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Sony Xperia XA2
Sony Xperia XA2
Sony Xperia XA2
Sony Xperia XA2
...


8.3/10
Informr score
The Sony Xperia XA2 currently has an Informr score of 8.3 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 18 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

Verdict

If you don’t mind Sony’s design choices, the XA2 is one of their strongest mid-tier phones yet. While it doesn’t excel at any one thing, it offers decent battery life, solid performance, and a detailed -- albeit slow launching -- camera at a respectable price.

What's good

  • Sturdy, reassuring design
  • Decent rear camera
  • microSD support
  • Android 8.0
  • Solid battery
  • Respectable performance

What's bad

  • No fast charger included
  • Phone prone to smudges and scratches
  • Hit-or-miss low-light camera performance
  • Camera slow to launch
  • Lots of pre-installed apps

Sony has created a niche following with their unique aesthetic and solid build quality. But their previous mid-tier entries weren’t particularly impressive. With the XA2, Sony is releasing a phone that can compete -- at least on paper -- in the competitive mid-tier market.

The phone features the standard chunky Sony design, with a thicker body and crisp lines. However, it’s not the boxy affair of previous models. The metal frame includes rounded edges and the subtle curve of the plastic back pleased most reviewers.

Both the metal and plastic are prone to scratches and fingerprints. So, if you prefer to keep a spotless phone, you’ll want to tack the cost of a case on to the purchasing price.

The phone also includes both a rear fingerprint scanner and a 3.5mm headphone jack but does not sport any water or dust resistance ratings.

Around front, you’ll find a 5.2-inch 1080p LCD panel. In its standard configuration, reviewers found colors dull. However, diving into the settings, most found options for tweaking it to their liking. Many noted blue tones to the white areas of the screen. But the screen is plenty bright for outdoor use and crisp enough for both media consumption and reading books, websites, or emails.

Performance was also a high point for the phone. While the 2.2Ghz Snapdragon 630 processor won’t compete with flagships, apps were quick to load. The phone handled games with little stutter or frame drops. However, some reviewers noted the phone felt a bit warm in the hand when pushing the phone to its limits.

Shipping with Android 8.0 Oreo, Sony kept interface changes to a minimum. Unfortunately, they piled on the pre-installed apps. Reviewers found most apps decent alternatives to the stock Android options. However, the AVG app’s persistent notifications annoyed many.

Fortunately, you’ll find 32GB of internal storage to help offset Sony’s choices. Should you need more space, microSD support for cards up to 256GB makes it simple and affordable to expand.

Sony crammed one of their own 23MP sensors in for the rear camera. While it won’t keep up with most flagships or standalone cameras, reviewers were generally pleased with the photography experience. In good lighting, the phone captures excellent color and detail. Low-light performance is hit-or-miss -- however, that isn’t a surprise at this price point.

There’s also an 8MP front-facing wide-angle lens for selfies and video chat. Some reviewers noted issues with distortion when taking close-up shots. Others mentioned that there are solo and group settings on the front camera designed to help with this. 

The biggest issue most reviewers faced loading times. Once loaded, the camera is snappy and responsive. Yet, the app often took 2 to 3 seconds to load. If you’re trying to capture that perfect moment, a delay of that length could spell trouble.

With a 3300mAh battery tucked in its chubby frame, the phone has no problem lasting through a day of typical use. While the phone uses USB Type-C charging and supports Quick Charge 3.0, the phone does not include a fast charger in the box. So, unless you’re looking to tack on another expense for a separate charger, expect top-offs to take a few hours.

Overall, reviewers found the phone a decent deal and a solid performer. TrustedReviews notes, “This is a perfectly solid, ‘nice’ phone we’ve enjoyed using.” Alphr heaped on the praise, saying, “It’s a nippy, smart-looking phone and, unusually for a mid-range Sony device, entirely reasonably priced.”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.2 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.2 GHz
5.2"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.2"
f/2.0
Camera
Camera
f/2.0
3300 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


Pickr
Pickr

While it’s a relatively solid effort, there are things Sony could have improved, such as the size and thickness, the price shift from last year, and the total absence of any water resistance, something we’re still surprised by, since it’s practically Sony staple and missing in action. But if you’re...

- Leigh :) Stark, Pickr
GSM Dome
GSM Dome

Yes, it’s a heavy and fat phone, but overall it surpasses the Xperia XA1 enough to be worth a look and a buy. It’s less sexy than its two predecessors for sure. The curve is rather odd, but among the midrangers of 2018 this is top 5 material.

- Alexandru Stănescu, GSM Dome
Ausdroid
Ausdroid

The Xperia XA2 runs quite well on the internal hardware, and it should last you all day on the battery. It doesn’t have the best camera at night but it does pretty well during the day, and offers pretty decent 4K video. I also quite like the design, the rear mounted fingerprint sensor is fast and wo...

- Daniel Tyson, Ausdroid
PCWorld
PCWorld

If you’re not turned off by Sony’s OmniBalance design language and into the idea of using your next phone for “phone stuff” and not a whole lot else, the Xperia XA2 is priced just well enough to make it worth consideration.

- Fergus Halliday, PCWorld
Notebookcheck
Notebookcheck

A very solid mid-range smartphone. However, it does not bring a real "killer feature" to distinguish it from the competition.

- Manuel Masiero, Notebookcheck


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia XA2 user manual here.


Sony backs up the Xperia XA2 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Xperia XA2 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Sony support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Sony's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
5.2"

The Sony Xperia XA2's screen size is 5.2 inches with 1080 x 1920 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.2 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Octa core 2.2 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 8.0 Oreo operating system (OS).

Camera

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard f/2.0 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 8+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
32 GB

Internal memory is 32 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 256 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3300mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 3300 mAh battery. Sony's performance ratings are 1275 minutes, 886 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Xperia XA2 Specs

Overview
Release Date February 16, 2018
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 8.0 Oreo

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Octa core 2.2 GHz
Internal Storage 32 GB
RAM 3 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 1.07 W/kg
Body: 1.43 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, LDAC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 256 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
f/2.0
Zoom
5x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Brightness control, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Self-timer, White balance, Slow motion recording (120fps), HDR
Video Recording Formats
MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels), 30 fps
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
8+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
Super wide-angle
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 1920 pixels
Pixel Density 424 pixels
Size 5.2 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 3300 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging No
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Up to 867 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 886 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1275 minutes
Standby Time Up to 41 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Black, Silver, Blue, Pink
Dimensions [H x W x D] 14.2 x 7 x 0.97 cm (5.6 x 2.8 x 0.4 in)
Weight 171 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof No
Rugged design No
IP Rating No
Headset Jack 3.5mm
External Speakers Yes
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA): Sony H3113, H3123, H3133, H4113, H4133

Also available in dual SIM variant.

Related Links Manual (PDF)
Sony Xperia XA2 Reviews
Where to buy Sony Xperia XA2
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