We finally unboxed and get our hands on the new Sony Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra, both are dual-SIM models and features Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS. Let’s check what other features and specs make these two stand out before we publish our full review of Sony Xperia XA and XA Ultra.
Gone are the days of plain boxes for Sony. They started incorporating some paint job on the inner side of the box. Nevertheless, the box contents are still the star here with an improved 1.5A power adapter or wall charger from the 1A of last year’s mid-range Xperia devices. Along the charger is a USB data cable, stereo headphones (flat), and papers or guides.
The Sony Xperia XA packs a smaller 5-inch HD screen resulting in a compact and handy form. Up front, are a curved glass with really thin bezels and LED notification on top. Meanwhile, the back is also curved towards the edges. Despite the plastic body, the device felt solid at 137g weight and 7.9mm thickness.
In terms of ports, on top is a 3.5mm audio jack and opposite below is the loud mono speaker and microUSB port and mic. Like all Xperia phones, the array of multimedia buttons is present on the right side with the two-stage dedicated shutter key positioned on the bottom.
Our unit is dual SIM variant with expandable storage while the other one has single SIM and dedicated microSD card slot. Colors available include Rose Gold or Pink, Lime Gold, Black, and White.
The Sony Xperia XA runs on latest Xperia UI on top of Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow OS. We noticed occasional hiccups due to touchscreen issues. But overall the phone felt fast, thanks to the 2GB RAM and MediaTek Helio P10 octa-core processor.
The main camera is a 13MP shooter that produces really pleasing colors similar to the 8MP front-facing selfies. We will reserve our judgment on our review.
With a 6-inch Full HD screen, the Sony Xperia XA Ultra easily dwarfs the non-Ultra. The ports positioning are still the same while the front-facing 16MP camera is more noticeable due to the wider lens. The display is still curved but not as apparent as on the Xperia XA.
Because of the wider form factor, the phone felt heavy at 202g. One-hand usage is quite a challenge, though your mileage may vary.
The highlights on the phablet are the 21MP main camera and 16MP front-facing selfie shooter. So far our testing showed really favorable and impressive photos compared to other mid-range shooters. We will further test the camera and other features and post the results in our review.
The Sony Xperia XA with P13,990 price or $300 USD is available from Sony and online stores while the Xperia XA Ultra with 3GB RAM and P18,000 price or $400 is currently available in online stores. Both are dual nano SIM models.
Let’s know which specific areas you want us to check and include in our review and comparisons.
Price and Specs |
Sony Xperia XA dual |
Sony Xperia XA Ultra dual |
| Display | Edge-to-edge and curved 6-inch Full HD, Scratch Resistant, 294 ppi | Edge-to-edge and curved 6-inch Full HD, Scratch Resistant, 367 ppi |
| CPU | MediaTek Helio P10 octa-core processor | MediaTek Helio P10 octa-core processor |
| RAM | 2GB | 3GB |
| Memory | 16GB internal storage, 200GB max microSD card | 16GB internal storage, 200GB max microSD card |
| Main camera | 13MP LED flash, phase detection, hybrid focus, auto HDR | 21.5MP phase detection, hybrid focus, auto HDR, stabilization |
| Front camera | 8MP front-facing | 16MP, LED flash, stabilization |
| Connectivity | Dual SIM option, 4G LTE, WiFi a, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GPS, FM Radio | Dual SIM option, 4G LTE, WiFi a, Bluetooth 4.1, NFC, GPS, FM Radio |
| OS | Android 6.0 Marshmallow | Android 6.0 Marshmallow |
| Battery capacity | 2300mAh | 2700 mAh |
| Ports and features | microUSB, USB OTG (on-the-go) | microUSB, USB OTG (on-the-go) |
| Release Date | July 2016 availability in the Philippines | July 2016 availability in the Philippines, India, USA |
| Official price | P13.9k SRP in pesos / $300 USD | Php 18k SRP pesos / $390 USD |
ManilaShaker is a tech media producing insightful and helpful content for our local and growing international audience. Our goal is to create a premier Philippine digital consumer electronics resource that provides the most objective reviews and comparisons globally.
Ace 02 says:
I read the features of xperia XA here: in TANK AND GO there..it’s indicated that..
“Tank and go
Need a quick battery top-up? Use Xperia XA together with Quick Charger UCH12
and get 5.5 hours of battery life in just 10 minutes.”
the charger included in the box was it Quick Charger UCH12 already or you still need to avail that charger?
3D Walkthrough says:
Nowadays the selfie become more important to our life, we couldn’t stay
with a 5 megapixels selfie phone which you had mention the Lenovo P1 and
how about in low light?
Jade Jardinico says:
Few of the best selfie shooters at night include the Galaxy C series, Zenfone 3, Huawei P9 Lite, and Oppo F1s.
Vit Mawis says:
Where can you purchase the dual sim Xperia XA? I’ve been looking for it in Manila, so far only single-sim models are available
Jade Jardinico says:
Tried checking out online?
Markky Watanabe says:
same sila 6inch?… pat parang mas maliit yung isa?…
Jade Jardinico says:
6-inch FHD and 5-inch HD 😀
M.K. Shiro says:
The XA’s price is right (13.9k with official sony warranty). But where is the XA Ultra sold for 18k with official warranty? I saw one in a mall, the lowest I saw was 19,990 with official sony warranty.
Jade Jardinico says:
18K is online via hotgadget or widget, Sony’s official one will retail higher with 1 year warranty.
Jade says:
Where did you see it? Sony is still planning to release the XA Ultra in the coming weeks.