My previous phone was the incredible Z Ultra. When it gave up the ghost two weeks ago, I wanted to stay with Sony and I wanted a screen the size of the Z Ultra. The XA Ultra with its 6.0” screen seemed like the best choice and at $329 was priced right. After using it for a little while, I have mixed feelings at best.
First thing first, the phone in my hand – horrible. The Z Ultra was significantly bigger than my new XA Ultra, but its thinness and balance made it a pleasure to hold in the hand. The XA Ultra is somehow too thick and heavy and unbalanced. If you never owned the extraordinary Z Ultra, maybe you won’t complain, but to me the phone just doesn’t feel right. And here’s another problem - it’s slippery as hell, the front, but especially the back.
The screen is my biggest disappointment. I didn’t think that 0.4”, or lack thereof, would make a big difference, but it does. The Z Ultra felt more like a tablet, the XA Ultra feels more like a phone. I really wish Sony had a model with the 6.4” screen size of the Z Ultra. But the even bigger problem is that the screen extends all the way to the sides of the phone. It looks very cool, but the phone is a nightmare to use. A little bit of a bezel is necessary so that your fingers don’t active who knows what on the screen while you’re holding the phone. Consequently, the XA Ultra has to be held very carefully – a total PITA. Function sacrificed on the altar of esthetics. Another minor consideration (at least minor to me) is that anything metallic could be used as a stylus on the Z Ultra (I often used my car keys). The XA Ultra can’t do that. It’s no big deal most of the time, but occasionally I want to use the Sketch app to draw a diagram… and my finger is not nearly as good for that purpose as a pointy stylus.
Construction and quality – no contest, the XA Ultra can’t hold a candle to the Z Ultra. Construction looks cheap and feels cheap. It’s also not waterproof (an important consideration for me). And finally the power button is too sensitive, i.e. too easy to push inadvertently as you handle the phone. BTW, my first XA Ultra had a defective USB port and had to be replaced. It seems that faulty reception is another problem forcing people to have their phones replaced. Quality control seems to be a problem.
On the plus side, the speaker is significantly louder that the one in Z Ultra, albeit still mono. And the camera is light years ahead of the 8 megapixel, no-flash atrocity that was in the Z Ultra.
Software – I liked the almost-stock Android of the Z Ultra. The XA Ultra is the exact same thing. That’s good. Also, the Z Ultra had Lollipop and the XA Ultra has Marshmallow with Nougat on its way. That’s actually the only reason I decided not to buy another Z Ultra (apparently still available new for sale) - one has to keep up with modernity.
The battery on the XA Ultra is not impressive. But then again the battery on the Z Ultra was not impressive either, so it’s a draw. With both phones I found it necessary to have an external battery pack at hand. The Z Ultra had the very nice and practical CP12 battery case from Sony. I’d use it whenever I knew I had a long day ahead of me. The XA Ultra doesn’t have a Sony battery case, nor is there a third-party one on the market… yet. For now I make do with a generic USB battery pack. The XA Ultra does have the optional UCH12 quick charger which promises “5.5 hours of battery life in just 10 minutes” but it’s apparently not available in the US yet.
So overall, I find the XA Ultra rather disappointing. Part of it is that I was spoiled by the Z Ultra, and part of it is that the XA Ultra is a midrange phone while the Z Ultra was Sony’s flagship at the time. The Z Ultra was unique in size, performance, and capability, a phone like no other. The XA Ultra is just another meh phone.
But midrange as the XA Ultra is, a few simple improvements would have made the phone much better without increasing the price - a grippy back, a harder to press power button, and a few millimeters of bezel on the sides of the screen. I'm not asking too much from Sony, I know for a fact that they know how to build an absolutely perfect phone. A fingerprint sensor like in the Z5 would have been nice too, but it's a midrange phone....
Thanks for this review and I think it actually says it all. I would like to add a few things for those considering the XA Ultra as a 'replacement' for the Z Ultra:
1. The MediaTek CPU means no Open Devices Program and essentially no development in comparison with the Z Ultra. This is a major thing even if Sony officially abandoned the ZU with LP. It is better to flash a ROM anyway and it is telling that early Nougat builds are already up and running on the ZU.
2. The difference between 6.44" and 6" is very noticeable indeed and anyone who prefer the big screen is making themselves a disservice if they consider such a device as the XA Ultra.
3. The XA Ultra offer similar CPU performance as the Z Ultra so 'upgrading' using the 'better performance' as a reason isn't a good idea. It is possible that the Sony MM ROM is 'smoother' than LP on the ZU but the latter flies on other ROMs.
4. There are no reason to stay with Sony as a ZU owner at this time due to their inability of replacing the device with a proper successor. It is better to look for alternatives based on features such as display size etc rather than attempting to find a specific brand with the 'right' device (i.e. choosing brand first and then a device).
5. There are four devices in the market now that can offer a proper 'upgrade path' from the ZU: Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, Huawei/Honor Note 8, Lenovo Phab2 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi Max. I went for the latter and it has impressed me so far - it is simply the 'Ultra successor' Sony failed to release.
6. The XA Ultra could be a decent choice for anyone using a smaller Sony device (not one of their flagships, though) but more if the current one is the M4 Aqua or E series etc.
The most important rule here is:
Never lock yourself into a certain brand - look at the device properties first and get what tick the boxes.
I have been very happy with my ZU myself but the reality is - unfortunately - that Sony haven't managed to launch a successor and getting a Mi Max was simply the best option to me rather than trying to wait for some kind of 'XZ Ultra' - which doesn't look probably (especially not when they even seems to kill off their tablets unless something happens).
When you get it, this phone does look like a phone, because the pixel density is all wrong. Everything is huge, so you can't fit everything on the screen. Setting it to 340 made sizes etc. much more like the Z Ultra. It's still too damn small, but much closer like this. See the thread in the Q&A section for instructions.
I find the build quality good, not at all slippy, and even my fat fingers don't activate the screen from the sides. It's designed that way. It's far snappier than my Z Ultra (even when it was running aosp lol).
I'm still not sure it's a worthwhile upgrade, but those old Z Ultras won't last forever. None of the available larger replacements have usable LTE for me, so are non-starters. I know, not everyone requires LTE, some will even carry around two devices :laugh:, but it's a requirement for me.
E90 Commie said:
The XA Ultra offer similar CPU performance as the Z Ultra so 'upgrading' using the 'better performance' as a reason isn't a good idea.
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Click to collapse
That's a good point. I didn't benchmark the two phone and I didn't play games, but in everyday use the XA Ultra does not feel faster or snappier.
E90 Commie said:
Never lock yourself into a certain brand - look at the device properties first and get what tick the boxes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, totally agree. The Z Ultra left me with such a high opinion of Sony... and I needed a replacement phone urgently and the XA Ultra was available at my local Best Buy... Lesson learned.
E90 Commie said:
There are four devices in the market now that can offer a proper 'upgrade path' from the ZU: Asus Zenfone 3 Ultra, Huawei/Honor Note 8, Lenovo Phab2 Pro and the Xiaomi Mi Max. I went for the latter and it has impressed me so far - it is simply the 'Ultra successor' Sony failed to release.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's the situation with the software for these devices? I've heard horror stories about the Chinese versions of Android. Did you have to flash a new ROM for your device?
rickgillyon said:
When you get it, this phone does look like a phone, because the pixel density is all wrong. Everything is huge, so you can't fit everything on the screen. Setting it to 340 made sizes etc. much more like the Z Ultra. It's still too damn small, but much closer like this. See the thread in the Q&A section for instructions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's something I want to try. It might remedy the situation somewhat.
Azra4 said:
Yes, that's something I want to try. It might remedy the situation somewhat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No root required, takes a few minutes.
So I played with
adb shell wm density nnn
The original value is 480. I tried everything in-between 300 and 480. In most cases it resulted in the home screen looking weird. At 320 I got a home screen with 6 icons across which was very cool. But the font size was way too small. Changing the font size setting to "extra large" fixed the problem (the font was still smaller than originally, but legible). However some apps like Firefox don't recognize the "extra large" font setting and are therefore unusable.
Maybe I didn't mess with this thing long enough, but my conclusion is that this is not really a viable solution., although I understand that reasonable people might disagree on this one. However one thing is for sure - a 6.0" display is not nearly the same as a 6.4" display and there's no way the XA Ultra can hold a candle to the Z Ultra.
340 gives best effect IME. Use a proper launcher so you can set the grid however you want...
Azra4 said:
That's a good point. I didn't benchmark the two phone and I didn't play games, but in everyday use the XA Ultra does not feel faster or snappier.
Yes, totally agree. The Z Ultra left me with such a high opinion of Sony... and I needed a replacement phone urgently and the XA Ultra was available at my local Best Buy... Lesson learned.
What's the situation with the software for these devices? I've heard horror stories about the Chinese versions of Android. Did you have to flash a new ROM for your device?
Yes, that's something I want to try. It might remedy the situation somewhat.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The z Ultra really set a high bar for big phablets and it isn't easy to replace it. What can be said is that no 8xx replacement exists, which can be a bummer. The Xiaomi Mi Max is excellent and I am typing this on it but we can certainly look forward to new models with even more powerful hardware when the statistics for 2016 are in for those which made 6 44" at this time.
The Max is like the Ultra in daily operation with RR 5.7.3 and it really runs well with a nice speed boost. Those devices haven't caught on in the West yet and that is why some LTE bands are missing. I rather have HSPA+ on my Max than LTE on the XA Ultra since I use my device as my computer to go and my priorities are powerful hardware and software while the connectivity can be managed in different ways.
Xiaomi ticked the right boxes and the battery is excellent. 77 percent remaining after heavy use with around 3-4 hours SOT. It just goes and goes and....
It also works beautifully on my 240 DPI Ultra configuration with all Sony apps installed.
rickgillyon said:
Use a proper launcher so you can set the grid however you want...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I agree that a better launcher is needed to turn this thing from a phone to a phablet. I installed Nova only to get more icons, otherwise I don't really need the advanced features. I seem to remember that the Z Ultra had the option of setting the number of icons you want on the home screen. I wonder why Sony took that feature out on the XA?
Setting the DPI lower than ~400 gives me issues with pulling down the notification bar for some reason. It often takes a second swipe to bring it down. 400 dpi and above no issue. Strange.
dannejanne said:
Setting the DPI lower than ~400 gives me issues with pulling down the notification bar for some reason. It often takes a second swipe to bring it down. 400 dpi and above no issue. Strange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No delay here at 340.
Azra4 said:
Yes, I agree that a better launcher is needed to turn this thing from a phone to a phablet. I installed Nova only to get more icons, otherwise I don't really need the advanced features. I seem to remember that the Z Ultra had the option of setting the number of icons you want on the home screen. I wonder why Sony took that feature out on the XA?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think Sony had the ability to go 4, 5 or 6, still not enough IMO. I had mine at 10 wide on Z Ultra, 9 wide on XA Ultra.
So I thought maybe people would like an opinion from someone not coming from a Z Ultra. Honestly everywhere I look people are only giving bad reviews because they came from a Z Ultra but if you look around the z ultra still costs more. Sorry I understand that it seems like a downgrade and you feel ripped off but honestly, isn't it a downgrade? It's a mid-range phone. I'll give my impressions of someone who is just coming off of another mid-range phone. Before the xa ultra I had an Asus Zenfone 2, which I think is pretty comparable because at the time it cost about the same as this one does now. There is absolutely no comparison between the Sony and Asus, the Asus was a total piece of garbage IMO (In some ways I'm glad I accidentally dropped it). Now to be fair I haven't seen how the XA Ultra will age, but so far everything from the build quality to the screen, to the UI, to the camera is worlds apart. If this is what Sony is making for their mid-range phones then I will try another one. Now maybe I am so far the other way in that I had such a bad experience with another phone but I really like the polish of the XA Ultra and think it deserves a bit more credit than it is getting. The only down I can see has something to it is battery life as I don't see why they couldn't have included a 3000mAh battery or more, but still sony does a pretty good job making it last.
After over a week now with this phone as a Z Ultra replacement, it's a big improvement. I'm still missing the extra size a bit, but the screen on the XA Ultra is so much better, it more than makes up for it: brighter, clearer, sharper, better contrast, better colours, darker blacks; it's more responsive; it has a better 4G signal; obviously it has a much better camera. I wouldn't go back...
prtl said:
So I thought maybe people would like an opinion from someone not coming from a Z Ultra. Honestly everywhere I look people are only giving bad reviews because they came from a Z Ultra but if you look around the z ultra still costs more. Sorry I understand that it seems like a downgrade and you feel ripped off but honestly, isn't it a downgrade? It's a mid-range phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If I'm hash on the XA Ultra, it's because that phone is all Sony gave us with a 6" screen. I understand it's a mid-range phone, but I would have been ready to pay an extra $100 or $200 or $300 to get a real replacement for my Z Ultra. It was Sony's silly decision to make their phone with the biggest screen and therefore intended for power users a mid-range phone. I mean, seriously, who buys a 6" phone if not somebody who's gonna make heavy use of it?
I'm glad you and rickgillyon are happy with your phones, but I'm extremely disappointed with Sony. I've learned to live with my XA Ultra, but I am keeping an eye out for a phone that will be a real Z Ultra Mk2 and as soon as I find one, it'll be goodbye Sony.
Azra4 said:
I'm glad you and rickgillyon are happy with your phones, but I'm extremely disappointed with Sony. I've learned to live with my XA Ultra, but I am keeping an eye out for a phone that will be a real Z Ultra Mk2 and as soon as I find one, it'll be goodbye Sony.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I should clarify, I'm happy with the phone and it replaces a 3-year-old Z Ultra relatively well, and gives huge improvements in some area. But I'd prefer a flagship 6.4-incher with a top-end Qualcomm processor. There doesn't look like any alternatives at the moment with LTE for the UK, but I'll be looking out for the Phab 2 if it ever arrives.
The Phab 2 Pro is interesting, but it's not waterproof and it's way thicker and heavier than the Z Ultra. The only reason the Z Ultra was usable despite its size was because it was so thin and light. Well, not the Phab 2 Pro. I'm also not sure if I want to be an early adopter of that Tango technology. And we'll also have to see what Lenovo does with their version of Android...
Azra4 said:
The Phab 2 Pro is interesting, but it's not waterproof and it's way thicker and heavier than the Z Ultra. I'm also not sure if I want to be an early adopter of that Tango technology. And we'll also have to see what Lenovo does with their version of Android...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, too thick and too heavy, agreed; it'll be a judgement call as to whether it's worth it, and you'll have to use it a while to know. Expensive trial. Tango is immaterial unless you're using Tango apps, and the Android is almost vanilla.
Waterproof, don't care. Nice to have, but I haven't got the Z Ultra wet in 3 years so I won't lose any sleep over it...
Hey, I'm a cyclist... waterproofing is very nice to have even tho I live in SoCal where it never rains.
Azra4 said:
Hey, I'm a cyclist... waterproofing is very nice to have even tho I live in SoCal where it never rains.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Me too, here it always rains. But the phone goes in the bag when it rains, otherwise the screen goes ape**** with false touches anyway.
I had the z ultra...now i have the xa ultra and i can say the xa ultra is better in all specs...only in gpu and water resist...not
Related
Hey guys, so I have upgraded my Xperia Z to Z1 and thought I would make a video giving you 10 reasons why you may wish to upgrade.
For most the upgrade is pointless though as the Xperia Z is still a very powerful phone and has really good specs but I thought I would point out the 10 things that are better about the Z1, so if you are in for an upgrade, you have the money definitely go for it
bro everyone want to upgrade to Z1 but considering the cost that i've already spent my 630$ and im not sure if i want to spend another 750$ for Z1 unless Sony throws any phone swap scheme. how much did you get after selling your Xperia Z?
mysticmetal said:
bro everyone want to upgrade to Z1 but considering the cost that i've already spent my 630$ and im not sure if i want to spend another 750$ for Z1 unless Sony throws any phone swap scheme. how much did you get after selling your Xperia Z?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is your back glass lifting the way mine was? If so you should be able to get your money back in full (I was able through EU law).
shem2409 said:
Hey guys, so I have upgraded my Xperia Z to Z1 and thought I would make a video giving you 10 reasons why you may wish to upgrade.
For most the upgrade is pointless though as the Xperia Z is still a very powerful phone and has really good specs but I thought I would point out the 10 things that are better about the Z1, so if you are in for an upgrade, you have the money definitely go for it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
why the z screen look better
no my backglass is just fine
mysticmetal said:
bro everyone want to upgrade to Z1 but considering the cost that i've already spent my 630$ and im not sure if i want to spend another 750$ for Z1 unless Sony throws any phone swap scheme. how much did you get after selling your Xperia Z?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't sold it yet. I had to send it for warranty replacement of one of the flaps covering the ports first. I should get around 400$ for it though
ihaxda1 said:
why the z screen look better
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My z1 has a little bit of a yellow hue problem, which I mentioned in the video. Unfortunately there isn't much I can do about it for now.
did u ask sony for valuation of your xperia z?
mysticmetal said:
did u ask sony for valuation of your xperia z?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, I just sent it to have it fixed before I try and sell it. They retail for around 400$ where I live though
I will say why NOT to upgrade:
1. Too big
2. Same sound on external speaker
3. Same shutter proof cover on the glass, WTF!
4. Battery consumption is the same.
5. Web browsing, video playback time is below competitors.
Now, im my case who bought S, T and Z there is no reason to upgrade and one of the main reasons is that ASF s**t at the end of 2013, the only upgrade i can see is to leave sony and buy from competitors...but i have an entire collection of Sony since J70 and i still.. prefer to eat their crap.
smardu said:
I will say why NOT to upgrade:
1. Too big
2. Same sound on external speaker
3. Same shutter proof cover on the glass, WTF!
4. Battery consumption is the same.
5. Web browsing, video playback time is below competitors.
Now, im my case who bought S, T and Z there is no reason to upgrade and one of the main reasons is that ASF s**t at the end of 2014, the only upgrade i can see is to leave sony and buy from competitors...but i have an entire collection of Sony since J70 and i still.. prefer to eat their crap.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Have you held it in your hand? It is actually way more comfortable than Z
2. The speaker placement is better though
3. You can always take it off. I have spoken to a Sony Center emloyee and apparenty those are replaceable and you do not lose your warranty (but yeah you would have to confirm that one with your retailer)
4. In tests the battery life is in fact better and in normal usage I have found it to last me longer
5. Ok but for the tests they should have switched off X-Reality in some of them they didn't and that is an extra strain on CPU and GPU
shem2409 said:
2. The speaker placement is better though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's the matter of taste. I like Z speaker more than in Z1. Just my opinion.
My bro got the Z1 today after having a play im glad i went with the Z ultra over the Z1 (currently using a Z) the z1 is a really nice handset but for me the original z was a big leap forward for Sony where as the Z1 is just an upgrade rather than anything new.
marcgear said:
My bro got the Z1 today after having a play im glad i went with the Z ultra over the Z1 (currently using a Z) the z1 is a really nice handset but for me the original z was a big leap forward for Sony where as the Z1 is just an upgrade rather than anything new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Z Ultra is a great tablet. It is very comfortable to use, most units have a very nice display (a lot of them come with yellow hue though some worse than on my Z1). You say it is just an upgrade but with so many areas improved and redesigned it is kinda difficult to call it that.
Just an upgrade would be if they put 1 maybe 2 things from the list but here you have so many changes that it is like a completely new handset.
Of course it is a matter of personal needs and preference whether an upgrade is right for you at this moment but without a doubt it is a great piece of equipment which shows that Sony can innovate and is moving forward ahead of its competitors.
shem2409 said:
Z Ultra is a great tablet. It is very comfortable to use, most units have a very nice display (a lot of them come with yellow hue though some worse than on my Z1). You say it is just an upgrade but with so many areas improved and redesigned it is kinda difficult to call it that.
Just an upgrade would be if they put 1 maybe 2 things from the list but here you have so many changes that it is like a completely new handset.
Of course it is a matter of personal needs and preference whether an upgrade is right for you at this moment but without a doubt it is a great piece of equipment which shows that Sony can innovate and is moving forward ahead of its competitors.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah i agree its all dependent on personal taste my bro loves it coming from an S4 he is really happy (not that he didnt love his S4)
he just said the z1 felt like premium handset and was extremely solid.
Only reason i ordered the Ultra was i like to be different and nobody i know is brave enough to own a handset of that size so i know ill be unique.
shem2409 said:
1. Have you held it in your hand? It is actually way more comfortable than Z
2. The speaker placement is better though
3. You can always take it off. I have spoken to a Sony Center emloyee and apparenty those are replaceable and you do not lose your warranty (but yeah you would have to confirm that one with your retailer)
4. In tests the battery life is in fact better and in normal usage I have found it to last me longer
5. Ok but for the tests they should have switched off X-Reality in some of them they didn't and that is an extra strain on CPU and GPU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seriously the video playback time and web browsing time is not good. Video playback is like only 5 hours plus? Samsung's s3 has got like 9 hour plus and note 3 if I'm not wrong is around 11-14hours I think. Web browsing and video playback is two of the main things we do on a smartphone isn't it?
Sent from my C6603
when XPERIA Z2 comes out Z1 will be just the same old forgotten toy like Z
One of my annoyances.. uhh... Two are
01. The flash is extremely weak! I've taken pictures at night side by side with another much lower end phone and my pics came out way darker. In daylight its fine.
02. The WiFi range isn't too far
Are these two points improved on in the Z1 or Ultra?
Sent from my C6602 using xda app-developers app
I think the s4 pro is enough; don't need to upgrade to s800, it seems like the old PCs processors war...
It seems the WiFi in Z1 has also a poor signal as the Z,one of the reasons may not get this phone if the issue is not fixed
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2451640
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium
Hi all, refer to the above let's discuss why you choose xperia z2 compare with others device.
is it because the design, Spec, price, sony fans or others.
Sent from my LT26w using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Simply because it's the best flagship on the market at the moment.
S5 sucked balls. It will be Z2 unless HTC suprises us with a monster in about 1 month.
Skickat från min GT-I9505 via Tapatalk
Just saw ARTICLE about new IPS screen and Sony finally have great and quality product.
I'm completely satisfied with my Z1 but if I get some interesting offer (like I got for Z1) I'll definitely try it.
Why?
Because, now, Z1 is ultimate device and Sony just upgraded it
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk
Because the Z2 is the best on the market just now, S5 rom is 8Gb compared to the Z2's 4Gb, plus Z2 has way more excellent specs. I don't care that Samsung maybe releasing a 64bit S5 later this year as I think it is too early for me to get into 64 bit phones just now; as infrastructure etc is not in place yet i.e. app devs have yet to jump on board. That is my opinion anyway...
Waterproofing
Micro SD slot
Front facing speakers
Great camera
And thankfully a big battery
Also simple things like a camera shutter button make this the best phone on the market atm.
BTW, would not touch the S5. The design combined with touchwiz is enough to put me off.
I had a Z, ZL and now Z1. Logical to have a Z2 next.
Sendt fra XPERIA Z SGP312
Lost faith in Samsung with there handling of s3 updates plus had problems with them regarding other Samsung products. Been a fan of sony for a while now and its coming close to my phone upgrade and the Z2 currently looks like it. I have a few months to go so plenty of time to judge the competition and see what negatives might crop up about the z2.
As long as root is easily gained with minimal drawback Ill most likely be picking up the z2.
Plus the specs of this phone do look pretty good to me
Bigger battery, nicer look, wanted something that wasn't made by Samsung for once.
Skickat från min GT-I9505 via Tapatalk
Eye friendly...
I am one of the small amount percentage of population who seems to suffer from LED's displays... Sony triluminos display tech, seems to be benign on our eyes. At least sony Vaio Pro 13 and flip are better displays... This issue has years... Hope Z2 is really eye friendly to me too...
Seems spectrum of light of triluminos technology is more balanced. Not a huge blue spike on spectrum...
Here you could see a thread talking on LED's:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1677617?start=0&tstart=0
My HTC One is killing my eyes...
Cheers...
xz2
because of this past year i cannot trust Sony easily!
i love to buy Xperia Z2 IF all thing about display & ... be right!
if no two quality of display!
sharp display! jdc! OR all story like those!
It s ok if sony s using different company for display supplying BUT not different quality from each company.
:good:
My first phone was the Motorola RAZR V3i and have been a loyal user since then with Moto Droid & Moto RAZR... just loved the premium build quality along with excellent specs. Beauty with brains! Loved the design of Xperia Z & Z1 but was hesitant to switch due to the screen quality as I'm spoiled by AMOLED on my RAZR.
But the Z2 seems like the only phone to be awesome inside & out with no drawbacks to give me second thoughts why not to buy it... (Size was a little concern but I can live with that)
It's either the htc one 2014 or z2. I'm going to buy on tmobile 's jump program if i do decide to get one of these puppies. The phone addict in me wants the latest and greatest, but honestly don't "need" one just yet since I have the N5.
I expect by Fall, everyone will update their SOCs with 64 bit cpus. Also hope that finger print unlock and pw will be supported more widely. Not to mention waterproof and 3GB of ram. These will be must have options.
bigbrown said:
It's either the htc one 2014 or z2. I'm going to buy on tmobile 's jump program if i do decide to get one of these puppies. The phone addict in me wants the latest and greatest, but honestly don't "need" one just yet since I have the N5.
I expect by Fall, everyone will update their SOCs with 64 bit cpus. Also hope that finger print unlock and pw will be supported more widely. Not to mention waterproof and 3GB of ram. These will be must have options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also want to see what htc will bring to the table. I doubt it can match sony. Also would need a case since you can't get protection on the alu back.
I don't really see a need for 64 bit systems. What do you see 64 bit bring? Do phones need a new OS to match it? Will support for old systems stop?
We might not need it in the consumer space, but it's one of those things where if you can get it as a little to no-cost option, why not? I can envision a bunch of enterprise use cases like big data analytics and data visualization, not to mention phones/phablets/tablets with > 4gb of ram etc
I'm currently on a htc one x, my contract has 2 weeks on it, so I started looking. The galaxy s5 is a massive fail in my eyes, and I'm just getting bored with HTC. As soon as a saw a leak of sense 6 I knew I'd be bored. I'm going to miss BlinkFeed, but the look of the Z2 and the specs, plus noise cancelling and stereo speakers, as well as the camera (going on a once in a lifetime holiday in August), coupled with an sd card slot and waterproofing (11 pools in the resort), I think it'd be a crime not to go for the Z2. I am worried about the size a little bit, even tho I have big hands.
I have the HTC one and have very little complaints about it and the 2014 version looks promissing but that panel that used to have the capacitive buttons on it is still there but now it's just a logo. Idk why they would keep that. I hate wasted space and big bezels and I think the Z2 once I get Cyanogenmod running on it would be amazing
because the first android phone that i used was sony
sony phones are great in price , support in my country and dev's are supporting them great
and the most important one because sony phones are blazing fast and their software is useful and they don't have useless futures that only make your phone slower and they will eat your ram as hell
thats why i decided to buy sony z2
I love the design,
I love the software,
I love the camera,
I love the build quality,
I love the bigger battery,
I love front facing speakers,
And 3gb of Ram which the s5 don't have (besides I got the note 3, I dont need any more Samsung devices for now)
The Z2 and the note 3 will do me for now
mujj said:
Waterproofing
Micro SD slot
Front facing speakers
Great camera
And thankfully a big battery
Also simple things like a camera shutter button make this the best phone on the market atm.
BTW, would not touch the S5. The design combined with touchwiz is enough to put me off.
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Click to collapse
All of the above + 3GB RAM is what sold me. It should also make this phone relevant for a while. Can't wait for the Z2 to arrive!
Seriously???!!!!!
http://www.techradar.com/news/phone-and-communications/mobile-phones/sony-xperia-z2-compact-already-on-the-way--1239773
C;mon Sony.. let me enjoy my phone for a bit longer!!!!
More RAM and better camera and faster processor if it follows the z2.... life time of z1 = 3 to 6 months??? :S
emilic said:
More RAM and better camera and faster processor if it follows the z2.... life time of z1 = 3 to 6 months??? :S
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Click to collapse
almost identical processor... almost identical camera... i dont see the point for upgrading.
DAC Audio is cool indeed, timeshift too... 4k is not a big deal for me.
No matter what you do... you will always be 4-6 months from what manufacturers and the carriers would have you believe is 'obsolescence'. Much like the megapixel race (which is laughable), and 4G -eewhisyouneedthis, most of it is the marketing team and peers making you think you need it. I spent tons of graphics cards for my PC's before I finally realized the chase never ends, and that I should research and settle on something for more than 8 months.
I won't be chasing that rabbit...
profyler said:
almost identical processor... almost identical camera... i dont see the point for upgrading.
DAC Audio is cool indeed, timeshift too... 4k is not a big deal for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, I just wonder about the 3gb ram... that is the most interesting feature for me...
But once again I just hope this news will bring the z1 compact price down and I will get mine
Sent from my LG-P990
Sony would be a lot more profitable if they didn't insist on flooding the market with numerous but similar spec variations of essentially the same device. I'm gutted that they've brought the Vaio to an end and would be sad to see the Xperia go down the same track.
I think sony do the big profit in the first 2 month ish... after 2-3 month the phone profit goes down to a not as big one and of course Sony cares only of the big profit. So I can see why thy to what they do... more when u take into account all the other phone makers that are putting out their devices at different times. Good way for Sony to compete against the others.
Just wonder about quality control and development costs...
emilic said:
Just wonder about quality control and development costs...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I'm referring to, they would be better off with 3 or 4 models every year, compact, budget, mid range and high end.
emilic said:
I think sony do the big profit in the first 2 month ish... after 2-3 month the phone profit goes down to a not as big one and of course Sony cares only of the big profit. So I can see why thy to what they do... more when u take into account all the other phone makers that are putting out their devices at different times. Good way for Sony to compete against the others.
Just wonder about quality control and development costs...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually.... No. =)
I can agree, if we are talking about Z2 (which has to compete with the new Samsung S5, HTC New One and etc), but it's different with Z1c. Z1 Compact is one-of-the-kind. It has literally no competitors in it's High-End-Portable niche on the market. So, IMO, it's kinda counter-productive to dish out another Compact in such a short period of time since Z1c release. :\
While I won't buy the Z2 compact (and maybe even skip the Z3 compact), I just hope they keep the size the same as z1 compact. I want a small phone, not a smaller phone (which will grow in size if flagships increase in size). I once said to my friend, it's ironic when the so called "minis" (and compact) is so much larger than my non "mini" phone (was using, xperia ray, I guess that made my ray "micro" ) and about the same size as xperia s/galaxy s2 which is a "normal" sized phone
ps: I know that mini actually means smaller version and not small in manufacturer definition. I just dislike the trend.
Well let's just note that the news of the FCC are not necessarily for the z2 compact but for the Sony z2 2f or Japanese version of the z2 compact... so time wise we should add two to three months more for the z2c starting from the release date of the Japanese version.
How is 4.5" compact? The Z1 Compact is already not compact at all because of the bezel. I said they should make the phone smaller not bigger, but apparently Sony don't understand.
Well they could easily fit a 4.5 inch screen and make the bezels smaller.
I fully expect a Z2 compact come the end of the year, but not in a few months.
hellgiar said:
How is 4.5" compact? The Z1 Compact is already not compact at all because of the bezel. I said they should make the phone smaller not bigger, but apparently Sony don't understand.
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Click to collapse
Completely agree. While I think the Z1 Compact is great, if anything I would prefer it to be slightly smaller - maybe a 4.1" or 4.2" (at most) screen with reduced bezel/hard capacitive buttons would be perfect. If Z2 'Compact' has a 4.5" screen then I certainly wouldn't be interested in upgrading.
if you read sony forums everyone is begging for a bigger display/phone. I'd almost think these guys are fake competitor accounts, since it makes no sense. the regular Z2 is great for a larger display. It's not like you need 5.2, 5.1, 5.0, 4.9, ... displays
4.2/no bezels would be cool (also, its probably never going to happen...)
I think the main concern seems to be the bezel. Looking at something like the Moto X its clear the screen could be 4.5 or even 4.7 while maintaining a similar size without those massive bezels.
Personally I'd like to see 4.3 with little bezel or 4.5 with little bezel. Even 4.7 is possible if they minimize bezel ala LG G2. I've actually got a Note 2 so I'm sure the size will be much more managable regardless of bezel or not though! Just sort of feels like wasted space though.
Keep in mind that z1 compact has the largest battery in this size and is waterproof ontop of it. Choosing between small bezel or big battery + waterproof id go with the latter everytime...
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The z1c already is too big, I had a moto RAZR I before that, that was a nice form factor (not that I want it back, but this part of it, they did very well).
--
That does put a damper on our relationship.
Best camera, screen, battery life and great performance, all in a compact waterproof dustproof package, can't be BEAT.
I still intend to keep my Z1 Compact for at least a year. So... I guess I'll be getting the Z3 Compact then?
I hope the screen stays at 4.3 inch. I still want a nice ppi.
Hey, i am wondering if it would worth it to upgrade my XZ to Z2
I dont really mind about specs overall, only battery life improvement does matter.
The other thing which i would be afraid, its size of Z2, its sightly bigger than Z
I remember i have compared my XZ to a Note 2 from friend and size difference was not that huge despite of 5''5 Note 2 screen size.
Yes indeed size difference between Z and Z2 would be ridiculously thigh
But i dont want to follow the race of ''most biggest smartphone each year''
2013, 5 was standard
2014, 5''2
2015 like mostly 5''5 (LG already made it for G3)
I hope further Xperia model would have reasonable size (around 5 would be perfect if they can reduce bezels, they might actually put 5 on 4''5)
cheers,
i did it, and i have to say. battery life is awesome!
The Size difference from Z2 to Z is not that big, you don't realy feel it in the pants.
monsieur_debile said:
Hey, i am wondering if it would worth it to upgrade my XZ to Z2
I dont really mind about specs overall, only battery life improvement does matter.
The other thing which i would be afraid, its size of Z2, its sightly bigger than Z
I remember i have compared my XZ to a Note 2 from friend and size difference was not that huge despite of 5''5 Note 2 screen size.
Yes indeed size difference between Z and Z2 would be ridiculously thigh
But i dont want to follow the race of ''most biggest smartphone each year''
2013, 5 was standard
2014, 5''2
2015 like mostly 5''5 (LG already made it for G3)
I hope further Xperia model would have reasonable size (around 5 would be perfect if they can reduce bezels, they might actually put 5 on 4''5)
cheers,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used to use Note 2 then XZ then Z2.
For the battery life, my daily normal usage on Xperia Z would leave battery at red level (less than 14%) at the end of the day. However, on Z2, I always have more than 50% at the end of the day with the same usage.
For the size, of course Z2 is bigger but its not that significant since Z2 maintains its waistline at 8.2 mm while XZ is 7.9. However when compared to Note 2, I think its, not a lot but also not a bit, quite more handy.
The only thing I see that XZ is better than Z2 (excluding minor bugs that would be solved later) is that when you are babling on Z2, it would not pick any of your words at all. One you are talking to will think your are being silence.
I owned the original Xperia Z and at the time it broke into many new areas of technology. I found the phone to be superb. A family member now has it. The Z was heavily criticised for 'viewing angles'. I NEVER understood that? WHO looks at their phone from a 45degree angle? Never mind.
From memory I think the battery life on the Z may last longer than on the Z2? Don't shoot me, I don't know. I have only owned the Z2 for nearly a week. Size wise the Z2 is larger BUT not significantly. Both are very well made and function well. Both have their little foibles but then so do we owners. The specification of the Z2 leaves the original Z dead in the water in nearly every aspect.
As I so often write here, no one can choose a mobile for you. The right mobile for you is the mobile that fulfils your daily requirements. Massive choice now with several different UI and OS not to mention construction materials and size etc.
I hope what ever your purchase will be the mobile for you. Good luck. :highfive:
Ryland
Hi ! I had Xperia Z like you. I bought Xperia Z2 this week. I had same questions on my mind like you. A bit bigger size of Z2 worried me too. But I can say that it's tolerable. My hand quickly adapted to it. Battery is significantly better when compared to my old Z. I think i can use it without charging for two days I had to charge my old Z once a day. And screen and camera is significantly better. I advise you to give a chance to new Xperia Z2.
Like most have reported in this thread, I also had the Z. I've passed it on to a niece and now have the Z2. Why, because I wanted it. I did rationalize it as a pre-birthday present tho...
Sent from my SGP311 using XDA Free mobile app
guhvanoh said:
Like most have reported in this thread, I also had the Z. I've passed it on to a niece and now have the Z2. Why, because I wanted it. I did rationalize it as a pre-birthday present tho...
Sent from my SGP311 using XDA Free mobile app
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Click to collapse
"A pre-birthday present"!? I like that, I shall borrow that line. :highfive:
Ryland :laugh:
i didn't think about switching from Z to Z2 too cause to me they both seem a bit similar, but my carrier contract was ended and they contact me saying if id like to get a new cellphone, so i got it and it was awesome. the size is a bit bigger and the battery performance is like 200% better
its a great switch, i recommend that you get it
I think the difference in size is noticeable, personally. I really like the size of the Z better.
The screen, battery life, camera, and hardware camera shutter button are big improvements for the Z2
I don't think the Z2 feels any faster for normal use so the spec bumps in hardware don't make as much of a difference. I don't game on it at all.
The power button is not as large or positive-feeling on the Z2. Not a show stopper, but noticeable.
I don't like the KK firmware with the Home button takeover and the two-tabbed notification page. I preferred the older JB interface. It seems like the KK interface in general is much less dense - less information in a larger space for all elements. I don't see the point in that - there is a 5.2 in screen and you leave it mostly as empty space?
If I had a Z I wouldn't pay full price for the Z2 - I would at least wait for the next one. If it's cheap on contract and you sell off the Z, I'd say go for it.
Btw, I prefered the volume buttons on the Z, they're just strange on the Z2!
Haldi4803 said:
Btw, I prefered the volume buttons on the Z, they're just strange on the Z2!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree on this. Out of the Z, Z1 or Z2, I prefer the Z's volume rockers.
Just got my z2 yesterday as I can tell better screen, sound, picture quality and battery life than my beloved z. But I like z's design than z2 cause of the size, ratio and color matches. But its time to let go bye bye z.
Sent from my D6503 using XDA Free mobile app
what you will replace with?
X compact (design like XZ but same specs as Xperia X just 4.6" screen) also slower GPU\CPU from z5c
or X performance (same specs as XZ abit bigger than compact 5" instead of 5.2 and also new design)
or stay with your correct Z5C
i probably will go with XP even that i prefer small screen 4.6 to 5.0 not that big difference 1080P and 40% faster cpu (according to qualcomm)
Just gone from z3c to z5c so would take that as the change ? Not impressed with the X compact at all, and don't like 5"+ screens as to big. So there's little high end phones with small screens at the moment it's pretty disappointing.
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mgdorbit said:
Just gone from z3c to z5c so would take that as the change Not impressed with the X compact at all, and don't like 5"+ screens as to big. So there's little high end phones with small screens at the moment it's pretty disappointing.
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Click to collapse
yup z5c was the last high end phone from sony with small screen i think
X compact got 605 SD vs our 810SD , also besides speed Z5C got waterproof and 4K video, XC does not
if it had same spces as XP or XZ it was better from Z5
As much as I prefer the smaller form factor of the Compact series, I'm more likely to switch to the smaller Nexus (Pixel?) device than another Sony. Not sure the 28nm SoC in the X Compact would be an upgrade over the Z5C.
Z3 because of the AOSP Android 7
rtimoff said:
Z3 because of the AOSP Android 7
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Click to collapse
It seems Z3 android7 aosp will stuck in alpha/beta status forever and never will pull out a release ver from Sony bcoz Qualcomm already said that they won't support sd800/sd801 in android 7.0 officially.
I had Z3c , I have now a Z5c and I plan to buy a X Compact , why because for me it is an upgrade, I played with the normal X and it was very snappy , the camera from the X compact is a improvement and I like to take photos and this is the biggest plus for me versus the Z5c , also the battery life should be better IMO, more support from Sony in the near future , no glass back ( no stress of shatter) .
The only 2 things Z5c has that i will miss is the waterproof( but I will still keep the Z5c) and maybe a little bit the design, but the second one is more a guess because I didn't held a X compact in my hand , yet!
I'll see what next Nexus is, and maybe trade for it. Previous Nexus(5x and 6p) really did not impress me.
Отправлено с моего E5823 через Tapatalk
rtimoff said:
I'll see what next Nexus is, and maybe trade for it. Previous Nexus(5x and 6p) really did not impress me.
Отправлено с моего E5823 через Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nexus line was killed as well
Hello Guys
That's funny to notice reading you that we are a lot of people who don't want a larger screen than 4.5" and that there not a lot of models less than 5" .
Hey people from marketing, can you ear us ?
andysoft83 said:
I had Z3c , I have now a Z5c and I plan to buy a X Compact , why because for me it is an upgrade, I played with the normal X and it was very snappy , the camera from the X compact is a improvement and I like to take photos and this is the biggest plus for me versus the Z5c , also the battery life should be better IMO, more support from Sony in the near future , no glass back ( no stress of shatter) .
The only 2 things Z5c has that i will miss is the waterproof( but I will still keep the Z5c) and maybe a little bit the design, but the second one is more a guess because I didn't held a X compact in my hand , yet!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony-themes-apps/apps-apps-xperia-xz-t3454223
After I installed the stock XC cam.apk, I found my Z5c image quality is real better. I think color, focus, speed, image quality all got some improvement and showed the potential of IMX300 now. More importantly to me, the auto exposure when dealing with tough environment finally seems improved(though my Z1c still performs somewhat better here). The XC cam.apk is big almost double sized than the one Z5c comes with, so I think Sony is real working into it.
I believe XZ and XC will got nice camera fine tuning with this piece of sensor and fixed many problems in Z5c so it is worth to upgrade if you sololy looking for camera performance like me. I real like XC now because more updates only existed in the XC's kernel and rom based which is very difficult to port to Z5 series. At this time, I'm happy upgraded to XC stock cam, a free upgrade.
I don't have money in a short time so I think I'm gonna stick with Z5c for a while and only think about XC next year.
Is there any way to install the new camera from X compact without root ?
I wouldnt go for a Sony Upgrade. Only reason I have a z5c is because my wife wanted my Nexus 6p and I thought I'd use something compact and see how it goes. I love the dimension, the quality of the Z5c but I hate how it heats up like mofo and that theres very little dev support. Its been like that with most Xperia phones and I don't see how the X series is going to attract any considering the initial price at release and a downgrade in specs. Also it seems well-known accessory makers steer clear of Xperia devices, I'd be lucky if I find a decent quality case.
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I wish there was a good alternative to the Z5 c but if you want a small water resistant device with good specs that's really about it. Not much else out there that checks those boxes.
I really loved my Z5C until it slowed down after just a few months of regular usage. Overheating is another issue, when it heats up, the performance is reduced significantly, and some apps might crash or not respond. It also depends on the usage since I am a heavy user and install way too much apps, probably one of the reasons of the phone slowing down, but I still love my Z5C. Though I've been looking at phones to upgrade soon since the thermal throttling and the device when in constant use, really heats up and is not comfortable to the touch. I think I'll upgrade to an iPhone this time, but if I will choose to stay all Sony and Android, I might get the newer X Performance, or if other brands, Samsung Galaxy S7, or OnePlus 3. xD But those are only my options, I still love my Z5C because of it's size with it's 4.6 inches display, only the iPhone 6S or 7 could come next.
psouth said:
I wish there was a good alternative to the Z5 c but if you want a small water resistant device with good specs that's really about it. Not much else out there that checks those boxes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Similar here.
I use the phone as a nav system on a motorcycle so the waterproofing is a hugely important factor, and I much prefer the smaller size (Had an Xperia Z in the past and that was a little too large).
Which Sony products are now continuing the fully waterproof (IP67 or better) standard now?
Unfortunately there aren't great smaller factor devices, but I found out that huawei p10 is really narrow, 5" but still acceptable.
So I would go with huawei p10 or new/old pixel
Riceburner said:
Similar here.
I use the phone as a nav system on a motorcycle so the waterproofing is a hugely important factor, and I much prefer the smaller size (Had an Xperia Z in the past and that was a little too large).
Which Sony products are now continuing the fully waterproof (IP67 or better) standard now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good news if you can wait a bit and don't mind buying new. Sony gets their act straight and the dust/water rating is back on the next gen Xperia compact!
Xperia ZX1 C
psouth said:
Good news if you can wait a bit and don't mind buying new. Sony gets their act straight and the dust/water rating is back on the next gen Xperia compact!
Xperia ZX1 C
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Looks perfect for me. Not fussed about a 720p screen. Hope it's still around when my EE upgrade date arrives next year!