Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review: Elemental

Display

The Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet has a 10.1" IPS LCD display of 1,920 x 1,200 pixel resolution. The pixel density works out to 224ppi, lower than the 264ppi of the iPad Air and the 299ppi of the Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1.

The Xperia Z2 Tablet screen has amazing colors

The sharpness proves sufficient for tablet use, though we would still have preferred a resolution bump from the previous generation as there is some softness in the finer detail on the screen.

Anyway, Sony has applied its TV making know-how with the unique Live Color LED tech, which uses blue LEDs and Red and Green phosphor instead of the usual white backlight. This combined with Triluminos provides even backlighting and deeper colors. Sony promises the screen is better than others at reproducing reds and aqua blues/emerald greens.

Despite the unusual display tech, the Xperia Z2 Tablet uses a standard matrix

That's not just marketing talk either, the color rendering is indeed impressive and the viewing angles are incredibly wide.

The sunlight legibility suffers quite a bit from the reflectivity of the screen - the glass just reflects too much of the surroundings, which can make it difficult to see what's happening on the screen.

The hardware display features are enhanced by the X-Reality engine that analyzes photos and videos. It sharpens the outlines of objects to make them pop, enhancing color and contrast and applying noise reduction.

Sony has added a feature that lets you manually tune the white balance of the screen, but that can be difficult to get right. We would have preferred something simpler, i.e. just a selection of Cool / Neutral / Warm.

A more helpful option is called Smart backlight controls, which is a reimplementation of Samsung's Smart stay. It prevents the screen from going to sleep as long as the front-facing camera can see your face.

Screen calibration tool • Smart backlight control

Battery life

We have the Wi-Fi only version of the Xperia Z2 Tablet, but even the LTE version lacks voice call functionality so we could only do the web browsing and video playback tests.

The 6,000mAh battery doesn't sound like much, but Sony really managed to squeeze every available minute of battery life out of it.

The web browsing time topped the chart, though that's with a rather dim display. You can read our blog post on the matter for more details.

Web browsing

• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
  12:53
• Sony Xperia C
  12:45h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:40h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  12:37h
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  12:30h
• LG G2
  11:22h
• HTC One Max
  11:20h
• Sony Xperia ZR
  11:20h
• HTC Butterfly S
  11:07h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  10:58h
• Apple iPad Air
  10:10h
• BlackBerry Q5
  10:04h
• HTC One
  9:58h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  9:58h
• Apple iPhone 5
  9:56h
• Samsung Ativ Odyssey I930
  9:54h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  9:47h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  9:43h
• Alcatel Hero
  9:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  9:37h
• LG G Pro 2
  9:31h
• LG G Flex
  9:31h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  9:16h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  9:12h
• HTC One (M8)
  9:06h
• Oppo N1
  9:05h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  9:05h
• Apple iPhone 5c
  9:05h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  9:04h
• Motorola Moto G
  9:04h
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  8:51h
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  8:48h
• BlackBerry Q10
  8:42h
• Asus PadFone 2
  8:20h
• Nokia Lumia 810
  8:20h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  8:17h
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 I9200
  8:17h
• HTC One mini
  8:12h
• Nokia Lumia 610
  8:01h
• HTC One X+
  7:56h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
  7:43h
• Motorola DROID RAZR M
  7:42h
• Sony Xperia E dual
  7:42h
• Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini
  7:38h
• Nokia Lumia 720
  7:37h
• Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
  7:35h
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  7:24h
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  7:23h
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  7:23h
• HTC Radar
  7:17h
• Nokia Lumia 520
  7:15h
• LG Optimus GJ E975W
  7:11h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082
  7:09h
• Sony Xperia M
  7:09h
• Meizu MX3
  7:09h
• Samsung Galaxy Express I8730
  7:09h
• Nokia Lumia 625
  7:07h
• Motorola RAZR i XT890
  7:06h
• Sony Xperia J
  7:06h
• Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4
  6:58h
• Apple iPhone 4s
  6:56h
• Samsung P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7
  6:54h
• Samsung Galaxy Core I8260
  6:54h
• HTC One V
  6:49h
• LG Optimus G Pro E985
  6:40h
• Sony Xperia L
  6:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Premier I9260
  6:40h
• HTC DROID DNA
  6:40h
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  6:40h
• Motorola ATRIX HD MB886
  6:40h
• BlackBerry Curve 9380
  6:40h
• Sony Xperia E
  6:40h
• HTC First
  6:39h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  6:38h
• Sony Xperia Z
  6:37h
• Samsung S7710 Galaxy Xcover 2
  6:35h
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  6:34h
• HTC Desire 500
  6:31h
• Huawei Ascend P6
  6:30h
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  6:27h
• BlackBerry Z10
  6:27h
• HTC Butterfly
  6:24h
• Sony Xperia SP
  6:18h
• Samsung Galaxy S III I747
  6:16h
• HTC One SV
  6:15h
• Samsung Focus S I937
  6:15h
• Nokia Lumia 510
  6:13h
• Sony Xperia ZL
  6:04h
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2 S6500
  6:03h
• Samsung P6200 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  6:02h
• Oppo R819
  6:01h
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  6:01h
• Sony Xperia Z1
  5:59h
• Sony Xperia ion LTE
  5:56h
• Samsung Galaxy Fame S6810
  5:55h
• Samsung Rugby Smart I847
  5:53h
• Pantech Burst
  5:51h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  5:50h
• HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE
  5:48h
• Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G T769
  5:45h
• Nokia Lumia 920
  5:40h
• Nokia Lumia 928
  5:36h
• Samsung S8600 Wave 3
  5:34h
• Pantech Discover
  5:33h
• Oppo Find 5
  5:33h
• Samsung i927 Captivate Glide
  5:33h
• Sony Xperia T
  5:33h
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  5:28h
• Nokia Lumia 900
  5:25h
• Samsung Galaxy Note I717
  5:24h
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  5:23h
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562
  5:23h
• HTC Sensation XL
  5:20h
• Meizu MX 4-core
  5:19h
• Nokia Lumia Icon
  5:17h
• HTC Desire X
  5:16h
• HTC Rezound
  5:16h
• Sony Xperia acro S
  5:16h
• LG Optimus G E975
  5:15h
• HTC Rhyme
  5:08h
• Samsung I9103 Galaxy R
  5:07h
• LG Optimus L9 P760
  5:02h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia pro
  4:50h
• LG Optimus Vu F100S
  4:49h
• LG Nexus 5
  4:46h
• HTC Vivid
  4:46h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos S6802
  4:45h
• Meizu MX
  4:35h
• LG Nexus 4 E960
  4:34h
• Nokia N9
  4:33h
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  4:32h
• Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
  4:24h
• Nokia Lumia 820
  4:24h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
  4:20h
• HTC One X
  4:18h
• Nokia 808 PureView
  4:14h
• LG Optimus 3D Max P720
  4:10h
• Nokia Lumia 900 AT&T
  4:10h
• Nokia Lumia 800
  4:07h
• HTC One S C2
  4:03h
• HTC One S
  4:03h
• BlackBerry Bold 9790
  4:02h
• LG Nitro HD
  4:00h
• LG Optimus 4X HD P880
  3:59h
• Sony Xperia P
  3:59h
• Nokia Lumia 710
  3:51h
• Nokia Lumia 620
  3:50h
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300
  3:47h
• Samsung Galaxy Note N7000
  3:35h
• Huawei Ascend P1
  3:23h
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250
  3:01h

The video playback time was pretty great too, but again it will drop significantly if you push the brightness near the maximum.

Video playback

• LG G Flex
  19:57h
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  16:35h
• Motorola DROID RAZR MAXX
  14:17h
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  13:32h
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  13:12h
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  13:12h
• HTC One Max
  13:11h
• Sony Xperia C
  12:53h
• Samsung Galaxy Premier I9260
  12:51h
• Apple iPad Air
  12:49h
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  12:31h
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  12:30h
• BlackBerry Q5
  12:28h
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  12:18h
• Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 LTE
  12:10h
• LG G2
  11:51h
• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
  11:46
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  11:38h
• Samsung P6800 Galaxy Tab 7.7
  11:37h
• Samsung I9500 Galaxy S4
  11:29h
• Samsung Galaxy Note II N7100
  11:27h
• Oppo N1
  11:15h
• BlackBerry Q10
  11:15h
• HTC One (M8)
  11:14h
• Apple iPhone 5s
  10:31h
• Apple iPhone 5
  10:12h
• HTC First
  10:03h
• HTC One
  10:02h
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  10:01h
• Samsung Galaxy Express I8730
  10:00h
• Samsung I9105 Galaxy S II Plus
  10:00h
• Nokia 808 PureView
  9:53h
• Alcatel Hero
  9:49h
• Sony Xperia M
  9:49h
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  9:42h
• Samsung Rugby Smart I847
  9:34h
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  9:30h
• HTC One S C2
  9:28h
• HTC One S
  9:28h
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  9:27h
• Apple iPhone 4s
  9:24h
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2 S6500
  9:22h
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  9:17h
• HTC Butterfly S
  9:03h
• Motorola DROID RAZR M
  9:00h
• Sony Xperia E
  9:00h
• Samsung Ativ Odyssey I930
  8:59h
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  8:45h
• BlackBerry Z10
  8:44h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  8:41h
• LG Optimus G Pro E985
  8:40h
• Nokia N9
  8:40h
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 I9200
  8:34h
• HTC Butterfly
  8:28h
• Samsung Galaxy Note N7000
  8:25h
• LG Optimus GJ E975W
  8:15h
• Samsung Galaxy S III I747
  8:14h
• HTC One X+
  8:11h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand I9082
  8:11h
• Motorola RAZR i XT890
  8:11h
• Sony Xperia J
  8:11h
• Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
  8:00h
• Samsung Focus S I937
  7:55h
• Samsung S8600 Wave 3
  7:52h
• HTC Desire 500
  7:50h
• Samsung I8190 Galaxy S III mini
  7:46h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
  7:45h
• Apple iPhone 5c
  7:41h
• Asus PadFone 2
  7:38h
• Huawei Ascend P1
  7:38h
• Nokia Lumia Icon
  7:34h
• Samsung Galaxy S Blaze 4G T769
  7:33h
• Sony Xperia ZR
  7:30h
• Samsung Galaxy Core I8260
  7:30h
• HTC DROID DNA
  7:30h
• Samsung S7710 Galaxy Xcover 2
  7:30h
• Samsung Galaxy Note I717
  7:30h
• Sony Xperia SP
  7:27h
• HTC One mini
  7:23h
• Nokia Lumia 610
  7:23h
• LG Optimus G E975
  7:16h
• Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
  7:03h
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
  6:55h
• Huawei Ascend P6
  6:55h
• HTC One SV
  6:55h
• Pantech Discover
  6:55h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  6:54h
• Nokia Lumia 928
  6:54h
• HTC DROID Incredible 4G LTE
  6:51h
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  6:49h
• Nokia Lumia 720
  6:43h
• Huawei MediaPad 7 Vogue
  6:40h
• Motorola Moto G
  6:37h
• Nokia Lumia 900
  6:37h
• Meizu MX 4-core
  6:33h
• Nokia Lumia 620
  6:32h
• Nokia Lumia 625
  6:29h
• Sony Xperia E dual
  6:27h
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  6:27h
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  6:26h
• Nokia Lumia 810
  6:26h
• Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos S6802
  6:25h
• Nokia Lumia 820
  6:25h
• Nokia Lumia 510
  6:23h
• LG Optimus Vu F100S
  6:23h
• Samsung I9103 Galaxy R
  6:21h
• Nokia Lumia 920
  6:19h
• Sony Xperia Z1
  6:12h
• HTC Sensation XL
  6:12h
• LG Nexus 5
  6:06h
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket S5300
  6:06h
• Samsung i927 Captivate Glide
  6:04h
• Sony Xperia ion LTE
  6:03h
• Samsung Galaxy Nexus I9250
  6:02h
• Motorola ATRIX HD MB886
  6:01h
• Sony Xperia T
  6:01h
• HTC Vivid
  6:00h
• HTC Radar
  5:54h
• Oppo R819
  5:54h
• LG Optimus L9 P760
  5:53h
• Nokia Lumia 800
  5:52h
• Nokia Lumia 520
  5:50h
• LG G Pro 2
  5:49h
• BlackBerry Bold 9790
  5:47h
• HTC One X
  5:45h
• Sony Ericsson Xperia pro
  5:44h
• Sony Xperia Z
  5:39h
• Meizu MX3
  5:38h
• Pantech Burst
  5:38h
• HTC Desire X
  5:38h
• Sony Xperia acro S
  5:38h
• Samsung Galaxy Core LTE
  5:34h
• Sony Xperia ZL
  5:28h
• Meizu MX
  5:27h
• HTC Rhyme
  5:23h
• HTC One V
  5:20h
• Oppo Find 5
  5:18h
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  5:18h
• Nokia Lumia 900 AT&T
  5:18h
• Samsung P6200 Galaxy Tab 7.0 Plus
  5:16h
• BlackBerry Curve 9380
  5:09h
• HTC Rezound
  5:03h
• Samsung Galaxy Fame S6810
  5:02h
• LG Nexus 4 E960
  4:55h
• Sony Xperia L
  4:44h
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos S7562
  4:30h
• Sony Xperia P
  4:30h
• LG Nitro HD
  4:17h
• LG Optimus 4X HD P880
  4:14h
• LG Optimus 3D Max P720
  3:28h
• Nokia Lumia 710
  3:27h