The company's flagship smartphone in the second half of 2016 brings with it the updates that the Xperia line has been in need of for years. Will this be the key to his success?

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Having retired the Xperia Z line of smartphones and moved to, Sony lost interest in the inherent flagship pursuit of hardware specs. However, after only six months, a new flagship is offered to our attention - the Xperia XZ.

The name speaks to the nature of this device: the continuation of the X line, where the Xperia X models were released earlier this year and, with a hint of the old Xperia Z brand: a large screen, a large battery capacity and a major camera update, including for the first time Sony hardware image stabilization ...

Such a Sony smartphone was needed six months ago instead of the too expensive and not the most ideal X Performance. Competition in the upper price bracket continues to be intense, and the ZX is faced with the challenge of attracting buyers. Let's see how the most interesting Sony smartphone of the past two years is going to solve it.

A quick look at the Xperia XZ

The Sony Xperia XZ offers an improved camera (although it doesn't match cameras), an interesting body design, and solid performance. However, some problems remain, such as the nondescript components and the lack of fingerprint sensors (in the US version).

Xperia XZ pros

• Improved screen, albeit at 1080p
• Performance
• Camera
• Waterproof case
• Software

Cons of the Xperia XZ

• Boring design
• Rear panel collects fingerprints
• No fingerprint sensor
• Thick body and bezels around the edges of the screen
• Scene recognition and color rendering by the camera

XZ hardware

As usual with Sony, the Xperia XZ is a large rectangle. Unlike previous models, the design balance is shifted towards ergonomics. The body is made of polycarbonate with metal back panel... This time around, the combination of plastic and metal feels different - the plastic curves around the frame, and the polished metal panel sits on the back with a curved edge.

Together with the slightly bevelled edges of the front glass, this gives the Xperia XZ a pleasant symmetry. However, the main points of contact with the hand are on the plastic, not the metal. This plastic bezel makes the device feel less premium than last year's Z5 with its aluminum bezel. In terms of design, this looks like a step forward and two steps back - for reasons that are likely financial, not aesthetic.

The frame contains the usual list of buttons - power, volume and camera on the right side. The US version does not have a fingerprint sensor, which has been available in Sony devices in other parts of the world for a couple of years. The power button is as simple as the Xperia X, which is a disadvantage for a flagship.

The bottom and top edges are flat, with a USB Type-C connector at the bottom and 3.5mm headphone jack at the top. Sony uses the Qualcomm 3.0 standard for fast battery charging.

In all respects, this is a large smartphone, with massive bezels at the top and bottom of the screen, as well as with a body with a thickness of 8.1 mm. This gives it an old-fashioned look compared to devices like, especially given the small 5.2-inch screen by today's standards. The smartphone cannot be called ugly, but it will not cause admiration either.

You cannot complain about the quality of the screen. It uses an LCD panel with Sony TRILUMINOS brand, the display is clear and rich even in the sunlight. We didn't notice much distortion when looking at the screen from an angle.

And other modern flagships beat the XZ in screen pixel density, but otherwise it's a great display. Its work is supported by Sony image enhancement software, including X-Reality for enhanced contrast and clarity in photos and videos. 1080p is ideal for a screen of this size.

On the audio side, Sony continues to use high-volume audio speakers in the front, but lacks the bass of the competition. The device has quite a few tricks in the field of sound, such as the ability to turn compressed audio into high-quality audio when connecting wired headphones.

Inside, everything is familiar to a top-tier Android smartphone - a Snapdragon 820 processor, 3 GB of RAM, 32 GB of flash memory. All this is powered by a battery with a capacity of 2900 mAh versus 2620 mAh in the Xperia X. The speed of work raises no objections, the only lags were at the initial setup, when applications were updated via LTE connection. Gaming performance is also impressive thanks to the Adreno 530 graphics chip.

What's different is the camera. First rear camera Sony has received hardware 5-axis stabilization, which the company does not yet offer to other manufacturers, supported by laser autofocus and a new color spectrum sensor on the back. The camera is based on a 23MP Exmor RS sensor like the Xperia X, offering a similar balance of detail when shooting during the day. Stabilization allows the ZX to shoot better in low light.

The Xperia XZ has a waterproof case, not a first for Sony. Among other manufacturers, Samsung can boast of the same, so it's a rather rare quality that can attract buyers.

In terms of design, everything is not as rosy as with the hardware characteristics. The appearance of the device will delight only fans of the Sony brand. Calling it boring would be overkill, so we use the adjective "unimpressive."

Software

Over the past year, Sony has significantly reduced its level of customization of the Android system, focusing on apps and services and leaving Google's material design alone. This trend continues in new smartphones - XZ is almost the same in terms of software from Xperia X.

The main aesthetic lies in the stylish lock screen and bootloader, as well as a number of the company's own apps, such as Material Design Weather.

For the first time outside of the Google Now Launcher (at least officially), Sony's home screen displays Google Now through its vertically scrolling bar. This is a useful innovation that allows customization fans to use the Sony screen while keeping Google's predictive capabilities close at hand.

Otherwise, we see small changes to the relatively clean version of Android: custom quick settings buttons, Sony bootloader with suggested apps and recommended downloads, google mode Doze as sony mode Stamina, which reduces background activity and CPU performance to save power and improve smartphone life.

In addition to familiar applications like Sony Album and Music, there are new News Reader and What's New. All of them are related to the Sony ecosystem, but the integration between the pre-installed Sony applications and services makes it possible to opt out of using them if you wish. has changed from the Xperia X.

A new feature has appeared in the settings - Smart Cleaner recreates optimization in the style of Samsung or HTC, helping to remove old files and optimize memory when working with frequently used applications. Not too much garbage has accumulated on the device in a week, but over time this function may become more in demand.

For beginners, there is an Xperia Tips section with an interactive guide to set up and operate the device.

So a short description software Sony: lightweight, fast and straightforward.

Other observations regarding software:

1. Sony has sped up native Android animations like maps in the recent app switcher.
2. There are few pre-installed third-party applications, chief among them is AVG Antivirus.
3. The location of the "Clear All" button is inconvenient and you can accidentally press it instead of the button for recent applications.

Xperia XZ camera

Cameras have always been an essential component of Sony smartphones. However, the company hasn't kept up with the latest trends like optical image stabilization and laser autofocus. Now this lag is in the past. Sony has released a smartphone with hardware image stabilization, which is used in Sony HandyCam camcorders. There is also a color spectrum sensor, LED flash and laser autofocus.

Sony uses an Exmor RS sensor with f / 2.0 aperture and 23MP resolution, by default photos are compressed to 8MP. This leaves room for zoom while maintaining detail.

The stabilization has improved the camera noticeably, especially in indoor and low light photography. In most cases, the camera produces high-quality photos in any environment. When Superior Auto works the way it should (which it does most often), the photos are impressive.

However, there are pitfalls. In low light, blurry photos often come out, and stabilization suffers more from shaky hands than Samsung and. At times, the color gamut sensor does not work properly, giving photos an unnatural blue or green cast. The same software problems can be observed in Superior Auto mode.

The 23MP image size and zoom sharpness can be another problem. If you shoot photos at the highest quality, detail may be blurred when zoomed in and sharpness may become oversharp until the images lose their natural appearance. It seems that the software processing of the camera in the XZ needs some additional configuration.

The Sony camera app hasn't changed from the Xperia X. The slider on the right gives you a choice between Manual, Superior Auto +, Video, and different plugins. Most of the time, users will most likely settle for Auto +. For control, there is a manual mode Manual, where you set the ISO value, HDR and object tracking, time settings, etc. - everything you can expect from a conventional digital camera.

It would have been nice if these options were easier to discover, but Sony has clearly put a lot of effort into Superior Auto +.

When recording video, the stabilization technology comes into its own, allowing you to get smooth 1080p / 60fps video even in the dark with a minimum of noise. 4K recording is supported, although the unit gets very hot. Considering the file size limitations, 1080p is better.

We can say that it is best camera among all smartphones Sony, but it also falls short of Apple and Samsung cameras. Perhaps future software updates will help her get closer to the best.

Other camera-related information:

1. The Xperia X's Intelligent Object Tracking technology is making a comeback and works just as well here.
2. The new 13MP front camera is good in daylight and not bad indoors, but quality drops in the dark. It doesn't match the frontal hTC camera UltraSelfie on.
3. Also, there may be a software problem with shadows in outdoor photographs.

Autonomous work

When writing the review, the smartphone was used for four days and we can say that this is a typical device that is enough for one day of work. This is how much a smartphone with a Snapdragon 820 processor, a 5.2-inch Full HD screen with a battery of this capacity is enough for.

The Xperia XZ on LTE lasted 12-14 hours before Stamina mode was activated when it reached 30% charge. At the same time, with the screen turned on, the device was 3 hours from this time. In addition to Stamina, there is an Ultra Stamina mode, where functionality is reduced even more. Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 is supported.

Conclusion

Sony can be said to be returning to the top league of smartphones. The Xperia is a solid device that does a lot right. The main disadvantage is a rather nondescript appearance, but behind it is a high-quality device and a relatively low price for the Xperia XZ.

Sony isn't chasing a 2K screen and is content with 1080p to save battery power. The performance of the smartphone is high, the software is well thought out. The camera has been significantly improved.

Sony's problem is that Samsung is reigning supreme on Android this year. The camera from the South Korean manufacturer is better, as is the screen, build quality and battery life. It can be assumed that fans of previous Sony products will want to buy the new product.

One of the most notable innovations in the Sony Xperia XZ is the redesigned smartphone design. While the exterior still gives little room for nagging, the Sony Xperia XZ looks significantly more elegant. Metal surfaces have been treated with special methods that create a real three-dimensional effect.

It becomes especially noticeable in a new color called "Forest Blue". The rounding of the edges of the smartphone is very pronounced, in part it also affects the sides of the display. You might even think it has an Edge display like Samsung. The case meets the requirements of the IP68 standard and guarantees water resistance for half an hour at a depth of half a meter. Also for the first time, Sony is installing a USB Typ-C port on its smartphone.

The display has a diagonal of 5.2 inches and a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels, and the pixel density of the Sony Xperia XZ reaches 428 ppi. During test measurements, the results were as follows: the maximum brightness is 538 cd / m2, and the contrast is 122: 1.

Sony Xperia XZ: top-end camera equipment

How it became typical of flagship smartphones sony, on board the device is a 23-megapixel camera. For the most part, it matches the specifications of the Sony Xperia X and Sony Xperia X Performance cameras. However, a closer look reveals differences: in particular, a laser autofocus has been added here, which allows you to sharpen much faster when shooting objects at a distance of up to 2 meters from the lens.

In addition, in its new flagship model Sony has installed an RGB sensor to help determine white balance more accurately and should provide improved color accuracy in photographs. The predictive autofocus remains in place, which tracks moving objects and, thus, can determine the optimal focus point.

Although the results of the camera are very good, they cannot be classified as top-end. The Sony Xperia XZ has lost quite a lot of rating points due to the quality of photos taken in the dark. However, even during daytime shooting, it is noticeable that there is not enough sharpness at the edges of the frame. The main camera is capable of recording video in 4K format. The sound of the Xperia XZ is recorded as much as two microphones, the digital noise reduction system should filter out all extraneous sounds.

Sony also improved photo and video image stabilization. While oblique and rotational vibrations were eliminated quite well by the Xperia X, the Xperia XZ can calculate unnecessary movements along the X and Y axes. In addition, data from the smartphone's gyroscope is used. The front camera is also interesting. In addition to laser autofocus and RGB sensor, it has the same lens and image stabilization technologies as the main camera. The resolution is as much as 13 megapixels. The smartphone does not have a front flash.

Sony Xperia XZ: numerous software tweaks

In terms of technical specifications, in comparison with the Xperia X Performance, the novelty has not so many differences. But in terms of software, Sony did its best. In particular, the manufacturer introduced a new charging technology for the Xperia XZ, called Qnovo. It works as follows.

You put your phone on charge in the evening. Thanks to Quick Charge technology, the power supply quickly brings the power reserve up to 90 percent and keeps the battery at that level. The last 10 percent is refilled just before you wake up in the morning. This prevents the battery from overcharging, which Sony says should significantly increase battery life.

Although the XZ supports Quick Charge technology, there is no corresponding power supply included in the package. Therefore, the smartphone needs a good 162 minutes to fully charge the battery. The Xperia XZ had over eight hours of online battery life in our tests.

Also on board there are such small software "chips" as Cache Cleaner. Overall, Sony's user interface is android base 6.0 looks neat as before. The system responds quickly and works quickly.

Sony Xperia XZ: alternative

The Xperia XZ is convincing in every way. However, due to such a small drawback as the lack of a power supply for Quick Charge technology, Sony has to be content with only 3rd place in our ranking of smartphones.

Another fly in the ointment is the cost of the device. The manufacturer requires about 50,000 rubles at the start of sales. Samsung Galaxy S7 is significantly cheaper. The top smartphone currently costs about 40,000 rubles, but his camera is much better. In addition, during the test, it also demonstrated high performance, and its design is elegant.

TEST RESULTS
Performance and Management (35%)
Facilities (25%)
Battery (15%)
Display (15%)
Camera (10%)
OUTPUT During the test, the Xperia XZ showed its strengths. With its excellent display, strong performance and solid battery life, it took a fairly high place in our ranking. The reasons for removing some of the rating points were the lack of a power supply unit for Quick Charge and the quality of the camera.	88.4% OVERALL RESULT

Sony Xperia XZ specifications and test results

Price-quality ratio	96
OS when testing	Android 6.0 with Sony UI
Current OS	Android 8
Is an OS update planned	no data
App Store
Weight	161 g
Length x Width	146 x 72 mm;
Thickness	9.0 mm;
Expert design assessment	very well
Expert assessment of work speed	well
Download speed: PDF 800 KB over WLAN	3.7 s
Download speed: main chip.de over WLAN	0.2 s
Download speed: chip.de test chart over WLAN	8.8 s
Sound quality (speakerphone)	very well
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Processor architecture
CPU frequency	2.150 MHz
Number of CPU cores	2+2
RAM size	3.0 GB
Battery: capacity	2.900 mAh
Battery: easy to remove	-
Battery: surfing time	8:01 h: min
Battery: charging time	2:42 h: min
Fast charging function	Yes
Charger and fast charging cable included
Battery: discharge time / charge time	3,0
Wireless charging function	-
WLAN	802.11 n, ac
Voice over LTE
LTE: frequencies	800, 1.800, 2.600 MHz
LTE: Cat. 4	up to 150 Mbps
LTE: Cat. 6	up to 300 Mbps
LTE: Cat. nine	up to 450 Mbps
LTE: Cat. 12	-
Screen: type	LCD
Screen: diagonal	5.2 inch
Screen: size in mm	64 x 114 mm;
Screen: Resolution	1.080 x 1.920 pixels
Screen: dot density	428 ppi
Screen: max. brightness in a dark room	532.7 cd / m²
Screen: checkerboard contrast in a bright room	67:1
Screen: checkerboard contrast in a dark room	122:1
Camera: Resolution	22.9 megapixels
Camera: measured resolution	2.122 line pairs
Camera: expert assessment of image quality	well
Camera: Noise VN1	2.2 VN1
Camera: minimum focal length	4.2 mm;
Camera: minimum shooting distance	10 cm;
Camera: Shutter release time with autofocus	0.26 s
Camera: optical stabilizer	-
Camera: autofocus	Yes
Camera: Flash	LED
Video resolution	3.840 x 2.160 pixels
Front camera: resolution	13.0 megapixels
LED indicator	yes (multicolor)
Radio	-
SIM card type	Nano-SIM
Dual SIM	-
Dust and moisture proof (IP certified)	IP68
The fingerprint scanner
User available memory	19.1 GB
Memory card slot	Yes
USB connector	Type-C-USB 2.0
Bluetooth	4.2
NFC	Yes
Headphone out	3.5 mm;
HD Voice	Yes
SAR	0.85 W / kg
Firmware version during testing	39.0.A.1.213
Test date	2016-09-26

Sony Mobile has unveiled a new line of Xperia 2017 smartphones at IFA in Berlin, which includes the flagship XZ1 and XZ1 Compact, as well as the XA1 Plus.

We were able to get acquainted with all the new products a few days before the exhibition in the Moscow office of Sony Mobile. It is important to note that the XZ1 and XZ1 Compact are representatives of the flagship Xperia line and are technologically inferior only to the XZ Premium. And, in fact, the difference is only in the size and resolution of the display: the XZ1 has a 5.2-inch Full HD screen, while the “compact” has a diagonal of 4.6 inches at HD-resolution. Otherwise, when it comes to technology, smartphones are almost identical.

Against the general background of the presented new products, the XA1 Plus stands out - a smartphone representing the middle class of Xperia devices, which differ in frameless design. The XA1 Plus in this lineup will take a position between the XA1 with a 5 "display and the XA1 Ultra with a 6" display. The XA1 Plus has a 5.5-inch screen, but most importantly, while maintaining the frameless design, Sony was able to install a fingerprint scanner on the side.

We managed to get acquainted with each of the devices separately, so we will give all of them a separate material.

The Sony Xperia XZ1 will replace the Xperia XZs, a smartphone that was announced at the same time as the XZ Premium and featured the same Motion Eye camera unit. Actually, Xperia XZs acted as a kind of intermediate flagship smartphone, one might even say temporary. But he will have to step aside on the shelves, because the XZ1 is much more interesting.

The smartphone is made in an all-metal body in the already familiar Unified design concept. There are many straight lines, but many ovals. For example, the shape of the ends of the smartphone repeats the rounded USB Type C connector, the same shape is the block in the center of the back side that combines the NFC tag, flash, laser autofocus and RGBC-IR sensor, which is present in Sony smartphones since the announcement of Xperia XZ. The same shape is used in the buttons, the SIM-card slot and the antenna "compartments" that are barely visible on a black smartphone, of which there are three in the smartphone. These antennas provide LTE Cat16, a data transfer protocol that is capable of operating at speeds up to 1 Gigabit per second. And this is not fantasy, but already reality: smartphones can develop such a speed in Moscow within the Garden Ring. This opportunity was demonstrated in June mobile operator Megafon with Sony Xperia XZ Premium. At that time, it was the only smartphone with LTE Cat16. With the announcement of the XZ1, there are two such smartphones.

Under the hood, the Xperia XZ1 has the most powerful and high-tech (so far) Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor with a clock speed of 2.3 GHz, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage (UFS memory type). The latter can be expanded: a version with a hybrid slot will be delivered to Russia, so the choice remains - a second SIM card or more memory.

The smartphone has a 5.2-inch display with Full HD resolution and support for HDR technology. Interestingly, the smartphone supports HDR content from Netflix and Amazon Prime. The screen is very bright and contrasty, and has wide viewing angles. At first glance, it is simply impossible to find fault with him, however, as well as the second. Note the presence of an oleophobic coating. It's easy to check, just drip water on your smartphone if a large drop forms and rolls on the screen - the oleophobic coating is in place. By the way, flagship smartphones Sony Xperia, traditionally, are not afraid of dust and moisture and are protected by the IP68 protocol, which means they can be immersed in fresh water to a depth of one and a half meters and stay there for half an hour.

The sound should also be mentioned. The smartphone has very loud stereo speakers S-Force Front Surround, and the 3.5 mm jack supports a 5-pin jack. Thus, with special headphones, the Xperia XZ1 supports not only Hi-Res Audio (including wireless codecs - LDAC and aptXHD), but also high-quality noise reduction.

The battery deserves a few more words. It is non-removable, and its capacity, according to Sony tradition, is not large: 2700 mAh. True, it was not without the proprietary STAMINA technology, as well as Qnovo adaptive charging. The company's specialists claim that the Sony Xperia XZ1 can easily withstand a day of quite active use. Note that support for Quick Charge 3.0 technology, however, in order to use it, you have to buy a special network adapter.

Finally, we got to the most interesting thing - the camera. And here, in principle, nothing new. The Sony Xperia XZ1 smartphone uses the Motion Eye camera unit again. This is a Sony Exmor RS (IMX400) sensor with a physical size of 1 / 2.3 ”and a resolution of 19 megapixels. The aperture of the G Lens is F2.0, and the equivalent focal length of the main camera, slightly protruding from the body, is 25 mm. The camera uses electronic SteadyShot stabilization, an RGBC-IR sensor is installed, which is responsible for the correct white balance, laser autofocus and LED flash

By far the most interesting detail This sensor is a stack memory that allows you to record clips with super slowdown (960 frames per second). True, only 0.184 seconds are recorded, which are converted to 5.9 seconds of real time.

This camera unit is familiar to us not by hearsay, because we made it, and the Motion Eye in the Xperia XZ1 is identical. True, Sony developers have endowed the camera with a couple of new features. First, predictive shooting: now the device reacts not only to a sharp movement, but also to a smile, recording four pictures at once. Thus, you can capture the sincere emotion of an adult or a child, a moment of real happiness.

Secondly, the camera in the Xperia XZ1 has received tracking autofocus, an analogue of the 4D focus function from Sony mirrorless cameras. This makes the Xperia XZ1 the first smartphone to offer this feature in burst shooting. This function is simply turned on in the menu, then you need to tap on the subject of shooting and then the camera will keep this object in focus when photographing.

The front camera has a 13 megapixel sensor.

But the most important new feature of the Sony Xperia XZ1 and the unconditional WOW feature of a smartphone is 3D modeling. With a new smartphone and a special pre-installed application, you can quickly and easily scan your face, head, food or any object. The application is trainable, the models are created in a minute and a half. Subsequently, they can be posted on social networks, printed on a 3D printer, or inserted your avatar into fresh memes. But the most interesting and at the same time strange: you can put your own 3D-model as the Live Wallpaper of the system (by the way, there is already Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box). The head will rotate using the built-in gyroscope, as well as when turning pages.

Yours truly, I tried the new "trick" on myself and was extremely pleased with the quality of the shooting and the model. The smartphone does it quickly and with very high quality: moles, individual beard hairs and freckles are visible, even glitter in the eyes. 3D models can be slightly processed directly on the smartphone: contrast, brightness, skin tone, and so on. So far there are not so many tools, but the potential of the device in this direction is amazing. Perhaps, such models can later be used in mobile games as avatars. But time will tell ...

Dear readers do not know about this, but at first glance, this is the simplest thing that can be in the work of a journalist. You are not particularly required to think about any deep conclusions, you do not need to take a steam bath at all - you looked, remembered, took several photos and told. Having been engaged in this activity for many years, I am a little tired. And so I had the idea to write about the Sony Xperia XZ2 not at first glance, but something like "questions and answers", the format is vigorous and maybe there will not be any complicated graphs, but after reading you will definitely be able to draw up about gadgets impression. We flew.

Okay, how is the XZ2 different from the XZ1?

I believe that the main thing is not new camera capabilities, not the 845th chipset or new accessories - the main thing in the case of the XZ2 is new design... What has changed? The convenient fingerprint sensor moved to the back, and the move went without problems - the camera and sensor are specially spaced as far as possible and therefore the finger falls where it needs to be. The glass of the XZ2 also reminds of other glass smartphones, Sony has its own pleasant differences alive, they relate to the assembly, the arrangement of the elements, there is the SPIRIT of the company, familiar to all son-boys. True, I had to give up something, for example, the 3.5 mm jack, and users will be offered an adapter from USB-C to headphones - as practice shows, it will not be superfluous to carry such a thing with you, I was just a couple of hours ago on the plane forced connect the cable to the Bose QC35. It's good that I took care of it in advance and took everything I needed. In short, the XZ2 does not have a 3.5mm jack, but the memory card, the ability to use two SIM cards, it all remains.

Four colors were made for the smartphone, glossy black looks great, green I saw only in pictures, pink is good, silver like silver. As always, mostly black (fifty percent) will buy, the rest, count, ten percent. If you just take and list all the differences between the XZ2 and the XZ, you get the following picture: a different design, a different chipset, the camera got new features, wireless charging is supported, a new set of accessories, a new XZ2 Compact in addition to a large device.

What's with the camera?

The camera here is the same as on the XZ1, but with a number of improvements, for example, 4K HDR recording is supported, and here what is called True HDR (HEVC 10 BIT HLG BT.2020), this means that the video will be very, very good in terms of depth, color, dynamic range. ISP (Image Signal Processor) was also developed together with Qualcomm, if you try to explain it on your fingers, then the XZ2 camera has its own dedicated processor, it is used during photo or video shooting - the capabilities of the 845 chipset are more than enough for this. As they say, the result is better quality photos. Slow motion is now in FullHD, 3D scanning has been improved, 3D selfies have appeared, it is gratifying that the company does not forget the technologies that were forced six months ago. We will try to show you examples of pictures and other joys as soon as possible.

The frames, I look, have remained so?

The device is quite in the spirit of modern trends, I am personally glad that they did not start experiments - Galaxy lovers will not approve of Sony anyway, iPhone lovers are unlikely to return, and you shouldn't even ask me if you should try to switch or not - those who year after year buy Sony, will rejoice at the transition to the modern appearance of the most important gadget in life. You understand that the smartphone accompanies us everywhere and this is the main gadget, whatever one may say. Green Sony Xperia XZ2, glass, with small bezels, with minimal OS wrap-up is good and even if you are not a Sonya, it is worth a spin in the store. I am, of course, not the most authority on the choice of a smartphone - eplo.b and sony.b, so I'm waiting for the XZ2 rather for experiments.

But what display?

So, 5.7 inches, fHD, there is support for HDR, SDR upscaling almost to HDR, this will help when viewing content downloaded from the network not particularly good quality... It seems to be a far-fetched scenario, but even old Soviet films will look better. The aspect ratio is 18: 9, quiet, quiet, quiet, I know everything that you will tell me now, but take your time. A normal screen, especially considering that there is an 845 chipset inside. I think later this year they will still show a device with some kind of mega-display, but for now it is quite possible to live with the Sony Xperia XZ2.

What is inside?

Everything is as it should be, Qualcomm Snapdragon 845. I don't know yet how it heats up or not. I know that the 854 is the only correct chipset for 2018, and no one will say anything bad here, even without questions. Well, and another 4 GB of RAM, 64 Gyu of memory for data, as far as I understand, all versions of the smartphone will support two SIM cards, or you can stick in one SIM card and a memory card.

And what, Xperia still reboots if you insert a SIM card?

Yes, there is such a thing - and if you put two cards, then the reload will happen twice.

What about wireless charging?

A very interesting accessory with active cooling will be sold separately, the XZ2 battery can be fully charged in one and a half to two hours, and the battery inside is quite ok, 3180 mAh. Moreover, you can put the charging vertically or horizontally, the removable platform has its own contact and a light indicator.

By the way, what is the Xperia brand design called now?

Since the days of Sony Xperia Z (this was in 2013), at least one design generation has changed, there was “omni balance”, now the XZ2 design is called Ambient Flow, I don’t know how to translate it into Russian. With the XZ2, I liked to twist the smartphone in the palm of my hand, it is smooth as a pebble in the sea. There is also metal in the case, the frame is made of aluminum, glass - Gorilla Glass 5.

What other chips are there?

Both SIM cards are capable of VoLTE (voice over LTE), the download speed is the maximum possible (LTE cat18 up to 1.2 Gb / s), the memory card can be put in the maximum allowable, from the main chips - Dynamic Vibration System, there is a powerful engine at the bottom left when listening to music or playing (or doing something else), it will kind of give in to the heat, enhancing the sensations. Type of "taptic engine", but also for content. Like others xperia flagships, there is protection against water in accordance with IP65 / IP68 /

Perhaps the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact was deliberately worsened?

Here is the same aluminum frame, plastic is used instead of glass on the back, the colors are very good, especially black, I will not talk about the similarity with the iPhone 7 Jet Black. The compact version does not have a Dynamic Vibration System, no wireless charging, not such cool LTE capabilities (LTE cat15 up to 950 Gb / s, works on both SIM cards), because the antenna is arranged differently due to the size of the case. The rest of the smartphone deserves the high title of "little flagship"; the chipset is the same, the camera is the same, the design is the same.

Here are some more photos of pink.

When will the smartphone go on sale?

I suppose that the XZ2 and the compact version will go on sale this spring, once again I suppose that the price of the Sony Xperia XZ2 will be about 55,500 rubles, for the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact they will ask for about 42,600 rubles. The scope of delivery is still unknown.

Surely a bunch of new accessories will be released with the Xperia XZ2?

It is not a sin to buy fast wireless charging with active cooling for an iPhone or other android, there will also be wired and wireless open headphones with an interesting idea, an inexpensive Bluetooth headset, of course, original cases for the XZ2. We will tell you about all the things separately, they deserve it.

Would you buy a Sony Xperia XZ2 yourself?

I go with an iPhone and use things with Android as a second phone for various tasks - no doubt, I'm waiting for the Sony Xperia XZ2 on sale and really want to switch from the Sony Xperia XZ Premium - it's already very hard to take out the frames.

We will try to prepare a video about a smartphone, get it, test it, understand what and how and tell you in more detail. Chao!

Review of the Xperia XZ Premium camera - the most advanced camera among the current premium smartphones in 2017.

Before full xperia overview XZ Premium does not hurt to talk about the Sony flagship camera in a separate article.

The fact is that the Xperia XZ Premium camera is significantly different from the previous generation of Sony Xperia cameras. This is a real breakthrough for a Japanese company, a triumph of technological excellence.

• Image sensor: Sony IMX400,
• Resolution and physical dimensions: 19 MP, 1 / 2.3 ″, pixel size 1.22 microns
• Lens: 25mm G Lens, F2.0 Aperture
• Features: Motion Eye technology, 3-layer image sensor with built-in DRAM memory, slow-motion video recording 960 fps, predictive shooting, HDR, hybrid autofocus (phase + laser), RGB sensor, tracking autofocus.

Design and usability of the interface

The Xperia XZ Premium camera review will have to start with harsh but well-founded criticism.

Why the hell is the camera app from 2014 still in use in 2017 ?! With the release of the new IMX400 camera, is it really so difficult and expensive to write a new one, or at least to brush up an old application properly ?!

The camera app is objectively outdated. Apart from scrolling through shooting modes with up / down swipes and a virtual shutter button, I can't name any more convenient moments.

The settings are poorly implemented, a bunch of incomprehensible items for an unprepared user, only "Tap to configure" is worth it. But behind this nonsense hides the "Exposure by tap" function, which is turned off by default on the Xperia XZ Premium camera. Therefore, many reviewers who are poorly versed in the issue think that there is no tap exposure, there is only tracking autofocus.

The Xperia XZ Premium's camera app has enough of these nice little things. For example, a relic of the past - shooting 4K video in a separate mini-application with its own interface. Only one question - WHY ?! Really bombs from such absurdities.

Why am I bombing so much because of the camera app interface? It's simple - I've been using Huawei Mate 9 () for a long time with its dual camera and Leica software. There, the camera application is just a reference, and as you know, you get used to good things quickly.

However, if we abstract from the quality UI and honestly ask ourselves the question - “can I use the Xperia camera application?”, The answer is yes. The Xperia XZ Premium's camera can be understood and used without any major inconvenience.

In many situations, the mechanical two-position shutter button on the phone case saves. For outdoors and on the go, this is the best solution you can think of.

Functionality

Fortunately, the Xperia XZ Premium's camera capabilities almost completely overshadow its lagging interface. Let's analyze all the functions in order.

Photo

Super Auto Mode... This photo mode is the bare minimum in the Xperia XZ Premium camera app. Everything is very austere, almost like an iPhone camera.

You can turn on / off the flash, switch to front camera and open the settings.

Manual (manual mode)... At first glance, everything is the same, but an icon with sliders appears under the shutter button. This is the manual mode control, which, unfortunately, is rather short on the Xperia XZ Premium and other premium Sony smartphones. You can only change the exposure compensation from -2.0 to +2.0, choose from 4 presets for color temperature, focusing distance and shutter speed.

Moreover, the maximum exposure of the Xperia XZ Premium is only 1 second, when, like the same Huawei flagships, you can set up to 30 seconds. It seems like a trifle, but when shooting at night on a tripod, the same Mate 9 will show better results than the XZ Premium.

Video

In addition to the usual mode of shooting videos in different resolutions and different frame rates, Sony Mobile developers have added a new button above the shutter release. By clicking on it, we get into slow motion mode.

Super slow motion... This mode was created specifically for shooting slow-motion videos at 960 fps.

When the mode is activated, the image is seriously sprinkled, and the resolution is reduced to HD (1280 × 720), the noise becomes much greater, so such shooting is possible only with sufficient lighting.

The process can be configured as follows:

• Super slow motion... Shooting starts in HD resolution and 30 fps, and we select parts of the slow-mo video by ourselves pressing the shutter button. Pressed - the phone filmed an excerpt, transferred it from the camera's memory to the phone's memory and is ready to make the next excerpt. The snippets are only 0.18 seconds long, but at 30 fps they turn into 6 second snippets.
• Super slow (one excerpt). Pressing the shutter button makes only one super slow motion.
• Slow motion... Video recording at 120 fps.

Camera applications

Built-in camera apps include:

• AR Effect
• Art
• Sound Photo
• Panorama
• 4K video

All of these applications have been familiar from premium Sony Xperia smartphones over the past 3-4 years. Nothing much has changed in the Xperia XZ Premium, except for the latest AR effects and the h.265 codec in 4K mode.

Settings

The settings in the Xperia XZ Premium camera app are confusing and not always straightforward. Sony uses strange names for known parameters, why is not clear.

For example, in the photo settings there is an item "Tap to configure", which hides a banal tapu exposure. By the way, it is turned off by default, instead of it there is "Object tracking" (tracking autofocus).

Because of this, untrained users think that the latest Xperia cameras have no tap exposure. It is, but for some reason Sony Mobile engineers believe that it is more important for the user to use the tracking autofocus than the exposure.

How the Sony Xperia XZ Premium camera shoots

The interface design and settings are of course important, but much more important is how the Xperia XZ Premium camera shoots. At this point, I've collected all sorts of tests with the Sony flagship camera.

Photography

The most important parameter when choosing a camera phone, because most users take photos.

Xperia XZ Premium test shots.

Autofocus speed test for photography:

I was forced to conduct an autofocus test by Sasha Zhuravlev's video, where he scolded the Xperia XZ Premium camera for not being able to focus normally when shooting indoors. In that video, everything is really very bad with focus, so I just couldn't help but run a couple of similar tests.

It turned out that Sasha had done something in the settings. In my tests, the Xperia XZ Premium's camera focuses quickly and flawlessly. The focus of the Xperia XZ Premium camera is tenacious and smart, it can easily follow even objects in motion, not like when shooting static.

Filming

A less important parameter for most users, but very important for those who like to shoot video on a smartphone. Such people are ready to sacrifice the quality of the photo, if only the video shooting was at the maximum level. So I have collected all possible tests here:

Still FHD 30 fps Video Recording Test:

Video recording test FHD 30 fps in motion (stabilization test):

FHD 60 fps recording test while still:

FHD 60 fps recording test in motion (stabilization test):

4K 30 fps video recording test in still state:

The best stabilization quality can only be achieved when recording at FHD 30 fps. Active Smart SteadyShot works in this mode, just like in Sony action cameras. At 60 fps, the stabilization quality drops significantly.

Slow-mo video

Shooting slow-motion video at 960 fps is the main feature of the Xperia XZ Premium camera. And this is a really cool thing.

I would even say that this is fantastic for modern phones. Who would have thought that telephones would soon learn to shoot as slow as expensive professional cameras. And the first here were exactly Sony.

It should be noted right away that this shooting mode can be used only in clear weather with a normal amount of light, otherwise there will be an indecent amount of noise. There are enough of them in the sun too, but it doesn't matter, considering how cool things can be done at 960 fps.

Here's an example of what I managed to capture while talking with the Xperia XZ Premium. Not a masterpiece, but interesting:

Comparison of cameras Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia X

I think many Xperia enthusiasts will be interested to know how much better the quality of the new Xperia XZ Premium camera based on the IMX400 sensor compared to the previous Sony Xperia flagships based on the IMX300 (Xperia XZ, Xperia X, Xperia Z5 and others).

Especially for the curious, I made a series of comparative photos on the Xperia XZ Premium and Xperia X. All pictures were taken in Super Auto mode with a resolution of 19 megapixels and 23 megapixels, respectively.

Comparison is made in series (1,2,3, etc.), in each series the first the picture belongs to the Xperia X and second Xperia XZ Premium.

In my opinion, the Xperia XZ Premium displays colors better and does not go wrong with white balance. Write in the comments which pictures you like more.

Output

The Sony Xperia XZ Premium camera is not ideal, but a real breakthrough in the stagnant smartphone market. The Japanese company showed not just an advanced image sensor, but a real innovation. Built-in memory right in the camera and super slow motion video of 960 fps are much cooler than commonplace dual cameras.

But there is a reason to scold the Xperia XZ Premium camera. Sony Mobile was in a hurry and shoved the functionality of the new camera into an outdated interface.

Basically, the Xperia camera app hasn't really changed in over 3 years. We have to do something about this, and the sooner the better. Let's hope that with the Android 8.0 update, Sony's developers won't forget about the new camera app.

Otherwise, the Xperia XZ Premium's camera definitely deserves respect. It's a top-tier photography tool with good video capabilities. Excellent electronic stabilization, slow-mo 960 fps - what else do you need?