Gary SteelIt can play high definition audio, and unlike certain smartphones, allows the insertion of a micro-SD card of up to 200GB. Is Sony’s new Xperia Z5 series a game-changer?
WITH ITS THREE new Xperia Z5 smartphones, Japanese tech giant Sony appears to be living up to the origins of its name, ‘sonos’. Those of us who give at least two hoots for sound quality have often wondered whether those small gadgets we have come to rely on for just about everything in our lives – smartphones – would ever get wise about great sound and great visuals, and it seems that Sony have cottoned on to the idea, in a big way.
For the visually inclined, the premium model of the Z5 comes with the world’s first 4K screen on a smartphone, while the two lesser models (identical in every other way except for size) both have HD screens that beat their popular rivals to a pulp.
Sony has built an enviable reputation for its cameras, so it’s no real surprise that they’ve pulled out all the stops with the Xperia Z5 cameras. A few of the more notable camera features include its 23 megapixels (against their popular rival’s 16), the ability of its video recording to remain smooth in bumpy circumstances, and a fast-responding ability to focus on the desired part of a complex picture. Oh, and those crafty engineers have figured out how to get quality still photos from moving footage, as well as render low-light pictures brilliantly.
As fine as that all is, we’re a bit more interested in the audio. Ever since the humble iPod Classic was put out to pasture, it’s been hard to find a replacement that can store a decent amount of reasonable-sounding music. The Experia potentially sorts that issue, while bumping up the quality to better-than-CD. Admittedly, even with a 200GB micro-SD card added, hi-res music files will eat up space like mad. But at least Sony is decent enough to allow us to add memory, unlike certain other vendors.
Other features of these handsome hand sets include the highest rating for water and dust resistance, a fingerprint sensor/power button on the side of the unit, up to two-day battery life, and the fastest autofocus of any camera on a smartphone.
- The Sony Experia ($1199) and Sony Experia Compact ($999) will be available next week from Spark and Vodafone (Compact only) and Sony stores. Details on the availability and pricing of the premium model will be released shortly. We hope to review an Xperia soon.
