Sony Xperia Z2Review inpictures

Flagship specs… on steroids • 5.2-inch, full HD display• 2.3GHz quad-core

Snapdragon 801 processor

• 3GB of RAM and 16GB expandable storage

• 20.7-megapixel primary shooter

• Waterproof• Runs Android KitKat• Loaded with connectivity

options

A case of “seen one, seen ‘em all”?

• Sony’s trademark OmniBalance design

• Feels a tad blocky and doesn’t look too different from its predecessor

• Aluminium frame on the sides, with glass at the front and back

• Looks elegant, feels sturdy and premium

No escaping the fact that it’s a big phone

• The large screen, wide bezels and blocky design add to the overall size

• Not great for one-handed usage• Doesn’t feel very ergonomic, and the size could make it

unwieldy for some

Display displays all that’s wonderful

• Brilliant full HD display, helped along by Sony’s Triluminos tech and X-Reality engine

• Significantly better in comparison to its predecessor, the Xperia Z1, especially with regards to viewing angles

• Renders crisp, natural colours that are a treat for the eyes• White balance can be tweaked manually• Supports glove mode and double-tap-to-wake-up

Shoot to kill• Dedicated hardware shutter

key is more than welcome• The shooter boasts quite a few

features, including 4K video recording

• A bunch of modes, covering the likes of AR effect and Background defocus

• Shoots at Superior Auto mode by default, capturing 8MP images

• To shoot in full resolution, you need to switch to Manual mode each time you launch the camera

The camera delivers, but leaves a little something to be desired

• Churns out superb images, especially in daylight

• Low-light shots can be blurry if you don’t hold the phone steady

• A bug makes the phone overheat and shuts down the camera after a few minutes of shooting

Sony’s stamp on Android KitKat• Runs Android 4.4.2 KitKat

with Sony’s UI on top• The skin doesn’t take a lot

away from stock Android• Support for themes• Sidebar slides out from

the left of the app drawer, letting you manage apps and access the Play Store

Some of Sony’s tweaks aren’t exactly welcome

• The What’s New content hub gets place of pride on the home screen as a widget and a shortcut

• Also integrated in the same swipe-up action that accesses Google Now

Loads of preloaded content, plus Sony’s Small Apps

• Signature Sony apps and content hubs included

• Recent apps button gives you access to Small Apps – tiny windows that float atop existing apps

• Xperia Lounge lets you download freebies, including Hollywood movies and MJ’s Xscape music album

Bunch of gestures and special features• Smart Call allows you to answer

calls by bringing the phone to your ear, and reject a call by shaking the device

• Smart backlight control keeps the display on till the time you’re looking at it

• Simple Home is a simplified home screen layout meant for newbies, much like Samsung’s Easy Mode

• Smart Connect automates a few things when you connect headphones or the charger

• The Answering Machine feature picks up incoming calls after the specified number of seconds, and records caller messages

Speedy is one way to describe it

• Loaded specs, including a quad-core Snapdragon 801 chip running at 2.3GHz and a class-leading 3GB of RAM, ensure the Xperia Z2 makes mincemeat of everything thrown at it. Even intensive games like Riptide GP2 load fast and run smoothly, with no sign of lag

• Full rage of connectivity options including Wi-Fi ac and NFC on board. Even USB OTG is supported

• Almost 11GB of storage available to use, and you can add more too

Hates power sockets with a vengeance

• The sealed 3,200mAh battery keeps the Sony Xperia Z2 last for a full day comfortably even with heavy usage

• Lasted 10.5 hours on our video loop battery test, with brightness and volume at 50 percent

• STAMINA mode available to prolong battery life

At a glance• 5.2-inch, full HD display

• 20.7MP primary camera, 2MP front shooter

• 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor

• Adreno 330 graphics

• 3GB RAM, 16GB expandable internal storage

• 3,200mAh battery

• Dual-band Wi-Fi ac, Bluetooth 4.0, A-GPS, NFC, DLNA, USB OTG

• Waterproof

-• Blocky design and large

size make it a tad unwieldy to hold

• A few software features look obnoxious

• No exciting, killer feature

Pros and cons+

• Premium looks and elegant design

• Impervious to water• Gorgeous full HD

display • Very good camera• Useful software

features and loads of tweaking and customisation options

• Fast, speedy and zippy. Smooth too

• Good battery life

Rs 49,990

Pricing and verdict

“Our biggest gripe with the Xperia Z2 is that while it is a jack of all trades, it doesn’t have any killer feature that blows our socks off. That said, Sony’s latest flagship is a capable, well-rounded device, and one that has enough to please most users. The inclusion of a premium flip cover worth Rs 2,990 and the SmartBand life-logging tracker worth Rs

5,990 for free makes it even more compelling.”