Sony xperia z2 battery life. Smartphone Sony Xperia Z2 (D6503): overview of features and expert reviews. OS and software

I wonder what are they kings? Phones are not their element, TVs are also not very good, sound
, they would have to get even a step closer to Yamaha, there would be PS, but this is not an amateur. So where are Sonya kings?

Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone - overview

I apologize for being a little delayed with the review of this smartphone - all travels, whether they are wrong. However, there is also a plus - I drove this smartphone properly. This model interested me very much, because it is a continuation of the Sony Xperia line, which turned out to be very successful from the first model. I also reviewed the Sony Xperia Z1 - the phone turned out to be very good, but it had certain drawbacks. Well, now let's see what the new flagship Sony Xperia Z2 is: this smartphone was provided to me for study by the Yulmart online store, for which a simple human thanks and an inhuman bow to him. So, the Sony Xperia Z2 is a waterproof flagship smartphone from Sony. Specifications Operating system: Android 4.4
CPU: 4-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801, 2.3 GHz
Display: 5.2 "TRILUMINOS, IPS, FullHD, 1920 × 1080, 423 ppi
RAM: 3 GB
Flash memory: 16 GB
SIM: microSIM
Memory card: microSD up to 64 GB (SDXC)
Network: GSM GPRS / EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz, 3G UMTS HSPA + 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz, LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20
Wireless connection: 802.11 a / b / g / n / ac 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
Camera: Exmor RS 20.7 MP, autofocus, LED flash, 4K video
Front-camera: 2.2 Mpix
Ports: microUSB 2.0 (USB Host, OTG), 3.5 mm headset output
GPS: GPS (aGPS)
Battery: non-removable, 3200 mAh
Waterproof: there is
Sensors: illumination, approximation, accelerometer, gyroscope
Dimensions: 146.8x73.3x8.2 mm
The weight: 163 g
Body colors: black, white, purple
Price in Moscow: on average 24-30 thousand rubles Well, the characteristics here are actually top-notch, but how it all works - now we'll see. Contents of delivery Traditional square box. Inside - a smartphone, a power adapter, a USB-microUSB wire, a wired headset. There are configuration options that include a charging dock.
Appearance and features Outwardly, compared to the Xperia Z1 model, the smartphone has changed little. It has become a little longer, width, thickness and weight have decreased slightly. The design concept remains the same: a monoblock "sandwich" of two glass surfaces sandwiched between an aluminum frame. Sony has finally abandoned the protective film and plastic spacer between the glass and the frame. The smartphone looks solid, the quality of materials and finishes is expected at a very high level. The photo of the smartphone shows two longitudinal grooves at the top and bottom between the ends and the display - these are stereo speakers. The back, as already mentioned, is also glass. This smartphone is waterproof (you can submerge it in water up to a meter deep), so all ports are closed with special plugs. On the right side: an SD-card plug, a power button, a volume rocker, a camera call button (for which Sony is very grateful, because it is very, very necessary).
Top end: second microphone, headphone jack.
Left side: USB and microSIM slot cover, charging dock connector, and on the right, there is a traditional slot for a loop for carrying a smartphone on your hand. (I've never seen anyone use it, but Sony is true to tradition.) In general, the docking station is very convenient to use, because otherwise you have to open the plug every time to connect the USB cable. But, as I said, a charging dock is not always included in the kit.
Well, this smartphone is next to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G3.
The smartphone is not very good in the hand - because of the aluminum ends. And it feels pretty heavy. Nevertheless, I would not say that wearing it is uncomfortable. Not the most "grippy", but a smartphone is like a smartphone. Display The main complaints of experts and users to the previous two Xperia Z models concerned primarily the display. They used an ASV-type matrix, which was characterized by not particularly good viewing angles. This model finally has an IPS matrix. The viewing angles have clearly improved, although I would not call them good anyway: when you deviate vertically and horizontally, the brightness and contrast somewhat drop, especially at large angles. The same Samsung Galaxy S5 and LG G3 have clearly better viewing angles. I'll try to show it in the photo. Here are the Xperia Z2 and Galaxy S5 with displays at full brightness.
And now they are both at an angle. The photo shows how the Xperia Z2's brightness and contrast drop.
The brightness margin is very modest. In normal daylight, I set somewhere around 80% brightness, otherwise it was dark. However, in direct sunlight at full brightness, the smartphone shows quite good results - seemingly not even worse than the Samsung Galaxy S5. The oleophobic coating is present here, but it is not very effective: the display gets smudged pretty much. Device operation Android 4.4.2 is installed here with proprietary shell and applications from Sony. Basic desktop.

Second desktop with a beautiful weather widget.

The fourth desktop.

Applications installed on the system.

Notification area. This is where the brightness and sound settings are lacking, like the Samsung Galaxy.

Quick settings.

You can edit a set of quick settings.

List of recently started tasks. Below is a drop-down panel with windowed applications.

An expanded pane of windowed applications (favorites) where a set of applications can be edited.

Well, this is how these windowed applications look like: they appear on the screen as separate windows (tasks), and these windows can be moved around the desktop.

A lock screen that receives notifications about missed messages and calls.

Telephone

Contacts. (The search works on a separate icon.)

Favorites.

Conversation with the subscriber.

The phone application works well: I can be heard clearly, I can hear the callers without any problems. The noise cancellation system is quite effective - I checked it on calls when I was next to a busy street. Posts The SMS / MMS application is nice, but there are few possibilities. No blocking of spammers, protected sections and so on.

When creating MMS, you can use a graphics editor for handwriting and drawing.

Editing.

List of performers.

Listening with visualization.

The sound from the built-in speakers is very, very good: loud, clear, with good highs and a slight hint of bass. The sound is not bad in the headphones, but nothing amazed - there is not enough volume, I would like better bass. Video The smartphone plays video up to 4K resolution without any problems.

Simplified desktop mode - large icons and folders.

Phone parameters.

Mode of operation with gloves is supported.

Additional opportunities for energy saving.

Photo settings.

Video settings. SteadyShot is a stabilizer that works very, very well.

General camera settings.

Shooting modes.

Examples of pictures. (Clickable, opens 1920 pixels wide.) In store.




Dark corridor. Exposure 1/20, but no "shake" - the stabilizer works well.

The color rendition is very good.
In room.

Shooting text.









Evening.




Well, two examples of video. Video 720p. One more. Both the photo and the video are of very good quality, in my opinion. The smartphone shoots with a four with a plus: it focuses very well and quickly (practically does not miss), the stabilizer works great when taking photos (there is no "shake" at a shutter speed of 1/20 - this is excellent) and when shooting video, "noise" when shooting in bad lighting conditions - within the normal range for such a matrix. As you can see from the examples, even 1000 ISO works fine here, so I really liked the camera. Well, the special effects are funny here, although it's not too important.

Hello everyone, with you site and today it was in our hands Sony Xperia Z2, the company is positioning it as a replacement for its brother in the Z1 line. Let's see what interesting Sony has presented to us this time.

Contents of delivery

The kit includes a phone, headphones, power supply, USB cable and documentation.

Appearance

Sony Xperia Z2 is almost an exact copy of last year's Xperia Z1... Here the dimensions and weight, colors and arrangement of elements remained almost identical.
The thickness of the smartphone has decreased from 8.5 mm to 8.2 mm, the weight has changed from 170 grams to 163, the difference is certainly not felt, but still nice.
The body is made, as always, of glass and metal. In the hand, the gadget lies confidently, it is a pleasure to hold it. Factory films that were previously glued with the manufacturer are now absent.
On the front panel, the front camera and sensors are visible from above. The control buttons are located in the lower part. Also on the front panel there are two speakers- above and below, and also under the top speaker, a light indicator is hidden.
A standard 3.5 mm headphone jack is visible on the top edge. At the bottom, the earpiece is barely noticeable. On the left side, under the cap, there is a micro USB charging connector and a SIM card slot, next to contacts for a docking station.
The right side is given for a slot for a micro SD card, power and lock button, volume rocker and camera quick launch button. On the back there is a camera and a flash.
The smartphone is protected against water and dust IP55, IP58 standards. The device can stay for half an hour in water up to one and a half meters deep. In addition, the Z2 is capable of shooting underwater.

Screen

Xperia Z2 features a 5.2-inch IPS screen with x-reality image processing technology and a resolution of 1920 * 1080pots. The number of pixels per inch is 424. The clarity of the image is simply amazing, the color rendition is realized at a high level and you can't find fault with the viewing angles, everything is just fine, you can play games, work with applications or watch a movie with pleasure.

Performance

Let's move on to the very heart of the smartphone. Sony Xperia Z2 uses a snapdragon 801 processor with a frequency of 2.3 megahertz, an Adreno 330 adapter, 3GB RAM, built-in 16 GB plus the ability to expand it using micro SD cards up to 64 gigabytes.
In addition, in USB - OTG mode, you can connect ordinary flash drives to your smartphone. The device works quickly. During the test, no glitches were noticed, the programs open quickly. As for the games, everything is perfectly implemented here too. At maximum settings for graphics, the smartphone does not experience a lack of performance. The video also works without brakes.

Operating system

The gadget runs on Android 4.4 KitKat operating system with a proprietary interface. Most of its features are familiar from the company's previous smartphones. Here, for example, it is easy to load and change themes, choose wallpapers and add the number of desktops, and so on.
And now the function of unlocking the screen by double tap has appeared. Preinstalled Office Suite for viewing documents, Chrome browser, Smart Connect, antivirus. One of the useful tricks that first appeared in the Xperia Z1 Compact was the transition to quick settings, and it can be done from any page in the program menu - by swiping from the left edge of the screen. In these settings, you can find and remove applications and new programs from Google Play and Sony Select. In addition, it is easy to create your own order of the icons in the application, or sort them, which is especially important when these programs have occupied several screens.


The set of preinstalled programs has not changed much as usual multimedia applications including movies, Walkman album, social networks, antivirus and office suite. In addition, a useful tool for backing up, copying and restoring is offered which allows you to select a location for copies, as well as customize the list of saved content. The speed of the smartphone is high - everything is scrolled quickly. It is very pleasant to work with this phone.

Autonomy

For vital functions Sony Xperia Z2 the battery with a capacity of 3200 milliampere hours responds. According to the developers, the smartphone can work in standby mode for about 30 days, and for those who like to talk in talk mode for about 20 hours.
But in practice, the smartphone did not behave much differently, with active use, the battery lasted for a day.

Cameras

As befits a modern smartphone, there are two cameras.
Front 2.2 megapixel with the ability to record video 1080p and main at 20.7 megapixels Sony EXMOR RS with 27mm wide-angle Sony G Lens with F2 AF and LED flash.
The Xperia Z2's camera software has been improved. The interface of the application itself has remained practically unchanged. Added support for recording in 4K with a resolution of 3840 * 2160 pixels. There are a lot of camera settings, there are various artistic effects that are familiar to us from most Sony models.

Sound

The sound is good, but still not as powerful and loud. As for the sound in the headphones, there are no complaints. The sound is excellent, clear, in the entire frequency range and bass is enough, and the maximum volume is great. The device uses its own proprietary audio player to play musical compositions. The standard player, traditionally called Walkman, is rich in settings and additional software sound enhancements, such as a built-in equalizer with a mass of preset values, you can set your own. There is also an FM radio.

Wireless interfaces

As for telephone communications, everything is fine here too. There is support for the fourth generation LTE network, Wi-Fi, GPS, Glonass, Bluetooth 4.0, USB.

Outcome

Summing up, we can say that Sony Xperia Z2 turned out to be a very solid and high-quality smartphone with an excellent internal filling, an excellent battery, a good camera with 4K video recording, a stunning screen and the same stylish design. It's up to you to decide, as always, but I think whoever buys this smartphone will make the right choice.

There was a site with you site, leave your comments before new reviews.

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

From myself I want to note that I expected more both in terms of design and in terms of technical parameters. Personally, as for me, here we see a similar situation with the previous flagships: the Xperia Z1 has become an improved version of the Xperia Z, now we see the Sony Xperia Z2 and we can conclude that this is only a slightly improved Xperia Z1 with a good 5.2-inch display ... Exactly what the new flagship was supposed to be Sony Xperia Z1.

Features, parameters and specifications of Sony Xperia Z2

Smartphone design

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

Smartphone dimensions - 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm

Weight - 158 grams

DisplaySony Xperia Z2

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

CameraSonyXperiaZ2

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

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

High-quality optics, a high-sensitivity sensor and BIONZ processing processor provide fast subject capture using autofocus to capture objects that are in motion, which will avoid blurring of objects and your photos will be clear and bright.

Take detailed pictures with aspherical G Lens and 3x Clear Image Zoom. Objects in the distance will be crisp and detailed.

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

Use the Timeshift feature to record videos at a high frame rate. Slow down interesting moments in the video and create interesting clips. With this camera app, you can record HD 720p video at 120fps. After shooting a video, it is enough to select the part of the clip that you want to slow down and mark it on the timeline.

Thanks to SteadyShot, video will be recorded even more clearly and stable, without blur and shake, as this function reduces the influence of the subject's hand movement. A kind of stabilization when recording video, especially useful for those with shaking hands. 🙂

List of preinstalled camera apps in Sony Xperia Z2

Timeshift video Background defocus AR Effect Creative effects Vine Info-eye Timeshift burst Social live Sweep panorama

Sound enhancement

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

Hardware (hardware)SonyXperiaZ2

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

Battery

• Talk time: up to 830 hours
• Standby time: up to 880 hours
• Listening to music time: up to 110 hours
• Video playback time: up to 400 hours

Sony Xperia Z2 release date

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

In contact with

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

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

Delivery and equipment

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

On the back you can see the main features of the Sony Xperia Z2, which are presented in the form of icons. There are also images of the novelty in the available color variations.

In the kit you can find everything you need to fully work with a smartphone:

• user guide;
• warranty card;
• charger (5 V, 1.5 A);
• micro-USB↔USB cable;
• Sony MDR-NC31EM Stereo Headset with Vacuum-Designed Headphones and Digital Noise Canceling.

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

Appearance, arrangement of elements

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

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

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

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

At the top there is an additional microphone and a universal audio jack (mini-jack 3.5 mm). The latter is devoid of a plug, but it will not allow water to seep further into the interior of the novelty. However, the manufacturer advises against using it within 2 hours of immersing the smartphone in water. The lower edge contains the holes for the main microphone and a holder for a strap or key fobs.

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

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

Like its predecessors, the Sony Xperia Z2 has Ingress Protection (IP) 55/58. Thanks to this, the smartphone is able to painlessly survive immersion in fresh water to a depth of 1.5 m with a duration of up to half an hour, especially since it is capable of taking photos and videos in this mode. And this, of course, will be useful to many during travel, because the device is quite realistic to use in sea water, but in this case it will need to be rinsed in running water, thereby protecting it from all kinds of salts. By the way, Sony Xperia Z2 asks to be careful and every time after charging it reminds the user to check the tightness of the closing of the corresponding plugs.

The novelty is assembled at the highest level: there are no gaps or backlash. The body is characterized by sufficient rigidity, although it has some flexibility during torsion, but this is not critical and is a consequence of the specifics of the materials used.

In general, the Sony Xperia Z2 is quite easy to operate, but the dimensions make themselves felt. Although users who are accustomed to working with modern flagships or phablets will be quite satisfied. The controls are well placed and can be easily found blindly. But, unfortunately, the smartphone came out quite slippery and easily soiled, despite the high-quality oleophobic coating. Be careful not to slip out of your hands, especially when wet.

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

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

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

As in most modern flagship smartphones, the new product provides settings for the white balance and the main color channels (RGB). This allows each user to customize the display to their liking.

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

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

Sound

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

The new product provides a bright proprietary Walkman player, which traditionally has a large number of technologies and settings (surround sound, equalizer, the ability to edit tags, etc.). Among them, I would like to highlight the ClearAudio + function, the activation of which not only increases the volume, but also improves the clarity and saturation of the sound. In this case, the activation of individual options (Clear Stereo, Clear Bass and Clear Phase), which are part of ClearAudio +, subjectively only degrades the sound quality.

The complete Sony MDR-NC31EM stereo headset with vacuum-type headphones supports the digital noise canceling function (enabled in the settings). It is equipped with a 5-pin connector and two microphones that monitor the background sound of the environment. The reproduced sound in the headphones is clear and is characterized by relatively good quality and a large volume margin. The maximum benefit from the noise cancellation system can be estimated at low volume: in this case, noise is eliminated quite well. But at high volume, they are not audible anyway.

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

During testing of the spoken dynamics, no shortcomings were found: the quality of speech transmission is clear, loud enough (even too much, but it depends on the operator and the interlocutor's phone) and with a rather pleasant sound transmission.

All in all, the Sony Xperia Z2 sounds quite good with or without headphones. Music lovers should appreciate. In addition, thanks to a high-quality complete headset, there is no need to buy headphones.

Camera

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

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

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

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

The overall quality of photos and videos is fully consistent with the status of a modern flagship. This time Sony did a good job on the algorithms for processing the data obtained from the photomodule. The resulting picture is characterized by excellent detail across the entire field of the frame with pleasant and natural color reproduction and high contrast. Of course, in low light, blurring is possible, but you can turn on digital stabilization, which will partially correct the situation by raising the ISO. The "HDR" mode deserves a high rating, which does a good job of its direct duty - expanding the color gamut, although it is somewhat inferior to its main competitors. All of the above can be applied to video as well. Sound and picture do not cause any complaints.

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

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

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

Examples of photography

Examples of filming

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

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

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

An example of daytime shooting from a smartphone Sony Xperia Z2 at 1080p in the "Timeshift video" mode

User interface

Sony Xperia Z2 comes preinstalled with Android 4.4.2 KitKat operating system, on top of which is installed the latest version of the proprietary Xperia UX shell, which changes the appearance of stock Android to a minimum. At the same time, there is an optimal number of applications, settings and functions designed to make life easier for the user. Let's dwell on the most interesting points and innovations in more detail.

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

The main changes include the appearance of the "Quick Settings" menu (the second tab in the notification curtain), which allows quick access to the most necessary functions of the smartphone. Calling up the menu of the last running applications, a rather necessary "Close all" button appears. Here are the usual mini-applications that provide quick access to a calculator, calendar, voice recorder, notes, etc. (you can edit and upload new ones). In addition, there is a multi-window mode that allows you to work simultaneously with several applications from the list.

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

The branded keyboard is visually quite ordinary, except that it lacks an additional row of numbers, so every time you need to switch to them. Like the competition, there is a keyboard shift option for more comfortable one-handed operation and a Swype input method. "Phone" has support for Smart Dial, that is, automatic search for contacts by first letters or numbers.

Among the installed applications, it is worth mentioning What "s New, Sony Select and TrackID, which make it possible to quickly find and download the necessary content (music, games, movies, etc.). In addition, the File Commander, a proprietary navigation system (Navigation), simple photo editor (Pixlr Express), drawing application (Sketch) and office suite for viewing documents (OfficeSuite) For all free content from Sony, download the Xperia Lounge app from the Google Play Store. noteworthy are the omnivorous branded music and video players: Walkman and Gracenote, which have a pleasant appearance and excellent functionality.

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

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

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

In general, the interface has a rather pleasant and discreet appearance, but here it all depends on personal tastes. The speed and smoothness of the interface does not cause any complaints. During testing, we did not notice any slowdowns or twitching: everything works relatively quickly and smoothly.

Hardware platform and performance

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

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

As expected, the performance of the new product is sufficient for most mobile tasks, including comfortable work with relatively demanding games. For example, such a popular game as Dead Trigger 2 demonstrates a high frame rate at maximum settings, but in the new product, Asphalt: Overdrive, with the same settings, slowdowns can be observed. However, you should reduce the graphics performance and you can get a comfortable frame per second.

We should also mention the heating of the smartphone, which only under prolonged maximum load (shooting 4K Ultra HD video or protracted gaming battles) can become noticeable and cause some discomfort. So, the upper part of the back side can warm up to 50 ° C, and the temperature of the side faces reaches 35-40 ° C. In addition, be aware of the properties of heated glass and do not place it on cool surfaces. Note that such heating is the price for high performance and is found in most modern flagship devices. If you do not overload them, then you will not notice it when doing most of your daily tasks.

Communication and communications

The smartphone works in all modern mobile networks: GSM, UMTS / HSPA + and 4G with LTE Category 4 support. There is only one radio module, exactly like the number of SIM cards. The plastic tray for Micro-SIM can be easily removed without additional tools, but it is no longer so easy to insert it back together with the card. The quality of calls is at a high level: there are no interruptions or independent drops, and the voice transmission is clear, but depends on the location of the user and the quality of the network itself.

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

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

Autonomous work

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

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

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

Outcomes

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

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

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

Overall, we have a great modern smartphone with style and charisma that can also offer high quality performance and great functionality.

Advantages:

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

Disadvantages:

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

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

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