned out to be a good phone for every day, a must-have for fans of the brand. The rest can pass by.

This smartphone, made in a “frameless” design, nevertheless retains the classic proportions (16:9) of a bright 5.2-inch screen. Its main camera has a slow-motion function (120 fps), and the front camera, with a wide-angle lens, is useful for group self-portraits. The filling, flavored with Android 8.0, is also worth noting a fresh processor, high-quality sound, NFC interface and support for fast charging. Vesti.Hi-tech found out not only the advantages, but also the disadvantages of the Sony Xperia XA2.

Together with the Xperia XA2, they presented new original Style Cover Stand cases made of artificial leather. Thanks to the adjustable tilt angle, these accessories provide comfortable viewing of videos. In this case, playback is automatically paused when the case is closed. In turn, the new mono Bluetooth headset MBH22 is designed for six hours of talk time and can be used in conjunction with Google Assistant to control music playback, as well as perform other commands.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: technical specifications

• Model: H4113
• OS: Android 8.0 (Oreo) with Xperia proprietary shell
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 64-bit (MSM8998) 8-core ARM Cortex-A53 architecture (up to 2.2 GHz)
• Graphics subsystem: Adreno 508
• RAM: 3 GB
• Storage: 32 GB, eMMC, microSD/HC/XC combo card slot (up to 256 GB)
• Screen: 5.2 inches, IPS (1920x1080 pixels), pixel density per inch 424 ppi, protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass
• Main camera: 23 MP, Exmor RS (1/2.3-inch optical size), wide-angle G Lens (84-degree viewing angle), f/2.0 aperture, 5x Clear Image zoom, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, slow-motion video (120 fps), 4K video
• Front camera: 8 MP, Exmor R (1/4-inch optical size), ultra-wide-angle lens (120 degrees), f/2.4 aperture
• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (2G), UMTS HSPA+(3G), LTE (4G) Cat.13/Cat. 12
• Interfaces: Bluetooth 5.0 (aptX HD), Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Miracast, Google Cast, NFC, USB Type-C (OTG)
• SIM card format: two nanoSIM (4FF)
• Sound: SmartAmp, Clear Audio+
• Radio: FM tuner
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS, A-GPS
• Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, gyroscope, compass (Hall sensor), fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, lithium-ion, 3,300 mAh, Smart Stamina 3.0, support for Quick Charge 3.0 and adaptive Qnovo, Battery Care
• Dimensions: 142x70x9.7 mm
• Weight: 171 grams
• Color: black, silver, blue, pink

Sony Xperia XA2 review: design, ergonomics

It's no secret that Sony smartphones are easy to distinguish among similar ones, largely due to their original, slightly angular design. So, the Xperia XA2 inherited the evolving Loop Surface concept, which is characterized by a slight curve of the screen and symmetry, giving the device a more elegant look. The side edges of the case are made of anodized aluminum, while the upper and lower ends are supplemented with a decorative chamfer.

The front panel of the smartphone is entirely covered with protective glass Corning Gorilla Glass, but the back panel is covered with durable polycarbonate. Although in a silver color (and this is exactly the device we got for testing), it looks quite “metallic”. In addition to silver, black, blue and pink colors are also offered. If the side frames around the screen are practically invisible, then the upper and lower dies were made with a large margin. The power/lock button has been reverted to its classic round "metal rivet" look, as the fingerprint scanner has now moved to back panel. The overall dimensions of the Xperia XA2 are 142x70x9.7 mm and the weight is 171 grams. At the same time, protection of the case from dust and moisture is not provided for this smartphone.

At the junction of the front panel and the top end there is a cutout for the speaker grille, below which the Sony logo was applied on the plate. To the right of it there is an “invisible” LED indicator, a large “eye” of the front camera, as well as proximity and light sensors.

The control panel touch buttons ("Back", "Home" and "Recent applications") are the "triangle", "circle" and "square" icons, which take their place at the bottom of the screen.

At the bottom end of the case, around the USB Type-C connector for charging/synchronization, there is a grille for a “multimedia” speaker and a hole for a “conversational” microphone.

The hole for the second microphone (for noise reduction) and the 3.5 mm connector (CTIA) for an audio headset are on the top end.

On the right edge there is a volume rocker, a power/lock button and a dedicated shooting key.

On the left edge there is a slot covered with a lid that is easy to pry off with a fingernail. On the lid there is a tray intended for the first subscriber identification module (nanoSIM format). Another tray not connected to the lid (again, removable, for example, using a fingernail) is designed to install a second nanoSIM or microSD memory card.

In the center of the upper part of the rear panel, decorated with the Sony logo, the main camera lens was placed with a slightly protruding protective edging. A little to the left of it there was a place for an LED flash, and below - for a round capacitive pad for a fingerprint scanner. The NFC antenna area is marked with an icon.

Even with classic screen proportions (16:9), operating a 5.2-inch device with one hand is not particularly difficult. However, the settings provide special means to change the size of the screen working area.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: screen

The Xperia XA2 smartphone has a 5.2-inch IPS matrix with an aspect ratio of 16:9. At a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the pixel density per inch is 424 ppi. Sony proprietary technologies are used to improve image quality.

The required backlight level is selected either manually or automatically (“Adaptive adjustment”). According to unofficial data, the maximum brightness reaches 500 cd/sq. m, which even feels like the truth. In addition, the adjustment range is very wide. So it is quite comfortable to work, both in complete darkness and in bright light. The touch screen clearly responds to touches and recognizes up to ten simultaneous touches. This multi-touch is confirmed by the results of the AnTuTu Tester program. In the settings, you can also step-by-step adjust the size of images, text and icons on the screen.

For color gamut and contrast, presets for standard mode and extreme brightness mode are offered. In addition, you can completely disable automatic image quality enhancement. The backlight control function automatically detects whether the device is in your hand or not. In the first case, the screen does not go dark, but in the second it turns off in accordance with the timeout setting. Changing the color temperature of the screen ("White Balance") makes the shades warmer or, conversely, cooler. A high-quality oleophobic coating is applied to the Gorilla Glass 4 protective glass. By the way, the “piquant” detail about the version number of the glass was only found out on the Corning website.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: cameras

The Xperia XA2 smartphone did not skimp on megapixels and equipped it with a rear camera with a 23 MP Exmor RS sensor (optical size 1/2.3 inches). The Sony G Lens wide-angle lens with an equivalent focal length (EFL) of 25 mm and a viewing angle of 84 degrees has an f/2.0 aperture. The maximum image resolution with the classic aspect ratio (4:3) is 5520x4144 pixels (23 MP). The main photo module also has an LED flash and digital image stabilization (SteadyShot). Hybrid autofocus ensures fast focusing in a variety of lighting conditions.

For Full HD video, the main photo module provides a frame rate of not only 30 fps, but also 60 fps. A separate application "4K Video" records clips in 3840x2160@30 fps quality.

There are three main shooting modes available in the Camera application - "Manual" (M), "Super Auto" and "Video". You can forcefully enable the HDR option only in manual mode, where you are asked to decide on the focus, as well as shutter speed, ISO, exposure compensation levels and white balance presets.

The front camera with an 8-megapixel Exmor R sensor (1/4-inch optical size) received a lens with an f/2.4 aperture and a variable viewing angle. So, with just one tap on the corresponding icon on the viewfinder, you can switch between wide-angle (80 degrees) and ultra-wide-angle (120 degrees) mode. The maximum image resolution for a 4:3 aspect ratio here is 3264x2448 pixels (8 MP).

Horizontal swipes switch shooting modes, and vertical swipes (from top to bottom) change the main camera to the front one (and vice versa). In the settings, you can not only determine the photo resolution and video quality, but also, for example, activate the “soft skin” cosmetic effect for selfies. Among the additional applications, along with “4K Video” and “Panorama”, various filters (“Artistic”) and augmented reality effects (“AR effect”) are also offered, which can somehow enliven boring photos.

In the "Video" mode of the main camera, next to the record button there is an icon that is used for slow-motion (120 fps) shooting with HD quality (1280x720 pixels).

Generally speaking, photo hunting with the Xperia XA2 left a mixed impression. On the one hand, one cannot help but note the simple interface and useful options, but on the other hand, for example, you still expect more from night and macro photography (again, on Sony sensors!). See examples of photos from the main camera.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: sound

Enabling the ClearAudio+ option replaces the 5-band equalizer with presets and separate low-frequency control (Clear Bass technology). For headphones in manual mode, surround sound emulation in studios, clubs and concert halls is also provided. Let us recall that for wireless headsets, paired via Bluetooth, LDAC and aptX HD codecs are available, providing high quality sound. The dynamic normalizer, in turn, equalizes the volume of different audio tracks or video recordings.

The "multimedia" speaker of the Xperia XA2 sounds quite loud and with good quality. The proprietary Music application offers to store your audio library on Google Drive. For the FM tuner that appeared in the new smartphone to work, you need to connect a wired audio headset as a short-wave antenna.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: hardware, performance

For the Xperia XA2, the developers opted for the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 mobile platform, which features increased gaming performance, improved photo and video capabilities, improved energy efficiency, and high data transfer speeds on LTE networks. Eight ARM Cortex-A53 processor cores, created using the 14 nm process technology, are clocked at up to 2.2 GHz. The Adreno 508 graphics accelerator works in tandem with them. At the same time, their performance, according to the company, has increased compared to its popular predecessor - Snapdragon 625 - by 10% and 30%, respectively.

The X12 LTE modem, when paired with a new RF transceiver, can provide a maximum downlink data rate of 600 Mbps (Cat. 12). The chip now includes support for Bluetooth 5.0, Quick Charge 4.0 fast charging, 4K video shooting, etc. The basic configuration of the Xperia XA2 is complemented by 3 GB of RAM.

TestingSonyXperiaXA2 . Results in the AnTuTu benchmark

TestingSonyXperiaXA2. Results in the GeekBench benchmark

TestingSonyXperiaXA2 . Results in the 3DMark benchmark

The built-in storage capacity of 32 GB can be expanded with microSD/HC/XC memory cards (up to 256 GB). USB-OTG technology allows you to connect regular flash drives to your smartphone via a USB Type-C adapter. Let us remind you that the combined slot is designed to install either a memory card or a second nanoSIM.

Voice features and mobile internet in Xperia XA2 are assigned to one radio channel, with which two subscriber identification modules in nanoSIM format (4FF) can alternately work. They provide support for fourth-generation LTE networks for mobile terminal categories Cat.12/Cat.13. The set of 4G frequency bands contains the FDD-LTE Band 3 (1,800 MHz), Band 7 (2,600 MHz) and Band 20 (800 MHz) required for Russia. Among other wireless communications, along with dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), Miracast, Google Cast, Bluetooth 5.0 (LDAC, aptX HD) and NFC are supported.

The NFC interface is useful for exchanging data between smartphones or the Android Pay payment service. In tandem with the corresponding application, it will also help you find out the balance of Strelka and Troika transport cards.

GPS and GLONASS satellite systems can be used for positioning and navigation. There is also a coordination mode over Wi-Fi and cellular networks (A-GPS).

Sony Xperia XA2 review: autonomy

The non-removable battery capacity of the Xperia XA2 is 3,300 mAh. The smartphone comes with a regular charger (5 V/1.5 A), so to take advantage of Charge 3.0 fast charging, you will need to purchase, for example, the recommended UCH12W adapter. After which you can fill the battery halfway in about half an hour.

As for the energy efficiency of the new smartphone, the AnTuTu Tester program rated it at 7,507 points. A set of test videos in MP4 format (hardware decoding) and Full HD quality at full brightness played continuously for about 7.6 hours.

To extend the autonomy of the Xperia XA2, smart energy saving modes Stamina and Ultra Stamina are used, the first of which limits, in particular, background data transfer, and the second - the number of available applications. Qnovo's adaptive charging technology and Battery Care feature increase battery life.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: software features

The Xperia XA2 smartphone runs on the Android 8.0 (Oreo) operating system with the proprietary Xperia shell, which minimally changes the interface and adds a number of features to it. For example, like stock Android, there is an application menu and separate screens with program shortcuts. And a standard solution is used for the notification curtain. Long-pressing an application icon brings up an access menu (if supported) with up to four frequently used functions of that application. With the next tap and hold, already on the line of the menu that appears, you can move the icon of one of these functions to the main screen. For example, from “Settings” you can separately select a quick transition to the “Battery (Battery)” section.

In addition to choosing a wallpaper and theme, in the settings it’s easy to change the icon grid, as well as decide on the type of transition between work screens.

To conveniently unlock your smartphone, for example, by pairing it with a PIN code, it is recommended to use a fingerprint scanner, the capacitive pad of which is located on the back panel of the smartphone. In the Smart Lock section, you can also configure quick unlocking of the device using face and/or voice recognition. It is worth remembering that such protection is less reliable than using fingerprints.

One-Handed Actions makes it easy to resize your home screen, including support for optimized dialing, unlocking, and notification apps. Note that dividing the screen into two parts (tap and hold on the “Recent applications” icon) is not yet supported by all programs.

Sony Xperia XA2 review: purchase, conclusions

Since the Xperia XA2 was not affected by such fashionable trends as camera duets and a “high” screen, the device turned out to be just a strong middling device in a classic style. Among the advantages of the new smartphone, it is worth noting, among other things, a bright screen with narrow frames, a front camera with a wide viewing angle, high-quality sound, a set of interfaces (including NFC), support for fast charging and Android 8.0 OS out of the box.

The polycarbonate back panel, as well as the lack of protection against water and dust, may cause some disappointment. In addition, we must remind you that the kit does not include a fast charging adapter.

Positioned as a mid-price smartphone, the Xperia XA2 was priced at 25,990 rubles at the start of sales. Of the 5.2-inch “classics” with a standard aspect ratio (16:9) screen, for example, for (our review) they are now asking only a thousand more (26,990 rubles). This difference, in addition to the additional display, is obviously due to the presence of a Super AMOLED screen, dual (12 MP + 12 MP) main and 16 MP front cameras, as well as 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal memory. True, it will no longer be possible to expand the existing storage with microSD cards, and the set of wireless connections does not include an NFC interface. In addition, you will have to be content with Android 7.0 (Nougat) OS coupled with the Flyme OS shell.

Review results of the Sony Xperia XA2 smartphone

Pros:

• Bright screen with narrow bezels
• Front camera with wide viewing angle
• High quality sound
• A set of interfaces, including NFC
• Fast charging support
• Android 8.0 OS out of the box

Minuses:

• Polycarbonate rear panel
• Lack of protection against water and dust
• No fast charging adapter included

Sony presented three new products at once at the CES 2018 exhibition held in January, and recently they went on sale on a wide scale and it’s time to compare the impressions from the beginning of the year with what we finally got. Sony Xperia XA2, which we will talk about today, is positioned as the most typical representative mid-price segment, so we will try to understand how justified the choice in favor of this device is against the backdrop of the dominance of Chinese devices in this class.

Price and main characteristics

In Russia, the gadget is available at a price of 25,990 rubles, which sends the smartphone into a real meat grinder of competition with top Chinese models, as well as very interesting solutions from Samsung. Let's see how the Xperia XA2 can take a decent market share.

Specifications:

Display: 5.2 inches, Full HD 1080p;
processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630;
RAM: 3 GB;
internal memory: 32 GB + micro SDXC flash cards up to 256 GB;
camera: main 23 MP, front – 8 MP;
communications: 4G LTE Cat13/Cat12, Wi-Fi Miracast, Bluetooth 5.0, A-GNSS, NFC;
battery: 3300 mAh, Quick Charge 3.0;
dimensions: 142 x 70 x 9.7 mm;
weight: 171 g

Equipment and appearance

The Japanese concern remains true to tradition and continues to release its angular gadgets with large screen frames year after year, while others are practicing to achieve maximum framelessness. There is a reason for this - brand recognition remains at a high level, but even many long-term fans of Sony products note that such loyalty to the once chosen line can be detrimental to the devices.

The smartphone comes in four colors – black, silver, blue and pink. The ergonomics are familiar and predictable - the main camera with a flash and a fingerprint sensor are located on the back cover, and the panel itself is made of plastic - not the most optimal solution for a smartphone costing almost $500.
The edges are made of high-quality aluminum; on the right there are buttons for turning on the device and activating the camera, as well as a volume rocker.

On the left, according to tradition, there is a tray for two nanoSIMs, one of which can be replaced with a memory card. At the bottom there is an earpiece and a main microphone, as well as a USB-C port. At the top there is a second microphone and a minijack.

On the front panel, in addition to the display, which is quite modest in size by today's standards, you can find a front camera with a flash and a speaker grille. In general, no surprises.

Screen

The display has not become a strong point and advantage of Sony products for a long time, but the entire Xperia XA2 line has at its disposal quite high-quality screens with an excellent IPS matrix. A sufficient range of brightness allows you to read information in bright sunlight and protects your eyes when reading in the dark. Some skeptics say that Full HD is a yesterday’s resolution and is only relevant for outspoken budget employees, but for the 5.2-inch display of this model it fits perfectly - there is no unnecessary battery consumption, and there is no talk of pixelation.

The viewing angles are not maximum, but the picture is not distorted, but simply changes the color palette somewhat. By the way, she is quite rich and does not cause any complaints. Using internal settings, you can always customize the screen to suit your goals and objectives.

Performance

The device runs Android 8.0 and the proprietary Xperia UI shell, which uses virtually no extra smartphone resources, but adds a number of very useful goodies. From the point of view of hardware, everything is quite decent - Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 is by far the most relevant solution for mobile phone mid-price range, although some Chinese are ready to offer the premium 835 generation for a comparable amount.

3 GB of RAM is enough to not experience any inconvenience when solving everyday tasks - the gadget is ideal for surfing the web or watching videos. If we talk about games, then things are better than one might expect; today the smartphone is able to cope with even the most demanding 3D blockbusters, but it does not have much groundwork for the future.

Camera

As for cameras, the company tried to implement interesting ideas in the XA2 Ultra model, using two front cameras at once, and the base model looks rather ordinary. Yes, in natural light the main camera is capable of showing amazing results, but in the evening, and even more so at night, the picture rapidly degrades.

The 8 MP front camera is also not surprising; you can get a successful selfie with due diligence, but nothing more. It is worth noting the large number of different software chips, which Sony has long been famous for - a bunch of modes and filters will brighten up the leisure time of any photography lover. What I didn’t like was the video shooting - due to digital noise reduction, the sound is of very low quality, and the visuals raise questions.

Speaker, sound quality

The situation with sound is familiar to Sony - with the help of a high-quality headset you can achieve really good sound, but the speakers are noisy and there is no desire to use the device as a mobile speaker.

As for the conversational component, all elements cope well - the interlocutor can be heard even on a busy street, and he will be able to make out what you are trying to convey to him through the granite slabs of the subway. In general, the level is quite adequate for the middle segment, but in this regard you always want something more from Sony.

Battery

The device supports QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging, which allows you to fully charge the battery in just an hour and a half - a very respectable indicator. The battery capacity is quite suitable for a gadget - 3300 mAh, for a modern smartphone this is rather an indicator close to the lower threshold of what is acceptable, but the optimal selection of hardware and a reasonable compromise in terms of screen area allow a small battery to easily cope with the active use of the gadget throughout the day.

If you can spend the whole day off watching your favorite TV series on your mobile phone, then you will have to charge it no more than once every 6 hours, but with toys the device gets quite hot in the lower part of the case and the battery charge drains quickly.

Communication and Internet

The level of wireless interfaces corresponds to the price tag of the device - here you have NFC, and the latest version of Bluetooth with aptX HD support, Wi-Fi ac may be missing, but this does not negatively affect the operation of the device.

Navigation systems are also at a decent level - there is GPS and GLONASS, the cold start of which takes no more than three seconds, and the number of available satellites will satisfy even a person who can get lost in three pines. In short, all gentleman's set in place, but it would be strange to expect something else - a phone for 26,000 rubles today simply has no right to lack communication options.

Video review of Sony Xperia XA2

Where can I buy

You can buy it on Player.ru or M.Video.

Competitors, conclusion

Fans of Sony technology will certainly find the new product interesting, and most importantly, continuing the glorious traditions of the beloved series, but others may have a fair question - is this extremely balanced, but completely devoid of zest mobile phone worth the money.

It is clear that those who are looking for a phablet with a large display or the most powerful offer for their money will pass by the Xperia XA2 without even looking back, but there are also those who just want to buy a high-quality and reliable device without weak points that can last for several years. keeping up with progress - it makes sense for these people to take a closer look at the device.

This year, Sony hastened to present to the world all its updated models that are not related to the flagship series at the first CES 2018 exhibition in Las Vegas. They were Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra, Xperia XA2 and Xperia L2. And all of them are, in one way or another, successors of some lines. Among the new products, a huge and heavy tablet phone from the rarely updated Ultra series stood out: the device is not top-end, but has several features that can interest fans of devices that combine the capabilities of a phone and a tablet. We wrote about it in detail earlier, and now let’s turn to the central model of this subseries, the usual modification of the Xperia XA2, which does not have the “Ultra” prefix in its name, but has more elegant shapes, convenient dimensions, and a balanced combination of all technical capabilities.

Main characteristics of Sony Xperia XA2 (model H4113)

• SoC SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, 8 cores ARM Cortex-A53 @1.8/2.2 GHz
• GPU Adreno 508 @850 MHz
• operating system Android 8.0
• Touch display IPS 5.2″, 1920×1080
• Random access memory (RAM) 3 GB, internal memory 32 GB
• Nano-SIM support (2 pcs.)
• MicroSD support up to 256 GB
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE networks (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
• WCDMA/HSPA+ networks (850/900/1900/2100 MHz)
• LTE Cat.12/13 networks
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n (2.4 and 5 GHz)
• Bluetooth 5.0, aptX/A2DP
• GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, BDS
• USB Type-C, USB OTG
• Main camera 23 MP, f/2.0, autofocus, 4K video
• Front camera 8 MP, f/2.4
• Proximity and lighting sensors, accelerometer, magnetometer
• Fingerprint's scanner
• Battery 3300 mAh, Quick Charge 3.0
• Dimensions 142×70×9.7 mm
• Weight 171 g

Appearance and ease of use

By shape and Sony design The Xperia XA2 is an exact copy, only it feels much better in person, because it is not so huge and bulky. Fans of the brand are happy to welcome the angular corporate design, although the device with sharp corners is not as convenient to use as the streamlined version of the case.

Moreover, this season, without exception, all Sony devices, including the flagship XZ2, have lost their thin, elegant cases with a flat back wall, which made them visually thinner and more elegant. Now, for some reason, the back wall of all Xperia smartphones has been made convex, which generally increases the volume, but why is unclear. At least, no particularly large batteries were installed in them.

The back wall of the Sony Xperia XA2 is plastic. It has a matte finish, but fingerprints will still remain on it, and scratches will be clearly visible. The smartphone fits comfortably in your hand, but the sides are slippery and the device can slip out of your hand at any moment.

The camera module on the back protrudes slightly beyond the surface, and the smartphone with its curved back cover wobbles when you touch the screen while lying on the table.

The symmetry of the location of two round elements - the camera and the fingerprint scanner pad - is disrupted by a faulty flash. What prevented it from being positioned exactly between two round elements will remain a mystery. There are no complaints about the operation of the fingerprint scanner; recognition is flawless.

The front panel is completely covered with protective glass, which is reported to be Gorilla Glass (without specification). An LED event indicator was installed above the screen.

There are no hardware buttons at the bottom under the screen, but for some reason there is simply a huge amount of unoccupied space by the standards of modern “full screen” smartphones. There is not even a slot for a second stereo speaker, like the older models of the XZ2 series, so the 13 mm height gap is simply inexplicable.

There are no special complaints about the side buttons, they are all in their usual places, and there is also a separate camera control key, as is customary with Sony.

The smartphone has 2 card slots, in one of them you can install only Nano-SIM, and in the other - either a memory card or a second SIM card (also in Nano-SIM format). Whenever you manipulate the compartment cover, the device automatically reboots, even if no cards have been installed.

At the top end, in addition to the second microphone, there is a 3.5 mm audio output for headphones.

A USB Type-C connector is installed at the bottom end next to the speaker grille and the speaking microphone.

Sony Xperia XA2 is available in four color options: black, silver, blue and pink. Sony always paints the front panel of its smartphones in the same color as the body; this design looks holistic and complete. The smartphone did not receive protection from moisture and dust.

Screen

Sony Xperia XA2 is equipped with an IPS display covered with 2.5D Gorilla Glass with slightly sloping edges. The physical dimensions of the screen are 65x116 mm with a diagonal of 5.2 inches. The display resolution is 1920x1080, the pixel density is about 423 ppi. The width of the frame around the screen on the sides is only 2 mm, but the margins at the top and bottom are impressive - approximately 13 mm each.

It is possible to use automatic brightness adjustment based on the operation of the ambient light sensor. Multi-touch tests diagnose support for 10 simultaneous touches.

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 sample under study.

The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia XA2, as is easy 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 105 versus 114 for the Nexus 7). The tripling of reflected objects in the Sony Xperia XA2 screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the outer glass (also known as the touch sensor) and the surface of the matrix (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower rate than with regular glass.

When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, its maximum value was about 540 cd/m², and the minimum was 4.2 cd/m². The maximum value is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, the image on the screen should be clearly visible in bright daylight. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the right of the logo on the front panel). In automatic mode, when external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. This function is dependent on brightness adjustment. If it is at a minimum, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 4.2 cd/m² (dark), in an office illuminated by artificial light (approximately 550 lux) it sets it to 150 cd/m² (normal), in a bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a slightly cloudy day outdoors - about 10,000 lux) increases to 540 cd/m² (to the maximum, as needed). If the brightness slider is at half scale, then the screen brightness for the three conditions indicated above is as follows: 50, 240 and 540 cd/m² (a little bright in the dark). If the brightness control is set to maximum - 100, 340, 540 cd/m² (the first two values ​​are too high). We were more satisfied with the option with a slider of about 15% - 20, 180, 540 cd/m². It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately and allows the user to customize their work to individual requirements. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flicker.

This screen uses an IPS type matrix. The microphotographs 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 inverting shades (except for the very, very dark ones when deviating along one diagonal) and without significant color shifts even with large deviations of the view from perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and Sony Xperia XA2, while the screen brightness is initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K .

White field perpendicular to the plane of the screens:

Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.

And a test picture:

The colors on the Sony Xperia XA2 are a bit oversaturated and the color balance varies noticeably.

Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:

It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens, but on the Sony Xperia XA2 the contrast has decreased to a greater extent due to the greater brightening of blacks.

And a white field:

The brightness at an angle for both screens decreased noticeably, and decreased approximately equally. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a reddish tint. The photographs 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 from a perpendicular perspective, the uniformity of the black field is excellent, but in some places the backlight shines through the cracks in the body, which does not look very good:

The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1200:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 24 ms (11 ms on + 13 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 48 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows. The index of the approximating power function is 2.22, which is close to the standard value of 2.20, while the real gamma curve deviates little from the power dependence:

We did not detect the presence of dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image, which is very good.

The color gamut is noticeably wider than sRGB:

Let's look at the spectra:

They are typical for top Sony mobile devices (and not only). Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphors (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows for a wide color gamut. Yes, and the red phosphor apparently uses so-called quantum dots. Unfortunately, as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and these are the vast majority) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. The result is shown in the photographs above.

The grayscale balance is average because the color temperature is very high, but the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is below 10, which is considered acceptable for a consumer device (data labeled as Without corr. in the graphs below). At the same time, color temperature and ΔE change little from hue to hue - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (The darkest areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)

This smartphone has the ability to adjust the color balance by adjusting the intensities of the three primary colors.

That's what we tried to do: the result is data signed as Corr. in the graphs above. As a result, we lowered the color temperature and significantly reduced ΔE. At the same time, the maximum brightness decreased to 450 cd/m², which is still tolerable. Additionally, the user can select one of the display modes:

Selected by default Standard mode. If you enable Extreme brightness mode, then this is the result:

Color contrast increases, that is, details in the area of ​​saturated colors are washed out and lost, and contrast and contour clarity are further increased.

From mode Switch off more benefits. This is what the test image looks like after enabling this mode:

Color saturation has returned to normal, the image looks more natural. Color gamut for this mode:

It can be seen that the coverage is very close to sRGB. And the corresponding spectrum:

The components are already largely mixed with each other.

Therefore, to get the correct colors in the case of commonly encountered images, you need to select the Switch off and correct the color balance.

Let's summarize. The brightness adjustment range of this screen is very wide, the anti-glare properties are excellent, which allows you to comfortably use the smartphone both on a sunny day outside and in complete darkness. It is also possible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages include an effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, excellent uniformity of the black field, high contrast, as well as a color gamut close to sRGB (if you select correct mode) and good (after correction) color balance. The disadvantages are the low stability of black to the deviation of the gaze from perpendicular to the plane of the screen, as well as a gap in the housing through which the backlight breaks through. Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of 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 quality of the screen can be considered high.

Camera

Unlike the XA2 Ultra, there is only one module for the selfie camera. This is an 8-megapixel Exmor R for mobile devices with a wide-angle lens (120°) with an f/2.4 aperture (it was used as an additional module in the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra). It is clear that with such optics and viewing angles the emphasis is on group selfies, and there is certainly more distortion from a wide-angle lens.

There is a gesture shooting function: if you show your open palm into the camera, the shutter will fire automatically.

The shooting quality for selfie shots is quite adequate, although they cannot boast of detail, sharpness, or accurate color rendition. The selfie camera of the regular XA2 is strikingly different from the XA2 Ultra.

But the main camera here is the same as in the XA2 Ultra: it uses an Exmor RS module for mobile devices with a 23 MP sensor resolution and a lens with an f/2.0 aperture. The autofocus here is hybrid, quite fast, the flash is not bright.

The camera control interface is standard for Sony, with manual and automatic control modes. Some additional modes are also available, such as augmented reality AR effect, Timeshift burst, Sound Photo and others. In auto mode, it is possible to increase the light sensitivity to ISO 12800, but manually the maximum value for selection is ISO 3200. There is no possibility of saving images in RAW.

The Sony Xperia XA2 camera can shoot video in a maximum resolution of 4K, like the XA2 Ultra, but for some reason this mode has again been removed from the general menu; you might not think to look for it as a separate mode. But the 1080p@60 fps mode can be selected through the settings, as expected. You can also use slow motion video at 120 frames per second. The quality of picture detail is acceptable, sharpness is also normal, sound is recorded cleanly, without distortion.

• Video No. 1 (29 MB, 1920×1080@30 fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video No. 2 (61 MB, 1920×1080@60 fps, H.264, AAC)
• Video No. 3 (26 MB, 1280×720, slo-mo)

Examples of shooting with the rear camera:

The quality of pictures taken with the main camera is surprisingly poor. Large areas of blur and, at the same time, uncorrected geometric distortions of the wide-angle lens are visible at the edges of the frame, so, in fact, only the central, approximately 10-megapixel part of the frame can be used. Sometimes exposure errors happen. In a photograph of a magazine spread, the work of noise reduction and emphasizing contour sharpness is clearly visible, and although this is even a useful skill for shooting text, typical landscape and portrait photographs can only be spoiled in this way. The camera has difficulty focusing on close objects, and macro shots have to be taken from a greater distance than we are used to. In general, this, unfortunately, is not even an average level, the pictures need to be seriously cropped and reduced, something acceptable is obtained only in bright light and at a size of 5-6 megapixels.

Telephone and communications

Thanks to the Qualcomm Snapdragon X12 LTE modem, the Sony Xperia XA2 smartphone supports multiple LTE FDD and TD (4G) Cat frequency bands. 13/12 (up to 600 Mbit/s for downloading), including all three used in Russia (Band 3, 7, 20). Within the city limits of the Moscow region, the smartphone works stably in the networks of domestic operators, confidently maintains the 4G network, and quickly restores communications after a break.

The device behaves adequately in both Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz); there are no complaints about the operation of the Wi-Fi module. You can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels, and Bluetooth version 5.0 is supported. The presence of an NFC module in this smartphone, given the worldwide development of convenient contactless payment technologies, looks like a serious advantage.

The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS), and with the domestic Glonass, and the Chinese Beidou. During a cold start, the first satellites are not detected quickly, within the first minute. A magnetic compass, necessary for navigation programs, is installed in the device.

The phone application supports Smart Dial. The settings for sorting and displaying contacts in the phone book are standard for Android. In the conversational speaker, the interlocutor's voice is intelligible, although the sound is muffled. The vibration alert is not very powerful. There is no standard function for recording calls from the line.

The smartphone can support both SIM cards in 3G/4G mode simultaneously in active standby mode. That is, the SIM card will be in active standby in 3G, even if another card is assigned to transfer data in 4G. The interface allows you to select a specific SIM card for voice calls and SMS in advance. The cards operate in Dual SIM Dual Standby mode, there is only one radio modem.

Software and multimedia

As a software platform, Sony Xperia XA2 uses Google Android 8.0 with its own shell and the ability to update over the air. Here, users familiar with Sony mobile technology will not discover anything new: neither the appearance nor the organization of menus in Japanese smartphones has changed dramatically for a long time.

To play music, the device is equipped with a familiar player with a proprietary set of settings for optimizing ClearAudio+ sound. The sound of the main speaker is not very interesting; it is ringing, dim, and the maximum volume level is low. In headphones, the device sounds more or less decent: the sound is clear, loud and rich, although there is not an abundance of low frequencies, but the range of settings is so wide that everything can be adjusted to your taste. Bluetooth 5.0 aptX/aptX HD audio/A2DPE profiles are supported. There is a built-in FM radio, but there is no voice recorder.

Performance

The Sony Xperia XA2 hardware platform is based on a single-chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 system made using 14-nanometer technology. This SoC includes eight 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 cores in two clusters with frequencies up to 1.8/2.2 GHz. The Adreno 508 GPU is responsible for graphics processing. The RAM capacity is 3 GB, and the built-in flash memory is 32 GB. Of this, only about 19.5 GB of storage is free.

It is possible to expand the memory by installing a microSD card (up to 256 GB), but for this you will have to sacrifice a second SIM card. In addition, applications are still not installed on the card. It is also possible to connect external flash drives in USB OTG mode.

Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 is a mobile platform designed for mid-range smartphones. It is more powerful than the Snapdragon 625/626, but still its results do not go beyond its segment. In AnTuTu 7, the smartphone scores less than 90K points, a good result for an average level, but far from a top one.

Thanks to the 14 nm process technology, this SoC combines good performance with low power consumption. Snapdragon 630 provides the system with reliable performance and in real-life scenarios allows the smartphone to cope with any tasks. The modern video accelerator Adreno 508 supports the Vulkan graphics API. There are no problems with games, even the demanding Injustice 2 and Mortal Kombat X run without slowdowns.

Testing in comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench:

For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and current models- due to the fact that they once went through an “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.

Testing the graphics subsystem in gaming tests 3DMark, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:

When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).

AndroBench memory speed test results:

Heat

Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 10 minutes of battery testing in the GFXBenchmark program:

The heating is localized in the upper part of the device, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip. According to the heat camera, the maximum heating was 39 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), this is the average heating for this test among modern smartphones.

Playing video

To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (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 Internet. 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 options using processor cores alone. Also, don't expect mobile device decoding everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.

Further testing of video playback was performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.

This device apparently does not support DisplayPort Alt Mode for USB Type-C - outputting image and sound to external device when connected to a USB port - which was found out with the help of (company). Therefore, 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 “”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In the tests we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:

Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.

According to the criterion of frame output, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is very good, since frames or groups of frames can (but are not required) be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without gaps. The screen refresh rate is 61 Hz, so in the case of files with 60 fps, ideal smoothness is not obtained. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p) on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly in the height and width of the screen (in landscape orientation), one to one pixel by pixel, that is, in the original resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights. Note: this smartphone has support for hardware decoding of H.265 files with a color depth of 10 bits per color, but display output is apparently still carried out in 8-bit mode.

Battery life

The non-removable battery of the Sony Xperia XA2 has a capacity of 3300 mAh. This is slightly less than that of the Ultra, so the battery life test results are also slightly worse, but still, overall, for the average modern smartphone, the battery life of the Xperia XA2 is excellent, this is clearly one of strengths modern devices Sony new generations.

In real conditions, a smartphone confidently survives a day, and can last more than a day, depending on the load.

The battery efficiency is monitored by Smart Stamina and Battery Care technologies. Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology regulates current levels and continuously monitors the battery while charging to protect it from overload. This should help extend battery life.

Testing has traditionally been carried out at the usual level of power consumption without using power saving functions, although the device has them.

Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (the brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted 20.5 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos in high quality (720p) The device operates for almost 13 hours at the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone can work up to 7 hours, depending on the specific game.

In theory, the smartphone supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging, but we were not sent a standard charger included with the test unit, but from a regular one. network adapter with an output current and voltage of 2 A 5 V, the smartphone is charged within 2 hours 20 minutes with a current of 1.5 A at a voltage of 5 V. Wireless charging is not supported.

Bottom line

Sony smartphones have never been different affordable price, and for the Xperia XA2, which is far from the flagship in the line, in official Russian retail they are asking 26 thousand rubles. This is a very good smartphone with a high-quality screen, a fresh and quite powerful platform, and therefore a wide range of communication capabilities, is also distinguished by an excellent level of autonomy. The sound here is at a decent level, but the cameras are barely satisfactory. The regular Xperia XA2 is cheaper than the XA2 Ultra, the price of which reaches 30 thousand rubles, while in most respects it is not only not inferior to its older sister, but in some ways, for example, in size and weight, it even wins. In general, for fans of the Japanese brand who are not ready to shell out for expensive flagships, this is a completely logical choice. The Sony Xperia XA2 is a solid, balanced device, and a slightly higher price than the average for this level of the market can be justified by a popular brand that has not yet lost its attractiveness.