Just recently, the cameras in Sony phones were so highly rated that devices from Samsung and Apple were left to bite the dust. However, in recent years, the role of camera phones has become more common. But this year Sony decided to tell the market that there is still powder in the flask. The manufacturer did not follow trends by installing a dual camera, giving preference to one, but the most top-end sensor. The back side is decorated with a 19-megapixel Motion Eye camera (IMX400) with f/2.0 aperture. And this is a truly innovative system. Why?
Sony used special memory that took place between the sensor and control circuits. It serves as a kind of buffer where frames are temporarily saved without waiting for them to be written to the main memory. As a result, this has a positive effect on the reading speed of the sensor. In addition, it is the built-in memory that allows you to record slow-mo video at 960 fps, while most smartphones can record at 240 fps at best. Even without delving particularly into the characteristics of the Sony Xperia XZ1 camera, it can confidently be called one of the best on the market. Sony did not take quantity, presenting one, but high-quality module.
As for the photo quality itself, the Xperia XZ1 is comparable to the company’s other smartphone, the XZ Premium. It also uses the Motion Eye sensor. During the day the photos turn out just great. Lots of details, minimal noise, wide range and accurate colors. In low light, the quality of photographs, of course, drops, but still remains at a fairly acceptable level.
Videos on the Sony Xperia XZ1 can be recorded at a maximum resolution of 4K. You can record 1080p videos at 30 or 60 fps. In 720p you can record video at up to 960 fps. The videos on the Sony Xperia XZ1 are of a very, very decent level.
Front camera 13 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture. A good sensor that supports FullHD video recording. The pictures are detailed and clear. There are additional modes. In general, the camera's capabilities are more than enough to take good selfies.
3D modeling
Perhaps the most interesting feature of the Sony Xperia XZ1. A proprietary development of a Japanese company, which allows you to create 3D models of various objects using a camera. The technology looks really interesting and promising. The principle of the function is well explained in this video:
You can do a bunch of different things with scanned models, from processing them directly on your smartphone to printing them on a 3D printer. What’s also interesting is that the system is self-learning. The manufacturer promises that with each subsequent scan we will receive better and better models. I am glad that Sony is not lagging behind other companies in developing augmented and virtual reality technologies.
Autonomy
Let's not beat around the bush - the 2700 mAh battery seems very, very small for the characteristics of the Sony Xperia XZ1. However, the smartphone continues to pleasantly surprise us. It is not clear what affected the autonomy (a more efficient chipset process or software optimization), but the Xperia XZ1 shows autonomy results that are superior to smartphones with 3000+ mAh batteries. Probably, the limitation of background processes in , which is one of the main features of the updated OS, really has an effect.
Naturally, you shouldn’t expect that your smartphone will last a record amount of time in active mode. With active use, whatever one may say, in the evening the Sony Xperia XZ1 will have to be charged. In video playback mode, the smartphone shows an amazing 11 and a half hours of battery life, in web surfing mode - 2 hours less.
The smartphone supports modern fast charging technology – QuickCharge 3.0. In just 30 minutes the battery can be filled to 60%.
Sony Xperia XZ1: where to buy, price, analogues
In Russia, Sony Xperia XZ1 starts at a price of 49,990 rubles. The start date for sales of the smartphone is scheduled for October 11. The company will be accepting pre-orders from September 27 to October 3. Users who pre-order will receive branded noise-canceling headphones as a gift. In other countries, the Sony Xperia XZ1 can be purchased for around $775.
What analogues of the Sony Xperia XZ1 can be considered? Yes, in principle, any of the latest flagships of 2017.
- Samsung Galaxy S8. An excellent smartphone that has been on sale for almost six months. Powerful hardware, first-class cameras, 18:9 display.
- . A new product from another Korean company, presented at IFA 2017. It should start in Russia in October. Offers top-end hardware, flagship cameras and a large display with thin frames.
- . A smartphone in a more classic design. Excellent screen, excellent cameras and top-end hardware.
Conclusion and review of Sony Xperia XZ1
Despite the wide frames, lack of a dual camera and classic design, the Sony Xperia XZ1 makes a good impression. The smartphone looks stylish, has advanced hardware, a top-end main camera sensor, runs the latest version of Android, has excellent stereo sound and a bunch of less noticeable innovations. Why not a flagship?! It's hard to find fault with the Sony Xperia XZ1. Some roughness in the firmware and software from the manufacturer will be “added” in subsequent updates, which in turn will affect performance. True connoisseurs of Sony smartphone design will also appreciate the Xperia XZ1, but non-connoisseurs are unlikely to even consider the device. Even the battery, despite expectations, did not disappoint.
Sony Xperia XZ1 is a good smartphone, but not for everyone. At a price of almost 50,000 rubles, it has a lot of alternatives that have a greater chance of success thanks to various trendy features - dual camera, frameless screen. Is the Sony Xperia XZ1 worth the money? Rather yes than no. Show me a flagship smartphone from an AAA brand that would cost much less at launch.
Sony Xperia XZ is a powerful solution, both in terms of hardware and innovation. This beautiful and productive device was introduced in 2016 as the company’s flagship. It was distinguished by an updated case design, a powerful processor, IP68 moisture protection and cool photo capabilities. Despite the high cost, the device was a success among consumers and marked the beginning of a whole line of XZ smartphones.
| Model | |
| Dimensions, weight | 7.2×146.8×8.1 mm, 161 grams |
| Screen | 5.2 inches, capacitive, IPS, 1920x1080 pixels, 16:9 ratio, 424 ppi |
| OS | Android version 6.0 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, MSM8996 |
| GPU | Adreno 530 |
| RAM/ROM | 3/32 + there is support for microSD memory cards up to 256GB (a dedicated slot for the card) |
| Interfaces | GSM 900/1800/1900, 3G, 4G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB, NFC, GPS/GLONASS |
| Cameras | Main 23 MP, front 13 MP |
| battery | Lithium-ion, 2900mAh, QuickCharge 3.0 |
Design and management
The design of the Sony Xperia XZ smartphone has become more refined. The device now looks much more presentable. The visual concept has changed subtly; now each hole is made in the form of an oval rather than a circle. Apparently, this can be considered a reference to the transition to a new connector. The body has become rounded. XZ gave rise to a whole galaxy of new smartphones that will appear after it.
The screen of the new Sony Xperia XZ is covered with tempered glass, the ends are made of plastic, and the back is made of brushed metal. At the top there is a headset jack, at the bottom there is a charging jack. On the right there is a power button with a scanner, a double volume control button and camera activation. On the left side there is a SIM card tray.
Important! The device will be supplied in two solutions: with one or two SIM cards. On the Sony Xperia XZ dual, instead of a second SIM card, you can install a memory card and expand the storage by another 256 GB.
The dimensions of the device are very convenient for use. Once you pick it up and turn it over, it becomes obvious that this is a well-made item. There are three colors available: dark sky, agate and platinum.
Screen Features
The smartphone screen has migrated almost unchanged to the XZ1 and XZ2 models. It should be noted that all gadgets with the XZ prefix have similar display characteristics. The 5.2-inch matrix has full FHD. This is the optimal diagonal size, because increasing the resolution will have a detrimental effect on autonomy, which is not a strong point of the device anyway.
One thing can be said about the screen here – it is of high quality. But for a flagship, this is not praise at all. The colors are bright and the picture is clear, but not impressive. Viewing angles are good, but it can be better. The white balance is set very well. There are a number of hardware features that are only supported by Sony screens. For example, Activating camera mode by double pressing the power button. To unlock the screen, you just need to press your finger in the center of the display, which is quite convenient and logical. By the way, the matrix supports work with gloves, but whether this function is useful in reality, the user will decide for himself. You can criticize Sony for minor shortcomings, but overall, the screen turned out to be decent. It is convenient to use, and this is the main thing.
Memory and performance
The characteristics of the Sony Xperia XZ look impressive even some time after the model entered the global market. There is a certain reserve of power with reserves for the future. The processor on which the system is built will cope with most tasks that the user could theoretically set for it.
Important! The scanner, if you study the reviews, does not always work, and for some it works every other time. But most users do not consider the fingerprint module a disadvantage.
Thanks to the modern graphics accelerator on the gadget, you can easily launch the latest gaming news. Moreover, it doesn’t matter what it will be, a simple arcade game or a full-fledged MMO title.
Synthetic tests show mixed results. Definitely, the number of points scored is pleasing, but for a flagship the figure looks average. If you don’t compare the smartphone with its competitors, the benchmark results are very good. Although for the amount that was asked for it at the start of sales, you can find something much more productive. The startup time of the smartphone after a reboot could have been shorter. As a rehabilitation measure, the gadget quickly launches all background applications and easily keeps them in memory. However, you should not open dozens of tabs in your browser; this will not improve your work speed.
Most functions launch and work quickly. The device can work for weeks and even months in “uptime” mode, that is, without requiring a reboot. Flipping through the desktop screens occurs smoothly, the response to touch is fast, and launching programs is no problem.
The Sony Xperia XZ smartphone runs on the operating system from Google. Android 6.0 is far from the most popular OS. The graphical shell (design of icons and badges) refers the user to the corporate unified style of all company products. Here, continuity and conceptuality are simultaneously felt, when tribute is paid to the general visual direction.
In version Android 6.0 there are several energy consumption optimized. The external appearance of the system has remained virtually unchanged. However, the last major change dates back to the transition to the fourth version. All others differ only in particulars, leaving the general concept unchanged.
The number of pre-installed applications, according to tradition, is kept to a minimum. However, whatever is available can be quite useful. Sony has always been famous for its services, so built-in audio player and video camera At the very least, it's worth paying attention to. Even if you don’t like the standard applications, no one is stopping you from installing third-party ones.
Advice! Many owners did not like the pre-installed keyboard. It is best to immediately replace it with any other one.
The operating system works at high speed. In many ways, such indicators are associated with good hardware. In comparison with its main competitors, it is not a shame to put the device on a par with devices from Apple and Samsung. In addition, this is the rare case when additional services are present not just for show - they are really useful here.
Call and sound quality
A review of the Sony Xperia XZ would be incomplete without mentioning the sound. Sound is one of Sony's calling cards. Once upon a time, it was the signature, unique sound that made it possible to distinguish music smartphones into a separate segment, and this happened thanks to the “Volkmans”. The model has LDAC support, as well as a whole set of formats, the existence of which only music lovers realize. The integrated player perfectly reads all the tags and sorts the folders exactly in the order in which they were on the source. There is no tangling when copying, a very useful and pleasant feature. Available "pure sound" option", but remember that the sound improves only in recordings with a high bitrate.
It’s very nice that you can enjoy the LDAC format with a proprietary headset, playing some FLAC composition on your smartphone. Definitely, in the field of sound in gadgets, Sony occupies a leading position.
Battery and autonomy
Sony Xperia XZ is equipped with a 2900 mAh battery. Of course, this is far from the best indicator. There is another compromise between the thickness of the gadget and its autonomy. For unknown reasons, most first-tier manufacturers give preference to the image component. Of course, this is important, but not at the expense of performance.
With help built-in STAMINA function You can briefly extend the life of a smartphone, but miracles do not happen. Yes, the energy saving mode will allow you to gain an extra hour and a half, but at the same time you can say goodbye to screen brightness and fourth-generation networks. In principle, the difference between this function and many similar ones is that it is customizable - the user can choose the level of restrictions himself.
Battery works until the end of the day. She rarely lives a full day; most likely, by the end of the working day, the phone will already ask for charging. However, this is a common problem for most flagships, rather than a problem for any individual company. Owners looking for an outlet can be found among fans of Samsung and Apple. Corrects the matter somewhat availability of fast charging.
Camera specifications
Sony's Xperia XZ phone is equipped with an excellent camera: the manufacturer gives almost unlimited possibilities when taking photographs. 23 Megapixels are fully justified, there is only one drawback: at the maximum resolution of the matrix, the picture turns out to be almost square. The resolution of 20 megapixels remains more familiar to the user. You should keep this in mind if you plan to take a large number of photographs. The frame is captured very well, the viewing angles are wide, so the image capture is quite good. The f/2.0 aperture ensures high-quality macro shots.
Advice! The camera is equipped with laser autofocus, however, in rare moments the frame may be slightly blurry. To avoid this, it is recommended to take two pictures in a row.
The front camera is capable of creating excellent self-portraits, although the image quality is not always high.
Conclusion
Sony's Xperia XZ phone turned out to be very controversial. It is noticeable that some things had to be sacrificed during its design. However, he did not become a “victim of compromise.” This is a high-quality and convenient solution that has its own design flaws. In addition, the smartphone served as the basis for the further development of the line. After it came Premium, XZ1, etc. At the time of release, its price was 49,990 rubles.
- recognizable design;
- good assembly;
- great sound;
- there is fast charging;
- strong body;
- current (at the time of release) OS;
- high performance.
- low autonomy;
- easily soiled body;
- Faded color rendition of the screen.
At first, Sony decided to release flagship devices every six months. Now, in addition to frequent updates of the older model, the manufacturer has decided to produce “almost flagships.” A little cheaper, a little easier in some places. The first such solution was the Sony Xperia XZ1. The tested smartphone is equipped with the same system-on-a-chip, the same cameras, and can also record video at a speed of 960 frames per second, but instead of a 4K display it uses a FullHD matrix (albeit not quite a regular one, but HDR), and battery capacity is smaller. At the same time, they are asking for “almost a flagship” for about $100 less.
Specifications
| Display size and type | 5.2-inch, 1080*1920, LCD (IPS) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 8 cores (4x2.45 GHz, 4x1.9 GHz) |
| Built-in memory, GB | 64 (UFS) |
| RAM, GB | 4 |
| Memory expansion | microSD (up to 256 GB) |
| Number of SIM cards | 2 |
| 2G communication standards | GSM GPRS/EDGE |
| 3G communication standards | UMTS HSPA+ |
| 4G communication standards | LTE Cat16 |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi802.11b/g/n/ac, 2.4/5 GHz, MU-MIMO |
| Bluetooth | v5.0 |
| NFC | Eat |
| IrDA | No |
| USB connector | USB Type-C |
| AAudio jack | TRRRS (mini-jack 3.5 mm 4-pin) |
| FM radio | No |
| Fingerprint's scanner | Eat |
| Navigation | GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, QZSS, SBAS |
| Built-in sensors | acceleration sensor, electronic compass, gyroscope, proximity sensor, light sensor, Hall sensor |
| Main camera | 19 MP, f/2, f=25 mm |
| Front-camera | 13 MP, f/2, f=22 mm |
| operating system | Android 8.0 |
| Protection class | IP68 |
| Battery | 2700 mAh |
| Dimensions, mm | 148*73*7,4 |
| Weight, g | 156 |
Appearance
Despite everything, Sony continues to follow its line and uses the recognizable Loop Surface design or “loop surface”. And even though Apple and Samsung fans in forum battles regularly mention pockets worn out by the sharp corners of Sony smartphones, the “brick” design, and the lack of progress in design ideas, this design still has a small army of fans, and I am among them. The same could be criticized for its rather large dimensions and impressive weight, but the Sony Xperia XZ1 took such comments into account. The dimensions are now noticeably smaller, and the weight is 35 grams less. And this with almost identical filling.
The XZ1 case is all-metal - the aluminum cover covers not only the back side, but also the side ends of the device. The openings for the antennas are made in the form of small inserts on the side faces. The upper and lower ends are covered with plastic inserts, and because of them the smartphone resembles a much more affordable one. There are metal inserts with a polished surface, decorated with small chamfers. Although the case is strong, when you try to twist and squeeze it, it gives in a little and creaks slightly. In addition, like the older model, when you try to twist it, rainbow stains appear around the perimeter of the screen. We received a pink version for testing (the color is called “dawn pink”), which is not at all afraid of fingerprints. Also available in black, moon blue and warm silver.
On the front side above the screen there is an LED indicator, a front camera, a system speaker, as well as proximity and light sensors. A second speaker is installed under the display, providing stereo sound reproduction.
On the back side at the top there is a camera window, as well as a unit consisting of a laser autofocus, an IR camera assist sensor, a flash and an NFC antenna.
On the left side surface there is a pair of inserts that hide the antennas, as well as a tray for installing two SIM cards in nanoSIM format, one of which can be replaced with microSD media. As with all other Sony smartphones, the tray can be removed without additional tools (clips or needles). And that's a plus. The disadvantages include automatic reboot when removing the tray. Of course, this is a kind of protection mechanism, but other smartphones somehow manage without it. On the right is the usual set, consisting of a two-position volume control key, a lock key with an integrated fingerprint reading sensor, and a dedicated photo key.
At the top end, only a microphone and a 3.5 mm mini-jack connector are visible. The bottom end is also not particularly busy - there is only a USB Type-C connector, as well as a second microphone.
Display
Although the tested smartphone is similar, it still ranks lower in the table of ranks, so it did not get a 4K display, but a FullHD one, but not a simple one, but with HDR10 support. There is not much content in this format yet, but it exists, and its quantity is growing rapidly. The display is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 with a 2.5D effect. Of course, up to 10 simultaneous touches are supported. Viewing angles are sufficient for any operating conditions. The brightness of the display is noticeably higher than that - at the maximum backlight level, the brightness of the white field is 524.24 cd/sq.m, while the brightness of the black field is 0.57 cd/sq.m, which gives a static contrast of 920:1.
The display settings provide three display modes – “Ultimate brightness”, “Standard”, and “Professional”. It is noteworthy that it is in the latter mode that the Delta E deviation is the smallest - up to 6.5 on the RGBCMY primary colors, as well as from 1.5 to 11.1 on the gray wedge. The color gamut in this mode is close to sRGB, and the color balance is the most optimal. Of course, all this applies to content created for the sRGB color space. The color temperature in all modes is elevated approximately equally. The display settings provide separate color adjustment for RGB channels, which, with a calibrator, allows you to achieve the most realistic color rendition.
Mode Standard
Professional mode
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Extreme Brightness Mode
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
Sound
In the front plane of the smartphone there is a pair of speakers, one of which combines the functions of a system speaker and a conversation speaker. Of course, the speakers allow you to reproduce stereo sound, and by the standards of smartphones it is of very high quality. From a subjective point of view, the sound seemed even better than in the case (unfortunately, it was not possible to make a direct comparison). In general, at the moment, among all the smartphones we tested, the speaker sound is one of the best, if not the best. But the volume of the XZ1 speakers is definitely higher than that of its premium brother. When playing a test sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1 kHz at a distance of 1 meter, a sound pressure level of 78.1 dBA was recorded. This is not a record, but still a very good result. The audio output level is not too high. When playing a test signal and operating at a load of 32 Ohms, only 252.1 mV. Not much, but enough for sensitive headphones.
There are traditionally a lot of sound settings. There is automatic sound optimization, active noise reduction function (if this technology is supported by headphones), as well as DSEE HX functions (software enhancement of a compressed audio stream to Hi-Res quality), Clera Audio, dynamic normalization, surround sound settings. Of course, the already familiar 5-band equalizer with a separate ClearBASS control is provided. In general, Sony does not let the Walkman legacy be forgotten. As for the sound quality, there is also complete order. When tested in RightMark Audio Analyzer software using a Creative E-MU 0204 USB sound card, the smartphone earned a final rating of “excellent.” It is noteworthy that the results turned out to be very close to those shown by the rest of the XZ line,
RMAA. General results. 24 bit/48 kHz
Performance
The smartphone is built on the same system-on-a-chip as the older model, namely the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835. This SoC is made using the 10 nm FinFET process. 4 cores operate at a frequency of up to 2.45 GHz and the same number at a frequency of up to 1.9 GHz. The video subsystem is based on Adreno 540 with a frequency of 710 MHz. 4 GB of LPDDR4X RAM operates in dual-channel mode. In general, complete mincemeat by the standards of 2017.
System performance was measured in synthetic PCMark, 3DMark, Geekbench 4 and AnTuTu v6. Memory speed was assessed using the AndroBench application. Testing was also carried out in cross-platform javascript tests (Mozilla Kraken JavaScript and SunSpider). The results of these tests significantly depend on the browser used, therefore, to minimize the impact, Google Chrome will be used in all reviews, as the most common one.
The following smartphones were chosen as opponents:
: Samsung Exynos 8895, 8 cores (4*1.7+4*2.3 GHz) 4 GB RAM, 6.3 inches, 2960*1440 pixels;
: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, 4 cores (2*2.45 GHz+2*1.9 GHz), 4 GB RAM, 5.2 inches, 3840*2160;
: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, 4 cores (2*2.15 GHz+2*1.6 GHz), 3 GB RAM, 5.2 inches, 1920*1080.
Camera
The manual shooting mode settings provide manual focusing, selecting shutter speed, sensitivity level and white balance settings, as well as introducing exposure compensation. It is also possible to activate HDR mode and autofocus tracking. Among the features, it is also worth noting the function of 3D scanning of faces and objects with the possibility of subsequent 3D printing.
The flash, apparently, is exactly the same as in, because at a distance of 1 meter it was able to provide an illumination of 5.02 lux. The difference in results is so insignificant that it can be attributed to measurement error.
UPD: power measurements were carried out in video light mode. As repeated measurements have shown, in the “flash” mode the results are slightly better - about 20 lux.
Unfortunately, shooting in RAW is not provided, so it was not possible to measure the noise level. Transferring camera control to third-party applications using the Camera 2 API is possible. To evaluate image quality, a test pattern was shot with the main camera with sensitivity from ISO 100 to ISO3200 in 1 EV steps. It is worth noting that in automatic mode the limits of available sensitivity are expanded to ISO 12800.
Sample pictures
Macro photography
 |  |  |  |  |
| Illumination 50 lux | Illumination 50 lux + flash | Illumination 3 lux + flash |
Video recording mode
In video recording mode, there are no simplifications relative to the flagship. It is possible to record videos with a resolution of 3840*2160, as well as FullHD recording at a flow rate of 60 frames per second with progressive scan. Autofocus during video recording works correctly and discreetly.
Example of 4K video recording (2160/30p)
Example of FullHD video recording (1080/60p)
Example of FullHD video recording (1080/30p)
The front camera does not stand out in anything remarkable. Among the features that can be noted is the function of backlighting the screen when shooting in the dark.
 |  |
| daylight | artificial lighting, 30 lux |
Autonomous operation
The smartphone is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 2700 mAh, which is a rather modest figure for a 5.5-inch device. For comparison, it is equipped with a battery with a capacity of 3230 mAh, but its results in terms of battery life are quite modest. But don’t forget that the older model uses a more power-hungry 4K display. When tested using our method, the smartphone lasted 760 minutes in reading mode, 653 minutes in video viewing mode, and 309 minutes in the RealRacing3 game (opponents in game mode were tested in the EpicCitadel package). Sony XZ1 supports QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging mode, but, unfortunately, the complete charger was not provided for testing, so we used the charger from Xiaomi Mi5, which also supports QC 3.0 fast charging technology. The measurement result is 95 minutes to charge to 85% level and 145 minutes to fully charge. 
* - testing in the game RealRacing3
Conclusion
Sony has continued to use its recognizable design for years, and I must admit, it has fans, including me, but still there are plenty of opponents to this approach. But something else is worse - being at the forefront of progress, the smartphone is inferior to its competitors. We won’t talk about the battery life, because it’s still enough for a day, and every evening it’s advisable to recharge any modern flagship smartphone. It's the photo quality that's especially disappointing. No, it’s not bad at all, but competitors who use matrices produced by Sony itself have better photo quality. Of course, overall the smartphone is very interesting, but the cost is too high.
Minuses:
— body rigidity;
— “rainbow” on the screen when twisting the smartphone;
— photo quality (relative to competitors);
- low-power LED flash;
— price;
Pros:
— interesting (subjectively) and recognizable design;
— WiFi 802.11ac 5 GHz, MU-MIMO;
- NFC;
— Bluetooth v5.0;
— high brightness of the display;
— good display calibration in “Professional” mode;
— excellent sound quality on the tax audio output;
— excellent stereo speakers with high sound quality and volume levels;
— QuickCharge 3.0 support;
It's time to talk about the Sony Xperia XZ, guided by the experience gained - let's talk about the camera, use with headphones with LDAC support, USB-C, screen, design and other nuances...
Live photos
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
Contents of delivery
- Smartphone
- USB-C cable
- Documentation
Technical specifications (there is a lot of useful information here!)
Design. Three colors: Night Sky, Black Mineral, Noble Platinum. Sony Xperia XZ is protected from water and dust, so it is not afraid of either rain or washing under the tap (however, remember that all ports and covers must be securely closed). The device must not be completely immersed under water or exposed to sea, salt, chlorinated water or alcoholic beverages. Incorrect or improper use of the device will void the warranty. The device is assigned protection class IP65/68. Additional information . Please note that the Xperia XZ has a USB charging port for connecting to other devices that does not have a cover. If your smartphone has been exposed to water, charge it only after the USB port is completely dry.
Dimensions: weight – 161 g, dimensions – 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm
Memory and storage: 3 GB RAM, 64 GB (dual SIM), about 12 GB of memory is allocated for built-in software, another 20 GB for storing music, pictures, movies, downloaded applications and their data. MicroSD card slot up to 256 GB. Can install two Nano SIM cards
Operating system: The smartphone began shipping with Google Android N, here is the official information about Nougat:
“The update to Android 7.0, Nougat of the Xperia XZ and Xperia X Performance smartphones has begun. Let's talk in more detail.
Among the new features:
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 64-bit processor, Adreno 530 video.
Battery: 2900 mAh, Qnovo adaptive charging technology is used, in theory it helps maintain the “health” of the battery. The Battery Care functions and STAMINA mode are used, Quick Charge technology is supported, to use fast charging you will need to buy an additional charger, for example, Sony UCH12W. Such memory devices are sold complete with two cables, microSD and USB-C.
Display: 5.2 inches, Full HD, Corning Gorilla Glass is used for protection.
Main camera: 23 MP, tri-sensor technology, predictive hybrid autofocus, light sensitivity: up to ISO 12800, 1/2.3" Exmor RS™ sensor for mobile devices, 24mm wide-angle Sony G Lens, 5x zoom Clear Image, SteadyShot™ video stabilization technology with Intelligent Active Mode (5-axis stabilization), 4K video recording, HDR photo shooting.
Front camera: 13 MP, 1/3.06-inch Exmor RS sensor for mobile devices, light sensitivity: up to ISO 6400, 22 mm wide-angle lens with F2.0 aperture.
Networks: GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G), UMTS HSPA+ (3G), LTE (4G) category 9.
Communication with devices: A-GNSS (GPS + GLONASS), Wi-Fi Miracast, Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology, DLNA Certified supported, Google Cast, NFC, fingerprint reader.
Sound: High Definition Audio (LPCM, FLAC, ALAC, DSD), DSEE HX, LDAC, Digital Noise Reduction, Clear Audio+, S-Force Front Surround.
“The HD Voice over 4G (VoLTE) service transmits a voice call over the LTE network. During the call, the subscriber remains connected to the 4G network, which ensures multitasking: you no longer have to stop data transmission during voice calls. You can simultaneously talk on the phone, browse the web, and use your mobile phone as a point for other devices to access your mobile network.
Additional benefits:
- Better voice quality compared to regular voice calls, especially if both parties use VoLTE technology
- Faster connection speed. If both devices support VoLTE and are on an LTE network during the call, the connection is established in about a second.”
To connect, you need to have one of the X series smartphones (X, XZ, X Performance), go to the Megafon office and do everything as it should. The function is good, I’m very pleased with the quality of voice transmission, the connection speed - the impression is like a child’s, or like when LTE first appeared and we learned to do without Wi-Fi in the city.
Design, construction
For once, you can charge a Sony smartphone and an Apple laptop with one cable - this is made possible thanks to the USB-C connector. Not to say that it is some kind of mega-advantage, but it makes life easier. In the case of the XZ, many things make life easier. Magnetic charging has become a thing of the past, the tray for the memory card and SIM card comes out without any dancing with a tambourine, there is no need to frantically pick it up with tweezers or other objects, after a reboot the time and date do not go off (thanks to the new version of Android?). The device has something to praise and something to criticize.
The design can be praised. A new design concept called Loop Surface was chosen for the XZ; it is very difficult and unnecessary to translate and explain this - it seems to me that the designer was trying to play with the new connector. Look, everything here reminds of him, even the tiny microphone hole is not made round, but similar to USB Type-C. Rounded edges, one element flows into another, they all repeat and complement each other, starting from the microphone hole and ending with the “compartment” where the flash and laser autofocus are located. If X and X Performance made many people yawn, we saw that two years ago! – then the XZ marks the beginning of a completely new line. Frankly, I would like nothing to change for at least two years and to make a phablet or a now fashionable “professional” smartphone, devices in the budget and mid-range segments based on the XZ. The concept has a margin of safety, the chosen path allows you to create fully protected devices (add stiffening ribs, rubber instead of metal), and the mentioned “budget”, just replace metal with plastic. As always, there are a lot of experiments with color. The most beautiful, in my opinion, is blue, it is somehow unreal, alien, I advise you to see it live. Black is actually not black, but charcoal, white is festive, elegant. Perhaps pink will appear later. I asked for camouflage, but they told me it was too niche a color. The designers took into account the mistakes of the past, the back of the devices is not too easily soiled, it’s a matter of both the matte finish and the material – the lid is made of metal with special polishing, which improves color perception. Just below is a plastic antenna strip. The ends are made of plastic, the screen is covered with Gorilla Glass 4, curved glass, 2.5d.
Overall, a very good design for 2016, there is stock for next year, the appearance is fresh, interesting, the device is not like any other device on the market. Like Z in its time, there is more than enough “Sonystyle” here, and this code can be reproduced in a variety of devices, from players to TVs.
A few obligatory phrases. At the top end there is a 3.5 mm jack, at the bottom there is a USB Type-C port, on the right side there is a power button with a fingerprint sensor, there are also volume buttons and a camera launch button. By the way, I’m still waiting to see which company will be the first to decide to do away with volume buttons - after all, there is automatic adjustment, and you can always do it right on the display. Why unnecessary mechanical elements? I know that adherents of mechanical buttons will scold me, but believe me, it’s like a small selfie mirror - it was installed on almost all phones with a camera until someone said “enough.”
Sony must be highly commended for its persistence in terms of a microSD slot, of course it’s here! And the concept with modifications remains the same. There will be two versions, with one SIM card and 32 GB of memory, with two SIM cards and 64 GB of memory, a hybrid slot, you can install either a second SIM card or microSD. The difference in price is a thousand rubles. It seems to me that there is even no doubt that you need to take the version with 64 GB of memory. If you need it, install a second SIM card; if you don’t, leave a memory card here. I installed a 128 GB card and it worked without problems.
The dimensions of the device are small; compared to the iPhone 7 Plus, it is a “baby” that gets lost in any pocket. The smartphone is easy to lift from the table by grabbing it by the ends; the material is not slippery. The device lived with me for a couple of months and saw different things, I didn’t clean it much for shooting, there are traces on the metal behind, they can be easily removed with a cloth. The front panel is easily soiled, but it is not too noticeable. I think the color as in the photo is the most practical.
It’s interesting how many USB-C cables I got once I got a smartphone and laptop with such ports. One cable in the car, one at home, one from the XZ kit, another from the box with the laptop, another one appeared from somewhere - there is no need to be afraid of this connector, on the contrary, it is very convenient in life. You can insert it on either side. Interestingly, the cable from the MacBook is not inserted all the way, but it is quite possible to charge the Sony Xperia XZ.
Despite the claimed protection against water, I do not advise you to swim with the XZ or throw it in the bath. This is a mistake made by many users of “protected devices”: any of them can still drink too much water, and then have to go to the service center with a sad look. Do you need it?
To sum up the appearance of the Sony Xperia XZ - I really like the device, I want to pick it up, twist it, and it’s simply pleasant to hold in my hands. So the design here is great. And you can forget about the microUSB connector; USB-C will supplant it. The memory card slot is good, the ability to use two SIM cards is also good. Now it is very important not to change a good design and put all sorts of interesting things inside the case.
I need to add about USB-C, on w3bsit3-dns.com they complain about problems when something happens to the contact - I advise you not to do the repair yourself, but to go straight to service. The problem is not widespread, but it happens.
Display
The display diagonal is 5.2 inches, Full HD resolution, I’ll also say the magic words Corning Gorilla Glass, IPS. Of course, the flagship device could have been equipped with a higher resolution screen, with some special functions, but there are many nuances, the main one being that Sony for some reason does not put the best displays and the best cameras in its smartphones. At the same time, Sony cameras are used by all the powers that be. This is a contradiction - if you need a mega-display with mega-colors, it is better to look towards other devices. As a Sony fan, I’m quite pleased with the screen, the viewing angles are pleasing, and the colors don’t hurt my eyes. There is adaptive backlight control, white balance adjustment, the ability to change the font size and image scale on the screen. The Sony Xperia XZ also has a number of other features related to the screen - for example, the camera can be turned on by pressing the power button twice, you can touch the center of the display to exit sleep mode, there is a “glove” mode, useful in winter. While you are cleaning your car, you can answer a call or write a message. Although, to be honest, I enabled the function only once, to test it.
I repeat my thought - you can live with this display.
Sound
The device supports LDAC by default and works with a number of interesting formats (LPCM, FLAC, ALAC, DSD), it was very interesting to listen with the Sony MDR-1000X, a review of the headphones will appear soon. The built-in player understands loaded folders with FLAC correctly, for example, the wonderful album Flying Circus Ibiza #1 consists of two discs in one folder - it was automatically divided into two albums. Hi-Res music is marked with a corresponding icon in the player. Playback from folders is also supported, which is a big plus. In the parameters, do not forget to play with various proprietary functions, I especially recommend ClearAudio +, the sound quality improves.
When you connect the Sony MDR-1000X, a notification appears about connecting an LDAC device, you can select audio quality priority or best quality, I advise you to try both. The main thing is that with FLAC and a wireless LDAC connection the sound quality is excellent, I advise you to try it in the store and recommend this combination to all music lovers.
Android has its own AirDrop called Google Cast, don't forget about these functions - the Audio Cast adapter is inexpensive, but allows you to turn any speakers into wireless ones. You can also stream audio using DLNA with the Sony Xperia XZ.
Camera
You can see the technical characteristics of the camera at the beginning of the material, I also really like reading technical characteristics, but in life they mean as little as an opinion about a person based on the stories of other people.
In reality, everything turns out to be very, very simple. If you look at the pictures, you will see: during the day, in good lighting, you can get a very good shot. I chose a resolution of 20 megapixels so that the photo would be widescreen, alas, if you choose 23 megapixels, it turns out to be almost a square. But I’m not shooting for Instagram, but for myself! In general, when conditions are ideal, everything works out as it should. As soon as you enter a room, as soon as you appear on the street, or something else, this immediately affects the quality of the pictures. Ideally, you need to freeze, aim while pressing the button, then take a photo. Or better yet, one more, a control one. With the front camera it is better to take several pictures, one or two will turn out clear. Even the triple focusing system does not allow you to completely relax - with the iPhone 7 Plus I’m used to taking photographs in the “point-and-shoot” mode, with the Sony Xperia XZ the “point-and-shoot-shoot again, just in case, and again” mode works.
It’s the same story with video: if you’re filming a video at sea, there’s splashes, a girl in a bikini is running beautifully along the coastal wave, a dog is catching a plate, sand is pouring between her fingers – you can even edit the film later. But if you find yourself in a room with poor light, everything will be sad.
I advise advanced photographers to try the manual mode, it is hidden under the letter M on the “worktable” of the camera, here you can adjust the white balance, focus, shutter settings, everything is at hand.
Performance and runtime
I’ve never used “stamina”, it’s easier to carry an external battery with you, XZ works until the evening, mostly the Internet via LTE, social networks, notifications, mail, calls - in general, the full cycle. By adjusting the brightness and operation of wireless interfaces, you can achieve good results. I advise you to set STAMINA to turn on automatically when discharged to a certain level. It’s great that you can select the number in the settings, the default is 15%, I would suggest setting it to 30%. STAMINA levels are also customizable, there are detailed descriptions of what exactly is happening and what you will be limited to.
Sony has prepared a video about the operation of Qnovo adaptive charging, you can watch it.
I understand that buyers of a smartphone for 50,000 rubles do not need adaptive charging, but a 4000 mAh battery, but nothing can be done about it. Count on a day's work, external batteries are inexpensive, fast charging allows you to cut charging time in half. It seemed to me that, compared to the X/X Performance, the device behaves more predictably, the XZ is more durable.
As for performance, everything is smooth here too - I had no questions about speed, ordinary applications launch and work without problems. There were no glitches when connecting to Bluetooth devices or Wi-Fi access points. I strongly advise you to immediately replace the small keyboard with something else, the original ones have small letters, and even if you have good eyesight, getting where you need to go can be problematic.
Here is the AnTuTu data, there are not enough stars from the XZ sky:
There are conflicting reviews online about the XZ fingerprint sensor, I added three fingers plus my wife's finger so that she could use the device if something happened. I did not notice any problems with the speed or accuracy of recognition. Yes, sometimes you need to press more carefully, turn your finger a little - but this behavior of the sensor occurs even when using the iPhone 7 Plus. If the function of waking up the device by touching the screen is activated (tap twice in the center) and the fingerprint is enabled, then on the screen you will see, for example, the time, the player control menu, but to go further, you need to enter a PIN code or put your finger on it. If you want to remove notifications from the screen so that no one sees anything, welcome to the settings, you can remove this.
One main tip for everyday use: lots of Chrome + Facebook = GET CHARGED. Look for alternatives or don't use these programs at all.
conclusions
The volume could have been louder, but there are no complaints about the quality of reception.
At retail, Sony Xperia XZ costs about 50,000 rubles, I advise you to take the modification with 64 GB of memory. I heard a lot of extremely critical reviews about the device, a lot of different aggression on the Internet and in everyday life. In reality, I don’t even know what to say - a couple of familiar XZ “Sony drivers” just work and that’s it. Fans of Chinese devices put pressure on the characteristics and price, fans of iPhones put pressure on the fact that they are fans of iPhones and Sony is not about them.
If you decide to buy, know all the advantages and understand all the disadvantages - like any other thing, the Sony Xperia XZ is not perfect, but it is quite good both for a lover of the brand (and there are still an army of them), and for those who choose it year after year Xperia, and for those who are looking for an Android device and are wandering around among incomprehensible and unusual names. It’s clear that everyone is shouting that unusual names are good, but you want some kind of stability.
Finally, I recommend that Sony work closely and for a long time on the camera software, continue to install a microSD slot and give the opportunity to use two SIM cards, I would like a higher resolution display, another keyboard “in the base”, louder speakers and three microphones, and so that the RAM is used more wisely and The device worked without any reservations for at least a day and a half.
Do I want a lot? Well, whatever goals you set, this is the result you will get. Let's see in Barcelona what the XZ update will be like.
P.S. I advise Sony Xperia owners to go to the Xperia Lounge, they now have a wonderful retro Playstation theme.
Sony Xperia XZ is a new smartphone from the Japanese company, taking over the flagship title from the X Performance model. Everyone's favorite letter Z, which previously denoted top-end devices, has resurfaced, but as an addition to the new letter “X,” which denotes the general line of smartphones. In accordance with the title, the new product received all the latest developments to date, which the Japanese could only cram into their flagship. At first glance, changes in design are visible, as well as new hardware solutions in the field of photo capabilities. But whether the innovations will become revolutionary, at least within the manufacturer’s model range, we will find out already in the process of closer acquaintance with Sony Xperia X3 (the Russian-language interpretation of the name adds a touch of mystery, doesn’t it :)).
DesignXperiaXZ
Sony continues to adhere to what turned out to be a strategically correct design concept based on “smoothness and symmetry” and the new Xperia XZ is also made in a similar concept, inheriting the main goal, but visually perceived in a completely different way! The company's designers called it Loop Surface. The smartphone has a similar design solution. The lower and upper side frames are absolutely flat, while the front part, thanks to the rounding, smoothly flows into the side surface, which similarly flows to the back cover... and so on in a circle. In addition, thanks to the metal body, the tactile feel of the smartphone is quite interesting and, oddly enough, comfortable; thanks to the small chamfers, the corners formed in the lower part do not dig into the hand.
The design turned out to be strict and stylish, but at the same time quite ambiguous - in 100% of cases it evokes emotions: some people are completely delighted, while others have the opposite; No one was observed to be completely indifferent to appearance. The screen is covered with 2.5D glass (plus ergonomics and visual perception) and the back cover is made of metal using ALKALEIDO technology - a special processing of the material that gives depth to color and creates interesting tactile sensations (this is how a company representative described it).
The case dimensions are 146 x 72 x 8.1 (161 grams), which is not far from the usual dimensions of previous flagships. The color options for the case emphasize the style of the model: Forest Blue (dark blue), Mineral Black (black) and Platinum (fine platinum). It is worth noting that the housing is protected from water according to the IP65/68 standard. It’s a pity that the Xperia engraving was not placed on the side edge, as was the case with the Z5 series - in our opinion, it would have looked very cool.
Technical parameters and capabilitiesSonyXperiaXZ (F8331/F8332)
Knowing the technical parameters of the new product, I can’t help but want to call it Xperia ZX, having mixed up the letters in the name - after all, this is a real flagship, and we still haven’t been able to completely get over the previous naming of the top line.
The IPS screen with the usual 5.2-inch diagonal with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels with a density of 424 ppi has a high brightness of 600 nits. Not without the use of proprietary technologies such as X-Reality and TRILUMINOS. Despite all the familiarity of the parameters, the screen has become visually better than its predecessors - the depth of black has increased significantly, the image is bright and rich, although the colors are somewhat embellished.
We immediately note the presence of a waterproof USB Type-C port on the bottom edge of the smartphone. The basis of the hardware is the Snapdragon 820 chipset with a 2.2 GHz quad-core processor and Adreno 530 video and 3 GB of RAM. As for the internal storage, there will be 2 options: a version of the Xperia XZ smartphone with 32 GB and one SIM card and a slot for memory cards up to 256 GB, or a version of the Xperia XZ Dual with 64 GB and a hybrid slot that allows choice of using one SIM + microSD memory card or two SIM cards.
According to the manufacturer, a 2900 mAh battery can easily provide a full working day in more active mode and up to two days in average use. To save the battery, Qnovo Adaptive Charging and Battery Care technologies are used, and STAMINA and UltraSTAMINA will save charge. The fingerprint scanner, which is built into the power button - the company's feature - has not gone away either. The presence of a special adapter will allow you to use the fast charging function, cutting its process in half.
Main parameters:
Naturally, the smartphone has the entire list of support for modern wireless technologies and other parameters, which makes no sense to describe here, because you can familiarize yourself with them here:
Smartphone cameras - interaction of three sensors
Being one of the main players in the market for the production of camera sensors for mobile devices, as well as one of the leading manufacturers of photographic equipment, Sony simply could not help but surprise us with some innovation in this area from the Sony Xperia XZ. According to company representatives, this is the first time such a set of technical image processing solutions has been used in one smartphone! Next to the camera eye there is (perhaps not entirely organic in terms of aesthetics) a small panel containing the usual flash and two more new sensors.
The first in this trio is the 23-megapixel camera module itself with a 1/2.3” Sony IMX300 sensor (Exmor RS matrix), 6 G Lens lenses with f/2.0 aperture and a BIONZ processing processor. It also has predictive AF subject tracking and fast focusing.
The next technical innovation is laser autofocus, which allows you to track the distance to the subject and focus even more effectively in low-light conditions, and even more significantly speed up focusing in normal mode.
Well, the third technology was the RGBc-infrared sensor, which neutralizes the influence of infrared waves, thereby setting the white balance as accurately as possible and making the colors in the photo as realistic as possible. Image stabilization is provided by the SteadyShot™ mode with Intelligent Active Mode operating on five axes (!) - it functions excellently and has already proven its effectiveness in its predecessors.
Of course, to ensure that all this worked as it should, specialists from the Sony Alpfa photo division were brought in. But as we know, post-processing software plays an important role in the quality of the final images. Later we will evaluate the quality of the pictures and recorded video, when we get to know the smartphone.
Well, we couldn’t do without improving the camera application, or rather, refining it and introducing new functions. The manual mode has become similar to manual - finally it is possible to adjust not only the white balance, but also the shutter speed (from 1/8 to 1/4000 s), the degree of focus, and exposure. The long-awaited tap exposure function has also appeared, but without the possibility of additional adjustment.
The front camera also corresponds to its status. A 13-megapixel 1/3.06” Exmor RS camera with a wide-angle 22 mm lens with F2.0 aperture and automatic focusing will allow you to take detailed photographs of yourself in the company of family and friends.
Video introduction to Xperia XZ
In contact with
