Sony Xperia X Performance hands-on

If you were upset that the Xperia X "only has a Snapdragon 650" and "the Xperia X isn't water resistant anymore", as many of our readers have, fear no more. The Sony Xperia X Performance is here to cover all of these bases in the same compact footprint.

Sony Xperia X Performance at a glance:

• 5-inch LCD 1080p display at 443ppi
• Snapdragon 820 chipset with 3GB of RAM
• 32GB of internal storage expandable with a microSD card
• Front camera: 13MP, f/2.0, 1080p video
• Rear camera: 23MP sensor, LED flash, Predictive Hybrid Autofocus, Quick Launch
• No 4K video recording in any configuration
• Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow
• Qnovo adaptive charging for longer battery lifetime
• Quick Charge 2.0, Sony STAMINA Mode
• Graphite Black, White, Lime Gold, and Rose Gold color options
• No fingerprint sensor on US model

Competing with other flagship devices, the Xperia X Performance is equipped with the latest Snapdragon 820 chipset, which is sure to compete with any of the other 2016 flagships that have already been released thus far.

This article is based on our brief encounter with the phone, which is getting ready to launch in mid-July on the US market where it would retail for $699. Our impressions follow on the next page.

Sony Xperia X Performance hands-on

Comparisons are inevitable when new phones come around, and the Sony Xperia X Performance looks like the true successor to the Xperia Z5. It's the top-tier device within the new X-series lineup with a Snapdragon 820 chipset, a hefty 3GB of RAM, IP68 certification for water resistance, and it is the only Xperia X model to feature a brushed aluminum backside.

The X Performance looks very similar to the Sony Xperia X. Even the button layouts and design are essentially the same. The differences lie in the actual dimensions and weight, as the Xperia X Performance is slightly bigger in every dimension and weight, so we think it's safe to say Xperia X and X Performance cases won't be very interchangeable even though both have 5-inch screens.

The right side on the X Performance is where all the buttons are, including the power button, volume rocker, and dedicated camera button with two-stage focus and shutter for a great camera experience.

 
Camera button positioned for right index finger operation

It's worth noting that while the X Performance (the Xperia X included) was announced with a fingerprint reader for unlocking the device, the feature won't make it to the US version of either model.

Continuing our tour of the Xperia X Performance, we come to the SIM tray. Rather than using a pin-ejected tray, Sony is using a flap that pulls out the tray that holds both the nanoSIM and microSD card as well. This is on the left side of the device and we really like the convenience of no longer needing to carry a SIM-eject tool around to access the microSD card slot.

 
Tab houses card tray for SIM and microSD card

The backside showcases Sony's Xperia branding alongside the brushed metal finish, which looks beautiful when held against the light. The Xperia X (non-Performance) which also features a metal backside, is of a matte, anodized finish instead of brushed aluminum. Both the Xperia X and X Performance used polycarbonate to craft the rounded-edge borders all the way around. If you've held any Sony Xperia phone in the past few years, you'll feel right at home.

  
Holding the Xperia X Performance: bottom view • right side view

Right at the corner, you can see the camera setup. Sony's got its 23MP camera sensor with LED flash, object tracking, and Sony's new Predictive Hybrid Autofocus. Meanwhile in the front, there is a 13MP sensor that also features Sony's SteadyShot electronic image stabilization to allow for shake-free still images.

 
Xperia X Performance rear-camera setup

The front of the device has Sony's 5-inch LCD screen, which is 1080p in resolution. While many other high-end devices are already past 1080p and are sitting well in QHD territory, Sony doesn't think you need any more than 1080p for a screen of this size. While this may sound like marketing talk at first, they may actually be right as in our experience the difference is really hard to spot from a foot's worth of distance by a naked eye on this screen size. What we wish the phone had though, is a slightly bigger screen.

At least, on either side of the screen there are front facing speakers. The top speaker also doubles as the handset's earpiece during phone calls.

  
Lower quarter view • Top half of the Xperia X Performance

Peculiarly, the Xperia X Performance and Xperia X both have the NFC antenna placement in the front of the device, just to the left of the front-facing camera. This is how Sony was able to make its phone with metal all over the back. Otherwise, antenna line inserts would have to be used in order to let NFC stay on the backside.