When you think Android smartphones, the name Sony usually doesn’t come up even though Sony is a huge name in consumer electronics. Who here doesn’t know what a PlayStation and when you’re shopping for a television, Bluray player, portable speaker, you’ll usually go check out a Sony version of those. It’s just so weird then that with smartphones, Sony isn’t really a big name here in the US. That’s not the case in other countries though where Sony Xperia smartphones are pretty popular. With that said, it’s been a long while since I’ve checked out a Sony Xperia smartphone and luckily for me, not the last time. I received Sony’s latest mid-ranger this week, the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra. While not a flagship device, it does include many flagship features.
Now this post doesn’t serve as a full review. Instead, this post is meant to convey my first impressions of the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra based on my very short time with it so far and just general impressions about the look and feel. A full review will be up later once I spend more time with it.
Design
The first thing I thought to myself when seeing the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra for the first time was how huge it was. In photos, it doesn’t look that big but in person, this is a big phone. It’s not unmanageable however.
There is a huge 6-inch screen (18:9 ratio) that is near bezel less at the sides, but has huge bezels on the top and bottom. This is typical Sony design however and is how most Xperia devices have looked for several years now. The borders of the Xperia XA2 Ultra are made of metal while the rear of the device is plastic. You’ll notice too that there are no rounded corners and for the most part, the phone is a pretty shard rectangular slab. The side edges however are curved a bit so it’s not too terrible to hold in your hands.
All the buttons are located on the right side of the device which consists of volume, power, and a dedicated camera shutter button. On the left is a door that houses the sim tray and SD card tray. You will appreciate the fact that the door itself can just be pulled open and doesn’t require a special tool.
On the top, you’ll notice that there is still an audio jack present and on the bottom, a speaker and a USB-C port. On the back, there is a fingerprint reader. It’s just a reader though and doesn’t function as a button.
As for the cameras, there is a single 23mp pixel camera on the rear and on the front, dual selfie cameras – a 16mp low light unit and a 8mp wide angle one.
For the most part, the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra is a handsome device. It seems like it’s made really well and it definitely has some heft to it making it feel quite solid.
Initial Thoughts
Since this isn’t a review, I don’t have any final thoughts about the Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra yet. All I have are some quick impressions from the short time I’ve had it so far. I will say that I generally like the design of it. It would be nice if the bezels weren’t quite as large up top and on the bottom as that would cut back on some of hugeness.
I do really appreciate the dedicated camera button as it’s something I really wish more phones had and the inclusion still of the audio jack. I like the placement of the fingerprint reader as I’ve grown accustomed to that position thanks to the LG devices I’ve used.
The phone itself feels firm in your hands, though the size of it makes me feel cautious when using it one handed. This is definitely a two-handed use device. I like the plastic back as it’s not another surface I have to worry about shattering or scratching and the metal borders feel strong like they could handle a drop.
Other than that, it’s not a badly designed phone at all. The Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra looks good and feels good, but does it perform well for a mid-range phone? We’ll find out soon enough.
