Sony Philippines has officially introduced its latest mid-range smartphone in the country – the Sony Xperia XA1.
There are a lot of options in the mid-level arena right now, but this one looks like a viable contender. Chinese brands like Huawei, Vivo, and OPPO has been dominating the Php10 to Php16k price range for a while now. With this release, Sony is looking to get a piece of the pie.
The Sony Xperia XA1 has an incredibly beautiful design that’s been a trademark of the Xperia brand. Its sharp and pointed edges are pleasant to the eyes, but this type of design doesn’t feel good in the hands. The sides are almost bezel-less. However, there’s a ton of space on the top and bottom part.
Just like its competitors, the Sony Xperia XA1 is powered by a MediaTek chipset. Although, it has a slightly lower 3GB of RAM compared to the 4GB offered by the upgraded F1s and Vivo V5.
What’s nice about it is that it’s smaller, having only 5-inches of screen estate. The market is already filled with a bunch of phablets, so having a ‘regular’ phone size is refreshing.
Sony is one of the best when it comes to the camera department, and it’s no different here. The Sony Xperia XA1 features a 23-megapixel main sensor that has hybrid autofocus, steady shot and LED flash. In front, there’s an 8-megapixel sensor to take care of the selfies.
Sony Xperia XA1 Specs
- Android 7.0 Nougat
- 5-inch HD (1280 x 720 pixel resolution) Display, Image Enhance Technology, ~294ppi
- 2.3GHz MediaTek Helio P20 octa-core processor
- Mali T880 MP2 900MHz GPU
- 3GB RAM
- 32GB internal storage
- Expandable via microSD up to 256GB
- 4G, LTE
- GPS, A-GPS
- 23-megapixel 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS main camera with LED
- flash
- 8-megapixel 1/4-inch Exmor R AF front camera, SteadyShot
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
- Bluetooth v4.2
- Dimensions: 145 x 67 x 8mm
- Weight: 143 g
- Colors: White, Black, Pink, Gold
- 2,300mAh battery
Unlike its competitors who are stuck in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, it is running on the newer Android Nougat operating system. It also has Qnovo adaptive charging built-in, which is not something we regularly see in a mid-range smartphone.
The Sony Xperia XA1 is priced at Php15,990 and it’s now available in Sony stores, kiosks, and authorized dealers nationwide.