As part of MWC 2014, it would therefore be quite appropriate to compare the two phones and find out whether the new device is worthy of the name of a flagship device. To do this, it is enough to compare the two smartphones, review their specifications and capabilities, from which we can actually draw a conclusion - what is the difference between the Sony Xperia Z2 and the Xperia Z1. And so, let's get started.
Design loved by many
Both smartphones are made in accordance with the proprietary OmniBalance design. For those who are just beginning to be interested in the brand’s devices, I would like to explain a little - the concept is based on the smoothness of the lines and the symmetry of the device, no matter from which side you look at the smartphone. The reflective surface, clean lines and slightly rounded surfaces create a certain balance. In terms of appearance, both devices are beautiful and look expensive - an aluminum frame, protective glass on both sides, this creates a feeling of premium style. It is worth noting that the screen of the Xperia Z1 is also covered with an anti-shatter film, the removal of which could lead to the deprivation of the company logo. The Xperia Z2 decided to do without film and, most likely, the screen has an oleophobic coating. In terms of dimensions, there are also no significant changes, but the new device has become thinner and lighter. For comparison:
- Dimensions Xperia Z2 – 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm and weight 158 grams.
- Dimensions Xperia Z1 – 144.4 x 73.9 x 8.5 mm and weight 169 grams.
The side frames of the display in the new flagship have become a little thinner, it looks slimmer and fits better in the hand.
Display comparisonSonyXperiaZ2 andXperiaZ1 – the new one is much better
The weak point of the Xperia Z1 was its 5-inch display, which caused a storm of negativity in discussions. The picture on it was perfectly readable, the color reproduction was realistic, the clarity and brightness were at a high level, but all this if you look at the screen directly. If you tilt it slightly, you will notice fading and the appearance of whiteness. This, of course, is not critical and I cannot call the screen of its predecessor bad, but it was still far from ideal. I made this opinion after looking at the slightly enlarged 5.2-inch display of the Sony Xperia Z2 - a high-quality, rich, rich picture, a riot of colors and colors, excellent detail and simply stunning viewing angles. All thanks to the IPS matrix, which is used in the manufacture of the new screen. Both smartphones have TRILUMINOS screens with Full HD resolution and X-Reality technology for mobile devices, which processes the image.
There was also the introduction of innovation - the second socket has a new Live Color LED technology using phosphorus in subpixels, which provides even better depth and intensity of colors and shades.
Performance
The display isn't the only improvement on the Xperia Z2 - the hardware is also better. Performance is powered by the new 2.3 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor, Adreno 330 GPU and a whopping 3 GB of RAM. It was expected that the new smartphone will receive the most powerful processor from Qualcomm – Snapdragon 805, but as it turned out, it will not be installed in any devices until the summer. In fact, if we compare the parameters of the two phones, we get the following picture: the Krait 400 cores in the Snapdragon 801 are 15% faster than the same 4 Snapdragon 800 cores in the Sony Xperia Z1, despite the fact that both smartphones have a video chip Adreno 330, in the new product it is 28% more productive due to the increased processing speed of the processor, and camera sensor processing is as much as 45% faster. Well, the additional 1 GB of RAM also has a better effect on the newly-made superphone.
Smartphone cameras
Sony Xperia Z2 received the same camera as its older brother - a 20.7 Megapixel matrix with a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS sensor, a 27mm Sony G Lens with F2.0 aperture and a BIONZ image processor, which performs intelligent processing of footage. But a faster processor and more RAM made it possible to add more functions to the camera - 4K video recording, Timeshift video and others. You can understand a little more about the new camera functions from your phone.
Sound
The speakers in the Xperia Z2 are much louder and now there are two of them - bottom and top, and there is also an S-Force Surround Sound effect that creates three-dimensional surround sound. By the way, the speakers are aimed at the user and thanks to their good location you will hear high-quality, clear and loud sound. Another interesting innovation is support for digital noise reduction technology, which, when paired with the included Sony MDR-NC31EM headphones, provides maximum protection from external noise. Another plus for the new device.
System
The Sony Xperia Z2, like the Sony Xperia Z1, uses its own graphical user interface, but the new product has the latest version of the Android 4.4 KitKat system, which has a significant number of additional functions, and in general it works much more stable than the version of the 4.3 JB system. Of course, the Z1 should also receive an update and all these features soon.
Battery
Well, the final touch in favor of the new flagship will be a more capacious 3200 mAh battery (versus 3000 mAh of its predecessor). Together with the proprietary STAMINA mode, it will provide longer battery life for the smartphone, both in standby mode and during calls and multimedia use.
conclusions
Now let's summarize everything written above. “Flagship!”, I will tell you without embarrassment. Sony Xperia Z2 is an excellent replacement for the Xperia Z1. The smartphone took into account all the wishes and complaints from users, in fact, as was the case when the Xperia Z1 replaced the Xperia Z, only the current new flagship is truly perfect.
In contact with
Contents of delivery
- Telephone
- Charger with USB cable
- Noise canceling headset
- Tabletop charging stand
- Instructions
Positioning
In recent years, Sony has been creating visually interesting smartphones that always suffer from minor technical flaws, each of which can be tolerated, but together they create an impression of incompleteness and can irritate users. Sony's flagship Xperia Z was announced in September 2013 at the IFA exhibition in Berlin and appeared on shelves a short time later.
Literally from the first days, buyers began to complain about the not very high-quality screen, which had small viewing angles; it had to be looked at strictly perpendicularly. There were quite a few shortcomings in the device, as a result, the company took an unprecedented step and decided to correct the shortcomings by releasing a new model, which they called Z2. The bug fix was announced on February 24, 2014 in Barcelona. None of the smartphone manufacturers, except Nokia, and now Sony, breaks the annual cycle of launching flagship products - they come out once a year. This is justified both from an economic point of view and from people’s perception - it’s a shame when you shell out a large sum for a company’s flagship, and after a short period of time it turns into an obsolete device.
On the other hand, it was necessary for Sony to fix the problems of the Z1, but not to admit the existence of shortcomings, but to quietly withdraw the model from the market, replacing it with a new product. It is curious that specifically for the Sony Z1, the company is fighting to maintain the price of the device by any means - it does not want discounting, as this will affect the entire model range. An amazing situation has arisen when the price of the Z1 is maintained despite the market situation - this is an artificial restraint against the backdrop of very low sales in its price segment. In Russia, at the time of writing the review, the cost of this device was 24,990 rubles in federal retail, and at the start the device costs 29,990 rubles.
The Z2 was scheduled to be released in most markets around the world at the end of March 2014, this was Sony's official position. In particular, this was announced by the official Twitter account of the company in Russia; the same data was provided to all publications, but the cost of the product was not reported.
Already in March it became known that the deadline was being postponed to an unknown date - sales began in limited quantities in a small number of markets. Unofficial rumors linked this to a lack of components, which is partly true. Firstly, the company does not have a sufficient number of screens made using the new technology, since their production turned out to be not so simple. The screen also has a number of serious shortcomings that came as a surprise - the brightness level, the display of colors, in particular, the white color here is gray and has a purple tint. Secondly, technical problems arose with the assembly during production - the glass panels covering the device have gaps, which, in theory, violates the seal of the case; the protection standard for it is IP58. There are a number of other shortcomings that Sony began to correct so as not to encounter mass negativity. In those countries where the device has appeared, users are complaining about some of these problems.
Design, dimensions, control elements
The Z2 model is fully the successor to the previous device - the same body materials, almost the same size (Z2 - 146.8x73.3x8.2 mm, Z1 - 144.4x73.9x8.5 mm), comparable weight - 158 grams (Z1 - 169 gram).
Sony Xperia Z2 and Z1
Compared to HTC One M8
Compared to Samsung Galaxy S5
Compared to Sony Xperia Z
This device cannot be called compact; it is very close in size to the Galaxy Note 3, which, however, does not prevent it from remaining comfortable in the hand. Current flagships are quite comfortable, and the fear that a large phone is inconvenient in everyday life, it seems to me, has left most people. In terms of size, there are and cannot be any complaints.
Compared to Samsung Galaxy Note 3
The model is available in three colors: white, black and purple.
I like each of these colors, they are quite bright, and the purple color looks metallic in the light, which gives it a certain charm. The case materials differ from competitors, the side frame is made of metal, and the screen and back surface are covered with DragonTail glass, this is a feature from Sony - today Alcatel and a number of other companies use similar glass, this is an inexpensive analogue of Corning Gorilla Glass. For Sony, it seems to me, the question was not the cost of glass as such, but the desire to distinguish itself from competitors, to show that they have something unique. But in fact, such glass has no difference in its characteristics - plus or minus they are the same.
Unfortunately, the oleophobic coating of the glass is such that fingerprints remain on it, and it gets very dirty - and on both sides. A cloth along with this device is simply a necessity.
The use of glass makes it impossible to ensure the IP67/68 protection standard; the device is fragile, and the glass may crack if dropped. We've seen this many times on the iPhone, but the design in the Z2, as well as in the Z1, is completely different - the force of the impact is transferred to the inside of the device, and, most likely, you will break not the glass at all, but the electronics. This is confirmed both by user experience and unsuccessful phone drops, and by independent tests.
Display
A shoemaker without boots - this is the slogan that best characterizes the situation in Sony’s mobile division and the quality of phone screens. The company, which is known for its developments in the field of LCD panels, was one of the leaders in the TV market, could not create decent screens for its mobile devices.
The Z1 featured an LCD screen that could easily be called the worst we've seen in a flagship at the time (just six months ago). It was possible to look at it only at a right angle; any deviation would cause the screen to fade. However, the previous Sony Z device had the same problems, which was disappointing with its screen. For example, screen technology experts conducted a series of measurements and noted that the results were shocking.
Another disadvantage that is known to many users of Sony smartphones is the “ingenious” solution in the form of a non-peel film on the phone screen, which annoyed many users.
There is no film in the Z2, for which we can say special thanks to Sony, it finally happened, and you don’t have to be annoyed by its presence. For many of my friends, this was a factor that convinced them not to buy Sony phones. Such a small thing, but it had such an impact on the process of choosing a device.
The technical characteristics of the screen in the Z2 are as follows - 5.2 inches, resolution - 1920x1080 pixels (423 dpi versus 440 in the Z1). The screen uses the famously named Triluminos technology, which suggests that the picture has better RGB coverage than conventional LCD screens. In theory this is true, in practice there are certain flaws. An explanation of the technology can be seen in a promotional video from Sony.
Also in connection with this device, Live Color Led technology is often mentioned, which, in fact, is responsible for the color gamut, which is somewhat misleading to the user - these names make your head spin. From a marketing point of view, it is noted that the red and green subpixels are made using phosphor, which improves the quality of the color gamut; colors look saturated.
Unfortunately, big words and reality are somewhat at odds with reality, since, in addition to the color gamut, the screen has other parameters that should be taken into account. In particular, the main parameter is the brightness of the backlight, which helps to see the contents of the screen in most places. Here Sony has clearly gone overboard with energy saving; in terms of brightness, the screen is much inferior to modern devices - it is worse than the HTC One M8, and therefore significantly worse than the Galaxy S5, where the brightness at half is already very comfortable, and the maximum value is unnecessary for many it just won't be needed.
In my opinion, it is the brightness of the backlight that is the Achilles heel of this device; it is comfortable at maximum, but has no reserve, which is frustrating. In terms of picture quality, the phone is quite comparable to its competitors - as usual, I’m not sure that photographs can convey the difference in the picture, its differences. But in most cases the images are comparable, the only question is which color option you like better ().
From top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2
In the sun, the screen behaves well, it is quite comparable to the same Galaxy S5 - everything is readable without any problems.
When turned off and in the light or on the street, the touch grid on the screen is visible, this may irritate some - on most other phones it is never visible. When switched on, it may also be visible in the sun.
The device has a technology for improving pictures in videos and images, it is called X-Reality and replaced the Bravia Engine, which proved to be absolutely useless and even harmful - the picture deteriorated irrevocably and had to be turned off. It's nice that this parameter remains unchanged - in X-Reality the picture on the screen also deteriorates, although this technology should have exactly the opposite effect. It's good that you can turn it off.
In the screen settings you can set the white balance, but it’s better not to touch these settings, they still won’t give you anything. See how the white color compares to the Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 on the Z2 screen (Top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2).
From top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2
But the difference is visible only with direct comparison. In everyday life, when you use the device, you will not notice any tints of white or incorrect color rendition for other colors. Therefore, this should definitely not be considered a disadvantage.
For Sony, the appearance of such a screen as installed in the Z2 can be considered a breakthrough - there is no film, viewing angles are normal, color rendition has improved, but the backlight brightness has limitations that, on the other hand, will affect few people. This is not the best screen on the market; the same Galaxy S5 has a display that has no analogues, as experts say.
But Sony is catching up with the market and doing it slowly, but in the end they got a readable screen, which, although different from other flagships, is not as much as in previous devices.
Battery
The phone has a lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh (Z1 has 3000 mAh). For a flagship, this battery capacity is excellent, it is quite comparable to Note 3, however, these devices are similar in terms of operating time.
Under normal load, the device will work from morning to evening - during this time you can surf the network for several hours (500 MB of data in 3G/4G, about 100 MB of Wi-Fi), two hours of screen operation or so, about 20 minutes of calls and minimum SMS.
With less consumption, the device will work quietly for about 2 days. The weak point is the screen's operating time, that is, all functions that do not require it, for example, radio or music, will last quite a long time, but as soon as the display is activated, the operating time is greatly reduced.
For music playback, the manufacturer claims 110 hours of operation, while in other modes the figures are significantly less. It is curious that the Sony website is full of errors in the descriptions of devices, for example, the video playback time is indicated as 400 hours, although in reality it is about 8-9 hours (which is less than competitors, with smaller batteries - that is, this is a screen problem and its energy consumption).
Full charging time (2A charger) is about 3 hours to one hundred percent. Up to 90 percent will be enough in just over 2 hours. From my observations, the device is very sensitive to the quality of the network and its coverage; if you have data transmission and the network is not of very high quality, then the discharge will go faster than on other phones. But if the network is good, then the operating time, on the contrary, will increase. In any case, this device differs in operating time compared to its classmates (Galaxy S5, HTC One M8), beats them and is comparable only to Note 3.
In my opinion, this phone can be recommended to anyone who wants to quietly live until the evening without charging during the day; this is a huge plus of the model. Among the proprietary features, I would like to note the ability to see approximately how long the device will work in the selected mode; there is also a Stamina function, which increases operating time by disabling data transfer in the background, unloading applications from memory, and so on. This is a lifesaver if you need to hold out until the outlet appears. In principle, the function works, although there are some rough edges in the implementation. Most people don’t use it, especially since this device will rarely need it.
Memory, memory cards
The phone has 3 GB of RAM (933 MHz, dual channel), which is unusual for models of this level; until recently, only Note 3 could boast of this, and the Galaxy S5 had only 2 GB. Simply increasing the amount of RAM does not solve anything; it all depends on how it works with the processor and what the overall system performance is. Below in the tests it will be clear that the memory increase did not provide a breakthrough in performance. After startup, about 1 GB of RAM is free.
The built-in memory is 16 GB, of which 11.57 GB is free for you, this can be considered a sufficient amount and typical for Android smartphones. You can connect memory cards of any capacity, which is also good.
Hardware platform, performance
The model is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB) chipset; it is a quad-core processor with a frequency of up to 2.3 GHz per core. At the moment, this is the most productive solution; exactly the same processor is found in the same Galaxy S5 (though the frequency there is higher - 2.45 GHz). But depending on the shell and the decisions made by the manufacturer, performance may also differ; it cannot be compared only by paper characteristics. I was sincerely surprised that with more memory than the S5, this device shows worse results in synthetic tests.
In real life, when working in the interface, the difference is almost unnoticeable; if it exists, it is minimal. Some say Sony is faster, others say Galaxy S5, and others praise HTC ONE M8. As for me, they are all approximately comparable and the difference can only be felt in individual applications, and then it will be measured in fractions of a second.
In resource-intensive applications (games, 4K video recording), the device gets very hot, due to the glass of the case this is more noticeable than in the same HTC M8 or Galaxy S5, where the heat is not so strongly felt on the surface of the case. Sony has already responded to this complaint and suggested not shooting 4K video for more than a few minutes, since then overheating can cause applications to spontaneously close, plus the camera will turn off automatically.
In most situations, the average user will not (should not) encounter overheating of the device, but this is a possible situation. In this case, we can only recommend turning it off and waiting for it to cool down; this will happen in 10-15 minutes. It is possible that in new firmware the software operating modes will be adjusted to avoid this local overheating, and then everything will be much better. It is impossible to say that the problem is very serious - yes, the device heats up more than other flagships on the same chipset, you can feel it, but it is not a problem on a cosmic scale.
Communication capabilities
The device has NFC, which has already become a good tradition, Bluetooth version 4.0 with ANT+ support. The microUSB connector supports the MHL v3.0 standard, which allows you to output video to external sources. USB 2.0 version, USB Host supported. Supports LTE Cat 4, download speeds up to 150 Mbit/s. Wi-Fi version a/b/n/ac.
Camera
The device uses exactly the same Sony EXMOR RS module as the previous Z1 model. In theory, this should have given exactly the same characteristics when shooting, in practice a lot depends on the image processing algorithms, and here Sony tried, did a lot of work on the mistakes, which resulted in better quality of the final images.
First and foremost, the device has a camera button, which allows you to launch it quickly. This is a huge plus, which Sony spoiled with its implementation. The camera has an intelligent mode that selects the best shooting parameters and takes the shot. It always turns on when you press a key by default, and there is no way to fix this! The image resolution for this type of shooting is 8 megapixels, not 20.7, as in manual mode. I am sure that many would like to shoot on automatic, but with maximum resolution. For some reason Sony did not allow this to be done.
The matrix in the device is 1/2.3 inches, which is larger than on the vast majority of phones today, and in theory the matrix can give a better picture. In practice, the Z1 did not produce a more interesting picture than its classmates. The Z2 has greatly improved image processing, and in automatic mode it is quite good. This is not the case in manual mode.
However, look at the quality of the pictures in comparison with the Galaxy S5, I think you will say that they are approximately comparable, in some places one device wins, in others the other. And this can already be considered an achievement, since the Z1 was much inferior in terms of white balance to the Galaxy S4 and other devices. Here we see approximate parity, although detail in some scenes may suffer.
From the point of view of the average user, the photo quality will be good, because few people will compare it with other cameras in practice. On the screen the pictures look good, and that’s okay. Here are a few dozen pictures you can look at.
In terms of settings, this camera has many additional functions, each of which is more or less familiar from Sony cameras. Let me start with what is being advertised with great fanfare: 4K video recording. In my opinion, this function does not make much sense; you can view this video on a computer or on a device. For now, this is more of a toy than something serious. However, look at examples of shooting in 4K.
Just like in previous models, there is an AR Effects option, these are drawings that are superimposed on a photo in real time, you can create a background of flowers or something similar - a great option for entertainment, however, the same can be done in any graphic editor .
TimeShift video – high frame rate and slow motion effects may be of interest to some, especially when filming sports events.
Defocusing the background is implemented quite controversially - you adjust the focus with the slider, then there is blur, you can choose the geometry of this blur.
Artistic effects are a whole set of different effects, each of which can be applied to a photograph. It also replaces a graphic editor, but usually they don’t use effects, since they spoil the original photo; it’s easier to edit it than to get a modified photo.
Info-eye - the ability to point the camera at a famous building or something similar and get a quick hint about what it is. Explicit borrowing from the Googgles program.
The camera settings are quite simple and clear, you can look at them in the screenshots, I will not describe them separately.
For those who want to upload photos and videos to the network, there is a proprietary PlayMemories service, also familiar from cameras. You can set downloading only via Wi-Fi, but I prefer to use DropBox for these purposes, it is more convenient.
Videos can be recorded in FullHD, the quality of video recording is not bad, there are no complaints here.
The bottom line is that we can say the following about the camera - formally it is the same module as in the previous model. But in reality, the shooting algorithms have changed, and as a result, the quality has changed a little - the device shoots best in a resolution of 8 megapixels and with automatic settings. For the average person, this camera is enough for the eyes, in the “point and shoot” mode it copes with its tasks with a bang, autofocus is quite fast, although it is inferior in speed to the Galaxy S5, in some modes it blurs, and the result is a blurry picture. But these are, rather, individual shortcomings that can be found in one mode or another in almost any camera on the market. In terms of picture quality, this camera is already above average and quite at the level of top solutions, it outperforms all devices in the Lumia line (give or take, but, as a rule, this is true), takes pictures at the level of the Galaxy S4/Note 3, which can be considered a good achievement .
Multimedia capabilities – player, video, sound
The Walkman brand is well known to Sony fans, and it has found a second life in phones. Until recently, this meant the presence of various equalizers, the SensMe service, music recognition and other proprietary features. In terms of the number of different sound enhancements, Walkman is clearly ahead of the rest of the planet, but this does not mean that it plays your MP3 files much better - because in addition to the software component, the headphones that come with the phone also play a big role.
The device comes with the MDR-NC31EM headset, which has a 5-pin connector and also has a built-in noise reduction function. Separately, such a headset costs about 1,700-2,000 rubles; its presence in the package makes the device much more interesting. It should be noted that before purchasing you should check what exactly is included in the package, since in China the device comes with a regular headset, there is no desktop charging stand, and so on. The kits directly depend on the country in which the device is sold and can vary greatly; this is normal practice for Sony.
The device itself also has a noise reduction system, but there is no doubt that together with headphones you can achieve very good sound. Unfortunately, there is no answer button on the wire - that is, when using these headphones as a headset, you cannot answer by pressing, you must use either a voice command or take out your phone.
I tested the sound quality on a noisy street (almost complete isolation, music sounds very good, the main thing here is not to get hit by a car), on an airplane - the sound is also good, although somewhat inferior to models with active noise cancellation, but such headphones require a separate battery and a little more.
How much do headphones contribute to the sound of music? Of course, this is one of the most important parts. I tried DNA headphones with the device, which give a good sound, in general, for the vast majority of people this device will be interesting in terms of sound out of the box.
It's also worth mentioning that, like HTC, there is a built-in FM radio, which is missing in the Galaxy S5 (I think it was a mistake to abandon the radio).
In the picture below you can see the supported audio and video codecs out of the box, they are quite enough to work with most files downloaded from the network.
Impression
All Sony models have a loud ringtone, and this device is no exception. When there is an incoming call, only one of the two speakers is activated, which upsets some buyers; they want it even louder, even more. After all, there are two speakers, why not use both? Particularly impressionable people even “hear” what the second speaker sounds like. On two Z2 models (for Russia and for Taiwan), I was not able to hear the sound of the second speaker, but by and large, this is not necessary - a loud, clear call is heard in all conditions.
The vibration alert is not very weak, but not strong either - it differs from devices from other companies, which may seem unusual to some. But I couldn’t miss calls on this device; I always heard or felt it.
The review says nothing at all about the Sony shell, which runs on top of Android 4.2.2. It has flaws in localization into Russian, some inconsistencies, but overall it is exactly the same level as similar shells from Samsung and HTC. Some things are implemented worse, some are better and more interesting. I want to talk about the shell in a separate article, since it will also be useful for reviews of other models from Sony - after all, they all have the same shell.
If the Z1 turned out to be an unsuccessful device, and there were many reasons for this - crude camera software, a mediocre screen with small viewing angles, ineffective operation in Stamina mode due to the new chipset and a number of other shortcomings, then in the Z2 most of the issues were removed, this device can be considered not just a continuation and development of the line - de facto, it is exactly the same model with slightly changed specifications, which offers a modified version of the same capabilities.
The display has become better and is almost at the level of competing solutions; the backlight is not bright enough, but for many this will not be an obstacle. Color rendition in isolation from direct comparison with competitors is quite normal, it should not bother you much. The touch grid on the screen may irritate some, but it is only visible in strong light or in bright sunshine.
The phone does not have any serious or critical shortcomings, but at the same time, there are many minor flaws that may be noticeable, but in the aggregate do not make the device bad or do not worsen its perception. Unlike all previous models of the family, the Z2 turned out to be more successful and is quite comparable to the Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. A separate comparison of these models will appear in a week, but for now I’ll note that Sony can rightfully be considered one of the flagships of the season, which should be seriously considered as an option for purchase.
Separately, I would like to note the delivery package (depending on the country in which the device is sold). Noise-canceling headphones, the presence of a desktop charger - all this undoubtedly distinguishes the model from similar offers from other companies and makes its purchase more profitable.
With a price of 29,990 rubles and sales starting in May, this device is on par with the Galaxy S5 in terms of price, but offers a better package package. And, of course, it beats the HTC One M8, since the latter costs 32,990 rubles, but it had a head start of a month and a half, which made sales.
Thank you to BoomMarket.ru store for providing the phone number..
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I’ve been using xperia z2 for a year, I don’t know about the plug, everything is fine for me, although it sometimes opens and clings to pockets, for example.
Regarding the fragile glass - it’s true, I changed the screen twice in a year - once in my pants pocket (it was touched by something), another time it was “deeply” scratched in my pocket.
Both replaced screens were different (brightness and color rendition), and the same office service claimed that it was the original.
Everything, absolutely all 3 screens, including the original one, get scratched very easily, you can’t do without films. (The iPhone has a better protective coating, purely from experience)
All 3 displays react equally poorly (or rather very well) to moisture, dirt, and grease from hands. .. any extra fingerprint on the display and the touch is triggered in this place. .. In short, it was possible to use it in winter with thin gloves without turning on this function. .. . But when it was snowing or raining or just with barely wet hands, you had to try hard to dial the number. ..
Regarding overheating - there is such a sin, but it didn’t turn off for me, only in the case of long-term shooting at 4k - when the camera overheated, it stopped shooting without closing the camera application. But this is not critical, I played around with it a couple of times and forgot about it.
The overall impression is also spoiled by the fact that after each replacement of the display a number of additional jambs appear. Whether the repairman is a handyman or not. ..
After the first display replacement, the microphone stopped working normally. .. It worked fine on the speakerphone, you turn off the speakerphone and you can hear me with such an obviously iron sound, as if from a bucket. .. .
I changed the microphone and glued a shielding film over its contacts (I don’t understand what exactly they shielded from in that place), it was cured!!!
After the second replacement (the scratch was critical, the sensor was constantly triggered in this place), my speakers began to play quieter, noticeably quieter, at maximum volume in a jacket pocket in another room you won’t hear horseradish, even more so on the street. .. Reconciled
Plus the display came off. .. .
The display was glued, this time the camera. .. There is always blur at the edges of the photo, you take an A4 photo with a standard 12 font, so there is blur at the corners of the photo, and this is even at 21 mp. ..
It revealed. .. the small protective film on the lens has a bright fingerprint that cannot be removed with anything. .. the service recommended replacing the rear window completely, because this protective film cannot be ordered separately. ...has come to terms with what is
Regarding water resistance. .. it depends on how you look.
After the purchase, on the second day, I put it in the bath and threw a small toy in there, took a photo once - purely an experiment. .. So, when replacing the display, it turned out that moisture still got inside, but the phone survived. .. Moisture resistant!!!)
Everything would be fine. The device is cool, and I really liked it. Understand correctly, usually when a device breaks down I immediately get rid of the device, and some of the “new” charm is lost. (Car owners will understand me)
But. .. .
So many trips to the center and so many problems reduced my positive attitude towards him to nothing. (For example, 3 years passed with the iPhone 4, during which I went to the service center once to replace the battery for exactly 15 minutes and there were no additional problems, I didn’t even think about them)
I also remembered the bug on the z2, on all the displays when you call me, a situation appears a couple of times a day when the swipe doesn’t work, while the touchscreen is completely turned off, stupidly doesn’t work until you pull out the SIM card to reboot (I wanted to pass it under warranty - the diagnostics didn’t do anything identified, but with persistent special dialing to my phone number, this situation did not arise with servicemen)
There was also a similar situation in the background, but it was treated by immediately closing the “proximity to the ear” sensor and after which you could pick up the phone. .. It didn't bother me much. ..
Now I’m thinking about what to buy, I’m leaning towards the lumia 1520, I want to touch the tile. ..
All!
Less than six months have passed, and we have in our hands another flagship from Sony - the Xperia Z3. The previous Z2 model was and remains a relevant device in 2014, but Sony decided to improve an already very balanced smartphone. I’ll say right away that the new flagship has many small changes and all of them are positive. In this article we will look at what has been added, what has undergone changes, and what remains in the past. And, of course, we’ll answer the most important question - should I change my already old Z2 to a new smartphone?
In the review, I will focus on the key, important details of the new smartphone, which in one way or another differ from those in its predecessor. Therefore, if I never touch upon the Sony Xperia Z2 in the topic, then nothing significant has changed. The main character of today's article is, of course, the Sony Xperia Z3. And Z2, in cinematic language, has a supporting role. Let's return to the new product.
Equipment
The smartphone comes with a charger (EP880) and a microUSB cable for connecting to a computer or charger. I haven't forgotten anything.
The package actually lacked at least some branded headset.
If in the box from the previous model you could find a pleasant surprise - a very decent MDR NC31EM headset with noise suppression function, now, as they say, don’t blame me. Japanese generosity obviously has its limits.
Design and appearance
The first change that immediately catches your eye is the metal rounded frames. Now there are no square or flat inserts on the sides. The aluminum frame along the entire perimeter is interrupted only by plastic plugs at the corners, which in theory should take the impact when dropped and, thereby, protect the case from serious damage. I didn’t risk doing a crash test with the smartphone provided for review, so I’ll have to take the manufacturer’s word for it.
There are tempered glass panels on the front and back. Of course, there is no factory film. The front glass has an oleophobic coating and does a good job of protecting against fingerprints on the screen. Of course, they still remain on the surface, but in noticeably smaller quantities, and are also easily removed with a soft cloth.
Above the screen there is a proximity sensor, a light sensor and a front camera eye. Everything is unchanged here. But the speaker windows narrowed and crawled from the corners of the case onto the glass plane. We will return to sound later, because there is something to talk about here.
Smartphones are available in several colors: copper, black, white and silver-green.
The company did not come up with any loud names for its color versions, ala heavenly angelic, etc., but limited itself to simple and understandable names. And it is right. The main thing is how it all looks in life. Here I must note that photographs do not convey half of how the smartphone actually looks. I highly recommend going to the store and looking at all the new devices with your own eyes, including the Z3 Compact and Z3 Tablet Compact, holding them in your hands and, as they say, squeezing the devices. Most likely, practical experience of communicating with devices will make a positive impression.
If everything is approximately clear with the black and white variations, then the copper and silver-green models look very stylish and noble. In my opinion, copper looks best in the sun and, in principle, suits any style of clothing.
Recently, both operating systems and various hardware have been developing towards visual simplification. Sony Z3 is no exception. Numerous edges and corners are a thing of the past, the caps have become rounded, and even the screen power button has acquired a more stylish design. This approach can only be welcomed.
I think the Z3's design is one of the best in the entire mobile device market right now.
It’s great that Sony left the physical button responsible for activating the camera and releasing the shutter in the same place. Taking photos using haptic feedback is very convenient.
Under the covers are all the connectors and card slots. Getting the latter out, as before, is inconvenient. You need to have uncut nails (girls don't count), a pick, a pin or something similar so that you can pick up the plastic backing on which the SIM card is placed. You can, of course, try to pry off this tray with the card itself. The latter, by the way, is now Nano SIM.
The backing for the cards is very fragile and can easily be lost. Don't underestimate this detail.
The slot for installing a SIM card has moved to the right side of the smartphone, and on the left, that is, the microUSB port remains in the same place. Just below, in their original place, there are contacts for connecting the Z3 to a special docking station. Let me remind you that it is not included in the kit and is sold separately.
At the top there is a 3.5 mm audio output, next to which there is a microphone hole.
There is nothing on the bottom edge.
And the lanyard loop has moved slightly from the corner of the smartphone to the left side.
The dimensions of the Z3 have decreased compared to its predecessor, but this can only be felt by placing the two devices next to each other. Of course, you can still estimate the sizes using the comparative table:
| Length | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 | 146,5 | |||
| Sony Xperia Z2 | 147,8 | 73,3 | ||
| Samsung Galaxy S5 | 72,5 | |||
| Apple iPhone 6 | 138,1 | |||
| LG G3 | 146,3 | 74,6 | ||
| HTC One (M8) | 146,4 | 70,6 |
The smartphone fits perfectly in the hand. It is moderately large and moderately heavy, but the risk of dropping the device from your hands has increased. Z2, due to its chopped edges, held in the palm very well, but its successor is a little worse. This is not a critical point, but just an observation. The same iPhone 6 is many times more slippery due to the all-metal coating. By the way, the texture of the metal on the frame in the Z3, in my opinion, is almost identical to the apple six.
The body is beautifully put together. There is no play or creaking anywhere. The buttons do not dangle, and the plugs do not fall out. As before, every time you connect a charger or any accessory, the smartphone reminds you to check the tightness of the plugs.
All this is not easy, because the device is capable of being immersed in water to a depth of one and a half meters for no more than 30 minutes (water and dust protection standard IP65/68). Swimming in salt water is not recommended, but just between you and me, you can do it. The main thing is to soak the device in the sea for a short time and then do not forget to rinse the device under running water to wash off the salt, which corrodes the delicate seals of the plugs.
Overall, the device looks interesting and modern, even though only a few months have passed between generations. The colors of the case add a special twist. Some people may not like them, but the solution is interesting from any point of view.
Display
The Z3 has a completely different screen. Yes, it retains a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (423 ppi) and a diagonal of 5.2 inches, but the brightness and colors are completely different here. If Z2 was a little yellow and slightly dull, then Z3 is already cast in a cool blue color. This is clearly visible against a white background and when directly comparing the devices (Z3 on top).
The maximum brightness threshold burns out the eyes, especially indoors. It is better to leave the brightness adjustment to the ambient light sensor, since it works well.
But in the sun, a bright display is a very useful property of any smartphone. Z3 does not lose the picture in direct sunlight and the display remains readable.
The viewing angles are excellent, just like a smartphone (the new one is on top again).
In the menu there are sliders in their place for independently adjusting the display of colors. I don't know if anyone uses these parameters. Still, adjusting the color of a picture is a very thankless task and you need to have relevant experience in this area.
In addition to the already familiar X-Reality for mobile technology, a maximum brightness item has appeared in the Z3 parameters. If the first feature makes the picture in the video player more saturated and clear, then the extreme brightness mode improves the image even more. It looks interesting and lively, I advise you to try it. If you don't like it, you can always disable the feature.
Specifications and performance
It is best to track the dynamics of changes using a comparative table between old and new smartphones (changes are reflected in red).
| Sony Xperia Z2 (D6503) | Sony Xperia Z3 (D6603) | |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.3 GHz (4 cores) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz (4 cores) |
| Video accelerator | Adreno 330 | Adreno 330 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 3 GB |
| Built-in memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory card support | microSD (up to 128 GB) | microSD (up to 128 GB) |
| Display | 5.2’’ IPS, 1920 x 1080 pixels (423 ppi) | |
| Main camera | 20.7 MP | 20.7 MP |
| Front-camera | 2.2 MP | 2.2 MP |
| Battery | 3200 mAh | 3100 mAh |
| OS | Android 4.4.2 | Android 4.4. 4 |
| cellular | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| Interfaces | Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), NFC, aGPS / GLONASS, DLNA, OTG, USB 2.0 | |
| Protection from moisture and dust | IP55 and IP58 | IP65 and IP68 |
In terms of raw numbers, the Z3 isn't much to brag about. The processor clock speed has increased slightly, the battery capacity has decreased to accommodate the thickness of the case, and nothing else interesting.
The flagship still works great in any application, flies through the menu, instantly opens even heavy applications, and so on. Compared to the Z2, the difference in launching heavy toys is approximately 5-10% in favor of the Z3, of course. There's not much to talk about here. We still have one of the most powerful smartphones on the market.
In synthetic tests, the gap between generations is even smaller. Let's look at the screenshots (on the left are the results of the new product, and on the right are the Z2 indicators:
Photo capabilities
The camera in the Z3 deserves a separate analysis.
Compared to its predecessor, the quality of the images has improved, if not by an order of magnitude, then by half an order of magnitude. In addition, the number of preset shooting scenarios and various presets has increased.
First, a little about the numbers. The same proprietary Exmor RS photo module with a resolution of 20.7 MP is installed here. The physical size of the matrix is 1/2.3. Sony notes that the maximum sensitivity of the matrix reaches ISO 12,800. Of course, this threshold is only available when shooting in super auto mode. When manually setting the camera, you can select a maximum of ISO 3200. I was unable to take photos in the dark with a sensitivity higher than ISO 3200, even in super-automatic mode, but the manufacturer still claims this possibility.
I propose to compare pictures taken on both devices under the same conditions and with the same settings. The resolution of all frames is 3264 x 2448 (8 MP), HDR mode is enabled by default. On the left are shots taken with the Xperia Z3, and on the right is its predecessor, the Xperia Z2.
Without HDR (left) and with dynamic range enabled (shots below taken with the Z3 only):
Now let's look at pictures taken with both devices (Z3 on the left as before) at a resolution of 5248 x 3936 (20.7 MP) and image stabilization enabled.
Of course, both devices can do panoramic views (panorama with Z3 on the left):
100% crop (Xperia Z3):
100% crop (Xperia Z2):
So, additional modes.
Face in (with face) allows you to take pictures from two cameras at once: front and rear. The frame with its own face can be changed in size and moved across the screen from place to place, but its design cannot be changed.
Remember the AR effect with virtual dinosaurs and all sorts of fairy-tale gnomes? All this was in the Z2 and other models of the Xperia series.
Now, in addition to this mode, the developers have also preinstalled AR entertainment. You can throw bombs directly into the frame, draw a 3D picture, burn the frame with fire, and so on. It looks very funny and can, even if only for a short time, entertain a group of friends.
Even in the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, I really liked the shooting mode, which is well suited for shooting children, pets and other actively moving objects. The camera independently takes 60 different frames, from which, so to speak, without leaving the cash register, you can choose the best one and save it.
The operating principle is the same. Everything is done very clearly. You can select the part of the video you like and save it immediately.
A pre-selected section of the video is produced in slo-mo (slow motion) style, and everything else is of normal duration. The scenario is not new, and it is also present in Z2, however, the feature is interesting and deserves attention.
I would like to note that you should not get too carried away with these two modes. Literally all captured frames that were not saved are carefully stored by the smartphone in a separate folder, which is not visible from the Gallery. Using a file manager, you can detect them and delete them if you need to clean up space.
There is an opportunity to shoot photos with sound. The duration of the audio stream can be changed while shooting. Viewing, of course, is only possible on the device.
Among the new products we also added multicamera mode. The point is this. The viewfinder is divided into two parts. The first is responsible for shooting with the Z3, and the second receives a signal from the connected device. The mode is only compatible with Xperia devices. Unfortunately, I was unable to connect the Z2, despite the fact that it is the most Xperia device. On the latter, at the moment of connection, a window that was clearly not needed at the moment popped up. Maybe it's the Z3 software. The OS version is currently being actively developed, so it is very likely that this defect will be corrected in the future.
Screenshots of the camera interface are shown below. Fundamentally, the appearance of the photo application has not changed.
You can read the description of the remaining modes yourself in our review.
Front-camera
A 2.2 megapixel matrix is used with a wide-angle (25 mm) G Lens lens. The maximum resolution of pictures and videos, including FullHD (1920 x 1080, 16:9). In the settings you can activate the HDR setting and stabilizer. Of course, they don't work together. Apart from the updated lens, there are no innovations here.
Video shooting
The video camera is capable of recording videos in a maximum resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels at 30 frames per second.
There is a SteadyShot image stabilization function. The peculiarity of her work is as follows. Intelligent Active Mode technology and built-in sensors responsible for recognizing the position of the smartphone in space help the system evaluate the image frame by frame and compensate for hand vibrations. With active stabilization, the resolution drops to 1080p and the frame rate to 30.
Example FullHD video:
Sound
On the front side, top and bottom, there are external speakers, which have been redesigned and begin to reproduce sound an order of magnitude louder and clearer than it was in the Z2. The difference is especially noticeable in dynamic and loud toys. At maximum volume, the entire body of the smartphone begins to resonate, but in this case this is not bad. I didn't notice any extraneous squeaks or rattles.
The S-Force Front Surround setting, which is activated from the player menu, in my opinion, only spoils the picture. The speakers sound very good and clear without it.
In the headphone playback settings, there is a five-band equalizer in its rightful place, a ClearBass setting, as well as interesting sound presets for various branded headphones.
As for the sound through third-party headphones, everything is at the highest level. As in other smartphones from the company, in my opinion, the ClearAudio+ setting makes the sound a little richer and more interesting. Otherwise, additional settings for audio effects have appeared.
The video player has also not changed and supports the following files for playback: 3GPP, MP4, Matroska, AVI, Xvid, WebM.
PS4 Remote Play
Only in the new series of devices (I'm talking about the Z3, Z3 Compact and the Z3 Tablet compact) support for PS4 has been added, the essence of which is as follows. You can stream the game directly from the console to your smartphone and continue playing literally from pause using DUALSHOCK4.
I think it’s clear that you need a fourth version console and the same joystick. The smartphone and console must be connected to the same wireless network. In addition, do not forget about the special mount for the device on the controller.
Battery
Interestingly, the manufacturer installed a smaller battery in the new smartphone: 3100 mAh in the Z3 versus 3200 in the Z2. This is obviously due to a decrease in the thickness of the case and overall dimensions. The battery is, of course, non-removable.
Reducing the battery capacity did not affect battery life in any way. You will be provided with one day at a very high load. With moderate handling of the device (two hours of Internet via 3G, two hours via Wi-Fi, several dozen pictures from the main camera, an hour of listening to music through headphones), you can hope for a day and a half of work. Not more.
If it suddenly becomes clear that the battery charge may not be enough, then from the parameters you should activate the STAMINA mode, which disables all synchronization and communications of the smartphone to the outside world while the smartphone screen is turned off.
In the Z3, the developers also added the Ultra STAMINA mode, in which the system cuts off almost all applications and communications with the outside world, with the exception of the phone function, messages, FM radio, camera, alarm clock and several other utilities. In this scenario, the device can survive even at 30 percent charge for an additional 3-4 days.
Bottom line
Over the past years, I have been watching with great interest the development of the flagship line from Sony. From generation to generation, Sony refines its products and with each new release, you want to stop and say: “This is it!” The same can be said about the Z3. However, there is still room for growth. You can install an even better camera, upgrade the processor to Qualcomm Snapdragon 805, remove blue light from the screen, and so on. Do users need this? But where to go, because in January we will most likely see a new flagship.
Is it worth spending your money on the Sony Xperia Z3?
There are two possible scenarios:
1. You are the owner of a Sony Z2. In this case, I think there is no point in changing your smartphone. The second “zedka” remains and will remain a relevant smartphone for at least another year. It has excellent performance, a good camera and an interesting design. All the improvements in the new smartphone are not worth upgrading from the Z2.
2. You are the owner of Sony Z, Z1 or have not yet joined the 2014 flagship users. In this situation, I would advise you to opt for the Z3. At least try holding the smartphone in your hands before making the final purchase. This is not the best camera on the market, but it is a very good camera with a great variety of additional effects. The new Japanese flagship is very powerful and, I think, most importantly, it has the best design on the market. I’ll say something terrible, but the Xperia Z3, in my opinion, looks better than the iPhone 6. And the design for a device costing 29,990–38,990 rubles (as of early February 2015) is important.
In a number of parameters, it is ahead, albeit slightly, of its predecessor Xperia Z2. Many users tend to believe that the difference between these models is almost unnoticeable, and Sony’s tendency to release a new flagship every six months is unfounded. But if you look at this move from the other side, you can understand that in this way the manufacturer is carefully working through the shortcomings of previous models, and also making a number of updates. It’s just surprising that some advanced technologies that have long been present in smartphones from the manufacturer have not appeared.
This article will not describe in detail those aspects that could be implemented in the device, but will consider the most striking and significant differences between the Sony Xperia Z3 and for the better.
1. The color scheme and design have become more stylish. Although the case is still made in accordance with the OmniBalance concept, there are also new features - rounded side edges without an edge. The corners here are made of polymer, which can protect the phone and reduce the possibility of damage. When the device falls, the weight will be distributed, and the impact will be at the angle. The Xperia Z3 is 7.3 millimeters thick, has smaller bezels around the display, and a more compact and lighter appearance than its predecessor.
2. Xperia Z3 never received the Snapdragon 805 chipset, which was most likely left for the next generation. However, the processor power has been increased - an overclocked version of the Snapdragon MSM8974 801-AC, where the maximum core clock speed is 2.5 GHz. Thus, the already high productivity was slightly increased.
3. Similar to its predecessor, the Xperia Z3 has a camera with a resolution of 20.7 MP. But there is also a wide-angle 25mm Sony G Lens, which allows you to fit even more objects into the frame. The new creation from Sony boasts that its camera has the highest light sensitivity - a maximum of ISO 12800. This means that the owner of the device will receive high-quality images with virtually no noise, even if they are taken in poor lighting.
4. Improved water resistance parameters thanks to the highest degree of IP65\68 certification. While the immersion indicators remained unchanged - 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
5. Those who value high-quality sound will appreciate the new DSEE HX (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) technologies, as well as Hi-ResAudio, thanks to which the sound has become even cleaner and clearer.
6. The new UltraSTAMINA mode will increase the operating time of the smartphone, but at the same time limit some functions.
