This year we saw a few noticeable changes in Sony Mobile including the introduction of the new Xperia X lineup that will succeed from the Xperia Z series. The waterproof Sony Xperia X Performance is the most capable and expensive in the new series. It also serves more as an option between the Z5 and Z5 Compact rather than an upgrade.
In this review, we give you our unbiased and more objective thoughts after using the Xperia X Performance for some time now. Here’s our Xperia X Performance full review with the top 5 features and notable disadvantages.
More comparisons and reviews
- Samsung Galaxy S7 vs Sony Xperia X Performance Review
- Sony Xperia Z5 and Xperia X Hands-on, Preview
- X Performance vs iPhone 6s, OnePlus 3, Galaxy S7 Camera Comparison
Unboxing the Xperia X
Along with the device is a 1.8A power adapter that supports Quick Charging but not the faster version of Qualcomm, you’ll need to buy a dedicated Quick Charge 2.0 adapter separately. There’s also a MH410c flat stereo headphones and microUSB 2.0 cable.
Design and build
The understated yet classic design of the Xperia X Performance is surely one of the selling points. The metal back with curved edges similar to the front panel is an improvement from the flat surface of the Z5. Although the frosted glass on Z5 was a bit more premium to hold.
Instead of wrapping the device in a metal frame, Sony utilized a plastic one for a better cellular reception. The right side is very busy with a fingerprint scanner embedded in the power button. You’ll need to actively press the button in order to wake or unlock it. The speed and accuracy have greatly improved over the previous scanner. Just below is a tactile and clicky volume rocker and a two-stage shutter key which is pretty useful in an underwater shot.
On the left is a flap door that gives access to the dual-SIM tray or for the microSD card, you get to choose between the two for the 2nd slot. Up front, we see some repositioning on the stereo speakers from the edge towards to the center.
The color variations include the lime gold, graphite black, rose gold, and white.
Another advantage that’s part of the design is the premium, waterproof and solid build of the phone. The compact form of the Xperia X Performance is one of the best builds we tried. It’s very comfortable in the hands, thanks to the curved corners and matte texture. The exterior helps in providing a good grip in the hand while the surface does not pick up smudges easily unlike on the glossy glass texture of the Galaxy S7.
Display
The display is might not be the sharpest, but it’s still one of the advantages and Sony has so far perfected the formula even though the screen is smaller at 5-inch Full HD. The impressive brightness and color accuracy are the big highlights of the front panel. The screen offers 2.5D curved glass of unknown scratch-resistant protection. Quality-wise, the 1080p still offers enough sharpness level while the overall screen is vivid and very pleasing on the eyes.
Camera in low light, HDR, selfie
Perhaps the biggest highlight is the 23MP camera setup. It’s the same as to the Xperia Z5 but Sony added and improved many areas mostly found under the hood. One of those is the predictive hybrid autofocus only found on high-end Sony cameras and the ability to take pictures in under 0.6 seconds even from a locked screen by using the shutter key. Overall speed is noticeably snappier while the quality has been improved dramatically particularly in the night shooting and detail handling.
We compared the new 23MP camera against with the top shooters and we found out that the camera phone offers the best-preserved details in the daylight with convincingly good noise control and way accurate color reproduction at night.
The front-facing selfie has gone to 13MP. There’s an occasional white balance inaccuracy but overall color is natural looking and very sharp with mild beautification control.
See also: Galaxy S7 vs Xiaomi Mi5, Xperia Z5, Lumia 1020, iPhone 6s
The 1080p video resolution is a surprise for Sony after putting 4K on their Xperia Z5 last year. Particularly we are still impressed by the autofocus speed and stabilization while the color is on the greenish hue and exposure is really good. The 1080p is still pretty standard today, but Sony could have done some futureproofing on this. Nevertheless, adding 4K in the future is just easy as updating to the latest software.
Video review below.
Performance and benchmark
The Xperia X Performance is a beastly phone despite its compact form. It’s powered by the latest quad-core Snapdragon 820 chipset while the 3GB of RAM may sound small when compared to other flagship in the market. But thanks to the smarter memory management of Sony, the X Performance was able to beat flagships like Galaxy S7 in actual speed tests and benchmarks with a marginal difference.
We haven’t experienced noticeable stuttering on the device, in fact, it smoothly plays games in high graphic settings without getting alarmingly hot.
Antutu Benchmarks
Software and UI
The new Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS brings a handful of visible changes while overall experience is close to stock Android. Sony provides recommendations and is available by swiping the home screen from the top. The addition of new theme packs is also refreshing. We really dig the lock screen transition effect when you unlock the phone using the fingerprint sensor.
Battery and charging
The 2700 mAh battery capacity is smaller compared to what you get from the competition. Battery life is average with around 3 hours to 4 hours screen-on time using a cellular and WiFi connection. Battery endurance rating, however, is convincingly average.
The Xperia X Performance supports Quick Charge 2.0 and will get you to a 100% within 2 hours and 15 minutes using its stock charger. Sony also highlights the QNOVO technology to keep the battery efficient even after several years.
Audio and speaker
The audio is retained with a high-res experience thru upscaling either wired or thru its stereo speakers. The speaker power remained averagely loud and clear.
Price and Verdict
The Sony Xperia X Performance comes with a steep price at $650 or roughly P29,900 if converted into Philippine pesos. This is close to the SRP of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and HTC 10, which puts the device in a close competition.
The small changes on the Xperia X Performance do not bring a reasonable upgrade if you’re coming from the Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact. However, the Xperia X Performance is undoubtedly one of the best Android flagship phones in the market with an unbeatable camera, top class performance, and certified rugged and waterproof design–a combination that’s still pretty rare up until today.
Do you think the Xperia X Performance is worth it for its price? Let’s know in the comments.
Pros
- IP68 waterproofing
- Premium design and solid build
- High-res audio and stereo speakers
- Beastly hardware and performance
- Impressive camera
Cons
- Battery life is a hit and miss
- Lacks 4K video recording
- A bit steep pricing
Sony Xperia X Performance specs, price, release date, availability in the Philippines
- Display: 5-inch 1080p FHD display, 441 ppi
- Design: Curved glass and metal body, IP68 certified, waterproof and dust resistance up to 1.5m
- Size: 8.7mm thick, 164g weight
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 quad-core CPU
- GPU: Adreno 530 graphics
- RAM: 3GB
- Memory: 32GB internal storage, 200GB microSD card
- Main camera: 23MP rear shooter, Predictive Hybrid autofocus, LED flash, 1080p video, Steady Shot stabilization
- Front camera: 13MP selfie shooter
- Connectivity: LTE, WiFi ac, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC, 4G LTE cat. 12, dual SIM
- OS: Android 6.0 Marshmallow, upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat
- Ports: microUSB v2.0
- Battery capacity: 2700mAh, Quick Charge 2.0
- Colors: Lime Gold, Rose Gold, Graphite Black/Grey/Metal, White
- Release date: June in the Philippines availability (Online stores)
- Official price: $650 USD or roughly P29,900 pesos, check prices of X and XA here
A flagship phone with less than 3000 mah.. and its expensive too.. why sony?
Hey Jade, is it worth upgrading my Sony Xperia Z2 to X Performance? I have been reading a lot of comments on XDA that Z2 still better than Z3 and Z5.
Hi man, For Z2, it’s definitely a big upgrade! The Xperia X Performance is my daily driver if I am not reviewing a device. I like it because of the size, not flashy design, and capable hardware and camera.
You can wait for the Z5 Premium successor tho which will be revealed in the coming weeks (likely).
Thank you Jade! Great review BTW.
I still have my Z2 and I am still loving it. However, I am considering an upgrade but not sure about staying with Sony or wait next year for the Samsung Galaxy S8 Edge.