You are correct the XA2 is within 1mm of the X, but it also just plain inferior to the X for just about every spec, CPU performance, GPU performance, screen quality, speakers, sensors, weight.
The only positive thing I can say about the XA2 is that it has a USB-C port vs micro-USB on the X.
I fully realize that the 5 II is the same size as the 10 and 10II but at least it can be considered an “upgrade” over the X, the 10 like the XA2 is no better then the X as far as the specs go.
The 10II may be a slight upgrade finally but it is a moot argument since the 10II is (at least today on 2021/2/7) not supported by SFOS.
We’ll see what Sony announces this week if the 10III or Xperia Compact that are rumored to be announced this week will finally be a true upgrade providing new equal or better features to the F512x.
You may be right about absolute numbers.
But did you ever had the chance to hold both devices, the X and XA2, in your hand or put them to your pockets and drive car or do your day job?
The feel of X is lightweight and compact. The feel of XA2 is clumsy.
Not to speak of XA2+ or 10 or whatever might come…
(maybe comparable to the feeling of -10C in the streets of a city or -10C on a hill countryside)
Yes, in fact i have all of them right here on my desk. I test-held them before posting and have daily-driven all of them for something like 18 months each.
Had i not actively checked the dimensions i would have agreed that of course the XA2 is larger than the X. But holding them, and trying to reach across the screen etc, they are in fact very similar. The X does feel bigger than i remembered.
Most of the slight screen size increase is taken out of the huge chin on the X.
Not a fan of the sharp corners for holding or pocketability… but it’s not that bad either. The extra thickness hides pretty well in he shape of it, same as with the N9.
(but the argument i’m making is about size; not hand feel, or the “sidegrade” in specs - which are valid points, but also not trivial to address)
I have an XA2 Ultra as a daily driver, and XA2 as a workhorse with (sigh) Android. I loved Jolla Phone, it is so nice to hold in hand!
XA2 isn’t that much bigger that Jolla Phone when you look at them, and Xperia X is a very nice phone to hold, too, but XA2 sure feels…clunky. I wish it didn’t… There’s just something extra nice about Jolla Phones case, even though it is “only” plastic.
XA2 Ultra really feels like a tablet in comparison (but loses miserably to my Xperia Z3 Compact Tablet)
Having said that, where’s my Astro Slide… (Yes, I have too many gadgets!)
I recently bought a used Xperia X compact, and it’s working fine, including official alien dalvik.
The 3.10 kernel on it is holding it back however, so it would be nice to port Sailfish to 4.9, as most Android ROMs on XDA did. This might also allow the use of XA2’s dalvik instead of X’s.
I want to try this eventually, but it’s pretty low in priority on my to-do list, which is pretty full at the moment.
(Yes, I have too many gadgets!)