Review: Xperia Z2 is all-powerful from Sony (D6543)

Table of Contents

1. Summary
3. Design and finishing
4. Display
5. speed and performance
6. Connectivity and connections
7. Software
8. Camera
9. Audio
10. Digital TV
11. Storage
12. Battery
13. Price and Availability
14. Conclusion
15. Specifications

Who follows the releases of Sony Mobile must have noticed the faster arrival of new products to the market. In just 14 months, the Japanese manufacturer brought to the Spanish market three generations of its best smartphone: the Xperia ZQ (April/2013), Xperia Z1 (October/2013) and X (June/2014). With this, Sony was able to accelerate the evolution of its devices and the result is quite positive.

O X is the company's new top of the line, a direct competitor to Samsung Galaxy S5 e LG G3. On paper, the numbers don't show big differences from its predecessor, the X, but in practice, the experience is far superior.

Summary

Design and finishing

The design of the X not much has changed from the Z1. It is basically composed of glass and aluminum and follows the design concept omni balance. This gives the device a robust and elegant appearance. At first glance, you don't notice much difference with the Xperia Z1. But a closer analysis reveals a better use of the front, with a larger screen (5,2 '' against 5,0'') occupying almost equal space, which means more screen without increasing the size of the device and thinner edges.

Despite using the same materials and increasing the screen size, the X it's thinner and lighter than its predecessor, now just 8,2 mm thick, weighing in at 163 grams. The notification LED is bigger and more elegant and the speakers are built into the front. Another subtle change was the inversion of colors on the sides of the smartphone. On the Z1, the edges are metallic with a colored fillet in the center (black, white or purple). The edges are now painted in the braces color with the widest, metallic fillet in the center.

The “footprint” is still the only sacrifice of a beautiful design with materials premium. Being slightly larger than other high-end smartphones, at 146,8 mm in height and 73,3 mm in width, its handling is not so easy for a user unaccustomed to large screens. Smooth and straight surfaces also convey a certain insecurity in the hand. Fortunately, the edges of the X are not as rounded as those of the Z1 and, as small as this change is, it has brought noticeable improvements in ergonomics (the small, less rounded corner around the glass provides greater security when holding the device with one hand).

As with the iPhone 4 and 4S, the all-glass rear surface requires special attention to avoid scratches, despite being made of a resistant material. If fingerprints are a major annoyance, it is recommended to purchase the X In the white color.

The Xperia Z2 carries the same certification IP55 / 58 of the Xperia Z1, that is, it is waterproof and dustproof, being possible to immerse in up to 1,5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes. IMPORTANT: All inputs must be closed, except the headphone jack, which has an internal seal.

Display

The display is perhaps the biggest change on the Xperia Z2. In addition to having a larger screen, 5,2’’ Full HD, Sony's new top of the line exchanged TFT technology for IPS, with significant gains in colors and viewing angles. The smartphone now has one of the most beautiful screens available on the market, with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 423 ppi and X-Reality processing combined with Triluminos technology and LED Live Color, exclusive to Sony Mobile displays. All this means that the images are sharp and vivid in color. Some may notice a lower brightness than other devices, but nothing that interferes with use and comfort.

 

speed and performance

As expected, the Xperia Z2 features the best chipset available today, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801. With quad-core processor 2,3 GHz and Adreno 330 GPU, performance is excellent in any situation, including multitasking and gaming. You 3 GB of RAM, 50% more than the Galaxy S5, guarantee fluidity and speed in the animations and transitions of the Sony interface and fast switching between applications. This also means that the Xperia Z2 can have a longer lifespan, as its powerful hardware will have to support new updates and apps for a long time.

     

Connectivity and connections

The Xperia Z2 is compatible with 4G spanish and supports numerous connections, as a high-end must have: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3), USB On-the-go and USB Host.

Call quality is excellent for both sides of the call. The speakerphone has quality sound, but not too loud.

Software

The Xperia Z2 comes standard with Android KitKat 4.4.2. And as we always commented here, Sony's interface is one of the most elegant among Android devices. This is due to the fact that the manufacturer does not apply such radical changes as its competitors, which leaves it with a cleaner appearance and more fluid performance. But if you're not a fan of its more behaved appearance, you can customize it through themes, which are also available for other smartphones in the current lineup.

A Sony Mobile embedded apps from other company units, such as video, music and gaming services, represented by Video Unlimited, Music Unlimited and PlayStation Mobile, respectively, onto the device.

The native photo and music apps are also very well resolved, practical and beautiful. The application Walkmen, for music, has integration for the Music Unlimited streaming service.

The Xperia Z2 also brings some new software functions, such as two taps to wake up the screen, motion detection to keep the display active, automatic call answering when you bring your smartphone to your ear and answering machine. It is worth remembering that the function Stamina, which reduces energy consumption through data usage management, is still present.

A very interesting application that is present in the new versions with Sony's KitKat is the Smart connect. In addition to managing devices such as Smartband e Smartwatch, the application aims to automate some smartphone activities and settings. You can set actions for specific events, such as connecting power source, bluetooth device and headphones. The device automatically changes audio settings, notifications, app launches and even actions in certain apps for each scheduled event. An example of this is the night mode, which automatically silences the Z2 when connecting it to a power source at a pre-set time by the user.

Camera

The camera set used in the Xperia Z2 is the same as the Xperia Z1, a 1/2.3'' CMOS sensor 20,7 megapixels with Sony G lenses. However, Sony appears to have made software improvements, which resulted in noticeably superior photos.

As with the Z1, the Xperia Z2 saves most photos at 8 megapixels, using the 20,7 megapixels to compose a smaller image, but with more information, more vivid colors and less noise. The way AutoSuperior is the simplest and automatically sets all camera options, leaving only the flash configuration to the user. The Manual mode is more similar to the automatic mode of other devices, allowing different exposure, HDR, resolution and scene settings.

The camera app is very pleasing, mainly because it is possible to install apps with different functions and effects. The Z2 already comes with some camera apps installed, such as:

– AR effect: augmented reality effects

– Blurred Background: to enhance the blurred background effect of macro photos

– Timeshift burst: takes 30 photos before and 30 photos after pressing the shutter button

– Social live: for live streaming video on Facebook timeline

The Z2's camera excels for video recording, as it allows for movies in slow motion e 4K. The video quality in 4K is impressive, but it is not possible to record very long videos, as this function requires a lot of storage space and intensive processing, which causes a rapid rise in the temperature of the device. But this is common on smartphones that record in 4K, at least for now.

The camera X is undoubtedly one of the best available on mobile devices, with excellent photo quality, even in low-light environments.

The front camera of 2,2 megapixels also deserves to be highlighted, as it presents photos with above-average quality, even in low lighting. Selfie lovers will like it.

Audio

Sound is something few manufacturers value. But at a time when processing, screen and camera are almost no longer differentials in high-end devices, Sony decided to improve the audio of the Xperia Z2. The smartphone has two speakers located on the front, which provide stereo sound high quality, even if not too high. But the experience, especially for videos, is far superior to conventional speakers located on the back of smartphones.

Another highlight, and this one may go unnoticed by most users, is the noise cancellation inlaid. This is a function that, together with specific Sony headphones (sold separately), ensures that repetitive noises from planes, buses, trains and air conditioning, for example, are canceled out through sound waves with phase reversed to the original noise. The great advantage of having this function present in the Z2 is that compatible Sony headphones (model MDR-NC31EM) cost around R$ 249,00. Generally, noise canceling headphones cost more than R$ 1.500,00 and have a built-in box for signal processing, which makes them bigger and heavier. The MDR-NC31EM resembles conventional headphones.

We tested the headphones during a flight from São Paulo to Fortaleza and in a hotel environment with air conditioning on. They proved to be extremely efficient in canceling out external noise, as well as being comfortable. The set has excellent sound quality.

The headphones that are part of the Z2 kit are simpler, from the MH410c model. They sound adequate, but inferior to the MH750, which comes with the ZQ and Z1.

Digital TV

Function previously found only in cheaper devices, the digital TV has been present since the Xperia Z1 in Sony Mobile's tops of the line. Again, the default here is the 1-seg, that is, it does not have an HD signal, only present in the Xperia Z2 Tablet. The embedded TV application also allows scheduling recordings of programs and shows at times predetermined by the user. There is an antenna included in the kit, but even without it, it is possible to capture the TV signal. However, we recommend its use to ensure better image quality.

Storage

The Xperia Z2 has 16 GB internal storage and support for microSD up to 128 GB. Of the internal 16 GB, approximately 11 GB is available to the user. In addition, Sony offers 50GB of free cloud storage in the Box service/app.

Battery

Sony has done a great job of combining big batteries and good power management into their latest smartphones. Good examples of this are the Xperia M2 and T2 Ultra, which easily hit the 2-day mark of moderate use. The Xperia Z2, on the other hand, brings a battery of 3.200 mAh, the highest capacity among the tops of the line. In moderate use, you can easily reach one day of use. It is possible to extend the duration through the Stamina function, which we mentioned earlier. It is worth remembering that the battery is not removable, that is, have a portable charger if you want to avoid running out of power.

Price and Availability

The Xperia Z2 is now available at operators, Sony's online store and major retail chains in the country at the suggested price of R$ 2.499,00. You can find it for much lower values, especially for cash payments.

Conclusion

The Xperia Z2 is a great choice for a high-end smartphone. Compared to its predecessor, it may not seem like there has been much evolution, but the improvements are many and provide a much superior experience.

The Xperia Z2's main asset is its quality and performance in every aspect, from camera and display, to premium waterproof finish. It is a top of the line without compromises, which does not give up bringing the best to the user.

despite cost R$ 2.499,00 (Xperia Z2 White, Xperia Z2 Black), it is still R$ 100,00 cheaper than the Galaxy S5 and comes with Smartband, smart bracelet Sony that would cost separately R$ 399,00. It is expensive, but compared to its direct competitors, it presents a cost benefit much better.

If you decide to buy it in cash, FastShop offers an even bigger discount, perhaps being the best price from the market: £ 2.230,99.

Specifications