Sony, one of the popular smartphone manufacturers in India and the rest of the world, has been facing acute competition from the new names like Xiaomi, Oppo and others who are making their presence felt in the smartphones arena. Having said that, it should also be noted that they are still coming up with a few flagship devices. We will compare the three primary devices coming from the house of Sony today – Xperia XA2 Plus vs XA1 Vs XA2 Ultra. Of course, they are indeed closest siblings in most of the features and compare almost in an equivalent manner.
The range made a beginning with the Xperia XA1 launched back in February 2017. The Xperia XA2 Ultra was followed in January 2018 which was later succeeded by the Xperia XA2 Plus in July 2018.
The Xperia XA1 – An Overview
Well, owning a smartphone need not force you to send a fortune. If you are looking for an affordable version regarding a smartphone and a practical solution at that – the Sony Xperia is the best one you can go with.
The device comes with a pocket-friendly design and looks. If you have used Xperia XZ, you would be able to consider this one as the smaller and narrower option of the flagship. The build is mostly plastic with metal panels on the sides. The design is affordable but has been made to look classy enough. You will miss the fingerprint sensor though. You may not find the water-resistant features available in most of the expensive models in the Xperia range.
The 5-inch screen with 720p resolution should be ideal enough for those looking for a minimalistic styling and functionality. The phone runs on Android 7.0 Nougat and offers you Sony Interface. The media streaming functionality is good enough and shows off the experience that Sony has regarding audio and video enhancements.
The rear camera on the device reads 23 MP option, and that should be one of the best choices you would want to go with. It should be one of the best at this pricing. The image quality is quite excellent enough and offers you excellent night shots. The sharpening could be quite high when it comes to the night snaps thought, and the lack of stabilization is evident enough.
Battery life can be an issue though with the 2300 mAh unit onboard. It is not a great idea to couple a 720p resolution with a paltry battery like that one. Playing a high-quality video for an hour or so will deplete the battery by almost 20 percent.
The Pros
- The camera is quite excellent enough for the price
- Brightest screen ever
- The smart design that is pocketable should be what you would love
The Cons
- Screen resolution is lowered significantly
- There is no fingerprint scanner
- Camera processing may be a little difficult
The Xperia XA2 Ultra – The Details
The Xperia XA2 Ultra is indeed an excellent upgrade for the Xperia XA1. You have access to the bigger screen and dual selfie cameras. Well, if you are someone who cannot get hold of the high-end models like Galaxy Note or similar other options, this can be your best bet.
The design may be one of the oldest you have come to find on the Xperia range of devices, but you would love the new age edge to edge display on the XA2 Ultra. The design may appear to be a little bulky in today’s age of thinner smartphones. You have the metal you have always found on the Sony devices on the frame, while the rear is entirely plasticky.
The 6-inch display with 1080p full HD resolution should be the best at this price range. With the lack of devices with those specification combinations back then, it had been one of the excellent options when released in January 2018. It can be one of the best options for a gaming or movie viewing experience. The display is crispier enough and offers you a good deal of performance for video content.
When it comes to the cameras, you have access to three cameras – one on the rear and two on the front. The two selfie cameras can be one of the thoughtful options and is a rare commodity. The camera on the back offers you a 23 MP sensor. It is the same as on the Xperia XA1. The front has 16 MP and 8 MP cameras. The 16 MMP camera has image stabilization options. This will improve your low light shots in addition to the flash available for the front snapper. If you have a larger group of people to be included in the selfie, the 8 MP camera with the 120-degree field of view should be the best you may go with. There is also a quick access physical button for the camera, but we prefer the on-screen shutter button. The night shots from the rear camera may not be the best though. However, as has been the case with almost all Sony cameras, the level of processing leaves a lot to be desired.
The battery on the device has a rating of 3580 mAh. We were able to get some excellent performances with that rating. You should be able to get a backup of around a day even with high usage.
The Pros
- The larger screen for the gaming and movie buffs
- An excellent battery backup
- Dual selfie cameras which should be a unique innovation
The Cons
- Not a great camera performance on the rear, especially for night photography.
- The design language is a little out of sync with the times
- Performance is a bit in need of improvement.
The Xperia XA2 Plus – An Improvement over the Ultra
The latest in the series is Xperia XA2 Plus that succeeds XA Ultra. Announced in July 2018, it offers an improvement regarding display. The phone offers you an 18:9 aspect ratio.
You will have access to a 6-inch full HD+ display. You find almost everything you may have missed on the previous versions. It has a fingerprint scanner, a full Aluminium frame, and the usual 23 MP camera as on the earlier models. Of course, there is a difference on the Plus in sharp contrast to the XA2 Ultra is that the latter offers you a dual selfie camera, while the Plus variant will provide you only an 8 MP sensor. Of course, the front camera has a wide angle lens and thus can be helpful in shooting a perfect selfie with a large group.
Launching in August with Android Oreo, the phone comes with a host of improvements in the package. An enhanced screen resolution, better battery at 3580 mAh 9albeit the same as on the XA2 Ultra) and a fingerprint scanner is some of the features you will indeed love.
The Pros
- Availability of fingerprint scanner
- An excellent camera performance – both rear and front
- Larger battery and a good backup
The Cons
- A little heavier construction
- The design language may be out of sync yet again.
A Comparison Chart for the three Siblings: Xperia XA2 Plus vs XA1 Vs XA2 Ultra
Here is a comparison chart for a better understanding of the three equally capable devices from Sony its Xperia range of devices.
| Features/Particulars |
Xperia XA1
|
Xperia XA2 Ultra
|
Xperia XA2 Plus
|
| Released in | February 2017 | January 2018 | July 2018 |
| Physical Dimensions | 145.00 x 67.00 x 8.00 | 163.00 x 80.00 x 9.50 | 157.00 x 75.00 x 9.60 |
| Weight | Not Available | 221 grams | 205 Grams |
| Battery Rating | 2300 mAh | 3580 mAh | 3580 mAh |
| Removable Battery | No | No | No |
| Screen Size | 5.00 inch | 6.00 inch | 6.00 inch |
| Resolution | 720 x 1280 pixels | 1080 x 1920 pixels | Full HD+ |
| The Processor | MediaTek Helio P20 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Internal Storage | 32 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| Expandable storage | Yes, microSD card | Yes, microSD card | Yes, microSD card |
| Expandable storage capacity | 256 GB | 256 GB | 400 GGB |
| Rear Camera | 23 MP | MP+ 23 MP | 23MP |
| Front Camera | 8 MP | 8 MP + 16 MP | 8 MP |
| Operating System out of the box | Android Nougat 7.0 | Android Oreo 8.0 | Android Oreo 8.0 |
| Dual SIM Capability | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth version | Yes | Yes, 5.0 | Yes, 5.0 |
The Concluding Thoughts
Well, that was the complete comparison between the three capable devices from the house of Sony. As you would have observed, Sony has indeed upgraded the design and other features for the successive devices. The best choice would be between the Xperia XA2 Ultra and Xperia Plus. You can choose the best of those two depending upon your exact preferences.
We assume that the comparison here would have helped you pick the right choice for your needs. If you have any inputs to share with us, feel free to comment through the comments here below. Your contributions will go a long way in helping our readers make a learned choice among the three equally beautiful and capable devices from one of the most prestigious brands in the realm of smartphones.