Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet: strengths and weaknesses of the second generation of samurai. Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet: reviews, technical specifications Sony Xperia Z2 tablet tablet
What are modern flagship “devices”, be they smartphones or tablets, from Sony? The answer is simple: these are devices with top technical stuffing and a very elegant, laconic design, which has practically no analogues in the Android world. And if with the exterior of their devices designers Japanese company Having more or less decided - gadgets with the letter Z in the name are made in a similar style, then it’s impossible to choose “hardware” once and for all. Platforms that were considered the best just six months or a year ago have now become commonplace. And after a short period of time they will move into the category of “strong middle peasants”. Alas. Technologies are improving and developing too quickly.
At the presentation of the Sony Xperia Z2, company representatives said the following: “We will release flagship devices as often as technology improvements allow.” This phrase applied to smartphones, but it is likely that Sony's tablet division will borrow this motto. Time will tell how it will actually turn out. In the meantime, we will take a closer look at the updated Sony tablet.
⇡ Appearance and ergonomics
Visually, the tablet is not much different from the previous model. The gadget is made in Sony's corporate style - modern, strict, ascetic. A very solid, “adult”, so to speak, exterior. Key Feature The novelty lies in reducing the already small dimensions. The Z2 Tablet has become half a millimeter thinner: 6.4 versus 6.9 mm for its predecessor. In addition, the tablet lost 55 grams: from 495 to 440 g. And the version without a built-in modem weighs only 425 grams! Agree, excellent characteristics for a full-size tablet. The gadget does not take up much space in the bag, fits into many additional sections and hardly weighs down your luggage.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet - front panel
No keys appeared on the front side of the tablet - all buttons, as usual, are touch sensitive. The side bezels around the display are a little big - I wish they were a little narrower. However, this is a remark from the “nit-picking” category. The front panel is covered protective glass, scratch resistant.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet with display turned on
The back panel is made of plastic with a matte soft-touch coating. This solution looks very cool... until the tablet is in your hands. The “back” of the gadget is very soiled, it quickly gets dirty, which is why the Z2 Tablet loses a considerable part of its original charm. Getting rid of annoying fingerprints is not so easy, and most importantly, doing it is almost pointless: after a short period of time, the gadget will be covered with them again. To be fair, we note that such a coating causes pleasant tactile sensations, and there are practical benefits from it - the gadget does not slip out of your hands.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet - rear panel
The power and volume buttons have been moved closer to the middle of the left side. It turned out to be not very convenient: it’s not easy to reach the buttons without shifting the tablet into one hand. The buttons are pleasant to the touch, with a short and clear stroke. The connector for a wired headset is located on the bottom end, which is why when watching a movie you have to turn the device upside down, since it is absolutely impossible to lean it, for example, against a table with headphones connected. Frankly speaking, not the best design solution.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet - keys on the left side
Slots for microSD and micro-SIM cards are located on the top end, under a common plastic plug. Next to them is the MHL interface, combining video output and microUSB 3.0, and an infrared port for control household appliances. For the sake of greater resemblance to the Xperia Z2 smartphone, the side edges are decorated with metal - or “metal-like”, you won’t understand - inserts.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet - connectors on the top end
The case of the tablet, like all gadgets of the Xperia Z series, is dust and waterproof according to class IP58. That is, it can withstand not only jets of water, but also complete immersion to a depth of up to one and a half meters for half an hour. Note that the predecessor could only “dive” a meter. Of course, protection against water is provided only when the plugs are closed. And in order not to open them too often to connect to a charger, you can use the magnetic contact on the bottom end and power the tablet from the docking station.
Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet - bottom end
The gadget is assembled well. Of course, the desire to reduce weight as much as possible affected the rigidity of the structure - when the sides are squeezed, the body creaks a little, but we are already accustomed to this. To achieve streaks on the display, you need to press hard on the front panel. For a tablet with such a thin body and surprisingly low weight, this is very good.
⇡ Technical specifications
| Sony Xperia Tablet Z | Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet | |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 10.1 inches, resolution 1920x1200 (WUXGA); IPS technology | |
| Touch screen | Capacitive, up to 10 simultaneous touches | |
| Air gap | No | |
| Oleophobic coating | Eat | |
| Polarizing filter | Eat | |
| Platform | Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro APQ8064: four Qualcomm Krait cores (ARMv7); frequency 1.51 GHz; 28 nm LP process technology | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7); frequency 2.3 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm |
| Graphics controller | Qualcomm Adreno 320, 450 MHz | Qualcomm Adreno 330, 578 MHz |
| RAM | 2 GB | 3 GB |
| Flash memory | 16/32 GB NAND Flash + microSD | |
| Connectors | 1 x micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x MicroSD 1 x Micro-SIM 1 x Magnetic charging connector |
|
| Cellular connection | Qualcomm MDM9x15M modem (external): 2G: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G: DC-HSPA+ (42 Mbps) 850/900/2100 MHz 4G: LTE Cat. 3 (102 Mbit/s) band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 Micro-SIM |
Qualcomm MDM9x25 modem (built into processor): 2G: GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G: DC-HSPA+ (84 Mbps) 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz 4G: LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbit/s) band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20 Micro-SIM |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz + Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Miracast | |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | |
| NFC | Eat | |
| IR port | Eat | |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, Beidou |
| Sensors | Accelerometer/gyroscope, digital compass, light sensor | Accelerometer/gyroscope, digital compass, light sensor, pedometer |
| Main camera | 8 MP (3264x2448), Sony Exmor R matrix with back-illumination Autofocus, no flash | 8 MP (3264x2448), Sony Exmor RS matrix with back-illumination Autofocus, no flash |
| Front camera | 2.1 MP (1920x1080), Sony Exmor R back-illuminated sensor No autofocus, no flash |
|
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery 22.2 Wh (6000 mAh, 3.7 V); STAMINA energy saving mode |
|
| Dimensions, mm | 266x172 Case thickness 6.9 |
266x172 Case thickness 6.4 |
| Weight, g | 495 | 440 |
| Water and dust protection | IP55, IP57 (immersion up to 1 meter) | IP55, IP58 (immersion up to 1.5 meters) |
| operating system | Google Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) | Google Android 4.4 (KitKat) |
| Recommended price | From 15,990 rubles | From 23,990 rubles |
- Tablet
- power unit
- USB cable
- Headset (depending on version)
- Documentation
Sony's new tablet: light, thin, with LTE support, an interesting design, now without films, and everything would be fine, but there are also shortcomings typical for the company. Strange display, strange, easily soiled black plastic, everything happens rather strangely with the included power supply, strange price. But Sony fans will still be very happy, that's for sure!
Design, construction
The company claims that this is the thinnest and lightest water-resistant tablet on the market - well, the war of “the best” is constantly going on in the market, and no one forbids coming up with new categories. However, words are words, but when I picked up the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 for the first time, I was surprised, the device is really weightless, dimensions are 172 x 266 x 6.4 mm, weight - 426 grams for the version with Wi-Fi, the model with Wi-Fi Fi + LTE weighs 439 grams. Almost the entire front panel is occupied by the display, although the frames are wide – apparently this is a price to pay for the minimal thickness of the device. Rear end made of matte black plastic, marks are very noticeable, there is also a white version, I would recommend buying that one. It's all about the fingerprints; they are invisible on the white body. At the end there is a power button, the same as on smartphones, made of aluminum. Under the covers there are microUSB connectors (MHL supported), a slot for memory cards and a SIM card (microSIM) in the LTE version. The 3.5 mm connector is without a plug; apparently, a new five-pin connector is also used here. At the back is the camera lens, there is no flash, under the lens is the NFC area. On the case there is both an IR port for controlling home appliances and a magnetic connector, I recommend immediately buying such a cradle somewhere.
I would like to note that after the appearance iPad Air A new standard has been set for all manufacturers, first of all, we are talking about weight - Sony took this indicator for a reason. The only question is, for whom might this be important? Probably, for those who often carry their equipment in a bag, are used to saving every hundred grams - it’s difficult to imagine such a person, but who knows, maybe such consumers exist.
In addition, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is protected from water (meets IP55/58 standards) and can withstand immersion in a bath or sea. In Japan, the cult of the bathroom, the desire to obtain such protection is understandable. The situation in Russia is different, so protecting a tablet is not a serious marketing advantage - all this is just my subjective opinion. But what is an advantage is appearance devices. If you don’t like Samsung, then there is nothing else to look at among tablets with Android - in the sense that I personally find the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 very, very pleasant to look at.
Here's some official data about the tablet's protection: “In accordance with IP55 and IP58 standards, Xperia is protected from dust and moisture. Provided all ports and compartments are tightly sealed, the tablet can withstand exposure to low-pressure water jets from any angle in accordance with the IP 55 standard; Can be submerged in fresh water at a depth of 1.5 m for 30 minutes in accordance with the IP 58 standard. The tablet is not designed for use on the surface or under water unless it meets the conditions of the IP55 or IP58 standards. Otherwise, failure due to non-compliance with standards will not be covered by the warranty.”
The tablet bends a little, take this into account when you carry the device in a bag with other things. Lightness really does matter, I was pleased to use the Tablet Z2 precisely because of this indicator, you don’t feel it in your backpack, or in your hand either, but from the first minutes of use you want to hide the tablet in a case.
It uses two speakers, they are located on the sides of the display, the volume cannot be called prohibitive - you can watch a movie comfortably, listen to music, there is a stereo effect. It seemed to me that the volume was higher than that of the first generation tablet. By the way, you can watch AVI without conversion; there is support for such files by default.
Display
The TRILUMINOS IPS display is used, the same technology as in the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphone (I recommend watching the video, it talks about this in more or less detail). Looks good indoors, good viewing angles, brightness. The diagonal is 10.1 inches, the resolution is 1920 x 1200 pixels. There are no films on the front or back, at least I couldn't see. Tempered glass protects the display from scratches and does not require films, I have been talking about this for a long time.
The unusual aspect ratio of the display also affects the perception of the tablet; one friend asked the question - is this a new photo frame? Indeed, the Tablet Z2 very much resembles a photo frame. The display is well suited for watching movies, photos, and working with websites - for example, layout in WordPress. Viewing angles are not bad, but the whites are slightly yellow, and adjusting the white balance cannot correct this. Moreover, sometimes the screen turns a little yellow, and sometimes it seems pinkish.
In the video I say that the Tablet Z2 has the same display as the iPad Air, I didn’t mean the actual data (the Air is 9.7 inches, the Tablet Z2 is 10.1 inches), but the overall perception. If you suddenly decide to buy the Z2 because it has a larger diagonal, look at both devices in the store. I'm sure you'll also think that the size on the Air side is all about the aspect ratio; for the Tablet Z2 it's really quite strange. It is because of this that I do not recommend buying the device blindly; twirl it in your hands in the store, then make a decision.
Performance
Uses Qualcomm APQ8074+MSM8974AB platform, quad-core processor with clock frequency 2.3 GHz. Operating system Android 4.4, 3 GB RAM, Adreno 330 adapter. LTE is supported, and, judging by the words of colleagues, this tablet can work as a smartphone; if desired, you can make a call or send a message. 16 or 32 GB of memory are installed, memory cards with a capacity of up to 64 GB are also supported, not bad for those who want to watch video on the tablet, since the display is conducive to this.
Among the features - it supports exiting sleep mode by double tapping on the display, it has its own wallpapers and themes, many icons have been redrawn, the notification menu looks different, it opens on one side and the other: on the one hand there are notifications, on the other - access to quick settings. Among the applications there are a number of additional ones, these are Evernote, “Sketch” for drawing with a stylus, Social Live, Track ID and so on, you can see in the screenshots. There is also a program for remote control technology, it works, but I usually don’t use such software - why?
Modifications
So far, three modifications with unpronounceable names are sold, such as SGP511RU, two versions with Wi-Fi (16 and 32 GB), a model with Wi-Fi + LTE with only 16 GB of memory. Two colors, black and white, in terms of functionality and characteristics, the tablet with LTE also comes with a headset, with the rest - only a power supply and a USB cable. In my opinion, you can buy any, especially if you have a smartphone with LTE support. Nobody bothers you to turn on the Sony Xperia Z2 as a hotspot, connect the Tablet Z2 and do everything you need to do on the big screen.
I’ll also say about accessories, again a bunch of different additions, this is a Bluetooth speaker with a stand, a stand with a remote control for watching movies, a snap-on keyboard - a BKC-50 case.
You can connect a controller from PS3 to the tablet, this is discussed separately - also an interesting feature, but why not connect a joystick from PS4? It also supports working with accessories for the new 3.5 mm jack, these are headphones with noise reduction implemented on the device side, and an STM-10 microphone. By the way, it will be very convenient to watch videos on an airplane, the “noise reduction” perfectly suppresses the sounds around you, I tested the operation of the headphones with both the Z2 smartphone and a tablet.
Nutrition
It’s interesting that Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology is used here; let me remind you that the previous tablet needed to be charged for about five hours (or even longer, I don’t remember exactly). Here, as written in the release, the operating time has been increased by 75 percent. A 6000 mAh battery is installed, according to the company, the tablet can last 10 hours in video playback mode or 100 hours in music playback mode. In reality, the tablet behaves approximately like the iPad Air, but subjectively discharges faster. Alas, the tablet takes a long time to charge from the included power supply, about five hours; it is better to use a magnetic docking station, charging time is reduced by thirty percent (subjective opinion, there was a prototype on the test).
Camera
The main camera is 8.1 MP, uses a proprietary Exmor RS module, and supports HDR mode. Front camera – 2.2 MP. Uses many functions from cameras Sony smartphones Xperia, some can be seen in the video. In particular, these are augmented reality effects, fairy tales, science fiction and others; I have liked them since the days of the Sony Xperia Z1.
Conclusions
Retail prices are approximately the following: the version with Wi-Fi and LTE costs about 27,990 rubles, models with Wi-Fi cost 23,990/25,990 rubles depending on the memory, 16 or 32 GB. I would like to remind you that the not outdated iPad Air with LTE and 32 GB of memory costs 28,990 rubles. It seems to me that Sony set the price for Russia somewhat chaotically; you can turn a blind eye to Samsung’s competing products, but you can’t turn a blind eye to the most popular gadgets in the category. It seems to me that for the version with Wi-Fi and 16 GB of memory you could ask about 20,000 rubles, but for the older version - about 25,000 rubles, such a price tag could be adequate.
On the other hand, Sony may not be counting on serious sales; it is more important to have such a device in stock and study demand. I am glad that the company is now very careful about continuations and further development of certain categories. Previously, Sony could afford to create all sorts of strange gadgets like the Sony Tablet P, a folding tablet with two screens. It's a different time now. And that is why the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is pleasant to deal with, it is lighter than its predecessor, charges faster when using a magnetic docking station, is protected from water, better camera, less heating during use (this is subjective). What's left to overcome? Stainless black plastic, it is quite possible to install a better quality display, change the aspect ratio, looking at Apple, make two versions, mini and maxi. The gadget already has its own face, its own unique features, so you need to copy the general approach. You'll see that you'll be able to take some noticeable place in the tablet market - by the way, in Russia many people love such Sony devices and buy them almost in the first days of sales.
In conclusion, one thing I can say is that the Z2 has become better. If you need a brighter screen and pen support, then you should look towards Samsung. If you just need good tablet, it's better to buy an iPad. Well, if you are a Sony fan, then the Z2 is worth buying, despite the price and shortcomings.
The second version of the tablet from Sony is a clear work on bugs while maintaining the continuity of what was best in the first edition. The Japanese have seriously improved the time battery life, added power, but kept the design cool and subtle. Don’t forget that the tablet can be used in cold weather, and even in the bathroom, where electronics, as usual, have no place. There was also room for oddities in this device.
Equipment consists of the tablet itself, a charger, a synchronization cable and a headset. Everything is simple and standard.
The main advantages of the tablet, first of all, are its weight and size characteristics. It is very thin (only 6.4 mm) and light (439 g).
The tablet is comfortable to hold, even with one hand, for quite a long time.
When you take your device out of your bag and flip the screen orientation, you seem to juggle it and get a special thrill from it.
In my opinion, this is exactly what any manufacturer should strive to achieve when creating their device. Previously, this was the difference between solutions exclusively from Apple, now Sony is a full-fledged player in this role. Let's look at the comparison of the dimensions of the Z2 Tablet with its main competitors and its predecessor as well.
| Height | Width | Thickness | Weight | |
| Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet | ||||
| Sony Xperia Tablet Z | ||||
| Apple iPad Air | 169,5 | 469 (with LTE module 478) | ||
| Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 ( | 171,4 |
The second positive property of the device is its tightness. The tablet has a dust- and moisture-proof casing.
The IP55 standard means that the device will not burn if a low-pressure water jet hits it, and IP58, in turn, tells us that the device is capable of being under water at a depth of 1.5 meters for up to 30 minutes. Sony stubbornly continues to stick to its line and hints that the Z2 Tablet is the thinnest and lightest tablet with waterproof properties. And following this formulation, this is indeed so.
Yes, there are wide frames, which now look somewhat tacky. Still, the trend towards reducing the width of the empty area around the display has gained momentum. However, due to them random clicks on the display are excluded. In the upper right corner is the Sony logo, then in the center is the front camera eye and further to the right is the ambient light sensor.
In the very right corner there is an LED indicator reflecting certain events. Touch control buttons for the system have been moved to the display.
All corners of the case are beveled, and there are metal inserts around the perimeter. It looks decent.
The left side of the tablet contains a volume rocker key and a power button, standard for Sony devices. Lefties will love this. The right side is completely empty.
The upper edge is rich in various elements. The infrared port is located in the center, with a microphone hole to the right of it. On the left there are two plugs hiding the microUSB connector, a slot for a memory card (microSD) and microSIM. Taking out both cards is inconvenient.
The SIM card is placed on a special backing that is easy to lose, break, and difficult to get out if you don’t have long nails. The same goes for the memory card.
The bottom side of the tablet has a connector for connecting to a docking station, which can also charge the device. Here in the left corner there is a 3.5 mm audio output. The latter is not closed with any plugs, because it itself has a sealed design. However, the manufacturer warns that you should not connect the headset within an hour and a half after bathing the tablet. Everything must dry first. Of course, you can use cotton swabs to speed up the drying process.
The back side of the device has brand markings and a peephole for the main camera (there is no flash).
The back has a soft-touch coating. Yes, it is pleasant, but very dirty.
Greasy fingerprints, dust and other obscenities cannot be simply brushed away.
In general, 10.1 inches is a lot for the diagonal of a portable device, but here they are not felt at all. This does not cause any discomfort; on the contrary, when using the tablet you rather get an extremely positive user experience, even despite the easily soiled surface of the back of the device.
By the way, you can make calls through the Z2 Tablet just like from any smartphone. Of course, you don’t need to bring the device to your ear. The built-in microphone perfectly picks up speech. Signal cellular network Z2 Tablet catches confidently. There's even a vibration alert. Considering all this, you can throw away your phone and use only your tablet plus a wireless headset. The latter is sold as a separate accessory, but more on that later.
The tablet has a screen based on an IPS matrix with a diagonal of 10.1 inches and a resolution of 1920 × 1200 pixels. The same Bravia technology is used here, which is probably already familiar to you from the company’s TVs. In addition, the manufacturer focuses on transmitting truly realistic colors through Live Color LED technology. Indeed, the Z2 Tablet display is distinguished by its bright and rich color reproduction. There is no lack of image contrast. In a direct comparison of the solution from Sony and, say, iPad mini, it can be seen that the white color has a fairly noticeable shade of pink. This is not very pleasant, but if you do not make a direct comparison with a competitor, leaving pink tint you may not even notice.
The proprietary X-Reality setting, which in theory is designed to optimize the image when watching videos, only spoils it: the picture becomes very contrasty and sharp. In general, not for everyone.
The display is covered with chemically tempered glass with an oleophobic coating.
There is no film here, which we saw in previous solutions from Sony. And that's nice! Glass reduces the likelihood of an annoying network of small scratches to a minimum, but you should still handle the tablet carefully. You should not keep any metal objects nearby, nor should you place the tablet face down!
To wake up the tablet, double tapping on the screen is used, which is very convenient when the device is lying on a table nearby. No need to pick it up or reach for the power button.
Screen comparison between Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet (pictured above) and iPad mini (first generation):
At an angle 
Colors 
At an angle
Specifications and performance
- Qualcomm processor (MSM8974AB, 4 cores) with a frequency of 2.3 GHz
- Adreno 330
- RAM 3 GB
- built-in memory 16 GB (11.20 GB actually available)
- memory expansion using microSD cards (up to 64 GB)
- 10.1″ display with a resolution of 1920×1200 (WUXGA)
- front camera 2.2 megapixels, 8.1 megapixel base (photo resolution 3264×2448 pixels)
- sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, light sensor, magnetometer
- connectors: 3.5 mm with digital noise reduction, microUSB (2.0)
- battery 6000 mAh
- Android OS version 4.4.2 (KitKat)
- UMTS HSPA+
- GSM GPRS/EDGE
- Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n/ac), Bluetooth 4.0, FM radio, DLNA, NFC, Miracast
- aGPS, Glonas
- SIM card form factor: micro
The performance of the Z2 Tablet is at the highest level.
Absolutely no stuttering, stuttering or other visible delays were noticed during the test. Applications launch very quickly, heavy browser pages open instantly, and there is absolutely no time to sit comfortably while your favorite game is loading.
You can evaluate the synthetic points that the tablet has earned yourself using the following screenshots:
Modern games such as Injustice: gods among us, Asphalt 8, Godzilla Strike Zone can be played perfectly on maximum settings. Lagov, long downloads and no other unpleasant moments were noticed.
Camera
A 2.2 megapixel Sony Exmor R module is installed on the front. Photo and video resolution is standard: 1920 × 1080 pixels.
The main camera uses a Sony Exmor RS sensor. As always, there is support for HDR (the resolution is reduced to 3104 × 2328 pixels), image stabilizer (in video mode it is called SteadyShot) and other standard settings.
Sony are true to themselves, so they did not forget to preinstall many additional shooting scenarios already familiar to us: background defocusing, AR effects, Timeshift burst, panorama, and so on. I examined the most interesting of them in the review. I especially recommend reading about the Timeshift burst mode.
In addition, as always, ready-made settings for various shooting conditions are available: landscape, night scene, snow, fireworks, and so on.
The resulting photos do not shine with quality and cannot be compared with the cameras of the latest smartphones.
The module installed in the Z2 Tablet reminded me of that from the Sony Xperia Z Ultra: the device had room to grow, with regards to the photo part. What to say when it’s better to ask for examples of pictures below:
Videos are recorded in resolutions up to 1920×1080 pixels. The HDR video setting is only available for the rear camera. It also has its own not so numerous shooting scenarios.
You can evaluate the quality of video recording yourself using the following examples:
During video recording, object tracking mode is available. The focus remains the same on one specific subject, even if the distance from the object changes. Alternatively, you can activate smile tracking in the settings.
Sound and video
Let's start with external sound. The manufacturer placed the speakers on the sides of the tablet on its front side. This was clearly not the best idea, since they are just covered with their palms. Interestingly, even in their own advertising brochures, the device is held by hand in this way. Take a look for yourself (photo taken from Sonymobile.com):
So, if you want to hear normal sound, then you can’t hold the device like that!
There are two ways out: turn the device 180% and put up with the fact that the Sony logo is upside down, or, of course, just get the hang of not covering the speakers with your palms.
When playing content through external speakers, it is worth activating the setting xLOUD, which increases the maximum volume. It’s not clear, however, why come up with such tricks when you can initially set a higher volume threshold in devices.
Function S-Force Front Surround, in my opinion, is useless. When activated, the sound deteriorates noticeably. The same applies to Clear Phase, which makes the sound noticeably worse, so I would not recommend using this setting while listening to music through external speakers.
Now about the sound in headphones. To reveal the sound to its fullest, it is worth using third-party ear models. The sound is expectedly good: approximately at the same level as in tablets/smartphones from competitors. Settings ClearAudio+ gives the sound an interesting character, but again only in my purely subjective opinion, or rather hearing. In general, you have to try it yourself.
Sony claims that the Z2 Tablet is also unique in that digital noise reduction technology is built into the tablet itself. According to the company, there is a cut-off of up to 98% extraneous sounds. This statement should be understood correctly: headphones without noise reduction support will not remove the external background. With the Sony MDR NC31EM headset (the one included with the Sony Xperia Z2), the function works fully.
The tablet is quite omnivorous in relation to music. The following formats are supported: AAC, AMR, 3GPP, FLAC, MIDI, MP3, WAV, OGG, WMA. The same cannot be said about video capabilities. The list of codecs is as follows: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264, VP8, VP9.
The standard player copes with FullHD video playback very well. There are no brakes even in dynamic scenes.
Battery life
The tablet has a non-removable battery with a capacity of 6,000 mAh. One battery charge lasts for for a long time: approximately 3-5 days depending on intensity of use. The device is capable of playing video via Wi-Fi for about 8 hours.
In the settings you can activate Stamina mode, which seriously extends battery life, but only in standby mode.
In terms of charging the tablet, there is some strangeness.
From the mains power supply (1.5 mA), the device charges in 5-6 hours.
In this case, the device becomes very hot. There is no way out, you will have to endure.
Accessories
Have you bought a tablet? The expenses for you are not over yet, as the Japanese have come up with a lot of additional gadgets for your favorite device. Let's briefly go over them all.
Bluetooth speaker with charging function and more (BSC10)
It uses a 10-watt speaker that can play music through a Bluetooth connection. In addition, elements for managing calls are located on the speaker body, resulting in a sort of base, as is the case with radiotelephones. Devices are paired via NFC, and the tablet itself can be placed on a magnetic connector to recharge it. For such convenience you will need to pay 5,990 rubles. Cool, isn't it?
If the additional functionality discussed above is not needed, then you can only purchase a stand with a charging function. The same magnetic port is used here. The accessory itself must be connected via microUSB to a regular power outlet. The price does not go beyond the bounds of decency and is 1,490 rubles.
Bluetooth remote control and headset in one bottle
This is the headset we were talking about in the main part of the review. There is no infrared port here, so control occurs only through the “blue tooth”. The gadget is charged via microUSB, has moisture protection (IP57) and its own stand. The remote control is compatible only with Xperia series devices, and it also costs a lot - 3,990 rubles.
Wireless keyboard with case
When you buy this Bluetooth keyboard, you also get a stand case. The input device is suitable for any other device, but the case, of course, is only for the Z2 Tablet. The connection can also be made via NFC. The final price is currently unknown, but it is expected to be above 6,000 rubles.
If you don’t plan to print a lot on the tablet, you can limit yourself to purchasing only a cover (SCR12). There are two modifications on sale: black and white stand case.
Bottom line
In nature, there are several models of the Z2 Tablet: black and white versions, with 16 or 32 GB of memory on board, costing 23,990 and 25,990 rubles, respectively. If you need LTE support, then only the model with 16 GB of internal storage is available. The latter will cost the same 25,990 rubles. You can choose a model to suit your liking and wallet. In my opinion, it’s worth paying attention to the version with a SIM card. The difference of 2,000 rubles is small, but there is much more freedom from Wi-Fi.
It will cost about the same money to buy an Apple iPad Air (24,990 rubles for the version with LTE) or a Samsung Galaxy Galaxy Tab Pro (24,990 rubles). The device from Sony is a thousand more expensive, but it beats Samsung due to its design, more convenient dimensions and the absence of even the slightest brakes. The situation with Apple is clear. The iPad Air looks more interesting and has longer battery life, but some people don't like iOS. And only in this case can we recommend a Japanese tablet for purchase.
Is the Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet a good buy?
I think so. The tablet turned out to be very nice. It has top-of-the-line hardware, a moisture-resistant case, excellent design and dimensions. Yes, there are disadvantages. The speakers are poorly placed, the back cover is noticeably dirty, and the tablet takes a very long time to charge. Do you think these are critical shortcomings? In my opinion, no.
The thinnest, lightest and waterproof are just a short list of adjectives that very accurately describe the tablet from Sony, namely the Xperia Tablet Z2. In this whole series there is one more phrase - the most expensive, or almost the most expensive of all tablets on the market. And of course, perhaps one of the most best tablets 2014. Is this really true and is its price justified?
Specifications:
- Case materials: glass, aluminum, plastic
- Case colors: black, white
- Operating system: Android 4.4.2 (Android 5.0 planned)
- Network: GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100, LTE 700/800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600, there may be variations depending on versions
- Processor: quad-core Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801, 2.3 GHz
- RAM: 3 GB
- Storage memory: 16 GB + Micro SD (up to 64 GB)
- Screen: capacitive, IPS, 10.1 inches, 1920x1200 pixels, shockproof glass
- Camera: 8.1 MP main with autofocus, 2.2 MP front
- Additionally: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, GPS, GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, IP58 waterproof housing
- Battery: 6000 mAh
- Dimensions: 266x172x6.4 mm
- Weight: 439 g
- Device price: 26,000 rub. / 8500 UAH.
Equipment
The box is made in the standard Sony style.Equipment:
- Charger
- microUSB 2.0 cable
- Set of instructions and warranty card
- Depending on the model, a headset may be included
Appearance and ease of use
Sony remains true to its style and the Xperia Tablet Z2 easily recognizes the features of any flagship of the Japanese company. The tablet's skeleton is made of aluminum, which allows the device to be so lightweight. By the way, in comparison with its predecessor, the device has become 50 grams lighter. In addition to its light weight, only 439 grams, the thickness of the device is also surprising - 6.4 mm, which is a millimeter, and sometimes even slightly smaller than that of all competitors.The tablet looks absolutely amazing. The use of soft-touch plastic on the rear panel has become a small retreat from the OmniBalance style, which usually used glass, but this did not harm the appearance at all.
The feeling when you hold the Xperia Tablet Z2 in your hands is simply unforgettable; it’s hard to say that this is a 10-inch device. It's actually very light and thin, and without using the trick of rounded edges to hide the real thickness of the body, the Z2 has nothing to hide.
The front panel houses a 10-inch TFT display, protected by Sony's own shockproof glass. The coating is very scratch-resistant. The frames around the screen are unusually wide, so visually the screen appears smaller than it actually is. 
Above the screen there is a silver company logo, a 2.2 MP front camera and a barely noticeable light sensor.
To the right and left of the screen you can see small slits; these are stereo speakers.
On the top edge of the device you can see a black insert with rounded edges - this is an IR port for controlling household appliances. Next to it there is a hole for an additional microphone and a couple more plugs.
Under the plugs there is a microUSB 2.0 connector, a slot for a memory card and a SIM card. The plugs are part of the water protection system.
You can charge the tablet without connecting a cable. To do this, you will need a special docking station and a connector, which is located on the bottom edge of the device.
In addition, at the bottom there is a 3.5 mm jack for connecting a headset. It clearly doesn’t belong there; when using the headset, you constantly want to turn the tablet upside down.
On the left side there is a proprietary lock button and a volume rocker.
Right in the center of the back panel is the company logo, in the upper right corner is the 8 MP main camera, and a little lower from it is the NFC logo.
As mentioned above, the tablet is protected from water and dust according to the IP58 standard. According to the IP58 standard, the device can be immersed for a long time to a depth of more than 1 meter.
The build quality is excellent, there are no creaks or similar shortcomings here.
Screen
Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is equipped with a 10.1-inch IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels. The number of dots per inch is 224, which is less than that of the iPad Air (264) or Galaxy Tab Pro 10.1 (299). The screen clarity is sufficient, but from a marketing point of view it is no longer sufficient, because the previous generation of the device uses exactly the same resolution.
When creating the screen, Triluminos and X-Reality Engine technologies were used, migrated from Sony Bravia TVs. Of course, according to the company, there is the best color rendition, as close to reality as possible. Triluminos is responsible for improved color depth, and X-Reality analyzes photos and videos and automatically adjusts to them.
The color rendition here is really at its best; for those who may not find it so good, you can adjust the white balance in the tablet settings. The viewing angles are maximum, while the screen does not dim or change shades.
Of course, there is an oleophobic coating that is designed to repel greasy fingerprints and make the screen easier to wipe. There is also an anti-reflective coating here, but it does not cope with its task perfectly. In direct sunlight, the screen seems too glossy, and due to the large amount of glare, it becomes difficult to read from the tablet.
The brightness range is very wide, which allows you to comfortably use the device in almost any lighting. The automatic backlight adjustment function works adequately and without sudden jumps. In the settings there is an item “Smart backlight”, which blocks the screen from turning off while you are looking at it.
Multitouch supports 10 simultaneous touches, works quickly and without flaws.
System
Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 runs Android systems version 4.4.2 KitKat. The manufacturer promised that firmware for the recently released Android 5.0, which is currently only available in the Developer Preview version, will soon appear.
The tablet interface has a proprietary look, but it is worth saying that the changes compared to the stock version are minimal. The company limited itself to redrawing standard elements and using its own font and keyboard. In terms of “purity” of the system, Sony is perhaps second only to Motorola, which supplies its smartphones with stock Android.
The biggest difference will be the presence of a right panel in the main menu, by “pulling out” which you can customize the sorting and appearance of this menu.
Sony's proprietary keyboard looks very stylish, but otherwise it's just a keyboard.
Performance
The heart of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is the Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801 processor, a brother of the Snapdragon 800 with 30% increased graphics performance. The amount of RAM is 3 GB. These characteristics are sufficient for the most demanding games with maximum graphics settings. At the moment, there are simply no games that can fully unleash the potential of the chipset. Paired with the proprietary Dualshock 3 joystick, the tablet becomes a serious gaming platform.
Test results in various benchmarks:
Antutu Benchmark 5.1: 39992
Quadrant 2.1.1: 17683
RL Benchmark SQL 1.3: 21.392 sec
BenchmarkPi 1.11: 154 ms
Linpack 1.2.8: 714.689 MFlops
Sunsiped Chrome 1.0.2: 1017.8 ms
Epic Citadel UHQ 1.07: 52.1 fps
Basemark ES 2.0 Taiji 1.2: 59.59 fps
Basemark X High 1.1: 12554
Basemark OS II 1.0.1.0: 1070
Antutu and Quadrant
Basemark X High
Real Racing 3
Dead Trigger 2
Autonomy
The battery capacity of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is 6000 mAh, which is about 30% less than that of competitors. Despite this, the power management system is designed to get the most out of the battery and use it as efficiently as possible.
Optimization of the system allowed it to outstrip all competitors in terms of battery life. Our tests showed that when surfing the web via Wi-Fi, the tablet can last 13 hours and 35 minutes on a single charge.
Camera
The main camera is equipped with an 8 MP sensor with Exmor RS technology. The camera interface is almost identical to the interface of the company's top smartphones. In the settings you can change ISO, white balance and other settings.
In addition to the usual shooting modes, such as panorama, series, face and smile detection, there are several exotic ones:
- Defocusing the background will allow you to take photos almost like professional photographers with large lenses. The function works quite well, although sometimes it gets stuck;
Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP supports ANT+ ultra-low power mode, which is commonly used for various sports accessories and the like.
The Xperia Z2 Tablet supports the NFC standard, which is now just gaining popularity. The IR port allows you to control any home appliance, from air conditioning and TV, to the most fashionable and sophisticated audio systems. The application has a really huge catalog of devices.
The tablet supports the standard PlayStation 3 joystick - Dualshock 3.
Bottom line
Sony has a lot of experience in designing great devices and the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is an example of this. The article repeatedly repeated the words “thin” and “light” - this is perhaps the most striking distinguishing feature of this tablet. Coupled with its excellent design, the Xperia Tablet Z2 creates that same impression of a premium and expensive product, and water resistance is its special feature. Have you ever used your tablet by the pool or in the kitchen?
Of course, there were some downsides too. The camera, which is the weak point of any tablet, is no exception here either. It is obvious that the quality of the camera was sacrificed in the pursuit of reducing the thickness of the body.
Without a doubt, the tablet will be a good buy and is well worth its price.
Pros:
- Waterproof case
- Weight and design
- Battery life
- Wide functionality
- Average camera quality
- Imperfect anti-slip coating
- High cost
It has become even thinner and lighter, received a fresh top-end Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with Adreno 330 graphics and 3 GB of RAM. The design and characteristics of the Full HD screen remain the same, as well as the ability to choose between black and white versions of the design, two options for built-in memory and the presence of an LTE modem with support for voice calls.
The Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 tablet comes in a calmly designed cardboard box, in which you will find not only accompanying documentation and a 7.5 W charger with a detachable USB cable, but also a complete wired headset. When purchasing a tablet, you can choose a black or white design version, a 16 or 32 GB version, as well as a “Wi-Fi only” version or with a built-in 4G/LTE modem with support for voice calls.
Traditionally, a huge number of branded accessories are offered, which can be purchased separately if desired: several types of docking stations, including those with acoustics and built-in charger, regular stand case and stand case with integrated keyboard; remote control combined with a headset; DUALSHOCK 3 game controller; as well as a classic wired headset and a detachable stereo microphone.
Design, connectors
Externally, the second generation of the Z-series is almost indistinguishable from the first - it uses the same airy OmniBalance design with an emphasis on symmetry, miniaturization and tactile sensations for the user. Although it’s hard to believe, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 has become even lighter and thinner than its predecessor, its weight is now about 440 grams and its thickness is only 6.4 mm.
The case is still protected from dust and water in accordance with the requirements of IP55/58 standards, which allows you to easily take the tablet to a sandy beach, swim with it in fresh water for up to 30 minutes and dive for underwater pictures to a depth of 1.5 meters . The only condition is that all connectors and slots must be tightly covered with appropriate plugs, without additional protection Only the audio port was spared.
The main panel of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 tablet is covered with durable tempered glass with an oleophobic coating. In her top part the manufacturer's logo is displayed, a 2.2 megapixel front camera, a light indicator and an indicator invisible in passive mode that displays the battery charge level and signals missed system events. In the two lower corners of the panel there are narrow slots for stereo speakers. When the screen is turned on, the solid width of the matrix edging catches your eye; this solution is possible and not very elegant, but it allows you not to worry about false clicks with any type of grip.
The back panel made of soft-touch plastic is absolutely flat, here you can find the name of the Sony brand and the Xperia family, as well as the NFC module mark and the main 8 MP camera with the proprietary Exmor RS matrix.
All available controls and connectors of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 are located on thin silver edges of the case. In the middle of the left side panel you can find a metal power button and a volume key, but the opposite side panel is empty. On the bottom edge there is a combined audio port and a proprietary connector for connecting to docking stations.
And finally, on the top edge there are slots hidden under plugs for a MicroSIM phone card and a MicroSD memory card, as well as the main micro-USB connector. Here you can also find an infrared sensor and a microphone slot.
Functionality, interface
The Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 tablet is equipped with a proprietary 10-inch TRILUMINOS IPS matrix with a resolution of 1920 by 1200 pixels and Live Color and X-Reality quality improvement technologies. The backlight brightness is adjusted automatically or manually, in the range from 10 to 370 cd/m2, and you can also adjust the white balance. The capacitive touch layer supports up to 10 simultaneous touches.
Founded Sony model Xperia Tablet Z2 is based on a powerful hardware platform consisting of a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor with an operating frequency of 2.3 GHz, top-end Adreno 330 graphics and 3 GB of RAM. As a result, the system and gaming performance of the system is off the charts, making it one of the fastest Android tablets today.
For data storage, 16 or 32 GB of memory plus MicroSD card capacity are available. In addition to standard Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, the tablet is equipped with a GPS module, an NFC sensor and an optional LTE modem with support for voice calls. From a full charge of the 6000 mAh battery, the tablet can work for 4-5 hours under maximum load and about 10 hours in casual use mode (reading, browsing, video).
Battery life
| Mode | Battery drains in 2 hours |
Approximate operating time (100% to 0%), h:min |
| Music | 1% | 200:00 |
| Reading | 21% | 9:30 |
| Navigation | 26% | 7:40 |
| Watch HD video | 14% | 14:15 |
| Watching HD videos from Youtube | 20% | 10:00 |
| 549 points | 3:46 | |
| Game (GFXBench) | 1509 points (27.0 fps) | 5:43 |
The % value displays by what percentage the battery was discharged during 2 hours of testing; the approximate operating time was obtained by linear extrapolation based on 2 hours of operation in this mode. You can read more about the testing methodology here -.
Playing video files
| Codec\Name | UltraHD4K.mp4 | Neudergimie.mkv | GranTurismo.mp4 | Spartacus.mkv | ParallelUniverse.avi |
| Video | MPEG4 Video (H264) 3840×2160 29.92fps, 19.4 Mbit/s | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×816 23.98fps, 10.1Mbit/s | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1920×1080 60fps, 19.7Mbit/s, 20 Mbit/s | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×720 29.97fps, 1.8 Mbit/s | MPEG4 Video (H264) 1280×536 24.00fps 2.8 Mbit/s |
| Audio | AAC 44100Hz stereo 124kbps | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo | AAC 48000Hz stereo 48kbps | Dolby AC3 44100Hz stereo | MPEG Audio Layer 3 44100Hz stereo 256kbps |
The tablet is running operating system Android 4.4, complemented by a nice software shell and pre-installed proprietary applications. Despite the updated interface, the control logic remains the same, so it won’t take long to get used to controlling the tablet.
Video review of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 tablet
Results
As a result, the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 is a stylish, thin and light 10-inch tablet with a very powerful hardware platform, the protected body of which will allow you to feel equally confident both in your home living room and on the shore of a pond.
The product was provided for testing by Sony, www.sony.ua
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Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 16GB LTE/4G (White) SGP521 Notify when on sale |
| Type | Tablet |
| Screen diagonal, inches | 10,1 |
| Matrix | IPS |
| Screen covering type | glossy |
| Screen resolution | 1920x1200 |
| Touchpad type | capacitive |
| Multi touch | + (10 point touch) |
| CPU | Qualcomm MSM8974-AB |
| Kernel type | Krait 400 |
| Frequency, GHz | 2,3 |
| Number of cores | 4 |
| Graphics | Adreno 330 |
| Pre-installed OS | Android 4.4 |
| RAM capacity, GB | 3 |
| Built-in memory capacity, GB | 16 |
| External ports | |
| Card reader | microSD/SDHC |
| Front camera | 2.2MP |
| Rear camera | 8.1MP |
| Orientation sensor | + |
| Built-in speakers | + (stereo) |
| Docking station | — |
| Stylus included | — |
| Ethernet | — |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.0 |
| 3G/4G(LTE) module | + |
| GSM/3G/4G(LTE) standards | GSM 850/900/1800/1900, UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100, LTE (Band I, II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII, XIII, XVII, XX) |
| Voice communication in GSM/3G networks | — |
| GPS | + (GLONASS) |
| NFC | + |
| Battery capacity, mAh | 6000 |
| Weight, g | 439 |
| Dimensions, mm | 172x266x6.4 |
| Other | |
| Case color | white |
| Front panel color | black |
