Sony Xperia XZ2 & XZ2 Compact In Review

Here at Fonehouse we can’t help but feel that Sony have been somewhat overlooked in recent years. Not necessarily because they don’t make good smartphones, but rather because they’ve been overshadowed by much bigger brands. Don’t get us wrong, we’ve always been aware of Sony, but they’ve always been more like background noise in a sea of iPhones and Galaxy handsets.

Recent released have ensured that this opinion has begun to change, and slowly but surely Sony have started to make an impact once again, not least because of their most recent release with the XZ2 series.

The XZ2 and XZ2 Compact have both received generally extremely positive reviews, but we wanted to try them out ourselves to be sure.

The Look.

We half expected the XZ2 to retain the more traditional sharp edged design that Sony have subconsciously made their trademark with recent releases, however the curved edges and softer design that comes with both the XZ2 and XZ2 Compact is a welcome change. However unlike many smartphones released this year, the Sony Xperia XZ2 handsets aren’t completely bezel free. This may not bother you in the slightest – it is a minute detail in our opinion which doesn’t negatively affect the design of the phone – but if you’re looking for that ultra minimal, clean design that you can find with a number of high end smartphones, you may want to look elsewhere.

(the Xperia XZ2)

Both the XZ2 and the Compact version come in four high finish colours so there really is a handset for everyone; whatever your style, there’ll undoubtedly be a handset to suit your persona. The addition of Gorilla Glass 5 across the front and back means that even the most clumsy of owners will be able to look after the XZ2 series.

(the Xperia XZ2 Compact)

The Tech.

The larger XZ2 features 5.2 inch display houses a Full HD HDR display which in testing produces very clear images with vibrant colours. The Compact version is much smaller at just 5 inches but features the same technology, and both phones come with TRILUMINOS display for mobile, hence the impressive results.

Sony’s dynamic vibration system, which they have quite heavily pushed in marketing, is underwhelming, so don’t expect much from that. We do feel, however, that Sony Bravia TV technology and powerful stereo speakers make for a decent viewing experience; if your planing on downloading apps like Netflix and Amazon Video then you won’t be disappointed. It so good, in fact, that we recommended the XZ2 as our perfect smartphone for film enthusiasts here.

The non-removable 3180mAh battery means that the Xperia XZ2 has come up on top in terms of battery life, with experts rating it highly even when placed against the likes of Samsung and Apple. The XZ2 Compact, unsurprisingly, houses a much smaller 2870 mAh battery, so if you’re admittedly always on your smartphone, you may want to go for the larger handset.

Both handsets run on what Sony claims to be their fastest processor yet, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 which we found in testing to be more than suitable if you’re looking for a speedy and responsive smartphone.

The Camera.

Both the XZ2 and the XZ2 Compact feature a 19MP Motion Eye camera which allegedly reacts to its surroundings much like the human eye. This really is an impressive camera set up, particularly on a compact smartphone, so any photography enthusiasts will be impressed with what Sony have managed to do here. In addition both phones have the capacity to record 4K video and super slow motion footage at 960 frames per second in full 1080p HD quality, so you can capture all of your most important memories in the highest quality.

The Price.

You can currently get your hands on the Sony Xperia XZ2 for £685 SIM free, while the Xperia XZ2 Compact is significantly cheaper at £489. That’s quite a difference, but when you consider the difference in size and battery power, we can almost see why – but we were still very impressed with the XZ2 Compact, so don’t disregard it if you’re not a heavy smartphone user, particularly if you’re after a smaller handset.

All of that aside, you can get hold of both handsets on great value pay monthly contracts with some great added extras. XZ2 Compact contracts start at as little as £33 per month, with the XZ2 available for a tiny bit more at £39 per month.

Whichever handset you go for, both are impressive pieces of tech, and prove that Sony aren\’t quite ready to be overlooked when it comes to smartphone technology.