What's good
- Fast performance
- IP68 rated for water- and dust-resistance
- Clear and vibrant display
- Good camera features and quality in good lighting
What's bad
- Poor battery life
- Aluminum back prone to scuffs
- Camera image quality drops off in low light
- Expensive for what it offers
It appears that Sony is retiring their Z series for the latest X series. The flagship phone in this lineup is the X Performance. Despite the high price tag, however, many reviewers were unimpressed with the overall design calling the aluminum back “unimpressive” and prone to scuffs. It is, however IP68 certified making it water- and dust-resistant.
Unlike the Z lineup, Sony went with a curvier design providing a good hand feel for critics. At 0.3 inches thick, it isn’t the slimmest smartphone on the market and, thanks to the use of metal and glass, it weighs a hefty 164 grams. It also has very large bezels with Sony not even hitting a 70 percent screen-to-body ratio. Why are the bezels so large? It’s because that’s where Sony housed the front-facing speakers. For the most part experts were impressed with the audio quality of the speakers as it’s max volume was loud enough to listen to music and movies without distortion.
The 5-inch, 1080P IPS LCD screen is the same one you can find on Sony’s midrange Xperia X device. While it doesn’t match Quad HD screens in terms of sharpness, experts still considered it very clear. In terms of overall performance, they were quite pleased with its color accuracy and overall vibrancy. Sony also offers options to change the color temperate and saturation so users can adjust the display to their personal preference. Besides this, they also praised its brightness and had no issues viewing it in direct sunlight.
Inside are two dual-core processors running at different speeds: two are 2.15GHz and two are 1.6GHz and 3GB of RAM. With these specs, it’s no surprise reviewers had no problem with lag or slowdown during basic tasks like browsing the web. When compared to its competitors, they noticed it actually performed better for more mundane tasks. They noticed an occasional hiccup when multitasking, but they add it was barely noticeable even when playing demanding games.
Battery life, however, is another story. They barely made it a full day with moderate usage and could only reach the second day by making use of Stamina or Ultra Stamina mode. Luckily, it does come with a quick-charge system to counteract the poor battery life.
Megapixels might not mean everything in the camera world today, but pixel peepers will be happy to note the X Performance offers a 23MP main camera. Reviewers were overall pleased with the image quality as they were able to take vibrant and detailed pictures in good lighting conditions. The camera also has some useful functions such as focus following moving targets, shutter button and a full manual mode to adjust white balance, exposure and more.
Unfortunately, experts soon found the limits of the camera in dark and very bright lighting conditions. In dark and mixed lighting, they noticed a fair amount of grain and loss of detail. Very bright lighting led to washed out colors.
Perhaps the biggest drawback for many users, however, is its lack of fingerprint sensor. Whereas most smartphone manufacturers now include this feature, Sony has decided to remove the feature from American versions, the international versions do come with one.
While reviewers agree the X Performance is not a bad smartphone, they cannot recommend it due to the steep price tag. Engadget states, “…in most ways the Xperia X Performance is an adequate phone. The bigger issue is whether a phone…should really just be ‘adequate.’ It’s just halfhearted, and that won’t get Sony anywhere.” Ars Technica adds, “…the X Performance should unquestionably lead the pack of Sony smartphones in design, performance, and features…but it just doesn’t do that. It simply feels like any other Sony msartphone…”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Juan Carlos Bagnell, PocketnowThe Xperia X line represents a drastic shift in philosophy for Sony, and many transition devices were a bit rough around the edges. Look at how Samsung struggled from the Galaxy S4 to the Galaxy S6. We can only hope that future Xperia X phones are better refined and well-rounded products.
- Cameron Faulkner, TechRadarIt's as if Sony doesn't realize how cutthroat this market is. Snapdragon 820 performance, waterproofing and microSD support aside, there's not enough here to recommend this overly expensive Android phone.
- LaptopMedia Team, LaptopMediaXperia X Performance is currently the best Sony smartphone. This, however, does not mean that it’s equal to all other premium models. This smartphone comes with a Snapdragon 820 CPU, and it is only natural that we do not have any remarks as regards performance or exterior temperatures after a...
- Chris Burns, SlashGearIf it weren't for the overzealous apps and Xperia's suggestions for downloads, this device would be a really, really great phone.
- Patrick O'Rourke, Mobile SyrupIf the Xperia X were released a few years ago, the $699 phone would be easier to recommend. However, in an increasingly competitive Android smartphone market full of $500, but still high-end handsets. The Xperia X Performance is a tough sell, even for Sony faithful. The handset also isn’t...
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Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia X Performance user manual here.
Sony backs up the Xperia X Performance with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Xperia X Performance 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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