Sony Xperia X Performance review: $700 worth of disappointment
Oh, Sony. The company has tried time and again to craft a smartphone that would find success in the US, and time and again it has fallen short. But when Sony pulled back the curtain on a batch of new Xperia X’s at Mobile World Congress earlier this year, I allowed myself to get a little excited. Maybe these were the right phones at the right time, I thought, and maybe a company whose products I otherwise respected would find the foothold it was looking for. After being underwhelmed by the standard Xperia X last month, I still held out hope that the high-end Xperia X Performance would be the phone Sony needed.
Long story short, it’s not. Don’t get me wrong: It’s a serviceable device, and in many ways it’s actually very nice. The thing is, a $700 smartphone should be able to deliver some modicum of excitement to the person who owns it; the X Performance mostly just leaves me cold.
Hardware
Even though the X Performance is the most high-end of the four Xperia phones Sony plans to launch in the US, you wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at it. In fact, do yourself a favor: Don’t put an Xperia X Performance down next to a regular Xperia X, because you’d probably never tell them apart. From the 5-inch, IPS LCD display up front to the 23-megapixel camera around back, these two devices are nearly identical. Well, until you spill a drink on them, at least. The X Performance picks up where previous Sony flagships left off with an IP68-rated chassis that helps it shrug off dust and water with ease, even when you stick it under a soda machine and let sticky stuff like Coke fly.
Beyond that (and as the name implies) we’re basically looking at an Xperia X with a faster quad-core Snapdragon 820. That has its ups and downs, though: The chipset, paired with 3GB of RAM, gives the X Performance flagship-level horsepower, but the phone still suffers from some irritating design quirks. For one, you’d think a modern flagship phone — one that costs $700, no less — would have a fingerprint sensor for quick and easy authentication. Nope! The international version has one, but we Americans have to do without. Meanwhile, the placement of the volume buttons beneath the sleep/wake button on the right edge just seems dumb. Unless you’re a professional finger contortionist, it’s really difficult to hold the X Performance in your right hand and turn the volume down. It might be a mainstay of Sony’s “OmniBalance” design language, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a bad idea.
It’s not all frustrating, though. The X Performance’s fit and finish are lovely, and there’s something alluringly … friendly about its look. There’s a physical, two-stage camera button sitting below those tricky volume keys, and it’s generally a joy to use. On the other edge is a SIM/microSD card tray you can pull out with just your fingernail, instead of having to rely on a paper clip you had to scrounge for. That tray, by the way, will take memory cards as big as 200GB, which is helpful, since 12GB of the X Performance’s 32GB storage allotment is eaten up by system software. Since the X Performance comes with a more powerful processor, it has a bigger battery than the normal X too, if only just. Think: 2,700mAh instead of 2,620mAh.
Display and sound
I liked this 5-inch, 1080p IPS LCD screen when I first saw it on the Xperia X, and my feelings about it haven’t changed. It’s a generally great panel, capable of bright, vivid colors and deep blacks. We have the one-two punch of Sony’s Triluminos display tech and its X-Reality engine to thank for those colors, though you have the option to tweak the screen’s white balance and saturation settings if the defaults aren’t your speed.
While the screen Sony used hasn’t changed, though, the context around that display couldn’t be more different. A 1080p panel is fine for an ostensibly mid-range phone like the Xperia X, but some of the most impressive flagships we’ve seen this year came with Quad HD displays. Remember, this is a phone that costs $700 — if Sony could squeeze an honest-to-goodness 4K screen into the Z5 Premium, why couldn’t it have tried to at least match its competitors with a screen running at 2,560 x 1,440?
Resolution aside, I really can’t complain about the X Performance’s screen. The speakers, on the other hand, leave a little more to be desired. There are two drivers baked into the Xperia’s face for stereo sound, and most of the time audio comes out clear, if a little spacious. The phone’s maximum volume falls short of some competitors’ too — though, really, you probably weren’t going to use this thing to run your next party playlist anyway. Curiously enough, you can make up for that lack of oomph a bit by putting it down on a table instead of holding it. Seriously! A selection of show tunes I played seemed noticeably meatier when the X Performance was sitting face up on a wooden table. Or, you know, you could just plug in a pair of headphones. If you do, you’ll be prompted to go through an “automatic optimization” process that didn’t seem to do much during my week of testing.
Software
While earlier Xperia phones didn’t receive software updates in a timely manner, there’s nothing to worry about here: The X Performance ships with Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow. As usual, it’s obscured somewhat by Sony’s custom interface, and it can be pretty damn polarizing. For the most part, I’m fond of Sony’s use of bold colors and minimal changes to the core Android experience. Those changes aren’t minimal enough for some, though; my new colleague Cherlynn is no fan of Sony’s changes, stylistic or otherwise. Sure, you’ll have to contend with a few widgets enabled out of the box, but for the most part Sony has done well staying out of Android’s way. My only real gripe: Swiping right in the app launcher brings up a search screen with recommendations for apps you should download, and some of them are sponsored. Ugh.
That’s not to say the X Performance doesn’t come with extras. The upside to Sony’s not having an overbearing carrier partner this time around is that there’s no carrier bloatware in sight. Instead, the few pre-loaded apps here are welcome additions: The SwiftKey keyboard is enabled by default, for one, and the PlayStation app is there for those who want to control their PS4’s. Still, you also get an undeletable copy of AVG Protection that you’ll probably never use, and a Sony app called Sketch lets you doodle on photos you’ve taken. Why did we need this? It’s a mystery for the ages. If it were up to me, all high-end Android phones would just ship with stock Android. Since that obviously will never happen, we’ll have to keep dealing with custom UIs painted on top of Android. At least Sony’s is among the least troublesome.
Camera
As mentioned, the Xperia X Performance has the same cameras as the bog-standard Xperia X, which means it has the same issues too. First, the good: The 13-megapixel selfie camera is pretty great, and the 23-megapixel main camera can snap some vibrant, detailed photos in well-lit conditions. It’s fast to lock on to targets too, if not quite as fast as Samsung’s Galaxy S7 line.
For situations with moving subjects, you’ll be glad to know you can tap the target on-screen to make the focus follow it. (In my experience, it’s good for babies, so-so for cats and kind of lousy for cars.) And there’s really something to be said for having a physical shutter button, one that you can half-press to focus on something. They’re more or less passé at this point, but as far as I’m concerned, the more physical controls, the better. If you require even more control, you can switch into a full manual mode that allows for adjustments to white balance, exposure and more.
Things get a little less pleasant in the dark, where you’ll start to see a fair amount of grain and soft edges appear. Sony tried to mitigate this from the get-go by setting the default image resolution to eight megapixels with oversampling. This mode basically tries to squeeze the data of a 23-megapixel photo into an 8-megapixel still, but it isn’t enough to give the Galaxy S7’s a run for their money. And while the X Performance typically does well in bright light, there’s such a thing as a situation that’s too bright. When that happens, you’ll notice colors start to get washed out. Oh, and you won’t be using the Xperia X Performance to shoot 4K video — another flagship feature that’s missing here. The 1080p videos the phone records are middling too, so I’m not really sure what Sony was trying to accomplish here.
And then there are the camera apps, which Sony uses to inject some silly fun into an otherwise cut-and-dried camera experience. These range from AR applications that put dinosaurs smack in the middle of your office to masks that cling to your face through the selfie camera to a beautiful sketch filter that turns the world around you into an art student’s homework assignment. The only problem is that these features can cause the phone to overheat; when they do, the camera app force-closes to keep things from getting out of hand. At no point was the phone uncomfortably warm, and I guess I’m glad it acted the way it did, but I can’t remember the last time a first-party feature forced a device to behave so drastically.
Performance and battery life
Thankfully, the Xperia X Performance manages to live up to its name: It feels as snappy as other flagships I’ve tested recently. That’s all thanks to the Snapdragon 820 chipset thrumming away inside, along with 3GB of RAM and an Adreno 530 GPU. As usual, my week testing the X Performance involved lots of Slack messages, emails, podcasts and camera use, not to mention playing Real Racing 3, Mortal Kombat X and Hearthstone. The verdict: mostly great. Aside from those moments when using the camera made the phone overheat, I saw only occasional moments of slowdown while multitasking. The Xperia X Performance has 1GB less RAM than most of its rivals, which probably accounts for those occasional hiccups, but it’s also worth noting that Sony’s flagship was basically spanked when it came to benchmark tests:
HTC 10
Samsung Galaxy S7
OnePlus 3
AndEBench Pro
12,637
16,673
14,168
13,841
Vellamo 3.0
3,307
4,876
4,285
5,202
3DMark IS Unlimited
26,070
26,747
28,529
30,058
SunSpider 1.0.2 (ms)
710
608
1547
699
GFXBench 3.0 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (fps)
37
48
45
48
CF-Bench
40,252
49,891
51,227
41,653
SunSpider 1.0.2: Android devices tested in Chrome; lower scores are better.
As it turns out, the 2,700mAh battery in the X Performance is a mixed bag. When putting it through our standard video rundown test (looping a high-definition video with the screen brightness set to 50 percent and WiFi connected), the phone lasted only nine hours and eight minutes. That’s about 50 minutes less than what we squeezed out of the OnePlus 3, and hours behind the HTC 10, LG G5 and both versions of the Samsung Galaxy S7. Thankfully, the X Performance fared better with daily use. I’d normally get a full day of work out it, with notable bumps in longevity on days I didn’t use the camera much. If I was smart about what I used the X Performance for (note: this rarely happens) and used the included Stamina mode, I could get it to last for almost a day and a half. This is one area where the normal Xperia X outshines its more powerful cousin: I could keep that thing alive for nearly three days of light usage on a single charge. Guess that Snapdragon 820 can get pretty thirsty.
The competition
The Xperia X Performance is a phone with a flagship processor and a flagship price tag, but I’ll be blunt: It’s a terrible deal. Sorry! Between the average camera, underwhelming battery, questionable design choices and lack of a fingerprint sensor and 4K video recording, this phone is a hard sell. You’re better off spending your $700 on a Galaxy S7 or an HTC 10, or even a OnePlus 3 and a fancy dinner. One could even make the argument that you’re better off buying a year-old Sony phone like the Z5 Premium: It has a stunning 4K display, shoots 4K video and boasts a bigger battery for far less than $700. Sure, you’d be giving up an improved front-facing camera and the latest version of Android, but some people probably wouldn’t mind the trade-offs at all.
Wrap-up
If anyone from Sony is reading this, here’s a serious question: What were you trying to accomplish with the X Performance? It’s a perfectly passable flagship, but is this really the sort of flagship you want your name attached to? I don’t mean to be overly harsh, because in most ways the Xperia X Performance is an adequate phone. The bigger issue is whether a phone that costs $700 should really just be “adequate.” I’d argue no. Sony’s competitors are busy innovating just to maintain some sort of edge over one another, be it Samsung devoting resources to building first-class cameras, HTC constantly refining its approach to software or LG basically throwing caution to the wind. And here’s Sony, with a smartphone that costs just as much as the others and brings nothing new to the table. The Xperia X Performance is far from a bad phone; it’s just halfhearted, and that won’t get Sony anywhere.
Millions of Android devices have flawed full disk encryption
Hackers can use brute force to break into tens of millions of Android devices using full disk encryption, thanks to a series of security issues linked specifically to Android kernel flaws and Qualcomm processors, Neowin reports. The vulnerabilities were uncovered by security researcher Gal Beniamini, who is working with Google and Qualcomm to patch the problems — and some of the flaws have already been addressed. However, a few of the issues may not be patchable, instead requiring new hardware, the report says.
Any phone using Android 5.0 or later uses full disk encryption, the same security feature at the heart of Apple’s recent fight with the FBI. Full disk encryption makes all data on a device unrecognizable without a unique key. Even though modern Android devices use this security feature, Beniamini’s research found that an attacker can exploit kernel flaws and vulnerabilities in some of Qualcomm’s security measures to get that encryption key. Then, all that stands between the hacker and a device’s information is a password.
Since any attack on an Android device would still require brute force and additional hacking methods, this isn’t an immediate security threat for a majority of users. But, it is notable for those who put their complete trust in full disk encryption.
We’ve reached out to Qualcomm for comment on the flaw and will update this story as the company responds.
Update: A Qualcomm spokesperson gave Engadget the following comment:
“Providing technologies that support robust security and privacy is a priority for Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (QTI). QTI continues to work proactively both internally as well as with security researchers such as Gal Beniamini to identify and address potential security vulnerabilities. The two security vulnerabilities (CVE-2015-6639 and CVE-2016-2431) discussed in Beniamini’s June 30 blog post were also discovered internally and patches were made available to our customers and partners. We have and will continue to work with Google and the Android ecosystem to help address security vulnerabilities and to recommend improvements to the Android ecosystem to enhance security overall.”
Source: Gal Beniamini
Google is working on a VR version of Chrome for Android
Google had a lot to say about its VR ambitions at this year’s I/O, and it looks like a more immersive web browsing experience will be part of those plans. Road to VR reports that the latest versions of Chrome Beta and Chrome Dev for Android have a couple notable features that will make hopping around the web in VR a reality. The beta version of Chrome now has WebVR abilities that allows for more engaging experiences when you visit a website that’s designed for virtual reality. As was recently noted by Chromium guru François Beaufort, the Chrome Dev now offers a “VR shell” that would allow Cardboard and Daydream users to browse the internet with a headset.
As Road to VR notes, the VR shell isn’t full functional just yet, but should be only a matter of time before it and other virtual reality features pop up in stable beta versions. With the way VR on the web currently works, you have to take off that headset when you come to a site that isn’t properly equipped. However, Google’s pending solution for Android mean you wouldn’t have to do that as the so-called shell would accommodate those non-VR-ready sites.
Samsung already built a browser for its Gear VR. Of course, that headset only works with the company’s own handsets, so it’s not open for a wide audience. By adding virtual reality browsing for Chrome, Google can offer the feature to users of Cardboard and its upcoming Daydream setup. The company also revealed that Google Play would get a dedicated VR section so you’ll know exactly where to find the apps and content you’re after. For desktop users, Google is said to be working on a version of Chrome that supports the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive.
Source: Road to VR, François Beaufort
Dell discontinues its Android tablets in favor of Windows 2-in-1s
Another Android tablet maker bites the dust. Dell has decided to end distribution of its Android tabs and will instead focus on Windows 2-in-1 devices. This means several things: One, the company will no longer offer its Venue brand of Android tablets or the Android-based Wyse Cloud Connect, which can be used to turn displays into viable PCs. The reason isn’t so complicated, either. Dell simply believes that the slate-style tablet market has become oversaturated. Customers aren’t demanding these types of products as often, which lead to this decision. What is in demand, Dell notes, is the 2-in-1 computer line.
“We are seeing 2-in-1s rising in popularity since they provide a more optimal blend of PC capabilities with tablet mobility,” a Dell spokesperson explained in an email to PC World. It’s definitely a business decision that makes sense, but it may frustrate those who have already invested in Dell’s Android products, as the company will no longer be offering OS upgrades to its Venue tablets.
“For customers who own Android-based Venue products, Dell will continue to support currently active warranty and service contracts until they expire, but we will not be pushing out future OS upgrades,” Dell explained. While it’s easy to understand why Dell is moving away from its tablet line in the first place, this is an important point to keep in mind if you might be deciding on a new tablet in the future to sate that Android habit.
Via: PCWorld
Android N? More like Android Nougat
The next version of Android is dubbed “Nougat,” Google revealed on Snapchat this morning (because of course it did). This was the first time that Google opened up the Android naming process to the public, and Nougat beat out other n-based treat suggestions including Nutter Butter, Nutella, Nerds and Necco Wafers. Of course, offering creative rights to the entire internet ensured there were a few sour apples in that system.
Google made it clear that it wasn’t beholden to the names suggested by the wider world, lest it end up with an operating system dubbed, “Nutty McNutface.”
Introducing #AndroidNougat. Thank you, world, for all your sweet name ideas! #AndroidNReveal pic.twitter.com/7lIfDBwyBE
— Android (@Android) June 30, 2016
Sony adds cheaper 4K TVs to its lineup
Sony started 2016 by showing off some high-end 4K TVs with HDR, and with the arrival of summer it’s time to see cheaper versions pop up on store shelves. The company says the new 800D, 750D and 700D are entry-level models for its premium XBR line, however only the 800D TVs will ship with HDR-10 support that offers enhanced colors and contrast on things like Ultra HD Blu-ray, Netflix/Amazon streaming and even some games — the other two versions will get it in a firmware upgrade later this year. They’re all Android TVs just like their higher-end cousins, with support for Google Cast and even Logitech’s Harmony Hub app.
In terms of price, the 65-inch 750D has an MSRP of $2,300, although it’s price is actually listed at $1,500 on Sony’s website. The high-end 930D we saw at CES has a listed price of $2,800 (along with better backlighting, Sony’s Triluminos display tech and the usual extras), so it’s quite a bit cheaper. On the other hand, Vizio’s midrange 65-inch M-Series 4K TV also costs $1,500 and comes with an Android tablet remote and support for Dolby Vision HDR instead of HDR-10 (yes, there’s another standards skirmish going on), and it’s available right now — so choose wisely. The Sony TVs are ready for pre-order now, with plans to go on sale through Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers in July.
Models and Prices
- XBR-49X800D, 49″ class (48.5″ diag) , $1,499.99 MSRP (Listed price: $750)
- XBR-43X800D, 43″ class (42.5″ diag), $1,299.99 MSRP (Listed price: $900)
- XBR-65X750D, 65″ class (64.5″ diag), $2,299.99 MSRP (Listed price: $1,500)
- XBR-55X700D, 55″ class (54.6″ diag), $1,499.99 MSRP (Listed price: $900)
- XBR-49X700D, 49″ class (48.5″ diag), $999.99 MSRP (Listed price: $800)
Source: Sony Blog
Stream PS Vue’s cord-cutting service from your Android device
Sony’s attempt at killing your pay-tv subscription is available on Android now — just like the company promised. What’s more, PlayStation Vue also has a few new features on the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. On the former, the channel guide has a video window in the upper right now, so you can keep an eye on what you were watching as you scroll through other viewing options. It’s essentially what cable and satellite guides have offered for years. If you’re using your PS3 as a media machine, the addition of a quick navigation overlay, which offers a “last channel” option among other tweaks, should be welcome; it’s also available on PS4.
Using the app on a second-gen Fire TV? You’ll find 60 FPS video support in addition to the aforementioned quick nav overlay next time you access the service. Sony says that a few of these new bits were the result of fan-requests, so maybe, just maybe, the outfit will hear the pleas for Android TV and Apple TV apps next.
Source: Google Play, PlayStation Blog
Google Keep auto-creates topics for your notes
Google Keep’s new feature will help you find notes old and new even if you never even bothered slapping a label on them. The free app now organizes your notes based on automatically created topics, such as food, places and travel. Even better, you can look for entries simply by clicking on the search bar to bring up topic shortcuts you can access. Google didn’t exactly explain how it works, but Keep likely takes cues from the words you use. If you write down “pack for trip to Paris,” the app will automatically associate that entry with travel. Useful, especially if you’re too lazy to organize your to-do lists and “notes to self” manually. The new feature is now live on Android and iOS, as well as for Keep on the web.
#GoogleKeep organized. Search automagically created topics like books, food and quotes for @Android, iPhones and web pic.twitter.com/wccSbThYpQ
— Google Docs (@googledocs) June 29, 2016
Source: Google Docs (Twitter)
Google Fit gets a colorful redesign and improved goal setting
Google has rolled out a major Fit update with a complete visual redesign, new watch face and features for Android Wear, a new home screen widget, more detailed goal-setting and more. Version 1.57.50 is the company’s biggest update to the app in quite awhile, and appears to be a big part of the Android Wear 2.0 overhaul Google promised at I/O last month. The changes are apparent from when you first open it, as the previous, rather sparse home screen now has images, charts and a lot more color.
On the app’s home page (above), Google has replaced the single activity dial graph with individual cards and dials for each goal, showing what you’ve done and how days you have left to meet it. Scrolling down will reveal a chart of your weight, recent workouts (complete with a map), and more (below). Hitting the floating action “+” button lets you set new goals, log your weight, add an activity and more.
As for the new goals, you can now get a lot more specific than before. It has more activities and more specific metrics, like steps, duration or times per week, day or month. Any goals go to the top of landing page to keep you motivated and let you know if you’re hitting the targets. There’s also a new widget that lets you put your goals on your phone’s home page or lock screen, in case you need a front-and-center reminder to get moving.
To drill down to specific activities, you now go to the “Timeline” screen, by accessing it from the navigation drawer or bottom of the landing page. Those act much like they did before, showing your activities relative to your goals, and letting you see them on a graph over time.
Google Fit also got a design revamp on Android Wear. As before, the first screen you see shows your goals, but with more information and a new white text on black look. Scrolling up shows your activities today, a chart of your heart rate and more. Touching the pink bottom bar lets you pick an activity like walking, running and push-up challenges. From there, you can select one and start your workout, all without touching your phone.
There’s also a new Android Wear watch face that looks more like an old school dial watch (above right) with readouts for calories, miles, time and the number of steps. The app is now rolling out to Android users, and if I was able to get it in Europe, you should be able to download it now in the US.
Source: Google Play
Your NVIDIA Shield now plays Netflix videos in HDR
NVIDIA just underscored one of the advantages of having a high-powered streaming media hub: you can roll out new video features before anyone else. It’s delivering an update to its Shield set-top box that introduces high dynamic range Netflix video on supporting TVs — a first for a stand-alone device, NVIDIA claims. You can also watch YouTube videos at both 4K and 60 frames per second, while Vudu 4K support is equally new. And if you’re an audio junkie, you’ll be glad to know that Dolby Atmos’ extra-immersive audio gets a direct pass-through when you’re using apps like Vudu, MX Player and NVIDIA’s own media gallery.
There’s broader software support, to boot. You’re getting that promised Plex media server feature, so your Shield can share media across the whole home. You can tune into WatchESPN for live sports, or listen to tunes through Spotify. Voice search now extends to Netflix, Spotify and Vudu. And to top it all off, you can both drag-and-drop files from your computers as well as mount network-attached storage. All told, this is a huge upgrade even if you don’t have a cutting-edge home theater setup.
AIVAnet 