Sony’s latest range of Z series Xperia smartphones have been revealed at IFA in Berlin, with three devices (Z5, Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium) destined for Irish shores.
The main differences between the trio is largely RAM and resolution, with similar processors and cameras shared throughout.
And it’s the camera capabilities that Sony is clearly shouting loudest about.
From merely a megapixel point of view, the trio boasts a camera that, at 23Mpx, is some way clear of competitors. The HTC One M9 and Nokia Lumia 930, at 20Mpx, are the only ones even close.
Focus, people!
Sony claims it has the fastest autofocus, thanks to its Exmor RSTM for mobile sensor, with the trio able to take photos underwater, pretty easily actually.
The autofocus happens quicker than it takes to blink, so immediate-action photos should be fairly accessible.
The Xperia Z5 will, eventually, come in four colours
The Z5 and Compact will be out in Ireland around the end of the month, with the Premium some weeks later.
Prices of the Xperia Z5 range have yet to be revealed, but Sony told us there would be around €100 between the Compact and the Z5 and, from looking at the two, you will essentially be paying for size.
The Premium is the device that boasts a 4K UHD display as well as 4K upscaling technology. The phone even lets you throw 4K videos to other devices via Bluetooth, which is a nice touch.
Slimmer than they look
Despite what they look like in the pictures, these phones aren’t too bulky. It’s weird, actually. The Z5 and Compact look far thicker than they feel, maybe my eyes don’t see in 4K.
A Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor powers the trio, featuring octacore CPUs, 64-bit capabilities and ultra-fast 4G LTE speeds.
The screen sizes (5.5in Premium, 5.2in Z5, 4.6in Compact) cover pretty much all the bases, with the Premium playing videos as large as you need them, looking almost Phablet-like. The sound on it, naturally enough for Sony, is very good.
The Sony Z5 Premium, which won’t be available just yet
A new addition to the range is a fingerprint sensor on the power button, which brings the Xperia in line with the likes of the iPhone.
I used to have an Xperia and the standout feature, I always felt, was the battery. In this case, Sony claims it will last two days, with the Qualcomm processors allowing for a quick-charge, which the company told us could see a 60pc charge in just 10 minutes.
“Smartphones are part of people’s lives,” said Sony CEO Hiroki Totoki.
“Since users already create, share and enjoy most of their content on the go, we’ve set out to bring Sony’s latest innovations in camera, design and display to ensure the Xperia Z5 series is the best possible lifestyle and entertainment platform.”
We haven’t had the chance to properly review the devices just yet, but first impressions seem pretty good.
