Sony Xperia Z5

After only a few months on the market, Sony replaced the Z3+ with the Z5. Although there are some new features on the Z5, critics were not surprised to see that there wasn’t any huge innovation with this iteration of Sony’s flagship phone. Like its predecessors, the Z5 is a mostly glass and metal affair with plastic on the corners. Unlike earlier Z-series phones, reviewers point out the back glass of the Z5 has a frosted finish, which not only helped prevent scratches and smudges but also gave it what they call a more “refined” appearance. While it looks good, they warn the sides of the phone stick out from the glass giving it a sharp feel. Still, they add it still has a premium look and feel and has the added bonus of being dust and waterproof. Perhaps the biggest change design-wise is the oblong power button along the side. This change is due to the new fingerprint scanner which, according to reviewers, works perfectly regardless of which hand they used.

Not much has changed from the Z3+ to the Z5 in terms of the display. It comes with the same 5.2-inch full HD (1,080 x 1,920) IPS display topped with glass. While not game changing, experts still consider it “perfectly good” with deep blacks and punchy color without being too over-saturated. They also appreciated the brightness levels and viewing angles as they were able to read the screen even in sunny conditions. Still, experts agree it can’t stand against the contrast and accurate colors of the Samsung’s or Apple’s display though Alphr adds, “…it’s the match of anything else on the market right now.”

The octa-core processor comes with four 2.0GHz processors that kick in for more intense tasks and four 1.5GHz ones for more basic tasks all backed up with 3GB of RAM. In practice, reviewers didn’t experience any lag when multi-tasking or playing even the most processor intensive games though there was the occasional long pause when opening apps. They did, however, notice it got quite warm even during simple tasks. Other internal specs include 32GB of internal storage backed up with a micoSD card for additional storage. A 2,900mAh battery kept the Z5 running for about 2 days when critics used it lightly.

Sony has not only upgraded its rear camera to a 23MP snapper they also have what they consider the fastest autofocus on the market at 0.03 seconds. While experts did not time it to the exact millisecond, they do agree that it is the fastest they have seen so far and offered clear and in-focus pictures every time. The image they captured came out vibrant with excellent details and contrast in bright, low and every other lighting situation in between thanks to the fast autofocus and optical image stabilization.

The Sony Xperia Z5 garnered high praise and recommendations from reviewers. Recombu states, “Sony’s Xperia Z5 is one of the most desirable and feature-packed phone of 2015…” PC Advisor states, “There’s no doubt that the Xperia Z5 is a solid flagship smartphone from Sony…”