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Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony Xperia XZ2
Sony Xperia XZ2
...


7.6/10
Informr score
The Sony Xperia XZ2 currently has an Informr score of 7.6 out of 10. This score is based on our evaluation of 49 sources including reviews from users and the web's most trusted critics.

The "1-Minute" Review

Verdict

Sony has made some significant upgrades to the XZ2 from the XZ1, but much of it is playing catch up to current flagships. While it provides excellent performance, a good display, and a decent camera, it has no standout features to distinguish it from its competitors.

What's good

  • Lightning fast performance
  • 4K HDR video recording capabilities
  • Decent picture quality in good light
  • Modern and sleek design
  • IP68 rated

What's bad

  • Mediocre battery life
  • Camera struggles in low light
  • Slippery/prone to drops

With the XZ2, Sony has finally refreshed their design to make it look more modern. But in a sea of sleek and powerful flagship phones like the Samsung Galaxy S9 or iPhone X, it might not be enough to stand out and convert potential customers.

In terms of visuals, Sony has moved away from the boxy, flat design to a more modern look. The aluminum edges curve around the rear, making it much more comfortable to hold. More importantly, they’ve reduced the size of the top and bottom bezels for a shorter profile.

Instead of a unibody design, Sony has opted for a mixed material chassis. The edges are aluminum while the rear offers a curved glass back. As you’d expect, the glass makes the phone slippery. Luckily, it is IP68 rated -- so it can survive if you drop it in a puddle.

The 5.7-inch display is the star of the XZ2. It offers a full HD+ resolution of 2160-by-1080 for a more modern aspect ratio of 18:9. While not the sharpest, it’s still plenty sharp with a pixel density of 424 ppi. 

Unfortunately, Sony’s still sporting IPS LCD technology rather than AMOLED. This means it can’t get the same deep blacks you'll find from other flagships. Still, for most people it will be good enough. 

Coupled with bright colors and great bright light legibility, most reviewers have few complaints when viewed in isolation. It was only when comparing it to other flagship phones that they saw a difference in quality.

The XZ2 is equipped with the powerful octa-core Snapdragon 845 chip and 4GB of RAM. Critics had no issue in the performance department. Whether just scrolling through their home screen, multitasking or playing graphically demanding games, it performed better than competitors like the Galaxy Note 8.

To keep running, the XZ2 comes equipped with a 3,180mAh battery. This is surprisingly small given the demanding processor and display. Experts squeezed a full day of the battery when they minded their usage. However,  Heavy usage drained batteries quick -- leaving them searching for a charger in around 6-8 hours.

To help with this, the phone offers Quick Charge 3.0 and Qi wireless charging. You can charge up to 30% in a few minutes.

Once again, Sony has bucked the trend with their camera. 

Rather than implement dual sensors, they’re using the same 19MP sensor they put on the XZ1. It also offers a bokeh mode to blur out the background, but it produced rather mixed results.

In good lighting situations, reviewers could capture detailed images with excellent color reproduction. 

The combined phase detection and laser autofocus made it easy for them to capture moments as it was quite fast. But the lack of touch focusing made the interface a bit clunky as they had to press the on-screen shutter button or half-press the dedicated camera button.

Indoor images were disappointing -- especially when compared to the Pixel 2 or Galaxy S9

Since the phone doesn't have optical image stabilization, pictures often were blurry and full of noise and digital artifacts.

Looking to shoot video? You’re in luck. It takes 4K HDR recordings and 3 second super slow motion (960fps) videos.

Unless you’re a Sony fan, critics have a hard time recommending the XZ2. Trusted Reviews states, “... it doesn’t do enough to differentiate itself from the competition... This, coupled with a complete lack of killer special feature... stop the XZ2 from being a true return to form…” Engadget adds, “... the XZ2 is in danger of being overshadowed by the Galaxy S9 and S9 Plus…”


Android
Operating system
Operating system
Android
2.7 GHz
Processor
Processor
2.7 GHz
5.7"
Screen Size
Screen Size
5.7"
19+ MP, f/2.0
Camera
Camera
19+ MP, f/2.0
3180 mAh
Battery


What the Critics Are Saying...


T3
T3

Sony has removed the design shackles it had laden itself with over recent years to produce a phone in the Sony Xperia XZ2 that now looks better than it ever has, comes equipped with some standout hardware and features (it's the first phone on the market to deliver 4K, HDR recording), and is technica...

- Robert Jones, T3
Techaeris
Techaeris

If you’re looking for a smartphone with decent specs that’s a little easier on the wallet, the Sony Xperia XZ2 offers just that.

- Jason Bouwmeester, Techaeris
Talk Android
Talk Android

In some ways, the Xperia XZ2 reminds me of the LG G6 from 2017, in that Sony has stepped things up by changing the design and improving the camera experience but ultimately falling short because of a short-sighted decision or two. One such choice is the placement of the rear camera which is precisel...

- Peter Holden, Talk Android
TechNave
TechNave

The Xperia XZ2's Ambient Flow design (except the rear fingerprint sensor) really wowed us, while camera quality along with the processor and battery's horsepower are satisfactory. It could have been quite a good purchase if it wasn't for the gimmicky features.

- Abel Wong, TechNave
The Gadgeteer
The Gadgeteer

The Sony Xperia XZ2 makes a nice smartphone with almost every feature on my smartphone wishlist including wireless charging and a microSD card slot. That said, I couldn’t quite love this phone because it lacks the always-on clock display that has become a must-have feature for me and it’s just so da...

- Julie Strietelmeier, The Gadgeteer


Prices (Where to Buy)




Common Questions


We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia XZ2 user manual here.


Sony backs up the Xperia XZ2 with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.


If your Xperia XZ2 has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Sony support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Sony's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.



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Quick view

Screen Size
5.7"

The Sony Xperia XZ2's screen size is 5.7 inches with 1080 x 2160 pixels resolution.

Processor
2.7 GHz

There is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Octa core 2.7 GHz processor (CPU).

OS

The phone runs on the Android 8.0 Oreo (Update Available: 9.0 Pie) operating system (OS).

Camera
19+ MP

You can take photos or capture video with the phone's onboard 19+ MP, f/2.0 camera.

There is also a secondary front facing camera with 5+ megapixels resolution.

Storage
64 GB

Internal memory is 64 GB. An external, MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 400 GB) expansion slot is available for increased storage capacity.

Battery
3180mAh

The phone is powered by a Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion), 3180 mAh battery. Sony's performance ratings are 1380 minutes, 651 minutes Wi-Fi surfing.

Xperia XZ2 Specs

Overview
Release Date March 27, 2018
Regions Available USA, Canada, United Kingdom
Operating System Android 8.0 Oreo (Update Available: 9.0 Pie)

Compare Android Smartphones

Processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 Octa core 2.7 GHz
Internal Storage 64 GB
RAM 4 GB
Hearing Aid Compatible No
TTY/TDD No
Noise Cancellation Yes
SAR Head: 0.56 W/kg
Body: 0.94 W/kg
Manufacturer Warranty 1 Year
Accessories Included USB Power Adapter, Manual, Headphones, Data Cable
Cellular
Networks
GPRS, EDGE, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE
Mobile / Cellular Data
4G/LTE
Push-to-talk (PTT) No
Wi-Fi Calling Yes
Voice over LTE (VoLTE) Yes
SIM card size
Nano-SIM
Dual SIM No
Connectivity
USB USB Type-C
USB OTG Support Yes
GPS Type A-GPS
Infrared No
Bluetooth 5.0
Bluetooth Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, OPP/FTP, HFP, HSP
Bluetooth Audio Codecs SBC, aptX HD, LDAC
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n
Mobile Hotspot Yes
Memory Expansion Slot Yes
Expansion Slot Info MicroSD, MicroSDHC, microSDXC (up to 400 GB)
NFC Yes
Data Tethering Compatibility Yes
Camera
Main Camera
Resolution / Aperture
19+ Megapixels, f/2.0
Zoom
8x digital
Flash
Yes (LED)
Additional Rear Camera Info
Auto focus, Effects, Face detection, Geotagging, ISO, Multi-shot, Night mode, Panorama, Self-timer, Smile detection, White balance, HDR, Super slow motion recording(960 FPS)
Video Recording Formats
MPEG-4
Video Recording Parameters
Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels)
Front Camera
Resolution / Aperture
5+ Megapixels
Additional Front Camera Info
f/2.2 Aperture
Video Recording Parameters
Display / Screen
Type Color
Technology LCD (IPS)
Colors 16.7 million
Resolution 1080 x 2160 pixels
Pixel Density 424 pixels
Size 5.7 inches
Secondary Display No
Sensors Ambient Light, Proximity, Motion / Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Digital Compass
Multi-Touch Yes
Fingerprint-Resistant Coating No
Additional Display Features Capacitive touch screen, Corning Gorilla Glass 5, X-Reality Engine, Triluminos display
Power & Battery
Battery Type Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion)
Battery Capacity 3180 mAh
Removable Battery No
Wireless Charging Yes
Fast Charging Yes
Video Playback Time Up to 677 minutes
Internet Use (Wi-Fi) Up to 651 minutes
Internet Use (Cellular) Unknown
Talk Time Up to 1380 minutes
Standby Time Up to 26.24 days
Mixed Usage
Physical Characteristics
Design Type Bar
Material Aluminium
Colors Liquid Black, Liquid Silver, Deep Green, Ash Pink
Dimensions [H x W x D] 15.3 x 7.2 x 1.11 cm (6 x 2.8 x 0.4 in)
Weight 198 grams
Water Resistant / Waterproof Water Resistant
Rugged design No
IP Rating IP 68
Headset Jack No
External Speakers Stereo
Input / Navigation
Sleep / Wake Key Yes
Home Key No
Input / Keyboard Type Touchscreen
Navigation Type Touchscreen
External Volume Control Yes
Fingerprint Sensor Yes
More
Additional Information Other Names (AKA):

Also available in dual SIM variant.

Related Links Manual (PDF)
Sony Xperia XZ2 Reviews
Where to buy Sony Xperia XZ2
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