5.5-inch FullHD display isn't as bluish as the body
But it's close. More on that later, though. The Xperia XA1 Plus is equipped with a 5.5-inch IPS display of FullHD resolution, making the XA1 proper the only one of the three XA1s to sport a 720p panel. 1080p stretched over a 5.5-inch diagonal makes for a 401ppi density and is basically the gold standard for a midranger of this size.
It's also plenty bright. A maximum brightness around 600nits secures it a top spot among its peers, a few nits short of its Ultra sibling. Contrast is great too, not AMOLED-great, but awesome for an LCD.
Display test
100% brightness
Black, cd/m2
White, cd/m2
Contrast ratio
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra
0.382
603
1579
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus
0.376
591
1572
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Standard)
0.343
549
1601
Sony Xperia XA1
0.512
537
1049
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) Max auto
0
533
∞
Sony Xperia L1 (Max Auto)
0.571
531
930
Nokia 6 (Global version)
0.364
484
1330
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625)
0.322
484
1503
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) Max Auto
0
482
∞
Sony Xperia L1
0.47
450
957
Motorola Moto Z2 Play
0
432
∞
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017)
0
425
∞
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017)
0
348
∞
Sunlight legibility is average on the XA1 Plus. The plain XA1 is marginally better, while the Ultra is more noticeably so. AMOLEDs are superior out in direct sunlight, all of them.
Sunlight contrast ratio
Samsung Galaxy S8 4.768
Samsung Galaxy S8+ 4.658
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+ 4.615
Motorola Moto Z2 Play 4.459
Oppo R11 4.454
Samsung Galaxy S7 edge 4.439
OnePlus 3 4.424
Samsung Galaxy S7 4.376
HTC One A9 4.274
Samsung Galaxy Note7 4.247
Samsung Galaxy A3 4.241
Nokia 8 4.239
OnePlus 3T 4.232
Google Pixel XL 4.164
ZTE Axon 7 4.154
Samsung Galaxy Note8 4.148
Meizu Pro 7 Plus 4.147
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) 4.124
Samsung Galaxy S6 edge 4.124
Samsung Galaxy Note5 4.09
LG V30 4.022
Huawei Nexus 6P 4.019
OnePlus X 3.983
Vivo Xplay5 Elite 3.983
Apple iPhone 7 3.964
Oppo R7s 3.964
Apple iPhone 8 (True Tone) 3.957
Huawei P9 Plus 3.956
Meizu Pro 6 Plus 3.935
Lenovo Moto Z 3.931
Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016) 3.918
OnePlus 5 3.914
Samsung Galaxy C5 3.911
Samsung Galaxy C7 3.896
Samsung Galaxy A5 3.895
Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor 3.879
Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor 3.873
Samsung Galaxy A8 3.859
Sony Xperia XZs 3.818
Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016) 3.817
Motorola Moto X (2014) 3.816
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2017) 3.812
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) 3.804
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode 3.802
LG V20 Max auto 3.798
Xiaomi Redmi Pro 3.798
Sony Xperia XZ 3.795
Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016) 3.789
Apple iPhone 6s 3.783
Meizu Pro 5 3.781
Microsoft Lumia 650 3.772
Xiaomi Mi 6 3.767
Sony Xperia XZ1 3.765
Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) 3.756
Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact 3.729
Apple iPhone 8 Plus (True Tone) 3.725
Oppo F1 Plus 3.709
Vivo X5Pro 3.706
Sony Xperia X Compact 3.694
Samsung Galaxy A3 (2017) 3.688
Apple iPhone SE 3.681
Huawei Mate 9 3.68
Samsung Galaxy A7 3.679
Meizu PRO 6 3.659
BlackBerry Priv 3.645
Sony Xperia XA1 Ultra 3.597
Apple iPhone 7 Plus 3.588
LG G6 3.556
Apple iPhone 6s Plus 3.53
Motorola Moto Z Play 3.526
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) 3.523
Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode 3.523
Acer Jade Primo 3.521
Microsoft Lumia 950 3.512
Oppo R7 Plus 3.499
nubia Z11 3.466
Huawei P10 Plus 3.456
HTC U Ultra 3.453
Samsung Galaxy J7 3.422
Meizu MX5 3.416
LG V20 3.402
Huawei P10 3.379
Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016) 3.378
Oppo R9s 3.352
Honor 8 Pro 3.341
Oppo R7 3.32
Lenovo P2 3.316
Honor 9 3.289
Xiaomi Mi 5s 3.276
Nokia 5 3.261
Nokia 6 (Chinese version) 3.244
Xiaomi Mi 5 3.24
Nokia 6 (Global version) 3.238
Samsung Galaxy J2 3.235
Sony Xperia X Performance 3.234
Xiaomi Mi Note 2 3.228
Motorola Moto X Play 3.222
Oppo F3 Plus 3.218
Huawei Mate 9 Pro 3.206
Huawei P9 3.195
ZTE Nubia Z17 3.159
Lenovo Vibe Shot 3.113
Motorola Moto X Force 3.105
LG Nexus 5X 3.092
HTC U11 3.089
Huawei Mate S 3.073
Microsoft Lumia 640 XL 3.065
Sony Xperia XA1 3.012
Sony Xperia L1 2.994
Sony Xperia X 2.989
Huawei P10 Lite 2.974
Samsung Galaxy Note 2.97
Sony Xperia Z1 2.95
Huawei Mate 8 2.949
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus 2.93
Xiaomi Redmi 4 2.92
Xiaomi Redmi 3S 2.913
Sony Xperia XA Ultra 2.906
LG G5 2.905
HTC One S 2.901
Xiaomi Redmi 3s Prime 2.893
Xiaomi Mi 5s Plus 2.884
Sony Xperia XZ Premium 2.877
Sony Xperia XZ Premium (sRGB) 2.877
Sony Xperia Z5 2.876
Nokia 3 2.871
Microsoft Lumia 550 2.851
Lenovo Moto M 2.813
Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro 2.803
Sony Xperia Z5 compact 2.784
Meizu MX6 2.751
LG V10 2.744
Xiaomi Redmi 3 2.735
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (S625) 2.714
Meizu M5 2.71
Sony Xperia M5 2.69
Xiaomi Redmi 4 Prime 2.679
Huawei P9 Lite 2.679
Vivo V3Max 2.659
Xiaomi Mi Mix 2.658
Doogee Mix 2.642
Xiaomi Mi 4i 2.641
Xiaomi Redmi 4a 2.635
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Standard) 2.616
Sony Xperia XA 2.609
Motorola Moto G4 Plus 2.582
Motorola Moto G4 Plus (max auto) 2.582
Meizu M5s 2.58
Xiaomi Mi 4c 2.574
LeEco Le Max 2 2.567
Asus Zenfone 3 ZE552KL 2.563
Microsoft Lumia 640 2.563
Xiaomi Mi Max 2 2.561
Lenovo K6 Note 2.544
Lenovo Moto G4 2.544
Oppo F1 2.528
Sony Xperia Z5 Premium 2.525
Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c 2.506
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua 2.503
Oppo F1s 2.481
Motorola Moto G 2.477
Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus 2.473
Huawei G8 2.471
Huawei nova 2.467
Sony Xperia Z 2.462
Lenovo Vibe K5 2.459
Meizu m3 max 2.447
Xiaomi Mi 5X (Auto) 2.417
HTC 10 evo 2.407
Huawei Honor 7 2.406
Sony Xperia E5 2.386
ZUK Z1 by Lenovo 2.382
HTC 10 2.378
Oppo F3 2.376
vivo V5 Plus 2.371
Meizu m1 note 2.362
Huawei nova plus 2.329
HTC One E9+ 2.305
Alcatel One Touch Hero 2.272
Apple iPhone 4S 2.269
Lenovo Vibe K4 Note 2.254
Sony Xperia C5 Ultra 2.253
Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek) 2.249
Sony Xperia C4 Dual 2.235
Xiaomi Mi Note 2.234
Motorola Moto G (2014) 2.233
LG Nexus 5 2.228
Huawei P8 2.196
Meizu M5 Note 2.189
Huawei Honor 6 2.169
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 2.166
OnePlus Two 2.165
HTC One X 2.158
LG Aka 2.145
Xiaomi Redmi Note 4 (X20) 2.145
Archos 50 Diamond 2.134
Xiaomi Redmi Note 2.119
Xiaomi Mi 4S 2.095
Acer Liquid X2 2.084
Huawei P8lite 2.078
vivo V5 2.059
Moto G 3rd gen max manual 2.026
Xiaomi Mi 3 2.001
Xiaomi Mi Max 1.996
Sony Xperia E4g 1.972
OnePlus One 1.961
Meizu m3 note 1.923
BlackBerry Leap 1.892
Meizu m2 note 1.892
HTC Butterfly 1.873
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact 1.772
ZTE Nubia Z9 mini 1.759
Sony Xperia U 1.758
Asus Zenfone Selfie 1.68
Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen) 1.675
ZTE Nubia Z9 1.659
Motorola Moto E 1.545
Sony Xperia M 1.473
Sony Xperia L 1.351
Xiaomi Redmi 2 1.311
HTC Desire C 1.3
Sony Xperia C 1.283
Meizu MX 1.221
Sony Xperia E 1.215
It's color reproduction where the XA1 Plus fails to impress. Its whites lean heavily towards cyan, to the tune of a DeltaE of around 10. The average DeltaE is an okay 5.7, but the whites you'll probably notice. The reds are quite muted too, particularly if you're coming from an AMOLED, but also just looking at the Plus on its own.
Connectivity
The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus comes in single and Dual SIM flavors. Ours is the single SIM version, so we can't comment on how the Dual SIM variety handles the two cards. Cat.6 LTE is supported by the Helio P20's modem for download speeds of up to 300Mbps.
Wi-Fi b/g/n over 2.4GHz and a/n over 5GHz is supported, but not ac. You can stream video wirelessly over Miracast but the XA1 Ultra isn't DLNA certified.
Bluetooth is v4.2 LE and comes with the audio-focused aptX protocol as well.
NFC is available too, and so is an FM radio receiver.
For positioning, you get GPS and GLONASS, but no BDS or Galileo.
Peripherals can be connected via the USB-C port, but USB 2.0 limits transfer speeds to 480Mbps. There's a good old 3.5mm jack for attaching headphones too.
Sony Xperia XA1 Plus battery life
The Plus in Xperia XA1 Plus may as well stand for extra battery. The phone packs substantially more juice than the larger Ultra. With its 3,430mAh, the Plus is better equipped than most current 5.5-inch devices in its segment which gravitate around the 3,000mAh mark. There is, of course, the notable exception of the Redmi Note 4 and its 4,100mAh power pack.
Anyway, the Xperia XA1 Plus is running on the efficient 16nm Helio P20 chip, one that already proved its strengths in the battery department on the XA1 and XA1 Ultra. Quite expectedly given its extra capacity, the Plus excels in terms of endurance.
Voice call longevity isn't spectacular, but at nearly 23 hours it's more than enough. Fifteen and a half hours of browsing the web over Wi-Fi is the best bit about the Plus' battery life, but twelve and half hours of video playback is pretty great too. The phone is quite frugal in its standby battery draw too, rounding up a superb showing by the XA1 Plus.
Crunching those numbers in our endurance formula produces an overall rating of 102 hours - triple-digit endurance ratings are the bomb.
Our endurance rating denotes how long a single battery charge will last you if you use the Sony Xperia XA1 Plus for an hour each of telephony, web browsing, and video playback daily. We've established this usage pattern so our battery results are comparable across devices in the most common day-to-day tasks. The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case you're interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones we've tested will compare under your own typical use.
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