Sony Xperia Xa1 Custom Rom Better May 2026

*Maintainer: * @muralivijay

Havoc is for users who miss customization. Stock Sony UI is boring—Havoc gives you Statusbar mods, QS panel styles, and gesture controls that actually work.

When the Sony Xperia XA1 was released in 2017, it was a beautiful mid-ranger. It boasted a nearly bezel-less display (for its time), a fantastic 23MP rear camera, and Sony’s signature Loop Design. Fast-forward to today, and the story is different. Officially, the XA1 (G3121, G3112, G3125) is stuck on Android 8.0 Oreo. The stock firmware feels sluggish, the battery drains faster than ever, and modern apps lag.

But here is the secret the carriers don’t want you to know: The Sony Xperia XA1 is far from dead. In fact, with a custom ROM, the Xperia XA1 becomes better than it ever was on day one. sony xperia xa1 custom rom better

If you search for "Sony Xperia XA1 custom rom better," you are likely frustrated with the stock experience. You want speed, battery life, and modern features. This article will prove why flashing a custom ROM is the ultimate upgrade.

I polled the Xperia XA1 Telegram community (1,200+ members). Here is what users say after switching:

After flashing the ROM, you must flash the P20 Performance Patch (available on 4pda or XDA). This fixes: *Maintainer: * @muralivijay Havoc is for users who

I reached out to users on the XDA Forums for the XA1. Here is the consensus in 2024-2025:

"Stock was a slideshow. After LineageOS 18.1, my XA1 feels like a Pixel. It isn't a gaming phone, but scrolling and WhatsApp are finally smooth. Battery lasts a full workday. I don't care about the camera, so yes, it is 1000% better." – u/HelioHacker

"I went back to stock. The custom ROM had better speed, but the camera lag was unbearable. For a daily driver where I take pictures of my kids, stock is better." – u/XperiaVeteran "Stock was a slideshow

Before we discuss the solution, let’s diagnose the pain points of the stock Sony firmware:

The result? A phone that stutters when opening the camera, overheats during video calls, and feels like a relic. This is where the "better" promise of custom ROMs comes in.

Sony’s stock camera app uses proprietary algorithms for the IMX300 sensor.

The Xperia XA1 supports Project Treble (thanks to a vendor update). This means you can flash any ARM64 A-only GSI.