Sony Xperia XZ2

Sony Xperia XZ2 looks like a Sony model and appears without much modifications to it. Priced at Rs. 72,990, the Sony Xperia XZ2 is an appreciated model, but it does not have enough spunk to stand out in competition.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 comes with its signature speedy performance of Sony and a good set of cameras. However, it fails to make a mark with its boxy design and dated display, especially when we consider the price of the phone. It is an accomplished phone but not the all-rounder people look for at this range.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 may look premium but is quite large with the dimensions of 153 x 72 x 11.1mm, and heavy at 198 g. Plus, the phone does not offer a grippy design that makes it quite dated and difficult to handle. However, the sides are curved making it sit comfortably in hand. The fingerprint scanner has been relocated from the side to the rear, but it is not in an ergonomic position, staying too low for comfort.

The phone also arrived with the new USB Type-C port, making it quite a modern one. However, there is terrible news for nostalgics – Sony has finally ditched the headphone jack. The phone also comes with the IP68 waterproof and dustproof features, which is excellent for surviving accidental dunks.

The Xperia XZ2 arrives with a 5.7-inch Full HD display which might seem a bit dated considering how most phones have moved towards QHD resolutions. Plus, you get the popular aspect ratio of 18:9 which gives you a broader landscape orientation. However, Sony comes with its popular bezels which are thick, thus reducing the screen space to a great degree. The screen supports High Dynamic Range, and hence you can get an amazing range of colours, therefore seeing the deeper black and a more realistic visual experience.

HDR content from Netflix is also accessible. However, the contrast is not as good as an AMOLED screen, and you can notice the difference. All in all, the HDR screen makes it take an edge against the remaining Sony handsets.

Sony Xperia XZ2 arrives with the powerful Snapdragon 845 chipset. It is one of the best processors in the market, and it delivers. The phone can easily handle any apps thrown at it, though there was a bit of lag in the camera app. It scores a staggering 8225 multi-core score on Geekbench 4 showing that the phone has some spunk. Due to the presence of this much amount of power, the phone can handle graphic-intensive games as well without facing a problem.

Another feature of Sony is its Dynamic Vibration System which buzzes in your hand in time with the music while you play games. This gives you an immersive feel at first, however, it can be irritating at times. You can switch it off if you desire.

The Sony Xperia X2 comes with a 19MP Motion Eye camera with 4K video recording. It also comes with the XZ1’s features of autofocus burst and predictive capture to improve motion photography and low-light shots. In ideal light conditions, the 19MP shooter can capture accurate colours and sharp pictures.

However, in low light conditions, the images start to appear noisy and lack clearness. The camera app also has Bokeh and it trumps in that department, providing a proper background blur so that the subject can pop out.

Regarding selfies, the phone arrives with a front 5MP camera. In proper lighting, the selfies come out fine. One of the best things that Sony added is the physical button for clicking selfies along with the on-screen button which will be a delight for selfie fans.

The phone can record 4K videos, but the main highlight is the slow-motion video that the phone can record at 960 fps. While Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus come with this feature as we;;, the Sony Xperia XZ2 offers it in FullHD resolution.

The Sony Xperia XZ2 arrives with a 3180 mAh battery which is quite powerful and can keep the phone alive for one entire day with moderate or even with heavy use. Playing a 90-minute video on the phone with full brightness and Wi-Fi account syncing resulted in the phone losing about 27% of its battery. Comparatively, its competitors, Samsung Galaxy S9 and iPhone X lost 17% and 10% respectively, making the XZ2 battery extremely poor in this regard.

However, there is a couple of Power Saving modes present on this phone. If the phone charge drops below 15%, Standard Stamina Mode gets activated which reduces background app activity and wireless connections. You can also switch to Ultra Stamina Mode which will allow essential functions like calls and messaging, and enters a black-and-white mode.

The phone comes with both fast-charging and wireless-charging. Fast charging can help it replenish two-thirds of the battery within 40 minutes which is quite a brilliant time.

Sony Xperia XZ2 is a good phone with a lot of spunk, but it does not add anything brilliant to it. It has excellent performance and a decent battery, and passable cameras. While the Slow-motion video had been a hit in the previous Xperia models, it does not come as an exciting addition anymore. All in all, if you are a Sony fan and are looking for a well-rounded phone, then, Xperia XZ2 can be a fantastic model to go for. However, Galaxy S9 or Huawei P20 Pto provide objectively more interesting and better choices.