Sony Xperia Z specs review: greet the real 007 phone
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Another advantage is that you can watch Full HD videos with 1080 definition in their complete glory on this display, so you will be able to see all the details of the footage taken with the phone's camera, for example. The difference in perception, compared to an HD 720 video on a screen of this size at a normal viewing distance, however, is unlikely to tip the scales in the 1080 definition favor just for this feature alone. You also gain more details to zoom in and work with if you are editing a photo on your screen, which again is an unlikely pastime on a phone display, at least not in depths and duration.
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62 Comments
1. danny_a2005 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:09 13 1
take my money... ASAP... The white one is mine... Thanks sony
25. MeoCao (unregistered) posted on 07 Jan 2013, 23:00 1 17
This phone sacrifices picture quality for battery life and slim body.
The additional white sub-pixel adds to brightness and thus reduce the power consumption for LCD backlighting, but the contrast ratio suffers.
And the S4 Pro will have only a few month window after which Tegra 4 will rule.
26. Retro-touch posted on 07 Jan 2013, 23:34 7 0
Don't forget that's how its always been with tech, you can't stay on top forever, Tegra 4 will in turn be overthrown similar to Tegra 3 within a few months
31. MeoCao (unregistered) posted on 08 Jan 2013, 01:30 1 11
You forget 1 key factor: timing.
Z will not be available until March as earleast, by then S4 Pro will reach the end of its life cycle.
A top phone must have top specs, which Xperia Z doesn't.
38. IHateApple posted on 08 Jan 2013, 03:27 4 0
So according to you, Optimus G was the best phone when it launched. Right?
Specs aren't everything. It's the things like software, camera, battery life that matter in the long run.
39. IHateApple posted on 08 Jan 2013, 03:36 1 0
And also carrier choice. The Galaxy S3 broke all records when it launched in US on all major carriers with the same name and the same exact phone on each carrier.
Why do you think S3 was the phone to beat throughout 2012?
43. MeoCao (unregistered) posted on 08 Jan 2013, 05:31 0 5
Agree, but still it would be much better if Xperia Z used Tegra 4 or some kind of A15 quad core.
Now Xperia risk being surpassed by new HTC or SS flagships with better chips.
54. gmracer1 posted on 10 Jan 2013, 08:07 1 0
earleast?
2. shamu11 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:12 3 13
Its a shame its running non-vanilla android and is not a nexus
20. Shadow_Assassin posted on 07 Jan 2013, 21:52 3 7
with a few bugs here and there of course.
35. zazori08 posted on 08 Jan 2013, 02:30 3 1
you know there are people called developers right?
40. IHateApple posted on 08 Jan 2013, 03:36 2 1
Nah. He doesn't.
3. TROLL posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:13 0 4
And the Limited or Special Edition with pure jet black with gold side accent .
Is there no companies that will be using the S4 Prime....?
4. InspectorGadget80 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:16 1 0
Thank you for SAYING THE REAL 007 PHONE. The XPERIA T was kinda weak. BUT THIS IS SONY BEASTLY phone can't WAIT TO BUY IT!!
7. thelegend6657 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:21 4 0
Am starting to think the Xperia T is just a stopgap before the z arrives
5. Jimstar posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:18 1 0
I'm prettysure a phone with a 5" display would be a bit too clumsy due to size alone to be appropriate for super-spy duty...
6. DerryAhmad posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:20 6 0
OMG.. Premium Glass Design, Skeleton frame, HDR video Recording, Full HD Display, 13 Mpx Exmor XR, Water resistant. I'm sooo tempted by this new Sony Flagship. Rock on, Sony!!
59. Paradox posted on 13 Jan 2013, 15:38 0 0
Such an idealist, we all know it will come with gingerbread...
8. cretinick posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:26 3 1
I love the phone, but I hate the size...
I was hoping the ZL were water and dust resistant too. Very frustrating. If it were, ZL definitely would be my next phone.
Now I'm devided between Rugged Phone or "compact" Phone...
9. oister85 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:28 1 0
Glass build this was what I was waiting for. I'm going to get it when it comes out.
11. TROLL posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:32 12 4
I won't be buying the S4, but this SONY Z for sure....
12. Mube1 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:33 0 0
Welcome sony n now we can u r in real competition now
13. chasetorres125 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:37 0 0
WOW The best phone so far sony even throw the kitten sink by adding dust waterproof and the new xmor sensor,IR,bravia 2,becuz the s4 1080p 5' is given at highend flagship this year go sony RISE SOAR #1
14. datsyuk posted on 07 Jan 2013, 20:47 3 0
The fact it's water proof or can handle water being poured on it is so badass. This phone is AWESOME and sets a great level for phones to come this year.
15. cripton805 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 21:00 0 0
Sony might just be my next phone if it's available for Sprint! Can't wait. It be be this one after my GSIII gets a little older.
18. cdnfreak posted on 07 Jan 2013, 21:27 0 0
here come the lawsuits, its black and it has rounded corners. Therefore it must be an iCrap copy.
19. Shadow_Assassin posted on 07 Jan 2013, 21:51 0 4
This phone is awesome, if only it runs WP, I will surely get this one.
22. fanboy1974 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 22:25 0 0
Only problem is that WP does not support 1080p displays. And people wonder why Android is so much better.
28. Shadow_Assassin posted on 08 Jan 2013, 00:19 3 1
android is only better because it push new tech like processor and display ahead. but for personal experience, I prefer WP than android.
21. fanboy1974 posted on 07 Jan 2013, 22:24 0 0
First phone I would consider using a wet screen protector on.
24. sonisoe posted on 07 Jan 2013, 22:42 0 0
Sony needs a stronghold in the android mkt, these devices should do it but only if these are priced a bit more aggressively...not too cheap but not the iphone price...
27. techloverNYC posted on 08 Jan 2013, 00:15 0 0
I just got the Nexus 4 and I thought Im set guess im not. Any idea on the pricing yet?
29. GALAXY-STORM posted on 08 Jan 2013, 00:52 0 0
Looks amazing and I think it will be priced around $750 unlocked.
32. Bedz81 posted on 08 Jan 2013, 01:55 0 0
I knew I shouldn't have bought the Xperia T, good phone but I'm excited over this.
33. SIGPRO posted on 08 Jan 2013, 01:55 4 0
Finally i see dragon tail in a phone, it is way stronger than gorilla glas!
34. darac posted on 08 Jan 2013, 02:14 0 0
Gosh.
If I've been on a market for a new phone (satisfied with S3 so I'm not ), I wouldn't wait for S4.
This is a fantastic product.
36. Bedz81 posted on 08 Jan 2013, 03:15 0 0
I just see that it comes in purple, damn you Sony, i can see myself with this for sure now.....until i see Moto's "X phone"
37. IHateApple posted on 08 Jan 2013, 03:18 0 0
I just wish it doesn't fail like the Optimus G did.
Any word on the battery size???
42. hypermagz posted on 08 Jan 2013, 04:58 0 0
Hope they also include liquid damage on their warranty. ^^
44. DanielJDavidson posted on 08 Jan 2013, 08:08 0 3
Does anyone really see the Galaxy S4 really being better than this? Sure it'll have a faster processor, but that'll be it and for 90% of users (myself included) S4 Dual-Core is a bit overkill, mind S4 Quad-Core or Exynos 5. I have Xperia P which has a NovaThor U8500 processor clocked at 1GHz and 1GB RAM - that's far from anything special, but it runs GTA III and GTA Vice City flawlessly and I'm yet to experience any lag. And that's not even half as quick as the Xperia Z! My point is that it doesn't matter how fast the processor is, a phone is only as good as the software runs and how well it runs it. I would rather spend my money on Xperia Z because both Xperia Z and Galaxy S4 will run flawlessly and will the user will experience no lag. But the difference will be that the Xperia Z has onscreen buttons, it's waterproof and the design is going to be a lot nicer than Galaxy S4. They're both Android devices, they run the same software. So the only things that should be taken into account are:
Size
Usability
Durability
Battery
Design
Camera
Price
And as far as I can see, Samsung can only compete on usability and battery. Also, if you're playing the waiting game to get the 'best', then you're probably better off waiting until September for Sony's end of year flagship which will definitely better than Galaxy S4 OR the next Nexus device. But as of right now, the Xperia Z is the best Android has to offer. And no matter what phone you get, it'll always be overthrown just a few months down the line.
TLTR? --> Xperia Z vs Galaxy S4 - same software, 'waterproof' doesn't get outdated (processor does), none of them will be the best by this time next year, they'll both have as smooth performance as each other and right now Xperia Z is the best. Galaxy S4 won't be much better if at all.
47. cripton805 posted on 08 Jan 2013, 12:01 2 0
Why wouldn't you take into consideration the hardware if it's much better? It does matter because newer games and apps will be made to run on Quad core processors and more RAM. No doubt, I think this will be a great phone, but why should I ignore all the other things that make another phone better? Also, I can absolutely guarantee that they WILL NOT have the same software. Samsung adds their different features that come in handy and so might Sony. So there will be differences in the software. I promise you that.
That's kind of a dumb thing to say.
60. Paradox posted on 13 Jan 2013, 15:51 0 0
You speak as if you've seen the S4. I doubt the xperia z will hold a candle to the S4. And also you say that the end of year sony will beat the next nexus device, hah, don't make me laugh, especially if the next nexus is made by Motorola. Maybe it will even be made by sony themselves (hopefully not). Sony are a poor brand for phones, they always come with the best of the previous years technology. For example, s4 pro. That was the king of 2012, and now sony are using it in 2013. Sony will be outdone yet again this year, and they will also fail to deliver software updates, and your phone will be out of date in a few months when they release their next flagship. Quite pathetic if you ask me. IMO stick to the nexus devices, or S4. And no, I'm not a samsung "fanboy", I've only ever owned 1 samsung phone, and that was a few years back. Not even an android device. And this is not the best android device out at the moment, the nexus is. Simple as.
45. DanielJDavidson posted on 08 Jan 2013, 08:15 0 0
@IHateApple - yeah, 2300mAh. Not fantastic, but enough for a day.
46. takay0 posted on 08 Jan 2013, 08:31 1 0
BEAUTIFUL! im just afarid of gettin again xperia! but that phone...i have no words... its perfect so far
48. emes360 posted on 08 Jan 2013, 12:45 0 0
Oh my... perfect I'm getting it as soon as possible gosh
50. jackhammeR posted on 09 Jan 2013, 01:46 0 0
I'm afraid that sony won't use the momentum as they should and before they gain an upper hand in the beast race the competition (lg, moto and bunch of manufactureres from china and korea not to mention japanese) ill introduce theirs.
And this display...don't get me wrong. 1080p. saturated colors, etc....but those viewing angles...a constant problem with sony's(e.) handsets.
Another concern is this glass. What for?
When apple introduced the iphone 4 people laughted at the idea of using a glass to build a chassis. PA users were no different. Recently lg did the same to nexus 4. Now sony.
No matter how strong that kind of glass is supposedly it's just a ...glass. So it's easy to shatter ad this glossy finish on the back. Well, let's say it won't look the same after the firt week of usage.
Anyway, another monstrosity this time from sony.
51. christumaini posted on 09 Jan 2013, 04:22 0 0
REAL USER EXPERIENCE WILL MATTER.....(LETS JUST WAIT FOR IT ON STREETS THEN WE CAN JUDGE)
52. DanielJDavidson posted on 09 Jan 2013, 10:11 0 0
My point is that it's retarded to hold out for a phone that'll have a slightly better processor and that's it. Because you know that the Galaxy S4 won't be waterproof. The Xperia Z will be just as future proof as any other flagship this year so why constantly hold out for something better when there's always something better around the corner? On average, a flagship only has 2 months of being the best phone. The only games that'll take advantage of current processors, won't even be made for another year. Phones are far too powerful for what they need to be at the moment so why the big deal over the processor when either way, everything will run perfectly. There will be no physical advantage of the Galaxy S4 unless you prefer Touchwiz UI to Sony UI (but even then there are launchers you can use). Look at the Quad-Core phones of last year, Galaxy S3 was a lot quicker than HTC One X but who honestly noticed any sort of difference? No one. And who ever will? No one. It's the same story here. No one notices the difference between extremely fast and a little faster so the numbers game is pointless. There's not going to be enough difference between any of the flagships for anyone to get one and then say "I wish I had got a different one".
55. cripton805 posted on 10 Jan 2013, 09:53 0 0
Trust me, being waterproof will not be my deciding factor in purchasing a phone. I dont go around dipping my phone in water and I dont live in Oregon where it rains all the time.
It will be the specs, form factor, and UI. Which is what will make these phones different. Also, Samsung makes great phones. It weird that you would assume
the GS4 will be so inferior.
I love the form and removable backing that the GS3 and Note 2 offers. So that has been all user preference. I dont think it feels cheap at all. If others dont like it, they obviously wouldnt buy the phone. Its still one of the best phones out right now in 2013!
53. DanielJDavidson posted on 09 Jan 2013, 10:21 0 0
Just to clarify - I'm saying it's stupid to hold out for a phone for the sole reason of it having a slightly better processor. It's obviously not stupid to hold out for a specific phone for more than just that. Even I'm going to wait for the Galaxy S4 before getting this to see what Samsung have to offer. They might surprise me - but I doubt it. They disappointed me with Galaxy S3 and they'll probably continue to disappoint. Especially when you consider the Xperia Z will be the alternative plus cheaper. Though if you're going to hold out for a better phone, why don't you try Galaxy Note 3? That will be everything you hope the Galaxy S4 will be....
56. cripton805 posted on 10 Jan 2013, 10:00 0 0
I wouldnt want the note 3 because I dont want anything larger than a 5" screen. I love my GSIII and if you're dissapointed thats too bad. I havent had one problem with it. I can change my battery once it wears, change the backing once its scratched, add memory, it has 2gb of RAM, and I have a bunch of extra small but useful features. It has everything I want and need.
57. dermit88 posted on 10 Jan 2013, 17:50 0 0
Still waiting on the 4.7 inch edge-to-edge waterproof/dustproof/shockproof MotoNexus with a hyperthreading quad core 14 NM process at 2.5 ghz with an Nvidia Kepler GPU running key lime pie....
