I’ve been using xperia z2 for a year, I don’t know about the plug, everything is fine for me, although it sometimes opens and clings to pockets, for example.
Regarding the fragile glass - it’s true, I changed the screen twice in a year - once in my pants pocket (it was touched by something), another time it was “deeply” scratched in my pocket.
Both replaced screens were different (brightness and color rendition), and the same office service claimed that it was the original.
Everything, absolutely all 3 screens, including the original one, get scratched very easily, you can’t do without films. (The iPhone has a better protective coating, purely from experience)
All 3 displays react equally poorly (or rather very well) to moisture, dirt, and grease from hands. .. any extra fingerprint on the display and the touch is triggered in this place. .. In short, it was possible to use it in winter with thin gloves without turning on this function. .. . But when it was snowing or raining or just with barely wet hands, you had to try hard to dial the number. ..
Regarding overheating - there is such a sin, but it didn’t turn off for me, only in the case of long-term shooting at 4k - when the camera overheated, it stopped shooting without closing the camera application. But this is not critical, I played around with it a couple of times and forgot about it.
The overall impression is also spoiled by the fact that after each replacement of the display a number of additional jambs appear. Whether the repairman is a handyman or not. ..
After the first display replacement, the microphone stopped working normally. .. On speakerphone It worked fine, you turn off the loud volume and you can hear me with such an obviously iron sound, as if from a bucket. .. .
I changed the microphone and glued a shielding film over its contacts (I don’t understand what exactly they shielded from in that place), it was cured!!!
After the second replacement (the scratch was critical, the sensor was constantly triggered in this place), my speakers began to play quieter, noticeably quieter, at maximum volume in a jacket pocket in another room you won’t hear horseradish, even more so on the street. .. Reconciled
Plus the display came off. .. .
The display was glued, this time the camera. .. There is always blur at the edges of the photo, you take an A4 photo with a standard 12 font, so there is blur at the corners of the photo, and this is even at 21 mp. ..
It revealed. .. the small protective film on the lens has a bright fingerprint that cannot be removed with anything. .. the service recommended replacing the rear window completely, because this protective film cannot be ordered separately. ...has come to terms with what is
Regarding water resistance. .. it depends on how you look.
After the purchase, on the second day, I put it in the bath and threw a small toy in there, took a photo once - purely an experiment. .. So, when replacing the display, it turned out that moisture still got inside, but the phone survived. .. Moisture resistant!!!)
Everything would be fine. The device is cool, and I really liked it. Understand correctly, usually when a device breaks down I immediately get rid of the device, and some of the “new” charm is lost. (Car owners will understand me)
But. .. .
So many trips to the center and so many problems reduced my positive attitude towards him to nothing. (For example, 3 years passed with the iPhone 4, during which I went to the service center once to replace the battery for exactly 15 minutes and there were no additional problems, I didn’t even think about them)
I also remembered the bug on the z2, on all the displays when you call me, a situation appears a couple of times a day when the swipe doesn’t work, while the touchscreen is completely turned off, stupidly doesn’t work until you pull out the SIM card to reboot (I wanted to pass it under warranty - the diagnostics didn’t do anything identified, but with persistent special dialing to my phone number, this situation did not arise with servicemen)
There was also a similar situation in the background, but it was treated by immediately closing the “proximity to the ear” sensor and after which you could pick up the phone. .. It didn't bother me much. ..
Now I’m thinking about what to buy, I’m leaning towards the lumia 1520, I want to touch the tile. ..
All!
Sony Xperia Z3 – new flagship Japanese company, which, although not to a significant extent, is still better than its predecessor Xperia Z2. Many will say that they don’t see too much difference between these models and Sony’s tendency to release a new flagship every six months is not justified. On the other hand, such a move is very convincing, since the manufacturer more carefully studies the errors made during the release of the model and corrects them in new version devices, complementing it with something new. Of course, I would like to see in the Xperia Z3 some more advanced technologies that are already used in their smartphones.
What else could be implemented in the Xperia Z3 - read the article
In this news, I would like to draw attention to the most obvious points that distinguish the Sony Xperia Z3 from the Xperia Z2 for the better.
- More interesting design and color scheme. The design of the body of the new smartphone retains the OmniBalance concept, however, it received new features in the form of rounded side edges without an edge. All corners are made of polymer, which performs a protective function and reduces the possibility of damage to the phone if it falls on the corner, taking the blow. The thickness of the Xperia Z3 is 7.3 millimeters, the frames around the display have been slightly reduced, and the device itself has become a little more compact and lighter than its predecessor.
- Despite the fact that the Xperia Z3 did not receive the Snapdragon 805 chipset (probably saved for the next generation), the processor in the new product has become a little more powerful. It uses an overclocked version of the Snapdragon MSM8974 801-AC, with a maximum core clock speed of 2.5 GHz. This will slightly increase the already high performance.
- The Xperia Z3 also uses a 20.7 Megapixel camera, but it has a 25mm wide-angle lens (27mm in the previous model) Sony G Lens, which will allow you to fit even more objects into the frame.
In addition, Sony boasts that the Sony Xperia Z3 camera has the highest light sensitivity - a maximum ISO of 12800. This makes it possible to take high-quality pictures with a minimum of noise, even in low light conditions.
- Improved water resistance thanks to the most high degree IP65\68 certification. However, the dive rates remained the same - 1.5 meters for 30 minutes.
- Sound lovers should definitely appreciate the new DSEE HX (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) and Hi-ResAudio technologies, which allow them to achieve even cleaner and clearer sound.
- The appearance of the new UltraSTAMINA mode will increase the operating time of the smartphone, limiting its some unimportant functions.
On this moment(mid-summer 2015) Sony's flagship arsenal actually consists of two smartphone models - the Sony Xperia Z3 and its updated Sony version Xperia Z3+ (Z3 Plus), which in turn is an international version Sony models Xperia Z4, which was presented exclusively for the Japanese market. Apparently Sony has not completely moved on from the six-month flagship release cycle - now we will receive a flagship every year, and in the middle of the year an updated version of it. Looking at all this, especially for an inexperienced user, the question may involuntarily arise, so, what is the difference between the Sony Xperia Z3+ and the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z4, how they differ, and indeed what they are.
First, let's dot the i's and see what the difference is between the Xperia Z3 Plus and Xperia Z4. There really aren’t that many differences: the Xperia Z4 has FeliCa, the Japanese equivalent of NFC, as well as a built-in local TV tuner digital television. Otherwise, the smartphones are completely identical both externally and in terms of design.
But the differences between the Xperia Z3+ (Z4) and the Xperia Z3 are more obvious. The first difference is in dimensions: Xperia Z3 – 146 x 72 x 7.3 mm and 152 grams, and Ixperia Z3 Plus – 146.3 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm and 144 grams. You can feel the difference as much as possible by comparing the two phones head-to-head. The new product is lighter and actually fits more comfortably in the hand.
The design itself has not changed as much as the masses might want. The new smartphone received stereo speakers located along the top and bottom side edges like the Xperia Z2 - this option appealed to most users.
The side corners are still made of polymer, which protects against impacts, but the metal frame has new type processing, which made it more shiny.
As for the main technological innovations of the Xperia Z3+, it is worth noting the presence of a waterproof microUSB connector, which made it possible to get rid of one of the plugs. Both smartphones have IP68 protection. The new product is also equipped with the new Snapdragon 810 chipset, which is more productive, but it’s hard to say whether this will be very noticeable in real-life conditions of use. We were also pleased with the expansion of the internal storage – now the smartphone has a 32 GB module installed by default. By the way, one cannot fail to note the display, which in terms of size and resolution remains the same, but already has increased brightness, more accurate and clear color reproduction. But with the battery, the opposite happened: if in the Xperia Z3 its capacity was 3100 mAh, then in the Xperia Z3 Plus it was 2930 mAh. It is quite possible that the new filling is more economical, which made it possible to slightly reduce the battery capacity without compromising overall autonomy.
I suggest you compare the parameters of smartphones in the table below:
Comparison of characteristics of Sony Xperia Z3+ and Xperia Z3
| Sony Xperia Z3+ | Sony Xperia Z3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 146.3 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm | 146 x 72 x 7.3 mm |
| Weight | 144 grams | 152 grams |
| Display | 5.2-inch, IPS LCD Triluminos (424 pixels per inch) | |
| Permission | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Processor and video | 64-bit 8-core Snapdragon 810 (4 cores 2.0 GHz + 4 cores 1.5 GHz), Adreno 430 | Quad-core Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz, Adreno 330 |
| RAM | 3 GB RAM | 3 GB RAM |
| Inner memory | 32 GB, expandable | 16 GB, expandable |
| Camera | 20.7 MP main, 1/2.3” Exmor RS, 4K video recording 2160p video recording 30 fps, 5 MP front | 20.7 MP main, 1/2.3” Exmor RS, 4K video recording 2160p video recording 30 fps, 2.2 MP front |
| Battery | 2930 mAh | 3100 mAh |
| Peculiarities | IP65/68 certification - dustproof and waterproof over 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, stereo sound | |
| Wireless connections | Wi-Fi 802.11 A/B/G/N/, Bluetooth v4.1 | Wi-Fi 802.11 A/B/G/N/, Bluetooth v4.0 |
| System (at time of writing) | Android 5.0.1 Lollipop | Android 5.0.1 Lollipop |
The much-anticipated new product in the form of Sony's mobile flagship may at the same time become a big disappointment for fans of the brand. The device with the index D6603, which will go on sale under the more familiar name Z3, was discovered in the GFXBench benchmark database.
As expected earlier, new smartphone the characteristics are identical to its predecessor Sony Xperia Z2, with the exception of minor differences in the matrix and body dimensions, judging by the drawings of the phone posted online. So the Z3 model should be equipped with a 5.1-inch display with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, and the same person will be responsible for performance Snapdragon processor 801 with a clock speed of 2.3 GHz.
It is necessary to immediately note that this benchmark does not distinguish between 800 and 801 chips, so the database contains even more old version than the Z2. The RAM, whose capacity is designated at 3 GB, may also remain unchanged, and at least 16 GB will be allocated for data storage. The main camera with a resolution of 20 megapixels and the front camera at 2 megapixels will apparently also migrate from the Z2.
All of the listed specifications are almost identical to those of the Sony Z2, except for the loss of 0.1 inches in physical display size and a more compact body.
But if the Sony D6603 smartphone included in the database actually ultimately turns into a Sony Xperia Z3, then we can only hope for a modification of the Z3 Compact, which promises to be an acquisition. The official announcement of both models is expected early next month during the IFA 2014 international exhibition in Berlin.
Detailed testing of the new flagship in the line Sony smartphones Mobile
Sony Mobile has once again updated its flagship smartphone from the top Xperia Z series. The new flagship was presented at the same time as Samsung Galaxy S5 - during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona at the beginning of the year, but it appeared in Russia later than the Korean flagship. By this time, we managed to test not only the Samsung Galaxy S5, but also the new HTS One (M8) and the Chinese Oppo Find 7a. All these new products are united by the fact that they work on the latest version of the Qualcomm hardware platform - Snapdragon 801, and, accordingly, are currently the most powerful and advanced mobile devices on the world market.
Sony's new flagship smartphone is called Xperia Z2 and is generally an updated version Xperia smartphone Z1, presented in autumn in Berlin. The Japanese firmly adhere to the once chosen course: update the flagship line every six months - rightly believing that during this time enough reasons have accumulated to update the model range.
The Sony Xperia Z2 does not have any special differences from previous models in the series - in appearance it is practically the same Z1, only improved in many ways. The smartphone has acquired a more powerful single-chip SoC, an IPS screen, a new battery, improved camera performance, two stereo speakers that have moved to the front side, and the notorious films from the protective glass of the screen have disappeared. In general, there are enough changes to explore the new product in more detail.
Key Features of Sony Xperia Z2 (Model D6503)
| Sony Xperia Z2 | Oppo Find 7a | HTC One M8 | Samsung Galaxy S5 | |
| Screen | 5.2″, IPS | 5.5″, IPS | 5″, Super LCD 3 | 5.1″, Super AMOLED |
| Permission | 1920×1080, 423 ppi | 1920×1080, 400 ppi | 1920×1080, 440 ppi | 1920×1080, 432 ppi |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.3 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.3 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.5 GHz | |
| GPU | Adreno 330 | Adreno 330 | Adreno 330 | Adreno 330 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Flash memory | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16/32 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory card support | microSD | microSD | microSD | microSD |
| operating system | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.3 | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 |
| Battery | non-removable, 3200 mAh | removable, 2800 mAh | non-removable, 2600 mAh | removable, 2800 mAh |
| Cameras | rear (20.7 MP; 4K video), front (2.2 MP) | rear (13 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP) | rear (4 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP) | rear (16 MP; 4K video), front (2 MP) |
| Dimensions and weight | 147×73×8.2 mm, 163 g | 153×75×9.2 mm, 170 g | 146×71×9.4 mm, 160 g | 142×73×8.1 mm, 145 g |
| average price | T-10724878 | T-10756406 | T-10761030 | T-10725078 |
| Sony Xperia Z2 offers | L-10724878-10 | |||
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB), 2.3 GHz, 4 cores
- GPU Adreno 330
- operating room Android system 4.4 KitKat
- Touch IPS display, 5.2″, 1920×1080
- Random access memory (RAM) 3 GB, inner memory 16 GB
- Slot for microSD cards up to 64 GB (SDXC)
- Protection against dust and moisture according to IP 55/58 standard
- GSM communication GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- Communications 3G UMTS HSPA+ 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz
- LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20 (2600/800 FDD are used in the Russian Federation)
- Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
- Support DLNA, MHL 3.0, OTG, Media Go, MTP, Miracast
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), point Wi-Fi access
- GPS/Glonass
- Exmor RS 20.7 MP camera, autofocus, LED flash, 4K video
- Front camera 2.2 MP
- Non-removable battery 3200 mAh
- Dimensions 146.8×73.3×8.2 mm
- Weight 163 g
Contents of delivery
The Sony Xperia Z2 kit sent to us for testing looks exactly the same as the previous products in the series: the smartphone is packaged in a fairly simple exterior, which has already become a classic for recent products mobile line Sony is a flat and square box made of thin unvarnished cardboard with several compartments inside.
Standard equipment: compact Charger(output current 1.5 A), connecting cable, ordinary headphones without additional ear pads and a thick stack of paper documentation. This is the most modest set of all possible: for example, the Sony Xperia Z2 is supplied to the Asian market in a much larger box made of hard varnished cardboard, which contains a richer set of accessories, including a docking station. In case of Russian market There was nothing like that in the kit, which is a pity: such a docking station would not be a problem for domestic users at all.
Appearance and ease of use
Externally, the Sony Xperia Z2 has not changed much, and those changes that exist have not brought any improvements. The smartphone is still a candy bar, consisting of two glass plates and a metal frame between them, which makes up the frame of the device and forms the outer side frames of the case. The frame, as before, is made of aluminum that has been anodized. However, previously a thin plastic spacer was inserted between the frame and the glass, so the previous smartphones in the series felt more comfortable in the hand, not to mention first Xperia Z, the frames of which were made of rubberized polycarbonate. The situation with the Sony Xperia Z2 is worse: the chamfers on the frame are somehow more roughly removed, the edges are sharper, and this makes holding the smartphone in the palm of your hand less comfortable. Now the edges of the metal frame feel noticeably rougher and sharper when touched, literally everyone notices this.
The smartphone feels like a very large and heavy monolithic block; it does not have that “airiness” that is felt in plastic cases Samsung, and it doesn’t have that smooth streamlined feel of metal that’s pleasant to the touch. HTC One. In general, the body new Xperia The Z2 is pretty rough and there's nothing you can do about it. Why they removed the plastic pads between the glass and metal that soften contact with the palm remains a mystery.
On the front glass panel, as well as on the back, there are now no those factory protective films about which there was so much controversy. On the one hand, films naturally wore out faster and became covered with a lot of scratches than glass. On the other hand, supporters of the presence of films argued that they could be removed at any time, giving the smartphone an updated look. True, it is difficult to say how many people have actually done this or whether these are purely theoretical considerations: after all, the glass under the film did not have an oleophobic coating, and besides, along with the film, the corporate logo disappeared from the front panel, not to mention the fact that This film was, in principle, extremely difficult to remove without damaging the glass itself and the edges of the frame around it. So, perhaps, Sony did the right thing by depriving its products of this atavism - modern protective glasses are ready to provide completely reliable protection display.
The back cover is exactly the same as the front: it is made of glass, there are no protective films on it, there are no gaskets between the glass and metal, and the only functional elements on it are the camera window and the flash eye.
The flash here consists of one section, while the flashes of most competing flagships have long been dual, and now also multi-colored. It’s good that they didn’t forget to provide the smartphone with pre-installed software that allows you to use this module in flashlight mode.
There are no grilles for sound output from the speakers on the rear panel - they have been moved to the front side, now the role of grilles is played by two long longitudinal slits in the glass - at the top and bottom. A completely logical solution is to turn the speakers towards the user, and not away from him, and there are now two speakers themselves, so the sound of the new flagship has become much louder than its predecessors, even despite the gaskets protecting it from water. By the way, it is through the top slot that the indicator light shines through, which notifies you about the charging status and incoming events.
Traditionally for Sony, there are no hardware buttons under the screen; their role has long been played by virtual icons on the display itself: in some applications this strip of buttons can be removed, but in others it remains, occupying part of the working area of the screen.
The SIM card here is inserted into its own side slot, equipped with a plastic retractable tray into which the card is placed. There are no hidden buttons to press in here, just as you don’t need to carry a paperclip with you—the tray simply pulls out with your fingernail. Perhaps the method of installing cards in Sony Mobile devices is the most convenient.
All slots and connectors, except for the audio output, in the Sony Xperia Z2 are covered with plugs made of the same material as the side frame itself. They are held on the body by rubber clamps. The covers have rubberized gaskets, because the smartphone, like its predecessors, provides protection from dust and moisture. When the covers on all ports are securely closed, this smartphone is protected against low pressure water jets from all directions to IP55 and/or can be kept in 1.5 meters of fresh water for up to 30 minutes to IP58.
Based on the results of our testing, it was confirmed that the smartphone is not only impervious to water, but is also perfectly controlled with wet fingers - until the screen is completely immersed in water. Plus, due to the presence of a dedicated hardware camera control key, the smartphone can be used as a camera for shooting underwater.
On the left side there is an open contact group for connection to the docking station connector - this element is found in many modern smartphones Sony. This option for daily charging the phone is convenient for those who do not want to open and close the cover of the Micro-USB connector every day. True, as mentioned above, the docking station is not included in all delivery kits.
The power and lock button is located on the right side, next to the volume key. Traditionally for the latest Sony smartphones, it looks like a metal round piece, but in new models it already consists of two parts: a ring and a round button inside it.
At the bottom of the right side there is a dedicated hardware camera control key, thanks to which the smartphone can be used for shooting even underwater, although the screen at this time becomes insensitive to touch. In general, there are no special complaints about the mechanical controls of the Sony Xperia Z2, except that the volume key protrudes too slightly from the body, so it is quite difficult to feel it blindly. In terms of ease of use, the large and pliable keys of Korean Samsung and LG look preferable to the thin metal and hard keys of Sony and HTC.
The audio jack for headphones (3.5 mm) is located on top in splendid isolation. Other leading manufacturers, such as Samsung, LG and HTC, have already taught us that another very convenient element should be located here - an infrared port, with which a smartphone can control various equipment as a remote control. Sony, unfortunately, did not provide anything like this.
There are nice holes in the lower left corner of the case - this is a traditional strap mount that is present on all Sony smartphones, and it’s a shame that other manufacturers neglect this useful element.
The body of the new product, like its predecessors, is available in three colors: black, white and purple. It is curious that the bevels of the side edges of the metal frame here are painted in the general color of the case, that is, if the case is purple, then the bevels of the sides are also purple, but the very top edge always remains silver and unpainted.
Screen
The Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone is equipped with an IPS touch matrix. The screen dimensions are 64x114 mm, diagonal - 5.2 inches, resolution - 1920x1080 pixels. A parameter such as pixel density per inch is 423 ppi here. The display received the brand name Triluminos, but the most interesting thing is that the developers also mention here new technology Live Color LED, which allows you to expand the color palette, providing 130% sRGB coverage.
The outside of the screen is covered with protective glass without a factory protective film - this is a proprietary distinctive feature henceforth disappears from Sony screens. The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is approximately 4 mm - the frames are not that narrow.
The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 10 simultaneous touches. The display can be operated with gloves or wet fingers. When you bring the smartphone to your head, the screen is locked using a proximity sensor.
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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.
Just like the tablet of the same name, the Z2 smartphone does not have the traditional Sony protective plastic film with low oleophobic properties and quickly becomes scratched. Let's hope that the company has finally and irrevocably abandoned this atavism. 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, there is a very effective anti-glare filter, which is superior to the screen filter of Google Nexus 7 (2013) (hereinafter simply Nexus 7) in reducing reflection brightness. For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia Z2, as it is not difficult 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 90 versus 96 for the Nexus 7). Tripling reflected objects in Sony screen Xperia Z2 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 under strong 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, perhaps better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.
With manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 450 cd/m², and the minimum was 14 cd/m². The maximum value is quite high, and, given the good anti-glare properties, the image on the screen should be clearly visible in bright daylight. 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 logo on the front panel). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the brightness adjustment position. If it is at maximum, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 95 cd/m² (too much), in an office illuminated by artificial light (about 400 lux) it sets it to 190-195 cd/m² (normal), in a very bright environment ( corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to a maximum of 450 cd / m². If the brightness slider is about halfway up, then the screen brightness for the three conditions above is: 56, 120 and 450 cd/m² (suitable values). If the brightness control is set to minimum - 18, 50, 450 cd/m². As a result, the auto-brightness function works absolutely adequately. At any brightness level, there is practically no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering.
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 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 the same images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and Sony Xperia Z2, with the brightness of both screens set to approximately 200 cd/m². White field perpendicular to the plane of the screens:
Uniformity is good, but the color tone is noticeably different from the Nexus 7 screen tone (when photographing, the color balance on the camera is forced to 6500K). And a test picture:
Colors on the Z2's screen are oversaturated and clearly red-shifted. 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 have not changed much on both screens, and the contrast at an angle has been preserved. And a white field:
The brightness at an angle for both screens has noticeably decreased (by at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Sony Xperia Z2 the drop in brightness is less (brightness according to photographs is 237 versus 217 for the Nexus 7). However, the color tone did not change much. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened weakly and acquires a red-violet tint or remains almost neutral gray. 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 good - about 915:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 23 ms (14 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 32 ms. The gamma curve, constructed using 32 points with equal intervals according to the numerical value of the shade of gray, did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows, and the index of the approximating power function turned out to be 2.29, which is higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve strongly deviates from the power law:
The smartphone has some kind of dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness - either in some way depending on the nature of the displayed image, or depending on the current temperature of the device. But it definitely exists. For this reason, we carried out a number of tests - determining contrast and response time, comparing black illumination at angles - when displaying special templates with a consistently average brightness, and not monochromatic fields in the entire screen. As a result, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on almost the entire screen.
The color gamut is noticeably wider than sRGB:
Let's look at the spectra:
They are very atypical. However, in Sony black in white they write that 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 light filters of the matrix, allows you to get a wide color gamut. 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 photo above.
The balance of shades on the gray scale is good, since the color temperature is close to the standard 6500 K, and the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the variation color temperature and ΔE is small, which also has a positive effect on the visual perception of color balance. (Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
This smartphone has the ability to adjust the color balance by adjusting the intensity of the three primary colors.
That's what we tried to do, the result is data signed as Corr. in the graphs above. As a result, we slightly reduced ΔE on white and brought the white point a little closer to 6500 K. At the same time, judging by the reduced intensity of red, there was a little less redness in the image. However, this correction did not reduce the oversaturation of colors.
If someone still finds the image on the screen of this smartphone not bright enough, they can turn on the proprietary X-Reality for mobile mode. The result is shown below:
Saturation and contour sharpness are increased programmatically. Read more about saturation. X-Reality for mobile is disabled:
And included:
There is a strong decrease in shade gradations in the area rich colors. But the picture, yes, has become brighter.
Let's summarize. Brightness adjustment range of this screen wide, and the anti-glare filter is very effective, which allows you to comfortably use your smartphone both on a clear day outside and in complete darkness. It is permissible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works absolutely adequately. The advantages also include a very effective oleophobic coating, the absence of flicker and air gap in the layers of the screen, weak black bleed when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the screen surface, excellent uniformity of the black field, high contrast and good color balance. The colors are, however, a little oversaturated. However, overall the screen quality is very high.
Sound
The sound of the Sony Xperia Z2 has improved compared to previous models in the series due to the fact that the device now has two stereo speakers, and they are facing the user, like the HTC One. The speakers are located in the upper and lower parts of the front panel, the sound output is realized through two barely noticeable slot-shaped longitudinal symmetrical grilles, due to which it is possible to realize surround external sound, called here S-Force Front Surround. The sound is not bad, but still not as powerful and loud as that of the HTC One - this is due to the waterproof gaskets that protect the speakers from water.
As for the sound in headphones, there are no complaints here. The sound is excellent, clear throughout the entire frequency range, there is enough bass, and the maximum volume is high. In conversational dynamics, the voice of a familiar interlocutor, timbre and intonation remain recognizable.
To play music, the device uses its own proprietary player. The standard audio player, traditionally called a Walkman, is rich in settings and additional software sound improvements, such as a built-in equalizer with a lot of preset values (you can set your own), Clear Phase, xLoud technologies or virtual surround sound. Control of most settings is available if the complex ClearAudio+ function is turned off, otherwise all settings are left to the machine.
Camera
Sony Xperia Z2 is equipped with two digital camera modules with a resolution of 20.7 and 2.2 megapixels. The front camera takes pictures with a resolution of 1920×1080, and videos in 1080p resolution. For taking self-portraits, the capabilities of the front camera are more than enough, examples test shots are presented below.
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The main rear 20.7-megapixel camera is equipped with a G Lens series lens with a focal length of 27 mm and an aperture of F2.0. The camera uses a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS for mobile sensor and a Bionz for mobile processor.
By default, the cameras of all Sony devices operate in the so-called super auto mode (iauto) with a wide aspect ratio, but you can switch the shooting to manual settings. It is noteworthy that when you use the hardware button on the side of the device to quickly turn on the camera, it always activates it only in automatic shooting mode, even if the mode was previously turned on manual settings. If you launch the camera application by touching the icon on the display, then in this case everything goes as usual, and the camera leaves the previous settings, that is, it starts in manual mode, if one was set earlier. Note that there is a big difference between automatic and manual modes, because the maximum resolution can only be set in manual adjustment mode. When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photos are obtained with a size of 3840 × 2160 (8 megapixels), and in manual mode the maximum possible resolution is exactly the same 20.7 megapixels (5248 × 3936).
In addition to automatic and manual, the software Sony cameras Xperia Z2 has a few more interesting ones additional modes shooting. The Info-eye mode, for example, provides contextual information to an object in the frame using augmented reality technology. In Timeshift burst mode, the camera takes up to 61 shots two seconds before pressing the shutter button, from which you can then choose the best one. The Social live function allows you to upload footage directly to Facebook and view comments on it on your smartphone screen. AR effect makes it possible to combine pictures with animation using proprietary augmented reality technology SmartAR.
Completely new modes and effects have appeared:
- Timeshift video- a mode that allows you to shoot at 120 frames per second and select scenes to create expressive slow-motion effects exactly where you need it - even underwater. Playing such a video is accompanied by the same slow-motion playback of the recorded audio as on the Apple iPhone.
- Creative effect- Available in real time while shooting video, these settings allow you to enhance your video with effects such as mirror reflection, motion trail, color correction and miniature.
- Background defocus- This new application simulates depth of field (bokeh). It automatically takes two photos with different focus settings and stitches them together to make your photos look professional.
- AR effect, an augmented reality effect, has become available for video recording. Now you can experiment with both photographs and videos using new animation effects with augmented reality elements, including sound effects for video shooting.
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The camera can shoot video in 1080p and UHD (4K) resolution, and also has the ability to shoot videos in slow motion, standard for top smartphones. Examples of test videos are presented below.
- Video No. 1 (115 MB, 3840×2160)
- Video No. 2 (36 MB, 1920×1080)
- Video No. 3 (118 MB, 1920×1080, 60 fps)
Examples of photographs with our comments are presented below. Under some pictures there are links to similar ones taken with a resolution of 20 megapixels.
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Good sharpness in all plans and across the entire frame. |
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Noises in the shadows are barely noticeable. |
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Sharpness drops slightly only in the upper left corner. |
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Good sharpness and exposure. |
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You can probably tell that this is a tree cut. |
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Excellent sharpness and processing small parts in the background. |
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The camera copes well with noise and fine details at the same time. |
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And at the same time, she also chooses the exposure very well. |
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A very decent shot for a compact camera. |
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Excellent noise reduction performance is also reflected in good color and smooth structure of the sky. |
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The car numbers are clearly visible. |
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At both resolutions, there is no sharpening in the image. |
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If you can see minimal sharpening in the crown, then it is quite appropriate there. |
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| 20 MP | 20 MP | 20 MP |
| Text in daylight, room light, low light, and with flash. In all cases, the camera captures text well, with only a slight drop in sharpness in the corners. | ||
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| — | 20 MP | 20 MP |
| Macro photography in daytime indoor and low light, as well as with flash. In all cases, the camera copes well, perhaps a little worse in low light. | ||
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Lighting ≈3200 lux. The camera does a good job. |
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Lighting ≈1400 lux. The situation remains virtually unchanged. |
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Lighting ≈130 lux. The grain from the noise reduction becomes a little larger. |
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Lighting ≈130 lux, flash. The outbreak does little to improve the situation. |
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Lighting<1 люкс. На снимке вполне можно что-то различить. |
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Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. Камера справляется немного хуже, чем в прошлый раз. |
It looks like Sony engineers have finally achieved what they set out to achieve. And initially the goal was very noble - to achieve the quality of compact cameras. Now we can say with confidence that it has almost been achieved.
The previous two attempts - Sony Xperia Z1 and Z1 Compact - although very unsuccessful, still showed a slow but steady increase in the quality of images from a camera with a 1/2.3″ sensor, typical of simple compact cameras. Installing such a sensor in a fairly thin smartphone was in itself a serious step forward. It seems that the only thing missing was good optics capable of covering it entirely - as a result, we observed blurry corners and edges of the frame, and sometimes only the center was sharp. However, Sony brought the idea to a good practical implementation, and with the help of engineers and programmers they finalized the camera. To be fair, it is worth noting that even now 20 megapixel photographs taken in manual mode do not always turn out good. However, such errors are small and there are not many of them. Pictures with a resolution of 8 megapixels taken in auto mode almost always turn out good. True, for them to turn out great, you need to shoot slowly, carefully, with bated breath and without jerking your smartphone. This technique will allow you to avoid the appearance of small areas of blur that pop up in isolated cases.
Considering that the camera module has not changed externally and has not increased in size, we must give credit to the same engineers and programmers who still “crammed” a good camera into small dimensions.
As for the quality of the images themselves, there is practically no noise in them. Of course, you can see small spots of color in the shadows, but they are not striking. In addition, the grain after noise processing is barely noticeable (by the way, this is one of the advantages of small pixels - a stone in the NTS garden), so the sky acquires a uniform and smooth structure. This means that the company has finally learned how to make good noise reduction for small matrices. No other software processing is visible in the images. That is, there is no sharpening in principle. At least in the form in which we knew it. Sometimes the edges of the image are a little soft, but these areas are small and infrequent. True, 20-megapixel images often look blurry, especially at the edges - apparently, the optics still cannot fully process them. But after “recalculation” to 8 megapixels, the pictures acquire amazing sharpness that looks very natural.
It should certainly be concluded that the camera is well suited for both documentary and artistic photography. And for almost any subject.
For artistic shooting, among other scenarios, a new background defocus function has been added. Unlike the HTC One M8, which used two cameras so that the focus area could be selected on the finished photo, everything here is implemented more simply, but no less interesting. Sony offers to create a bokeh effect, but greatly limits your freedom of choice. For everything to work, you need to shoot a relatively small object at a distance of half a meter from the lens, and the background should be located at a distance of 5 meters. In this case, after shooting, the camera will allow you to select the desired background blur. If not all conditions are met, the function will not work, which the camera will, of course, report. It must be said that the function does not handle all objects equally well. Below are the three most suitable scenarios for defocusing the background.
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As you can see, the best shot of the squirrel was successful, since it is “spherical” and also does not have a clear outline. In general, this function is probably most applicable to portrait photography. The program often makes mistakes, so you have to look for a convenient angle for it, but the result looks nicer than in the case of different plans for the HTC smartphone, which, by the way, could not work this way when shooting macro.
Telephone and communications
The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and also has support for fourth generation networks (LTE) used in Russia. With a SIM card from the domestic operator Megafon, the smartphone in practice confidently finds and works with the LTE network. Additional network capabilities include support for the second Wi-Fi band (5 GHz) and NFC technology. The external device connection mode (USB Host, OTG) is supported here, so any flash drives connected to the Micro-USB port, as well as mice and keyboards, are perfectly recognized. The navigation module supports both GPS and domestic Glonass and works very clearly and quickly.
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There were no spontaneous reboots/shutdowns observed during testing, as well as system slowdowns or freezes. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is blocked by the proximity sensor. An LED sensor at the top of the front panel provides notification of charging status and incoming events.
There is no dedicated top row with numbers on the standard keyboard, like Samsung devices - you need to switch the layout every time. The layout itself and the location of the keys are standard: to switch the language layout, just click on the button with the corresponding icon. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. There is a convenient opportunity to “press” the keys of the virtual keyboard closer to one side or another to make it easier to reach with the fingers of one hand (here this is called “Keyboard for one hand”) - a typical functionality of top modern devices with a large screen diagonal. Naturally, there is also the possibility of continuous writing by sliding your finger from letter to letter - Swype.
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OS and software
The operating system is the latest version of the Google Android 4.4.2 KitKat software platform, on top of which is traditionally installed its own proprietary graphical user interface. It does not change the appearance and organization of all elements as much as HTC Sense, and at the same time it is not as rich in various functions and modes as the interface in Samsung devices. The Sony shell in the updated version (by the way, previous top models, such as the Xperia Z Ultra, also received it) has some improvements and additions, but overall retains its main distinguishing features: the seriousness of the overall appearance, the conciseness of all menus and submenus, and also a familiar traditional set of proprietary pre-installed applications.
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If we talk about changes, then it is worth mentioning, first of all, the improvements that have occurred with the notification menu and the installed programs menu. A second horizontal tab has appeared in the notification drop-down menu with access to the most popular smartphone functions - Quick Settings. In previous versions of the shell, it was replaced by a proprietary widget, which was located on one of the desktops on the left. Now there is no need for such a widget.
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The main distinguishing feature of the program menu is its wide possibilities for sorting, selecting and working with icons of installed applications. To work with them, there is even a whole contextual panel that slides out from the left with a side swipe. In it you can search by category, set your own, arbitrary arrangement of icons, or sort them in several provided ways. It is very convenient that right here you can delete any application without having to go to a special section of the main menu - functionality that partially replaces the file manager. Naturally, the ability to create folders is supported, but to do this you need to keep the icons in the “own order” mode, otherwise all the applications sorted into folders will again be distributed across the desktops - for example, in alphabetical order. We first saw the new retractable panel on the mini-flagship Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, now it appears on all top Sony models with a firmware update.
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The branded menu of “small applications” has not disappeared anywhere. It can be found if you open the list of recently launched programs by clicking on the far right button. From this menu you can get quick access to the calendar, calculator, stopwatch and notes, and you can also add other applications there, of which there are more and more in the Google Play Store. Not only can these applications be quickly launched from this menu, but they also open in separate small windows, which creates a kind of multi-window operating mode.
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The set of pre-installed programs in the Japanese company's smartphones does not change too noticeably from handset to handset. Several online services, such as TrackID, Sony Select, What's New, offer you to select, buy and immediately play music, movies and games. Timescape collects information about friends' social activity. There is a file manager, a package for working with office documents, there is also a QR code scanner and the popular note-taking program Evernote. It’s very convenient that Sony always preinstalls a useful program for a complete backup and restoration of both settings and other data. When you launch the program, curiously named “Sketch,” a set of drawing and handwriting tools appears. Here you can choose brushes, paints, colors, line thickness, texture, etc. The functionality is reminiscent of the famous stylus-based Samsung Galaxy Note, only much more modest in capabilities, and here quickly recording long texts is impossible due to the delay (lag) between the touch and the appearance features on the screen. In this program, you can only slowly draw something, select a collage from ready-made elements.
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Performance
Like the new flagships from Samsung and HTC, the Sony Xperia Z2 hardware platform is based on the latest single-chip quad-core system (SoC) Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 with four Krait 400 cores. Let us recall that the new platform has the functionality of the Snapdragon 800 with a slightly higher frequency of processor cores: Snapdragon The 801 can operate at frequencies up to 2.45 GHz, while the core frequency of the previous version of the chip was limited to 2.36 GHz. True, the Sony Xperia Z2, as in the case of the HTC One (M8), has a maximum processor core frequency of only 2.3 GHz (CPU-Z shows 2.27 GHz), which is less than the Samsung Galaxy S5 (2.46 GHz). This is explained by the fact that a slightly different version of Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AB) is used here. Unlike the MSM8974AC version, which is installed in the Samsung Galaxy S5, here the maximum possible CPU frequency is limited to 2.36 GHz, and the GPU frequency is 550 MHz (for MSM8974AC these characteristics are 2.45 GHz and 578 MHz, respectively). Thus, of the three most recent new products presented on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 platform by top manufacturers, only the Samsung device runs on the maximum version of this platform - the other two, Sony Xperia Z2 and HTC One (M8), are equipped with a slightly less productive platform from the new series.
The processor here is supported in graphics processing by the same Adreno 330 video accelerator. About 11 GB of 16 GB of own memory are initially available in the device for the user’s needs. The smartphone's RAM capacity is 3 GB, and this makes the Sony Xperia Z2 stand out among its direct competitors - all the others received only 2 GB of RAM. This characteristic does not affect performance in any way - it only affects the number of applications that can be launched simultaneously on the smartphone. MicroSD memory cards in this model are supported up to 128 GB; you can also connect external flash drives, keyboards and mice to the Micro-USB port using a special adapter in OTG mode.
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Since the most powerful and most productive of the competing serial platforms is now the SoC MediaTek MT6592, whose configuration includes eight full-fledged processor cores [simultaneously] operating at frequencies up to 2 GHz, it is logical to include its results in the comparison. Let us remind you that we recently released a review of the powerful TCL Idol X+ smartphone, which is built on the maximum version of this platform, so now it makes sense to compare the new Qualcomm platform only with this most advanced of all eight-core MediaTek platform.
To get an idea of the performance of the platform of the smartphone under test, we will conduct a standard set of tests.
For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of 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 of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
Testing in MobileXPRT, as well as in the latest versions of AnTuTu 4.x and GeekBench 3:
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This is what emerged from testing. As for the competing MediaTek MT6592, the latest Qualcomm system (Snapdragon 801) handled it confidently. In general, this is not at all surprising, considering that the previous version (Snapdragon 800) was faster than the top-end MediaTek solution. As for the Snapdragon 801 itself, according to the results of all tests, no special increase was found in relation to the Snapdragon 800, and there should not be any at a core frequency of 2.27 GHz, which is not very different from the core frequency of previous flagships on the Snapdragon 800. B In the “honest” version of the AnTuTu X test, the test subject demonstrated almost the same results as in the regular AnTuTu, which is reassuring (we always place a screenshot of the results of the “anti-cheat” AnTuTu X to the right of the main one).
There is also a difference in benchmark results between the top new products presented on the newest platform, but it is very small. All four of the latest smartphones are approximately equal in performance, the difference lies within the margin of error - especially considering that we are now talking about such high results that are simply not available to all other smartphones. So, in any case, we are now talking about the Sony Xperia Z2 and other new products on the Snapdragon 801 as the most powerful smartphones to date, the hardware power of which will be enough to perform any tasks for a long time.
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).
Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:
There is an advantage in the operation of the Adreno 330 video subsystem over the Mali-450MP4, which is part of the eight-core MediaTek MT6592, but it is not too great.
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| Sony Xperia Z2 (Snapdragon 801) |
Oppo Find 7a (Snapdragon 801) |
HTC One (M8) (Snapdragon 801) |
Samsung Galaxy S5 (Snapdragon 801) |
TCL Idol X+ (MediaTek MT6592) |
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| Epic Citadel, High Quality (bigger is better) | 56 fps | 61 fps | 58 fps | 58 fps | 46 fps |
| Epic Citadel, Ultra High Quality (bigger is better) | 53 fps | 57 fps | 58 fps | 52 fps | no support |
| Bonsai Benchmark | 54 fps/3793 | 55 fps/3862 | 54 fps/3816 | 51 fps/3625 | 23 fps/1656 |
| Basemark X, Medium Quality | 22393 | 26350 | 26717 | 24095 | 9808 |
| Basemark X, High Quality | 11718 | 14147 | 12473 | 11983 | 3686 |
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.
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, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.
According to testing results, the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone was not equipped with all the decoders necessary for full playback of most of the most common files on the Internet. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, even in it you will first have to change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or to a new mode called Hardware+(not supported by all smartphones), only then will sound appear. All results are summarized in a table.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Standard video player |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3 | Hardware+ | |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware+ | The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹ |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware+ | The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹ |
¹ MX Video Player only played sound after switching to software decoding or a new mode Hardware+; The standard player does not have this setting
Additionally, the MHL interface was tested. To test it, we used the LG IPS237L monitor, which supports direct MHL connection using a passive adapter cable from micro-USB to HDMI. In this case, output via MHL was carried out at a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels at a frequency of 30 frames/s. Additionally, we tested using an MHL adapter, which provided output at a lower resolution (720p) but at 60 fps. Regardless of the actual orientation of the smartphone, the image is displayed on the smartphone and monitor screens only in landscape orientation with the connector on the smartphone facing down. In this case, the image on the monitor fits exactly within the boundaries of the display area and replicates the image on the smartphone screen one to one.
Sound is output via MHL (in this case, the sounds were heard through headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. In this case, sounds are not output through the loudspeaker of the smartphone itself, and the volume is not adjusted using the buttons on the smartphone body, but is turned off. In our case, the smartphone with the MHL adapter connected was charging, judging by the charge indicator.
Next, using a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”), we checked how the video is displayed on the screen of the smartphone itself. 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 rates of 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps. In the tests, we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware+” mode. The results of this (block entitled “Smartphone Screen”) and the next test are summarized in the table:
Red marks indicate possible problems with 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 high, since frames (or groups of frames) can be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. However, uniform alternation of frames is a relatively unstable state, since some external and internal background processes sometimes lead to periodic failure of the correct alternation of intervals between frames and even (very rarely) to the skipping of individual frames. The displayed brightness range is equal to the standard range of 16-235, that is, all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights. When playing video files with a resolution of 1080p (1920 by 1080 pixels), the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly across the width of the screen, in the original Full HD resolution.
With a monitor connected via MHL, when playing video, the monitor displays an exact copy of the smartphone screen, that is, the output is in true Full HD resolution in the case of 1080p files. The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235 - all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights. The results of the monitor output tests are shown in the table above in the “MHL (monitor output)” block. For 50 and 60 fps files, we used an external adapter that provided 60 fps output but at 720p resolution. The output quality is very good.
The conclusion is typical - an MHL connection can be used for games, watching movies, displaying web pages and other activities that benefit from an increase in screen size.
Battery life
The lithium-ion battery installed in the Sony Xperia Z2 turned out to be larger in volume than that of all direct competitors (Oppo Find 7a, HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5), and has a capacity of 3200 mA very decent for a modern flagship h. However, the new Sony flagship did not become a record holder in terms of battery life, and it certainly did not outstrip its main rivals in this matter, demonstrating approximately the same battery discharge time in the same tests.
The standard charger has an output current of 1.5 A, our testing showed that in half an hour the device charges to about 25%, in an hour to 45%, and the battery is fully charged within about 3 hours. In this regard, Sony devices do not break any special records: for example, the new Oppo Find 7a - it actually charges in just 1 hour 10 minutes, but the output current of the included charger is 4.5 A.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D Game Mode | |
| Sony Xperia Z2 | 3200 mAh | 15:20 | 11:00 am | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Oppo Find 7a | 2800 mAh | 16:40 | 8 a.m. 20 p.m. | 3:00 am |
| HTC One M8 | 2600 mAh | 22:10 | 13:20 | 3 hours 20 minutes |
| Samsung Galaxy S5 | 2800 mAh | 17:20 | 12:30 pm | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| TCL Idol X+ | 2500 mAh | 12:30 pm | 7:20 am | 3:00 am |
| Lenovo Vibe Z | 3050 mAh | 11:45 am | 8:00 am | 3 hours 30 minutes |
| Acer Liquid S2 | 3300 mAh | 16:40 | 7:40 a.m. | 6:00 am |
| LG G Flex | 3500 mAh | 23:15 | 13:30 | 6 hours 40 minutes |
| LG G2 | 3000 mAh | 20:00 | 12:30 pm | 4 hours 45 minutes |
| Sony Xperia Z1 | 3000 mAh | 11:45 am | 8:00 am | 4 hours 30 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 more than 15 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos from YouTube in high quality (HQ) with the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network, the device lasted 11 hours. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone worked for 3.5 hours and signaled the need to charge.
Bottom line
As for the cost of the new product, it is not yet known for certain at what price the new Sony flagship will be officially sold on the Russian market, but presumably it will be within the same limits as the flagships of other manufacturers - about 30 thousand rubles at the start of sales. This is a high price, but commensurate with the realities of our market, for a top-end device in all respects, which is in no way inferior to the latest flagship solutions from manufacturers of the same level, such as Samsung and HTC. And now only the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (M8) can compare with it - the same extremely powerful devices with top-end characteristics. Each of them has its own advantages over competitors, but there are also weaknesses. The Japanese flagship boasts a noticeable stylish design and premium materials, protection from adverse external conditions, decent technical equipment, good performance, a powerful battery, and good sound, but all this is also present in its closest competitors. Relative disadvantages include a non-removable battery, a body that has increased in size and has become rougher to the touch, and a camera that still lags behind advanced Samsung devices in terms of shooting quality - but this, again, is only when compared with equal competing top-end solutions from other manufacturers. Well, for the user, the basis for choosing between these flagship devices will to a large extent be the emotional preference of one brand or another, because in general, all the top new products are quite worthy of each other.
In conclusion, we invite you to watch our video review of the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone.
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