Sony Xperia XA1 Plus review
Telephony
The Sony Xperia XA1 Plus we have for review is the single SIM version. Dual SIM versions are also available in some markets.
The list of favorites, the call log and the contacts are all tabs within the same app, and the dialer is summoned with a tap on a button. The call log can be filtered by missed, incoming and outgoing calls. Smart dial is supported too.
Dialer with smart dial • In-call screen • Call log • Phonebook • Favorites
Loudspeaker
The XA1 Plus is one of the loudest Xperias we've tested. It's single bottom-firing loudspeaker pumps out more decibels than the larger Ultra and stays distortion free even at maximum amplification. An easy Excellent mark in our three-prong test.
| Speakerphone test | Voice, dB | Ringing | Overall score | |
| 62.9 | 65.2 | 71.6 | Below Average | |
| 64.5 | 67.6 | 67.7 | Below Average | |
| 63.1 | 68.7 | 70.4 | Average | |
| 61.7 | 69.7 | 71.8 | Average | |
| 66.6 | 66.1 | 81.5 | Good | |
| 63.1 | 70.9 | 82.5 | Good | |
| 67.3 | 70.3 | 81.5 | Very Good | |
| 68.0 | 70.2 | 82.3 | Very Good | |
| 68.3 | 71.6 | 81.0 | Very Good | |
| 66.1 | 70.0 | 85.3 | Very Good | |
| 67.8 | 71.2 | 83.1 | Very Good | |
| 78.4 | 73.9 | 88.4 | Excellent | |
| 88.9 | 77.8 | 84.6 | Excellent |
Text input
For text entry, Sony has been sticking with the SwiftKey keyboard for a while now, and the Xperia XA1 Plus doesn't break with tradition. SwiftKey is touted as having one of the best prediction algorithms and offers pretty much everything: multiple layouts and themes, 5 different sizes, undocking, secondary symbols upon long press, swipe input, and emojis.
Swiftkey keyboard is the default text input method
Other apps
The News app is a news aggregator, pulling stories from sources on topics of your choice. It can also issue two daily bulletins for you at a time you specify, so you don't miss out on current events.
News
Xperia lounge is Sony's own entertainment app, feeding you exclusive content and competitions related to music, movies and games.
Xperia Lounge
There is a file manager, strictly speaking, but it's buried in the storage options in the Settings menu. It does allow basic copy and move actions, on multiple items too. However, you can't access it from the app drawer, all you get there is a shortcut to a downloads folder.
Sony's health-tracking app Lifelog doesn't come pre-installed, though all it takes to download it is a trip to the Play Store.
Reader comments
- Anonymous
- 07 Feb 2021
- 3JI
Not correct..my kids using it with pleasure sony brand for a good price
- Unknown
- 09 Sep 2019
- vV5
Update or flash with official oreo xa 1 plus.. Unless you know to root them..you can edit build.prop after reinstalling original kernel (professional only)
- Jaffafa
- 07 Aug 2019
- pJc
Another major bad thing about the Xperia XA1 Plus is the screen. Even on full brightness outside in the sun you can't see anything. Not only the screen in general but if you are taking pictures or videos it is rubbish because you can't see what you a...