The latest Sony flagship, the Xperia Z2 sure is one loaded smartphone. Class-leading specs, waterproof capabilities and a 20.7-megapixel primary camera ensure it stays top of the game. Here's a quick review of the Xperia Z2...

1. Sony
Xperia
Z2
Review in
pictures

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. -
• 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

16. 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.”