Review and testing of the Sony Xperia Z5 Dual smartphone. Review of the Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone: an emotional revolution Fingerprint sensor

Revolutionary camera and innovative design. Meet the smartphone that makes every frame a masterpiece.

Features of the Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone

Capture life's moments with our fast autofocus. Sony Xperia Z5 allows you to capture life's important moments before they pass. Thanks to hybrid autofocus technology, the Sony Xperia Z5 can rightfully be considered the best camera phone, a champion in speed and accuracy. With a 23-megapixel camera and powerful 5x zoom feature, Xperia Z5 can capture even the fastest moments. Very clear and on the first try.

Xperia Z5 combines two technologies to deliver extremely accurate and fast (0.03 sec) autofocus.

You can get up to five times closer to your subject without losing quality thanks to the power of Sony's innovative image sensors, lenses and exclusive Clear Image Zoom technology.

Sony's best low-light technology. The night never loses its charm with the Xperia Z5. With Sony's next-generation image sensor, you can capture the beauty of the night in your photos. Without any noise or blur.

Feel the unique design of Sony Xperia Z5. Metal case with high-quality engraving. Smooth outlines, simple shape. And the back cover is made of frosted glass, elegant in appearance and pleasant to the touch.

A little rain is not a problem. With a waterproof and dustproof design, you don't have to worry about the weather.

Sometimes you can get wet in the rain, and sometimes your device gets splashed with water or spilled drinks. Xperia Z5 has the most water-resistant (all ports and covers must be tightly closed) body from Sony, complies with the IP68 standard. A little rain won't bother you.

The Sony Xperia Z5 has a new fingerprint sensor built into its power button. It's conveniently located on the side of your phone, so you can grab your phone and safely unlock it with one easy move.

The battery has also become more efficient; its charge lasts for two days. The Sony Xperia Z5 delivers incredibly long battery life - two days (calls, texts, web browsing, social media, games, music, photography and viewing, online video streaming, video recording and playback) on a single charge. Listen to more music, talk all day long, and don't worry about running out of juice no matter where you are. When you need to charge your Xperia Z5, use the fast charger to keep your phone running all day in just 45 minutes.

Only the best sound

Thanks to Hi-Resolution Audio technology, your music will sound in original quality. By encoding audio at a higher sampling rate than a regular disc and decompressing files, Sony devices deliver detailed, polished audio.

DSEE HX's intelligent technology upscales low-quality and compressed audio files to near the highest level, automatically matching any missing data to each song. And ClearAudio+ technology optimizes frequency balance, delivering perfect stereo sound.

Bright colors

Imagine the best of Sony TV technology in a smartphone. A clear, bright display in the palm of your hand. Xperia Z5 Premium's 4K Ultra HD display - four times the resolution of Full HD - delivers an unparalleled viewing experience.

Our 4K display represents a huge technological step forward. By increasing the total number of pixels, the image has an extremely high resolution of 806 dpi. That's about 10 times more pixels than a Full HD TV, and more than twice as many as most smartphones.

Accurately rendered colors are the key to a vivid viewing experience. They can change the mood and bring images to life. That's why Sony has developed TRILUMINOS Display for mobile devices. This unique development combines Live Color LED and Live Color Creation technologies to enhance colors.

From low-quality photos and videos to high-definition movies, the unique X-Reality image processor optimizes color, sharpness, contrast and reduces noise so your favorite moments are captured in Full HD.

Any lighting, any angle, any content. The display of the Sony Xperia Z5 easily copes with all challenges. The contrast filter improves viewing from any angle, and blacks look blacker and sharper than ever.

The Xperia Z5's display features a powerful LCD backlight, and a unique filter keeps more of that light from scattering. What's the result? Amazing contrast and impressive depth of blacks from any viewing angle.

Play anywhere

With PS4 Remote Play feature, you can access your PS4 console via your smartphone and play in any room.

Discover distant galaxies from the kitchen. Score spectacular goals on the balcony. PS4 Remote Play allows you to fully immerse yourself in the game. From any part of your home.

Setup is quite simple. Make sure your PS4 and Xperia device are connected to your home Wi-Fi network. Then download the Remote Play program from the Google Play website and start playing.

Specifications Sony Xperia Z5

Memory and storage: 3 GB RAM and up to 32 GB flash memory.

Supports microSD cards with memory capacity up to 200 GB.

Supported SIM cards: One nano SIM format SIM card.

Operating system: Google Android™ 5.1 (Lollipop).

Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (MSM8994).

GPU: Adreno 430 64-bit octa-core processor.

Battery: 2,900 mAh.

Security: Waterproof and dustproof. Protection class IP65 and IP68 (Smartphones and phones with a similar protection class are presented in a wide range at http://beconnect.com.ua/).

Weight: 156.5 grams.

Dimensions: 146 x 72.1 x 7.45 mm.

Color: graphite, white, golden, green.

Display: Triluminos Display 5.2 inches, Full HD 1080p (1920 x 1080).

Main camera: 23-megapixel Sony Exmor RS sensor:

• Hybrid autofocus (0.03 sec);
• Five times Clear Image Zoom;
• Eight times digital zoom;
• Wide-angle G Lens with 24mm focal length;
• ISO sensitivity up to 12800 for photos and 3200 for video;
• SteadyShot function with Smart Motion Capture mode - image stabilization system for video recordings;
• 4K video recording;
• Pulse LED flash.

Front camera: 5MP front camera with Sony Exmor R sensor (Full HD Video, SteadyShot, 25mm wide-angle lens).

Networks: GSM GPRS, UMTS HSPA (3G), LTE (4G) / LTE (4G) category 6.

Connectivity: aGPS, Bluetooth® 4.1 wireless, DLNA Certified, Wi-Fi MIMO, MHL 3.0, NFC.

Fingerprint sensor.

Sound: High-Resolution Audio (LPCM, FLAC, ALAC, DSD), DSEE HX, LDAC

Entertainment:

• PlayMemories;
• PS4 Remote Play.

Main accessories:

• SmartWatch 3;
• Audio headset with high quality sound (MDR-NC750).

Sony has been acting very strange this year. First there was the Z4, which, as it turned out, would only be sold in Japan; later, for some reason, the Z3+ was released for the rest of the world. And just yesterday the company introduced a new flagship - Sony Xperia Z5. It would seem that here it is, a new super smartphone, but this is still the same Z3+ with very cosmetic changes.

Visually, the new flagship is a complete successor to the previous flagship - Sony Xperia Z3 and its “positive” version: there is a thin metal frame in front, a tempered glass panel on the back, but already matte (change number one) - a beloved design classic from Sony. On the other hand, this is already a rather boring classic.

The new flagship now has no plug for the Micro USB connector, but it is still protected from moisture and dust. Consider this the second difference.

Thirdly, not a single modern flagship can do without a fingerprint scanner, and Sony also keeps up with the times. Now the fingerprint sensor is built right into the power button on the side. So you won’t immediately understand why the classic chrome Power button was removed.

By the way, in the screenshot below you can evaluate what has happened to the key indicated above over the past years. A very clear picture.

The smartphone also supports the FIDO standard - authorization via fingerprints for making online payments. In general, everything is trendy!

If from afar (and up close, by and large) there are no visible differences in front and behind, but the sides have again undergone changes. Cosmetic. Moreover, it seemed to me not for the better.

So, in Z3 there were noble, perfectly rounded edges, and in Z5 the middle of all ends of the device was made flat.

The result was as if an incompetent craftsman had not completed his work and had not properly rounded the sides. In general, the decision is controversial.

Maybe Sony will release the Z5+ before the end of the new year and everything will return to normal?

On one side there is a flap that covers the SIM card and memory card tray. As before, a special backing is used here, which is impossible to get if you don’t have long nails or a needle at hand.

The first and, in my opinion, the coolest distinctive feature of the Xperia Z5 is the new 23 MP camera with a large 1/2.3-inch Exmor RSTM matrix and an F2.0 G lens. I would like to separately note that the camera module (number of megapixels) for Sony smartphones have not been updated since the Xperia Z1, and this is neither more nor less - since February 2013, that is, 2.5 years. The module is also supplemented with αTM camera technologies for clearer and brighter images.

The image capture speed of 0.037 seconds is even faster than the time it takes for a human to blink, which is impressive! Also, it is possible to use 5x zoom and, as Sony assures, with minimal loss of quality. Something like a smart, but still digital zoom. Low-light shooting has also been improved with an updated version of SteadyShot TM image stabilization.

In general, the Japanese promise that the smartphone will take great pictures. Perhaps you should believe it, because Sony has long eaten the dog in photography.

Xperia Z5 is equipped with a powerful 64-bit, eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor with support for 4G LTE networks and new energy-saving technology, with which the smartphone can last up to two days without recharging. With Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0, you can use your smartphone for 5.5 hours after a 10-minute charge using a QC 2.0 charger.

Now let's look at everything specifications new flagship Xperia Z5 and compare it with the previous one - Xperia Z3. We will not take Z3+ into account, since it is an incomprehensible, intermediate link.

	Sony Xperia Z3	Sony Xperia Z5
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz (4 cores)	Qualcomm Snapdragon810 (MSM8994)
Video accelerator	Adreno 330	Adreno 430 GPU
RAM	3 GB	3 GB
Built-in memory	16 GB	32 GB
Memory card support	microSD (up to 128 GB)	microSD (up to 200 GB)
Display	5.2’’ IPS, 1920 x 1080 pixels (424 ppi)	5.2’’ IPS, 1920 x 1080 pixels(424 ppi) 1080 p
Main camera	20.7 MP	23 MP
Front-camera	2.2 MP	5 MP
Battery	3100 mAh	2900 mAh
OS	Android 4.4.4 (5.0 available for download)	Android 5.1 (Lollipop)
cellular	2G, 3G, 4G Cat. 4	2G, 3G, 4G Cat. 6
Interfaces	Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), NFC, aGPS / GLONASS, DLNA, OTG, USB 2.0	Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi MIMO, NFC, aGPS / GLONASS, DLNA, OTG, USB 2.0
Protection from moisture and dust	IP65 and IP68	IP65 and IP68
Dimensions	146.5 x 72 x 7.3 mm	146 x 72 x 7.3 mm
Weight	152 g	154 g

Of course, Sony didn’t forget about music lovers, and now High-Res Audio reproduces sound with studio quality. DSEE HXTM technology allows you to achieve high quality sound when playing MP3 or AAC files. Also, Sony's new LDAC codec transmits data over Bluetooth three times faster than the previous generation, allowing you to listen to high-quality music wirelessly. In general, they thought about our brother. Thank you!

New goodies, accessories and functions:

Sony introduces the new MDR-NC750 Hi-Res Audio headset with reduced background noise.

Also, they didn’t forget about the stereo Bluetooth headset and introduced a new device - SBH54. The headset not only allows you to talk without using headphones, but also allows you to read messages, play music and use FM radio.

The new PS4 Remote Play10 feature allows you to play PlayStation 4 games from anywhere in your home by connecting your device to your PS4 via Wi-Fi and using a wireless controller.

And finally - users Xperia Z5 also get access to the Xperia Lounge Gold service.

The start of sales worldwide is scheduled for October, and the cost is approximately 53,500.

Updated!

On October 5, 2015, the Russian division of Sony announced that the new flagship Z5 will go on sale in mid-October this year. The official price of the new product stopped at 49,990 rubles. In addition, the Dual version (with two SIM cards) will cost the same as a regular smartphone modification.

• Class: flagship
• Form factor: monoblock
• Case material: aluminum, glass
• Operating system: Android 5.1.1, some changes in the menu, redrawn icons
• Network: one or two SIM cards, one radio module, GSM/EDGE, WCDMA, LTE (nanoSIM) supported
• Platform: Qualcomm Snapdragon 810
• CPU: 4x ARM Cortex-A57 MPcore + 4x ARM Cortex-A53 MPcore
• RAM: 3 GB
• Storage memory: 32 GB, microSD memory card slot (200 GB cards supported)
• Interfaces: Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n|ac), dual-band, Bluetooth 4.1, microUSB connector (USB 2.0) for charging/synchronization, 3.5 mm for headset, fingerprint sensor
• Screen: 5.2’’, capacitive, 1920x1080 pixels (FHD), 2.5D glass, automatic backlight level adjustment, oleophobic coating
• Camera: 23 MP, 4K video recording, hybrid autofocus, 5x lossless zoom, LED flash
• Front camera: 5 MP, wide-angle lens
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS (A-GPS support)
• Sensors: accelerometer, position sensor, gyroscope, light sensor
• Battery: non-removable, 2800 mAh capacity
• Dimensions: 146 x 72.1 x 7.5 mm
• Weight: 154 g
• Price: 49,990 rubles (versions with one and two SIM cards cost the same, the price is indicated in the official Sony store)

Design, construction

I was given a silver-colored device for testing, here you can see all the updates to the design code of the current flagship line - the color of the splash screen matches the color of the body, minimalism, matte material, and the smartphone almost always looks neat and clean. The recognizable button has been replaced by a fingerprint sensor, at the bottom left is the Xperia engraving, above the screen and at the bottom are strips of speakers, and quite loud ones, this applies to both conversational and ordinary ones. The ends are metal, with damping inserts; upon impact, the energy does not spread throughout the entire body, but only in one area, this has a positive effect on the survivability of the smartphone. There are no films here, the front of the display is covered by glass, the back is glass, polished in a special way, it looks very cool.

There are only four colors: black, gold, green and gray, as in the review. If I decided to buy a Z5, I would choose either green or gold - I'm already tired of black and silver smartphones.

On the other hand, I advise everyone to pay attention to the black one, they made it matte, it looks cool. As a fan of Sonistyl, I can’t help but note that the current flagship line looks much more interesting than the previous one. All the best Sony discoveries of recent years are embodied here. The microUSB and 3.5 mm connectors do not have plugs, so you don’t have to constantly pull them, and there is protection from water, Sony will talk less about this now (to avoid problems), but rain will not damage the device.

The traditional groove for attaching the strap has been preserved, the buttons are very well made, they are pressed moderately softly, moderately elastically - the camera button will help you quickly take a picture if you see something interesting on the street. The behavior of the button can be customized.

There is one flap on the left, it contains a panel with cutouts for a SIM card and memory card. A convenient solution, the main thing is to pick up the edge of this panel and pull it out. NanoSIM cards, if you have a “micro” one, I recommend not cutting them off, but getting a new card from the operator. Memory cards of any possible capacity are supported, this allows you to seriously increase the device's memory. When installing a card in the “Camera” you are prompted to choose where to save the pictures.

This is what is written on the official website about water protection, I think everyone who is going to buy a smartphone needs to know this information:

“The Xperia Z5 is protected from water and dust, making it resistant to heavy rain or washing under the tap (however, remember that all ports and covers must be securely closed). The device must not be completely submerged under water or exposed to sea water, salt water, chlorinated water or liquids such as alcoholic beverages. Incorrect or improper use of the device will void the warranty. The device is assigned protection class IP65/68. Please note that the Xperia Z5 has a USB charging port for connecting to other devices, which does not have a cover. If your smartphone has been exposed to water, charge it only after the USB port is completely dry."

That is, it’s better not to shoot underwater.

By the way, the sides on the back protrude slightly, this is done in order to raise the glass above the table. Contrary to the reviews, I didn’t feel the sides cut into my palm too much, and there was no discomfort.

Display

The diagonal of the IPS display is 5.2 inches, the resolution is FullHD, it supports a number of proprietary technologies, such as TRILUMINOS and X-Reality Engine. Here's what they write on the official website:

• X-Reality technology for mobile devices analyzes every image on the screen and optimizes colors, sharpness and contrast. The result is photos and videos with incredible detail and low noise.
• The TRILUMINOS Display and Live Color LED technology provide the widest color palette with vibrant reds, natural greens and blues.

Display settings allow you to change the appearance of the clock on the lock screen, select system icons for the status bar, enable the image enhancement mentioned above, X-reality, extreme brightness mode or turn off all enhancements, there is a “glove” mode, which will also help you use your smartphone under rain or snow. There is adaptive backlight control, white balance adjustment too, I tried to customize it for myself, but I stayed at the usual settings. This is the most convenient way and doesn’t hurt your eyes. All other functions are familiar. If you have vision problems, you can choose the font size. The typical Sony function that allows you to wake up your smartphone by tapping the screen twice works here. Two taps, the screen lights up, it always works, it’s very convenient when the Z5 is in the cradle or lying on the table. The “backlight control” function is quite interesting: when the device is in your hands, the backlight works, when you put the device on the table, the screen turns off.

I can’t say anything special about the display, even if I wanted to – it’s a completely normal screen for a modern smartphone.

Fingerprint sensor

On production devices, the sensor works the same as on prototypes, there are no complaints. A corresponding section appears in the “Security” menu, where you can assign up to five fingerprints to the sensor. The process itself is simple: you place your finger several times until the scale is full, everything is similar to other similar systems. Then you indicate what exactly the sensor will do, and you start using it. I like that unlocking takes a split second, you place your finger and immediately find yourself on the desktop, without pattern keys and other nonsense. I note that you don’t even have to press the button, just put your finger on it. There were practically no false positives - if there were, it was most likely my fault.

All flagship Sony smartphones have a scanner with a button, so this section is identical for the Sony Xperia Z5, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact and Sony Xperia Z5 Premium.

Here I’ll tell you about one interesting incident, maybe it will be useful for owners of smart watches and other accessories. One fine Saturday evening in October, I was sitting with friends in a restaurant and having fun, not paying attention to my phone. When there was a pause in the conversation, I took a look at my mail. A letter arrived from a reader. He wrote this:

"Good evening. I found a minus with a fingerprint. You can unlock the phone with another finger. How will Sony react to this?” At first I put the phone down. Then, after thinking, I went ahead and wrote an answer.

Hello, how is this possible?

The man answered quickly, clearly the problem excited him.

Don't know. I sat and played casually. And I found it. I tried to rewrite the software update, but it remained. Tomorrow I'll go and try on another device.

Please write what the results of the check will be.

At this point we parted, but in the morning the correspondence continued.

Hello. I changed the phone and the same thing. Where you should write is interesting. What a minus for Sony. What should I do? I always look at phone reviews on your site. What's next?

How exactly does everything happen?

A reader sent me a video, I won’t show it here - after all, personal information and all that. The phone has one fingerprint installed, for the thumb. Alex, that’s the name of our reader, presses several times with another finger, for example, the index finger, and the unlocking occurs. To be honest, I was scared. Did Sony make a bad sensor? Is this a massive bug? Forwarded the video and our correspondence to colleagues at Sony. I must say that Alex lives in England, he talked with technical support, talked in the showroom, no one helped him there, so I started to worry - after all, if it was some kind of trick, the specialists would certainly help, right?

A couple of hours later a response came from Sony:

“This situation is normal. The user has the Smart Lock function enabled, which allows you to unlock the phone when connected to some accessory, which is like an authorization for access.

In this case, he has a Pebble watch in this role. When the Smart Lock function is enabled, the lock icon on the lock screen is circled, and in principle you can get into the phone not only by using the wrong finger, but simply by swiping the screen.

The function is located in this path: Settings – Security – Smart Lock.”

And literally five minutes later a letter arrived from Alex: “The problem was, I hope, in the smart lock. I’m just wearing a PEBBLE smart watch and I entered it as TRUSTED. That's why it worked. Now it's turned off. Let's see. So far everything is fine, the other finger doesn’t work.”

Phew. You can breathe out. Two conclusions can be drawn from this story. First, you need to learn the hardware - this is the first time I’ve heard about Smart Lock. It’s strange that Sony technical support couldn’t figure out the problem, especially since there’s a hint here, a lock in a circle. The second conclusion is that if you are doing a fingerprint, then turn off Smart Lock. Otherwise, what is the use of protection? A colleague can easily take the phone, unlock it, look at photos or something else, and put the device back.

The original note and a short discussion were in our Android section, visit there often.

Performance

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor is used, as you know, this is a rather “warm” solution, so I went to visit my friend, the owner of an infrared thermometer. It was interesting to see what the heating is like in numbers - in fact, the heat is well felt when shooting video, not only in 4K, but also when shooting a simple video. So, I used the method described by colleagues from Androidcentral. If you turn on shooting in 4K and leave the device, or put it on a tripod, the temperature of the cover on the back reaches forty degrees, that is, it is very hot. And even when you start shooting 4K video, there's a warning that temperatures may rise.

If you don’t shoot video and just use your smartphone, write SMS, use a browser and other normal tasks, the cover in the area of ​​the NFC module becomes warm, but nothing more. The moment associated with heating needs to be taken into account, but it’s hardly worth worrying about.

You can read more about the processor. The remaining features are as follows: 3 GB of RAM (the Z5 Compact has 2 GB of memory), 32 GB of internal memory, a microSD slot, and LTE support. Android version 5.1.1. Adreno 430 is responsible for graphics, wireless interfaces are Bluetooth 4.1 and 802.11n/ac. Let me remind you once again that the Z5 and Z5 Premium will have two SIM cards with LTE, the “compact” only has a version with one SIM card.

We talked with company representatives about how it would be nice to get a version with 64 GB of memory - you know, sometimes even the best memory cards behave strangely and this affects the operation of applications installed on microSD. Until Sony changes anything, learn to use the built-in 32 GB correctly and buy normal memory cards. At least this makes me happy - there is no loss of rights.

Finally – screenshots from Antutu. They say that if you run them several times in a row, the results get worse, here are the results of the first test.

Peculiarities

A little about other features of the smartphone:

• It supports working in tandem with PS4; in other words, Xperia turns into a screen, you pick up the joystick and play. Considering the diagonal of the display, it’s better not to do this on a “compact”. And on Premium it’s quite possible to play some simple games, which is what I do.
• Old accessories are supported - I mean, from other Z series smartphones with a five-pin connector. A noise canceling headset and microphone will work just fine.

• The new Sony MDR-NC750 headset has been announced, it has noise cancellation, and the built-in microphones can also be used when shooting video, which (as they say) allows you to record sound with unprecedented quality. Haven't checked yet. The feature only works with the Z5 family. The test will be released on the website soon.

• There is much less pre-installed software garbage, this is also noticeable. One less screen.

• As before, there is support for mini-applications, click on the button for selecting open applications, a list is displayed below, you can download something else. There is a calculator, a timer, a browser, taking a screenshot, a calendar, a mini-player, there is even a mirror - the front camera turns on, you can quickly check the condition of the face.
• Sony style player, good sound quality, tried it with different headphones. The device supports high-resolution sound out of the box, LPCM, FLAC, ALAC, DSD formats, there is ClearAudio +, the LDAC codec is supported - transferring music via Bluetooth in maximum quality, you just need headphones that support the same codec. So far only Sony has this, the Sony MDR-1ABT model. In general, in terms of music, the Z5 line may be interesting for music lovers, since there is no need to install additional players in order to listen to the same FLAC files. Add an amplifier to the Z5, good headphones, experiment with the software, and you have a beginner audiophile's kit.

• Bluetooth 4.1 is used, the ANT+ profile is supported for use with sports equipment, there is NFC, DLNA, Wi-Fi MIMO, MHL 3.0. Using an MHL cable, you can connect the Z5 to a TV and use it to play video (for example).

Cameras

The front camera is 5 MP, uses wide-angle optics, taking selfies is a pleasure. Of course, if you love this genre. The main camera is 23 MP, from what you definitely need to know before buying - it really has very, very fast autofocus. The second point is related to optical zoom. Look at the photo of the Kremlin taken from the bridge, this is where magnification was used. It is clear that the program tried to paint the picture; it looks good on a smartphone screen, but artifacts are noticeable on a laptop screen. In general, I don’t recommend using magnification in smartphones, and I don’t recommend doing this for the Z5 either; in extreme cases, it’s possible, but you shouldn’t really count on good results.

Sample photos

The overall impression is what matters. It's now much easier to get a good shot with the Z5 series, especially compared to the Z3. If your hand doesn’t tremble, the pictures turn out to be of very high quality: razor sharpness, natural colors, even in not the best lighting you can count on a good result. Shooting videos in 4K is hardly a strong marketing advantage, especially given how quickly your smartphone heats up, but you can make such videos and then watch them on a 4K-capable TV. Or watch it on your smartphone screen. I hope that this year we will do a comparative test of the cameras of modern flagships, we’ll see who wins.

Don't forget, there will also be tests of the small Z5 and Z5 Premium on the site, so there will be more pictures for you to draw your own conclusions about the device's camera.

Finally, a little about the operating modes:

• Super auto mode, as simple and comfortable as possible for any user;
• Manually, here you can select the maximum resolution, set ISO and other parameters;
• AR effect, something like augmented reality, when masks appear on people in the lens, dinosaurs, gnomes and so on walk around, the device gets very hot, but copes with the task quite quickly;
• 4K video, everything is clear here, video with maximum resolution, all my videos were shot in bad weather, I’m waiting for the sun to show you a good example. Looks great on a smartphone screen;
• AR mask, very strange selfie;
• Portrait in style, another mode for selfies;
• Artistic effect, everything is clear here, filters;
• Panoramic view;
• Creating stickers from photos;
• Timeshift video, slow motion effects;
• Inserting a face into an image;
• Multi-camera, recording the same scene from different angles on one screen;
• Taking photos and recording sound.

You can download additional effects, applications for the camera, some of the interesting ones I found were Vine, short videos, Evernote, everything is clear with this.

Working hours

A 2900 mAh battery is installed, QuickCharge 2.0 fast charging technology is supported, after charging for 45 minutes the smartphone can supposedly work all day. Naturally, it all depends on your particular use. Sony declares two days of work for the Z5 line, but this is a bit far-fetched. If you shoot 4K video on the Z5, the battery will run out very quickly. Here we must say this: in theory, smartphones of the Z5 line can work for two days. In practice, everything depends on you.

The already familiar energy saving modes are supported.

The included power supply will be different; it does not support QuickCharge - you will need to buy such a power supply separately. I would like to remind you that I tested the UCH-10, a power supply with QuickCharge support, you can read it.

conclusions

There are no questions about the conversational speaker. HD sound is supported, I really like this feature, it’s like the person you’re talking to is standing next to you. You quickly get used to good things. There are no questions about the quality of communication, you can feel the vibration in your pocket, the regular speaker is not too loud - it doesn’t scream, and in a noisy place it’s easy to miss a call or notification.

In official retail, the device costs 49,990 rubles, this applies to both the version with one and two SIM cards, I would immediately buy DualSIM, if only just in case. I suggest you decide on the color yourself; silver seems to me the most practical; prints on white are not so noticeable.

What I liked:

• Assembly, device design. Of the Android smartphones, three devices I definitely like are the Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE +, Blackberry Priv and the entire new Z5 line. Both “mini”, Premium and regular smartphones look great. It's simply nice to pick it up and use it every day. Protection from water here is conditional, keep this in mind;
• The camera will probably still be improved, but even now it shoots more interestingly than its predecessor;
• The fingerprint sensor is well made;
• Advanced musical capabilities;
• There is a slot for memory cards;
• Minimum of unnecessary software;
• Absence of any shell;
• Good battery life;
• Interesting accessories that work with PS4.

What I didn't like:

• Heating of the processor and related incidents - for example, the camera may be closed at the most inopportune moment;
• No headset included;
• I would recommend that Sony pay more attention to the speakers of the smartphone and see how this is done on other devices - at least on the iPhone;
• The screen will not please those who have dealt with other modern smartphones;
• There is no wireless charging, although many are already accustomed to this function.

What else interesting things can you buy for this money?

• iPhone 6S, memory depends on the version of the smartphone - if you buy an American, you can get 64 GB;
• Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE, version with 32 GB of memory costs comparable money.

Reviews of these smartphones are on the website, I recommend checking them out. There is no point in listing other devices; consumers in Russia have the highest level of knowledge and respect for the Sony brand, so you can safely put the Z5 and Apple and Samsung products in the mix. What exactly to choose is up to you. I will only note that the iPhone still cannot be excluded from comparison - the price is painfully similar. Another OS, another world, but maybe someone just decides to try it? As for Samsung, it has a space design, good materials, a good camera, but the shell can be intimidating. As well as the inability to increase memory. By the way, I also wouldn’t recommend anyone to buy an iPhone 6S with 16 GB of memory; at a minimum, you need a version with 64 GB.

And, if you looked at the price of the Z5 with sarcasm, now, remembering the features of other modern flagships, you will no longer be so categorical, right? It’s good when there is a curved screen, but it’s even better when there is more than a hundred gigs of memory. Here you can choose for yourself what is more important.

Modern prices are very surprising, so I wouldn’t be surprised if consumers now scoop up the Z3 and Z3+ and bypass the flagships. Expensive. Still very expensive. Sony will show the next flagship in 2016, most likely at IFA in September next year. It may well be that we will also see a Z5-based phablet and a tablet made on the same platform.

I personally really like the updated line. If you are choosing the very best smartphone to use for several years, be sure to include the Z5 in the comparison.

The Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone differs from its predecessors not only in its updated design, but also in the fingerprint scanner built into the power button, as well as the main camera with very fast autofocus. Vesti.Hi-tech understood all the features of the new flagship.

A premium smartphone is usually accompanied by a smaller version of it, which retains the name of the flagship in its name. So, for example, I performed with the first one in a duet. But at the IFA 2015 exhibition in Berlin, the Japanese corporation Sony rolled out the original Xperia Z5, and, in addition, its premium Xperia Z5 Premium and compact Xperia Z5 Compact versions. Moreover, all these technologically advanced, convenient, productive, and simply beautiful devices are made in different form factors. Obviously, with the help of such a trio, an attempt is made to satisfy the widest range of buyers. Note that the flagship Xperia Z5, which was the first to be tested, is available with both one SIM card (models E6603 and E6653) and two (models E6633 and E6683).

Specifications

• Model: E6683
• OS: Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop) with Xperia proprietary shell
• Processor: 64-bit 8-core (4 cores ARM Cortex-A57 2.0 GHz + 4 cores ARM Cortex-A53 1.5 GHz), Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 platform (MSM8994), DSP Hexagon V56 (800 MHz)
• Graphics subsystem: Adreno 430 (650 MHz)
• RAM: 3 GB (LPDDR4, 1600 MHz)
• Storage memory: 32 GB (22.5 GB available, 21.8 GB free), microSDXC memory card slot (up to 200 GB)
• Screen: 5.2 inches, IPS Triluminos, Full HD, X-Reality, 424 ppi, 700 nits, sRGB 130%, up to 10 simultaneous touches
• Cameras: main - 1/2.3-inch sensor, 23 MP Exmor RS, f/2.0, wide-angle G Lens, 24 mm EGF, hybrid autofocus (0.03 s), flash, 4K video (3840x2160 pixels) @30fps, ISO 12,800/3,200 (photo/video), front - 5 MP, Exmor R, wide-angle G Lens, EGF 25 mm, SteadyShot stabilization, Full HD 1080p
• Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS HSPA+, LTE Cat. 6 (300 Mbit/s)
• SIM cards: two nanoSIM (4FF), Dual SIM Dual Standby
• Interfaces: Bluetooth 4.1, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 GHz + 5 GHz), Wi-Fi Direct, NFC, MHL 3.0, USB-OTG, DLNA
• Navigation: GPS/GLONASS, A-GPS
• Radio: FM tuner with RDS
• Features: dustproof and waterproof (IP65/IP68)
• Sensors: accelerometer, light and proximity sensors, gyroscope, compass (Hall sensor), barometer, fingerprint scanner
• Battery: non-removable, lithium polymer, 2,900 mAh
• Dimensions: 146x72.1x7.45 mm
• Weight: 156.5 grams
• Color: Graphite Black, White, Gold, Emerald Green

Design, ergonomics

There have been noticeable changes in the design of the Xperia Z5 compared to its predecessor (); the device is even somewhat similar to the founder of the series, .

Thus, the metal frame (here it is made of aluminum) along the perimeter of the case received a new geometry - it became more strict and less rounded.

In addition, a stylish laser engraving of the Xperia brand appeared on it next to the lower left shockproof corner. But the main change affected the power/lock button - a “metal rivet”, which, starting in the spring of 2013, has been a signature feature of Xperia smartphones. Now it has been sacrificed in favor of a built-in ultrasonic fingerprint sensor, which would be completely ineffective on the tiny surface of the “rivet”. In addition, changes affected the back panel of the case made of tempered glass, which this time was frosted.

Thanks to this operation, the smartphone immediately began to look even more stylish, and besides, numerous fingerprints on the matte glass are not at all noticeable. Moreover, matting by grinding gives the surface, along with opacity, also some pleasant roughness.

The color scheme of the device has also been updated - the Xperia Z5 is available in graphite black, white, gold and emerald green.

The last color is especially good, the smartphone in which we received for testing. Interestingly, the new flagship turned out to be thicker and heavier, for example, the “intermediate” one - 7.45 mm versus 6.9 mm and 156.5 g versus 144 g.

The entire front surface of the Xperia Z5 is covered with protective tempered glass,

where narrow cutouts were provided at the top and bottom for the speaker grilles. At the same time, a “conversational” microphone is also hidden under the lower grille.

The Sony logo was placed on the top of the panel, to the left of which was the front camera lens, and in the very corner there was an LED charging/event indicator. To the right of the logo you can see a window for proximity and light sensors. The control panel touch buttons ("Back", "Home" and "Recent Applications") traditionally remain on-screen, and are accompanied by branded icons ("triangle", "house" and "square").

The front camera moved almost unchanged to the new product. The resolution of its back-illuminated Exmor R sensor is 5 megapixels, and the EGF of the wide-angle G Lens is 25 mm. The maximum resolution with the classic aspect ratio (4:3) reaches 2592x1944 pixels.

Both cameras can shoot videos in Full HD quality, while the main camera provides frame rates of both 30 fps and 60 fps. Of course, it hasn’t lost its ability to shoot in 4K resolution (3840x2160 pixels) @ 30 fps. For the Timeshift video application, the frame rate reaches 120 fps, so playback of an HD image (1280x720 pixels) can easily be slowed down by 4 times. All content is saved in MP4 container files (AVC - video, AAC - audio).

The sound processing options in Sony flagships deserve good words. Of course, the Xperia Z5 was no exception. In addition, its built-in speakers sound quite loud and rich. The back panel of the smartphone itself seems to resonate, since when the speaker grilles are covered with your fingers, the volume level does not change very much. The settings offer to automatically optimize sound parameters by relying on the ClearAudio+ function. This can be done manually using the built-in equalizer with presets. In addition, for headphones there are surround sound options (concert hall, club, studio), as well as automatic optimization of AHC (Automatic Headset Compensation) and realistic playback settings (S Force Front Surround). But to equalize the volume of different songs or videos, a dynamic normalizer can be turned on. Let us remind you that the second microphone of the smartphone is designed for digital noise reduction.

Hi-Res Audio technology provides support for lossless formats such as FLAC. In turn, DSEE (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) HX tries to restore cut frequencies when listening to MP3 files with low bitrates. But the LDAC (Lossless Digital Audio Coding) codec allows you to stream Hi-Res tracks via Bluetooth to a wireless LDAC-compatible headset. Note that the built-in FM tuner with RDS support only works when a wired headset is connected, which is required as a shortwave antenna.

Filling, performance

The Xperia Z5 inherited the basic hardware from its predecessor almost unchanged. Under the hood of the new flagship is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (MSM8994) processor, known for its “hot character”.

Eight 64-bit cores are united by the ARM big.LITTLE GTS architecture, where four energy-efficient ARM Cortex-A53 cores (1.5 GHz) are complemented by a quartet of more powerful ARM Cortex-A57 (2.0 GHz). To support graphics operations on a chip designed to meet 20 nm design standards, an Adreno 430 accelerator (650 MHz) with support for OpenGL ES 3.1 is implemented. As you know, one of the features of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 is a multi-mode modem with support for LTE Cat. 6 (LTE Advanced). The base platform is also complemented by 3 GB of RAM (LPDDR4, 1600 MHz). Thus, the difference between the results of the new product and the tests is mainly due to the imperfections of the latter.

On synthetic tests AnTuTu Benchmark 5.7.1,

and Vellamo benchmarks, the new smartphone predictably ended up in the group of leaders, losing, perhaps, to the more powerful Exynos 7 Octa 7420 crystal.

On the Epic Citadel visual test with variable settings High Performance and High Quality, the average frame rate changed at the level of random measurement error - 60.8 fps and 60.4 fps, respectively. And for the Ultra High Quality setting, this parameter decreased in accordance with the increase in quality to 54.5 fps.

On the universal gaming benchmark 3DMark in the recommended Sling Shot tests, the new flagship showed a result of 1095.

The total number of points earned by the Xperia Z5 on the cross-platform benchmark Base Mark OS II was 1251.

Of the 32 GB of internal memory, approximately 22.5 GB is available, and, of course, even less is free (about 21.8 GB). To expand the storage, there is a slot for microSD/HC/XC memory cards up to 200 GB. It is gratifying that Sony responded quickly enough to the new bar that the company set this year. Thanks to the support of USB-OTG technology, it is easy to connect a regular flash drive to the device. By the way, automatic detection of USB connections is preserved only for the PC and the charger. All other devices, including USB drives, require manual intervention.

In the E6683 model, voice communication and mobile Internet functions can be divided between two subscriber identification modules in nanoSIM format (4FF) with support for fast 4G networks - LTE Advanced (Cat.6, 300 Mbit/s). As for other wireless communications, along with dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), there are also Bluetooth 4.1 and NFC interfaces. The chip for the latter, obviously, remained unchanged (from NXP), since it allows you to use the “My Travel Card” application from the Bank of Moscow, which can not only read, but also remotely top up the Troika card.

To determine location and navigation, the multi-system receiver actively uses satellites of the GPS and GLONASS constellations, as evidenced by the results of the AndroiTS GPS Test program. There is also built-in support for A-GPS technology.

The non-removable lithium-polymer battery of the Xperia Z5 has lost even more weight. Its capacity was 2,900 mAh, which is 30 mAh less than that of. This, of course, looks somewhat strange, considering that the thickness and weight of the new flagship, although not by much, have increased. A fast charging adapter supporting Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 is not included. So a device like UCH10 (5/9/12 V) will have to be purchased separately. With the help of such a device, in 10 minutes they promise to fill the battery so that it will be enough to operate the smartphone for 5.5 hours. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to check this.

A slight change in battery capacity had an equally insignificant effect on the results of its tests - the smartphone earned 6,342 points on AnTuTu Tester. Without much detail, the manufacturer on its website promises the Xperia Z5 to work for two days without recharging. A test set of videos in MP4 and Full HD quality was played continuously at full brightness for more than 7 hours, during which the smartphone body warmed up slightly.

Sony's proprietary power saving modes are well known. Thus, Stamina allows you to limit performance, disable background processes during inactivity, and also set a list of applications that are allowed to access the network. In turn, Ultra Stamina, leaving only basic phone functions enabled (voice calls and SMS), extends battery life even more significantly. But the “Low Battery Mode” option is activated at a predetermined battery level (for example, 20%). In this case, energy consumption is reduced, for example, by turning off wireless communication modules (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS), reducing the screen timeout, lowering its backlight level, etc.

Software Features

The Xperia Z5 smartphone runs on the Android 5.1.1 operating system with the proprietary Xperia shell.

As usual, various themes, background images, and branded widgets are available here. The set of pre-installed applications is small, but functional.

As already noted, an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor is built into the power/lock button, which allows, in particular, to quickly unlock the smartphone. There is a corresponding section in the Security settings where you can associate up to five fingerprints with this scanner.

In the procedure for preparing fingerprint data, everything is simple and clear. And it’s convenient to use the sensor built into the power/lock button; it works very quickly and almost error-free.

Purchase, conclusions

Although the Xperia Z5 turned out to be a little thicker and heavier than, its main advantages still include a high-quality display, simultaneous support for two SIM cards and a memory card, advanced sound options, as well as reliable protection from water and dust. In addition to changes in design, the obvious features of the new flagship, without a doubt, include a convenient fingerprint scanner and very fast autofocus. Although the main camera still lacks optical stabilization, and a fast charger is not included with the smartphone.

At the same time, the recommended price for the Xperia Z5 is 49,990 rubles. Its predecessor - - is now offered, according to Yandex.Market, at least 10 thousand cheaper (39,990 rubles). Even for the more productive Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge, which also has a very impressive appearance (thanks to its curved screen), large retail chains ask for only 43,990 rubles. So before purchasing, you should carefully weigh all the pros and cons, highlighting for yourself the most significant qualities of the flagship.

Results of the review of the Sony Xperia Z5 smartphone

Pros:

• High quality display
• Convenient fingerprint scanner
• Very fast camera autofocus
• Simultaneous support for two SIM cards and a memory card
• Advanced sound options
• Reliable protection against water and dust

Minuses:

• High price
• Heavier and thicker than its predecessor ()
• Lack of optical stabilization for the main camera
• Fast charge adapter not included

The Sony Xperia smartphone is difficult to call affordable. $750 is not a price that everyone can afford. But it's not that. When you open Sony's sleek packaging, you'll be surprised. Few people can afford such a bold range of colors. We came across a sample of dark turquoise color for testing. The frosted glass on the back and aluminum on the edges are really classy. To say that the Sony Xperia looks rich is an understatement. Even the iPhone 6S is difficult to compete here.

The new Sony model has a fingerprint scanner. It's built into the lock button on the right side of the phone. A very interesting solution, it works without delay. At the top left there is a slot for one nano-SIM and a MicroSD card. At the bottom right there is a button for taking photos.

Ergonomics at a high level. The LED event indicator is bright and easy to see. The phone does not slip in the hand, only the slightly protruding edges cut the hand a little. Thanks to the frosted glass, there are no fingerprints on the back.

Hardware platform

operating system
	5.2"" Full HD 1920x1080
CPU	Octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 2 GHz
RAM
Built-in memory	32 GB, microSD support up to 200 GB
	GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | UMTS 850/900/1900/2100 | LTE 3, 7, 20, one Nano-SIM
Radiation level, SAR (EU)	0.751W/kg (head), 0.781W/kg (body)
	23 MP and 5 MP
Battery
	146x72x7.3 mm

The hardware of the smartphone is currently the most powerful chipset from Qualcomm - Snapdragon 810. Previously, it was distinguished by high heating, but in the current revision all problems have already been solved. The phone easily shoots 4K video for more than 10 minutes and does not overheat. All resource-intensive games are going great: Dead Trigger 2, Asphalt 8: Airborne, WoT Blitz, Godfire: Rise of Prometheus. 3 GB of RAM is enough for any application.

Interface

The shell from Sony evokes pleasant associations: lightness, speed, simplicity. Programmers from the Japanese company tried to bring it as close as possible to the “factory” Android. Almost the same curtain, a minimum of third-party applications. The keyboard, contacts, and music player are well designed and comfortable. The gallery could have been implemented better. “Dialer” is 4 out of 5. There is support for themes.

In the video below you can see the logic of the interface and the smooth operation of the smartphone.

Video Sony Xperia Z5: interface, performance, ergonomics

The screen has a standard FULL HD resolution (1920*1080). There is no QHD here, and there is no need for it. Sony saved the 4k screen (for the first time on a mobile phone) for the Sony Z5 Premium. In terms of contrast and brightness, Sony squeezed out everything it could from IPS. Sony's proprietary image enhancer X-reality for mobile is present and makes the picture even more juicy. There is nothing to complain about.

Sound

The sound in the headphones is clear and loud. The speakers were a pleasant surprise - high-quality stereo and good detail. Sony is at the highest level here - it uses ClearAudio+ technology.

Camera

The Sony Xperia Z5 camera is worth a special mention here. The latest generation 23 megapixel sensor Exmor RS IMX 300 produces a very high-quality image. For comparison, the Galaxy S6 only has an IMX 240 sensor. According to rumors, it doesn’t even have a 23 megapixel sensor, but a 25 megapixel sensor that was deliberately cropped. The camera produces clear images in all lighting conditions. 192 focus points allow you to instantly photograph dynamic scenes. It’s not for nothing that the foreign website DXOmark ranked the Sony Xperia Z5 camera in 1st place in the ranking of mobile sensors. In the evening there are noises, but they are incomparably less than those of competitors.

There is a manual shooting mode, but saving in RAW is not supported. For entertainment, there are many modes that will make you smile. “AR Mask” allows you to put a mask of your friend or animal on your face. “Portrait in Style” allows you to superimpose painted lips, vampire eyes or native paint on your selfie in real time. "AR effect" is augmented reality in your photo or video. For example, when taking a photo of an ordinary empty lawn, a smartphone can add gnomes and mushrooms directly onto it. Very funny features. We recommend.

Examples of pictures (23 MP, during the day):

Examples of pictures (23 MP, evening):

Example video (daytime, 4K)

Sample video (evening, 4K)

Autonomy

The Sony Xperia Z5's battery life is fine. The battery, although a little smaller than in the Z3, is enough for 1 day. And in case of rare calls, it will be enough for 2 days. The proprietary Stamina and Ultra Stamina modes will help you with this.

conclusions

“Flagship”, “flagship”, “flagship” - these are the only thoughts that come to mind after meeting the Sony Xperia Z5. The high price is offset by an excellent camera, outstanding materials and stylish design. And even though the Sony Xperia Z5 is similar to previous models, we will forgive Sony for that too. Because he is beautiful. And period.

Thank you for the provided smartphonefirst official retail storeSony Center inMinsk.