All about sony xperia z2. The new flagship Sony Xperia Z2 was officially presented to the world – features and specifications


Sony continues to develop its mobile business, concentrating on integrating all its best practices into one single top-end smartphone. The founder of the new Xperia Z line was more of a trial pen, but the Xperia Z1 was supposed to be the real embodiment of all the best features of the company. However, the product turned out to be very controversial, since the expectations of some potential buyers turned out to be somewhat too high, and the Xperia Z1, although it tried to meet them, was not completely able to. However, the company continued to work actively, learning to work with new materials, a unified design concept and software. The result of this painstaking work was the Sony Xperia Z2 - the company's current flagship, which is not only an improved version of the Xperia Z1 on all fronts, but also in some aspects a completely new product. The device was supposed to be released on the market at the end of March, but, alas, this happened only in a few countries, while the global release was slightly delayed. In Russia, the phone will appear on shelves in the first half of May at a price of 29,990 rubles, but it arrived for testing a little earlier, so let’s move on to a closer acquaintance with the device.

Technical characteristics of Sony Xperia Z2:

  • Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE (850/900/1800/1900 MHz), WCDMA/HSPA (850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz), LTE (800/900/1800/2100/2600 MHz)
  • Platform (at time of announcement): Android 4.4.2 KitKat
  • Display: capacitive, 5.2", 1920 x 1080 pixels, IPS TRILUMINOS, X-Reality for mobile, Live Color
  • Camera: 20.7 MP, f/2.0, 1/2.3”, 1.1 µm, LED flash, autofocus, Full HD video recording, Sony Exmor RS sensor, G Lens optics, SteadyShot electronic stabilizer, 4K@30fps video recording, video recording 720p@120fps
  • Front camera: 2.1 MP
  • Processor: 4 cores, 2.3 GHz, Snapdragon 801
  • Graphics chip: Adreno 330
  • RAM: 3 GB
  • Internal memory: 16 GB
  • Memory card: microSD
  • A-GPS and GLONASS
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Wi-Fi (802.11a/b/g/n)
  • microUSB 2.0
  • 3.5mm jack
  • IP55/IP58 protection
  • Battery: non-removable, 3200 mAh
  • Operating time in audio player mode: up to 110 hours
  • Dimensions: 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
  • Weight: 158 g
  • Form factor: monoblock with touchscreen
  • Type: smartphone
  • Announcement date: February 24, 2014
  • Sales start date: April 2014

Video review and unboxing

Design and equipment

As is usually the case with Sony smartphones, a non-commercial version of the device arrived for testing - a so-called demo sample for journalists, which is as close in quality as possible to production samples. As you may have noticed in the unboxing above, we initially received the Xperia Z2 in white, but for the preparation of the review it was replaced with a more recent black sample in order to minimize possible risks and eliminate inappropriate behavior in any use scenarios, be it excessive heating or instability. Someone will probably say that it would have been easier to get a Singapore commercial sample, but it is not intended for sales in our country, it may differ in quality (from the earliest batches) and software (for example, this was the case with the Xperia Z Ultra phablet, which Asia appeared earlier than in the rest of the world and was sold there with very crude and early software), so we waited for the official European model, which will appear on sale with us.

Alas, the configuration of the demonstration device is somewhat different from that intended for sale in our country. In the box you can find a 1.5 A EP850 charging block, a cable for connections and charging, simple in-ear headphones, and various instructions. The official kit for Russia will delight the buyer with a high-quality Sony MDR-NC31EM headset with noise reduction. For other markets, it is possible to be equipped not only with it, but also with a magnetic charging dock - keep in mind the difference in the kits if you decide to buy a “gray” smartphone.

In terms of design, we already have a typical Sony flagship. The ideas of the OmniBalance design concept with complete symmetry on all sides, laid down in the Xperia Z, continue to flourish here, but with certain modifications, passed through the experience with the Xperia Z1. Don't assume that the Z2 is no different from the Z1 in look and feel - just hold both smartphones in your hands to see how different they are. Sony Xperia Z2 has become a little thinner and lighter than the Z1, but has a more capacious battery and is a little longer. The new flagship feels in the hand much closer to the classic Xperia Z with straight and sharp edges, that is, it is very different from the smooth and streamlined Xperia Z1. The glass body and solid metal frame remained in place, but the frame received soft-touch coating, which makes using the smartphone a little more convenient by reducing slipping in the hand. Interestingly, the black Xperia Z2 has a purple coating under certain lighting conditions. In real life it looks a little less impressive and catchy than in the photo.

The front and back panels finally lost their protective films (and acquired good oleophobic properties), which wear out very quickly and become unusable, which were not so easy to get rid of, which also threatened the loss of Sony logos (and for some this is quite important detail). Despite this, the Xperia Z2 remains as durable as its predecessors. It is not afraid of small scratches, but accidental falls or intentional damage will quickly affect the appearance of the glass case. Sony foresaw this and prepared a branded flip case for the smartphone’s release to the market, which you could see in the preliminary review of the device. If you are worried about the safety of such a precious gadget, this case or any other case is strictly recommended for purchase. Although, of course, nothing prevents you from covering the Xperia Z2 with any films, it certainly won’t make it any worse. Protection from water and dust according to IP55/58 standards has not disappeared anywhere, which means that with Z2 you can swim without fear in fresh water up to one and a half meters deep, but no more than 30 minutes, or wash it under the tap. The main thing is not to forget to dry the hole under the headphones without using a wired connection after swimming for about two hours.

The smartphone received a 5.2" TRILUMINOS touch display, made using IPS technology using the latest Live Color LED development, which consists of adding particles of red and blue phosphorus to the backlight to expand the color gamut and the best color reproduction. The proprietary X software has not gone away either -Reality, which saturates the image even more in photos and videos, but it can be used or not. If we discard all marketing terms and technological aspects, then we have simply an excellent IPS display with maximum viewing angles, acceptable inversion when tilting, no fading and excellent color rendition. Sony has never had anything better for smartphones, you can safely forget about the screens of the Xperia Z, Z1 and even the Z Ultra and Z1 Compact. In addition, the display recognizes wet touches (I personally found typing in the rain much more comfortable, than on the Z and even more so on the ultra-sensitive screen of the Z Ultra, although heavy rain can cause involuntary activation of a variety of interface elements), supports operation with gloves and the use of a simple pencil, keys, and paper clips as a stylus to remove SIM cards.

Above the screen are traditional light and proximity sensors, the Sony logo, and a 2.1-megapixel front camera. The earpiece, equipped with an LED notification indicator, is also a multimedia speaker, and is complemented by another multimedia speaker located under the screen. Together they form an excellent stereo pair, but the lower speaker sounds noticeably louder than the upper one, and when there is an incoming call, the sound comes only from one of them - the lower one. For listening to music instead of a small speaker, this option is excellent, but for notification of calls and events it is very controversial, since there is a high chance of missing something important. It is possible that this is a software feature and will be corrected in the future (perhaps the programmers simply could not immediately teach the phone to switch the loud sound of the top speaker during a call to a quiet one for conversations when holding the device to the head. HTC One (M8) (review) with When calling, both speakers play, but there is a separate one for conversations.However, even one bottom speaker of the Z2 sounds better and louder than the Xperia Z1 and especially the Xperia Z.

On the left side there is a magnetic connector for a dock or an adapter from microUSB to charging, a slot for a microSIM card, and an MHL port (both under a flap). There you can also see a red emergency shutdown button. Below you can see the hole for the strap (Japanese loyalty to tradition). The bottom end is equipped with a voice microphone hidden in three holes, the top end is equipped with a microphone for noise reduction during a conversation and video recording with stereo sound. There is also a 3.5 mm port for headphones. The bundled NC31EM noise-canceling headphones for the Russian market, by the way, are poorly compatible with other devices (especially non-Sony ones), since they use a 5-pin connector that provides support for the unique digital noise reduction function first implemented in the Xperia Z2. That is, the noise is dampened not only by the headphones themselves with microphones, but also by the phone itself, which is paired with them. The same goes for the separate STM10 stereo microphone, but for recording high-quality concert sound, which will also be available for purchase. The right side features the signature metal power button, volume rocker and photo key. There is also a microSD slot under the flap. There's nothing on the filmless glass rear panel other than the 20.7-megapixel camera, flash, and Sony, Xperia, and NFC logos.

The device is assembled perfectly, free of creaks and backlashes. Maximum solidity is achieved by the absence of dismountable parts and a removable battery (this atavism is long overdue for the dustbin of history), coupled with protection from dust and water. The phone feels expensive and of high quality, befitting its price tag of 29,990 rubles.

Software

The smartphone out of the box runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat, firmware version 17.1.A.2.55. It includes significant improvements in speed and smoothness of operation, fixes of various bugs, etc. The minor update numbered 17.1.A.2.69 has just appeared on the horizon and has not appeared on the test device at the time of writing the review.

The proprietary Xperia Home shell in the version for Android KitKat has undergone significant changes (lockscreen with sparkles and launching the camera by swiping from the bottom, transparent status and control bars, new design themes with live wallpapers in the style of PlayStation 4, expanded controls in the top line, all KitKat innovations), some of which are described in a separate material. In the case of the Sony Xperia Z2, the company has reserved several unique features that are unique to this smartphone and are not planned for implementation in previous models. Below I will try to describe them all, and touch on some key features of the new version of the shell, which are also characteristic of other models.

Xperia Connectivity Options now feature a one-touch setup for Xperia devices running KitKat or higher, enabling Bluetooth, Screen mirroring, Xperia Link and Media Server. There are much more options in personal settings. Now, for example, you can disable almost all system icons in the status bar if you don't need them. In the case of the Xperia Z2, motion settings have been added here - answering calls by holding the device to your ear, rejecting a call by shaking the smartphone, and turning off the call signal by turning the screen down.

The Home screen allows you to choose how information is displayed on your desktop. Essentially these are two launchers - Xperia Home and Simple Home Screen, reminiscent of that in Samsung devices. It displays only the main parameters on the desktop in the form of large icons and is intended for older people and completely novice users. In the call settings, you can enable an answering machine, which makes simple voicemail unnecessary. The phone offers to record a greeting, after which it will be able to handle incoming calls and save voice messages in memory. It’s nice that this feature has also been given to other Xperia smartphones along with the update to KitKat. In addition, the ICE (In Case Of Emergency) function, which is useful in case of any troubles, has appeared, which is a map of your medical data and emergency contacts. Can be displayed on the lock screen and is available for all Xperia with KitKat.

In the Sound settings, the usual sound effects have not gone away (equalizers and gadgets for the player, as well as various enhancements for smartphone speakers), but the sections Audio Accessories and Hi-Res Audio via USB have been added to them. In the first case, the function uses new branded accessories with a 5-pin connector from Sony (the same separate microphone and headset with noise reduction), and in the second case it is proposed to connect a special amplifier to play high-quality audio with sound effects disabled (for example, the proprietary Sony PHA-2 at a price of $500-$600). It’s difficult to say how a smartphone will perform with this amplifier, as well as with other non-branded amplifiers, since I haven’t personally tested the capabilities yet, but we will try to do this in the future and supplement the material.

In the display settings you can find the usual X-Reality for Mobile enhancement, which makes the image in photos and videos richer, glove mode, white balance, intelligent backlight control (leaves the screen on while you hold the phone in your hand), exiting sleep mode double tapping on the locked screen, notification indicator (hidden in the slot of the top speaker). The remaining parameters remained virtually unchanged, you can see all of them in the screenshots.

Branded pre-installed applications are also in place (Walkman player, Album gallery, Movies, etc.), which have received an improved design with more convenient controls and functionality (the calendar, for example, now displays the weather for the next few days). A new widget and a What's New section have appeared, displaying various interesting new items from the world of applications and games. The PlayStation client has been added to the built-in applications (possibly only on the sample for Europe). Interestingly, thanks to the Xperia Lounge application, you can get several free movies from Sony and an exclusive in the form of a free new album of unreleased tracks by Michael Jackson. Other offers are possible over time. Currently, for example, they are offering 2 months of free use of the music portal Deezer.

Third-party programs are represented by the Evernote note-taking utility, the OfficeSuite document viewer, the Pixlr Express photo editor, and the File Commander file manager. It’s impossible to say anything special about them.

Camera

The smartphone, like its predecessor Xperia Z1 (and even the Z1 compact), received a 20.7-megapixel camera, which remained unchanged in terms of hardware, but was heavily corrected in software terms. For example, the same frame shot on the Z2 and Z1 compact weighs one and a half to two times more in the case of the new flagship. We reduced the compression, tweaked the algorithms a little, and now we have perhaps the best modern smartphone camera.

The interface, meanwhile, remained unchanged, except that additional features were added. This includes support for 4K video recording, which is so relevant today (interestingly, the Xperia Z1 with the KitKat update did not receive it, although this feature was initially tested on early firmware), and HD video recording at a speed of 120 frames per second with the ability to slow down any areas as many times as you like (the main difference from the analogue in the iPhone 5S), and Full HD video recording at 60 fps, and software background blur in the style of DSLR cameras. All previously available camera applications and add-ons have been updated and improved. Below you can see examples of photos and videos.

I was interested in comparing how much the new flagship is superior in photo quality to the “grandfather” Xperia Z. In daytime conditions the difference in quality is colossal, but in poor conditions the Z2 does not shoot much better.

Examples of photos from Sony Xperia Z2:

Examples of photos from Sony Xperia Z:

Examples of photos from Sony Xperia Z1 Compact:

Examples of photos from Meizu MX3:

Examples of photos from LG Nexus 5 (without and with HDR+):

Examples of photos from Apple iPhone 5S:

The same is true in comparison with the iPhone 5S, which in the examples with a toy horse in a dark room out of the entire crowd of devices (Nexus 5, Meizu MX3, Xperia Z1 Compact and Xperia Z) produced the best and most correct result. In daytime examples, all devices are approximately comparable, with slight deviations in one direction or another.

Other examples of photos from Sony Xperia Z2:

without and with HDR

without and with HDR

I would also like to mention macro photography. Z2 does it very well. But shooting in poor conditions definitely still has room for improvement.

As for the video, examples in 1080p quality at different speeds are equally good in both picture quality and sound; the SteadyShot software stabilizer works properly and makes the moving picture incredibly smooth. Slow-mo video also looks pretty good, the ability to slow down several segments at once and the ease of saving files for transferring to other devices or a computer are nice (you get two videos - slow-motion and 120 fps).

Not everything is clear with 4K video. For example, when shooting bees on flowers, I did not see incredible clarity when zooming in on the image during recording (apparently the camera did not have time to adjust and focus properly in such a scenario), although overall both examples look great. The duration of 4K video recording is limited by free memory (a minute of recording eats up 400 MB) and the temperature state of the device. When recording such a video, all the hardware's performance is used, so it is better to record such videos in chunks, otherwise, after exceeding the threshold of 4 minutes of recording, the phone will report the possibility of overheating and close the camera. It’s nice that the recorded video can be immediately trimmed and saved in the gallery, and this is done in literally a couple of clicks, and saving occurs quite quickly. Be sure to watch the original video (download from here), YouTube spoils the quality very much.

Benchmarks and Performance

The smartphone is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset with Adreno 330 graphics accelerator and 3 GB of RAM. According to these characteristics, Sony Xperia Z2 is the leader among the flagships of the first half of 2014. Does this provide any noticeable advantage? The shell, despite its great lightness and airiness, sometimes manages to falter or does not work quickly enough (especially if you leave the beautiful branded animated wallpaper on the desktop). This is somewhat annoying to observe, given such advanced technical characteristics, but in fairness, the Samsung Galaxy S5 also cannot boast of an absolutely fast and smooth interface, and yet it is already on sale and has the final commercial software, while the Xperia Z2 will still receive a minor update with fixes, and It’s not a fact that before the global launch in May it will be limited to just this. For most tasks, however, the speed is more than comfortable.

The synthetic results, however, were not without oddities. For unknown reasons, both the HTC One (M8) and the Xperia Z2 in Vellamo score lower than their predecessors based on the Snapdragon 800. Probably, this is due to the lack of optimization of the test for new chips and Android KitKat (Vellamo writes that in HTML5- test results may be incorrect). In most cases, the performance of the Xperia Z2 will satisfy all lovers of virtual parrots. In AnTuTu, the maximum result was 34,998 points, but it was obtained in the refrigerator after several runs of the test, while the usual result of the Z2 barely exceeded 34,000 and dropped significantly after the second and third runs. In Quadrant, the device scored 18,995 points, Geekbench - 944/2894, 3DMark - 18,679, Basemark OS II - 1216, Epic Citadel - 55.7 fps, GFXBench - 12.5/11.7/29.1/27.3 fps.

According to the results of the Stability Test, we can note a fairly typical heating level for all modern flagships (45 degrees - nothing special, this is the level of the Galaxy S5 and One (M8), but the One X+ heated up to 56, the Xiaomi Mi3 heats up to 57 - this is where you need to raise the alarm ), the discharge for half an hour of the test was 18%.

In the case of the games Asphalt 8, Dead Trigger 2 and Real Racing 3 with maximum graphics, no performance problems are observed. Plus, they all support Android KitKat full-screen mode and hide the on-screen control keys, so it's a pleasure to play. But GTA San Andreas with maximum settings openly lags, even more than on devices with Snapdragon 800. It didn’t perform the best there either, but here there is no optimization for the new chips, nor is there a full-screen mode.

In HD video playback mode at maximum brightness and volume, without a SIM card (to eliminate the negative influence of not the most stable Moscow networks), the Xperia Z2 can last about 12 hours with a discharge rate of about 9% per hour. In everyday use in active or medium-active mode with listening to music, the Internet via LTE/3G/Wi-Fi, social networks and trips around the city with rare calls and SMS, you can count on a full day of work with 6.5 hours of active screen. This is an excellent result, superior to, for example, the Xperia Z Ultra. This is thanks to the 3200 mAh battery and better optimization of power consumption in the Snapdragon 801.

There were a few strange glitches during testing. For example, immediately after turning on the device, an attempt to adjust the status bar controls causes the Android UI process to crash (seen on the white and black Xperia Z2, the problem is purely software), although no problems arise with this in the future. Another bug concerns the camera viewfinder freezing after unlocking the smartphone with the camera button and directly launching it. This happens approximately once out of three or four launches and only when unlocked with the camera button. Naturally, these are just minor software imperfections that will probably be corrected in due course; there is no need to panic over them.

There were no complaints about the telephone functions. In terms of sound quality and maximum volume level in very high-quality headphones (Sennheiser Momentum Over-Ear were used) with tracks purchased from iTunes, the Xperia Z2 surpasses all Sony smartphones that have been tested up to this point, but in comparison with other devices, not everything is so simple. The sound of the iPhone 5S can be described as a little deeper and more massive than that of the Z2, where the sound is a little softer, rather more suitable for light music, while on the iPhone you can comfortably listen to both heavy guitar parts and massive electronic drumming. The Xperia Z2 has no volume reserve, while the iPhone is capable of producing 20-25 percent louder and more powerful sound. Meizu MX3, also used for comparison, sounds better than both of them - more detailed, richer and more balanced, and the volume margin is even greater. And this is without resorting to various equalizers, proprietary enhancers and third-party players. I’ll leave experiments with third-party players up to you; there’s nothing to do with equalizers and enhancements like ClearAudio+ on good headphones. It was not possible to check the ability to play Hi-Res Audio and its quality during testing, but we will definitely try to do this in the future and supplement the review, as mentioned above.

conclusions

Sony finally has a true flagship, without any compromises in terms of design, materials, screen, camera or sound. It is no worse than any other flagship of its competitors, and in many respects it may be better for some. What you can’t take away from a smartphone is premium materials and a stylish appearance, coupled with protection from water and dust, an excellent package for Russia with a very cool and high-quality headset, the presence of interesting accessories, optimal battery life, good quality images in not the most difficult conditions, beautiful and comfortable shell. Yes, there are some rough edges in the early software, the shell has become a little more shiny and clumsy, with two speakers of different volumes it turned out somehow indistinct, and in general there is still something to work on, but for me personally, the main flagship of this half of the year is definitely the Xperia Z2. At a price of 29,990 rubles, it will be a good candidate for purchase and is perhaps the most balanced device among all the current top-end Android smartphones.

Sony Xperia Z2 is an evolutionary update of the stylish line; there are no revolutionary changes here, but the manufacturer has clearly worked on the bugs. This mainly affected the display - now it is an IPS matrix with acceptable viewing angles and good brightness. The diagonal of the device has also increased slightly - by 0.2 inches. An additional gigabyte of RAM has also appeared (3 GB versus 2) - is this really necessary? The camera now shoots 4K video, and the battery has become more capacious and durable. We also note a full set of interfaces, protection from moisture, a glass and metal body, high-quality sound with good headphones included. True, we were a little upset by the slight crunch of the case after water procedures, the savings on brightness compared to other flagships, and the non-removable battery, which, according to user reviews, is not a minus for everyone. Overall, we recommend this smartphone for purchase. You can buy the Sony Xperia Z2 in three colors: white, black and purple.

Dimensions and weight - 3.9

Sony Xperia Z2 is a typical five-inch, or more precisely, 5.2-inch smartphone. Compared to the Xperia Z1, the diagonal has increased slightly, but the dimensions of the device have hardly increased. The Xperia Z2 even managed to lose a few grams of weight (163 g versus 170 g), and the increase in diagonal was mainly due to the side frames, which became thinner - all this can be noted as positive changes. The smartphone body is far from the thinnest, only 8.45 mm, it is noteworthy that it is 2 millimeters thicker than its namesake tablet Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet. Nevertheless, the smartphone is quite wide and elongated, holding it in one hand is not so comfortable, but it is pleasant thanks to the materials of the case.

The front and back of the phone is covered with glass. As already mentioned, it is pleasant to the touch, looks impressive, but prints are easily collected, which, however, are easy to clean. The disadvantages of this material are that the body of the device is quite slippery: the smartphone fits well in the hand, but can slide off an inclined plane. In addition, the glass may not withstand an accidental fall on the asphalt and become covered with cracks. So, instead of using asphalt, it is better to drop it into water; the manufacturer has retained the feature of dust and moisture resistance.

By the way, we tested this feature of the smartphone - the device was subjected to water procedures. I must say that the Sony Xperia Z2 passed our moisture resistance tests with dignity, despite the small gaps at the edges of the protective glass. In general, the model looks stylish and attractive, the build quality is not bad, but after tests for moisture resistance, the case began to crunch slightly when there was slight pressure on the lower right corner.

The smartphone can be purchased in three colors: white, black and purple.

Screen - 4.7

The need to improve the displays of this line has been brewing for a long time, and here we are finally seeing tangible improvements. Basically this is the type of matrix: TN matrix is ​​a thing of the past, long live IPS! The screen diagonal, as already mentioned, is 5.2 inches, resolution 1920x1080 pixels, the display is covered with protective glass, the PPI value is high - 424. Viewing angles can be called normal, although not the best among top models. But the manufacturer still saves on the maximum brightness of the display; the screen, in our opinion, could be brighter. In the sun, the display behaves well - the information remains readable, in addition, the smartphone supports glove mode.

Cameras - 4.7

The Sony Xperia Z2 phone has a 20.7 MP camera with LED flash, autofocus, face detection, image stabilization and a large selection of settings and modes. The maximum photo resolution is 5248x3936 pixels, but it’s better and easier to shoot in “Super Auto Mode,” which lives up to its name and takes good, 8-megapixel photos, the quality of which drops noticeably only in low-light conditions. In addition to the main camera, there is also a front camera of 2.2 megapixels, with the ability to shoot Full HD video.

Now, actually, about video shooting - the main camera of the smartphone allows you to shoot 4K video - 3840x2160 pixels at a frequency of 30 fps. Sound is recorded in stereo mode, and tracking autofocus is also available. Want Slow Motion and more frames per second? Please - shoot Full HD video at 60 fps and HD video at as much as 120 fps!

Working with text - 5.0

The standard keyboard in the Sony Xperia Z2 is comfortable, it has a function for entering text using strokes (Swype), as well as the ability to change the appearance using themes. There is also marking of additional characters on the keys; more precisely, it can be added in the keyboard settings. Switching between languages ​​happens quickly - at the touch of a button.

Internet - 1.0

Google Chrome is installed as a browser, with support for synchronizing tabs with the desktop version. There is no support for multiple page scaling or a separate reading mode. But you can manually set the font size of the text by scaling it once and then, by double-clicking on the page, adjust all the text to the selected size.

Communications - 5.0

The manufacturer has equipped the Sony Xperia Z2 (D6503) with everything possible. The device has dual-band Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi modem mode, Bluetooth 4.0 with support for A2DP, A-GPS and GLONASS, NFC. There is also support for Russian LTE frequencies. The smartphone works with Micro-SIM cards and micro-SD cards up to 128 GB and is equipped with a micro-USB 2.0 port. However, it is worth saying that due to moisture protection, you will have to open and close the plugs every time to use the connectors. Interestingly, in the tablet of the same name this looked like an inconvenience (tablets, as a rule, do not have plugs). In the case of a smartphone, this seems normal - usually, in order to access the SIM card or memory card, you also have to open the covers or even remove the back cover of the device.

Multimedia - 4.6

The Sony Xperia Z2 (D6503) audio player supports many formats and plays MP3, FLAC, WAV files and a number of less popular formats. The smartphone comes with good headphones with noise-canceling technology. The built-in video player supports most popular video formats, but could not, for example, play videos in MOV format. The player only supports internal subtitles without the ability to select external ones.

Battery - 4.0

The model has a non-removable lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh, the capacity has increased slightly. We tested the device in our two standard tests - the smartphone demonstrates excellent battery life. The device played HD video at maximum brightness for 10 hours. While listening to music with the screen off, the device was discharged in 87 hours - that’s just over 3.5 days!

Performance - 3.6

The device uses the Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801 platform with a 2.3 GHz quad-core processor, Adreno 330 graphics subsystem and 3 GB of RAM. For normal operation during everyday use, in our opinion, two cores in a processor with 1 GB of RAM would be enough. Cores and gigahertz fade into the background; optimization from the manufacturer is much more important. It is worth noting that the Sony Xperia Z2 (D6503) does not experience any performance problems: the smartphone works quickly, does not slow down and allows you to play demanding games.

The device is perfect for any games and applications; according to the results of our synthetic tests, the smartphone occupies one of the leading positions. For example, in the AnTuTu benchmark, the smartphone received 34661 points, and in 3D Mark Ice Storm Unlimited - 18690 points. The chipset used in the Sony Xperia Z2 is one of the most powerful on the market today.

Memory - 4.0

The total amount of internal memory in the Sony Xperia Z2 is limited to 16 or 32 GB, there is a slot for a micro-SD memory card, supporting cards up to 128 GB. There is also a “hot swap” of the memory card, without turning off the device, you only have to open and close the waterproof plugs each time.

Peculiarities

The smartphone is certified to the IP58 standard, which means that you can accidentally, or even on purpose, spill a glass of water on it or talk on it while in the pouring rain or in the shower, and the device will continue to work stably. We tested the splash protection and even bathed the Sony Xperia Z2 - everything works great, but after swimming in the fountain the case began to crunch slightly.

The device uses a proprietary shell from Sony: all standard applications have been changed: from home screens to the browser and music application. The dialer contains Russian letters, the music player can search for album covers, and there is support for third-party themes. Pre-installed applications include Evernote for notes, the OfficeSuite 7 office suite with the ability to view documents, a file manager and Smart Connect for connecting various devices. If this is not enough for you, then you can “get” everything you need in the Play Market.

Competitors

The technical characteristics of the Sony Xperia Z2 correspond to the level of modern flagships; the model has only a few strong competitors: the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8. Xperia Z2 beats both competitors in terms of price and diagonal size.

No more bathing in the water. It loses in terms of cameras and battery life, but beats the Sony Xperia Z2, perhaps, only in display brightness.

Made of plastic, Sony's smartphone is made of glass and metal, both are protected from moisture, but the Galaxy S5 is protected to a more demanding standard (IP 67 versus IP 58). The cameras of these two smartphones are about the same, although the Galaxy S5 display is brighter; both also support glove use. But the Xperia Z2 has the ability to hot-swappable SIM and Micro-SD cards, and it also has longer battery life than the Galaxy S5. In general, both devices are approximately the same not only in characteristics, but also in price.

The price of Sony Xperia Z2 for the summer of 2014 is 26,790 rubles. For this price you get a full-fledged flagship smartphone with a good screen, excellent appearance, thin body, decent headphones included and moisture protection.

    2 years ago 0

    Great display. It’s nice that Sony started using a high-quality IPS matrix with good viewing angles) and the glass cover of the display has finally lost the factory film - whoever needs it can stick it on himself - Great autonomy. It survives until the end of the day without any problems -Dust/moisture protection - although I don’t dip it in water, it’s still a nice addition. I’m not afraid to use it, say, in the rain -Very powerful filling - 3 GB of RAM combined with a powerful snapdragon 801 digests all the applications that I run on it -Quite a good camera. - Loud and clear speakers - Premium cabinet materials. a kind of sandwich made of two glass panels and a metal frame between them. (hello to Samsung with its cheap plastic)

    2 years ago 0

    Speed ​​and accuracy of work

    2 years ago 0

    Screen. Design. Performance. Battery.

    2 years ago 0

    It works quickly, has a large screen, and comes with a stationary (magnetic) charging cradle, which is convenient.

    2 years ago 0

    Thin, light, fast (work, start, reboot), multi-account), water-dust-moisture-proof, two cameras, the main one even shoots 4K, display with excellent characteristics, capacious battery, high-quality stereo sound (two speakers), two types of charging connections, supports additional. memory up to 128Gig. Several protocols for wireless transmission of video audio to other devices. And a lot of other advantages

    2 years ago 0

    Video 4K. The quality of materials, protection from water, the presence of various useful and not so useful accessories. Battery. I guess that's all :-(

    2 years ago 0

    Size, design, speed, display. And a special advantage is the battery.

    2 years ago 0

    Powerful filling, dust and moisture protection, hopefully a battery (I couldn’t try)...

    2 years ago 0

    A clear, bright display, the battery easily lasts a day with active use, if you just make calls and sometimes the Internet for five days. Before it there was an explay, this is of course heaven and earth, the sensor responds very quickly, the standard player was impressive - music from both the speakers and the headset excellent, the hardware is also good, an excellent phone model. Good sound, sometimes I watch videos from it. 2 speakers do a great job.

    2 years ago 0

    appearance

    2 years ago +1

    I couldn’t find how to assign separate ringtones to calendar events and messages from VKontakte. The default melody is smsms.
    When connected via a minijack to the receiver, if you pause the video or music, after 3 seconds a hum begins in the speakers, as if the plug was removed from the socket.
    I hope this problem will be resolved over time.
    A little expensive, of course (I paid for 30 thousand without SD).

    2 years ago 0

    fragile, too fragile, the back cover gets scratched when the wind blows, the sensor becomes dull.

    2 years ago 0

    Poor equipment, no dock
    Heavy
    The shape of the case is poor, it lies in the hand... can be described as “uncomfortable, the feeling that you could drop it”
    Blind IPS screen in the sun, worse than TFT on Xperia V

    2 years ago 0

    The camera's coating is, unfortunately, plastic, which will become scratched over time.
    -Plugs. No, this is not really a minus. But I would like to see at least one spare plug in the kit (on the side where the charging plug is inserted) because if you don’t buy a charging dock, then you will have to open this plug often, and over time it will simply lose its seal
    - strong soiling of the black phone model

    2 years ago 0

    Regular headphones

    2 years ago 0

    Glass slips out of your hands, needs a cover. A bit heavy.

    2 years ago 0

    Huge size, rear window is sensitive to impacts - cracked from the impact. Still, the dimensions are more than 5 inches - rather not for a smartphone, but for entertainment and surfing the Internet.
    It tends to jump out of your hands - the shape is still more for aerodynamics than for ease of wearing when talking.
    Conversations and advertisements that you can type with wet fingers are possible, of course, but not always... so this is more of a publicity stunt than a real thing, and taking pictures underwater with a cell phone is some kind of masochism rather than common sense.

    2 years ago 0

    Elements of the software shell from five years ago. I swapped my Sony S phone for a Z2 and if it weren’t for the screen size, I wouldn’t have noticed the difference. The sound was not impressive (it exists). The case heats up even when contact is made, i.e. without much load, the screen is so-so (the Chinese have better ones), the frames around the display are still not narrow, cheap headphones (unfortunately, I’m not talking about the price...), I didn’t like the photo quality (soapy lenses + software sharpening are noticeable white halos around small objects), the flash (or rather the lack of it) just killed me!

    2 years ago 0

    Doesn't cook food or wash clothes. Just kidding) I didn’t find any shortcomings.

    2 years ago 0

    The connection quality is simply terrible. during a conversation, I hear extraneous noises, whistling and resonance, as well as some kind of background, and the subscriber with whom I am talking hears himself in an echo better and louder than me (it feels like the bottom speaker is working and broadcasts into the microphone). Compared to the Sams Galaxy 2, the screen is not much cooler; the Samsa seemed to me to have richer and brighter colors.

Competition in the mobile device market is only intensifying every year and is therefore becoming more and more interesting. As a result, we all - the end consumers - benefit, receiving a wide range of devices for every taste and budget. A division of the Japanese company Sony Corporation, Sony Mobile Communications AB, continues its struggle in this market segment. This is evidenced by the adopted strategy of releasing new flagship smartphones every six months, which allows the company to more quickly respond to market needs and satisfy them fully.

A striking example of this is a top-end smartphone that has absorbed the main advantages and lost the key disadvantages of its predecessors. As befits a flagship, the new product is equipped with a 5.2-inch Full HD IPS display, a high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, a 20.7 MP main camera and a number of other equally interesting features, which we will consider in detail below. We suggest starting the review of the new product with technical characteristics:

Manufacturer

Type, form factor

Smartphone, monoblock

Communication standards

850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz

850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 MHz

700 / 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2300 / 2600 MHz

High speed data transfer

GPRS (32-48 Kbps), EDGE (236 Kbps), HSDPA (up to 42.2 Mbps), HSUPA (up to 5.76 Mbps), LTE Cat.4 (up to 50 Mbps UL, up to 150 Mbit/s DL)

SIM card type

CPU

Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB): 4 Krait 400 cores, up to 2.3 GHz, 2 MB L2 cache, 28 nm HPm process technology

Graphics adapter

Qualcomm Adreno 330: up to 550 MHz, support OpenGL ES 3.0, OpenVG 1.1, OpenCL 1.2 and DirectX 9.0c

IPS, 5.2" TRILUMINOS, 1920 x 1080 pixels (423 ppi), touch, capacitive, multi-touch up to 10 touches, Asahi Dragontrail Glass, X-Reality and Live Color technologies

RAM

3 GB, dual channel LPDDR3

Persistent memory

Card reader

microSD (up to 128 GB)

Interfaces

1 x 3.5mm mini-jack audio jack

Multimedia

Audio processing

Acoustics

Microphone

Main

Exmor RS (1/2.6"): 20.7 MP, BSI, f/2.0 aperture, autofocus, LED flash, SteadyShot digital image stabilization, HDR shooting, 4K Ulta HD video recording (30 FPS)

Frontal

2.2 MP, f/2.8 aperture, fixed focus, 1080p video recording

Communication capabilities

802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz)

(Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot)

Accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, LED indicator, geomagnetic sensor (compass), barometer

Battery

Li-ion, non-replaceable: 3200 mAh

Charger

Input: 100~240 VAC eg at 50/60 Hz

Output: 5 VDC e.g. 1.5 A

Dust and moisture protection according to IP55 and IP58 standards

146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm

operating system

Android 4.4.2 KitKat + proprietary shell

Official guarantee

12 months

Products webpage

Delivery and configuration

The smartphone comes in a traditional compact square package made of relatively thick cardboard. It has a restrained and laconic design. On its front side there is an image of a smartphone indicating the name of the model, as well as the logos of the company and the World Cup in Brazil. In addition, the image of the included headset, which is equipped with a digital noise reduction function, attracts attention.

On the reverse side you can see the main features of the Sony Xperia Z2, which are presented in the form of icons. Here you can also find images of the new product in available color variations.

In the kit you will find everything you need to fully work with your smartphone:

  • user guide;
  • warranty card;
  • charger (5 V, 1.5 A);
  • micro-USB↔USB cable;
  • Sony MDR-NC31EM stereo headset with vacuum design headphones and digital noise reduction system.

There is also an additional range of accessories that can be purchased separately. A complete list of them can be found on the manufacturer’s website.

Appearance, arrangement of elements

Although we already have the third generation of flagship smartphones, they all have similar features that were laid down back in the days of Sony Xperia Z. Sony decided not to experiment with the appearance of its next flagship, but to use the time-tested OmniBalance concept. As a result, we have the most symmetrical candy bar, which looks quite beautiful and stylish. It should be noted that, for example, Samsung uses a similar approach to the release of flagship smartphones (all representatives of the Samsung Galaxy S series are quite similar to each other). Like its predecessor, the Sony Xperia Z1, the main body materials of the Sony Xperia Z2 are glass and metal. The front and back panels are made of strong mineral glass (Asahi Dragontrail Glass), and the frame is made of anodized aluminum, which is protected from corrosion and has electrical insulating properties. The new product is available in three color variations (white, black and purple).

Despite the rather larger screen (5.2 versus 5 inches), the smartphone has become only slightly larger (146.8 x 73.3 mm versus 144 x 74 mm) and even thinner (8.2 mm versus 8.5 mm), and also lighter (163 g versus 170 g) compared to the Sony Xperia Z1. In addition, the new product has lost the rather controversial protective films on glass surfaces, which actively collected abrasions and were problematic to remove. If necessary, the user will be able to independently find the necessary film and stick it.

Along the contour of the glass there is a shock-absorbing matte plastic edging, which rises above the glass by a fraction of a millimeter and can thereby protect it in the event of an unfortunate fall from a small height. The width of the frames around the display is: on the sides - 5 mm, on the top - 17 mm, and on the bottom - 16 mm. Above the display are proximity and light sensors, the company logo and the front camera peephole. At the very edges, bottom and top, there are slots for stereo speakers, covered with a black metal mesh (previous flagships had only one speaker, which was located at the bottom end). The top one doubles as a conversational one and has an integrated alert sensor that flashes in different colors (white, green, orange and red) depending on the event. Illumination can be turned off in the settings. The lower part is empty, since the buttons are on-screen.

The metal edging (it feels quite pleasant tactilely) is somewhat beveled at the edges and has curves at the ends. Its central part is left in its original form, and along the edges and at the ends it is painted black with a noticeable purple tint.

At the top end there is an additional microphone and a universal audio jack (mini-jack 3.5 mm). The latter does not have a plug, but it will not allow water to seep further inside the new product. However, the manufacturer does not recommend using it within 2 hours after immersing the smartphone in water. The bottom edge contains the holes for the main microphone and a mount for a strap or key fobs.

On the right side of the Sony Xperia Z2 body there are: a microSD connector (covered with a metal plug with a seal), a proprietary round “Power/Lock” key (you can unlock it by double-tapping the screen, but this method must be activated in the settings), a volume rocker and a two-position key cameras. The left side (under the plug) contains: an MHL connector, which combines the functionality of HDMI and micro-USB interfaces; red button to restart the device if it freezes; plastic tray for Micro-SIM, which can be easily removed without additional tools. Below you can find open contacts for connecting the new product to the docking station.

On the rear, non-separable surface of the smartphone there are: the main camera lens framed in a metal ring; a bright single-section LED flash (flashlight software is present) and an NFC module antenna icon. Below is the Sony logo, and near the very edge is the Xperia logo.

Like its predecessors, the Sony Xperia Z2 has dust and moisture protection according to Ingress Protection (IP) 55/58 standards. Thanks to this, the smartphone is able to painlessly survive immersion in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 m for a duration of up to half an hour, especially since it is capable of shooting photos and videos in this mode. And this, of course, will be useful for many when traveling, because it is quite possible to use the device in sea water, but in this case it will need to be washed in a running stream, thereby protecting it from all kinds of salts. By the way, Sony Xperia Z2 asks for careful treatment and every time after charging is completed, it reminds the user of the need to check the tightness of the closure of the corresponding plugs.

The new product is assembled at the highest level: there are no gaps or backlashes. The case is characterized by sufficient rigidity, although it has some torsional flexibility, but this is not critical and is a consequence of the specifics of the materials used.

In general, the Sony Xperia Z2 is quite easy to use, but the size makes itself felt. Although users who are accustomed to working with modern flagships or phablets will be quite satisfied. The controls are located in good places and are easy to find blindly. But, unfortunately, the smartphone turned out to be quite slippery and easily soiled, despite the high-quality oleophobic coating. You should be careful not to let it slip out of your hands, especially wet ones.

In previous flagships, some of the most controversial decisions were mediocre screens, which spoiled the overall positive impression of smartphones. And this was quite surprising, given Sony's colossal experience in producing televisions. Finally, on the third attempt, she took this factor into account and corrected this deficiency. Sony Xperia Z2 is equipped with a proprietary TRILUMINOS display (IPS matrix), which uses X-Reality image processing technologies (can be turned off in the settings) and LED Live Color, which have a positive effect on contrast and color gamut. There is no air gap between the glass and the sensor (OGS - One glass solution technology is used). The display is protected by tempered Asahi Dragontrail Glass, which has a relatively good anti-reflective filter and a high-quality oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating. Thanks to the latter, the fingers glide quite comfortably and easily and the speed at which fingerprints accumulate, which can be easily removed with microfiber or a simple cloth, is reduced.

The resolution of the 5.2-inch screen is 1920 × 1080 (Full HD), which, in our opinion, is the optimal indicator for such a diagonal. At the same time, the pixel density is 423 ppi, which is quite enough to display very smooth fonts and obtain a highly detailed image in general. It is hardly possible to see individual pixels with the naked eye, even with all the desire.

Traditionally, for IPS matrices, the screen is characterized by maximum viewing angles and a high level of contrast (although it is quite a bit inferior to competitors at maximum backlight brightness). The image boasts bright and saturated colors (especially when viewing photos and videos), which are subjectively correct, although somewhat oversaturated. But this only makes the picture more realistic.

Like most modern flagship smartphones, the new product provides settings for white balance and main color channels (RGB). Thanks to this, each user will be able to adjust the display to their own taste.

The screen brightness can be changed manually or automatically adjusted. The maximum level is enough to view information on a sunny day. But the minimum brightness indicator is quite comfortable for working in the dark. The proximity sensor locks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. The touch display substrate recognizes up to 10 simultaneous touches, and their processing is carried out without any complaints. There is support for a high sensitivity mode for working with gloves.

In general, according to subjective impressions, the Sony Xperia Z2 display has reached a qualitatively new level: bright, contrasty, with maximum viewing angles and rich colors, although somewhat oversaturated.

Sound

As already mentioned, the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone is equipped with stereo speakers, which are located at the very edges of the front panel (bottom and top). The multimedia speakers produce quite pleasant and quite loud sound, especially considering the security of the new product. There is no distortion throughout the entire volume range: a fairly wide frequency range is reproduced, and there is even a hint of low frequencies. Overall, they provide high-quality sound, which is enough for games, videos, speakerphone and even listening to your favorite songs.

The new product features a bright branded Walkman player, which traditionally has a large number of technologies and settings (surround sound, equalizer, the ability to edit tags, etc.). Among them, I would like to highlight the ClearAudio+ function, the activation of which not only increases the volume, but also improves the clarity and richness of the sound. At the same time, activating individual options (Clear Stereo, Clear Bass and Clear Phase), which are part of ClearAudio+, subjectively only worsens the sound quality.

The included Sony MDR-NC31EM stereo headset with vacuum-type headphones supports digital noise reduction (enabled in the settings). It is equipped with a 5-pin connector and two microphones that monitor the sound background of the environment. The reproduced sound in the headphones is clear and characterized by relatively good quality and a large volume reserve. The maximum benefit from the noise reduction system can be appreciated at low volumes: in this case, noise is eliminated quite well. But at high volumes you can’t hear them anyway.

The smartphone has a built-in radio module that allows you to listen (without recording) to FM radio stations operating in the frequency range from 87.5 to 108 MHz. Traditionally, to turn on the radio, you must connect a headset, which is used as an antenna.

During testing of the earpiece speaker, no shortcomings were found: the quality of speech transmission is clear, loud enough (even too loud, but this depends on the operator and the phone of the interlocutor) and with a fairly pleasant sound transmission.

Overall, the Sony Xperia Z2 sounds quite good both with and without headphones. Music lovers should appreciate it. In addition, thanks to a high-quality complete headset, there is no need to buy headphones.

Camera

Sony Xperia Z2 is equipped with two digital camera modules. The front one has a 2.2 megapixel sensor and a lens with an f/2.8 aperture. It is capable of recording photos and videos with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, that is, Full HD. The focus here is fixed.

The video and photographic material captured by the camera is of fairly high quality. Its capabilities are enough for video communication and selfies, which are now popular. Detailing is at an acceptable level. The viewing angle is not very large, but quite sufficient and does not cause complaints.

The main camera received a proprietary Sony Exmor RS module (1/2.3’’) with a resolution of 20.7 megapixels and a fairly fast six-lens lens (Sony G Lens series) with an f/2.0 aperture. The focal length in 35 mm equivalent is 27 mm, which gives a fairly large viewing angle. The image received from the sensor is processed by the proprietary Bionz processor. There is also a bright single-section LED flash, fairly accurate and fast autofocus, as well as digital image stabilization (SteadyShot). The maximum photo resolution is 5248 × 3936 (20.7 MP) with an aspect ratio of 4:3 and 3840 × 2160 (8 MP) with an aspect ratio of 16:9. Video shooting is possible in 1080p (at 30 and 60 fps) and 4K Ultra HD (3840 × 2160) formats.

Note that the light receiving matrix is ​​quite large in size for a smartphone (1/2.3" versus the more usual 1/3"). Similar solutions can be found in entry-level cameras, which should have a positive effect on the quality of the resulting images (the larger the matrix, the better).

The overall quality of photos and videos fully corresponds to the status of a modern flagship. This time Sony has done a good job on the algorithms for processing the data received from the photo module. The resulting picture is characterized by excellent detail across the entire field of the frame with pleasant and natural color reproduction and high contrast. Of course, in low light, blurring may occur, but you can turn on digital stabilization, which will partially correct the situation by raising the ISO. The “HDR” mode deserves high praise, as it does a good job of expanding the color gamut, although it is somewhat inferior to its main competitors. All of the above can be applied to video. The sound and picture do not cause any complaints.

It is important to note that when you start the camera with a mechanical button, it goes into super-automatic mode (iAuto), which always shoots at 3840 × 2160 (8 MP). But this does not make the picture lose any quality at all. Those who are accustomed to simple pointing and further shooting will be very pleased. And for those who want to delve into the settings, you should start the camera in “Manual” mode using the on-screen button. Although at maximum resolution for some reason there is no access to all functions, which is somewhat disappointing.

Also noteworthy is the fact that thanks to the presence of moisture protection and a mechanical camera button, shooting can be done even under water.

The main camera settings menu visually looks very simple and intuitive. It has a huge number of settings, functions and modes. Among them, we should highlight: “HDR” (“Dynamic mode”), “Info-eye” (the ability to add virtual reality objects to the frame), “Timeshift burst” (the camera takes 61 frames before pressing the shutter, which makes it possible to select only the best) , “Social live” (the ability to immediately upload photos to Facebook), “AR effect” (the ability to add various animation effects and elements of additional reality to photos and videos), “Timeshift video” (HD video shooting mode at 120 fps and further selection of a segment with slow motion), “Background defocus” (the ability to blur the background), “Creative effect” (effects for video such as mirror reflection, motion reflections, color correction and miniature). If this is not enough for you, then when selecting modes, click the “+ Applications” button to download new ones.

Examples of photography

Video examples

An example of daytime shooting from a Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone at 1080p resolution at 30 fps

An example of daytime shooting from a Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone at 1080p resolution at 60 fps

An example of daytime shooting from a Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone at 4K Ultra HD resolution (3840 x 2160) at 30 fps with basic settings

Example of daytime shooting from a Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone at 1080p resolution in “Timeshift video” mode

User interface

Sony Xperia Z2 comes with a pre-installed Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system, on top of which the latest version of the proprietary Xperia UX shell is installed, which minimally changes the appearance of stock Android. At the same time, there is an optimal number of applications, settings and functions designed to simplify the user’s life. Let's take a closer look at the most interesting points and innovations.

The appearance of the lock screen, as well as desktops, has remained quite similar since the days of Sony Xperia Z. As before, you can launch the camera from the lock screen and place the necessary widgets. There are five desktops, with the ability to add new ones or remove unnecessary ones. You can place widgets and applications on them. There is also an option to group programs into folders. There are flexible appearance settings: desktop background and lock screen, installed themes with the ability to download new ones.

The main changes include the appearance of the “Quick Settings” menu (the second tab in the notification shade), which allows quick access to the most necessary functions of the smartphone. By bringing up the menu of recent running applications, a rather necessary “Close All” button appears. There are also regular mini-applications that provide quick access to a calculator, calendar, voice recorder, notes, etc. (you can edit and upload new ones). In addition, there is a multi-window mode that allows you to work simultaneously with several applications from the list.

The application menu is divided into matrices of 20 icons (5 x 4) and has its own settings panel. It is called by simply waving from the left edge of the screen. There is the ability to sort applications, group them into folders and quickly search. Quite a convenient solution, especially if you have a large number of programs installed.

The proprietary keyboard is visually quite ordinary, except that it lacks an additional row of numbers, so you need to switch to them every time. Like competitors, there is the ability to slide the keyboard for more convenient one-handed operation and the Swype input method. “Phone” has support for Smart Dial, that is, automatic search for contacts by first letters or numbers.

Among the installed applications, mention should be made of What's New, Sony Select and TrackID, which make it possible to quickly find and download the necessary content (music, games, movies, etc.). In addition, we can note the file manager (File Commander), a proprietary navigation system (Navigation), a simple photo editor (Pixlr Express), a drawing application (Sketch) and an office suite for viewing documents (OfficeSuite).To get all the free content from Sony, download the Xperia Lounge app from the Google Play Store. Omnivorous branded music and video players deserve attention: Walkman and Gracenote, which have a pleasant appearance and excellent functionality.

The smartphone settings menu is made in light colors and looks like vertical columns, which are divided into sub-items. There is access to almost all the parameters of the new product: communication capabilities, appearance, screen calibration, sound effects, etc.

The “Simple Home Screen” mode looks interesting, which will make it easier for people with disabilities to operate the smartphone. The presence of a full-fledged data backup and recovery tool deserves special attention.

In addition, the “Power supply” item deserves attention, where settings for increasing battery life are concentrated. Thus, the “Stamina” mode stops running applications and unnecessary background processes (you can configure which of them will remain active) when the screen is locked, which has a positive effect on energy consumption.

In general, the interface has a rather pleasant and discreet appearance, but here it all depends on personal tastes. The speed and smoothness of the interface does not cause any complaints. During testing, no slowdowns or twitches were noticed: everything works relatively quickly and smoothly.

Hardware platform and performance

The Sony Xperia Z2 is based on a high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor (modification MSM8974AB). It is manufactured using a 28-nanometer process and includes four proprietary Krait 400 cores based on the ARM Cortex-A7 microarchitecture, which operate at a nominal clock speed of 2.3 GHz (2.27 GHz according to CPU-Z indicators). The L2 cache size is 2 MB. The graphics subsystem uses the Qualcomm Adreno 330 solution integrated into the CPU, which has support for the DirectX 9.0c API and OpenGL ES 3.0. The graphics adapter operates at a clock frequency of up to 550 MHz.

The amount of RAM is as much as 3 GB (dual-channel LPDDR3), and the permanent memory is 16 GB (11.5 GB available to the user). This space can be expanded using microSD memory cards (up to 128 GB). This platform supports OTG mode, which makes it possible to connect an external USB drive, keyboard and mouse when using the appropriate adapter.

As expected, the performance of the new product is sufficient for most mobile tasks, including comfortable operation of relatively demanding games. For example, a popular game like Dead Trigger 2 demonstrates a high frame rate at maximum settings, but the new game, Asphalt: Overdrive, can experience stuttering with the same settings. However, you should reduce the graphics settings and you can get a comfortable level of frames per second.

It is also worth mentioning the heating of the smartphone, which can become noticeable only during prolonged maximum load (shooting video in 4K Ultra HD format or protracted gaming battles) and cause some discomfort. Thus, the upper part of the back side can warm up to 50°C, and the temperature of the side edges reaches 35-40°C. In addition, you should remember the properties of heated glass and do not place it on cool surfaces. Note that such heating is a price to pay for high performance and is found in most modern flagship devices. If you don't overload them, you won't even notice it when performing most everyday tasks.

Communications

The smartphone works in all modern mobile networks: GSM, UMTS / HSPA+ and 4G with support for LTE Category 4. There is only one radio module, just like the number of SIM cards. The plastic tray for the Micro-SIM is easily removed without additional tools, but inserting it back together with the card is not so easy. Call quality is at a high level: there are no interruptions or self-drops, and voice transmission is clear, but depends on the user’s location and the quality of the network itself.

The range of communication capabilities is represented by NFC, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi modules. The latter has support for 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac protocols, Wi-Fi Direct and Wi-Fi Hotspot functions, and is also capable of operating in two frequency bands: 2.4 and 5 GHz. In addition, thanks to Miracast support, it is possible to transmit multimedia content (audio and video) and display images via Wi-Fi. Traditionally, there is DLNA support. And thanks to support for the MHL standard, which combines the functionality of HDMI and micro-USB interfaces, the smartphone can be connected to compatible monitors or TVs. However, the interface cable is not included in the package.

The global geopositioning navigation module supports work with GPS and GLONASS satellite systems. The first of them, in an open area (connection is also possible indoors), simply instantly detects about 21 satellites and just as quickly connects to them. Communication is stable with most of them. Under test conditions, the detection accuracy was up to 3 meters.

Autonomous operation

Sony Xperia Z2 is powered by a relatively large capacity lithium-ion battery (3200 mAh). With an average and moderate load, this should be enough for the user for a day and a half of uninterrupted operation. And if you use the new features to a minimum and enable the “Stamina” energy saving mode, you can expect more than two days of battery life. If we talk about the maximum load (games, GPS, Wi-Fi, shooting video in 4K Ultra HD format), then the device can be discharged in a matter of hours, especially at elevated battery temperatures. According to the manufacturer, the smartphone is capable of talk time of up to 19 hours and up to 740 hours of standby time. In music (headset) mode, it should remain on for up to 110 hours, and video will play for 10 hours. The last figure is confirmed by our traditional autonomy tests.

As a result of watching HD video (MPEG-4 / AVC, MKV container, 4 Mbit/s stream) using the MX Player (50% display brightness, Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on), the phone was discharged in 10.5 hours (if to be precise, in 10 hours and 32 minutes). A gaming simulation using the Epic Citadel application (Guided Tour mode) with 100% display brightness and Wi-Fi and GPS modules turned on was repeated for a little over 3 hours until the battery charge was exhausted. The estimated operating time of the smartphone according to the GFXBench benchmark is 213 minutes, that is, over 3.5 hours.

The battery charging time from the complete unit (5 V, 1.5 A) is about 2.5-3 hours.

Results

Summing up the results of a rather detailed acquaintance and testing of the flagship smartphone, we can safely say that Sony managed to release a flagship that fully meets all modern market requirements. The new product has absorbed all the advantages of its predecessors and has lost its annoying shortcomings.

In addition to its stylish appearance, the Sony Xperia Z2 can offer high quality build quality, an excellent 5.2-inch Full HD IPS display with maximum viewing angles and pleasant color reproduction, fairly good sound and a high-quality Sony MDR-NC31EM stereo headset with digital system support noise reduction, modern digital camera modules (2.2 MP and 20.7 MP), which boast high quality content, as well as a high-performance Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, which is enough for most mobile tasks, including quite demanding games. In addition, all modern communications are in place and work properly. Like its predecessors, the new “Zetka” has protection against dust and moisture (IP55/58) and a mechanical camera key, which makes it possible to shoot even underwater. All this runs under the current version of Android OS 4.4.2 KitKat, on top of which the latest version of the proprietary Xperia UX shell is installed. The latter has a pleasant and discreet appearance, wide possibilities for personalization and sufficient functionality.

The only unpleasant thing about the new product is the heating of the case during prolonged use of resource-intensive applications. But if you remember modern flagship smartphones, it becomes clear that this is a price for high performance, which is quite common in devices of this class.

Overall, we have an excellent modern smartphone that has its own style and charisma, which can also offer high-quality performance and remarkable functionality.

Advantages:

  • stylish appearance;
  • high-quality body assembly;
  • protection against dust and moisture (IP55/58);
  • excellent 5.2-inch Full HD IPS display with maximum viewing angles and pleasant color reproduction;
  • good sound quality;
  • high-quality complete stereo headset Sony MDR-NC31EM with support for a digital noise reduction system;
  • excellent photographic capabilities of digital cameras (2.2 MP and 20.7 MP);
  • productive hardware platform;
  • support for global positioning systems GPS / GLONASS;
  • availability of NFC, Miracast, Bluetooth 4.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi with support for the 802.11ac standard;
  • pretty good autonomy;
  • support for USB OTG specification and microSD memory cards up to 128 GB;
  • current version of Android OS 4.4.2 KitKat;
  • discreet and quite functional proprietary Xperia UX shell;
  • MHL 3.0 support.

Flaws:

  • noticeable heating of the body, especially when shooting video in 4K Ultra HD format;
  • slippery and rather smeared glass surfaces.

We express our gratitude to the Ukrainian representative office of the company Sony Mobile Communications AB for the smartphone provided for testing.

All prices for Sony+Xperia+Z2

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So what millions of fans of the Japanese giant Sony expected has happened - at MWC 2014, the super smartphone Sony Xperia Z2, which is a continuation of the line of top-class devices, was officially presented. Stylish and beautiful design, advanced technologies, a truly high-quality display, improved sound - all the best was embodied in the new smartphone. Let's take a closer look at the company's brainchild and see what new has been implemented in the device. By the way, the latest Android 4.4.2 with the user’s proprietary shell is installed as the working system.

On my own behalf, I would like to note that I expected more both in terms of design and technical parameters. Personally, for me, here we see a situation similar to previous flagships: the Xperia Z1 has become an improved version of the Xperia Z, but now we see the Sony Xperia Z2 and we can conclude that this is only a slightly improved Xperia Z1 with a good 5.2-inch display . This is exactly what the new flagship Sony Xperia Z1 should have been like.

Features, parameters and technical specifications of Sony Xperia Z2

Smartphone design

The appearance of the Xperia Z2 is a true embodiment of style and perfection. It is made in accordance with the OmniBalance brand design, already loved by many - all the filling is encased in a solid aluminum body, which is symmetrical, with smooth and flowing lines, the front and back parts are covered with protective glass. And of course, there is certification in accordance with IP55/IP58 standards, which means that the smartphone is protected from dust and moisture.

Smartphone dimensions – 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm

Weight – 158 grams





DisplaySony Xperia Z2

The strength of the new smartphone is its 5.2-inch Full HD TRILUMINOS display, with an IPS matrix and a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels and a pixel density of 423ppi, which allows you to fully enjoy the bright and rich picture. Thanks to what is already known, the image will be as clear and rich as possible. The manufacturer has also introduced a completely new technology called Live Color LED - it will be used exclusively in Sony Mobile devices and allows for maximum color depth and gradation. IPS technology will allow you to achieve maximum viewing angles and no fading of the display no matter from which side you look at it. This was precisely the problem area of ​​the flagship Xperia Z1. In addition, it is worth noting that there is no film on the screen as there was in previous models - only glass!

CameraSonyXperiaZ2

A 20.7-megapixel camera with a 1/2.3-inch ExmorRS sensor, proprietary G Lens F2.0 optics will help you capture the brightest moments of life, and the “brains” will be the built-in BIONZ intelligent processor for mobile devices. All these photo quality parameters put the smartphone on a par with modern digital photographic equipment. Now the camera supports video recording in 4K format (3840 x 2160 pixels)! All the best brand technologies in the camera of one smartphone!

Even in low-light conditions, the user's photos will look great thanks to the ExmorRS sensor with the next-generation BSI sensor, combined with the F2.0 Sony G Lens, which will ensure reduced noise and high-resolution photo exposure. Cool photos even in automatic mode!

Quality optics, a highly sensitive sensor and BIONZ processing engine ensure fast subject capture with autofocus to capture subjects that are in motion, avoiding subject blur and keeping your photos clear and vibrant.

Capture detailed images with aspherical G Lens and 3x Clear Image Zoom. Objects in the distance will be clear and detailed.

Capture high-quality videos with 4K video recording support. High clarity and accuracy of the video with a resolution of 3840 x 2160 will allow you to achieve the highest quality, detail and clarity.


Use the Timeshift feature to record video at high frame rates. Slow down interesting moments in the video and create interesting clips. With this camera app, you can record HD 720p video at 120 frames per second. After shooting the video, just select the part of the clip that you want to slow down and mark it on the timeline.


Thanks to SteadyShot, the recorded video will be even clearer and more stable, without blurring or shaking, as this feature reduces the influence of the hand movements of the person being filmed. A kind of stabilization when recording video, especially useful for those whose hands shake. 🙂

List of preinstalled camera applications in Sony Xperia Z2

Timeshift video Background Defocus AR Effect Creative effects Vine Info-eye Timeshift burst Social live Sweep Panorama

Sound improvement

Built-in noise suppression technology will make the sound cleaner and higher quality, removing all unnecessary high-frequency and low-frequency noise. The smartphone also features Clear Audio – Clear Stereo, Clear Bass and Clear Phase technologies will make the music even more melodic and deep, minimizing distortion. Well, in the finale, the Sony Xperia Z2 has a dual stereo speaker, which has clear and loud sound, and this is taking into account the protection of the device from moisture and dust.

Hardware (“hardware”)SonyXperiaZ2

Fast operation and maximum performance will be provided by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974-AB chip with a 4-core processor clocked at 2.3 GHz (Krait 400 cores). The Adreno 330 chip, which is also well known to us, is responsible for video. The amount of RAM has been increased to 3 GB, which will allow the smartphone to work even more stable. The 3200 mAh battery and improved STAMINA mode will ensure long operating time.

Battery

  • Talk time: up to 830 hours
  • Standby time: up to 880 hours
  • Music listening time: up to 110 hours
  • Video playback time: up to 400 hours

Sony Xperia Z2 release date

There is no exact release date for the smartphone yet, but it is predicted that the device will appear on the market in mid-to-late March.

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