Sony has a rich history of producing compelling smartphones, and the Xperia XA1 Ultra and XZ2 Premium represent different eras of their innovation. The XA1 Ultra aimed for affordability and long battery life, while the XZ2 Premium pushed the boundaries of performance and camera technology. Let's dive into a head-to-head comparison to see which phone reigns supreme.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia XZ2 Premium is the clear winner, offering significantly superior performance, a more advanced camera system, and faster charging. While the XA1 Ultra boasts impressive battery life, the XZ2 Premium's overall package justifies its higher price point for users prioritizing power and features.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 (G3212, G3226) | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - G3221, G3212 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 - G3221, G3212 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat6 300/50 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 - G3226 | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2017, February. Released 2017, May | 2018, April. Released 2018, July |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 4), plastic back, aluminum/plastic frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 79 x 8.1 mm (6.50 x 3.11 x 0.32 in) | 158 x 80 x 11.9 mm (6.22 x 3.15 x 0.47 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM (G3221, G3223)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (G3212, G3226) | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 236 g (8.32 oz) |
| | - | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~367 ppi density) | 3840 x 2160 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~765 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 99.2 cm2 (~76.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.8 inches, 91.5 cm2 (~72.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD | IPS LCD, HDR10 |
| | - | Runs at 1080 x 1920 pixels except for select use cases
Triluminos display
X-Reality Engine |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.3 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x1.6 GHz Cortex-A53) | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) |
| Chipset | Mediatek MT6757 Helio P20 (16 nm) | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Mali-T880MP2 | Adreno 630 |
| OS | Android 7.0 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 8.0 (Oreo) | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 32GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 4GB RAM | 64GB 6GB RAM |
| | - | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Dual | - | 19 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", 1.22µm, predictive PDAF
12 MP B/W, f/1.6, 1/2.3", 1.55µm, predictive PDAF |
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 23 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.3", PDAF | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, stereo sound rec., HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps (5-axis gyro-EIS), 1080p@960fps, HDR |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | - |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, 23mm (wide), 1/2.6", OIS, AF | 13 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio
Dynamic vibration system |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, aptX, LE | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | FM radio | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features |
|---|
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | 10W wired | 18W wired, QC3
Wireless (Qi) |
| Stand-by | Up to 658 h (2G) / Up to 708 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 13 h (2G) / Up to 12 h (3G) | - |
| Type | Li-Ion 2700 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3540 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | White, Black, Gold, Pink | Chrome Black, Chrome Silver |
| Models | G3226, G3221, G3212, G3223 | H8166, H8116, SOV38 |
| Price | About 250 EUR | About 460 EUR |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -93.9dB / Crosstalk -91.3dB |
Noise -91.0dB / Crosstalk -87.6dB |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 68h
| Endurance rating 77h |
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 1579 (nominal), 3.597 (sunlight) |
Contrast ratio: 1411:1 (nominal), 2.867 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 68dB / Noise 71dB / Ring 81dB
|
Voice 68dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 73dB |
| Performance |
GeekBench: 3807 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 4fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
AnTuTu: 264734 (v7), 288101 (v8)
GeekBench: 8509 (v4.4), 2099 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra
- Exceptional battery life
- Large display
- Affordable price (when new)
- Decent performance for everyday tasks
- Outdated chipset
- Mediocre camera
- Slower charging
- Less premium design
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
- Powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset
- Excellent camera system
- Fast charging (wired & wireless)
- Premium design and build quality
- Vibrant OLED display
- Older model (limited software updates)
- Can be more expensive (used market)
- Battery life slightly less than XA1 Ultra
Display Comparison
The XA1 Ultra features a large 6.0-inch display with a respectable contrast ratio of 1579:1 (nominal) and 3.597 (sunlight). While good, the XZ2 Premium's 5.8-inch OLED display, despite a slightly lower nominal contrast ratio of 1411:1, delivers richer colors, deeper blacks, and better overall image quality thanks to its OLED technology. Sunlight visibility is comparable, though the XZ2 Premium's OLED tends to handle bright conditions slightly better.
Camera Comparison
The XZ2 Premium's camera system is a major upgrade. It features a triple-lens setup (motion eye) with impressive low-light capabilities and 4K HDR video recording. The XA1 Ultra's camera is capable, but lacks the advanced features and image processing of the XZ2 Premium. The XZ2 Premium's camera is simply more versatile and produces higher-quality images.
Performance
Here, the XZ2 Premium leaves the XA1 Ultra in the dust. The Snapdragon 845 chipset and Octa-core Kryo CPU provide a massive performance boost compared to the XA1 Ultra's Mediatek Helio P20. Expect significantly faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the XZ2 Premium. The XA1 Ultra can handle everyday tasks, but struggles with demanding applications.
Battery Life
The XA1 Ultra holds a slight edge in raw battery endurance, boasting an endurance rating of 68 hours. The XZ2 Premium matches this with 77h. However, the XZ2 Premium benefits from faster 18W wired charging and Qi wireless charging, significantly reducing charging times.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra is a good choice for budget-conscious users who prioritize exceptional battery life and a large display for media consumption. The Xperia XZ2 Premium is ideal for power users, photography enthusiasts, and those who demand top-tier performance and cutting-edge features, even if it's an older model now.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Xperia XZ2 Premium still worth buying in 2024?
Yes, especially on the used market. It offers flagship-level performance and a great camera for a reasonable price. However, be aware that software updates are likely to be limited.
❓ Which phone has better battery life, the XA1 Ultra or XZ2 Premium?
While both have similar endurance ratings, the XA1 Ultra has a slight edge in raw battery life, but the XZ2 Premium charges much faster.
