Sony Xperia Z review: Zero hour

17 February 2013
With solid backup in the midrange, returning to the fiercest battle in the mobile market is Sony’s top priority. The Xperia Z, which leads the charge, got us properly impressed in a recent hands-on and if it walks unscathed from a complete review, we’ll know the Japanese have hit the form of their life...

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  • D
  • AnonD-86903
  • pTh
  • 19 Feb 2013

GSMArena, please repeat this review with a final version of this phone as well. and we are waiting for battery test.

    • ?
    • Anonymous
    • KZ8
    • 19 Feb 2013

    For those who are saying Sony IU are worst, please have your eyes and brain checked properly. Sony IU are the best UI on the market.

      • U
      • USER
      • PPK
      • 19 Feb 2013

      AnonD-103271, 18 Feb 2013are you saying that when it comes to camera, you are more e... moreno he's saying he has eyes that can pick out the differences...

        • y
        • yogi
        • xfy
        • 19 Feb 2013

        can some one explain the title Zero Hour?

          • D
          • AnonD-56684
          • GRV
          • 19 Feb 2013

          The age old problem is here again with sony.they must shed these TFT screens and move to IPS,PLS or something other of their own.
          I've always liked sony for their great designs but that being said a well known and reputed display maker like sony,should do better than that on their mobile screens.just pump up the R&D in the display dept.

            • s
            • salsa
            • y$H
            • 19 Feb 2013

            I wished this is lumia 920 camera killer.. but it failed

              • e
              • eX Zee
              • 61B
              • 19 Feb 2013

              "To sum things up, Sony has managed to extract more performance from the four Krait cores than any manufacturer to use this chipset." - GSMArena

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • t7X
                • 19 Feb 2013

                For me it is a great phone, as I read but not perfectly understand all of technically. I can say this phone is true to be a great threat to others company. As I always said this phone is overal one of the best. They dont leave too weak in one part but they leave 1 strength and that is the design. Just look at the screen its good but not have wow. Its performance today it is champion but later with the next gen procesos from samsung up to nvidia. It not be the champion. Its music is comparately match to what other has too ofer. Camera ah the good but due to overhypd which disapoints us. But the hdr and lowlyt great feature. And we forget the front camera check the front if they can match other company some other site say its a bloody good!! This always forget. And battery its good but not great. Design never be able to top by top others. Even apple respect sony. So ill wait a great overall phone btw lets a take underwater video with harlem shake dance anyone??

                  • A
                  • Average Android User
                  • t@G
                  • 18 Feb 2013

                  can't help but think the price they're demanding for that kind of dull display is insane plain insane, I'd rather spend half and get pretty much same hardware I.E Nexus 4. Thanks Sony for pushing away your T user.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • v$F
                    • 18 Feb 2013

                    I can see many comments here are really into the camera section...
                    Should the Exmor RS be "better" only under low light OR high contrast situations?? (becuz ISO performance and dynamic range are better) I only see comparisons based on studio shots, so I do have some reservation on bashing the camera on XZ so quick.

                    And though a little off-topic, would the softness in the photo be due to the lens? This tiny little lens might not have the resolving power required for such a tiny sensor + diffraction comes into play, perhaps? Has the era came when the lens is limiting resolution for mobile phones?

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • HKy
                      • 18 Feb 2013

                      Waterproof and dustproof and it looks incredible.

                      They won me over....

                        • D
                        • AnonD-86903
                        • pT6
                        • 18 Feb 2013

                        Anonymous, 18 Feb 2013 worst ui bad camera bad video recording bad speaker ba... moreas a fanboy you're telling the truth.
                        this is one of the best and most beautiful UIs we have.
                        the camera is among the best
                        the audio is among the best ( read the review carefully. that was the loud speaker which didn't do well)
                        and how do you know about the battery??
                        to tell the truth, you're a true fanboy. LOL

                          • ?
                          • Anonymous
                          • t78
                          • 18 Feb 2013

                          worst ui
                          bad camera
                          bad video recording
                          bad speaker
                          bad battery!
                          sorry im just telling the truth

                            • ?
                            • Anonymous
                            • th9
                            • 18 Feb 2013

                            Can't wait to own this beauty. Sony bring it on! Looking forward for xperia togari.

                              • D
                              • AnonD-103271
                              • NFa
                              • 18 Feb 2013

                              AnonD-113429, 18 Feb 2013For me after going through the compare tool in GSM arena, t... moreare you saying that when it comes to camera, you are more expert than sony?
                              you should work for sony r&d and help them build the best camera according to your expertise...

                                • j
                                • jim
                                • R3H
                                • 18 Feb 2013

                                I liked the review the three most important benchmark tests which is what makes a smartphone important and usable in the first place and tells you what sony was focusing on first. 2 gigs of ram how this is another key issue which companies last year failed to give 2 gigs of ram of their flagship phone for the ics os system that needed it however it was not their fault they were focusing on gingerbread os but when they did the ics os upgrade smartphones that were in between the change got degraded use and lost their prestige. Second comes 1080p resolution screen now i can watch 1080p content on my phone couldn't do that before screen is the 2nd most important feature as well. Camera how many times would I avoid shooting in low light because the camera doesnt have the hardware inside that will allow it? xperia z does it though how long will this niche last though? Waterproofing look at the regular xperia pro and xperia active both the same hardware phone with the difference of waterproof and the price differences (20-30%). On the xperia z when they threw in waterproofing in this phone was there a big price difference change than another brand name flagship phone? First hygenic phone that can be cleaned easily on the market smartphones are more dirtier than money when they dont get a cleaning once in awhile. The other things which are nice extras like nfc and dlna which encourages me to upgrade my tv set now so sony has also stimulated the tv market however would i buy a wifi/smart tv or avoid it and get dlna only and save my $200-300 which costs extra for a wifi/smart tv and let the xperia z do the work instead for me? Stamina feature is an amazing feature for standby I would not underestimate it and as long as it gets me by a full 12hour day 5hours they say it lasts playing 1080p video and after if i got a little juice left switch to stamina standby and still not miss a phone call any other phone you got a little juice left and it forces itself to shutdown within minutes on standby. I would still get the Z version for waterproofing backglass use stamina mode standby sort of helps with the battery not removable issue.

                                  • D
                                  • AnonD-85868
                                  • 2IJ
                                  • 18 Feb 2013

                                  Sony used to use led backlit panel, not sure about this one.
                                  But you should know SLCD, IPS or PLS all use TFT panel.

                                    • 1
                                    • 1sickbastard
                                    • t4k
                                    • 18 Feb 2013

                                    Anonymous, 18 Feb 2013If you knew what tft is then this would not bother you. Bec... moreI know the terms are not mutually exclusive. But everywhere it's stated as "just" TFT in the Z spec sheet, whereas previous xperia phones are stated to have LED backlit ones. Are you saying all TFTs are LED backlit now or just the Z's (despite not having been declared as such)?

                                      quite annoying that there are always some disadvantages even in top smartphones (with top pricetags!) :( i hope we will see some phones in the near future w/o any major flaw..
                                      anyway this phone is still amazing (cause the competition has some disadvantages too:\

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-113352
                                        • PGk
                                        • 18 Feb 2013

                                        worst Ui