Sony revamps mid-range w/ Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, adds new fingerprint sensor, metal design

Abner Li | Jan 8 2018 - 12:59 am PT

Sony is kicking off the year with revamps to its low and mid-range Xperia lineups. At CES 2018, the company is launching the Xperia XA2, XA2 Ultra, and L2 that all share the same general metallic design and wide-angle selfie camera.

The reduced top and bottom bezels will do little to appease critics of Sony’s staid design, but other features like the new fingerprint sensor might serve as a hint of what’s to come from Sony.

Sony Xperia XA2 and XA2 Ultra

The mid-range XA line is now on its third iteration with the XA2 and XA2 Ultra launching on Android Oreo. Both are powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 630 processor and share the same general design, as well as main 23MP camera with support for 4K video, 120fps slow-motion capture, and improved low-light photography.

Top and bottom bezels have been reduced with Sony otherwise touting an edge-to-edge (on the left/right side of the) display. The rear is made from aluminum, with “premium” touches including 2.5D curved glass and “precision-edge detailing” or chamfered bezels. These mid-range devices add a new circular fingerprint sensor under the camera that are a step away from Sony’s usual side-located, power button-integrated solution.

The XA2 has a 5.2-inch 1080p display that’s a sizable jump from last generation’s 5-inch 720p panel. There is an 8MP front-facer that has a 120-degree wide-angle lens. Sony fit a 3,300 mAh battery that is 40 percent larger than before. Available in the U.S., color options include Silver, Black, Blue, and Pink.

Meanwhile, the XA2 Ultra has a 6-inch 1080p display and dual-selfie cameras. In addition to the wide-angle found on the smaller XA2, there is a 16MP lens with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) that Sony touts for “blur-free night-time selfies.” Meanwhile, the battery is 32 percent larger at 3,580 mAh with Silver, Black, Blue, and Gold color variants.

Sony Xperia L2

The Xperia L2 adopts the same metallic design and rear fingerprint sensor, with a 5.5-inch HD display. There is a 13MP main camera and 8MP 120-degree wide-angle lens up front for selfies. Its 3,300 mAh battery is 25% larger than before.

This lower-end device is launching with Android 7.1.1 Nougat with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage with a microSD card slot for expansion. Also launching in the U.S., it is available in Black, Gold, and Pink.