More All - Sony Xperia Z Ultra Review
Sony's giant, the Xpera Z Ultra, has attracted perhaps more attention than other models of this year. The format that is not yet very familiar to our latitudes already has its supporters and opponents. In this review, we will look at the novelty in more detail and try to figure out what are the smart cards (they are the ceiling lamps). Forward!
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Design and ergonomics
In the long white box is a phone, high-power charger, USB cable and a docking station with a magnetic connector. In the latter, by the way, the wire is attached “tightly”, but on the reverse side there is an ordinary plug that can be connected to the charging and to the computer (although if the USB port is not powerful enough, the device will be charged quite slowly).
The device, of course, impresses with its size, but it is very thin and quite light. The design is inherited from Z and Z1 - strict straight lines, slightly rounded corners, at least noticeable details. The slot for SD and Micro SIM-cards is located on the right side and is covered with one plug, below it is a round metal power button and an imperceptible volume control that is traditional for this year’s design concept. If you hold the phone in your right hand - they are under the thumb. At the very top lurked headset jack, which we used to see on the top. The left side carries a USB / HDMI connector, also covered with a cap, and a magnetic connector for charging through the dock. In the latter, by the way, the phone is mounted horizontally, which is very convenient for watching a video or working with an external keyboard. In the lower right corner there is a hole for a strap or some trinkets. The back panel is made of glass and covered with a protective film, in its upper part is the camera lens, well, almost the entire “facade” is occupied by a huge screen. Quite noticeable fields are left above and below, by the way, it is convenient to hold the phone while reading at the bottom.
Speaking “in the traditional way”, that is, putting the phone to your ear, is surprisingly comfortable, although it looks a bit strange from the outside. The speaker is loud and the microphone is sensitive (plus there are various software enhancers such as noise reduction, compression and even speech deceleration). On the other hand, of course, it is more convenient to carry the device in a bag or jacket pocket and use a wireless headset (for example, Sony SBH52) to manage calls and music.
Here we have a very decent 6.4-inch TRILUMINOS display with an IPS matrix, a resolution of 1920x1080, X-Reality technology, an excellent margin of brightness and good viewing angles. Pixel density, of course, is lower than that of Z (342 instead of 441), but it is still not noticeable to the naked eye. When tilted more than 45 degrees, the picture loses a bit in colors, but does not lose brightness, however, I can not imagine a person who needs to carefully consider something from such an angle. Reading on the Z Ultra is a real pleasure, moreover, both text documents and e-books, as well as PDF files. The same can be said about movies. It is very convenient to use the on-screen keyboard - even in vertical mode, you can print with two thumbs and not miss. By the way, Z Ultra supports handwriting input using capacitive styli, a simple pencil or any other thin object with electrical conductivity. In the same way, you can make different sketches, for which there is even a special application called “Sketch”. Of course, the screen doesn’t recognize the power and angle of the screen, and it’s far from graphic tablets, but you can draw some neat scheme.
The increased diagonal allows you to place on the same desktop many icons and widgets. On an empty screen fits 36 icons (and another 6 - in the dock). The on-screen buttons, which many do not like, now take up very little space, and besides, they are still hidden when launching full-screen applications or watching videos. The only problem, perhaps, is that not all applications are adapted for large screens and some of their elements look somewhat blurry, so look for the HD version in the market, if any.
Devices of this format are not very suitable for frequent photographing, so the camera here is the most common. Good old eight-megapixel Exmor RS is still in business and provides quite decent image quality under any conditions. Automatic mode, however, should be used only in good light - at dusk and darkness, he likes to maximize ISO, which causes quite annoying noises. It is better to switch to manual mode, and the ISO to leave at around 400.
There are traditionally many settings: exposure adjustment, white balance setting, metering and focusing mode, HDR, smile detection, autoloading on the server, shooting panoramas, real-time filters, etc. The video is recorded in FullHD with the ability to take one megapixel pictures in the process.
As for the front camera, the Z Ultra, the eye, as well as the classmates - two megapixel, with a stabilizer and a softening effect, which allows to somewhat reduce the amount of noise. In general - the usual frontalka, well coping with its task.
Unlike other models, there is no LED-flash and a hardware button for shooting (but the settings from it are left - incomplete!). The lack of a button is not particularly annoying, but a flash would be useful, for example, for shooting documents (on the other hand, there will be a little less horrible flash-to-forehead photos in the world).
The capacity of 3000 mAh, in principle, not so much for such a large device, so even with a FullHD-screen, but for the whole day it is perfectly enough. Even if you drive a smartphone to the tail and to the mane - watch videos on Youtube, read, play, chat, listen to music, actively use 3G and geolocation and, at the same time, do not turn on STAMINA mode - by the end of the day, about 20% of the charge remains. At rest, during the night, the percent is completely discharged by two. To save money, you can use various power schemes, for example, to automatically turn on WiFi only in certain places. If you activate Stamina when fully charged, the corresponding indicator promises that the phone will work in idle mode for 18 days. I tend to believe this statement.
The quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor (by the way, the Xperia Z Ultra is one of the first phones on the market equipped with this processor) and the Adreno 330 video accelerator are responsible for the performance. Despite the large screen, there are plenty of hardware resources for absolutely all tasks and ways to make the Z Ultra even I did not find any braking, although I tried. Test results can be seen below.
During the week of use, no problems were observed - the connection was not lost, the network was not lost, the Internet worked perfectly, the location was determined ideally throughout the ten-kilometer test route.
Like all new Sony models, Z Ultra has Android 4.2.2 installed with the possibility of an up-to-date update to 4.3 (how we are working on this update, we already wrote habrahabr.ru/company/sonyxperia/blog/190896 ), as well as branded shell. A set of pre-installed applications includes Evernote, Socialife, Office Suite, McAfee Security, FIle Commander, NeoReader, in general - already familiar to everyone a set of software that you can use, or you can uninstall uninstalled. We already mentioned about the most pleasant feature from the last shell update - a customizable quick settings panel, available, along with a list of notifications, on the lock screen. There is also a huge number of pre-installed widgets and gadgets that can be constantly visible on the screen, for example, to quickly create notes.
Traditionally high-quality, as befits Sony devices sound with juicy bass, a clear middle and clean tops. The built-in Walkman player - above all praise, regularly indexes the music uploaded to the flash drive, neatly sorts it by artist and album, knows how to create playlists, add individual rivers to favorites, assign additional tags to them in accordance with the mood (SensMe section), download tags and covers from the internet and distribute music via wifi. The settings are the same as on other devices - equalizer, compressor, track equalizer, stereo widener, as well as mono compatibility and volume up for the external speaker. You can control the player using the widget on the lock screen or, more conveniently, using the headset.
Despite its sleek look, the Z Ultra is protected by the same standards as its hardcore fellow ZR. IP58 guarantees water resistance at a depth of up to 1 meter and protection against dust (as well as the operability of the device in case dust still gets inside). Of course, you need to keep an eye on the plugs, but none of them need to be opened often - the SIM and flash drive are installed, as a rule, once, and it is still more convenient to charge via the dock. Protection of the audio jack does not require any plugs at all. But with underwater shots, there may be difficulties due to the lack of a camera launch button, although I do not know who would dare to dive with such a large device.
Despite the ambiguous reaction of the public, such a format of devices is really in demand, primarily among business people who do not want to carry a smartphone and tablet with them at the same time and should work quickly with documents and conduct extensive correspondence. Complete with a wireless headset and an external keyboard (and even without them, if necessary) successfully replaces several devices at once, and weighs and takes up space, while no more than a large notebook. At the same time, Z Ultra is also perfect for those who prefer a mobile device for information and entertainment. perfectly shows itself as a device for reading, surfing the web, watching videos and playing games.
Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974, 2200 MHz
Memory: 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, support for SD cards (up to 64 GB)
Video: Adreno 330
Display: 6.4 ”, TRILUMINOS, 1920x1080, 16 million colors, scratch protection.
Navigation: GPS, GLONASS
Main camera: Exmor RS 8 mp
Front camera: 2 megapixel
Battery: 3000 mAh, non-removable
OS: Android 4.2
Protection: IP58
Dimensions: 179 x 92 x 6.5 mm
Weight: 212 g
')
Design and ergonomics
In the long white box is a phone, high-power charger, USB cable and a docking station with a magnetic connector. In the latter, by the way, the wire is attached “tightly”, but on the reverse side there is an ordinary plug that can be connected to the charging and to the computer (although if the USB port is not powerful enough, the device will be charged quite slowly).The device, of course, impresses with its size, but it is very thin and quite light. The design is inherited from Z and Z1 - strict straight lines, slightly rounded corners, at least noticeable details. The slot for SD and Micro SIM-cards is located on the right side and is covered with one plug, below it is a round metal power button and an imperceptible volume control that is traditional for this year’s design concept. If you hold the phone in your right hand - they are under the thumb. At the very top lurked headset jack, which we used to see on the top. The left side carries a USB / HDMI connector, also covered with a cap, and a magnetic connector for charging through the dock. In the latter, by the way, the phone is mounted horizontally, which is very convenient for watching a video or working with an external keyboard. In the lower right corner there is a hole for a strap or some trinkets. The back panel is made of glass and covered with a protective film, in its upper part is the camera lens, well, almost the entire “facade” is occupied by a huge screen. Quite noticeable fields are left above and below, by the way, it is convenient to hold the phone while reading at the bottom.
Speaking “in the traditional way”, that is, putting the phone to your ear, is surprisingly comfortable, although it looks a bit strange from the outside. The speaker is loud and the microphone is sensitive (plus there are various software enhancers such as noise reduction, compression and even speech deceleration). On the other hand, of course, it is more convenient to carry the device in a bag or jacket pocket and use a wireless headset (for example, Sony SBH52) to manage calls and music.
Screen
Here we have a very decent 6.4-inch TRILUMINOS display with an IPS matrix, a resolution of 1920x1080, X-Reality technology, an excellent margin of brightness and good viewing angles. Pixel density, of course, is lower than that of Z (342 instead of 441), but it is still not noticeable to the naked eye. When tilted more than 45 degrees, the picture loses a bit in colors, but does not lose brightness, however, I can not imagine a person who needs to carefully consider something from such an angle. Reading on the Z Ultra is a real pleasure, moreover, both text documents and e-books, as well as PDF files. The same can be said about movies. It is very convenient to use the on-screen keyboard - even in vertical mode, you can print with two thumbs and not miss. By the way, Z Ultra supports handwriting input using capacitive styli, a simple pencil or any other thin object with electrical conductivity. In the same way, you can make different sketches, for which there is even a special application called “Sketch”. Of course, the screen doesn’t recognize the power and angle of the screen, and it’s far from graphic tablets, but you can draw some neat scheme.
The increased diagonal allows you to place on the same desktop many icons and widgets. On an empty screen fits 36 icons (and another 6 - in the dock). The on-screen buttons, which many do not like, now take up very little space, and besides, they are still hidden when launching full-screen applications or watching videos. The only problem, perhaps, is that not all applications are adapted for large screens and some of their elements look somewhat blurry, so look for the HD version in the market, if any.
Camera
Devices of this format are not very suitable for frequent photographing, so the camera here is the most common. Good old eight-megapixel Exmor RS is still in business and provides quite decent image quality under any conditions. Automatic mode, however, should be used only in good light - at dusk and darkness, he likes to maximize ISO, which causes quite annoying noises. It is better to switch to manual mode, and the ISO to leave at around 400.
There are traditionally many settings: exposure adjustment, white balance setting, metering and focusing mode, HDR, smile detection, autoloading on the server, shooting panoramas, real-time filters, etc. The video is recorded in FullHD with the ability to take one megapixel pictures in the process.
As for the front camera, the Z Ultra, the eye, as well as the classmates - two megapixel, with a stabilizer and a softening effect, which allows to somewhat reduce the amount of noise. In general - the usual frontalka, well coping with its task.
Unlike other models, there is no LED-flash and a hardware button for shooting (but the settings from it are left - incomplete!). The lack of a button is not particularly annoying, but a flash would be useful, for example, for shooting documents (on the other hand, there will be a little less horrible flash-to-forehead photos in the world).
Battery
The capacity of 3000 mAh, in principle, not so much for such a large device, so even with a FullHD-screen, but for the whole day it is perfectly enough. Even if you drive a smartphone to the tail and to the mane - watch videos on Youtube, read, play, chat, listen to music, actively use 3G and geolocation and, at the same time, do not turn on STAMINA mode - by the end of the day, about 20% of the charge remains. At rest, during the night, the percent is completely discharged by two. To save money, you can use various power schemes, for example, to automatically turn on WiFi only in certain places. If you activate Stamina when fully charged, the corresponding indicator promises that the phone will work in idle mode for 18 days. I tend to believe this statement.
Performance
The quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor (by the way, the Xperia Z Ultra is one of the first phones on the market equipped with this processor) and the Adreno 330 video accelerator are responsible for the performance. Despite the large screen, there are plenty of hardware resources for absolutely all tasks and ways to make the Z Ultra even I did not find any braking, although I tried. Test results can be seen below.
Connection
During the week of use, no problems were observed - the connection was not lost, the network was not lost, the Internet worked perfectly, the location was determined ideally throughout the ten-kilometer test route.
Software
Like all new Sony models, Z Ultra has Android 4.2.2 installed with the possibility of an up-to-date update to 4.3 (how we are working on this update, we already wrote habrahabr.ru/company/sonyxperia/blog/190896 ), as well as branded shell. A set of pre-installed applications includes Evernote, Socialife, Office Suite, McAfee Security, FIle Commander, NeoReader, in general - already familiar to everyone a set of software that you can use, or you can uninstall uninstalled. We already mentioned about the most pleasant feature from the last shell update - a customizable quick settings panel, available, along with a list of notifications, on the lock screen. There is also a huge number of pre-installed widgets and gadgets that can be constantly visible on the screen, for example, to quickly create notes.
Multimedia
Traditionally high-quality, as befits Sony devices sound with juicy bass, a clear middle and clean tops. The built-in Walkman player - above all praise, regularly indexes the music uploaded to the flash drive, neatly sorts it by artist and album, knows how to create playlists, add individual rivers to favorites, assign additional tags to them in accordance with the mood (SensMe section), download tags and covers from the internet and distribute music via wifi. The settings are the same as on other devices - equalizer, compressor, track equalizer, stereo widener, as well as mono compatibility and volume up for the external speaker. You can control the player using the widget on the lock screen or, more conveniently, using the headset.
Protection
Despite its sleek look, the Z Ultra is protected by the same standards as its hardcore fellow ZR. IP58 guarantees water resistance at a depth of up to 1 meter and protection against dust (as well as the operability of the device in case dust still gets inside). Of course, you need to keep an eye on the plugs, but none of them need to be opened often - the SIM and flash drive are installed, as a rule, once, and it is still more convenient to charge via the dock. Protection of the audio jack does not require any plugs at all. But with underwater shots, there may be difficulties due to the lack of a camera launch button, although I do not know who would dare to dive with such a large device.
Summary
Despite the ambiguous reaction of the public, such a format of devices is really in demand, primarily among business people who do not want to carry a smartphone and tablet with them at the same time and should work quickly with documents and conduct extensive correspondence. Complete with a wireless headset and an external keyboard (and even without them, if necessary) successfully replaces several devices at once, and weighs and takes up space, while no more than a large notebook. At the same time, Z Ultra is also perfect for those who prefer a mobile device for information and entertainment. perfectly shows itself as a device for reading, surfing the web, watching videos and playing games.
Specifications
Processor: Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974, 2200 MHz
Memory: 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of internal memory, support for SD cards (up to 64 GB)
Video: Adreno 330
Display: 6.4 ”, TRILUMINOS, 1920x1080, 16 million colors, scratch protection.
Navigation: GPS, GLONASS
Main camera: Exmor RS 8 mp
Front camera: 2 megapixel
Battery: 3000 mAh, non-removable
OS: Android 4.2
Protection: IP58
Dimensions: 179 x 92 x 6.5 mm
Weight: 212 g
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/197764/
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