Contents of delivery

• Telephone
• Charger with USB cable
• Noise canceling headset
• Tabletop charging stand
• Instructions

Positioning

At Sony last years create visually interesting smartphones that always suffer from minor technical flaws, each of which can be tolerated, but together they create an impression of incompleteness and can irritate users. The company's flagship Sony Xperia Z was announced in September 2013 at the IFA exhibition in Berlin and appeared on the shelves a short time later.

Literally from the first days, buyers began to complain about the not very high-quality screen, which had small viewing angles; it had to be looked at strictly perpendicularly. There were quite a few shortcomings in the device, as a result, the company took an unprecedented step and decided to correct the shortcomings by releasing a new model, which they called Z2. The bug fix was announced on February 24, 2014 in Barcelona. None of the smartphone manufacturers, except Nokia, and now Sony, breaks the annual cycle of launching flagship products - they come out once a year. This is justified both from an economic point of view and from people’s perception - it’s a shame when you shell out a large sum for a company’s flagship, and after a short period of time it turns into an obsolete device.

On the other hand, it was necessary for Sony to fix the problems of the Z1, but not to admit the existence of shortcomings, but to quietly withdraw the model from the market, replacing it with a new product. It’s interesting that specifically for the Sony Z1, the company is fighting to maintain the price of the device by any means - it doesn’t want discounting, as this will affect everything model range. An amazing situation has arisen when the price of Z1 is maintained despite the market situation - this is an artificial containment against the backdrop of very low sales in its price segment. In Russia, at the time of writing the review, the cost of this device was 24,990 rubles in federal retail, and at the start the device costs 29,990 rubles.

The Z2 was scheduled to be released in most markets around the world at the end of March 2014, this was Sony's official position. In particular, the official Twitter account of the company in Russia announced this; the same data was provided to all publications, but the cost of the product was not reported.

Already in March it became known that the deadline was being postponed to an unknown date - sales began in limited quantities in a small number of markets. Unofficial rumors linked this to a lack of components, which is partly true. Firstly, the company does not have a sufficient number of screens made using the new technology, since their production turned out to be not so simple matter. The screen also has a number of serious shortcomings that came as a surprise - the brightness level, the display of colors, in particular, the white color here is gray and has a purple tint. Secondly, technical problems arose with the assembly during production - the glass panels covering the device have gaps, which, in theory, violates the seal of the case; the protection standard for it is IP58. There are a number of other shortcomings that Sony began to correct so as not to encounter mass negativity. In those countries where the device has appeared, users are complaining about some of these problems.

Design, dimensions, control elements

The Z2 model is fully the successor to the previous device - the same body materials, almost the same size (Z2 - 146.8x73.3x8.2 mm, Z1 - 144.4x73.9x8.5 mm), comparable weight - 158 grams (Z1 - 169 gram).

Sony Xperia Z2 and Z1

Compared to HTC One M8

Compared to Samsung Galaxy S5

Compared to Sony Xperia Z

This device cannot be called compact; it is very close in size to Galaxy Note 3, which, however, does not prevent it from remaining comfortable in the hand. Current flagships are quite comfortable, and the fear that a large phone is inconvenient in everyday life, it seems to me, has left most people. In terms of size, there are and cannot be any complaints.

Compared to Samsung Galaxy Note 3

The model is available in three colors: white, black and purple.

I like each of these colors, they are quite bright, and the purple color looks metallic in the light, which gives it a certain charm. The case materials differ from competitors, the side frame is made of metal, and the screen and back surface are covered with DragonTail glass, this is a feature from Sony - today Alcatel and a number of other companies use similar glass, this is an inexpensive analogue of Corning Gorilla Glass. For Sony, it seems to me, the question was not the cost of glass as such, but the desire to distinguish itself from competitors, to show that they have something unique. But in fact, such glass has no difference in its characteristics - plus or minus they are the same.

Unfortunately, the oleophobic coating of the glass is such that fingerprints remain on it, and it gets very dirty - and on both sides. A cloth along with this device is simply a necessity.

The use of glass makes it impossible to ensure the IP67/68 protection standard; the device is fragile, and the glass may crack if dropped. We've seen this many times on the iPhone, but the design in the Z2, as well as in the Z1, is completely different - the force of the impact is transferred to the inside of the device, and, most likely, you will break not the glass at all, but the electronics. This is confirmed both by user experience and unsuccessful phone drops, and by independent tests.

Display

A shoemaker without boots - this is the slogan that best characterizes the situation in Sony’s mobile division and the quality of phone screens. The company, which is known for its developments in the field of LCD panels, was one of the leaders in the TV market, could not create decent screens for its mobile devices.

The Z1 featured an LCD screen that could easily be called the worst we've seen in a flagship at the time (just six months ago). It was possible to look at it only at a right angle; any deviation would cause the screen to fade. However, the previous Sony Z device had the same problems, which was disappointing with its screen. For example, screen technology experts conducted a series of measurements and noted that the results were shocking.

Another disadvantage that is known to many users of Sony smartphones is the “ingenious” solution in the form of a non-peel film on the phone screen, which annoyed many users.

There is no film in the Z2, for which we can say special thanks to Sony, it finally happened, and you don’t have to be annoyed by its presence. For many of my friends, this was a factor that convinced them not to buy Sony phones. Such a small thing, but it had such an impact on the process of choosing a device.

Specifications The screen in Z2 is the following - 5.2 inches, resolution - 1920x1080 pixels (423 dpi versus 440 in Z1). The screen uses the famously named Triluminos technology, which suggests that the picture has better RGB coverage than conventional LCD screens. In theory this is true, in practice there are certain flaws. An explanation of the technology can be seen in a promotional video from Sony.

Also in connection with this device, Live Color Led technology is often mentioned, which, in fact, is responsible for the color gamut, which is somewhat misleading to the user - these names make your head spin. From a marketing point of view, it is noted that the red and green subpixels are made using phosphor, which improves the quality of the color gamut; colors look saturated.

Unfortunately, big words and reality are somewhat at odds with reality, since, in addition to the color gamut, the screen has other parameters that should be taken into consideration. In particular, the main parameter is the brightness of the backlight, which helps to see the contents of the screen in most places. Here Sony has clearly gone overboard with energy saving; in terms of brightness, the screen is much inferior to modern devices - it is worse than the HTC One M8, and therefore significantly worse than the Galaxy S5, where the brightness at half is already very comfortable, and the maximum value is unnecessary for many it just won't be needed.

In my opinion, it is the brightness of the backlight that is the Achilles heel of this device; it is comfortable at maximum, but has no reserve, which is frustrating. In terms of picture quality, the phone is quite comparable to its competitors - as usual, I’m not sure that photographs can convey the difference in the picture, its differences. But in most cases the images are comparable, the only question is which color option you like better ().

From top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2

In the sun, the screen behaves well, it is quite comparable to the same Galaxy S5 - everything is readable without any problems.

When turned off and in the light or on the street, the touch grid on the screen is visible, this may irritate some - on most other phones it is never visible. When switched on, it may also be visible in the sun.

The device has a technology for improving pictures in videos and images, it is called X-Reality and replaced the Bravia Engine, which proved to be absolutely useless and even harmful - the picture deteriorated irrevocably and had to be turned off. It's nice that this parameter remains unchanged - in X-Reality the picture on the screen also deteriorates, although this technology should have exactly the opposite effect. It's good that you can turn it off.

In the screen settings you can set the white balance, but it’s better not to touch these settings, they still won’t give you anything. See how the white color compares to the Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 on the Z2 screen (Top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2).

From top to bottom: HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z2

But the difference is visible only with direct comparison. In everyday life, when you use the device, you will not notice any tints of white or incorrect color rendition for other colors. Therefore, this should definitely not be considered a disadvantage.

For Sony, the appearance of such a screen as installed in the Z2 can be considered a breakthrough - there is no film, viewing angles are normal, color rendition has improved, but the backlight brightness has limitations that, on the other hand, will affect few people. Is not best screen on the market, the same Galaxy S5 has a display that has no analogues, as experts say.

But Sony is catching up with the market and doing it slowly, but in the end they got a readable screen, which, although different from other flagships, is not as much as in previous devices.

Battery

It's on the phone lithium polymer battery capacity of 3200 mAh (in Z1 3000 mAh). For a flagship, this battery capacity is excellent, it is quite comparable to Note 3, however, these devices are similar in terms of operating time.

Under normal load, the device will work from morning to evening - during this time you can surf the network for several hours (500 MB of data in 3G/4G, about 100 MB of Wi-Fi), two hours of screen operation or so, about 20 minutes of calls and minimum SMS.

With less consumption, the device will work quietly for about 2 days. The weak point is the screen's operating time, that is, all functions that do not require it, for example, radio or music, will last quite a long time, but as soon as the display is activated, the operating time is greatly reduced.

For music playback, the manufacturer claims 110 hours of operation, while in other modes the figures are significantly less. It is curious that the Sony website is full of errors in the descriptions of devices, for example, the video playback time is indicated as 400 hours, although in reality it is about 8-9 hours (which is less than that of competitors, with smaller size batteries - that is, this is a problem with the screen and its energy consumption).

Full charging time (2A charger) is about 3 hours to one hundred percent. Up to 90 percent will be enough in just over 2 hours. From my observations, the device is very sensitive to the quality of the network and its coverage; if you have data transmission and the network is not of very high quality, then the discharge will go faster than on other phones. But if the network is good, then the operating time, on the contrary, will increase. In any case, this device differs in operating time compared to its classmates (Galaxy S5, HTC One M8), beats them and is comparable only to Note 3.

In my opinion, this phone can be recommended to anyone who wants to quietly live until the evening without charging during the day; this is a huge plus of the model. Among the proprietary features, I would like to note the ability to see approximately how long the device will work in the selected mode; there is also a Stamina function, which increases the operating time by disabling data transfer to background, unloading applications from memory and so on. This is a lifesaver if you need to hold out until the outlet appears. In principle, the function works, although there are some rough edges in the implementation. Most people don’t use it, especially since this device will rarely need it.

Memory, memory cards

The phone has 3 GB random access memory(933 MHz, dual channel), which is unusual for models of this level; until recently, only Note 3 could boast of this, and the Galaxy S5 was equipped with only 2 GB. Simply increasing the amount of RAM does not solve anything; it all depends on how it works with the processor and what the overall system performance is. Below in the tests it will be clear that the memory increase did not provide a breakthrough in performance. After startup, about 1 GB of RAM is free.

The built-in memory is 16 GB, of which 11.57 GB is free for you, this can be considered a sufficient amount and typical for Android smartphones. You can connect memory cards of any capacity, which is also good.

Hardware platform, performance

The model is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB) chipset; it is a quad-core processor with a frequency of up to 2.3 GHz per core. On this moment This is the most productive solution, exactly the same processor is found in the same Galaxy S5 (though the frequency there is higher - 2.45 GHz). But depending on the shell and the decisions made by the manufacturer, performance may also differ; it cannot be compared only by paper characteristics. I was sincerely surprised that with more memory than the S5, this device shows worse results in synthetic tests.

In real life, when working in the interface, the difference is almost unnoticeable; if it exists, it is minimal. Some say Sony is faster, others say Galaxy S5, and others praise HTC ONE M8. As for me, they are all approximately comparable and the difference can only be felt in individual applications, and then it will be measured in fractions of a second.

In resource-intensive applications (games, 4K video recording), the device gets very hot, due to the glass of the case this is more noticeable than in the same HTC M8 or Galaxy S5, where the heat is not so strongly felt on the surface of the case. Sony has already responded to this complaint and suggested not shooting 4K video for more than a few minutes, since then overheating can cause applications to spontaneously close, plus the camera will turn off automatically.

In most situations, the average user will not (should not) encounter overheating of the device, but this is a possible situation. In this case, we can only recommend turning it off and waiting for it to cool down; this will happen in 10-15 minutes. It is possible that in new firmware the software operating modes will be adjusted to avoid this local overheating, and then everything will be much better. It is impossible to say that the problem is very serious - yes, the device heats up more than other flagships on the same chipset, you can feel it, but it is not a problem on a cosmic scale.

Communication capabilities

The device has NFC, which has already become a good tradition, Bluetooth version 4.0 with ANT+ support. The microUSB connector supports the MHL v3.0 standard, which allows you to output video to external sources. USB 2.0 version, USB Host supported. Supports LTE Cat 4, download speeds up to 150 Mbit/s. Wi-Fi version a/b/n/ac.

Camera

The device uses exactly the same Sony EXMOR RS module as the previous Z1 model. In theory, this should have given exactly the same characteristics when shooting, in practice a lot depends on the image processing algorithms, and here Sony tried, did a lot of work on the mistakes, which resulted in better quality of the final images.

First and foremost, the device has a camera button, which allows you to launch it quickly. This is a huge plus, which Sony spoiled with its implementation. The camera has an intelligent mode that selects the best shooting parameters and takes the shot. It always turns on when you press a key by default, and there is no way to fix this! The image resolution for this type of shooting is 8 megapixels, not 20.7, as in manual mode. I am sure that many would like to shoot on automatic, but with maximum resolution. For some reason Sony did not allow this to be done.

The matrix in the device is 1/2.3 inches, which is larger than on the vast majority of phones today, and in theory the matrix can give a better picture. In practice, the Z1 did not produce a more interesting picture than its classmates. The Z2 has greatly improved image processing, and automatic mode she's pretty good. This is not the case in manual mode.

However, look at the quality of the pictures in comparison with the Galaxy S5, I think you will say that they are approximately comparable, in some places one device wins, in others the other. And this can already be considered an achievement, since the Z1 was much inferior in terms of white balance to the Galaxy S4 and other devices. Here we see approximate parity, although detail in some scenes may suffer.

From the point of view of the average user, the photo quality will be good, because few people will compare it with other cameras in practice. On the screen the pictures look good, and that’s okay. Here are a few dozen pictures you can look at.

In terms of settings, this camera has a lot of options. additional functions, each of which is more or less familiar from Sony cameras. Let me start with what is being advertised with great fanfare: 4K video recording. In my opinion, it doesn't make much sense this function no, you can view this video on your computer or device. For now, this is more of a toy than something serious. However, look at examples of shooting in 4K.

Just like in previous models, there is an AR Effects option, these are drawings that are superimposed on a photo in real time, you can create a background of flowers or something similar - a great option for entertainment, however, the same can be done in any graphic editor .

TimeShift video – high frame rate and slow motion effects may be of interest to some, especially when filming sports events.

Defocusing the background is implemented quite controversially - you adjust the focus with the slider, then there is blur, you can choose the geometry of this blur.

Artistic effects are a whole set of different effects, each of which can be applied to a photograph. Also replaces graphics editor, but usually they don’t use effects, since they spoil the original photo; it’s easier to edit it than to get a modified photo.

Info-eye - the ability to point the camera at a famous building or something similar and get a quick hint about what it is. Explicit borrowing from the Googgles program.

The camera settings are quite simple and clear, you can look at them in the screenshots, I will not describe them separately.

For those who want to upload photos and videos to the network, there is a proprietary PlayMemories service, also familiar from cameras. You can set downloading only via Wi-Fi, but I prefer to use DropBox for these purposes, it is more convenient.

Videos can be recorded in FullHD, the quality of video recording is not bad, there are no complaints here.

The bottom line is that we can say the following about the camera - formally it is the same module as in the previous model. But in reality, the shooting algorithms have changed, and as a result, the quality has changed a little - the device shoots best in a resolution of 8 megapixels and with automatic settings. For the average person, this camera is enough for the eyes, in the “point and shoot” mode it copes with its tasks with a bang, autofocus is quite fast, although it is inferior in speed to the Galaxy S5, in some modes it blurs, and the result is a blurry picture. But these are, rather, individual shortcomings that can be found in one mode or another in almost any camera on the market. In terms of picture quality, this camera is already above average and quite at the level of top solutions, it outperforms all devices in the Lumia line (give or take, but, as a rule, this is true), takes pictures at the level of the Galaxy S4/Note 3, which can be considered a good achievement .

Multimedia capabilities – player, video, sound

The Walkman brand is well known to Sony fans, and it has found a second life in phones. Until recently, this meant the presence of various equalizers, the SensMe service, music recognition and other proprietary features. In terms of the number of different sound enhancements, Walkman is clearly ahead of the rest of the planet, but this does not mean that it plays your MP3 files much better - because in addition to the software component, the headphones that come with the phone also play a big role.

The device comes with the MDR-NC31EM headset, which has a 5-pin connector and also has a built-in noise reduction function. Separately, such a headset costs about 1,700-2,000 rubles; its presence in the package makes the device much more interesting. It should be noted that before purchasing you should check what exactly is included in the package, since in China the device comes with a regular headset, there is no desktop charging stand, and so on. The kits directly depend on the country in which the device is sold and can vary greatly; this is normal practice for Sony.

The device itself also has a noise reduction system, but there is no doubt that together with headphones you can achieve very good sound. Unfortunately, there is no answer button on the wire - that is, when using these headphones as a headset, you cannot answer by pressing, you must use either a voice command or take out your phone.

I checked the sound quality on a noisy street (almost complete isolation, music sounds very good, the main thing here is not to get hit by a car), on an airplane - the sound is also good, although somewhat inferior to models with active noise cancellation, but such headphones require a separate battery and a few more.

How much do headphones contribute to the sound of music? Of course, this is one of the most important parts. I tried DNA headphones with the device, which give a good sound, in general, for the vast majority of people this device will be interesting in terms of sound out of the box.

It's also worth mentioning that, like HTC, there is a built-in FM radio, which is missing in the Galaxy S5 (I think it was a mistake to abandon the radio).

In the picture below you can see the supported audio and video codecs out of the box, they are quite enough to work with most files downloaded from the network.

Impression

All Sony models have a loud ringtone, and this device is no exception. At incoming call Only one of the two speakers is used, which upsets some buyers; they want it even louder, even more. After all, there are two speakers, why not use both? Particularly impressionable people even “hear” what the second speaker sounds like. On two Z2 models (for Russia and for Taiwan), I was not able to hear the sound of the second speaker, but by and large, this is not necessary - a loud, clear call is heard in all conditions.

The vibration alert is not very weak, but not strong either - it differs from devices from other companies, which may seem unusual to some. But I couldn’t miss calls on this device; I always heard or felt it.

The review says nothing at all about the Sony shell, which runs on top of Android 4.2.2. It has flaws in localization into Russian, some inconsistencies, but overall it is exactly the same level as similar Samsung shell,HTC. Some things are implemented worse, some are better and more interesting. I want to talk about the shell in a separate article, since it will also be useful for reviews of other models from Sony - after all, they all have the same shell.

If the Z1 turned out to be an unsuccessful device, and there were many reasons for this - crude camera software, a mediocre screen with small viewing angles, ineffective operation in Stamina mode due to the new chipset and a number of other shortcomings, then in the Z2 most of the issues were removed, this device can be considered not just a continuation and development of the line - de facto, it is exactly the same model with slightly changed specifications, which offers a modified version of the same capabilities.

The display has become better and is almost at the level of competing solutions; the backlight is not bright enough, but for many this will not be an obstacle. Color rendition in isolation from direct comparison with competitors is quite normal, it should not bother you much. The touch grid on the screen may irritate some, but it is only visible in strong light or in bright sunshine.

The phone does not have any serious or critical shortcomings, but at the same time, there are many minor flaws that may be noticeable, but in the aggregate do not make the device bad or do not worsen its perception. Unlike all previous models of the family, the Z2 turned out to be more successful and is quite comparable to the Galaxy S5 and HTC One M8. A separate comparison of these models will appear in a week, but for now I’ll note that Sony can rightfully be considered one of the flagships of the season, which should be seriously considered as an option for purchase.

Separately, I would like to note the delivery package (depending on the country in which the device is sold). Noise-canceling headphones, tabletop included charger– all this undoubtedly distinguishes the model from similar offers from other companies and makes its purchase more profitable.

With a price of 29,990 rubles and sales starting in May, this device turned out to be at the Galaxy S5 level in terms of price, but offers better kit supplies. And, of course, it beats the HTC One M8, since the latter costs 32,990 rubles, but it had a head start of a month and a half, which made sales.

Thank you to BoomMarket.ru store for providing the phone number..

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February 2014 pleased fans cell phones and communicators with the latest new products from leading manufacturers around the world. Developers from the Japanese company Sony did not stand aside either. At the beginning of 2014, it was decided to show the Sony Xperia Z2 d6503 as the main flagship of the line. The Japanese did not think long about the characteristics of their new smartphone and tried to ensure that every element of it was the best in comparison with its main competitors. Whether they succeeded or not, we will find out from the further review.

Main technical characteristics

Sony did not skimp on its new flagship smartphone Z2 d6503. The characteristics of this model are amazing. Let's start with the processor. The quad-core Snapdragon 801 was chosen as it, the clock frequency of each core is 2.3 GHz. And this is very good characteristics processor compared even to the flagships of previous years. This communicator also has enough RAM - 3 GB. Both the processor and RAM are enough to be able to play the most “heavy” games of our time without freezing. Inner memory smartphone is 16 GB. If this volume is not enough, you can always buy an additional MicroSD card to increase the total memory capacity of your smartphone. Like many other flagships from competing companies, the smartphone from the Japanese manufacturer boasts operating system"Android 4.4.2".

External characteristics and ergonomics of Sony Xperia Z2 d6503

A review of this model shows that in terms of design and appearance new flagship from Sony does not have significant changes compared to the previous one - Z1. But this is only if you look at it and not hold it in your hand. The fact is that the new smartphone differs from its brother in size. While the Z1 has a more impressive weight, the Z2 tends to have a longer shape and a thinner body. However, this circumstance did not prevent the newly-minted flagship from acquiring a capacious 3200 MAh battery, which is quite enough for a whole day of work. There are two color options for the Sony Xperia Z2 d6503: black and white. The smartphone has a screen diagonal of 5.2 inches. On the front there are light and proximity sensors, as well as the main company logo. All the main buttons are located on the right side of the smartphone, which makes it convenient to use if you are right-handed. There are volume control buttons, a power button, as well as slots for a MicroSD card. On the left side there is a slot for a USB device, which helps when charging and connecting the smartphone to personal computer. On the top there is only a hole for the headset. Back panel The smartphone is glossy, and the Sony brand name is printed on its surface. In addition, in the upper left part there is a main camera of more than 20 MP, which makes the Sony Xperia Z2 d6503 one of the most powerful camera phones of our time.

Camera and photo quality

As mentioned above, Sony has equipped its new flagship with an outstanding twenty-megapixel camera. At its core, the camera is almost the same as on the Z1, but the developers assure that the quality of the photos should be noticeably different. In fact, in good light conditions the quality of the images is really at a different level, but at night the image detail is not much different from last year’s smartphone.

Sound

For music lovers this parameter is almost the main thing. It’s worth noting right away that the sound quality of music on Sony smartphones is worse than that of competitors from Samsung and NTS. Sony Xperia Z2 d6503 was no exception. Feedback from experts who reviewed this model suggests that the smartphone's speakers could be louder and the sound quality better. That is, the developers' assurances that each element of this smartphone considered competitive are not very similar to the truth. At least in a situation with sound. The sound volume during calls could also be louder. In loud environments, you need to raise the volume level to the maximum to be able to hear your interlocutor.

Productivity and durability

The Sony Xperia Z2 d6503 smartphone has the latest chipset Snapsragon 801, which allows for a noticeable increase in overall performance compared to its predecessors. In terms of performance, this communicator showed itself to be very good. While using the phone, there were no freezes when switching programs, as well as when trying to download and play the most “heavy” games on Android. I was also very pleased with the high-capacity battery. When the smartphone is heavily loaded and a widescreen movie with high brightness is watched on it, the battery lasts for almost 12 hours. That is, under normal conditions, the battery capacity can last at least 2 days.

Equipment

Like many other smartphones from Sony or other manufacturers, the Sony Xperia Z2 d6503 has a very prosaic set of components. Firstly, after purchasing a smartphone you will be given a branded box containing all the purchase data. Secondly, inside the box itself you can find, in addition to the phone, a document - instructions on how to use the phone, a USB cable for connecting the smartphone to an electrical network or a computer, an adapter for recharging the phone, as well as a proprietary headset from Sony. Headphones are not something sophisticated, so if you consider yourself a music lover, it is better to immediately purchase new ones.

Smartphone prices

As mentioned several times above in the review, Sony phone The Xperia Z2 d6503 is the flagship of the Japanese communicator manufacturer, and therefore you should not expect a low price from it. The starting price for it is around six hundred US dollars for a standard model without additional cards memory and other "bells and whistles". In case of additional costs, the cost of a smartphone can reach $700. It is also worth remembering that in different dealer stores the price of a smartphone, as well as the terms of sale, may vary.

The concept of releasing new flagships as frequently as possible, which Sony's mobile device division has adopted, has two consequences. On the one hand, this approach allows the company to quickly update the hardware of its top models to the “very best” level. As a result, if you buy Xperia smartphone, then you can be sure: the filling in it is truly as advanced as possible.

On the other hand, updating the design as often is problematic. You won't have enough fresh ideas for this. Therefore new Sony flagship— Xperia Z2 — from the point of view of appearance it turned out to be extremely evolutionary. It will be possible to identify a truly new smartphone in the Z2 only if you place it next to the Z1 - the slightly changed dimensions will not allow you to confuse it. If you just see the Z2 in someone’s hand, you might not understand that this is a new product - the new one differs little from the previous Z2.

Or you will have to look closely at the details - there are many noticeably changed little things in the design. For example, the Z2, unlike the Z1, does not have a plastic display backing. Or rather, there is a plastic backing, but now it is not a separate part, but is “flush” fitted into a metal frame (the darkest stripes on the frame are plastic).

This decision made it possible to get rid of one of the most unpleasant features design of the current Xperia - too wide fields on the sides of the display. But the tactile qualities have become a little worse: previously the rounded backing touched the palm, but now the sharp edge of the back side of the frame cuts into it. It’s not that strong and completely unpleasant, but the “ribbing” is still felt.

One more detail: the “loud” speaker has moved from the bottom end of the case to the front side. To be precise, there are now two loud speakers: the top one, which in the Z1 was used only for conversations, can now also sound loud. Stereo, in a word, albeit weak due to the small separation of the speakers. Not to say that the quality is breathtaking - the HTC One M8 is more interesting in this sense, but still the sound has become better - and certainly louder.

The factory film has disappeared from the display and back glass panel, so the Xperia Z2 will not scratch as quickly as the Xperia Z1. But if it gets scratched, it’s forever.

Like all flagships of 2014, the Xperia Z2 turned out to be too large - both in length and width. However, in size this smartphone is far from even the first Galaxy Note, not to mention larger “shovels” like the Xperia Z Ultra.

Like all previous Sony flagships, the Xperia Z2 is protected from dust and liquids according to IP55 and IP58 standards. That is, it is completely invulnerable to dust (dust can get inside the case, but does not affect the performance of the device), withstands water jets from any angle and can be completely immersed in water to a depth of one and a half meters. So you can wash the Z2 under the tap, take a bath with it, and do underwater photography - the latter is especially convenient, since the smartphone has a hardware camera button.

The scheme for protecting connectors from water is the same: only the headphone jack remains on the surface, and everything else is hidden under plugs. If the Z1 had three plugs - for microSD, SIM card and micro-USB, then the Z2 has two of them: the SIM card and the universal port are hidden under one large cover.

⇡ Technical specifications

Sony Xperia Z2 (D6503)
Display	5.2 inches, 1920x1080, IPS
Touch screen	Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches
Air gap	No
Oleophobic coating	Eat
Polarizing filter	Eat
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB v3: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7), frequency 2.27 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm
Graphics controller	Qualcomm Adreno 330, 578 MHz
RAM	3 GB LPDDR3-1600
Flash memory	16 GB (about 12 GB available) + microSD
Connectors	1 x micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x microSD 1 x micro-SIM
cellular	2G/3G/4G Qualcomm MDM9x25 modem (built into the processor), WTR1625L transceiver One SIM card in micro-SIM format
Cellular connection 2G	GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Cellular 3G	WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz DC-HSPA+ (42.2/5.76 Mbps)
Cellular 4G	LTE FDD band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20 (2100/1900/1800/1700/850/2600/900/700c/700b/800 MHz) LTE Cat. 3 (150/50 Mbit/s)
WiFi	802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz
Bluetooth	4.0
NFC	Eat
IR port	No
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Sensors	Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer/Gyroscope/Pedometer, Magnetometer (Digital Compass), Barometer
Main camera	20.7 MP (5248x3936), Sony Exmor RS matrix with back-illumination, 1/2.3 inches Autofocus, LED flash
Front-camera	2 MP (1920x1080), Sony Exmor R matrix with back illumination
Nutrition	Non-removable battery 12.16 Wh (3200 mAh, 3.8 V)
Size	147.2x73.4 mm Case thickness: 8.3 mm
Weight	163 g
Water and dust protection	IP55, IP58
operating system	Google Android 4.4.2 (KitKat) Sony Xperia's own shell
recommended price	29,990 rubles

⇡ Hardware and communications

From a platform perspective, the changes are minimal: the processor has been upgraded from the already terribly powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 to the slightly more powerful Snapdragon 801. In numbers, this means an increase in maximum clock frequency processor cores from 2.15 to 2.26 GHz. There are still four cores, and the architecture is the same - Krait-400. In general, not God knows what serious changes.

The Xperia Z2's sensor suite now includes a barometer

However, we must keep in mind that power consumption and heat dissipation depending on frequency do not grow linearly, but more abruptly. So a slight increase in the number of megahertz while maintaining the same technological process 28 nm HPm, apparently, results in a rather serious increase in heating at “maximum speed”. In this regard, the Xperia Z2 has such a curious detail as a heat pipe - not as powerful as in the coolers of desktop computers or laptops, but still a real one.

An adult cooling system is all the more relevant since the graphics subsystem integrated into the chip is overclocked more noticeably than the processor cores: from 450 to 578 MHz. So in graphic tasks performance has increased more than in purely processor-based ones. It’s difficult to say how much this is in demand in modern applications - except for benchmarks: it’s hard to remember games that lack the power of the Snapdragon 800.

The amount of RAM has increased from 2 to 3 GB - of the existing smartphones, only the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 can compare with the Xperia Z2 in this regard. The volume of the built-in storage remains the same, 16 GB, of which slightly less than 12 are available. However, the card slot microSD memory has not gone away, so you don’t have to worry too much about the amount of flash memory - microSDXC cards up to 128 GB are also supported.

Architecturally, the Snapdragon 801 is almost identical to the Snapdragon 800. In particular, the built-in modem has not changed: it is still the same MDM9x25, in addition to 2G/3G networks, it can also work with LTE Cat.4 networks - with theoretical speeds of up to 150 Mbit/s “down” and 50 Mbit/s “up”. But the transceiver is now new: the place of the well-deserved WTR1605L has been taken by the more advanced and omnivorous WTR1625L. In practice, this means one simple thing: with the new RF chip, it is possible to provide simultaneous smartphone support more ranges.

If Samsung and HTC chose to ignore this opportunity in favor of a more rigid division of devices for different markets, then Sony continues to profess a “worldwide connection” approach that is very pleasant for the frequently traveling buyer. The range of frequencies in the Xperia Z1 was very extensive; in the Xperia Z2 they added a couple more LTE “bands”: 13th and 17th (different blocks of the 700 MHz range). Combined with the fact that Sony's flagship has support for 3G and 4G in the 1700 MHz band, this makes it compatible with most US networks. Of course, in Europe, Asia and Africa there will be no problems with communication either.

Another good news for avid travelers is that the Xperia Z2 uses a micro SIM card - as a rule, such SIM cards are easier to find on sale than nano ones, especially in developing countries. About Wi-Fi support 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC can probably not be mentioned - this is a standard set for modern flagships. But there is no IR port in the Xperia Z2, so you won’t be able to control ordinary household appliances using this smartphone.

GPS/GLONASS reception a minute after a cold start, from left to right: Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z1, Sony Xperia Z2

However, support for the Chinese system in the Xperia Z2 is not announced and, apparently, does not work. In any case, during testing we were not able to catch a single Chinese satellite. At the same time, the Samsung Galaxy S5 successfully caught them in exactly the same conditions. What’s even more surprising is that we found Beidou support in the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet - it’s not very clear on what principle the Japanese operate, including the network in some products and not including it in others.

I wonder why they are kings? Phones are not their element, televisions are also not very good, the sound
, they would like to get at least one step closer to Yamaha, PS remains, but this is not for everyone. So where are the Sony kings?

Facts? It would be interesting to read.
I know about the past glory of Sony, I myself can enlighten you on this matter. I’m asking about now what is revolutionary new Sony produces, develops now? Why do Sony TVs have a Samsung matrix? Why, for so many years, Sony laptops can’t update their own drivers? There’s always a problem with them. Where are their vaunted acoustics now? For the price tag that they beat, and in everything, there are more interesting things. I’m asking for facts today, not 20 years ago. And if there’s nothing to say, then there’s no point in wasting your tongue.
We live in an age of consumerism and before buying any thing, every person compares functionality, design, quality and most importantly price. And don’t rush to everything that is Sony or another brand. Every company has successful products, and there are not so good ones. .
I really tried to force myself, at one time, to like the Xperia Z1, but it didn’t work out. As a result, I bought another device. The Z2 review was also not impressive. There were too many flaws. And why did they omit the story about the device overheating in the second review?
firstly, Sony TVs have different matrices... it all depends on the model! They have their own matrices and elzhysh ones, etc... not an argument at all! remains on Sony TV the best manufacturer, which has been beating its competitors in price since last year! on laptops... I heard about drivers... but alas, the division is already 95% sold and left on the domestic market!
acoustics? where are the acoustics? The acoustics were one of the best and still are! Now only the pioneer is actively pushing them back, while the rest are somewhere behind... nothing has changed in the sound of the Sonya! the sound remains one of the best on the planet! I myself am a happy owner of a Walkman (in comparison with players from other manufacturers, they are the best)...
data? well, ok... from the field of photography: whose matrices do you think are in most of today's smartphones? Sony has developed a unique thing - smartographs... are there any analogues in the world that can compete with them? NO! further... from the field of portable players: last year Sony was the first to decide to combine a player, headphones, speakers... and did it brilliantly! There are two solutions - plugs and monitors... I am the owner of the second option!
smartphones: who was the first to offer a projected capacitive sensor in 2012? Nokia? No! Sony! again innovation... who was the first to propose in 2012 smart watch, which the whole planet is now so famously copying? Sony! ... who created and most importantly optimized the operation of dualshock 4 with a new helmet virtual reality Morpheus? Sony! the list can be very long, because I am not aware of professional decisions, for example from the field of prof. Sony video cameras, projectors, etc... and yes, I almost forgot... this year Sony invited the world to try out a new full frame matrix, which accelerates to an incredible 409600ISO... by the way, this sensor is already on the Nikon D4S, which is sold for incredible money like...
Here’s my advice: if you don’t know the hardware, don’t get involved in an argument, and keep your personal impressions (subjective attitude towards the company’s products) to yourself... you didn’t like the Z1... well, that doesn’t mean it turned out to be really bad ! many, for example, liked it, and many, on the contrary, consider it the best smartphone 2013... and the camera... I'll say this! you need to use your brains and put your hands to the settings, and not shoot automatically! and you will get better pictures than your competitors!
Those. The Samsung matrix in a Sony TV looks better. And it shows better quality. Did I understand correctly? It’s clear about the drivers, there are no options there. I’m wondering since when Sony acoustics are on par with Pioneer, Yamaha, Gibiel, Lowe, etc., even entry-level? Player, the taste and color of the markers are different, but compare at least with Cowon. And it wasn’t Sony that first crossed the player with ears, read here http://lenta.ru/news/2006/06/13/playerphones/. Read about smart watches here http://habrahabr.ru/post/212483/.About touch screens here http://fgadgets.ru/2010-06-19-13-28-31/ .And so on...I’m just tired of looking for links.
first point: if you think that the Samsung matrix looks better than the Sony matrix on TVs, then I simply have nothing to talk to you about! Do you like watching animation or do you prefer to watch realistic pictures? the choice is yours... further: you can argue about acoustics for a long time, but Sony's experience in this area has already proven itself to be a leader, or one of the best! here, as elsewhere, you can agree, you can disagree - everyone’s personal business, but this is a fact! Cowon?? is this a joke?)) no kovon of course the company for portables is not bad and even good, but it will not rank with such monsters as iPod, Airiver and Walkman... no matter how you look at it! and this is also a fact! As for your first link: take in your hands what is on the site in the link and the Walkman that I wrote about above and you will understand that the devices are fundamentally different! and where exactly is this development of the first player-headphones? Yes, for some reason she stayed with Sonya! smart watches... well, ok, I agree, but options like smart watches with a calculator and other things are not considered... again... where were those same smart watches from manufacturers before? and why did everything start to move with the arrival of Sony on this market? Try to answer this question yourself!... and it suddenly became relevant! Your last link does not open at all and I again doubt that there is some kind of objectivity in the sensor area! in short, Sony was and remains a trendsetter and trendsetter... you are looking for context in my words and trying to find a refutation by googling! Even though the Sony smartwatch is not the first smart watch, it is the first in how it should have been made to make it relevant and interesting!

The built-in battery has become more capacious - 3200 mAh instead of 3000. At the same time, battery life in standby mode compared to the Z1 decreased slightly, and the time for talking and listening to music increased. In fact, the smartphone shows average battery life. If you surf the Internet on the way to and from work, make a dozen calls and are not distracted by your smartphone during the working day, then the battery will last until the evening.

But there are a number of software features that allow you to extend operating time when the battery charge is low. The Stamina Mode is already familiar to us; the new one is Low-battery mode. There is even a separate settings section for it, where you can mark the functions that will be disabled in this mode. These include not only GPS and data transfer, but also the functions X-Reality, xLOUD, and vibration feedback when working with the keyboard. In addition, you can limit the maximum brightness level and the time the display automatically turns off. There is no provision for switching to black and white mode, as in the Samsung Galaxy S5. Probably, in the case of an IPS matrix instead of an OLED, this makes no sense.

Software

Sony Xperia Z2 runs under Android control 4.4.2 KitKat. A proprietary user interface is installed on top, familiar to us from the company’s previous smartphones. There are no special changes, except for a couple of new applications and additional settings sections. The most useful feature of the Sony add-on is the ability to sort shortcuts in the main menu alphabetically, by frequency of use, or in any arbitrary order. It is very convenient when applications are installed on 5-6 menu screens.