Sony Xperia XZ Premium review: Hands-on with the new 4K HDR phone with Motion Eye camera and Snapdragon 835

means new flagship telephones and Sony isn’t any exception. You would possibly nonetheless be ready for the Xperia Z6 however you would possibly wish to let that go and get to know the brand new Xperia XZ Premium. Right here’s our Sony Xperia XZ Premium hands-on overview. See additionally: Best phone 2017.

It may be lower than six months since Sony launched the unique Xperia XZ however we now have a brand new one already. Whether or not you wish to name it the second-generation mannequin or not is as much as you, however the XZ Premium is the agency’s new flagship smartphone for 2017. The agency additionally introduced the XZs in Barcelona however this smaller and extra mid-range mannequin received’t be coming to Europe.

A key factor we don’t know in the mean time is the Xperia XZ Premium worth however we are able to inform you that it’ll arrive in ‘Spring’. The XZ launched at £539 so you may anticipate this cellphone to be costlier, fairly presumably over £600.

Observe: The Xperia XZ Premium we noticed forward of MWC didn’t have ultimate working software program so we’re restricted on what we are able to say.

SONY XPERIA XZ PREMIUM REVIEW: DESIGN AND BUILD

Just like the Z5 vary, the XZ Premium is a much bigger model of the XZ which some larger specs (see under). It makes use of an analogous ‘Loop Surface’ design which goals to imitate a seamless tube of glass. The principle factor is is the very rounded facet which really feel good and we additionally just like the bevelled metallic high and backside.

As if it makes any distinction, the cellphone is a tiny 0.2mm thinner at 7.9mm however is a good quantity heavier at 195g – that is primarily because of a bigger display and greater battery which may be a trade-off you’re superb with.

The XZ Premium is IP68 rated like many earlier Sony telephones which is critical to compete with rival flagships and does embody a 3.5mm headphone jack which is changing into much less frequent.

Sony has determined, fairly actually to reflect, the fashion of the Z5 Premium. Each color choices, Deepsea Black and Luminous Chrome, are extremely reflective and get grubby as quickly as you choose the system up. It’s disgrace there isn’t a matt model for many who aren’t eager on this look – in our expertise with the Z5 Premium, that’s lots of people.

SONY XPERIA XZ PREMIUM REVIEW: SPECS AND FEATURES

One of many major issues the XZ Premium borrows from the Z5 Premium is the big 5.5in display with a 4K decision. Meaning the system is greater than the unique as talked about earlier. In our overview of the Z5 Premium we concluded that you just don’t actually need a 4K display on a cellphone, however the XZ Premium has an extra function that may tempt you.

It helps 4K HDR like many TVs and lends know-how from Sony’s Bravia vary. Sony says HDR gives higher color, distinction and element. Nevertheless, you’ll solely be capable to benefit from this with chosen titles on Amazon Prime Video like The Grand Tour and The Man within the Excessive Fortress.

Whereas the display is actually brighter and extra vibrant in comparison with the Z5 Premium, the show when utilising HDR can look a little bit bit excessive due to the extraordinary colors. (observe that it is tough to seize the distinction in a images).

Regardless of rumours of Qualcomm’s newest chip being reserved for the Samsung Galaxy S8, Sony has put it contained in the Xperia XZ Premium. The Snapdragon 835 makes use of a 10nm course of and will supply higher efficiency and battery life. We haven’t been in a position to make use of the cellphone sufficient to touch upon both but however Sony solely goes so far as to say ‘reliable all day battery life’.

It’s good to 64GB of storage as normal and Sony continues to supply a Micro-SD card slot so you may add extra. The XZ Premium comes with a wholesome 4GB of RAM.

Loads of specs from its predecessor stay together with the fingerprint scanner, USB-C (now v3.1), NFC, Bluetooth 4.2. The bigger system means the battery capability is larger at 3230mAh – not fairly as large because the Z5 Premium although.

It’s the digicam that Sony is actually pushing right here, apart from the 4K HDR display. The decision has dropped to 19Mp however the agency has some attention-grabbing improvements right here in what it calls the ‘Motion Eye’ digicam.

You may be stunned that the decision has dropped however pixels are 19 p.c bigger in comparison with the XZ so that can assist in low gentle. The XZ Premium is the world’s first cellphone to supply tremendous gradual movement video at a whopping 960fps. We tried this on the XZs and the impact is fairly spectacular however it may possibly’t file for lengthy so timing it proper is extraordinarily tough.

One other useful function is predictive seize the place the cellphone detects movement and takes 4 images earlier than you’ve even hit the shutter button. We haven’t been in a position to do this but and whereas it sounds nice, we marvel how shortly it can fill the storage due to issues like folks moving into place for a photograph and many others.

We’ll put it via its paces once we get a ultimate pattern. The entrance digicam stays at 13Mp with an f/2 aperture and 22mm lens.

There’s not a lot we are able to say about software program in the mean time however the whole 2017 vary together with the XZ Premium will include Android 7.zero Nougat out of the field with Sony’s normal interface. We do know it can assist PS4 Distant Play like earlier telephones.

SPECS