And everything that we want to see.
Update | 01/28/2018
Sony smartphone has passed FCC certification with 5.7- inch screen, but surprisingly small in physical size compared to most Sony phones. However, it may get rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack.
So we really want to see new design for the Sony Xperia XZ Premium 2 and luckily, it looks like we're in for it as not only has Sony's exec claimed that some of the upcoming smartphones will get a new design, but the specs also show dimensions that confirm the design changes.
Big screen
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium's 5.46-inch screen isn't the smallest, but to really make full use of its 4K resolution it really needs to get bigger, and with competitors like , a larger diagonal would help the Xperia XZ Premium 2 compete .
It doesn't have to get huge, but going to 5.8 inches might have important, especially if Sony can shrink the screen panels to maintain roughly the same physical size.
Less software bloat
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium is burdened by a plethora of pre-installed apps, many of which duplicate functions Google applications(which are also present on the phone) or are simply not very useful.
With the new Sony Xperia XZ Premium 2, we'd like fewer bells and whistles, with a pure version of Android. Considering that the whole application store makes it quite easy and quick to fill out any problems, so the main applications are enough for us, without duplicates.
Dual camera
XZ Premium offered good camera, but an additional lens can make it even better.
Sony's flagship phones tend to have decent cameras, and the Xperia XZ Premium is no exception. In our review, we noted the camera's impressive Slo-Mo and ability to capture a lot of detail, but it's just one lens against dual-camera competitors we wish Sony would follow suit.
The dual lens isn't just a marketing gimmick, as it could unlock new features including lossless optical zoom, which could benefit the Xperia XZ Premium 2.
More power!
The Xpreia XZ Premium offered enough performance, but early rumors suggest that new model won't get updated chipset or boost random access memory, which can be disappointing not only because it's reasonable to expect performance improvements from a new model, but also because at the time the phone is released, the specs will seem downright outdated for a high-end phone.
So, hopefully this rumor is wrong and the Xperia XZ Premium 2 does see a performance boost. We would like to see a smartphone with the new Snapdragon 845 chipset. RAM may remain at 4 GB, but we will not refuse to increase this number.
SlotSIM cards
It's a small point, but in our Xperia XZ Premium review we noted that the SIM card slot is extremely fiddly, so we'd like to see it redesigned on the Sony Xperia XZ Premium 2.
It's not something most people will need to interact with often, but that doesn't mean the SIM card slot shouldn't be of decent quality.
Don't need a 4K display? , probably also on the way.
Xperia XZ2 Premium is a top-end device from Sony.
Sony has officially introduced the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium. The smartphone was released almost two months after the announcement of its “younger brothers” - Sony Xperia XZ2 and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact at MWC 2018. The smartphone boasts a gorgeous display, powerful hardware and a dual camera that takes great pictures in low-light conditions.
Design
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone received a recognizable design in the Ambient Flow style, which many have already seen on the example of the Sony Xperia XZ2 and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact.
The smartphone body is made of glass. On the front, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium has small bezels along the edges of the display on the right and left, but the padding at the top and bottom spoils the whole impression. On the back panel of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, in the center from top to bottom there is a flash, a dual camera with two vertically oriented modules and a fingerprint scanner.
Display
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium has a 5.8-inch IPS display. The aspect ratio of the display is 16:9, and the resolution is 3840x2160 pixels (4K).
On top, the 4K display of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is covered with protective 2.5 D Gorilla Glass 5.
Performance
Filling Sony smartphone The Xperia XZ2 Premium is no worse than other 2018 flagships. The performance of the smartphone is driven by a system based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip with an Adreno 630 graphics accelerator.
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone received 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of built-in UFS flash memory. The smartphone supports installation of MicroSD memory cards.
Camera
Sony engineers paid special attention to the camera of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone. Its main feature is the actual ability to shoot in complete darkness due to the ability to increase ISO to 51200 for photos and up to 12800 for video shooting. Of course, this falls slightly short of the Huawei P20 Pro (102400), but it still looks pretty decent.
The main camera of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is dual with vertically arranged modules and an LED flash. The resolution of the camera modules is 19 MP and 12 MP, respectively. The first module is a color Motion Eye with a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS matrix, f/1.8 aperture and 1.2 micron pixel size. The second is black and white with a 1/2.3-inch monochrome sensor with an f/1.6 aperture and a pixel size of 1.55 microns. The bottom line is that the dual main camera of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone supports HDR photo/video and 960 fps Super video recording slow motion(FHD/HD).
Front camera Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium - 13 MP with 1/3.06-inch Exmor RS matrix with f/2.0 aperture. When taking selfies, you can use your smartphone screen as a flash.
Common to the dual main and front cameras of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is the presence of 5-axis image stabilization.
Communication and communication capabilities
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone supports 2G/3G/4G/LTE (Cat. 18), Wi-Fi according to b/g/n/ac standards, GPS/GLONASS and Bluetooth 5.
In addition, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium has an NFC chip, USB Type-C 3.1 (up to 5 Gbps) and a 3.5 mm adapter for headphones.
operating system
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone runs on the Android 8.x Oreo mobile operating system.
Battery
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone boasts a 3540 mAh battery. The smartphone supports wireless, adaptive and fast charging according to Qi, Qnovo and Quick Charge 3.0 standards, respectively.
Dimensions and more
The dimensions of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone are 158 x 80 x 11.9 mm, and the weight is 236 grams. The thickness and weight of the smartphone is significantly greater than that of key opponents Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium - Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+, etc.
According to a long-standing tradition, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium has support for the IP68 standard, which allows the smartphone to easily withstand dust and immersion in water to a depth of over 1 meter for more than 30 minutes.
Price
Nothing is known yet about the cost of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium. However, following sound logic, we can assume that for the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium you will have to pay a little more than the Sony Xperia XZ2 currently costs. In Russia, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact costs 50,000 rubles, and the Sony Xperia XZ2 costs 60,000 rubles. Accordingly, the cost of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium will probably start at 70,000 rubles. The start of sales of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone is scheduled for summer 2018.
We remind you that it was originally planned that the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium smartphone would be officially presented at the MWC 2018 exhibition, which was held in February 2018 in Barcelona. However, Sony announced only the Sony Xperia XZ2 and Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact, leaving the flagship for later.
Sony quite unexpectedly introduced its next flagship Xperia smartphone XZ2 Premium literally a few months after the announcement of the previous flagship - . It's clear that the Premium model is literally better than the regular Xperia XZ2 in every way. She has bigger screen, higher resolution, two rear cameras instead of one, the smartphone can record video in 4K HDR, plus much more, which we will talk about in detail today in the review of the new product.
For review, we received a smartphone in the limited series Xperia XZ2 Premium Limited Edition (Pro version), where each device has its own individual serial number. Inside each box is a certificate for completing a training course in shooting with an Xperia smartphone. In addition, owners of the new device receive a special Expert Service package, which includes an additional warranty for the display, providing the ability to replace it regardless of the cause of damage within one year from the date of purchase of the device, as well as two years of extended warranty, including free courier delivery to the service center.
Main characteristics of Xperia XZ2 Premium (model H8166)
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, 8 cores (4 × Kryo 385 @2.8 GHz + 4 × Kryo 385 @1.8 GHz)
- GPU Adreno 630
- operating room Android system 8.0, Sony Xperia UI
- Touch display IPS 5.8″, 3840×2160 (16:9), 765 ppi
- Random access memory (RAM) 6 GB, inner memory 64 GB
- microSD support up to 400 GB
- Nano-SIM support (2 pcs.)
- GSM/WCDMA networks
- LTE networks Cat.18 FDD-LTE (B1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 32); TDD-LTE (B38—41, 46, 66)
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5 GHz), 2x2 MIMO
- Miracast, DLNA
- Bluetooth 5.0
- GPS/A-GPS, Glonass, BDS, Galileo
- USB 3.0 Type-C, USB OTG
- No audio output for headphones (3.5 mm)
- Main camera 19 MP, f/1.8 + 12 MP, f/1.6; 4K video
- Front camera 13 MP, f/2.0
- Proximity and lighting sensors, magnetic field, accelerometer, gyroscope
- Fingerprint's scanner
- Moisture protection (IP65/68)
- Battery 3540 mAh, Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0
- Dimensions 158x80x11.9 mm
- Weight 236 g
Appearance and ease of use
The Xperia XZ2 Premium received a design that is atypical for today. The very large and super-heavy case is also unusually thick and wide: if you put the iPhone X next to it, the hero of the review will be a centimeter wider and one and a half longer.
There is no need to talk about how comfortable it is to hold such a huge device in your hand; for the average palm this is clearly too much. The back wall is almost round, made of smooth glass, as slippery as possible. On the table, such a smartphone sways and spins, like a paperweight, slides off on its own and falls to the floor at the slightest angle of inclination.
The smooth metal frame and glass panels are very slippery, they quickly become covered with fingerprints, although the glass has an oleophobic coating. Such a device cannot be called practical, but it is impressively catchy, perhaps.
Back cover It has a very strong curvature towards the sides, so a smartphone lying on a table sways when you touch the screen, spins and slides on hard surfaces - it behaves as unstable as possible.
The frame around the screen on the front panel is “old-fashioned”: wide, even segments at the top and bottom are devoid of any cutouts. But they fit a number of useful elements, from two stereo speakers to an LED event indicator.
The mechanical buttons are located on one side; they are not large, not hard, and are far apart from each other. Standard for Sony smartphones, the third button is responsible for releasing the camera shutter, and this is convenient. The inconvenient thing is that the rear cameras are placed quite low and, for some reason, in the center, so your finger often blocks part of the image, this is noticeable on test shots. Why bother with the location of the camera when, through experience, most developers have already chosen the ideal place for it - in the upper left corner of the rear panel?
At the same time, the fingerprint scanner was lowered almost to the very center of the back wall, so the finger, looking for it, hits the glass of the cameras and, of course, stains it. And to get onto the scanner, you have to bend your index finger so that it reaches the pad only with the tip of the finger, but not with the entire pad. In general, the creators of the XZ2 Premium model chose a very strange and impractical arrangement of the most important elements on the body.
A hybrid tray for two Nano-SIM cards combined with a microSD memory card is embedded in the upper end of the case. Apart from the auxiliary microphone, there is nothing else on it.
At the bottom end there is a USB Type-C connector and a microphone, but there is a 3.5 mm audio output for headphones in this model We decided not to put it at all, which is a pity.
Xperia XZ2 Premium is available in two color options - black and silver (Black Chrome and Silver Chrome). The smartphone case is waterproof according to IP65/68 standards.
Screen
The Xperia XZ2 Premium is equipped with a 5.8-inch IPS display with a resolution of 3840×2160, covered with 2.5D Corning Gorilla Glass 5. The physical dimensions of the screen are 72×127 mm, and the aspect ratio is 16:9. That is, this is the “classic television” Ultra HD 4K standard, which is not quite familiar to modern elongated smartphones. The pixel density is very high: 765 ppi.
The frame is wide: 4 mm on the sides and 15 mm on the top and bottom. The manufacturer was not afraid to release a smartphone with a screen without a notch (“notch”), while perfectly fitting a camera, a speaker, and all the necessary sensors above the screen.
A detailed examination using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, as it is easy to determine, is on the right; then they can be distinguished by size):
Both screens are dark, but the Sony screen is still darker (its brightness in the photo is 100 versus 112 for the Nexus 7). The tripling of reflected objects in the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium screen is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the outer glass (also known as the touch sensor) and the surface of the matrix (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better in conditions of intense external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.
When manually controlling the brightness, its maximum value was about 815 cd/m², but this is only observed in the Album programs of Sony itself and Google Photos and when outputting a black and white image. In other programs and when displaying a color image, the brightness reaches a more modest value of 490 cd/m². This is still a high value, and given the excellent anti-glare properties, screen readability even on a sunny day outdoors should be at an acceptable level. The minimum brightness for a white field is 7.4 cd/m², so in complete darkness the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Works automatic adjustment brightness by the light sensor (it is located to the left of the front speaker slot). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment: with it the user can try to set the required brightness level in the current conditions. If you leave everything at default, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 7.4 cd/m² (dark), in an artificially lit office (approximately 550 lux) it sets it to 220 cd/m² (normal), in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to 490 cd/m² (maximum). We slightly increased the brightness in complete darkness and for the three conditions mentioned above we got: 14, 230-240 and 490 cd/m². We were quite pleased with the result. It turns out that the auto-brightness function works adequately and allows the user to customize their work to individual requirements. Only at very low brightness levels does significant backlight modulation appear, but its frequency is high, about 2.3 kHz, so even in this case there is no visible screen flicker.
This screen uses an IPS type matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The fragment above corresponds to a 2x2 pixel area, but there are not 12 subpixels (4 RGB triads), but only 8, and there are two white subpixels replacing the two triads. This technique allows fewer subpixels to achieve a black-and-white resolution of 3840x2160 pixels, but the color resolution will be lower.
Additional tests have shown that not every application is capable of displaying images in this conditional 4K resolution. For example, all tested third party applications They believe that the screen has a Full HD resolution, that is, 1920 by 1080 pixels, and the image is displayed in this resolution, and the smartphone itself scales the image to the true screen resolution. Only Sony's own image demonstrator (Album application) displays images in 4K resolution. The second exception is video output using hardware decoding. Let's consider the features of such an output using the example of vertical and horizontal worlds with black stripes one pixel thick through a white gap also one pixel thick. The original test image is available at this link, with the world in the center. Here is its fragment:
Everything is fine with vertical and horizontal black and white stripes: clear, pixel by pixel, black and white resolution of 3840x2160 pixels is implemented. In this case, the area distribution of color pixels is halved both vertically and horizontally, that is, the color resolution is only 1920 × 1080 pixels. However, it is very difficult to determine this visually, since the color clarity of human vision is lower than the brightness.
The screen has good viewing angles without inverting shades and without significant color shifts, even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are photographs in which identical images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, while the brightness of the screens was initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera was forcibly switched to 6500 TO.
White field perpendicular to the plane of the screens:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field.
And a test picture:
Colors on the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium screen are oversaturated, skin tones are shifted into the red region, and the color balance is noticeably different from the standard. You can also see that the picture on the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium screen is dark. This can be explained by the fact that when displaying a black and white image (and in the Album and Photo programs), the white pixels glow with maximum brightness (or rather, transmit the backlight light to the maximum), and when displaying a color image, the white pixels are dimmed so that the brightness of the white areas does not was too high relative to the brightness of the colors.
Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors did not change much on both screens, the contrast remained at a good level.
And a white field:
The brightness at an angle for both screens decreased noticeably (by at least 5 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium the drop in brightness is slightly greater. When deviated diagonally, the black field does not lighten very much and acquires a purple tint. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):
And from another angle:
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is very good:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1500:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 18 ms (9 ms on + 9 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 33 ms. Constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows, and the index of the approximating power function was 2.27, which is slightly higher than the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:
We did not detect the presence of dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image, which is very good.
Default ( Standard mode ) color gamut noticeably wider than sRGB, it approaches DCI:
If someone still finds the image on the screen of this smartphone not “bright” and “colorful” enough, then in the screen settings you can enable Extreme brightness mode.
The result is shown below:
Saturation and color contrast become even higher. The color gamut in this mode is close to the Adobe RGB gamut.
Let's look at the spectra:
They are typical for Sony's top mobile devices. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows for a wide color gamut. Yes, and the red phosphor apparently uses so-called quantum dots. Unfortunately, as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and these are the vast majority) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. The result is shown in the photographs above.
However, not everything is so bad, in the mode Professional coverage is adjusted to sRGB boundaries:
Let's look at the spectra:
It can be seen that in this mode the color components are mixed to a greater extent, which makes it possible to reduce the color gamut. And a test image in this mode:
So much better! Hence the advice: once you have your smartphone at your disposal, be sure to select the mode Professional, only in this mode can you view photographs and watch movies obtained from most sources available to the average user.
By default, the balance of shades on the gray scale is a slight compromise, since on the white field the color temperature is significantly higher than the standard 6500 K (about 8150 K), and the deviation from the spectrum of an absolutely black body (ΔE) is close to 10. However, this smartphone has the ability to correct the color balance by adjusting the intensities of the three primary colors, which is what we tried to do by moving the sliders, as in the picture below:
The result is shown in the graphs:
(Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance is not very important there, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.) The adjustment range was not enough to bring the color temperature to 6500 K, but it was possible to reduce it, as and ΔE. At the same time, at least a variation color temperature not very large - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. However, the brightness decreased from 490 to 415 cd/m², and the contrast also decreased.
There is a setting that allows you to reduce the intensity of the blue component.
It is not clear what kind of viewing is being improved and how, but at least in this case there are no delusional statements about health hazards and UV radiation. Let us recall that, in principle, bright light can lead to disruption of the daily (circadian) rhythm (see article about), but this problem can be solved by adjusting the brightness to a comfortable level, and there is absolutely no point in distorting the color balance, reducing the contribution of blue.
Let's summarize. The brightness adjustment range of this screen is wide, the anti-glare properties are excellent, which allows you to comfortably use the smartphone both on a sunny day outside and in complete darkness. It is acceptable to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works adequately. The advantages also include a very effective oleophobic coating, the absence of an air gap in the layers of the screen and flicker, moderate black lightening when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the screen surface, good uniformity of the black field, high contrast and a color gamut close to sRGB (if selected correct mode). By default, the color balance is not the best, but the presence of appropriate adjustments allows you to correct it to an acceptable level, albeit at the expense of some reduction in brightness (and contrast). Taking into account the importance of the characteristics for this particular class of devices (and the most important thing is the visibility of information in a wide range of external conditions), the quality of the screen can be considered high.
Camera
The front camera of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium has a 13 MP sensor and a 22 mm wide-angle lens with f/2.0 aperture. Its 1/3.06-inch Exmor RS sensor for mobile devices has light sensitivity in photo mode up to ISO 3200 and in video mode up to ISO 1600. There is proprietary SteadyShot stabilization technology for video shooting.
The camera produces images that are excellent in detail and sharpness. This is one of the best selfie cameras for shooting indoors with difficult lighting.
As the main smartphone, Sony for the first time received a dual camera Motion Eye Dual, which, thanks to the Aube image processor, can record 4K HDR video and play it back on the displays of devices that support this format. The matrix boasts a light sensitivity of up to ISO 12800 when recording video, and in photo mode the maximum ISO level reaches 51200, which allows you to shoot in very low light. To do this in mode manual settings There's a special button called "Ultra Sensitivity" - though it doesn't appear at the highest resolutions.
The camera uses two sensors with a resolution of 12 and 19 megapixels: black and white and color for contrast and color reproduction. The 19 MP module for color shooting has a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS sensor with memory for mobile devices and a 1.22 micron pixel size, as well as proprietary 25 mm wide-angle Sony G Lens optics with an f/1.8 aperture. The 12 MP module for black-and-white shooting with a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS matrix for mobile devices and a pixel size of 1.55 microns received even brighter G Lens optics with an f/1.6 aperture, which is responsible for the maximum detail of the pictures.
There is a manual settings mode, special modes with background blur and black and white, and the functions of predictive shooting and burst shooting with autofocus tracking, which are already familiar to Sony smartphones, are available. But there is no standard option to save pictures in RAW, even in manual mode.
Examples of shooting with the main camera:
Sony entices with the promise of excellent night photography, which is ensured by the ultra-sensitive operating mode of the sensors. And this promise is completely true, although in the case of photographs the difference is not as impressive as when shooting video, since it is not difficult to take a “light” photograph at night - you just need to ensure a long shutter speed and stabilization of the lens. Still, the ability to simply press a button on a night street and get a perfectly lit scene with almost no blurring of moving objects (because the shutter speed is not that long) is worth a lot! Of course, these pictures are not perfect: sometimes the focus is missed, and noise is almost always noticeable (when looking at pictures in full size) and has the not very pleasant character of large clusters of pixels. However, when compared with conventional smartphone cameras, there is no comparison at all: an imperfect picture, which can still be worked on in a photo editor - or monstrous distortions, noise and attempts to blur the noise in a picture where the contrasting boundaries of objects are barely visible, or all just blurry due to the long shutter speed. In this regard, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is head and shoulders above the vast majority of smartphone cameras.
I would like to write in equally enthusiastic terms about daytime photography on a smartphone, but here the results are more modest. Of course, the quality of the images is not bad, but crystal clarity and the absence of the slightest noise are not observed in the images - on the contrary, blurry details and pixels of noise artifacts are noticeable. That is, by amplifying the signal from small matrices, it is possible to take a good picture when it is relevant (in low light), but in good light in low sensitivity mode you should not expect miracles. The monochrome shooting mode comes to the rescue, in which fewer artifacts are visible, and those that are visible look somehow organic in a black and white photograph. In short, at night this Sony smartphone is almost a king, but in the light of day something turns into a pumpkin.
Videos can be shot in 4K at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps. Important point: The smartphone can record videos in 4K HDR. There is also slow motion shooting in 720p or 1080p at 960 fps. Video is encoded in H.265 or H.264, your choice. There is no optical stabilization, but there is proprietary electronic stabilization SteadyShot. The quality of shooting in higher modes is excellent - both in terms of detail, sharpness and color rendition. At night, the camera also captures details well; a special ultrasensitivity mode is activated for this, but it is not available in 4K. The sound is recorded clearly, and the noise reduction system works adequately.
- Video No. 1 (75 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.265, AAC, day)
- Video No. 2 (54 MB, 1920×1080@60 fps, H.264, AAC, day)
- Video No. 3 (138 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.264, AAC, night)
- Video #4 (120 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.265, AAC, indoors)
- Video No. 5 (11 MB, 1920×1080@30 fps, H.264, AAC, monochrome)
- Video No. 6 (60 MB, 1280×720@960 fps, H.264, AAC, slo-mo)
- Video No. 7 (101 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.265, AAC, 4K HDR)
- Video No. 8 (78 MB, 3840×2160@30 fps, H.265, AAC, 4K HDR)
Telephone and communications
The X20 LTE modem, built into the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, supports the maximum number of LTE (4G) Cat.18 frequency bands with data transfer rates of up to 1.2 Gbps. These include all three LTE FDD bands used in Russia (Band 3, 7, 20), as well as LTE TDD Band 38. In practice, within the city limits of the Moscow region, the device demonstrates reliable operation in wireless networks, does not lose connection, quickly restores connection after a forced break.
There are also no complaints about the operation of the Wi-Fi module (2.4 and 5 GHz, there is support for 802.11ac, MIMO 2×2), Bluetooth is version 5.0. In addition, there is NFC support, which is good news.
The navigation module works with GPS (with A-GPS), and with the domestic Glonass, and the Chinese Beidou, and, it seems, with all the other satellite navigation systems that have been put into operation or are just planned, including the European Galileo. The first satellites, even during a cold start, are detected quickly, within the first seconds, and the positioning accuracy does not cause any complaints. Naturally, the smartphone has a magnetic compass, which is necessary for navigation programs.
The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing telephone number A search is also carried out immediately using the first letters in contacts. Methods for sorting and displaying contacts are standard for the Android interface. VoLTE support is available. Medium power vibration alert.
The hardware platform allows the smartphone to support both SIM cards in 4G mode at the same time. This way, the voice SIM card will work in 4G standby mode even if another card is assigned to 4G data. Cards work in Dual mode SIM Dual Standby, there is only one radio modem.
Software and multimedia
As software platform used Google Android version 8.0 with its own shell. Design, organization, set of pre-installed applications - everything is exactly the same as before, nothing new regular user mobile technology Sony won't find it here.
In terms of sound, Sony, as always, has rich capabilities: stereo speakers with S-Force Front Surround technology provide impressive clarity and power.
Through demon wired headphones Using Bluetooth, the smartphone can play audio in Hi-Res quality thanks to support for the LDAC wireless codec. Support for Qualcomm aptX HD is also, of course, still there. The familiar Dynamic Vibration System is also in place, allowing the smartphone to vibrate to the beat of music or movie soundtracks.
There is a standard function automatic optimization sound for headphones, Virtual Phones Technology has also appeared, and for those who want to use wired headphones, an adapter from USB Type-C to a 3.5 mm audio jack is included with the smartphone. There are plenty of manual settings to optimize the sound, including the familiar ClearAudio+ and Clear Bass.
Performance
The Xperia XZ2 Premium runs on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 single-chip system manufactured using a 10-nanometer process technology. The SoC configuration includes two clusters of four Kryo 385 processor cores: with a frequency of up to 2.8 GHz (custom Cortex-A75) and with a frequency of up to 1.8 GHz (custom Cortex-A55). The amount of RAM is 6 GB, the storage capacity is 64 GB. You can install a memory card, but it is proposed to format it only as external storage, that is, you cannot install applications on it. Supports connection of external devices to USB port Type-C in USB OTG mode.
Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 is the flagship platform of the market leader in mobile SoCs, one of the most powerful solutions for smartphones. The hero of the review demonstrates maximum performance both in benchmarks and in real use.
All tested games, including Modern Combat 3, Mortal Kombat X, Injustice 2, run confidently without the slightest slowdown. The smartphone certainly has a significant headroom for future updates.
Testing in comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench:
All the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the most latest versions popular benchmarks, we have summarized them in tables for convenience. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that at one time they passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions test programs.
When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).
| Xperia XZ2 Premium (Qualcomm Snapdragon 845) |
Oppo RX17 Pro (Qualcomm Snapdragon 710) |
Huawei Mate 20 Pro (HiSilicon Kirin 980) |
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
(Samsung Exynos 9810) |
Meizu Pro 7Plus (MediaTek Helio X30) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot ES 3.1 (more is better) |
4133 | 1851 | 2070 | 3348 | 1826 |
| 3DMark Sling Shot Ex Vulkan (more is better) |
3278 | - | 2354 | 2840 | 1217 |
(Onscreen, fps) |
53 | 20 | 46 | 25 | 14 |
| GFXBenchmark Manhattan ES 3.1 (1080p Offscreen, fps) |
55 | 23 | 51 | 45 | 22 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (Onscreen, fps) |
59 | 55 | 61 | 60 | 52 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex (1080p Offscreen, fps) |
145 | 65 | 128 | 146 | — |
Testing in browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
| Xperia XZ2 Premium (Qualcomm Snapdragon 845) |
Oppo RX17 Pro (Qualcomm Snapdragon 710) |
Huawei Mate 20 Pro (HiSilicon Kirin 980) |
Samsung Galaxy Note 9 (Samsung Exynos 9810) |
Meizu Pro 7 Plus (MediaTek Helio X30) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mozilla Kraken (ms, less is better) |
2255 | 3837 | 2052 | 2687 | 5106 |
| Google Octane 2 (more is better) |
15875 | 10127 | 20385 | 15042 | 8341 |
| JetStream (more is better) |
86 | 50 | 94 | 65 |
AndroBench memory speed test results:
Thermal photographs
Below is a thermal image rear surface obtained after 15 minutes of fighting with a gorilla in the game Injustice 2 (this test is also used to determine autonomy in 3D games):
Heating is more localized in the upper part of the device, approximately in the horizontal center, which apparently corresponds to the location of the SoC chip (but there is a heating area at the bottom as well). According to the heat chamber, the maximum heating was 36 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is relatively little.
Playing video
To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, don't expect mobile device decoding everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a table.
Further testing of video playback was performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.
This device apparently does not support DisplayPort Alt Mode for USB Type-C - outputting image and sound to external device when connected to a USB port - which was found out using an adapter. Therefore, we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself.
To test the output of video files on the screen of the device itself, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “”). Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied (1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels) and frame rate (24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps). In the tests we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode. The test results are summarized in the table:
Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes exhibited green estimates, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Reds marks indicate possible problems related to the playback of the corresponding files.
According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since in most cases frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. However, there is no ideal smoothness even in the case of files with 60 fps, since the screen refresh rate is approximately 59 Hz, so one frame per second (or a little more or less) is skipped. When playing video files with a resolution of 3840 by 2160 pixels on a smartphone screen, the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly at the height of the screen (in landscape orientation), one to one in pixels, that is, in the original resolution (in black and white). The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to standard range 16-235: in the shadows, only a couple of shades merge with black, and in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed. Note that this smartphone has support for hardware decoding of H.265 files with a color depth of 10 bits per color, while gradients are output to the screen with better quality than in the case of 8-bit files (there are more shade gradations).
Battery life
Xperia XZ2 Premium received non-removable battery capacity 3540 mAh. With such a battery, the smartphone shows average results in all tests, but Sony models These figures have never been a record. In real life, a smartphone may not survive an overnight charge, but it supports fast charging technology and can quickly replenish the battery's energy reserves.
Testing has traditionally been carried out at the usual level of power consumption without using power saving functions, although the device has them.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D Game Mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xperia XZ2 Premium | 3540 mAh | 17:00 | 10:00 am | 3:00 am |
| Oppo RX17 Pro | 2×1850 mAh | 19:30 | 15:00 | 5 h. 30 m. |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 9 | 4000 mAh | 18:00 | 13:00 | 3 hours 45 minutes |
| Huawei Mate 20 Pro | 4000 mAh | 17:00 | 13:00 | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Meizu Pro 7 Plus | 3500 mAh | 14:10 | 10:00 am | 3 hours 20 minutes |
Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted 17 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos in high quality (720p) at the same level brightness through home network The Wi-Fi device operates for up to 10 hours. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone can work for up to 3 hours, depending on the specific game.
The smartphone supports Quick Charge 3.0 fast charging, which allows you to fully charge the device in 2 hours 30 minutes. Charging begins with a current of 1.5 A at a voltage of 8 V, then these values naturally drop. Qnovo adaptive charging technology and the Battery Care function, as well as the advanced Smart Stamina energy saving mode, are designed to save the resources of the built-in battery, extending its service life.
Supported wireless charger(Qi), the manufacturer offers to separately purchase the WCH20 wireless charging dock as a branded accessory.
Bottom line
The price of a certified Xperia XZ2 Premium in official Russian retail is off the charts: in Sony Store Online’s own online store and in the Sony Center chain of branded stores, the smartphone is sold at a price of 80 thousand rubles.
Overall, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is very good even by market standards flagship smartphones: it has a top-end platform, a catchy, albeit peculiar appearance, a high-quality screen, excellent night photography, and excellent sound. The communication capabilities of the device are also maximum; it is difficult to even think of something that the Xperia XZ2 Premium cannot do. However, in terms of autonomy, the smartphone is far from a record holder. In any case, the Xperia XZ2 Premium is the most expensive price segment, where every model is visible. And a wealthy buyer (and not everyone can afford a smartphone for 80 thousand rubles), when making his choice, will be guided not only and not so much technical capabilities as much as the strength and attractiveness of the brand. So for true fans of the Japanese brand, there are simply no alternatives to the Xperia XZ2 Premium.
The Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone has not only a modern appearance, but also a powerful filling. The new generation Snapdragon 835 processor, which currently has no competitors, is responsible for performance. In addition, the new product has a 5.5-inch screen with excellent 4K resolution and highly sensitive cameras, capable of replacing a camera in many cases. Below is a review in which we will try to figure out whether the gadget is worth its price.
- Read also a review of a Sony smartphone for 12,500 rubles.
What's included in the Sony Xperia XZ Premium package
In a compact box along with the smartphone there is network adapter, which is used to charge the gadget, and a USB cable used to connect the product to a computer. There is also a miniature device for removing memory cards from the tray and stereo headphones. Like all the company's products, the smartphone comes with a user manual and a warranty card.
Design Sony Xperia XZ Premium
The front and back of the case are made of durable Gorilla Glass 5 and are connected to each other using an aluminum side frame. Both halves have mirror surfaces, which girls will appreciate. An oleophobic coating is provided to protect against grease stains, which does not fully cope with its function and fingerprints are still visible. The angular shape of the case does not spoil the appearance of the product; the corners of the metal frame are rounded, which significantly improves the ergonomics of the device. Thanks to the IP68 degree of protection, the device is not afraid of dust, moisture and can operate underwater at a depth of up to 1.5 meters. The manufacturer produces this model in three colors - black, bronze and silver. With dimensions of 156x77x7.9 mm, the gadget weighs 191 g.
The screen occupies 69.65% of the front side area. There are no mechanical buttons under the display; interface keys are used to control device functions. At the top there is traditionally an auxiliary camera lens, a notification LED and a speaker, which, in tandem with the main one, participates in music playback and creates surround sound. On the left side there is a hybrid slot for SIM cards and microSD, protected from dust and moisture by a plastic plug. The tray is designed to connect two nanoSim cards or one SIM card and a memory card.
On the right side there is an oblong power activation button with an integrated fingerprint sensor, a volume rocker and a key with which you can take photos or videos. Located below USB port for connecting to a computer and charger, and a microphone. At the top there is a 3.5 mm jack for connecting a headset. In the upper left part of the rear surface the manufacturer installed:
- the main camera lens, protected around the perimeter by a steel ring to protect the lens from minor mechanical damage;
- photo flash;
- laser autofocus sensors;
- IR remote control emitter.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium: specifications
The 5.5-inch display is based on an IPS matrix with wide vertical and horizontal viewing angles (178° each). Amazing a high resolution 4K (3840x2160 pixels) and pixel density up to 801 ppi allow you to display clear and detailed images on the screen. Support for multi-touch technology (up to 10 touches) ensures smooth image scaling. With a maximum brightness level (up to 700 cd/m2) and a contrast ratio tending to infinity, you can watch videos without color distortion even in sunlight. HDR10 technology expands the dynamic range of shooting and displays a balanced image. The presence of the upscale function reduces the display resolution from UHD to FHD when working with content and applications that do not support a high image standard. This reduces energy consumption. Thanks to X-Reality technology, it is possible to add clarity and saturation to a photo or video image by “drawing” additional pixels. In addition, other important parameters can be noted:
- aspect ratio - 16:9;
- color depth - 24 bits;
- The color palette according to the sRGB standard is 138%.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium hardware
The heart of the gadget is a powerful 64-bit Snapdragon processor 835 with 8 Kryo cores operating at 4x2.45 GHz and 4x1.9 GHz. Given the advanced characteristics of the chip, there is no need to worry about its competitiveness for a few more years. An Andreno 540 video card with a clock frequency of 710 MHz is responsible for processing and displaying images. Thanks to dual-channel 4 GB LPDDR4X RAM, the smartphone supports many popular programs and applications. Personal information, music, photos, videos and games are stored using 64 GB of built-in memory. If necessary, it can be increased to 128 GB by connecting:
- microSD;
- microSDHC;
- microSDXC.
According to statistics Google, as of May 2017, the number of equipment operating under Android control Nougat, makes up 7.7% of all Android devices in the world and their number continues to grow by an average of 2.2% per month. Due to the peculiarities of the OS, it is possible to use a large number of paid and free applications, which can be downloaded from PlayMarket.
Cameras and multimedia Sony Xperia XZ Premium
The gadget has a 19 megapixel camera model Exmor RSI MX 300 with a physical sensor size of 1/2.3 inches. Initially, the manufacturer will “test” it on its devices, and in the future there is a possibility of supplying it to other companies, such as Apple, Samsung and others. The module uses a “proprietary” algorithm for working with Bions images, which came to mobile gadgets from professional cameras. It allows you to quickly process the camera image and recognize movement in the frame.
The module uses a 6-lens GLens lens with a minimum focal length of 4 mm, capable of macro photography from a distance of 12 cm. For high-quality camera operation, the manufacturer has provided laser autofocus and an IR-RGB sensor located next to the flash. Laser focusing is used for objects located in close proximity to the lens. For shooting on long distance phase detection autofocus is used. The IR-RGB system optimally sets the white balance with different powers of artificial light sources, resulting in pictures with excellent color rendition.
Among other hardware features, I would like to note the unique shutter mechanism, which allows you to clearly photograph moving objects, and an additional button located on the right side smartphone body. If you hold the button for a long time, the camera is activated even when the screen is off; if you press it briefly, the shutter is released. In the settings you can set the volume control as zoom.
The camera can shoot in automatic or manual mode. With the first method, you need to press a button, and the electronics will do the rest. In the second mode, it is possible to set the required shutter speed in the range from 0.0002 to 1 second, change the white balance, perform exposure compensation, and smoothly adjust the focus.
Photos in daylight are clear, without blurring in the corners. When shooting at night, the noise reduction system is activated and at 100% zoom they are “eaten up” small parts. One of the advantages of the camera is the function of shooting video in slow motion, while the image quality is reduced to HD and the sound is turned off. In return, it becomes possible to see the grace of movement that is inaccessible to the human eye under normal conditions. The flash operates in four modes:
- filling;
- automatic;
- eliminating the “red eye” effect;
- flashlight.
For selfies and video calls, Skype has a widescreen 13 MP camera. The sensitivity of the module is enough to take photographs with a resolution of 4160x3120 pixels and create videos in FullHD quality. The secondary camera is equipped with a number of functions, including a filter that smooths out wrinkles on the skin, a smile detection option and a self-timer mode that responds to gestures.
The model is equipped with stereo speakers that provide loud and rich sound. As befits the flagship of the XPERIA line, the smartphone uses S-Force Front Surround technology, providing three-dimensional virtual sound. The presence of the ANO function allows you to determine the type of connected headset and automatically install necessary settings sound. Many users consider the lack of an FM tuner to be a disadvantage. Built-in video and audio players support AAC, MP3, MP4, MPEG and many other file formats.
Communication Sony Xperia XZ Premium
The connection is carried out in all existing standards from 2G to 4G. Thanks to the use of Bluetooth technology, it is possible to exchange information wirelessly between compatible devices at a distance of up to 10 meters. Provided for Internet access Wi-Fi module. Terrain orientation and location determination are carried out by satellite navigation adapters:
- A-GPS;
- BriDou;
- Glonass.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium battery review
A lithium-polymer non-removable battery with a capacity of 3230 mAh is responsible for offline operation. Its charge will last for 1–2 days of talk time or 6 hours of video viewing. good quality. Charging is possible both from AC power and from a computer via a USB connector. A full battery recovery cycle lasts no more than 2 hours. The presence of the QuickCharge 3.0 fast charging function significantly reduces this period.
To increase duration battery life The manufacturer has provided a special economical STAMINA mode, which reduces the performance of the gadget and reduces the speed of information transfer in the background. The Qnovo Adapting Charging technology used significantly increases battery life.
Sony Xperia XZ Premium: price and release date
The device was presented at the MWC 2017 exhibition in early spring. The start of sales was scheduled for the end of May. On Russian market the new product appeared only in June. Despite the high price, SonyXperia XZ Premium quickly won the hearts of users.
Having become familiar with technical characteristics And functionality gadget, you can highlight the positive and negative sides of the model. The advantages definitely include modern powerful processor new generation, sensitive fingerprint scanner, high degree protection that allows you to safely use your smartphone on the beach or in the shower, as well as a unique screen resolution. Considering that the model is positioned as the flagship of the XPERIA series, there are a number of shortcomings that spoil the overall impression of the gadget:
- despite the use of a new generation camera, the quality of shooting leaves much to be desired;
- the price of the Sony Xperia XZ Premium smartphone, although it meets the specifications, is too high;
- for a device of this class, the battery used has a low capacity;
- soiling of the case;
- heating of the device during prolonged use of energy-intensive applications;
- no QuickCharge included in the package.
In Russia good old Japanese brands are valued in a way that they are hardly valued anywhere else in the world: since Soviet times, Sony (and Panasonic) equipment has been considered something sacred, special, inaccessibly desirable. The reputation continues to this day. This is largely why the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium Limited Edition (Pro version) has reached us, unlike many other European countries. By the way, the last sentence was not a joke - the full name of the smartphone offered in the Sony Store sounds exactly like that.
The XZ2 Premium smartphone itself remains itself in any version. “Limited Edition” means special packaging and premium Expert Service, plus a subscription to the Xperia Ambassadors Photography Club online photography course. Yes, mobile photography school, we were not mistaken. “Pro version” was added for beauty - and, probably, so that the model name became completely grotesque.
It is logical that the XZ2 Premium itself is notable not so much for its 4K display with support for the HDR format or its hefty glass body, close to what we saw in the “regular” one, but for the quality of shooting both photos and videos - a scheme with two rear cameras is used here cameras with RGB and monochrome sensors, which allows the smartphone, among other things, to shoot with sensitivity up to ISO 51200. Has Sony finally managed to make a smartphone that surpasses competitors in shooting quality (or at least comparable to them)? Is there a real work of engineering hidden behind the huge thick body?
⇡ Specifications
| Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | Samsung Galaxy Note9 | ||||
| Display | 5.8 inches, IPS, 3840 × 2160, 765 ppi, capacitive multi-touch | 5.7 inches, IPS, 2160 × 1080, 424 ppi, capacitive multi-touch | 6.1 inches, OLED, 2240 × 1080 pixels, 408 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
5.8 inches, Super AMOLED, 2436 x 1125, 458 ppi, capacitive multi-touch, TrueTone technology | 6.4 inches, Super AMOLED, 1440 × 2960, 516 ppi, capacitive multi-touch |
| Protective glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | No information | No information | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845: four Kryo 385 Gold cores, 2.7 GHz + four Kryo 385 Silver cores, 1.7 GHz | HiSilicon Kirin 970: four ARM Cortex A73 cores, 2.4 GHz + four ARM Cortex A53 cores, 1.8 GHz; HiAI architecture | Apple A11 Bionic: six cores (2 x Moonsoon + 4 x Mistral) | Samsung Exynos 9810 Octa: eight cores (4 × Mongoose M3, 2.7 GHz + 4 × Cortex-A55, 1.8 GHz) | |
| Graphics controller | Adreno 630, 710 MHz | Adreno 630, 710 MHz | ARM Mali-G72 MP12, 850 MHz | Apple GPU (3 cores) | Mali-G72 MP18, 900 MHz |
| RAM | 6 GB | 4 GB | 6 GB | 3 GB | 6/8 GB |
| Flash memory | 64 GB | 64 GB | 128 GB | 64/256 GB | 128/512 GB |
| Memory card support | Eat | Eat | No | No | Eat |
| Connectors | USB Type-C | USB Type-C | USB Type-C | Lightning | USB Type-C, 3.5 mm minijack |
| SIM cards | Two nano-SIMs | Two nano-SIMs | Two nano-SIMs | One nano-SIM | Two nano-SIMs |
| Cellular connection 2G | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz | |
| Cellular 3G | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 MHz | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 MHz | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 MHz | ||
| Cellular 4G | LTE Cat.18 (up to 1200 Mbit/s): bands not specified | LTE Cat. 18 (up to 1200 Mbit/s), bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | LTE Cat. 12 (450 Mbps): bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 39, 40 , 41, 66 | LTE Cat. 18 (1200/200 Mbit/s), bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 39, 40 , 41, 66 | |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.2 (aptX HD) | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| NFC | Eat | Eat | Eat | Yes (Apple Pay) | Eat |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo | |
| Sensors | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer | Light, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), IR sensor | Illumination, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) | Light, proximity, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer, heart rate, pressure sensor | |
| Fingerprint's scanner | Eat | Eat | Eat | No | Eat |
| Main camera | Dual module: 19 MP, ƒ/1.8 + 12 MP, ƒ/1.6, optical stabilization, hybrid autofocus, led flash | 19 MP, ƒ/2.0 optical stabilization, hybrid autofocus, LED flash | Triple module, 40 + 20 + 8 MP, ƒ/1.8 + ƒ/1.6 + ƒ/2.4, hybrid autofocus, optical stabilization, dual LED flash | Dual module: 12 MP, ƒ/1.8 + 12 MP, ƒ/2.4, autofocus, quad-LED flash, optical stabilizer in both cameras | Dual module: 12 MP with variable aperture ƒ/1.5/2.4 + 12 MP, ƒ/2.4 autofocus, optical stabilization in both cameras, LED flash |
| Front-camera | 13 MP, ƒ/2.0, no autofocus, no flash | 5 MP, ƒ/2.2, no autofocus, no flash | 24 MP, ƒ/2.0, fixed focus, no flash | 7 MP, ƒ/2.2, no autofocus, no flash | 8 MP, ƒ/1.7, no autofocus, no flash |
| Nutrition | Non-removable 13.45 Wh battery (3540 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable 12.08 Wh battery (3180 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 10.26 Wh (2716 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 15.2 Wh (4000 mAh, 3.8 V) | |
| Size | 158 × 80 × 11.9 mm | 153 × 72 × 11.1 mm | 155 × 73.9 × 7.8 mm | 143.6 × 70.9 × 7.7 mm | 161.9 × 76.4 × 8.8 mm |
| Weight | 236 grams | 198 grams | 180 grams | 174 grams | 201 grams |
| Housing protection | IP65/68 | IP65/68 | IP67 | IP67 | IP68 |
| operating system | Android 8.0 Oreo, Sony Xperia shell | Android 8.0 Oreo, EMUI shell | iOS 11 | Android 8.1 Oreo, own shell | |
| Current price | 79,990 rubles | 59,990 rubles | 54,990 rubles | from 70,990 rubles to 81,990 rubles | 69,990 rubles for the 6/128 GB version, 89,990 rubles for the 8/512 GB version |
⇡ Design, ergonomics and software
I already wrote about the appearance of the Xperia series smartphones and its evolution in the above-mentioned review of XZ2 - Premium is moving along a well-trodden path, only “thicker, wider, heavier.”
The back surface is mirrored, the camera block is shifted to the center (in this case it is a dual block), as is the fingerprint scanner, located dangerously close to it. As a result, when unlocking, you regularly miss the sensor, touching the lower camera lens with your finger. It should be wiped constantly, but the camera app will not remind you of this (although other smartphones have already learned how).
The most striking difference between the Premium is, of course, the front panel. It does not have a display stretched to its full height, but a traditional one, 16:9 format, with noticeable frames on the sides and significant indents at the top and bottom. The timing of this decision, especially in the era of cutting-edge cutouts and pop-up front-facing cameras, is simply glaring - but Sony insists on the timeless status of the XZ2 Premium design and the “elitism” of this approach, which does not take into account fashion trends. Well, the Japanese are within their rights, and someone might really like this approach.
But with the Xperia XZ Premium, it's also important that you like the big things. This is the largest and heaviest flagship today: 158 × 80 × 11.9 mm, weight - 236 grams. By comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Note9, which has a larger battery and more than half an inch larger screen, weighs 201 grams. In reviews it is often customary to say in such cases that “the gadget is pleasantly heavy on the hand,” but with Sony this is perhaps too much. Some serious problems When using the XZ2 Premium, you don’t feel any discomfort - due to the rounded edges and back, you hold it in your hand without any problems, as well as steering in the usual two-handed way. But it’s hard to talk seriously about real convenience.
Of course, there are no questions about the build quality and the materials used - tempered glass (Gorilla Glass 5) on both sides, metal around the perimeter, dust and moisture protection according to IP65/68 standards (you can drown your smartphone to a depth of up to one and a half meters for half an hour and do not worry about its condition - however, such a case is not considered a guarantee, keep in mind). There is no mini-jack, and the slides for SIM cards and memory cards do not have a pin lock - they can be removed simply by lifting your finger. And yes, as a result the smartphone will reboot - Sony traditions are unshakable.
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium: the left side is devoid of functional elements
There are two color variations of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium - black, as we tested, and silver. Both look serious, noble and rather boring - however, in this price category one should not have expected any game. After all, this is “premium”.
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium, top edge: slot for SIM cards and/or memory card, as well as microphone
In terms of functional elements, everything is standard for Xperia: in addition to the power and volume keys, there is also a separate shooting key on the right side - the volume button is not used for this. Despite the presence of a huge empty space under the display, the navigation keys are made, as is now common in Android, virtual and are located at the bottom. There is nothing else to highlight in the appearance of the XZ2 Premium. There are no unnecessary sensors above the screen - for example, for facial recognition. This option is present, as on most smartphones running Android 8.0 Oreo, but it uses only the front camera and is not highly reliable (and in this case, it cannot boast of operating speed). You should rely on the fingerprint scanner.
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I have already mentioned its features above. Moreover, to use it, you need to hold the rather slippery (after all, glass) smartphone in your hand - the scanner is located doubly suboptimally. Alas, nothing has been fixed here compared to the “regular” XZ2: they were clearly developed simultaneously according to the same principle. As for the scanner itself, it is a standard capacitive sensor, the data for which must be rewritten regularly. It doesn’t demonstrate any kind of record speed of operation, but it’s also impossible to say that it takes an annoyingly long time to operate.
Screenshot gallery
The shell itself for Android 8.1 is the same as in XZ2 - there have been no major changes in the months since its release. Sony's signature strict style and a large number of very decent proprietary services are accompanied by slightly outdated logic (with a mandatory application menu) and various recommendations for installing applications (a separate screen in the application menu is dedicated to this). There are no specific solutions specifically for the Premium Limited Edition (Pro) model - normal operating system for fans of the brand.
In November, the XZ2 Premium, along with several other smartphones in the Xperia XZ series, will be among the first to receive an update to Android 9.0 Pie - despite Sony Mobile’s not very high position in the smartphone sales rankings, relations with Google remain very good.
⇡ Display and sound
The 4K display on the “premium” Xperia first appeared three years ago () - but since then no one has followed Sony’s example, so this element no longer seems such a significant advantage of the Main Flagship in the family of the Japanese company. Every year the display added tenths of an inch, last year it added support for HDR, but the essence did not change. Now it is a 5.8-inch LCD screen with an IPS matrix, which always shows the picture in Full HD resolution, switching to 4K (3840 × 2160) only when watching videos in various applications (including Youtube). The display format is 16:9. While everyone is fighting for every square millimeter of the front panel of the case, trying to occupy them all with a screen, Sony shows iron restraint.
Unfortunately, Sony continues to ignore organic LED screens, although without their use it is, alas, impossible to achieve a real breakthrough in the quality of image display on mobile screens.
The panel itself is not very different in its characteristics from the one we saw. The measured brightness is 492 cd/m2, the contrast is 1311:1. The numbers are even better than those of the XZ Premium, and in combination with a full-fledged “sandwich” screen (with a polarizing layer, oleophobic coating, etc.) this means a completely acceptable picture in any conditions, including under the scorching sun. But it’s just acceptable, nothing more; viewing in these conditions cannot be truly comfortable: the colors fade.
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