For reference, the Sony Xperia Z5 is A and the iPhone 6S is B. We summarize below the top choices in different scenarios.
Close-up Shot: In close-up shots taken booth indoor and outdoor, the Sony Xpria Z5 won over the iPhone 6S handily. The Xperia Z5 got around 2 out of 3 votes in both scenarios.
Typical outdoor in daylight: The iPhone 6S won over the Xperia Z5 for general outdoor shots with a very wide margin of 89% compared to jst the 11% of the Z5.
Dynamic Range: With high dynamic range, the Xperia Z5 took 9 out of 10 votes over the iPhone 6S.
Indoor Low Light Shot: For general indoor shots, the Xperia Z5 once again beat the iPhone 6S with 65% of the votes.
Night Shot: For night shots with very low light source, the Xperia Z5 won witha small margin of 57% compared to the 43% of the iPhone 6S.
Low-light with Flash: With using flash, the Xperia Z5 slightly edged over the iPhone 6S at 55%-45%.
Video Recording: The iPhone 6S won over the Xperia Z5 with 54% of the votes.
Over-all winner: Sony Xperia Z5
The iPhone 6S got some advantage in typical daylight scenarios and video recording in our blind test but the Xperia Z5 managed to take away points with close-up shots, indoor, low-light, dynamic range and flash photography.
The Xperia Z5 beats the iPhone 6S in 7% of the different scenarios we pitted them.
Next blind test — Huawei Nexus 6P vs. Samsung Galaxy Note 5.
After 5 generations of the Xperia flagship series, we think Sony has done a terrific job at making the Xperia Z5 its best smartphone to date. In the last 5 iterations, it still retained its design DNA since the first day and the Z5 still closely resembles that unique look of the Z1, down to the glass on glass body and the IP68 rating.
If you think the Xperia Z3+ was an incremental upgrade over the Z3, then the Z5 is a totally new beast. Check out our initial impressions in this video clip before proceeding to the review.
Design and Construction
At first glance, you would not quickly realize that the Xperia Z5 is any different from its predecessors. The flat monolothic design in glass and metallic construction has always been its signature look. Turn it on its back and you will notice its most distinguishing mark — the matte polished back panel. You might also mistake it for a metallic plate but its actually a really thin and hard glass that’s been given the frosted treatment.
The frosted glass looks more appealing than the previous glossy finish as it prevents any fingerprints or smudges all over the surfaxe and it actually works pretty well. Our review unit is the graphite black variant although it would look like dark brown depending on the angle of the light.
It’s thin at only 7.3mm on the side with a matte polished metallic frame that retains the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance of up to 1.5 meters for as long as 30 minutes at a time. The Z3 and the Z5 exactly has the same weight and dimensions (146 x 72 x 7.3mm) which is weird because the direct predecessor (Z3+) was thinner (146 x 72 x 6.9mm) and lighter.
At the bottom end is the micro USB port which is exposed but Sony managed to make them water proof as well. Beside that is a provision for a landyard strap which makes sense especially during those times you’ll be bringing this to the beach or in the pool.
Up top is the 3.5mm port which is exposed but also water resistant. That also includes the two front-facing speakers.
The single water-proof flap on the left side protects the nano-SIM card and micro SD card trays. The right side is the volume rocker, a dedicated camera shutter and that signature power button that also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The old power button used to be a huge rounded protrusion on the side while the new one is much larger and elongated to provide more surface area for the built-in sensor.
Sony did a good job at making the large power button on the right as a fingerprint scanner. This works well when you are holding the device with your right hand and your thumb is pressing against the power button comfortably. However, it feels awkward if you are holding the phone with your left hand. If you are a leftie though, you can actually still use your index or middle finger and register it with the scanner as that’s the most accessible to the button.
Sony almost perfected the water-proofing of the Xperia Z5 in such a way that the exposed ports like the micro-USB and 3.5mm audio port need not have protective flaps to seal them from any liquid material. We say almost because there’s still a chance that seepage could happen if there’s prolonged exposure to liquids.
At the back is the 23-megapixel camera flushed on the left corner with the single LED flash just below it. The Sony logo is subtly etched into the glass in the middle with the NFC logo just above it so you’ll know where to tap when you want to pair it with other NFC devices.
Perhaps the only awkward placement we observed is that of the volume controls on the right side. It is placed way down the lower end beside the dedicated camera shutter that it’s hard to reach it when holding in one hand. We think the better placement should have been at the top side of the power button where most other devices put them.
Nevertheless, we think the Z5 is the best-looking Xperia device so far and we especially liked the frosted glass treatment.
After 5 generations of the Xperia flagship series, we think Sony has done a terrific job at making the Xperia Z5 its best smartphone to date. In the last 5 iterations, it still retained its design DNA since the first day and the Z5 still closely resembles that unique look of the Z1, down to the glass on glass body and the IP68 rating.
If you think the Xperia Z3+ was an incremental upgrade over the Z3, then the Z5 is a totally new beast. Check out our initial impressions in this video clip before proceeding to the review.
Design and Construction
At first glance, you would not quickly realize that the Xperia Z5 is any different from its predecessors. The flat monolothic design in glass and metallic construction has always been its signature look. Turn it on its back and you will notice its most distinguishing mark — the matte polished back panel. You might also mistake it for a metallic plate but its actually a really thin and hard glass that’s been given the frosted treatment.
The frosted glass looks more appealing than the previous glossy finish as it prevents any fingerprints or smudges all over the surfaxe and it actually works pretty well. Our review unit is the graphite black variant although it would look like dark brown depending on the angle of the light.
It’s thin at only 7.3mm on the side with a matte polished metallic frame that retains the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance of up to 1.5 meters for as long as 30 minutes at a time. The Z3 and the Z5 exactly has the same weight and dimensions (146 x 72 x 7.3mm) which is weird because the direct predecessor (Z3+) was thinner (146 x 72 x 6.9mm) and lighter.
At the bottom end is the micro USB port which is exposed but Sony managed to make them water proof as well. Beside that is a provision for a landyard strap which makes sense especially during those times you’ll be bringing this to the beach or in the pool.
Up top is the 3.5mm port which is exposed but also water resistant. That also includes the two front-facing speakers.
The single water-proof flap on the left side protects the nano-SIM card and micro SD card trays. The right side is the volume rocker, a dedicated camera shutter and that signature power button that also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The old power button used to be a huge rounded protrusion on the side while the new one is much larger and elongated to provide more surface area for the built-in sensor.
Sony did a good job at making the large power button on the right as a fingerprint scanner. This works well when you are holding the device with your right hand and your thumb is pressing against the power button comfortably. However, it feels awkward if you are holding the phone with your left hand. If you are a leftie though, you can actually still use your index or middle finger and register it with the scanner as that’s the most accessible to the button.
Sony almost perfected the water-proofing of the Xperia Z5 in such a way that the exposed ports like the micro-USB and 3.5mm audio port need not have protective flaps to seal them from any liquid material. We say almost because there’s still a chance that seepage could happen if there’s prolonged exposure to liquids.
At the back is the 23-megapixel camera flushed on the left corner with the single LED flash just below it. The Sony logo is subtly etched into the glass in the middle with the NFC logo just above it so you’ll know where to tap when you want to pair it with other NFC devices.
Perhaps the only awkward placement we observed is that of the volume controls on the right side. It is placed way down the lower end beside the dedicated camera shutter that it’s hard to reach it when holding in one hand. We think the better placement should have been at the top side of the power button where most other devices put them.
Nevertheless, we think the Z5 is the best-looking Xperia device so far and we especially liked the frosted glass treatment.
After 5 generations of the Xperia flagship series, we think Sony has done a terrific job at making the Xperia Z5 its best smartphone to date. In the last 5 iterations, it still retained its design DNA since the first day and the Z5 still closely resembles that unique look of the Z1, down to the glass on glass body and the IP68 rating.
If you think the Xperia Z3+ was an incremental upgrade over the Z3, then the Z5 is a totally new beast. Check out our initial impressions in this video clip before proceeding to the review.
Design and Construction
At first glance, you would not quickly realize that the Xperia Z5 is any different from its predecessors. The flat monolothic design in glass and metallic construction has always been its signature look. Turn it on its back and you will notice its most distinguishing mark — the matte polished back panel. You might also mistake it for a metallic plate but its actually a really thin and hard glass that’s been given the frosted treatment.
The frosted glass looks more appealing than the previous glossy finish as it prevents any fingerprints or smudges all over the surfaxe and it actually works pretty well. Our review unit is the graphite black variant although it would look like dark brown depending on the angle of the light.
It’s thin at only 7.3mm on the side with a matte polished metallic frame that retains the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance of up to 1.5 meters for as long as 30 minutes at a time. The Z3 and the Z5 exactly has the same weight and dimensions (146 x 72 x 7.3mm) which is weird because the direct predecessor (Z3+) was thinner (146 x 72 x 6.9mm) and lighter.
At the bottom end is the micro USB port which is exposed but Sony managed to make them water proof as well. Beside that is a provision for a landyard strap which makes sense especially during those times you’ll be bringing this to the beach or in the pool.
Up top is the 3.5mm port which is exposed but also water resistant. That also includes the two front-facing speakers.
The single water-proof flap on the left side protects the nano-SIM card and micro SD card trays. The right side is the volume rocker, a dedicated camera shutter and that signature power button that also doubles as a fingerprint scanner. The old power button used to be a huge rounded protrusion on the side while the new one is much larger and elongated to provide more surface area for the built-in sensor.
Sony did a good job at making the large power button on the right as a fingerprint scanner. This works well when you are holding the device with your right hand and your thumb is pressing against the power button comfortably. However, it feels awkward if you are holding the phone with your left hand. If you are a leftie though, you can actually still use your index or middle finger and register it with the scanner as that’s the most accessible to the button.
Sony almost perfected the water-proofing of the Xperia Z5 in such a way that the exposed ports like the micro-USB and 3.5mm audio port need not have protective flaps to seal them from any liquid material. We say almost because there’s still a chance that seepage could happen if there’s prolonged exposure to liquids.
At the back is the 23-megapixel camera flushed on the left corner with the single LED flash just below it. The Sony logo is subtly etched into the glass in the middle with the NFC logo just above it so you’ll know where to tap when you want to pair it with other NFC devices.
Perhaps the only awkward placement we observed is that of the volume controls on the right side. It is placed way down the lower end beside the dedicated camera shutter that it’s hard to reach it when holding in one hand. We think the better placement should have been at the top side of the power button where most other devices put them.
Nevertheless, we think the Z5 is the best-looking Xperia device so far and we especially liked the frosted glass treatment.
For many years Sony has had its share of ups and downs in the smartphone market. They were a bit late to join the Android train many years back but when they did, they made a splash especially with the introduction of the water-proof Xperia Z. Others followed the path of making their flagship devices IP68 certified.
Yet, for some time, it seems that Sony has been playing catch-up in their roll-out. The design has been almost the same for the past 3 years and incremental upgrades in the hardware are not as impressive.
Not until this week when Sony announced the new Xperia Z5 family. At the top of the heap is the Xperia Z5 Premium, the first smartphone to sport a 4K (quad-FHD) display. That distinction is as resounding as many other titles claimed by other brands before — first true octa-core, first with 4GB of RAM, first with 256GB storage, and many more.
Here is the comparison of hardware specs of the entire Xperia Z5 line-up.
Sony
Xperia Z5 Premium
Xperia Z5
Xperia Z5 Compact
Display
5.5-inch IPS LCD @ 2160×3840 pixels, 806ppi
5.2-inch IPS LCD @ 1080×1920 pixels, 403ppi
4.6-inch IPS LCD @ 720×1280 pixels, 323ppi
Chipset
Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810
Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810
Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810
Processor
ARM Cortex A53 1.5GHz quad-core, ARM Cortex A57 2.0GHz quad-core
ARM Cortex A53 1.5GHz quad-core, ARM Cortex A57 2.0GHz quad-core
ARM Cortex A53 1.5GHz quad-core, ARM Cortex A57 2.0GHz quad-core
GPU
Adreno 430
Adreno 430
Adreno 430
Memory
3GB LPDDR4
3GB LPDDR4
2GB LPDDR4
Internal Storage
32GB
32GB
32GB
Expandable Storage
Up to 200GB via microSD
Up to 200GB via microSD
Up to 200GB via microSD
Cellular
3G, HSPA+, LTE
3G, HSPA+, LTE
3G, HSPA+, LTE
SIM Card
Single SIM, Dual-SIM
Single SIM, Dual-SIM
Single SIM, Dual-SIM
WiFi
802.11 b/g/n/ac, WiFi Direct, DLNA
802.11 b/g/n/ac, WiFi Direct, DLNA
802.11 b/g/n/ac, WiFi Direct, DLNA
Bluetooth
v4.1, A2DP, apt-X
v4.1, A2DP, apt-X
v4.1, A2DP, apt-X
NFC
Yes
Yes
Yes
GPS
with aGPS, GLONASS/Beidou
with aGPS, GLONASS/Beidou
with aGPS, GLONASS/Beidou
Radio
Yes
Yes
Yes
Battery
3430mAh Li-Ion
2,900mAh Li-Ion
2,700mAh Li-Ion
Operating System
Android 5.1.1
Android 5.1.1
Android 5.1.1
Dimensions
154.4 x 75.8 x 7.8mm
146 x 72 x 7.3mm
127 x 65 x 8.9mm
Weight
180 grams
154 grams
138 grams
SRP
€800 (~Php41,700)
€700 (~Php36,500)
€550 (~Php28,700)
The Xperia Z5 Premium is more of a show of prowess — just because they can. Packing 4 full HDs into a display just 5.5 inches across is indeed a feat.
For a long while the over-all look and feel of the Z1 right up to the Z4 were almost the same from a certain distance. Sony has made significant changes with the Z5 design to differentiate it from its predecessor.
Ultimately, consumers will decide with their if these are enough to make the Sony Xperia Z5 the smarpthone to beat this year. Expect the Xperia Z5 line-up to be released globally in October and probably November in the Philippines.
