Sony Xperia x performance

Good

• ✓Performance worthy of the name
• ✓Water-resistance
• ✓Quality stereo speakers
• ✓Nice selection of default wallpapers

  

Bad

• ✕Overpriced
• ✕Subpar battery life
• ✕Underwhelming camera
• ✕Awkward volume control position

Sony Xperia X Performance release date and price

The Sony Xperia X Performance is not yet available, but it can be pre-ordered starting at $699 unlocked. You can find it at Best Buy , B&H and Amazon. The device is available in rose gold, lime gold, graphite black, and white, but available variants differ depending on the reseller.

The Xperia X Performance release date is slated for July 17. Our test device for this review was the 32 GB US model in graphite black.

Sony Xperia X Performance design and build quality

Anybody familiar with Sony’s Xperia Z device designs will be immediately at home with the X Performance. Despite a change in title, you could easily think of the Xperia X Performance as an Xperia Z6 – it looks and feels just like an iteration on the Xperia Z5 (and devices before it).

The X Performance is almost identical to the mid-tier device in the X range that we previously reviewed, the Sony Xperia X, though the Performance model is a few millimeters thicker (arriving at 8.7 mm compared to 7.9 mm). Those in search of the sleekest Android machine available should take note: it’s not thick, but it’s thicker than most of the 2016 flagships and it’s one of the first design facets that struck me.

Thickness aside, this looks like a typical Sony Xperia, built of premium-feel brushed metal and glass (I reached out to a Sony PR to confirm the exact material used, and they said "the back of the device is brushed metal" and referred me to the specs sheet). The build quality is strong and it’s both comfortable to hold and impressive to look at.

The metal finish on the device rear and sides give it a sophisticated overtone which is hard to beat. Device’s like the Nextbit Robin, or perhaps the LG G5, seem to lack refinement by comparison.

It’s a hefty little devil, weighing 164 g, and combined with its shiny gray color, it lives up to any expectations instilled by its high price tag: it feels like an expensive piece of hardware. The smartphone's good looks are only boosted by the 2.5D glass on the front and soft, square corners.  

Sony Xperia X Performance display

The Sony Xperia X Performance arrives with a 5-inch Full HD display with 441 pixels per inch. It’s an IPS LCD display, giving it a cooler tone than its LED competitors, and images look true to life thanks to Sony X-Reality for Mobile image-enhancement software.

If this isn’t to your liking, you can switch it off, or even make use of 'Super-Vivid mode' which increases the overall saturation to deliver vibrant images. Letting the user quickly alter the color palette and saturation to their particular preference is a nice addition, even when Sony’s display is still highly capable with the setting switched off.

Sony Xperia X Performance camera

Xperia X Performance uses the same camera setup as the Xperia X: a 23 MP rear camera with f / 2.0 aperture and a 13 MP front-facing camera with f / 2.0 aperture. And, in something of a surprise from a Sony device, it’s not very good.

This camera is new to the X range, an ‘upgrade’ compared to the Xperia Z5, with the main difference compared to last year's flagship being the X Performance's new, and very fast, predictive hybrid autofocus system. This helps to better capture moving objects and reduces blur when the smartphone is moving.