Sony Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are the world’s first smartphones with 4K HDR video recording

Sony Mobile has just introduced the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact at Mobile World Congress and it’s their first smartphones to feature an 18:9 display. For those who prefer to get a small-sized flagship, the Xperia XZ2 Compact finally does FullHD+ resolution on a small 5.0″ screen.

With the latest Xperia XZ2 duo, Sony wants to offer the best entertainment experience in the palm of your hands. Both the 5.7″ (also FullHD+) Xperia XZ2 and the 5.0″ Xperia XZ2 Compact displays are HDR ready and it can even up-convert your existing content to play at near HDR using Sony’s BRAVIA TV and X-reality technology for mobile.

To let you “feel” your video content, Sony has incorporated a haptic feedback experience using a Dynamic Vibration System on the Xperia XZ2. Basically, it will vibrate the phone like a “DualShock” effect and it works for movies, games and videos.

The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact still offer stereo sound and they are the loudest yet on a Xperia device with its S-Force Front Surround. There’s also Hi-Res audio support with DSEE HX technology which is used to upscale existing audio content.

Sony also wants to offer professional grade video capturing tools on a smartphone. The Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are the first smartphones to offer 4K video recording in HDR. Over at the rear, both models get a 19MP Motion Eye camera with a F/2.0 G Lens, while the front comes with a 5MP f/2.2 selfie camera.

There’s also SteadyShot with Intelligent Active Mode (5-axis stabilisation) for both front and rear cameras. Another new upgrade is its Super Slow-mo feature. Both phones are now capable of recording 960 fps slow-mo videos at a higher Full HD quality instead of HD 720p. The 3D Creator tool which was first introduced on the Xperia XZ1 is now upgraded on the Xperia XZ2 to support the front camera. Previously, you can only create a 3D scan of your face or objects with only the main camera.

In terms of specs, both the Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact are powered by a Snapdragon 845 processor. The rest of the specs are now similar with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage for both models.

Compared to its predecessor, the new models now come with higher battery capacities with 3,180mAh on the XZ2 and 2,870mAh for the XZ2 Compact. Both models support QuickCharge 3.0 via USB Type-C and the XZ2 now gets added Wireless Charging support using Qi standard.

In terms of design, the Xperia XZ2 gets a fluid 3D glass surface for the rear which is quite similar to HTC’s Liquid Surface exterior on the HTC U11. Meanwhile, the XZ2 Compact uses an anti-scratch hard-grade polycarbonate back that comes with a smooth frost finish. The devices have Corning Glass 5 protection for the front and it uses a metal frame for better durability. As usual, both also get IP68 rated dust and water resistance.

The Xperia XZ2 is available in Liquid Silver, Liquid Black, Deep Green and Ash Pink, while the XZ2 Compact comes in White Silver, Black, Moss Green and Coral Pink. Both models will be available globally starting from March 2018 and they will be running on Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box.

At MWC 2018, Sony has also showcased its new dual-camera camera technology with a fusion image signal processor. This allows you to take brighter images with less noise and blur. For better low-light performance, the camera sensors are highly sensitive and it can capture up to ISO 51,200 for photos and ISO 12,800 for videos. Sony is still sticking a single camera for its current flagship and this camera module could be featured on their upcoming model.

UPDATE: The ISO 51200 & ISO 12800 feature is on Sony’s new dual-camera showcase and not on the Xperia XZ2/XZ2 Compact as reported earlier.

You can check out more hands-on photos of both devices on the next page.

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Xperia XZ2

Xperia XZ2 Compact