The 2018 Sony Xperia XZ2 shows some bold changes even so slightly. Maybe Sony is learning to adapt to the actual customer base? Let’s go and check out what it offers.
There’s no doubt in my mind. Sony is taking the big guns out this year. Let’s take a look at the hardware and then will dive into my review.
The spec sheet gives everyone a good view of how decked up the hardware is but we will have to see how the experience around it compares.
As much as I like the new position Sony taking, I can’t comment for everyone. What I will be doing is letting you know about my experiences with the Xperia XZ2 and the XZ2 Compact.
| NETWORK | 2G | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 – SIM 1 & SIM 2 (dual-SIM model only) |
|---|---|---|
| 3G | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | |
| HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | ||
| 4G | LTE HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE-A (5CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps |
| BODY | Build | Front/back glass (Gorilla Glass 5) & aluminum frame |
|---|---|---|
| SIM | Single SIM (Nano-SIM) or Hybrid Dual SIM (Nano-SIM, dual stand-by) | |
| – IP65/IP68 dust/water proof (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| MAIN CAMERA | Single | 19 MP, f/2.0, 25mm, 1/2.3″, 1.22µm, predictive PDAF & laser AF |
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama, HDR | |
| Video | 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps |
| SELFIE CAMERA | Single | 5 MP, f/2.2, 1/5″ |
|---|---|---|
| Video | 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS) |
| SOUND | Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | |
| – 24-bit/192kHz audio – Dynamic vibration system – Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic |
| DISPLAY | Type | IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 5.7 inches, 83.8 cm2 (~76.1% screen-to-body ratio) | |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~424 ppi density) | |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | |
| – HDR BT.2020 compliant – Triluminos display – X-Reality Engine |
| MEMORY | Card slot | microSD, up to 512 GB (uses SIM 2 slot) – dual SIM model only |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 64 GB, 4/6 GB RAM |
| PLATFORM | OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 | |
| CPU | Octa-core (4×2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4×1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) | |
| GPU | Adreno 630 |
| FEATURES | Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass, colour spectrum |
|---|---|---|
| – Fast battery charging (Quick Charge 3.0) – Qi wireless charging – Xvid/MP4/H.265 player – MP3/eAAC+/WAV/Flac player – Document viewer – Photo/video editor |
| BATTERY | Non-removable Li-Ion 3180 mAh battery |
|---|
[Design & Hardware]
The most distinguishing characteristic of the new XZ2 from Sony is the “Ambient Flow” design. The device arch is new to the Sony world and is meant to be an eye-catching feature. The curved back is positioned to flow evenly on all sides to tuck itself inside the aluminum chassis. Did you know that the complete back of the Sony Xperia XZ2 is made and moulded in Gorilla Glass 5? The extra room in the body allows Sony to include more hardware.
On the downside of this new flashy smartphone, the slippery back has it sliding off any surfaces if it’s uneven. Like many other devices with a glass back, this attracts a mess of fingerprints and the notion that you need to keep it spotless.
But I can’t deny that the device looks striking from a distance.
The arched back also houses the fingerprint sensor which I’ve seen in other recent Sony smartphones. What I don’t like is the position of the fingerprint sensor on the back. The positioning of the fingerprint sensor is lower than what you’d expect. I keep hitting the camera lens often with my index finger as opposed to the fingerprint sensor.
The 5MP front-facing selfie camera is a drop down from the 16MP noted in the XA2 Ultra which is sad to see. However, I think Sony did make up for it with dual front-facing speakers.
The entire front panel is covered by a Gorilla Glass 5. The front glass has rounded edges on all sides attributing to an overall quite modern look.
The SIM tray is on the top of the device and gives you two options to choose from; Dual SIM cards or SIM and microSD.
Like other 2018 devices, the Xperia XZ2 does not have a 3.5mm audio jack. Welcome to the dongle world.
Inside the Xperia XZ2, we have a Snapdragon 845 combined with the Adreno 650 GPU. This is in line with what other manufacturers have produced to this day. The processing capacity doesn’t make this better or worst then any other devices on the market.
This is a multimedia device, it’s made to entertain you. Let’s kick this gear into the gaming scene and you’ll be sure to be at the head of the game when playing any of the top rated smartphone titles. While you can game, you may want to hold on for the video experience, the sound experience and more.
Much like all the other smartphones released in North America, this device is capable of doing exactly like all of them. What sets them apart from the masses is Sony’s proprietary technology for your media consumption.
It’s been a few weeks with the Sony Xperia XZ2 and I’ve been on top of everything. I typically game a few hours a day on it, I’ll work, take pictures, videos and the usual that most do with a smartphone. If I nitpicked at it, it would be the fingerprint sensor, it’s not placed a the right spot on the back. This took me a good week to get used to.
Battery life on a single charge has got me going about 17 hours in a day. This is anywhere from 100% down to 25% or so. I haven’t tested the extended battery capacity or feature, I assume I’d be able to get a few more hours out of it, but since I need internet, data, speed and performance it wasn’t really among the things I’d test since I rarely call.
Just last month I did less than 9 minutes worth of calls. Most of my communication is done via IM (instant messaging), emails or in person.
Sony’s Xperia XZ2 is equipped with QC 3.0 which means lots of power in a short amount of time, it really does eliminate the need to always ensure it’s topped up. Simply plug it in for a few minutes in between your travelling places and you’re set.
It does pretty well for general photography, much like all other smartphones, it’s not meant for low light photography. The sensors might be adapted for it, but still underperforms compared a real DSLR.
While this device is definitely a contender for anyone looking at getting a new smartphone, you may want to check to see if this will be the device for you. The Sony Xperia XZ2 comes in at $1099.99 at Bell and $1000 at Freedom Mobile. These are the only 2 carrier partners in Canada.
You can also check out Amazon Canada to see the deal that you might be getting!
[amazon_link asins=’B07BNHRDSC,B07BYFDDHT’ template=’ProductCarousel2′ store=’cryounfiltere-20′ marketplace=’CA’ link_id=’780ce6bf-939d-11e8-8ba8-618716564838′]
