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Hi guys,
Lets share your personal reviews/first imprrssion about Xperia Z. Below is mine..
Finally I got my Xperia Z - Black Beauty.
Overall its good phone, seriously best from Sony but it could have been more better.
Anyways, I will share more details by tomorrow as I still didnt spent much time with XZ.
UPDATED:
As I am coming from Galaxy Note 2, I want to compare XZ & Note2.
Pros:
-Beautiful Design
-Waterproof
-Good Camera (Rear only)
Cons:
-Speaker position is horrible
-Poor Battery Life
-Front Camera not so good
-Overheating Issues (can tolerate as its waterproof)
-Cannot use Default Launcher with Xperia Widgets: Lags like anything
WHAT I AM MISSING COMING FROM NOTE 2:
-MultiWindow
-Large Screen
-Customizable Notification Bar
sent from Xperia Z
I played with a retail model this afternoon got to take it outside to take some outdoor pics and videos.
Pics are good, video I was less than impressed they were not as sharp as pics and colours were off.
For example I took a pic of a bus at the bus stop the camera replicated with good colour accuracy whilst video made the bus a darker reddish/purple and there was loss of detail and man the slow auto focusing at times that has plagued all previous sony devices was raising it's ugly head again.
Loud speaker is hopeless in evena slightly noisy environment, audio is loud outdoors but bass could have been better.
Also the Z seriously feels a bit boxy imo.
i read in some review that camera app take 2 or 3 second to open up when it not running at background
is true?
r_you168 said:
i read in some review that camera app take 2 or 3 second to open up when it not running at background
is true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes.
Can't say more than wauw. Im very impressed by the quality and quantity of this device
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium
I tried an xperia z in a "3" shop recently. There was a bit of background noise from shoppers and staff talking while I tested the speaker and ringtone volume. This was enough to drown out the sound from the xperia z. Pre-order cancelled, HTC One on order. Shame as I got quite excited about this phone. Good effort though Sony. Must try harder next time!
my mini review
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=38586217&postcount=355
mwatson said:
I tried an xperia z in a "3" shop recently. There was a bit of background noise from shoppers and staff talking while I tested the speaker and ringtone volume. This was enough to drown out the sound from the xperia z. Pre-order cancelled, HTC One on order. Shame as I got quite excited about this phone. Good effort though Sony. Must try harder next time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its a phone, what the hell are you expecting from the speaker?
Its a phone, not a boom box you fool!
samxool said:
its a phone, what the hell are you expecting from the speaker?
Its a phone, not a boom box you fool!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ability to hear the ringtone while out and about I imagine, hardly an unreasonable expectation or reason to be called a fool.
Im in case 5% in 5 minutes(mkv movie 3.5gb 1080p mp4 4mbps birate in bestplayer HD accelation so i was not able to finish film before i run out of juice streaming wifi) , At work i got 150mbps but at home i got 72mbps can not get 150 :silly:
except that every thing is alright I dont have any problem
ahh and manage to warm my hand to the point when they sweaty ! ) 67-70
mwatson said:
I tried an xperia z in a "3" shop recently. There was a bit of background noise from shoppers and staff talking while I tested the speaker and ringtone volume. This was enough to drown out the sound from the xperia z. Pre-order cancelled, HTC One on order. Shame as I got quite excited about this phone. Good effort though Sony. Must try harder next time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is what really bothers me: low ringtone volume. I don't want to lose notifications or incoming calls because of it.
How's the vibration? Can you feel it properly if the phone is in your pocket?
TheKingOfPain said:
This is what really bothers me: low ringtone volume. I don't want to lose notifications or incoming calls because of it.
How's the vibration? Can you feel it properly if the phone is in your pocket?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Vibration is rather strong, im yet to miss a call or text. I always have sound off on my phones.
mwatson said:
I tried an xperia z in a "3" shop recently. There was a bit of background noise from shoppers and staff talking while I tested the speaker and ringtone volume. This was enough to drown out the sound from the xperia z. Pre-order cancelled, HTC One on order. Shame as I got quite excited about this phone. Good effort though Sony. Must try harder next time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems harsh just to cancel a phone just because the ringtone wasn't loud enough. Did you even try it with the xLoud etc on?
And who really uses the sound, you really only have a use for it when the phone is somewhere else but your pocket. (which is where it should be)
Either way. See ya.
I just finished up my review today.
http://geektech.ie/index.php/review-sony-xperia-z/
This is NOT good !!!
Battery draining like anything
sent from Xperia Z
xperiax10.awesome said:
This is NOT good !!!
Battery draining like anything
sent from Xperia Z
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Give it a chance too settle, after about 4-5 full charges; battery will reach full working capacity and also Rom will have built up dalvic cache. So you will certainly get better performance after a few days use.
Sent from my LG-P880 using xda premium
My first impression were very good: I posted them in many threads here.
Though I have some new info:
- Battery lasted for 11h42m yesterday, standby time. Screen on time: 3h22m (auto brightness). I have screenshots to back it up. I was always connected to wifi or mobile network. I didn't play games, mostly chatting, facebook, some youtube videos, listned to some music and internet browsing. It's not horrible, but not very good either. I got home with 1% left at 23:00 in the evening.
Today, I had worse results. Mostly at home all day, so wifi. Had a total of sub 3hours of screenon time! This is already my third charging cycle so I don't expect things to get any better. At the moment I am not impressed by the battery life of the XZ, but it's not horrible either.
- Phone's size and design: beautiful, though it's already not so "WOW" anymore (got used to it I guess). The phone atracts a lot of duts and fingerprints. But what I am starting to see is that the XZ is not so good looking at ergonomic aspects! It just doesn't feel nice in my hand because it isn't curved at the sides/back. I picked up my S3 again today and wow, it felt like a total different kind of thing. It was so comfortable in my hand compared to the XZ, while the S3 is almost as big as the XZ. And because the S3 has no onscreen buttons, the screen actually showed more info then the XZ.
- Screen: I'm getting more and more used to it, it looks really nice and sharp. Viewing angles are starting to bother me less and less, but sometimes I still see them.
- Speaker quality: seems very loud, but quality wise it seems bad. And I cover it up with my right hand a lot without wanting too.
I'm thinking about returning the XZ.... yeah. Didn't expect it myself. But the main problem is: it doesn't feel like a big leap from my S3. So basicly, I bought a new phone (the XZ) which feels much worse in my hand (ergnomic wise, it's not comfortable) then my S3, the screen is bigger but I actually see less content on it because of the software buttons, and while the screen is sharper a bit the viewing angles and contrast are worse. It also isn't a lot faster then my S3, it doens't do anything my S3 couldn't till now (yes HDR video, I tried it once and that's it).
My biggest problem is the size and design: without the curved sides/back the phone is hard to use for me with one hand. Really didn't expect this. This together with what I said above, make me consider returning the XZ and wait for a few more months. I saw (again) an article on a big Ducht newssite about the XZ's succesor and that it will come in summer 2013. It should have a 1080p 4.8 screen and the S600 chipset. This off course also doens't really help my feeling of returning the XZ...
I still have till next week to think about my XZ, but I might return it. No offence to Sony, the XZ is really a good phone, but the fact that I can't use it comfortable in my hand is something important to me. I do have small hands, but I can use the S3 perfectly and the XZ not so much.
EDIT: The other problem is, there isn't anything at the moment which I would consider buying. I have looked again at the HTC One and still don't want it. Maybe I will return my XZ and wait for Samsung to reveal the S4 and hope that it's build quality/design is a step up from the S3. If not, I can get the XZ (or the succesor of the XZ) beginning of the summer. Really bummed out..
XDA mark said:
My first impression were very good: I posted them in many threads here.
Though I have some new info:
- Battery lasted for 11h42m yesterday, standby time. Screen on time: 3h22m (auto brightness). I have screenshots to back it up. I was always connected to wifi or mobile network. I didn't play games, mostly chatting, facebook, some youtube videos, listned to some music and internet browsing. It's not horrible, but not very good either. I got home with 1% left at 23:00 in the evening.
Today, I had worse results. Mostly at home all day, so wifi. Had a total of sub 3hours of screenon time! This is already my third charging cycle so I don't expect things to get any better. At the moment I am not impressed by the battery life of the XZ, but it's not horrible either.
- Phone's size and design: beautiful, though it's already not so "WOW" anymore (got used to it I guess). The phone atracts a lot of duts and fingerprints. But what I am starting to see is that the XZ is not so good looking at ergonomic aspects! It just doesn't feel nice in my hand because it isn't curved at the sides/back. I picked up my S3 again today and wow, it felt like a total different kind of thing. It was so comfortable in my hand compared to the XZ, while the S3 is almost as big as the XZ. And because the S3 has no onscreen buttons, the screen actually showed more info then the XZ.
- Screen: I'm getting more and more used to it, it looks really nice and sharp. Viewing angles are starting to bother me less and less, but sometimes I still see them.
- Speaker quality: seems very loud, but quality wise it seems bad. And I cover it up with my right hand a lot without wanting too.
I'm thinking about returning the XZ.... yeah. Didn't expect it myself. But the main problem is: it doesn't feel like a big leap from my S3. So basicly, I bought a new phone (the XZ) which feels much worse in my hand (ergnomic wise, it's not comfortable) then my S3, the screen is bigger but I actually see less content on it because of the software buttons, and while the screen is sharper a bit the viewing angles and contrast are worse. It also isn't a lot faster then my S3, it doens't do anything my S3 couldn't till now (yes HDR video, I tried it once and that's it).
My biggest problem is the size and design: without the curved sides/back the phone is hard to use for me with one hand. Really didn't expect this. This together with what I said above, make me consider returning the XZ and wait for a few more months. I saw (again) an article on a big Ducht newssite about the XZ's succesor and that it will come in summer 2013. It should have a 1080p 4.8 screen and the S600 chipset. This off course also doens't really help my feeling of returning the XZ...
I still have till next week to think about my XZ, but I might return it. No offence to Sony, the XZ is really a good phone, but the fact that I can't use it comfortable in my hand is something important to me. I do have small hands, but I can use the S3 perfectly and the XZ not so much.
EDIT: The other problem is, there isn't anything at the moment which I would consider buying. I have looked again at the HTC One and still don't want it. Maybe I will return my XZ and wait for Samsung to reveal the S4 and hope that it's build quality/design is a step up from the S3. If not, I can get the XZ (or the succesor of the XZ) beginning of the summer. Really bummed out..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oho, than you should try ZL if it ever released soon in your country, it has smaller form factor with that curved back. Same spec of course, minus the waterproof
arcwindz said:
Oho, than you should try ZL if it ever released soon in your country, it has smaller form factor with that curved back. Same spec of course, minus the waterproof
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
XDA mark said:
My first impression were very good: I posted them in many threads here.
EDIT: The other problem is, there isn't anything at the moment which I would consider buying. I have looked again at the HTC One and still don't want it. Maybe I will return my XZ and wait for Samsung to reveal the S4 and hope that it's build quality/design is a step up from the S3. If not, I can get the XZ (or the succesor of the XZ) beginning of the summer. Really bummed out..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is my problem exactly! I ditched my Galaxy Note 1 because I kept hearing of all the earth shattering flagships coming out. The Oppo Find 5, the Xperia Z, the HTC One. I got a Note 2, and I have the same feelings. Sure its a little faster, but I feel like I am wasting my upgrade (I know that's a uniquely USA problem) on this phone. The Note 1 could do everything nearly as well, especially with custom ROMs.
I can still return my Note 2 but I honestly don't even know what I would use instead. There is nothing that really stands out. I was holding out hope for the Nokia EOS/Lumia 1000 but who knows if that will even deliver anything new.
XDA mark said:
My first impression were very good: I posted them in many threads here.
Though I have some new info:
- Battery lasted for 11h42m yesterday, standby time. Screen on time: 3h22m (auto brightness). I have screenshots to back it up. I was always connected to wifi or mobile network. I didn't play games, mostly chatting, facebook, some youtube videos, listned to some music and internet browsing. It's not horrible, but not very good either. I got home with 1% left at 23:00 in the evening.
Today, I had worse results. Mostly at home all day, so wifi. Had a total of sub 3hours of screenon time! This is already my third charging cycle so I don't expect things to get any better. At the moment I am not impressed by the battery life of the XZ, but it's not horrible either.
- Phone's size and design: beautiful, though it's already not so "WOW" anymore (got used to it I guess). The phone atracts a lot of duts and fingerprints. But what I am starting to see is that the XZ is not so good looking at ergonomic aspects! It just doesn't feel nice in my hand because it isn't curved at the sides/back. I picked up my S3 again today and wow, it felt like a total different kind of thing. It was so comfortable in my hand compared to the XZ, while the S3 is almost as big as the XZ. And because the S3 has no onscreen buttons, the screen actually showed more info then the XZ.
- Screen: I'm getting more and more used to it, it looks really nice and sharp. Viewing angles are starting to bother me less and less, but sometimes I still see them.
- Speaker quality: seems very loud, but quality wise it seems bad. And I cover it up with my right hand a lot without wanting too.
I'm thinking about returning the XZ.... yeah. Didn't expect it myself. But the main problem is: it doesn't feel like a big leap from my S3. So basicly, I bought a new phone (the XZ) which feels much worse in my hand (ergnomic wise, it's not comfortable) then my S3, the screen is bigger but I actually see less content on it because of the software buttons, and while the screen is sharper a bit the viewing angles and contrast are worse. It also isn't a lot faster then my S3, it doens't do anything my S3 couldn't till now (yes HDR video, I tried it once and that's it).
My biggest problem is the size and design: without the curved sides/back the phone is hard to use for me with one hand. Really didn't expect this. This together with what I said above, make me consider returning the XZ and wait for a few more months. I saw (again) an article on a big Ducht newssite about the XZ's succesor and that it will come in summer 2013. It should have a 1080p 4.8 screen and the S600 chipset. This off course also doens't really help my feeling of returning the XZ...
I still have till next week to think about my XZ, but I might return it. No offence to Sony, the XZ is really a good phone, but the fact that I can't use it comfortable in my hand is something important to me. I do have small hands, but I can use the S3 perfectly and the XZ not so much.
EDIT: The other problem is, there isn't anything at the moment which I would consider buying. I have looked again at the HTC One and still don't want it. Maybe I will return my XZ and wait for Samsung to reveal the S4 and hope that it's build quality/design is a step up from the S3. If not, I can get the XZ (or the succesor of the XZ) beginning of the summer. Really bummed out..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I think it isn't worth will upgrading a high end 2012 phone, maybe if Google releases an android version that has something crazy cool and that needs a ridiculous amount of horsepower. Otherwise I think you can hang on to your phone until the end of 2014 or so
Sorry for the long post btw, but here is my review of the HTC One for those who are interested
Just going to add my review, I have had the phone since Friday afternoon and it is now Tuesday afternoon.
I am coming from a HTC Sensation which I’ve had since launch so it was being to feel old, battery get rubbish etc... I have had a HTC for the past 5 years, so yes I am a bit of a HTC fan boy, but I’ll try be as honest as possible. (I was quite willing to go to the s4 if they improved things but they didn’t)
Build quality and physical features:
Firstly like everyone has said, the build quality and feel of the phone is amazing! Better than the iPhone. It is light but it isn’t too light
If that makes sense, it heavy enough to make it feel premium. It looks gorgeous feels gorgeous and is gorgeous. I don’t find it slippery in my hand, however when it’s in your pocket because of its height and smooth back I do feel abit uneasy about it slipping out when you’re sitting down.
I think the size is perfect for me, but that’s personal preference. The volume buttons are nice, in the right place, feel good and easy to press. The
The micro usb is on the button , which is a plus for me to put into my android dock, but is much more to the right hand side, would of been nice for it to be more central but I’m being picky.
The power button is flush and smooth, and far to over the left hand device to me making it awkward if you have small hands (luckily I don’t) however I am totally used to it now so it doesn’t bother me anymore.
The button layout I actually love now I am used to it. Android phones only need 2 buttons, and long as you remember the double tap or hold down home shortcuts you will be fine. You get used to it way to quick, so much that I used my sensation the other day and kept pressing the wrong buttons on it.
Battery: (using auto brightness, power save off, WI fi on mostly.)
Ok so I wasn’t expecting much until I started reading the reviews of people saying it’s awesome. It isn’t awesome, it’s ok. Through a work day with light usage I get from 100% to about 80%, which is more than anyone else. Though saying that it seems most of my battery is trying to find mobile signal (I get crap signal for every network at work) so I’m trying to go aeroplane mode as no point searching for signal that isn’t there, I’ll keep you all updated on how this works out.
Then when I get home I whack out the games, do bit browsing, check Facebook, text all night etc… and it does drop quickly. Both nights I have gone from 80% to 0% in about 5/6 hours with heavy usage. Which tbf isn’t bad, but it’s not great.
Point to add, I’m still messing about with settings and apps, and I do find myself just turning my phone on to play with it , so I’m expecting the battery life to improve when I stop being a little kid . I have also drained it fully and fully charged it 4 times.
For example useage today, my brightness is at lowest it will go, wifi off, radio on, its been on for about 6 hours, about 30 mins screen on, and i have been playing music for about 10 minutes on full volume, my battery is at 79%.
Sense 5:
Very very nice, big improvement over 4 I feel. Nice and clean, simple to use and lots of nice little features, as well as some annoying ones.
I like the icons, I love the message app, it allows you to change theme of how the texts set out, so for example texts sent by you show up one colour, by the other person another, and then a different background. It’s just the little things like that that make a difference. Settings are similar to 4 so nothing to go on about there.
Blink feed is handy, but more a gimmick I feel, they need to greatly improve the sources because all I see at the minute is my Facebook newsfeed which annoys me slightly. But it has potential.
I like when you unlock the screen it goes to where you were last. And the lock screen is very nice and simple. It does annoy me how the preview texts come up though, at the bottom but only 2 lines of it, not like sense 4 when you got the bubble in the middle.
The thing that annoys me is with no menu button you can’t quickly change your wallpaper or go into settings etc... You have to drag down the notification bar and go to settings. When in an app and pressing home button, you go back to the app draw and not the home screen, that annoys me, but is useful every 1/10 times you press it! I would have also liked a quick settings bar but I have an app to do that anyway.
These are all little niggle bits which most of you won’t mind about, and can be resolved with rooting/little software tweaks by htc.
Screen:
Nothing more to say than amazing. Best screen I have seen on a smartphone hand down, viewing angles, colours etc... all brilliant. And the right size
Camera:
I haven’t had a massive play with the camera but what I have I have been impressed. There is virtually no shutter lag which is brilliant (big thing coming from sensation) you press the button it takes a picture, and keep pressing it, it keeps taking pictures. The quality in low light is amazing; you can just see on the screen how much light it is picking up.
The video quality is great and that extra microphone does make a difference to sound quality, there is a lack of bass however but it is crystal clear. Can also take pics while videoing which is handy?
The amount of options to edit your photo is ridiculous; I think I will need a year with the phone to work out all of them! Unsure whether this is a good thing or bad, after all if it’s there but not used, what’s the point? But it is nice you have the option.
Boom sound:
This is the one feature that is literally drawing dropping; the sound that comes out of this phone is amazing. Out of the people I’ve shown they have all been amazed and said wow that is so loud and clear for a phone. The need for those little crappy portable speakers is gone, it still can’t replace a good dock but it comes close.
This is also makes a huge difference when playing games and apps etc... the sound quality and loudness makes it just that much more enjoyable!
Although please note, you will never miss an alarm again! They do need to lower the volume a bit to compensate for the loudness, as stupid as that sounds.
Other:
The processor is amazing and lag free. However it does heat up, not as much as my sensation does when put under heavy load, but it’s noticeable. Plus side is it will make a lovely hand warmer in those cold months, downside I’m guessing the heat with affect battery life.
HTC ONE Vs. Sony Xperia Z
Luckily my brother decided to buy the sony xz the day before I got my one, and I got the chance to compare the phones (sorry no pics or videos didn’t have the time)
I have to say the htc one was better, in my opinion in most ways, it felt better, looked better, nicer screen, better viewing angles, better camera (only tested at a restaurant in low light though).
The only thing I prefer about the sony was the fact the power button was on the side, which made it very easy to press.
Closing thoughts:
The HTC One is no doubt the best phone on the market at the minute in my opinion. It has pretty much everything you want from a phone. It can be improved, of course it can, but HTC are onto a winner here. Everybody who has seen/heard it has said wow that is a nice phone, how much is that etc… Obviously we can’t compare it fully to the s4 yet, which will be its biggest rival, but I think the 2 phones will have different audiences. The question is, will this phone withstand the test of time with key lime pie looking to be released and maybe a nexus 5, we will see!
Please leave your opinions/comments, but note this is my personal view but I welcome a healthy debate on the subject! I hope this helps those who are looking at buying this phone.
UPDATE 21/3
Ok some now ive had the phone nearly a week i have some things to add.
Firstly anybody worrying about the notification LED, dont , it is bar far brightest i have had on any phone (including htc sensation and desire) it might be smaller but it is noticeable, when charging it obviously isnt on full brightness, but when you get a notification its easily see able.
2ndly the battery: I was having play and found i was get some wakelock issues from google maps and fb. I turned off google now and have seen a massive improvement in battery life.
Currently today im on 65% , phone has been on for 13 hours, about hour of screen on time. about 30 mins of playing real racing, tiny bit of checking wi fi etc.. Before i would on about 30% . Therefore my opinion has greatly improved over the battery. Can last me 2 days if i really want it too.
On a side note, i am getting my phone exchanged at end of march due to gap (see the thread on gap issue if you want more info) but i am truely happy with this phone now the battery has improved, and im getting used to doing things slightly different way.
Re: My HTC One review
Nice review. Thx
Ur review about the battery is more reliable to me than those who States 6hours sceen on. 6hours for me is only possible if u just leave the phone on desk with screen on untouched lol.
One question. Can you make a call to someone using speaker and see if the other side Can hear u well?
Also any scratches yet? Is it ez to get scratched?
Thanks
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
ksarius said:
Nice review. Thx
Ur review about the battery is more reliable to me than those who States 6hours sceen on. 6hours for me is only possible if u just leave the phone on desk with screen on untouched lol.
One question. Can you make a call to someone using speaker and see if the other side Can hear u well?
Also any scratches yet? Is it ez to get scratched?
Thanks
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yer i am questioning some of the people who are saying battery is so good, i have always been light on my battery and it is not lasting
as long as my htc sensation. Im trying different things with it atm to see if i can make it last longer, but i mean it still lasts a full day, just about though.
I have been on the phone to a few people and they say the speaker phone is good, not amazing or the best they have heard, but good.
While not on speaker phone people have said its really clear and very little background noise.
No scratches at all yet, ive had no case on it or anything but not a thing, its looks as good as it did on the first day.
The back doesn't smudge at all, and the screen just wipes clear on your shirt.
I hope you have some sunshine to try the screen under direct sunlight
How do you feel the weight of the phone in hand compared to Sensation?
GPS lock is faster too?
vegetaleb said:
I hope you have some sunshine to try the screen under direct sunlight
How do you feel the weight of the phone in hand compared to Sensation?
GPS lock is faster too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We had some the other morning , not alot mind you and i didnt have any problems with viewing the screen, only half brightness, but it wasnt particularly sunny!
GPS lock is much faster than sensation, used to take about 30 seconds on sensation, takes about 5/10 on the one.
Weight wise its feels lighter than the sensation, i have to say as silly as it sounds i think htc have got the weight spot on.
Light enough to hold in and watch film etc.. not too light to feel cheap.
Fair review, nice to read a 'real users' thoughts on the battery, I can only see good things coming for this handset.
I honestly think it'll do the the SGS4 what the SGS3 did to the HTC One X, steal all of it's limelight!
Re: My HTC One review
The-Last-Hylian said:
Fair review, nice to read a 'real users' thoughts on the battery, I can only see good things coming for this handset.
I honestly think it'll do the the SGS4 what the SGS3 did to the HTC One X, steal all of it's limelight!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't know if this is a subliminal message towards my post but whatever. At the end of today it will be two days with the phone. I am noticing that battery life is decent. Not as great as I was hoping it to be, however yesterday I did use the phone really heavily as I had a day off. Unplugged at 100% battery 11am and it was at like 3% come 9pm. That's pretty good but I was hoping it would last at least another hour or two hours. I did have to put it on power saver mode at 20% so that's a thing to note. As I get used to the phone and it goes through a couple of charges I think I will really be able to tell properly but for now, that is all.
Sent from my HTC One using xda premium
TXH
Thanks for the interessting Review !:good:
Thanks for the review. It's always better to hear from the end user instead of web reviews alone. Gives a more balanced opinion. One quest if possible. Any chance you could record loud music maybe from hi Fi or music channel or club to see how sensitive the mic is. You don't have to upload to YouTube. Or if anyone else could test. My One X and Sensation were really poor even though HTC boasted about stereo mic
Once again thanks.
agent.m said:
Thanks for the review. It's always better to hear from the end user instead of web reviews alone. Gives a more balanced opinion. One quest if possible. Any chance you could record loud music maybe from hi Fi or music channel or club to see how sensitive the mic is. You don't have to upload to YouTube. Or if anyone else could test. My One X and Sensation were really poor even though HTC boasted about stereo mic
Once again thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ive recorded sound coming from my bose sound system and it is very good. Better than any smartphone i have heard, it does restrict the bass abit , but you get clear audio so the sacrifice is worth it.
Im updating original as well since i have a few to add about the battery.
Are you having problems with the back button?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
ksarius said:
Are you having problems with the back button?
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nope, sometimes you have to press the back or home button twice but i think down to just missing the exact spot.
But not having the problems some others have described
Phil750123 said:
nope, sometimes you have to press the back or home button twice but i think down to just missing the exact spot.
But not having the problems some others have described
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The predictive text input is fecking horrendous........only thing I found wrong with the phone....
I think the back and home button issue is down to the small footprint of the actual buttons, i reckon people expect to just be able to hit around the area of the button for it to work when in fact it needs to be more precise.
Good or bad?......up to the user, i think good.
dai_griff said:
The predictive text input is fecking horrendous........only thing I found wrong with the phone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install swift key and never look back
Sent from my MB886 using xda app-developers app
So you're returning it for the gap issue?
This worries me. When I had a Desire HD, the speaker blew. I had to give my phone to Telus so they could send it to HTC to have it repaired. They sent it back and it wasn't fixed at all, so back it went. I had to use an HTC Hero for a month.
When I had my iPhone, I just walked into the apple store and they gave me a new one.
I'm worried I am waiting all this time and I'll get a gapped phone, or what have you.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:54 PM ----------
dai_griff said:
The predictive text input is fecking horrendous........only thing I found wrong with the phone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought I saw in a review that the keyboard was way better than any previous HTC phone. It wasn't bad at all on my HTC Desire HD. How bad could it be now?!
Ballfuzz said:
So you're returning it for the gap issue?
This worries me. When I had a Desire HD, the speaker blew. I had to give my phone to Telus so they could send it to HTC to have it repaired. They sent it back and it wasn't fixed at all, so back it went. I had to use an HTC Hero for a month.
When I had my iPhone, I just walked into the apple store and they gave me a new one.
I'm worried I am waiting all this time and I'll get a gapped phone, or what have you.
---------- Post added at 06:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:54 PM ----------
I thought I saw in a review that the keyboard was way better than any previous HTC phone. It wasn't bad at all on my HTC Desire HD. How bad could it be now?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I cant comment on the keyboard as i just installed swift key as i used it on my own phone and cant go wrong with it.
Yup getting it exchanged, but tbf most people seem to have a gap, so im hoping just because its the first batch, and things will improve.
But yer im not worried about the gap now, but to me it what can happen in 6 months time, with use etc.. it will probably expand and
cause problems, so best to get it sorted now.
I did send a pic to htc and they told me to get it exchanged.
So many negative threads about how the screen sucks, the camera sucks etc etc. Would be nice to hear from the people who actually like the Z1. Write down your experience with the phone. It doesn't have to be all rosy but hopefully it will give a little bit more nuance.
Sure.
Last Saturday I got my Z1, I've had a Gnex for a long time and my first impressions are very good. The device is amazingly fast, everything works as it should, multitasking is very good, all performance related things are nothing to complain about.
The screen 'dead-on' is also nice the viewing angles people are talking about is something I don't really see as a problem. I just held the phone in an angle and when the colours start to wash out it's an angle I would never use my phone at. Other than that the camera does have noise issues, although it's not too bad IMHO. (do bear in mind I come from the Gnex so pretty much every new device is a big upgrade) I don't think the noise issues aren't too bad though, as Sony can easily fix the noise issues with a software update. Speaking of updates, the Z1 already had 3 updates. Whether this is a good or a bad thing is up to you, but to me it sounds like it's well supported by Sony.
Battery... I feel mixed about it. It's better than my Gnex, but again, pretty much every device is. I did expect a lot more from a 3000 mAh battery though. I had about 23 hours of standby and roughly 4 hours of screen on time. That is with 3G on all the time, wifi on most of the time and applications like Twitter, Whatsapp and Facebook running in the background. It's a weird thing though, the xperia ZR gets 11:30 (11 hours and 30 minutes) of browsing in the GSMarena test. While the Z1 gets about half of that. I have the feeling Sony has to do some software optimization, since they can pull it off. (note: the ZR battery is 2300 mAh) How long this will take, and if Sony will even do it, I have no idea. If the problem is related to Qualcomm it may take a long time though since they're not very keen on doing things in a different way. (look at the Nexus 7 2013 and binaries)
Overall I personally think the Xperia Z1 is an amazing device. It's super fast, the build quality is amazing and it feels really good.(get a case though!) There are things to improve on such as battery life and it depends on whether you trust Sony to fix these issues or not.
Positve
Got mine yesterday.
S/W: problems yet
Performance: Extremely quick 9/10
Screen Quality: 8/10 but too early to say if I'm just being jaded by all the moaning.
Camera seems pretty good to me, what a blessing a proper camera button makes.
Shame I can't upload samples of photos / videos etc. I will find a way if request. Anyone wanna buy a Galaxy 3? ho ho..
Oh one thing I don't like, is having to uncover the charger port to charge it up (i know its re waterproofing).
My options are :-
Cut the cover flap off or buy a magnetic charger unit £30.00 !!!!! (I probably will.)
So far pretty dam good phone.
Paul
I've had my XZ1 since Saturday 21st sept, and so far I love it, the camera is good but has issues like the grain and noise which prevent it from being a great one.
Love the sharpness and colours of the screen and it's resolution makes browsing the Web or forums so easy.
I've gotten used to the waterproof tabs after having my Xtz before I got the z1 but at least if you don't like having to keep opening the flap you can use a magnetic charger cable or dock.
That's all I can think of at lol
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium HD app
screen is best... best contrast and color you can get... no yellow tint or extra blue. no issue at all..
screen performance not so good from an angle... but who use it like that... 98% i use head on... 2 % ready to sacrifice. for head on awesomeness..
battery is a ****. (Wifi and bluetooth on, may be due to this)
Auto mode of camera is a ****..
play around with ISO in manual mode to get best shot for each scenario...
sound from speaker is not so good... even headphone sound (wired) is not good...
performance... nothing can beat it... samsung s4 struggles before this beast..
i am still on 518 firmware and no software issue so far.. using wireless headphones...
jos_031 said:
screen is best... best contrast and color you can get... no yellow tint or extra blue. no issue at all..
screen performance not so good from an angle... but who use it like that... 98% i use head on... 2 % ready to sacrifice. for head on awesomeness..
battery is a ****. (Wifi and bluetooth on, may be due to this)
Auto mode of camera is a ****..
play around with ISO in manual mode to get best shot for each scenario...
sound from speaker is not so good... even headphone sound (wired) is not good...
performance... nothing can beat it... samsung s4 struggles before this beast..
i am still on 518 firmware and no software issue so far.. using wireless headphones...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For me it's this above plus
Weird touch screen issues where it goes a bit bonkers when doing the pattern unlock.
Wow a positive thread about the Z1, do my eyes deceive me?
Seriously it's nice to see positive in all the threads of doom and gloom.
Nice
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
My showers have become a lot less of a chore and more of a pleasure;
https://vine.co/v/hvY5MVFTLXd?fb_action_ids=10151847100714799
Just add 2 hooks with a little bit of sugru
So I got mine yesterday.
Hardware: I can't tell you how gorgeous this phone is if you haven't seen it yet, the blend of pure vanilla white with the aluminium frame is a spot on direct hit in my eyes. Under the hood HW is even better. The S800 chip seriously flies and it's been a long time but Android is now becoming just as fluid as iOS and WP and it's great to see that.
Software: I am a big fan of the Sony UI simply because it's easy and it looks pretty vanilla, I haven't installed a Homescreen in 2 years now ever since I got a Xperia S and I am not changing that now. There is some minor SW bugs where some dialouges just doesn't show up but I can still press them(if I know their real position)
Camera: The camera is a serious SW mess because I know and I see that Sony has a good camera HW-wise BUT their SW and esspecially Auto mode is seriously one complete mess. Other than the major problems with the noise the camera app is fluid and it's quite promosing to have some nice options like AR and the Livestream mode.
Sound: THe loudspeaker is decent and nothing you would cheer about but it's better than my old XS of course. The headphone jack for me is perfect and I hear absolutely no difference when playing the same song on my XS or my Z1
Screen: THe screen for me is supersharp, I can only see a little difference in sharpness between my XS and Z1 but that is expected but still it's a nice feature. The colours are almost accurate(I had to increase my blue level by +3 to +4), viewing angles aren't the best but they are clearly better than my XS besides head on is the way to go in my world.
Battery: Battery is a mixed bag; Standby is EXCELLENT hours can go and the phone is still on the same percentage. However and this is a big one the battery during Web browsing or other minor things is seriously underperforming. Clearly this is also something wrong with the SW because other Sony phones does not have the same problem.
I hope this gives a good view on the phone, clearly Sony needs to fix the battery and the Camera and for some swap out faulty screens. Other than that my money was well put!
I got my XZ1 on monday and I love it so far! Yeah the viewing angles aren't the best but who is gonna use their phone from those angles? The camera is good, yes it needs some improvements but it isn't unusable.
The waterproof tabs take some getting used to after coming from a Nexus 4 but my battery lasts me about a day and a half almost 2; so I don't have to undo the tab to often.
I like the speaker, it isn't as loud as the one on the Note 2 I had but it is WAY better than the Nexus 4. I really like the notification LED also, its in a really discrete location and its pretty visible; and paired with light manager it is really useful for me.
Wifi has also been good for me, at least compared to my old N4. The overall speed of the phone is awesome! This thing rips!
Coming from the Nexus 4 this was a SOLID upgrade for me. SD card slot, better camera, Snapdragon 800, better speakers (ear piece also), and its waterproof? I can't really complain on my end!
I think people are just being a little too picky. I mean come on the phone has only been out for almost a week now. What else can you expect? Sony has been releasing updates pretty frequently so hopefully everything will get better soon.
So i will do that short: Sony Xperia Z1 is just good. Not perfect. but good and defently better as my old Xperia S. (Whiches i aso not so bad if i compare to to other cellphone from this timewindow)
Mine is good so far, only got it for 2days will test camera etc some more
One thing I can say about the screen:
I went to local store and compared to ZU screen, both on full brightness and my Z1 screen definitely has better colors and details then Z1. I tried the Sony sample pics and compared those.
Better details is due to 5" vs 6.4" I guess. But colors are really better on Z1, also in video I noticed the same result
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
Love the z1
Got the Z1 on pre-order, arrived the 17th.
- First thing i notice, phone is not bulky (in oposition to what reviewers say). Second thing, sony actually provides screen protect (Awsome)
- Phone turns on great and continues to perform great, Loving 4g and the speed and smoothness of the whole system.
- Screen contrast is not superb, lost in comparison to the s4, but during video streaming/playback, it performed amazingly as being hit directly by sunlight it was still very clear.
- Overall The phone is amazing, everyone says constantly i can't stop playing around with it (so true).
The only negative i have is battery life. Due to my constant use it drains very very quickly. But i think i'll be able to fix that.
B1nny said:
Sure.
Last Saturday I got my Z1, I've had a Gnex for a long time and my first impressions are very good. The device is amazingly fast, everything works as it should, multitasking is very good, all performance related things are nothing to complain about.
....
Overall I personally think the Xperia Z1 is an amazing device. It's super fast, the build quality is amazing and it feels really good.(get a case though!) There are things to improve on such as battery life and it depends on whether you trust Sony to fix these issues or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see you're from the Netherlands. Could you confirm we are still on 14.1.G.1.518 firmware? It seems everyone who has been able to upgrade to 534 firmware has far better camera results, yet I cannot update to this new firmware, still stuck on the old one. I'd love to update the firmware to get better camera results but I do not want to root this phone. I'm on Vodafone RED 4G btw, dunno if it mathers.. Thanks.
bramgg said:
I see you're from the Netherlands. Could you confirm we are still on 14.1.G.1.518 firmware? It seems everyone who has been able to upgrade to 534 firmware has far better camera results, yet I cannot update to this new firmware, still stuck on the old one. I'd love to update the firmware to get better camera results but I do not want to root this phone. I'm on Vodafone RED 4G btw, dunno if it mathers.. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am. I can confirm I didn't get any updates on my unlocked Z1. I updated to 534 manually via flashtool though. (doesn't void warranty) I have no idea why we don't get the updates pushed to our phones.
thought i'd give my 2 cents here as i have been seeing a lot of negative comments, especially from people who judge way too quickly. Back when the Z came out i followed it madly and already had it on pre-order but i ended up getting a htc one. Ive had this phone for 2 days now and compared to my htc one it is a definite improvement. The only thing im getting used to is the size of the phone, i have small hands so you can imagine its not a 1 handed affair, but you cant fault the build quality, i love the fact that sony puts its own screen and back panel protector on (remember the x10). Call quality is amazing i have to say, loud and clear. performance is amazing, i can see the improvements in the chipset s800 has over s600 (was in my htc one), in real life you wont notice it too much but its defo there, games run amazing no lags and hits a very good fps (wild blood, real racing 3 in particular looks and plays amazingly). I've not really played with the camera much but its better than my htc one, that was the only thing i was disappointed with that phone. Now i have been constantly messing about with the phone so cant really give an accurate example of battery life, but what are you supposed to expect from a phone specc'd like this, yes it has a bigger capacity battery, it also has a big screen and a powerful cpu too, if i get a full days use out of it il be happy.
The Z1 is easily the best phone ever built. Its so nice to hold and use. Definitely my favourite phone to date and I have owned nearly all the previous flagship phones from most companies.
Absolutely blown away by this phone it's just amazing for me.
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Xperia Z1 music video
Hi,
I'm totally new to android and the Z1 is my first personal android phone. My expectations where so high coming from many years of All iPhones.
I don't want to start a flame but yes I think android is a little behind (in some aspects) to ios7 BUT this device is actually freaking awesome and looks to me the only one that can beat the iPhone quality.
- High quality. When you touch it you feel that your money are well spent.
- The camera (if we consider is a phone) Is just super good.
- The Sony rom doesn't make me sad as and in a hurry to grab a random 3th party rom
- Display is super good colors looks real and rich. Yes view angles are not awesome but only crazy people use the phone in that way. One thing that NO ONE MENTION is that any phone is close to the iPhone under the sun. Surprise surprise according to phone arena the Z1 is in 2 place. That's for me means A LOT more than insane view angles. The only difect so far is the black. The display show (only in some circumstances) one of the lightest black on the market. You'll may notice it watching a movie (a dark one) in a dark room.
- screen protector: isn't so fragile as many said but yes isn't olephobic
Am I satisfied? A lot!!!!
Sent from my C6903 using xda app-developers app
So, after two weeks of use, I am still loving the phone overall. I do however have some nitpicks that I would like to share here, just for edification.
(1) The automation software that Sony has written is buggy and I mean really buggy. My main issue is that the state changes don't return the phone back to the way it was before the automated state went into effect. For example, NIGHT silences everything, but if I was silent before and I take the phone off the charger in the middle of the night, it turns sounds back on.
(2) Bluetooth - My bluetooth module crashes EVERY time I am in the car and connected. If I'm on a call, it goes in and out at least once. I would say it is the car's bluetooth, but I've never had this happen with other phones.
(3) Wi-Fi - My wifi connection at work has been spotty, but now I sit directly under an access point. The Z2 contines to go in and out of service for no reason. It still may be the connection at work, as it doesn't happen on my home network. But, I find it quite strange.
(4) Docked - The wake-up screen doesn't switch to vertical when the phone is docked. The home screen does.
(5) Phone screen - Not sure who laid the screen out, but it is too easy to engage the phone pad screen, which in turn starts dialing numbers. The sensor doesn't seem to recognize my big face on it, so it doesn't turn off while in a call. DO NOT LIKE.
(6) Autodimming Feature - doesn't really work as advertised. If I'm in a dark room, I don't need the screen to be full on. And yet, it does.
(7) 4K camera recording shut off AND manual camera (20MP) gets an over heating after a few pictures.
now, the good part...
(1) Screen is great for everything, I don't know what people are complaining about. No it isn't flame on strong like a Galaxy S5, but it works and very well, for whatever I need.
(2) Battery life and performance are phenomenal
(3) Simple Android skin.
(4) Camera quality is fantastic. Even in a dark room I got great pictures.
Thanks for info. Looking at bright side, most of your problems should be solved with software update.
I love everything about this phone except one thing :
I have T-Mobile and before this I had Nexus 5 and mostly I had LTE almost ever where but with this phone that percentage is lowered now and rather than having 90% of LTE everywhere I have like 50% LTE everywhere and mostly H+, I don't know why or maybe that's how's this phone or maybe if they release a better radio or firmware if fix the problem, I hope for it.
Thanks for the info/initial impressions. As already mentioned, most of your problems seem to be due to software issues that could well be fixed in the future. However, the overheating issue concerns me a lot. What if it's a design fault and no ROM updates are going to fully solve it... Idk...
vctrdnl said:
Thanks for the info/initial impressions. As already mentioned, most of your problems seem to be due to software issues that could well be fixed in the future. However, the overheating issue concerns me a lot. What if it's a design fault and no ROM updates are going to fully solve it... Idk...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have had the phone for more than a week and I have to say I love it. I can confirm a few niggles here and there, but nothing deal breaking and I can see myself living with the phone for the next few years. I agree with many that the real killer issue here is overheating. While initially restricted to 4k recording, it seems that the issue is more widespread than this, and today it happened to me recording 1080p at 60fps as well as 4k recording. Only a few minutes in each time. No each time the phone did not feel particularly hot, so I suspect this is predominenty related to the threshold set for the software to go in safe mode so that could be fixed if that was inadequate calibration.
Saying that, I find it difficult to believe that an issue like this could not have been picked up during testing... Certainly makes it looked like they did fry up a few phones during development for them to be so overly (?) cautious on this...
I have the same problem with the spotty wifi. It can drop and go back to LTE all of a sudden with no apparent reason. And it has the tendency to lose mobile connection while I'm traveling on the train, I don't get this with my S3. Fortunately I'm sure Sony can fix these issues buy upgrading the radio and software updates. It's just a matter of whether they will take notice.
Sent from my non-Apple device via XDA App
You know I think Sony makes bad radio antenna. cause Xperia SP is also having issues of dropping signals right now with it's latest update.
Once I went out for skiing and I was using Xperia Z and my two friends had HTC Evo 3D and GS3, they both got h+ yet I only got edge which kinda sucked.
Well, Ive had the phone for a week today
I haven't had the same issues as the OP,
the automation software I do have issues with as in night mode it does not turn off notifications and the picture viewer starts, but the way I have got round this is to go to flight mode at night
No problems whatsoever with Bluetooth connections in my S-0max, Freelander or Jag XF, all working perfectly
no problems with wifi, but I did have to uncheck the "Avoid Poor Connections" in advanced wifi setting
no issues with phone pad random dialling or catching it
agree with camera quality, screen quality and noise cancelling headphones are great (but are awful in my ipad, terrible quality on that)
would agree the sound levels are too low, needs an update to increase volume choices
Warkman said:
Well, Ive had the phone for a week today
I haven't had the same issues as the OP,
the automation software I do have issues with as in night mode it does not turn off notifications and the picture viewer starts, but the way I have got round this is to go to flight mode at night
No problems whatsoever with Bluetooth connections in my S-0max, Freelander or Jag XF, all working perfectly
no problems with wifi, but I did have to uncheck the "Avoid Poor Connections" in advanced wifi setting
no issues with phone pad random dialling or catching it
agree with camera quality, screen quality and noise cancelling headphones are great (but are awful in my ipad, terrible quality on that)
would agree the sound levels are too low, needs an update to increase volume choices
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad I get to pick mine up today. I will say that when I had the z1 that it had low signal issues where it would cycle between LTE, HSPA and no signal in areas where other att phones stay locked on one or two bars of LTE. I'm hopeful this one will be a bit better, but we'll see.
Had my Z2 since Tuesday, It's going back!! Only for a replacement though as I love it.
Reason for going back, the gap is present on the top right on the phone.
other problems I have is the camera. Amazing results but I keep getting overheating message and shutdowns, and the keyboard is a nightmare, keep missing the space bar, but this is no big issue.
The good things, well just about everything else. The speakers are amazing, the screen is absolutely gorgeous, and it is not dim, I spend most of the day with it on auto with slider at the lowest setting. The mrs says it's ugly and looks old, I do not agree with this, it's gorgeous, and looks sleek and elegant.
Would I recommend, hell yeah!!
One further note, when you place it on the stand at night and go sleep, don't leave the bloody vibrate on, man, I sh*t myself and so did the Mrs, followed by me getting a bit of verbal!!!
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
jayc1980 said:
Had my Z2 since Tuesday, It's going back!! Only for a replacement though as I love it.
Reason for going back, the gap is present on the top right on the phone.
other problems I have is the camera. Amazing results but I keep getting overheating message and shutdowns, and the keyboard is a nightmare, keep missing the space bar, but this is no big issue.
The good things, well just about everything else. The speakers are amazing, the screen is absolutely gorgeous, and it is not dim, I spend most of the day with it on auto with slider at the lowest setting. The mrs says it's ugly and looks old, I do not agree with this, it's gorgeous, and looks sleek and elegant.
Would I recommend, hell yeah!!
One further note, when you place it on the stand at night and go sleep, don't leave the bloody vibrate on, man, I sh*t myself and so did the Mrs, followed by me getting a bit of verbal!!!
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Iam thinking of buying this phone asap
Sent From S4 I9500 Crash Rom Final 4.4.2
paras said:
Iam thinking of buying this phone asap
Sent From S4 I9500 Crash Rom Final 4.4.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i would too, but the overheating issues are a turn off. hoping the second batch of Z2s would not have such problems
SexyIceCream said:
i would too, but the overheating issues are a turn off. hoping the second batch of Z2s would not have such problems
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But then z3 would be announced
Sent From S4 I9500 Crash Rom Final 4.4.2
paras said:
But then z3 would be announced
Sent From S4 I9500 Crash Rom Final 4.4.2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol..perhaps a s5 would be the better choice then...but i am really tired of the design language being used by them come on, sony! lets hope the overheating can be solved through a software update
I've had mine since the 17th of April and I haven't experienced most of the problems the OP listed. I've had the 4k over heating force closing camera app but that was only on the first day because I was already using the camera for ages before testing 4k. Since then it's never happened again. Never happened with 1080p video at any point even 60fps.
No problems with lte or wifi. Don't use bluetooth much so can't comment there. Automodes work OK for me. Well it's just the night mode I used so no extensive testing done there.
Z2 rocks, put it this way, I've spent a lot of time criticising most of the Sony Ericsson and Sony devices I've owned but the z2 ain't gonna join that list.
The display is class leading, whites may not be the whitest but they're white enough. The colour reproduction is spot on despite the vibrancy unlike you know who. Performance is boss too. Only notice frame drops in games when the phone gets very hot after prolonged periods.
Sound quality is great too and I for one don't have any problems with notifications. I hear them from the living room when I'm outside. I also like the fact that it automatically adjusts the sound volume depending on what you're doing. It's loudest during gaming. I think that's good because I can just leave the phone on full volume and it automatically takes care of everything. No need to keep adjusting the volume. Another thing I discovered is that you can zoom in on any video you record with the device, not just 4k. Obviously not as much detail is preserved but it's great nonetheless.
The camera for me is the real star of the show. Not really a superior auto man because historically that produced the worst results possible especially with the Z. Not this time though. Manual for me is still king but superior auto has been greatly improved and you can be happy using it. It actually does a better job at white balance under artificial lighting. Something I hope is addressed in manual mode with software updates.
As for photo quality, it's fantastic at 8mp. Sure you can't zoom in as much as with 20.7mp but the quality is much better in ever respect. Detail preservation, colour reproduction, dynamic range etc. Fantastic job done here by Sony. They've certainly joined Nokia in the premier league of smartphone cams. If the lumia 1020 is an incredible 5mp camera, think of the z2 as an incredible 8mp camera.
Took me a while to get used to the size of the phone though but I'm over that now. Z starting to look an feel small now lol!
All in all, it's not only by far and away the best effort from Sony, it's the best smartphone ever built. It's monolithic rectangular design might not be everyone's cup of tea especial those who like to grip their phones but I love it and hope Sony never changes it. To give you some perspective, I absolutely hated the xperia arc design. That's just me I know. The m8 might feel more premium but I think it's butt ugly with those juvenile speaker grills. I actually prefer the s5's look if not feel.
There's more to talk about especially the noise cancelling genius. Works like a charm and does exactly what it claims to do.
It's also pretty solid and rugged. I've dropped mine a few times and it's shown no damage at all. I'm glad Sony went back to the original z design and put a plastic edge around the aluminum frame. My mates z1 is already showing signs of age but the z still looks fab. I think z2 will stand the test of time much like the z did.
For the bad, the phone is way too slippery hence why I've dropped it a lot. It even slides off surfaces on its own lol.
The camera also tries to force the bokeh effect on you. If you have anything that remotely looks dominant and central to the scene, the camera tends to blur out a bit objects in the background. IPhone 5s does this too but is sort of annoying especially when the z2 has a dedicated shooting mode for this. Admittedly one that's not the most accurate. Well even m8 with its secondary depth sensor is inaccurate so let's not take the high ground here.
To avoid rambling on, this is one phone I'll gladly recommend to anyone who isn't worried about size. For those of you that are, just wait for the z2 compact.
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
zodiac100 said:
I've had mine since the 17th of April and I haven't experienced most of the problems the OP listed. I've had the 4k over heating force closing camera app but that was only on the first day because I was already using the camera for ages before testing 4k. Since then it's never happened again. Never happened with 1080p video at any point even 60fps.
No problems with lte or wifi. Don't use bluetooth much so can't comment there. Automodes work OK for me. Well it's just the night mode I used so no extensive testing done there.
Z2 rocks, put it this way, I've spent a lot of time criticising most of the Sony Ericsson and Sony devices I've owned but the z2 ain't gonna join that list.
The display is class leading, whites may not be the whitest but they're white enough. The colour reproduction is spot on despite the vibrancy unlike you know who. Performance is boss too. Only notice frame drops in games when the phone gets very hot after prolonged periods.
Sound quality is great too and I for one don't have any problems with notifications. I hear them from the living room when I'm outside. I also like the fact that it automatically adjusts the sound volume depending on what you're doing. It's loudest during gaming. I think that's good because I can just leave the phone on full volume and it automatically takes care of everything. No need to keep adjusting the volume. Another thing I discovered is that you can zoom in on any video you record with the device, not just 4k. Obviously not as much detail is preserved but it's great nonetheless.
The camera for me is the real star of the show. Not really a superior auto man because historically that produced the worst results possible especially with the Z. Not this time though. Manual for me is still king but superior auto has been greatly improved and you can be happy using it. It actually does a better job at white balance under artificial lighting. Something I hope is addressed in manual mode with software updates.
As for photo quality, it's fantastic at 8mp. Sure you can't zoom in as much as with 20.7mp but the quality is much better in ever respect. Detail preservation, colour reproduction, dynamic range etc. Fantastic job done here by Sony. They've certainly joined Nokia in the premier league of smartphone cams. If the lumia 1020 is an incredible 5mp camera, think of the z2 as an incredible 8mp camera.
Took me a while to get used to the size of the phone though but I'm over that now. Z starting to look an feel small now lol!
All in all, it's not only by far and away the best effort from Sony, it's the best smartphone ever built. It's monolithic rectangular design might not be everyone's cup of tea especial those who like to grip their phones but I love it and hope Sony never changes it. To give you some perspective, I absolutely hated the xperia arc design. That's just me I know. The m8 might feel more premium but I think it's butt ugly with those juvenile speaker grills. I actually prefer the s5's look if not feel.
There's more to talk about especially the noise cancelling genius. Works like a charm and does exactly what it claims to do.
It's also pretty solid and rugged. I've dropped mine a few times and it's shown no damage at all. I'm glad Sony went back to the original z design and put a plastic edge around the aluminum frame. My mates z1 is already showing signs of age but the z still looks fab. I think z2 will stand the test of time much like the z did.
For the bad, the phone is way too slippery hence why I've dropped it a lot. It even slides off surfaces on its own lol.
The camera also tries to force the bokeh effect on you. If you have anything that remotely looks dominant and central to the scene, the camera tends to blur out a bit objects in the background. IPhone 5s does this too but is sort of annoying especially when the z2 has a dedicated shooting mode for this. Admittedly one that's not the most accurate. Well even m8 with its secondary depth sensor is inaccurate so let's not take the high ground here.
To avoid rambling on, this is one phone I'll gladly recommend to anyone who isn't worried about size. For those of you that are, just wait for the z2 compact.
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
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thanks for your input! but btw, when you mean you haven't faced the overheating for 4k, was it at least 5 minutes? i fully intend to use the z2 for an upcoming concert, so at least 5 mins of 4k would be awesome(for cropping/zooming in) :good:
SexyIceCream said:
thanks for your input! but btw, when you mean you haven't faced the overheating for 4k, was it at least 5 minutes? i fully intend to use the z2 for an upcoming concert, so at least 5 mins of 4k would be awesome(for cropping/zooming in) :good:
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Before replying, I started another 4k video to see what happened. It recorded for 5mins 22 seconds and then forced closed. Mind you I've been using the phone all morning so was already a bit hot. I think it all depends on the temperature of the phone. If cool, you can probably record for longer. You can though zoom into any video you record. I would suggest using 1080 at 60fps at the concert or just make sure your device is cool before recording in 4k.
I think it's a threshold Sony set for it. If that's correct then removing or increasing this threshold may result in people pushing it too far and damaging their devices.
If it's not a threshold then who knows, there maybe a fix released at some point. Don't forget, the z2 really hasn't got going yet. Sony is still struggling to make it widely available so we may have to wait a few months for any fixes.
I'll wait for the device to cool down completely and retry. I'll come back to you then.
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
zodiac100 said:
Before replying, I started another 4k video to see what happened. It recorded for 5mins 22 seconds and then forced closed. Mind you I've been using the phone all morning so was already a bit hot. I think it all depends on the temperature of the phone. If cool, you can probably record for longer. You can though zoom into any video you record. I would suggest using 1080 at 60fps at the concert or just make sure your device is cool before recording in 4k.
I think it's a threshold Sony set for it. If that's correct then removing or increasing this threshold may result in people pushing it too far and damaging their devices.
If it's not a threshold then who knows, there maybe a fix released at some point. Don't forget, the z2 really hasn't got going yet. Sony is still struggling to make it widely available so we may have to wait a few months for any fixes.
I'll wait for the device to cool down completely and retry. I'll come back to you then.
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
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thanks loads! haha if it would really take months, the Z3 would be out already(as said by another member above) i still think their 6 months refresh rate is a tad too fast but oh well
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
---------- Post added at 11:19 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 AM ----------
SexyIceCream said:
thanks loads! haha if it would really take months, the Z3 would be out already(as said by another member above) i still think their 6 months refresh rate is a tad too fast but oh well
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I think the 6 month cycle is disgusting. Nobody benefits from this. Not consumers and not Sony. With all the delays I doubt we'll see z3 until next year. I think z2 compact and possibly z2 ultra are more likely later this year. Sony would just have absolutely no justification for pushing the z3 in September. Even if they do, it'll just be another rough sketch phone like the z1 was. One which I'll surely be skipping and would advise others to do so as well. 6 months is way too short a time to develop a phone. You'll end up with another unrefined rough sketch. Let's be honest, the z1 looks now like an early prototype of the z2. If it was a proper construct, they would have called it the z2. The z1 was the original z. The z1 was a child of pure greed on Sony's part. I'm sure most z1 users will be wishing they'd skipped that device. Doing think there were that many z users who wished they'd waited for the z1 though. We've seen what Sony has to offer for 2014 and you'll realistically have to wait at least a year to any meaningful improvements. Case in point, z2 and z1 have similar camera specs but z2 produces infinitely better results. Why? The z1's camera was just the hardware without the refinements needed. Like I said, it was a rough sketch of what Sony had to come. In my opinion h2 flagships from Sony are nothing but dishonest devices. Sony's basically selling early prototypes to consumers.
Sent from my D6503 using xda app-developers app
Are you guys on the 2.55 or 2.69 firmware? Maybe the 2.69 has some changes to help with the overheating.
I am so disappointed this phone didn't deliver what I expected. I absolutely loved it from the moment I received it, but it just won't work out. I am returning it today and going back to my Z3. The reasons are:
Snapdragon 810
Yep, that's it. This otherwise amazing phone was ruined by the SD810. I use my phones as my main camera, which has to work properly under tough situations. Nearly every phone I've had before was able to handle extreme conditions well; the Z5C wasn't. I take lots of pictures and videos, often north of 300 plus about an hour of 1080p videos per day. My Z1C withstood hot tropical summers and delivered every time under these conditions.
I was out last weekend and ready to test the camera on my new toy. I used Waze for about 20 minutes, starting from "idle." The phone got warm really fast. Then I got to the destination, thought I could record some 60fps 1080p videos, and was able to record about 10 minutes, then I got the famous message saying that the temperature was rising and the camera app would shut down soon to cool down the phone. It was uncomfortably hot. Mind you, the weather was fairly cool at 60°F. The battery was also going downhill real fast. I decided to turn the phone off and head out to another location. When I got there, I turned the phone back on (it cooled down quickly), and started recording some more videos. By now I was afraid to record anything longer than 5 minutes because I thought the phone would overheat and leave me hanging without a camera. I didn't get to that point, but missed lots of opportunities because of the overheating threat.
In less demanding situations, my phone got warm and uncomfortable to hold as well. From idle, my phone gets warm by simply surfing the internet for 5-10 minutes. It can be on Wifi or LTE, max/min brightness, it will warm up regardless. It doesn't get hot like when taking pictures, but come on. How can it get warm after 5-10 minutes of surfing the internet? That's really bad. The default state of the phone is running warm. Imagine if I go outside during summer and take 2 or 3 pictures. The phone is gonna melt in my hand. I can't rely on it. That's very unfortunate, because this phone is the absolutely best thing I've ever had the privilege of owning. Everything else is perfect. Size, battery life, screen, storage, fingerprint reader, waterproofing, open USB port... I'm gonna have to sit down and patiently wait for the next Compact to come out. What a shame.
Some people complain about the heat but others don't... Hopefully my phone doesn't have the misaligned lens issue, the back crack issue and the overheating issue. My Z1 compact is totally wrecked, worst comes to worst I'll just wait for the Z6 compact.
theprince1991 said:
Some people complain about the heat but others don't... Hopefully my phone doesn't have the misaligned lens issue, the back crack issue and the overheating issue. My Z1 compact is totally wrecked, worst comes to worst I'll just wait for the Z6 compact.
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same here.. hoping the device I ordered is free of issues.. I finally found a deal on amazon for $460..fingers crossed!
android_fury said:
I am so disappointed this phone didn't deliver what I expected. I absolutely loved it from the moment I received it, but it just won't work out. I am returning it today and going back to my Z3. The reasons are:
Snapdragon 810
Yep, that's it. This otherwise amazing phone was ruined by the SD810. I use my phones as my main camera, which has to work properly under tough situations. Nearly every phone I've had before was able to handle extreme conditions well; the Z5C wasn't. I take lots of pictures and videos, often north of 300 plus about an hour of 1080p videos per day. My Z1C withstood hot tropical summers and delivered every time under these conditions.
I was out last weekend and ready to test the camera on my new toy. I used Waze for about 20 minutes, starting from "idle." The phone got warm really fast. Then I got to the destination, thought I could record some 60fps 1080p videos, and was able to record about 10 minutes, then I got the famous message saying that the temperature was rising and the camera app would shut down soon to cool down the phone. It was uncomfortably hot. Mind you, the weather was fairly cool at 60°F. The battery was also going downhill real fast. I decided to turn the phone off and head out to another location. When I got there, I turned the phone back on (it cooled down quickly), and started recording some more videos. By now I was afraid to record anything longer than 5 minutes because I thought the phone would overheat and leave me hanging without a camera. I didn't get to that point, but missed lots of opportunities because of the overheating threat.
In less demanding situations, my phone got warm and uncomfortable to hold as well. From idle, my phone gets warm by simply surfing the internet for 5-10 minutes. It can be on Wifi or LTE, max/min brightness, it will warm up regardless. It doesn't get hot like when taking pictures, but come on. How can it get warm after 5-10 minutes of surfing the internet? That's really bad. The default state of the phone is running warm. Imagine if I go outside during summer and take 2 or 3 pictures. The phone is gonna melt in my hand. I can't rely on it. That's very unfortunate, because this phone is the absolutely best thing I've ever had the privilege of owning. Everything else is perfect. Size, battery life, screen, storage, fingerprint reader, waterproofing, open USB port... I'm gonna have to sit down and patiently wait for the next Compact to come out. What a shame.
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I think you can just tick the " Don't show this again" on the temperature rising warning aaaaand it wouldn't appear unless it just closes the app down :|
yubeie said:
same here.. hoping the device I ordered is free of issues.. I finally found a deal on amazon for $460..fingers crossed!
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My one doesn't heat up or anything but I do have a bit of lens blur... I'm not sure if it's worth the hassle returning though
android_fury said:
I am so disappointed this phone didn't deliver what I expected. I absolutely loved it from the moment I received it, but it just won't work out. I am returning it today and going back to my Z3. The reasons are:
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Just turn off any video stabilization as it generates most of the heat and you are good to live with Z5c now but yes it would still a bit uncomfortable to hold. Shame on SD810.
TheEndHK said:
Just turn off any video stabilization as it generates most of the heat and you are good to live with Z5c now but yes it would still a bit uncomfortable to hold. Shame on SD810.
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That's a restriction. I want to use it to its full potential. Even crappy Samsung phones have OIS nowadays. I shouldn't have to turn stuff off just so the phone works normally. Damn it, this sucks. I loved the phone so much, like I hadn't in a long time. This stupid SD820 had better be the best processor ever created. I'll be first in line to get the next Compact.
android_fury said:
That's a restriction. I want to use it to its full potential. Even crappy Samsung phones have OIS nowadays. I shouldn't have to turn stuff off just so the phone works normally. Damn it, this sucks. I loved the phone so much, like I hadn't in a long time. This stupid SD820 had better be the best processor ever created. I'll be first in line to get the next Compact.
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I like my old Z1c got much better heat control, just like you but the focus on that camera is so painful, always hit and miss, too slow. If the next compact got OIS, I'll probably get one too.
The Snapdragon never poses an issue for me but I live in Britain where the weather barely ever gets really, really hot.
I will also be first to get the next Z Compact, just because I love my Z5 Compact so much. No other small phone offers this many premium specifications. For this reason I have become a Sony fan since Google decided to go big for the Nexus 6P.
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
supercakefish said:
The Snapdragon never poses an issue for me but I live in Britain where the weather barely ever gets really, really hot.
I will also be first to get the next Z Compact, just because I love my Z5 Compact so much. No other small phone offers this many premium specifications. For this reason I have become a Sony fan since Google decided to go big for the Nexus 6P.
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
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Hong Kong is extremely hot, expected to see many Z5 users to do IPX67 water cooling in toilet during summer here.
Hm...It's interesting.
First i thought that it's a real problem in my phone too, cause when i played Real Racing 3 after 10 minutes of playing the phone got warm and the battery go fast. Then today i read your report about camera and i started to worry. I quickly tried out my and after taking 10:24 minutes of 4K video the phone got hot but not extremely, in my impressions it was trully acceptable and i got no warnings about temperature (just the information at the start of recording).
i have an idea about getting warm when recording... when i start the recording i got a notif. about saving data to internal storage or if i have a high speed SD i can use it too. So i thinking is it possible that when you have inserted a low speed SD card in, the SD810 needs to work harder and this is the point why its warming up faster???? is it a possible way of it??? (i have Kingston MicroSD 64GB Class 10 UHS-I)
Midleo said:
i have an idea about getting warm when recording... when i start the recording i got a notif. about saving data to internal storage or if i have a high speed SD i can use it too. So i thinking is it possible that when you have inserted a low speed SD card in, the SD810 needs to work harder and this is the point why its warming up faster???? is it a possible way of it??? (i have Kingston MicroSD 64GB Class 10 UHS-I)
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I only used the internal storage for the camera. It still overheated. That sucks.
android_fury said:
I only used the internal storage for the camera. It still overheated. That sucks.
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Hm...Strange... Today i tested again my phone with gaming... Its getting hot but acceptable... I think you should get the phone back to the market or service center!
I'm using my Z5 Compact (white) for PS4 remote gaming and Moonlight remote PC gaming along with quite a lot of 4K recording. The SD810 really shows its muscle there, super low latency with it. . 4K videos top out at around 40 minutes before closing. Honestly couldn't be happier. It never gets excessively hot.
Really seems like luck of the draw on the heat side. I had a faulty unit before this one that leaked water through the headphone jack which couldn't record 4K for more than 10 mins before heating too much shutting down. It also heated a lot during average use. Maybe some are getting more thermal paste love during construction. I dunno.
dave-ro-mex said:
I'm using my Z5 Compact (white) for PS4 remote gaming and Moonlight remote PC gaming along with quite a lot of 4K recording. The SD810 really shows its muscle there, super low latency with it. . 4K videos top out at around 40 minutes before closing. Honestly couldn't be happier. It never gets excessively hot.
Really seems like luck of the draw on the heat side. I had a faulty unit before this one that leaked water through the headphone jack which couldn't record 4K for more than 10 mins before heating too much shutting down. It also heated a lot during average use. Maybe some are getting more thermal paste love during construction. I dunno.
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for a premium device.. honestly the kind of issues being reported is unacceptable.. i am still taking my chances.. but just one chance n hoping it clicks! .. I remember spending close to 1700 dollars on vaio s laptop ..... awesome looks.. horrible performance...immediately returned it.
I was really interested in buying a Z5c. but after this thread I'm thinking about buying Z3c, and I can have CyanogenMod on it.
SelfAwareDroid said:
I was really interested in buying a Z5c. but after this thread I'm thinking about buying Z3c, and I can have CyanogenMod on it.
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I have a regular Z3 and tried recording 1080p 60fps videos with the original ROM. It overheated almost as fast as the Z5C, although it never gets as hot as the Z5C during regular use (no gaming). What I mean by overheating is that the ROM closed the camera app and didn't let me use it again until the phone cooled down.
About CyanogenMod on the Z3, be aware that the camera has a fisheye problem that hasn't been and probably will never be fixed. All your pictures will be horribly distorted, especially at short distances.
Thanks for the information, why there is this much problem with these devices!
I'm very into having small android devices, and I think these two are my only options.
I so much wanted to experience cyanogen, but camera problem! Doesn't cyanogen update reqularly?
SelfAwareDroid said:
Thanks for the information, why there is this much problem with these devices!
I'm very into having small android devices, and I think these two are my only options.
I so much wanted to experience cyanogen, but camera problem! Doesn't cyanogen update reqularly?
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For cyanogen, you would have to unlock bootloader, which will lead to a drop in camera quality, loss of x reality, super vivid mode, and other features. Plus there's the fisheye bug on Z3c on CM. Soooo you might no want to go for cyanogen. Sony's UI looks plenty stock like so I don't think there's any need to be honest.
Sadman Khan said:
For cyanogen, you would have to unlock bootloader, which will lead to a drop in camera quality, loss of x reality, super vivid mode, and other features. Plus there's the fisheye bug on Z3c on CM. Soooo you might no want to go for cyanogen. Sony's UI looks plenty stock like so I don't think there's any need to be honest.
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I think there's a point when you start leaning toward the stock roms and don't see enough benefits in AOSP. I'm using the phone without root and a locked bootloader.
*I returned my Z5C, but ended up grabbing another one. What an amazing phone.