Sony Xperia Z - A Review

Introduction

The Xperia Tablet Z gets a prominent spot in a long list of iconic designs by Sony. Easily one of the best looking tablets around, the Z inherits the slim, water-resistant design of its smartphone counterpart, which earns it extra points with the outdoor-loving crowd.

  
Sony Xperia Tablet Z official images

The angular OmniBalance design is all the more impressive given Sony has managed to shave down the thickness to the mere 6.9mm. Not that it matters much in actual use - this isn't a gadget to put in a pocket, slim or not, but we have been programmed to believe that "thin = cool" and the Tablet Z is keen to take advantage. On a more practical side, the tablet weighs under 500g, at least 100g less than its direct competitors.

The folded magazine design of previous Sony tablets may be gone, but the media playing spirit is not - the Xperia Tablet Z has an IR blaster to control home equipment, alongside a custom Sony music player (Walkman) and a video player with solid DLNA credentials.

Here are the other highs (and lows) on the Sony Xperia Tablet Z spec sheet:

Key features

• 6.9mm slim tablet with IP57 certification, dust and water resistant (up to 1m for 30 minutes)
• 10.1" 16M-color TFT capacitive touchscreen of WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200 pixels); Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
• 1.5 GHz quad-core Krait CPU, Adreno 320, 2GB RAM, Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064 chipset
• Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean
• Optional Quad-band GPRS/EDGE, tri-band 3G with HSPA connectivity (HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps), penta-band 4G LTE (100Mbps down, 50Mbps up)
• 16GB of built-in memory
• microSD card slot
• 8 MP autofocus camera
• 2.2MP front-facing camera
• 1080p HD video recording @ 30 fps with stereo audio
• Dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot
• Stereo Bluetooth v4.0
• MHL microUSB 2.0
• • Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Infrared port
• GPS with A-GPS support; digital compass
• 1080p MKV and SD XviD/DivX video support
• Accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer
• 6,000mAh Li-Po battery

Main disadvantages

• Runs an older Android version
• Screen has poor outdoor visibility
• Audio output quality is not on par with other tablets on the market
• Uses a previous generation chipset, slightly slower than the current best
• 6,000mAh battery isn't very big for a 10.1" tablet

WUXGA resolution on the 10.1" screen with 224ppi is a lot better than what Samsung have on the Galaxy Note 10.1 (149ppi) and quite close to the iPad 4 screen (264ppi). The chipset and Android OS version are a bit behind the times, but neither is a deal-breaker in our books.

We have to mention the water resistance, of course, which very few tablets have. The Tablet Z's predecessor, the IPX-4 certified Tablet S, was only splash-proof. An IP57 tablet like the Tablet Z on the other hand can withstand water jets and even submersion.

   
Sony Xperia Tablet Z in our office

Sony has delivered a premium package with the Xperia Tablet Z, at least on paper.

Sony Xperia ZL

   
Sony Xperia ZL

Sony needs users to like the ZL, because the Z probably won't make it on its own. On paper, the Xperia ZL has all the trimmings of its sibling save for the IP57 certification. And it should be just as capable as most other flagships of the latest generation. Here go the specs.

Key features

• Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
• 5" 16M-color 1080p capacitive touchscreen of 441ppi, Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2
• Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with custom UI
• Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB of RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
• 13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, HDR
• 1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
• 2 MP front camera, 1080p video recording
• Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
• GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
• 16GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot
• MHL-enabled microUSB port
• Bluetooth v4.0
• NFC
• Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
• Shorter footprint than most 5” smartphones

Main disadvantage

• Non user-replaceable battery
• Uninspiring camera performance
• Notably thicker than Xperia Z
• Dubious back panel build quality and aesthetics

If you're after a FullHD five-incher the Xperia ZL is the most compact handset that fits the bill. The difference, of course, is by no means huge but having a smaller footprint than the Samsung Galaxy S4 is a great achievement. On the other hand, a 10 mm thick body is nothing to brag about. Yet, if that's the price for getting a proper shutter key and an Infrared port, it should be fine for most people.

Anyway, Sony opted for two distinct versions of a 2013 flagship and then had to sit down and think about how to make them... distinct. Having a more compact option of what's virtually the same package as the flagship makes every bit of sense. But is it worth the extra millimeters around the waistline?

It was probably important to Sony to send a clear message that what's on offer is essentially the same package - the difference boils down to size, choice of finish and waterproofing or not. A sensible plastic case doesn't look half as good as glass but has its advantages. Water resistance is a great asset but not everyone needs it. Plus... a proper shutter key, half press and all, is something we always welcome in a cameraphone.

 
Sony Xperia ZL at HQ

HTC One Vs Sony Xperia Z

Well you asked for it. Seriously, we got like a thousand tips. So here it is - the HTC One vs the Sony Xperia Z battle of the gorgeous-looking flagships.

Both devices are the crucial points in their respective manufacturer's struggles to turn their fortunes around. The Sony Xperia Z and HTC One come with different skill sets but generally tend to appeal to the same group of users. Design conscious multimedia-addicts, who need top notch performance and value a streamlined interface over an endless number of features scattered around.

Of course, each of the two contestants has its own unique talents. The One will certainly be a favorite to those that have a soft spot for sweet audio - both through headphones and speakers. The Xperia Z on the other hand will certainly win the hearts of the outdoorsy, adventurous types who will love the fact that water and dust resistance no longer equals an entry-level feature set.

So let's see who draws first blood.

HTC One over Sony Xperia Z

• Super LCD3 display with 469ppi density
• Aluminum unibody
• Optical Image Stabilization, image sensor with 2µm pixel size
• Snapdragon 600 chipset
• HTC Zoe, BlinkFeed
• Front mounted stereo speakers, Beats Audio
• IR blaster
• Smaller footprint

Sony Xperia Z over HTC One

• IP57 dust and water protection
• Larger screen
• All glass body
• Higher resolution camera
• microSD card support
• Thinner body

It turns out the Sony Xperia Z and HTC One have quite a lot of differences, which are bound to give each of them an edge in some of the trials today. So it's shaping as an exciting matchup likely to resolve itself only after a fierce exchange of blows.

Going by the early sales estimates, it might be tempting to conclude that this is a fight for the second place as the Samsung Galaxy S4 is bound to beat both of these without breaking a sweat. Yet sales figures don't always mean a better smartphone and we can bet many will see their next dream handset emerge from this fight. After all, you probably won't get a more powerful water-resisting smartphone than the Xperia Z or a more visually appealing musically talented smartphone than the One.

   
HTC One and Sony Xperia Z

So back to the task at hand - each of these two smartphones is bound to win the few rounds that play exactly to its strengths, but there are plenty of fights hanging in the balance. Will the new low-res UltraPixel camera with OIS of the One beat the 13MP conventional snapper on the Xperia Z? And which of these beasts manages its battery better?

There's plenty to play for here, so let's get going. The first stop is hardware, right after the break.