Xperia XA1 Also Goes Into Pre-Order In The UK

On the heels of Sony kicking off the pre-order period for the Xperia XZ Premium in the UK, retailer Clove has also put up the pre-sale pages for the Xperia XA1. The smallest and least "equipped" of the four Xperia smartphones announced at MWC 2017, the Xperia XA1 is, by no means, an underdog. The specs definitely match many of the mid-range models this time of year but, this time, it appears that Sony may have gotten its pricing right.

The Sony Xperia XA1 is unabashedly a mid-range smartphone, powered by MediaTek's Helio P20 processor with 3 GB of RAM. The relatively smaller 5.0-inch display only gets 1280x720 HD resolution and there's only 32 GB of RAM on board. There's a 2,300 mAh battery pack, with the usual boast of Sony's STAMINA mode.

Despite the modest hardware, the Xperia XA1 does come with one nice surprise: a 23 megapixel 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS sensor on the back. This one is equipped with Sony's Hybrid AF and 5x "Clear Image" Zoom. Unfortunately, unlike its larger Xperia XA1 Ultra sibling, the front camera stays at 8 megapixels.

Clove is selling the Xperia XA1 for 229 GBP, which is just a wee bit lower than the announced $299.99 price tag in the US. Which is still a rather surprising figure, considering how more expensive Sony smartphones usually are compared to the competition. The UK is also getting the smartphone earlier than the US, with Clove putting an April 10 date on the launch. The US is slated to get it on 26th April.

SOURCE: Clove