Would you recommend XA2 as of 2023?

Devices
#1

My Sony Xperia 10 II died earlier this year (it’s not 100% water resistent… I tested it :). So I got a cheap Samsung Android phone and as you can image the first weeks it was horrible (different guestures).

Actually, I was quite happy with Sailfish (there are issues here and there…) and I’d like to revert back.

The only thing I didn’t like about the Xperia 10 II was it’s screen size. It was a bit too large for one handed operation (like almost any other modern phone).

So can you recommend the XA2 with 5.2’’ screen?

It would only have Android 9 support, right?

Does this matter in practice? Or would my banking app and DB navigator apps no longer work with Android 9? Spotify?

Is 3 GB RAM really enough these days?

Anything else that I would have to consider when buying the XA2?

Maybe someone who’s having the XA2 can convince me :slight_smile:

Thanks in advance,

Michael

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#2

Don’t trick yourself… the XA2 is only smaller in one direction - and a bit thicker too (not that it matters much).

No; you get Android 11 like all the other modern ones.

For the right price for the right user the XA2 is still fine. “Recommended” is a bit of a stretch though.
3GB RAM is indeed a bit on the low end; but depending on your usage, could be ok.

The real divider is probably VoLTE. If your country is shutting down 2G and 3G networks you need the 10 II or 10 III when that happens.

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#3

Well, no phone is 100% water resistant, but out of the box the 10 II has IP 65/68 rating, wear and tear and a product that had been “made on a Monday after a heavy party” is another story. :slight_smile:

Rating Dust Water
IP65 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP68 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.

No and no, it supports 11, but the 10 III has VoLTE support and 6 GB RAM

You can hopefully find your country and network provider here.

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#4

3GB of RAM is a bit short. I’ll suggest the 10 III maybe.

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#5

I second the Xperia 10 III if you can. The XA2 and Xperia 10 run that little bit too slow that you’ll just be annoyed with yourself.

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#6

Don’t get an XA2, even if the smaller size is a factor (which I really do understand - I got the vanilla version specifically because of the smaller size). Jolla only provides 32-bit user space for it. No VoLTE. Severe issues with GNSS fix. (somewhat fixable). Battery drain issues. And perhaps network-dependent, but 4G on my device tends to drain the battery really quick - I’m permanently on 2G since there’s no more 3G here.

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#7

Still loving mine but it’s possible Jolla won’t support it much longer.

Running 2 bloated Android apps can cause problems eg HereWeGo and WhatsApp. Remember, 64-bit takes more memory so I’m not sure the 10 ii is much better.

I paid about €80 for mine 3 years ago.

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#8

Like most of the others I would recommend the 10 III. I still have my XA2 which I use for certain tasks that I do not want to do with my personal SF phone.
The problem with the XA2 was hardware degradation on the GPS antennae.
Size does not make.that much of a difference to me. My hands are sort of medium. The 10 III fits well in the front pocket of my chinos. The XA2 is better in that regard.

But for me excellent GPS functionality, 64bit support and VoLTE make a huge difference.

#9

XA2 is my daily driver. I have no problems, although by choice I am not running Android middleware and its app on it. I have no showstoppers.

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#10

Thanks everyone for the great answers! You really helped a lot!

To summarize, it seems to be overall consensus that it’s better to get the Sony Xperia III. It’s more future proof and has better overall support.

For me, size-wise, the Xperia III is still okay (it fits well in a pocket), just for one handed operation my previous Xperia II (which I assume to have the exact same dimensions) sometimes felt slightly too “long”. That would have been the only reason for me to get the XA2.

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#11

I have been using XA2 for 1.5 year until I recently swapped to the Gigaset GS5.
Although the GS5 is faster, is having a more light sensible camera, and has quicker GPS, I’m still not decided.
IMHO, the XA2 is lovely. Humble, cheap, reliable, solid. (and kind of ecological as no new phone is needed)
Android App Support and Microg work well.
GPS is working ok if you take a unit which is in a good state and prefer a Single SIM. (I made tests with singles and double SIMs and it seems they tended to show that single’s GPS work better.)
Sometimes, something is not working correctly and a reboot is needed but it’s rare. Nothing even comes to my mind atm.

So, Id just say: XA2 Forever! :–)

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