MobileTechReview.com Phone, Smartphone, Notebook and Gadget Reviews and buyers guide
Phone Notebooks & Tablets Gaming Gadgets iPhone & iPad Shop Forum

Advertisement

Home > Android Phone Reviews > Sony Xperia Z

line

Sony Xperia Z

Editor's rating (1-5): rating starrating starrating starrating star
Carrier: T-Mobile, Unlocked GSM
Manufacturer: Sony Mobile
Discuss this product
Where to Buy

What's Hot: Attractive design, full HD 5" display, pleasing UI and software customizations.

What's Not: All glass phones make us nervous, no 4G LTE in US for unlocked model.

line

Update Jan. 2014: Read our Sony Xperia Z1S review, it replaces this model.

Reviewed May 9, 2013 by , Editor in Chief (twitter: @lisagade)

The Sony Xperia Z is Sony's flagship Android smartphone, and this time they really mean it. Previous Sony and Sony Ericsson Android smartphones have always lacked truly all around high end specs, but the Xperia Z has all the right ingredients. Of course, it's up against some very challenging competition from the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4. In fact, Sony's own Xperia ZL, which we've also reviewed, puts up a fight.

Sony Xperia Z

The bad news? The Xperia Z lacks US LTE and no US carrier currently offers the Xperia Z. But it is available from online import phone stores like www.tekshop.us (tekshop.ca if you're in Canada) unlocked (they supplied our review unit). Sony now also sells it direct from their US website for $629 unlocked, but that model still lacks US LTE. You can use it with any GSM carrier (AT&T and T-Mobile are the two large US GSM carriers) and it has a micro SIM card slot. There are a few model numbers, and we look at the C6603 that has AT&T's 3G and HSPA+ bands (you'll only get 2G EDGE on T-Mobile). It does have LTE, but not on the bands used by US carriers. Rumor has it that T-Mobile US may offer the Xperia Z, so there's hope for those of you who want a US carrier version with LTE. And for those who can forgo the glass back and water resistant design, the otherwise identical Xperia ZL is available with US LTE on AT&T.

The Sony Xperia Z has a lovely 5" full HD display with Sony's Mobile Bravia 2 engine that makes for incredibly vibrant colors that still look natural. Despite the large display size, the phone doesn't feel unwieldy (disclosure: I have large hands) and it helps that it's only 0.31" thick. The front and back are clad in shatter resistant mineral glass, and the phone is available in black, white and purple. It's a good looking phone with strong right angles and a clean design that makes a perfect companion for the upcoming Xperia Z Android tablet. The look might be a little too rectangular and minimalist for some, but it certainly is classy.

Sony Xperia Z

The phone is water resistant: just close all those port covers and you can wash it in the sink. This is a rare feature, and those of you who need it will appreciate it, especially in an attractive rather than rugged-ugly package. It is ironic that the Xperia Z is designed for water resistance yet it's clad front and back with glass, a delicate material. You can dunk it, but don't drop it!

To maintain water resistance, all ports and slots are under doors that seal out moisture. For those who don't care to play under the sprinklers or have jobs that involve getting soggy, the four rubber covers might prove tiresome. The micro USB port and microSD card slot are on the left side under covers and the micro SD card slot is on the right side. The headphone jack is up top under yet another cover. The phone's battery is sealed inside and the back isn't removable. Sony doesn't use capacitive buttons, so the phone provides on-screen buttons, which use up a little bit of your display real estate. The USB port supports USB host with an optional USB OTG host adapter.

 

Deals and Shopping:

 

Get the Sony Xperia Z from TekShop.us!

 

 

Sony Xperia Z Video Review

 

Sony Xperia Z vs. HTC One

Calling and Data

Though some have expressed doubts that call quality via the built-in earpiece and mic could be good when you've got a waterproof membrane in the way, the Sony Xperia Z has excellent voice quality. Both incoming and outgoing voice were clear and full and we had no trouble understanding what was said. We found it an excellent phone for calls overall. Of course, you can use it with Bluetooth headsets and car kits as well, and it played nicely with our Motorola Bluetooth headsets.

Data speeds on AT&T's network were good by HSPA+ standards, with speeds averaging 6.5Mbps down and 1.1Mbps up according to Ookla's Speedtest.net app. That's plenty fast enough for quick web page load times, email downloads and streaming mobile video at HQ in the YouTube app. However, it pales compared to LTE 4G data speeds that average 2 to 3x faster in our area. If you intend to use the mobile hotspot feature to provide a high speed Internet connection for your laptop or tablet, the Xperia Z will perform decently but not nearly as well as an LTE phone.

Performance and Horsepower

The smartphone runs Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 on a fast quad core Snapdragon S4 Pro "Krait" CPU clocked at 1.5GHz. It has 2 gigs of RAM and 16 gigs of storage plus an SDXC microSD card slot. It benchmarks well, with a Quadrant score of 7851 and an AnTuTu score of 20,403. Sony has done a nice job of lightly skinning Android, and of course their various service offerings are here including PlayStation Mobile games, their streaming music service and video services. None of these bogs down the phone, and the UI customization sits between the Samsung Galaxy S4's heavily skinned TouchWiz software and the extremely light touch of HTC Sense 5 on the HTC One.

Sony still feels one step behind on CPU specs, though the divide isn't as great between the Xperia Z and its top competitors as it was between previous high end Sony smartphones and the competition. That quad core S4 Pro CPU was hot stuff in the fourth quarter of 2012, but in Q2 of 2013, the world has already moved on to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 that's clocked a bit higher and benchmarks even faster. Honestly, the Xperia Z's 1.5GHz quad core CPU with Adreno 320 graphics is still extremely fast, and smartphone CPUs are advancing much more quickly than software (including the OS) demands. If you like the Xperia Z, don't obsess on the CPU difference; it's plenty fast enough to play the latest challenging 3D games and it handles 1080p high quality video perfectly.

Benchmarks

Quadrant: 7916
AnTuTu: 20,403
Sunspider: 1306

  Quadrant GLBenchmark 2.7 Egypt Offscreen AnTuTu Sunspider JavaScript Test
Sony Xperia Z 7916 32 fps 20,403 1306
HTC One 12,252 37 fps 24,589 1155
Samsung Galaxy S4 12,276 41 fps 24,776 826
Moto X 8357 43 fps 21,377 1097
HTC Droid DNA 7823 78 fps (v.2.5 used) 14,578 1146
Samsung Galaxy Note II 6001 66 pfs (v.2.5 used) 14,056 1052
LG Optimus G 7235 59 pfs (v.2.5 used) 11,087 1289
HTC EVO 4G LTE 5086 56 fps 7001 1650
Motorola Droid RAZR HD 5055 51 fps 6760 1862
HTC One X 5001 56 fps 7074 1617
Samsung Galaxy S III 5102 51 fps 7011 1825

 

Display

This is a tough one: the Sony Xperia Z has a truly pleasing 5" full HD display that's quite bright. At 1920 x 1080, it competes with the top smartphones on the market and it's extremely sharp. Colors are vibrant and pop, yet they're more natural than Samsung's Super AMOLED displays. Sony's Mobile Bravia 2 software engine tweaks colors and brightness to achieve a near perfect experience whether you're reading an ebook or watching a movie. Still, clarity and contrast aren't as good as the HTC One (our favorite smartphone display), and outdoor visibility is decent but not as good as the HTC One and iPhone 5. But the real problems are the TFT panel's tendency to wash out when viewed off angle and blacks that aren't as rich and inky black as the Samsung Galaxy S4 and HTC One's displays. Move it 30 degrees off center and it dims and colors turn pale. You can argue that a phone is small enough to hold at a direct angle in front of your face, but the reality is we often pull our mobile companions out of pockets for a quick glance or cast a sidelong look at the phone on a table when we're trying to pretend we're not ignoring our dinner companion. Viewing angles do matter here, especially when they degrade with a relatively small change of position. On a positive note, the phone supports HDMI out via MHL adapter.

Camera: 13MP with Exmor RS Sensor

The 13 megapixel rear camera with LED flash and EXMOR RS sensor takes superb photos and has HDR for both photos and 1080p video. The intelligent auto mode really is smart, and we rarely had to use manual settings to get the best shot. Even if you're a photo buff, it's nice to not have to fiddle with settings to achieve a great photo. The Sony Xperia Z has sweep panorama, image stabilization, 16x digital zoom and burst mode. The f/2.5 lens isn't the fastest we've seen, but it lets in enough light for a decent night shot at a club. The Sony focuses faster than the Samsung Galaxy S4, but not as quickly as the surreally fast HTC One. Image quality, for those who need lots of pixels, far exceeds the 4MP (err, UltraPixel) camera on the HTC One, but you probably won't notice the difference unless you're zooming in or viewing the image at 100% on your computer's screen. The Samsung Galaxy S4 and even the HTC One win for offering more photo modes vs. the Xperia Z.

There's plenty of detail in photos and that's perfect for print or places where larger images are needed (vertical market, photo sharing sites). Sony avoids over-sharpening, instead leaving that to you and Photoshop. Photo buffs will appreciate this, but novices may prefer that the phone do the doctoring for them. 1080p video capture is sharp, bright and image stabilization works well.

Battery Life

LG and Sony have a little trouble with battery life on their high end Android smartphones. There's no reason the Xperia Z's battery life should be weak, but it is. Even with LTE turned off, the Xperia Z's 2330 mAh Lithium Ion battery lasted a few hours less than our iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S4, HTC One and Nokia Lumia 920. With moderate use, the phone went from 9am to 6pm before hitting the 10% charge mark. Our other phones made it until 10pm before dropping to 10%. In terms of actual usage time with the screen on, the Sony Xperia Z falls two hours short of the listed competitors.

The battery is sealed inside, so you'll need an external micro USB battery pack to top up in the field.

Conclusion

Sony's top smartphones get better with every generation, and the Xperia Z is a worthy contender to fight the HTC One and the Samsung Galaxy S4. Fans of the Xperia line and Sony's software will no doubt love the phone, with the possible exception of battery life, but those who aren't loyal to the brand may find the durable metal casing and better display on the HTC One and the myriad features and replaceable battery on the Samsung Galaxy S4 more captivating.

Website: www.sony.com

Price: Starting at $629 (unlocked, no contract required)

Related:

HTC One Review

Samsung Galaxy S4 Review

iPhone 5 Review

Sony Xperia ZL Review

 

Sony Xperia Z

 

Sony Xperia Z

 

Sony Xperia Z

 

Sony Xperia Z

 

blog comments powered by Disqus

Specs:

Display: 5" TFT display with Mobile Bravia Engine 2. Resolution: 1920 x 1080 (441 ppi). Has ambient light sensor, accelerometer and proximity sensor.

Battery: Lithium Ion Polymer rechargeable. Battery is not user replaceable. 2330 mAh.

Performance: 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro quad core CPU (MDM9215M / APQ8064) with 2 gigs RAM and 16 gigs internal storage (approx. 10 gigs available).

Size: 5.47 x 2.80 x 0.31 inches. Weight: 5.15 ounces.

Phone: GSM quad band world phone with HSPA+ 3G on the 850/900/2100MHz bands. Has LTE 4G for Europe.

Camera: 1.3MP front camera and 13MP rear camera with Exmor RS sensor and LED flash.

Audio: Built in speaker, mic and 3.5mm standard stereo headphone jack.

Networking: Integrated dual band WiFi 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC.

Software: Android OS 4.1.2 Jelly Bean with light Sony customizations. Full suite of Google Android apps including the Chrome web browser, Gmail, email, YouTube, Google Maps and Navigation. OfficeSuite 6 MS Office viewer and full collection of Sony apps including Sony Select, PlayNow, Walkman (music player), Socialife (social networking), Xperia Link and Playstation Mobile.

Expansion: 1 SDXC microSD card slot.

PHONE

All Phone Reviews
Smartphone Reviews
Android Phone Reviews
BlackBerry
Windows Phone Reviews
iPhone
HTC Phone Reviews
LG Phone Reviews
Motorola Phone Reviews
Nokia Phone Reviews
Samsung Phone Reviews
Sony Phone Reviews
AT&T Phone Reviews
Sprint Phone Reviews
T-Mobile Phone Reviews
Verizon Phone Reviews
Unlocked GSM Phone Reviews

TABLETS

All Tablet Reviews
Android Tablet Reviews
Tablet Comparisons
Android Tablet Comparisons

 

LAPTOPS & ULTRABOOKS

Laptop Reviews
Ultrabook Reviews
Laptop Comparisons
Best Ultrabooks

 

GADGETS & GAMES

Bluetooth Headsets
iPhone and iPad Accessories
eBook Readers

iPhone Game Reviews
iPad Game Reviews


iPhone Case Reviews
iPad Case Reviews

SITE TOOLS

RSS News Feed

About Us

Contact Us

Advertising

Site Map