Sony Xperia XA review: laughing is prohibited. Review of the smartphone Sony Xperia XA: the modest charm of Sonya xperia ha

Everyone knows Sony. It has very high quality products in its arsenal. And it makes no difference what we have in front of us: microwave ovens, TVs, consoles or smartphones. Everything was done flawlessly. However, in the mobile technology market, the company is not doing as well as it would like. For example, the production of laptops under the Vaio brand had to be curtailed altogether. They just couldn't stand the competition. Smartphones somehow keep afloat. But this is mainly due to the models with moisture protection. Also, many take into account the glorious past of the company. The F3311 smartphone is very interesting. Reviews about it, as well as its technical characteristics, will be considered a little later. In the meantime, let's recall the main milestones in the formation of Sony.

A bit of history

The company was founded in Japan in 1946. Then it was called TTK. This is an acronym. The new firm's full name was so unpronounceable that poor Americans broke their tongues in vain attempts to pronounce it correctly. Then the company's management decided to change the name to Sony, which made the Yankees incredibly happy. At that time, Sony's priority was the American market, coupled with the European one. Therefore, the name change played a very large role in the formation of the future giant. Sony began its glorious career with the release of tape recorders with very high quality sound. Then came the turn of compact receivers that fit easily in a pocket. The latter have become very popular in the USA and Europe.

The manufacturer began producing mobile phones back in the days when push-button tubes ruled the ball. In tandem with the well-known Scandinavian company Ericsson, the manufacturer managed to create a legendary phone. This was an extremely successful gadget. In the mid-2000s, the company's first smartphone under the Xperia brand was released. But there could be no talk of any Ericsson. Sony only. The device turned out to be very successful. It was after the release of this device that the long history of Xperia smartphones began. A striking representative of the line is the smartphone Sony Xperia E5 F3311. The owners' reviews indicate that this is a very high-quality and productive phone. "Sonya" does not have any other way.

Smartphone positioning

Sony Xperia E5 F3311, reviews of which we will analyze in the future, was created as a budget smartphone "for everyone." At the same time, it is a direct competitor to the well-known iPhone 5. This is evidenced by the almost complete identity of the dimensions of both devices and some similarities in design. At the same time, "Sony" is well inferior to the craft from the guys from Cupertino in performance. But it is not surprising either. That's why he is a budget smartphone. Nevertheless, this device has all the prerequisites for becoming a hit of sales: it has a nice design, small dimensions, decent performance, an excellent camera and an attractive price. The latter, by the way, is not among the advantages of the iPhone.

The positioning of this smartphone imposes certain obligations on it. So, it should have an appropriate price with pretty good characteristics. Oddly enough, but the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 Black, reviews of which are positive, manages to cope with this task. Even though its antagonist iPhone is much more expensive. But don't expect a miracle for that kind of money. The smartphone is moderately productive, but no frills. It seems the time has come to consider this interesting device in more detail. And we will start with his appearance. For this is what attracts potential buyers in the first place.

Design and appearance

As mentioned above, the look of the smartphone is a bit like the look of the iPhone 5C. But only a little. In fact, we have before us a completely unique apparatus. Just take the Xperia logo on the back. Nevertheless, there are those who strongly dislike the design. Yes, he does not shine with excesses. But the body materials are very practical. In everyday life, the device does not get dirty at all. It is made in a classic candy bar form factor. The front panel is covered with tempered glass. The back cover is not removable. But this is a modern trend. Now even budget devices do not provide access to the battery. These include the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 Black smartphone. Reviews about the appearance of the device (especially the black model) are extremely positive. And this already says a lot.

A characteristic feature of this smartphone is that there are no familiar touch buttons under the screen. They are shown on the display itself. Many people do not like this solution, since these very buttons tend to pop up where they are completely unnecessary. Nevertheless, this makes the gadget unique. Very few entry-level models have this solution. Usually they are equipped with touch buttons, which makes the devices faceless and identical. So this design feature is a clear advantage for Sony. What else can the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 LTE offer us? Reviews about the device make it clear that this smartphone still has some trump cards up its sleeve. And now we will move on to the performance of the hardware platform.

Smartphone hardware specifications

Now let's look at what's under the hood of the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 LTE. Owner reviews are mixed. However, the vast majority of users agree that the smartphone has pretty decent power. A solution on a chip from MTK is used as a processor. There are four cores with a clock speed of 1.3 gigahertz. The processor itself has a 64-bit architecture. Responsible for the graphics is a chip from Mali, which perfectly copes with high-definition content. The amount of RAM is 1.5 gigabytes. In modern realities, this may not be enough. We can say that modern "heavy" games are not available for this smartphone. But this is to be expected: it's still a budget device. Nevertheless, the device copes with everyday tasks one hundred percent. Also, the multimedia capabilities of the gadget are very wide.

The volume of the built-in storage device is 16 gigabytes. In this case, only 10 are available to the user. Apparently, the system takes up a lot of space. But it's not a problem. You can increase the amount of memory using a Micro SD flash drive. The device supports drives up to 128 gigabytes. What is especially valuable is that the manufacturer decided not to supply the device with a hybrid slot, in which only a second SIM card or memory card can be installed. For which honor and praise. The arsenal of the smartphone has full-fledged connectors for 2 SIM cards and a USB flash drive. The Sony Xperia E5 F3311 phone, which will be reviewed later, supports the LTE communication standard (though not the latest generation), has high-speed Wi-Fi and Bluetooth transmitters and a fast navigation module. But what is most valuable is the presence of an NFC chip, which ensures the full operation of Android Pay.

Machine screen

Now let's move on to the device display. It is of particular interest, because this is exactly the component that should work flawlessly, since it is he who is responsible for controlling the smartphone and transferring information. The device is equipped with a five-inch screen created using IPS OGS technology. This means that there is no air gap between the glass and the screen itself. This solution helps to improve color rendition, but badly affects the cost of repairing the device. If the glass is damaged, the entire screen will have to be replaced. The display has decent brightness. This helps to better use the gadget in sunny weather. There is also an oleophobic and anti-reflective coating. The pixel density is decent too. Resolution - 1280 by 720 pixels (HD). In this situation, it is almost impossible to see individual pixels with the naked eye. And this can be attributed to the advantages of the Sony Xperia E5 F3311. Feedback from the owners confirms the characteristics of the screen declared by the manufacturer.

The color rendition of the screen is quite realistic. Although it is recommended to correct the color temperature after purchase. "At the factory" the device turns a little yellow. Nevertheless, using the settings, you can achieve quite a good result. The display is covered with Corning tempered glass This has a positive effect on the reliability of the smartphone as a whole. Do not forget about the advanced sensor, which works out 10 simultaneous touches at once. But this is the lot of all modern touch panels. The five-inch screen proves to be very comfortable in everyday use. This device is perfect for those who are tired of giant "shovels", the release of which is now known to many manufacturers. Best looks Sony Xperia E5 F3311 black. User reviews say that the screen in it practically merges with the body. Now let's look at the cameras of the gadget.

Main and front cameras of the device

The main camera is a 13 megapixel module manufactured by Sony. There is autofocus and support for the trendy HDR option. However, you shouldn't expect much from this sensor. It's budgetary. When shooting in daylight, the camera does an excellent job. Also, photos are good in good room lighting. But shooting at dusk, judging by the reviews, is generally no good. Hard noises and various artifacts are immediately noticeable. The built-in flash doesn't remedy the situation at all. It is better not to use the camera at all in the dark, because you will be disappointed with the quality of shooting. A device like the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 Graphite Black is clearly not suitable for creating masterpieces of mobile photography. User reviews speak volumes about this.

A 5-megapixel sensor is used as a front module. This component of the smartphone does not at all shine with characteristics. Wide angle lens. There is even a filter that smoothes the skin. But overall, the quality of the photos is slightly worse than average. But for posting pictures on Instagram and communicating on Skype, the front camera is quite enough. It would be foolish to count on more, since the smartphone is still a budget one. And it cannot be classified as a camera phone. Nevertheless, experts say that not all budget devices are capable of providing even this quality of photos. So we must also say thanks to Sony for such high-quality cameras in their smartphone. Now let's move on to the operating system of the gadget.

Software platform

The smartphone runs on the operating system from Google - Android 6.0. This is a pretty nimble system, which is flavored with a proprietary interface from Sony. This state of affairs is typical for all devices in the Xperia line. There is nothing surprising in this. The OS runs smoothly and quickly. There are no brakes or glitches. Even though the RAM is not 2 gigabytes. However, the optimization of hardware and the system at the level. There are a number of pre-installed applications from the manufacturer. First of all, this is a proprietary Walkman player. Also, there are all sorts of "improvement" of sound. Sony devices have always been associated with quality players. And the company is clearly not going to give up positions in this regard.

The proprietary shell modifies not only the appearance of the operating system. There are also new features that are not in stock "Android". All this makes working with a smartphone more pleasant. Judging by the reviews, the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 (LTE) smartphone boasts the most beautiful shell among all Android-based devices. And it's not a joke. This state of affairs only plays into the hands of the company. Another plus is that smartphones from Sony do not try to copy the iPhone interface. While Huawei (and other manufacturers) make their shells "iPhone-like", Xperia devices have managed to maintain their uniqueness. And this is another reason to pay attention to these gadgets.

Battery and battery life

This is probably the very parameter that worries most potential buyers the most. Not everyone will be happy to depend on an outlet. That is why the question of the autonomous operation of the device is the most pressing. The smartphone uses a rechargeable battery with a capacity of 2300 mAh. Is it a lot or a little? Modern budget smartphones are most often equipped with 3000 mAh batteries and above. But this does not mean at all that the autonomy of this smartphone is worthless. It's not about the number of mAh, but about optimizing the operating system of the device and its filling. And with this everything is in order with the Sony Xperia E5 F3311 White. User reviews are proof of this.

The operating system of the device provides two power saving modes. They are called Stamina and UltraStamina. Both are intended to extend the battery life of the smartphone. If you only need phone functions from the device, it is better to use the "Ultra Stamina" mode. It allows the gadget to work up to two days without recharging. In normal Stamina mode, the gadget works, if you believe the reviews, a day and a half without being connected to the mains. But without all these additions, in normal use, the smartphone can hardly live a day. This is not good. Even for a budget device. It would be better for Sony to provide this device with a more capacious battery. Then there would be no such problems with autonomy. Well, at least there are power saving modes - and thanks for that.

In comparison with its "classmates", for example, the Samsung Galaxy A3, the camera looks better. But when shooting in low light, the Sony falls short. Applied tasks such as capturing text or tourist attractions in the daytime, she copes. And for a full replacement of a compact camera, there are more expensive smartphones. The same Xperia X, for example.

Secretive nature

But with testing the performance of the Xperia XA, there were certain difficulties. It looks like Sony has blocked Geekbench and a number of other benchmarks. Only the 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited package, which measures the performance in games, was fully managed. However, we already know what MediaTek Helio P10 is - there are several models on the market using this platform. Mostly, however, Chinese - like Oppo R9 or Meizu M3 Note. The central processor uses 8 cores clocked at 2 GHz, and the Mali-T860MP2 chip is responsible for graphics acceleration. Regardless of which version of the Xperia XA you choose (with one or two SIM cards), the smartphone will have 2 gigabytes of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. In short, it will be difficult to do without a microSD card. But let me remind you that in the Xperia XA Dual you can simultaneously install two SIM cards and a memory card.

We wrote about this smartphone in the news and, we talked about it on the radio and all ears buzzed to each other in the editorial office. And finally, he got to us, and we got to write a review about him. Go.

Sony Xperia XA is the youngest model in the reborn Xperia family, for which the letter X has now been selected. We have already written about the main device within the framework of the new concept - the smartphone of the mid-price segment Xperia X. It has on board a slightly lower level of filling, but with In this he flaunts a metal case, a fingerprint scanner and other signs of a flagship. XA is noticeably simpler: with the same diagonal (5 inches), the display is here with a resolution of 1280 × 720 pixels, the system-on-a-chip is MediaTek Helio P10, the main camera is 13-megapixel, there is no fingerprint scanner, and the body is plastic. This is offset by the low price - 22-23 thousand rubles, depending on the number of SIM-cards used. In principle, almost all similar devices were released - of the latter, you can recall the Huawei P9 lite, and earlier both Samsung and LG resorted to similar tactics.

But in this case, Sony decided not only to simplify its older model as much as possible and sell it cheaper, but also to pack it beautifully - the Xperia XA is very different in design from the Xperia X / X Performance. And, I must say, for the better.

Specifications

Sony Xperia XASony Xperia XSony Xperia M5LG X camSamsung Galaxy A5
Display 5 inches, IPS, 1280 × 720 pixels, 294 ppi, capacitive multitouch 5 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 441 ppi, capacitive multitouch 5.2 inches, IPS, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 424 ppi, capacitive multitouch 5.2 inches, Super AMOLED, 1920 × 1080 pixels, 424 ppi, capacitive multitouch
Safety glass Yes, the manufacturer is unknown Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Corning Gorilla Glass (version not specified) on both sides
CPU Mediatek MT6755 Helio P10 (eight cores ARM Cortex-A53, frequency 2 GHz) Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (two ARM Cortex-A72 cores @ 1.8 GHz + four ARM Cortex-A53 cores @ 1.4 GHz) Mediatek MT6795 Helio X10 (eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.95 GHz frequency) Mediatek MT6753 (eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.3 GHz frequency) Samsung Exynos 7580 Octa (eight ARM Cortex-A53 cores, 1.6 GHz frequency)
Graphics controller ARM Mali-T860 MP2, 700MHz Adreno 510, 550 MHz Imagination Technologies PowerVR Rogue G6200, 500 MHz ARM Mali-T720, 550 MHz ARM Mali-T720 MP2, 600 MHz
RAM 2 GB 3 GB 3 GB 2 GB 2 GB
Flash memory 16 GB 32/64 GB 16 GB 16 GB 16 GB
Memory card support there is there is there is there is there is
Connectors microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm microUSB, minijack 3.5 mm
SIM card One nanoSIM / two nanoSIM One nanoSIM / two nanoSIM One nanoSIM Two microSIM Two nanoSIM
Cellular 2G GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Cellular 3G HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz HSDPA 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
4G cellular LTE Cat. 4 (up to 150 Mbps): ranges 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300 Mbps): ranges 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 LTE Cat. 4 (up to 150 Mbps): ranges 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 LTE Cat. 4 (up to 150 Mbps): ranges 1, 3, 7, 8, 20 LTE Cat. 6 (up to 300 Mbps): ranges 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 40
Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n 802.11a / b / g / n / ac 802.11a / b / g / n 802.11b / g / n 802.11a / b / g / n
Bluetooth 4.1 4.2 4.1 4.1 4.1
NFC there is there is there is No there is
Navigation GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou
Sensors Illumination, approximation,
accelerometer / gyroscope,
magnetometer (digital compass)
Illumination, approximation,
accelerometer / gyroscope / pedometer,
magnetometer (digital compass), barometer
Proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) Illumination, proximity, accelerometer / gyroscope / pedometer, magnetometer (digital compass)
The fingerprint scanner No there is No No there is
Main camera 13 MP, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, Full HD video recording 23 MP, ƒ / 2.0, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, Full HD video recording 21.2 MP, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, Full HD video recording 13 MP, ƒ / 2.2, hybrid autofocus, LED flash, Full HD video recording; additional 5MP camera with wide-angle optics 13 MP, ƒ / 1.9, autofocus, LED flash, OIS, Full HD video recording
Front-camera 8 MP, autofocus 13 MP, fixed focus 12.6 MP, autofocus 8 MP, fixed focus 5 MP, fixed focus
Food Non-removable battery
8.5 Wh
(2300 mAh, 3.8 V)
Non-removable battery
9.96 Wh
(2620 mAh, 3.8 V)
Non-removable battery 9.88 Wh (2600 mAh, 3.8 V) Non-removable battery 9.58 Wh (2520 mAh, 3.8 V) Non-removable battery 11.02 Wh (2900 mAh, 3.8 V)
The size 143.6 x 66.8 x 7.9 mm 142.7 x 69.2 x 7.9 mm 145 x 72 x 7.6 mm 147 x 74 x 6.9 mm 145 x 71 x 7.3 mm
Weight 138.8 grams 153 grams 143 grams 118 grams 155 grams
Hull protection no no IP65 and IP68
Up to half an hour at a depth of 1.5 m
no no
operating system Android 6.0 Marshmallow, shell Sony Xperia Android 5.1 Lollipop, shell Sony Xperia Android 6.0 Marshmallow, LG Optimus UI shell Android 5.1 Lollipop, Samsung TouchWiz shell
Actual price 21,990 rubles (version with one SIM card), 22,990 rubles (version with two SIM cards) 39 990 rubles (version with one SIM card), 40 990 rubles (version with two SIM cards) 26,990 rubles 24,000 rubles 23 990 rubles

Sony Xperia XA - information about the filling according to the CPU Z application

Appearance and ergonomics

In some ways, the Sony Xperia XA resembles the Samsung Galaxy S6 / S7 edge, only "with a human face", without curved edges and a "flowing" display on them. But the effect is similar - the complete absence of frames around the screen makes the gadget visually light. The display is already small - five inches, and the fact that its placement in the body does not take too much space, and does seem to return us to the days of small "one-handed" smartphones.

In addition, the Sony Xperia XA is made of plastic - this will certainly turn some people away from buying - we are already getting used to the fact that not only flagships are made of metal, but also devices of lower and middle price categories. But the plastic case weighs less - the XA weighs only 138.8 grams. This, of course, is not the absolute record holder of this year Xiaomi Mi5 with its 118 grams, but in fact we are dealing with a very light and compact smartphone. By the way, as a result, it seems as a result also thin, airy, as I noted above - but this is already an illusion: the thickness of the case is 7.9 millimeters - like the Xperia X and more than many competitors. But it is very pleasant to use the gadget - for this, in fact, the audience fell in love with it at MWC 2016.

The Xperia XA is available in four colors: Graphite Black, White, Lime Gold, and today's standard Rose Gold. We had, as can be seen from the photographs, graphite black - and this is perhaps the least effective performance of the device.

Sony Xperia XA, top side: mini-jack (3.5 mm) for headphones or headset and second microphone

An additional charm is given to the device by the not so long ago branded round power key. This is another advantage of the Xperia XA, which grows out of its disadvantage - the lack of a fingerprint scanner, which is standard for Sony, is built into the activation button of the gadget, allowed the round key to be installed. Because of him, the button turned out to be long, but here it is not - and the designers returned to the round key, beloved by many.

Galuzov Go 2017-02-16

To be honest, I did not expect that the budget segment could please me so much. Especially after reading negative reviews, I mentally prepared for the fact that I would have to suffer (although I am skeptical about such opinions, preferring to get acquainted with the object of interest to me from my own experience). So that's it. After spending more than two months with the phone, I will summarize. The phone is comfortable, fits perfectly in the hand, at first there is no desire to let go of it. I have not experienced any problems with the battery. Initially, having optimized the operation of the device, using it only for its intended purpose and without assigning super tasks, I calmly, without being nervous, walked with the phone all day, without risking to be out of touch by 17.00. From morning to evening + 20 percent remained. I think this is a common result for modern phones. With regard to performance. The phone does not hang, does not dull. The camera works well. I am satisfied.

Advantages

Design Filling Camera Ease of use

Basamov Afanasy 2017-02-15

A lot of nerves were spent with this phone. It was the first experience with Sony. Didn't expect this at all. A huge disappointment.

Advantages

Refined exterior design. Really beautiful model.

disadvantages

The most glaring drawback is that this phone can not always ring (no matter what mobile operator). The antenna is full, but the call does not go - there are no beeps. People can't get through either. The phone starts to freeze almost immediately after purchase. Charging lasts a maximum of 3 hours. The camera is creepy. Inconvenient phone book. The pre-installed music and video players are completely inoperative. Sometimes the screen goes blank when you put your phone on a table or other surface. An incredibly awkward gallery. The shortcut key for the screenshot does not always work. Non-removable battery. This is so offhand. The device is absolutely identical to androids for 10-13 thousand, but its price is incredibly overpriced.

Pridorogin Roman 2017-02-14

Advantages

Nimble. Doesn't blunt, the screen is good

disadvantages

The camera is not very good (in the dark or poor lighting it is better not to reach it), the battery is enough for about a day with the Internet on. Everything breaks off around the body.

Marko Artyom 2017-02-11

I took z3 to replace it, of course it is inferior in terms of the battery, but after all the firmware for a day of active use it is enough without using the stamina mode (turns on at 25 percent) I chose between z5 and X, the appearance outweighed the scales, elegant framelessness, omni front screen coverage ... Definitely worth its money, in a case it loses all its beauty. The second month I wear without covers, with careful use I did not notice a single scratch. In terms of speed, it is slightly inferior to z3, apparently due to the RAM, but this is almost not noticeable. Do not carry with keys and change in your pocket, do not put on rough surfaces and you will be happy. The camera is an order of magnitude steeper than the z3, both rear and front, the pictures are clear, sharp, the white balance is maintained with dignity. The screen is bright, juicy, saturated colors. I advise you to subscribe to updates on the sony website and update via your computer, tk. does not see the latest firmware versions through the settings. I recommend the model.

Stylish design, nice and comfortable to hold in hand, bright and rich screen, quick to work - does not slow down, decent cameras with a bunch of settings, powerful flashlight.

Minuses

It discharges quickly, sooo delicate plastic on the back side, low volume in the headphones, no fingerprint scanner.

Feedback

I read a lot of reviews and looked at reviews about this smartphone, and now, I decided to buy it. The first minus showed itself in the literal sense "without leaving the checkout" - the plastic of the back cover turned out to be so not resistant to scratches that they appeared already in the process when the employee in the store pasted the film on the screen! Take the cover right away! By the way, if you buy a film for the WHOLE screen, then because of the rounded edges it will be problematic to stick it yourself without skill, besides, these films are silicone, which complicates the process of sticking. In the process of operation the device proved to be quite worthy, it works accurately and quickly, without freezes. 2GB of RAM is enough for me personally. We were pleased with the cameras, both the main and the front camera, the main one has many settings and additions. I am satisfied with the quality of the photos. The battery is of course rather weak, even in spite of several energy saving modes, if you actively use it for the whole day, of course, the charge will not be enough. I was pleased that the smartphone is not overloaded with various unnecessary applications like other manufacturers, but still from the declared 16 GB. almost half is occupied by the system. The sound in the headphones is very quiet, if you drive in transport the volume is sorely lacking, you don't even need to turn it on in the metro. To be honest, from whom, but from SONY I did not expect this. But the sound quality is perfect, and there are many settings to improve it. There are no complaints about the quality of the connection, everything catches very clearly and the interlocutor can be heard perfectly during the conversation. Each device has its own pros and cons, but I did not regret at all that I bought the Sony Xperia XA Dual SIM, although it seems to me that the price is somewhat overpriced for such a smartphone. But this is SONY. Well, in general, if you take it, I think you will not regret it.

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