Finding a smartphone with a large screen on the market is now a rarity, finding it in the mid-range is even more so. Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra therefore, it is part of a market that has been decidedly little explored. But will it be worth buying? Let's try to answer in our review.
Generous dimensions
What immediately catches the eye of the Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra are definitely the important dimensions. The design is instead modern and pleasant, but nothing innovative; in practice, in fact, this Xperia XA1 Ultra is absolutely similar to the devices released by Sony in recent years, even in the materials: metal for the top and bottom and solid plastic for everything else.
The screen, on the other hand, is a good IPS LCD 6 inches, with Full HD resolution (1920 × 1080 pixels) and an absolutely reduced frame on the long sides but very thick on the other two. But what is striking about this display are definitely the bright colors, colors that you can calibrate thanks to the software on your smartphone. The brightness, which turns out to be just sufficient, is less impressive.
[The front of the smartphone houses only the aforementioned display: no fingerprint reader - neither front nor rear - for this Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra. The keys present, namely the ignition and the volume rocker, are placed on the right edge of the device, the lower one houses the micro USB input while the upper one is dedicated to the 3.5 mm jack for headphones.
Do not be frightened by the aforementioned dimensions of the device: thanks to the materials and some intelligent precautions, Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is actually extremely stable, slim and easy to handle.
Some brightness problems
The front camera is from 23 megapixel with F / 2.0 aperture and LED flash. The photos are generally discreet (also thanks to an excellent automatic mode) and rich in details, but unfortunately they tend to be faded in bright conditions; on the contrary, the shots in the dark are not very detailed and with imprecise outlines.
The biggest flaw, however, is the interface: not very fluid, not very intuitive and capable of making even access to the gallery frustrating. A real shame considering that the sensor's 23 megapixels looked pretty good.
The front camera is, on the other hand, from 16 megapixel, always with F / 2.0 aperture and LED flash. Unlike the one on the back, this turned out to be almost surprising, probably thanks to the optical stabilization. A nice addition that makes shots sharp and bright.
Let's talk about performance
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is equipped with a processor Mediatek MT6757 hELIO P20 2,3 GHz octa core, GPU Small T880 MP2, di 4GB of RAM is 32GB internal memory, expandable via micro SD. Connectivity is entrusted to support for 4G LTE networks, Wi-Fi a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.2 and NFC.
The phone was optimally optimized, which makes the user experience simple and fluid, albeit with some slight slowdown. The software will improve the situation, Android 7.0 Nougat, and the inclusion of one-handed mode, while thumbs down for Sony's apps like Sketch, Creator and Movie, which are often useless and a little invasive.
The battery of the Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is instead from 2.700 mAh and will allow you to get to the end of the day with intense use. However, if you are an avid photographer, remember to bring a power bank with you: the camera in fact tends to consume more energy than it should.
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra: the verdict
What about this Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra?
If you are looking for a smartphone with a large screen and good value for money, Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is probably an option to consider. Sure, it is not free from defects, such as the absence of a fingerprint detector and the camera's not always perfect rendering, but nothing that could undermine your experience.
The price? You can find it in the list at Euro 379.
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