Anticipation is running high for the latest iteration of the Xperia line-up; mainly due to the 4K screen on the Xperia Z5 Premium Dual, and the same 23-megapixel sensor found on all three that gave the number 1 smartphone camera spot to Sony (judged by DxOMark). But will this trio be enough to revitalise the ailing Japanese mobile division of this multinational conglomerate?
Struggling to find their footing domestically and internationally, the brand has lacked some ingenuity in its design portfolio for quite some time – both in hardware and software. They’ve had to rename their Xperia Z4 to a Xperia Z3+ in the international segment to avoid a backlash from customers. If you didn’t know, Sony practises a biannual refresh for its mobile division.
Since IFA 2015, their combination of the 4K screen and the latest Sony camera sensor has made the device the talk of the town (among other reasons) but what else do these three devices have to offer? Let’s work our way from the smallest of the bunch to their largest device.
For starters, you’ll have the Xperia Z5 Compact, this youngling comes in a 4.6-inch form factor and its screen will display in a 720p (1280 x 720) resolution. Inside you’ll find the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor found across all three devices but of the three, the Xperia Z5 Compact has slightly less RAM at 2GB instead of 3GB. Plus, it’s waterproof.
Storage-wise, you’re stuck with 32GB base internal storage but with a microSD card handy, you’ll be able to bump it up to 200GBs if you wish. As for the camera, the rear will get a huge 23-megapixel Exmor RS sensor, while the front receives a 5-megapixel snapper. The former is capable of a 0.3 second autofocus time and has an f/2.0 aperture G lens.
Don’t forget this is the same sensor found on all three and includes (claimed) advancements in low-light situations, 5x clear image (digital) zoom and Sony’s advanced processing software. If you’re into the pixel game, there’s also 4K video recording on board.
The Compact also is the only one to have a single SIM set up, and it gets a smaller 2700 mAh battery. But like its siblings, it will run the same Android 5.1 Lollipop OS out of the box.
Sony’s Xperia Z5 Dual fits the middle-child stereotype but it isn’t easily forgotten. Boasting a 5.2-inch FHD display (1920 x 1080), we’re kind of surprised that Sony didn’t up the ante by making it a QHD screen, but oh well. Similarly, it’ll get the same Snapdragon 810 SoC, 32GBs of internal storage and the same glorified camera modules, but is equipped with 3GB of RAM and a larger 2,900 mAh battery instead. The smartphone gets a dual-SIM LTE slot, bettering the single slot on its little brother as well.
The most premium, coincidentally dubbed the Xperia Z5 Premium Dual is the first smartphone to carry a 4K (3840 x 2160) 5.5-inch screen; that accounts for 806 pixels per inch. Naturally, since it is able to display 4K, the aforementioned 23-megapixel camera will do it justice by allowing 4K video recording for you to test out the crazy screen.
Its not too different internally to the Xperia Z5 Dual, with the only difference being the larger 3,430 mAh battery, there’s nothing much else that sets it apart. Notably, all three devices have an in-built fingerprint sensor, placed neatly out of the way on the side of the device – brushing your finger pass the sensor instantly unlocks your device, giving you bio-metric security as an option.
The three devices will be available for purchase in these colour options:
Xperia Z5 Compact – Graphite Black, White, Yellow and Coral (RM 2,299)
Xperia Z5 Dual – Graphite Black, White, Gold and Green (RM 2,699)
Xperia Z5 Premium Dual – Chrome, Black and Gold (Pricing will only be announced in November)
For the time being and in limited quantities, Sony will be throwing some freebies together with the 3 devices today from the 31st of October till 22nd of November:
Spectre official t-shirt (RM 109)
Spectre bottle opener (RM 59)
Landscape lay flat hardcover photobook (RM 259)
You’ll be able to pick up any member the two smaller devices of the Xperia Z5 line at authorised Sony retailers nationwide from today the 31st of October, while the Xperia Z5 Premium Dual will only be available November onwards (no specification as to what date). Stay tuned for more content including our hands on first impressions of the trio.
Sony Xperia Z5 Product Images
