Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact hands-on review

26 February 2018
Unlike many of its big-brand competitors, Sony didn't shy away from major announcements at MWC 2018. In fact, it took the wrappers of a shiny new pair of flagships, that boldly marry new design concepts with incremental hardware updates.

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  • ?
  • Anonymous
  • g@5
  • 08 Mar 2018

I'm actually glad I got my XZ1 Compact, I'm not a fan of the new design. Seems to conform more with the general design trends and I thought the previous designs stood out and made them more unique.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • BtF
    • 07 Mar 2018

    Tann Hauser, 07 Mar 2018Funny how you define flagship. No, those are not only fla... moremeh.
    so thick, it looks unprofessional, with small batttery, and no headphone jack.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • kAF
      • 07 Mar 2018

      Tann Hauser, 07 Mar 2018Funny how you define flagship. No, those are not only fla... moreFunnily enough, OLED is costlier than the LCD by a wide margin. And ironically, it's rated as the best TV by plenty of reviews.. how did they make such fantastic TV's then I wonder..
      Besides
      https://www.pricedekho.com/televisions/sony-kd-65a1-65-inches-oled-smart-tv-price-pqrpJm.html
      Comparable LCD is priced half of this one..

        • ?
        • Anonymous
        • kAF
        • 07 Mar 2018

        Tann Hauser, 07 Mar 2018?? From 2700 maH XZ1 to 3180 mAH XZ2 is about 18% increase... moreI'm talking relative to other brands. Not Sony itself... Like really?

          • d
          • dingdong
          • Q}4
          • 07 Mar 2018

          3D Memorys, 06 Mar 2018Even the HTC design is beautiful than Samsung latest design... moresony is the most uncreative company in the world.
          1. htc change their design every 1 or 2 years
          2. samsung change their design every 2 years
          3. ch!n@ brands also do the same
          4. sony used the same design for more than 5 years, but when they finally change it, they do it in terrible way. copy htc's design, increasing the thickness but removing the headphone jack and not increasing the battery capacity.

            Anonymous, 07 Mar 2018Aren't those 2 the flagship TV's? If their flagship TV's ha... moreFunny how you define flagship.
            No, those are not only flagship models, Sony makes flagship lcd and oled models.
            And I would always go lcd flagship over any oled flagship TV.
            Thousands of bucks for a flagship TV, based on oled, so I could sweat and worry every day about incoming oled color degradation and inburns. No thanks.

              Anonymous, 07 Mar 2018Even by your maths, that is close to 20 percentage increase... more??
              From 2700 maH XZ1 to 3180 mAH XZ2 is about 18% increase, not 6%.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • kAF
                • 07 Mar 2018

                Tann Hauser, 07 Mar 2018The design equals to some 8.5-9 mm thick flatback device.Even by your maths, that is close to 20 percentage increase in thickness that for 6 percentage increase in battery?

                  • ?
                  • Anonymous
                  • kAF
                  • 07 Mar 2018

                  Anonymous, 06 Mar 2018There's only 2 model of Sony tv that are OLED. The rest are... moreAren't those 2 the flagship TV's? If their flagship TV's have OLED? Why not phone?

                    Anonymous, 07 Mar 2018Its a cute, pretty phone style for young kids or teenage gi... moreAhah. :-)
                    Maybe you should check apple about its main target customers. ;-)

                      Anonymous, 06 Mar 2018Also the XZ2 back is curved so it's not a straight "40%" in... moreThe design equals to some 8.5-9 mm thick flatback device.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • Hq4
                        • 07 Mar 2018

                        Tann Hauser, 06 Mar 2018So many words, and yet you said nothing significant about w... moreIts a cute, pretty phone style for young kids or teenage girls. It won't sell well due to its childish design.

                          Anonymous, 06 Mar 2018looks like htc from back. the position of flash, camera, fp... moreEven the HTC design is beautiful than Samsung latest design (actually S9+ S9 are reused the last year design) because curve back design is unique and much fit in hands. Furthermore, the XZ2 even come with the balanced curve back designs while the HTC doesn't. However, the S9+ has the weird fingerprint scanner placement unlike XZ2 has the much ergonomic fingerprint scanner placement. Although XZ2 doesn't the best looking of Sony design it is still better than S9+ S9 because S9+ S9's design must get bored with the curved corner screen (it is the superb gimmick like the notch) and the fingerprint scanner is close to the camera lens and not to mention the on-screen navigation bar is far away from the back fingerprint scanner meaning you have to always adjust your hand position or stretch your finger to press those buttons, while the XZ2 design is unique!

                          Sony improves the phone with much excellent grip, let the user Feel the hand.

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • q}M
                            • 06 Mar 2018

                            Anonymous, 06 Mar 2018More advanced image processing for f 2.0 aperture.. More a... moreAlso the XZ2 back is curved so it's not a straight "40%" increase, the thinnest part (out side edges) is 6mm while the thickest part (middle) is 11mm

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • q}M
                              • 06 Mar 2018

                              Anonymous, 06 Mar 2018More advanced image processing for f 2.0 aperture.. More a... moreThere's only 2 model of Sony tv that are OLED. The rest are LCD. If what you wrote "LED" means OLED, unless you mean LED backlit, which all LCD phones uses.

                              HDR works perfectly fine on LCD, look at Sony's tv ;).

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • IbE
                                • 06 Mar 2018

                                Tann Hauser, 06 Mar 2018So many words, and yet you said nothing significant about w... moreNicely written, I'm in Sony flagships.

                                  • k
                                  • kobresia
                                  • MqE
                                  • 06 Mar 2018

                                  was hope it will look like xa2. I am happy to own xz premium. this happen when pressure is high. sony should stay with brick design. on youtube there are concepts of xperia phones. sony design department should take ideas from them.

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • kAF
                                    • 06 Mar 2018

                                    Tann Hauser, 06 Mar 2018So many words, and yet you said nothing significant about w... moreMore advanced image processing for f 2.0 aperture..
                                    More advanced audio for a device with no 3.5 mm jack..
                                    HDR upscaling for device with non infinite blacks.. not saying it's a bad display, but HDR is best suited for LEDs, just ask TV line up of Sony..
                                    An age old wireless charging which has been useless just couple of months back..
                                    A design that looks like mishmash of phones of years ago..
                                    180 mah(6 percentage) more battery in a body 40 percentage thicker.. a great innovation...

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • y}%
                                      • 06 Mar 2018

                                      3D Memorys, 05 Mar 2018The XZ2 less bezel and with 6mm side frame which is hardly ... morelooks like htc from back. the position of flash, camera, fp is similar to china phone.
                                      and from the front it looks like samsung's phones.

                                      overall.. the design looks cheap

                                        Anonymous, 06 Mar 2018Can't see why you always lie and make up random things. Peo... moreSo many words, and yet you said nothing significant about why that phone would be better buy than XZ2, and for even more money.
                                        You only rant about superiority this and that, without substantiation.
                                        And called me a lier? Lied about what?

                                        Yes, IMO for those that dont mind the lack of jack, XZ2 is a better overall phone, bringing much more new and advanced to the table.

                                        Bionz ISP promises much more advanced image processing.
                                        Remains to be seen if it significantly improves automode lowlight capabilities, but no doubt it makes strides in photo quality over XZ1.
                                        10bit HDR 4k recording, dont know how long it ll take competition to catch up to that dslr level feature...
                                        SDR to HDR upscaling also a new standard, as it is based on Sonys own advanced X reality chip...
                                        DVS promises more immersive gaming experience, a Dualshock PS feature, that gamers will value most certainly.
                                        Front 3D scanner is much more advanced feat than simple animoji creator introduced by other.
                                        Heck they even brought wireless, but with a proper colling deck, to solve exactly the thing I disliked about qi charging, overheating and battery damage.
                                        And design is great IMO, not my cup of tea as I detest lack od jack, and dont like 18:9 aspect or back fp scanner, but definitely best looking fashionably designed phone out there.

                                        So again, where do I lie here?