Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet: strengths and weaknesses of the second generation of samurai. Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet LTE - Technical specifications Sony xperia z2 tablet tablet
The thinnest, lightest and waterproof are just a small 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 best tablets of 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 back panel was a slight departure 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 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 at 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.
Multi-touch supports 10 simultaneous touches, works quickly and without flaws.
System
Sony Xperia Tablet Z2 runs Android 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 its 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 withstand 13 hours and 35 minutes of work 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 equipment, from an air conditioner 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 the 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 price
- 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. The back is 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 of the iPad Air, a new bar was 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 the appearance of the device. 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
The Qualcomm APQ8074+MSM8974AB platform is used, a quad-core processor clocked at 2.3 GHz. Android 4.4 operating system, 3 GB of 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 of equipment, 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 unit, about five hours; it is better to use a magnetic docking station, charging time is reduced by thirty percent (subjective opinion, the test was a prototype).
Camera
The main camera is 8.1 MP, uses a proprietary Exmor RS module, and supports HDR mode. Front camera – 2.2 MP. Many functions from Sony Xperia smartphone cameras are used, some of which 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, has a better camera, and produces less heat 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 a 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.
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.
| Width Width information - refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 266 mm (millimeters) 26.6 cm (centimeters) 0.87 ft (feet) 10.47 in (inches) |
| Height Height information - refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 172 mm (millimeters) 17.2 cm (centimeters) 0.56 ft (feet) 6.77 in (inches) |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 6.4 mm (millimeters) 0.64 cm (centimeters) 0.02 ft (feet) 0.25 in (inches) |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 439 g (grams) 0.97 lbs 15.49 oz (ounces) |
| Volume The approximate volume of the device, calculated based on the dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 292.81 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 17.78 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black White |
| Certification Information about the standards to which this device is certified. | IP55 IP58 |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
| GSM GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) is designed to replace the analogue mobile network (1G). For this reason, GSM is often called a 2G mobile network. It is improved by the addition of GPRS (General Packet Radio Services), and later EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution) technologies. | GSM 850 MHz GSM 900 MHz GSM 1800 MHz GSM 1900 MHz |
| UMTS UMTS is an abbreviation for Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. It is based on the GSM standard and belongs to 3G mobile networks. Developed by 3GPP and its biggest advantage is providing greater speed and spectral efficiency thanks to W-CDMA technology. | UMTS 850 MHz UMTS 900 MHz UMTS 1700/2100 MHz UMTS 1900 MHz UMTS 2100 MHz |
| LTE LTE (Long Term Evolution) is defined as a fourth generation (4G) technology. It is developed by 3GPP based on GSM/EDGE and UMTS/HSPA to increase the capacity and speed of wireless mobile networks. The subsequent technology development is called LTE Advanced. | LTE 850 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 900 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 1700/2100 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 1800 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 1900 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 2100 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 2600 MHz (SGP521; SGP551) LTE 700 MHz Class 13 (SGP521) LTE 700 MHz Class 17 (SGP521) LTE 800 MHz (SGP521) |
Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds
Communication between devices on mobile networks is carried out using technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
An operating system is a system software that manages and coordinates the operation of hardware components in a device.
SoC (System on Chip)
A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.
| SoC (System on Chip) A system on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components, such as a processor, graphics processor, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB v3 |
| Technological process Information about the technological process by which the chip is manufactured. Nanometers measure half the distance between elements in the processor. | 28 nm (nanometers) |
| Processor (CPU) The primary function of a mobile device's processor (CPU) is to interpret and execute instructions contained in software applications. | Krait 400 |
| Processor size The size (in bits) of a processor is determined by the size (in bits) of the registers, address buses, and data buses. 64-bit processors have higher performance compared to 32-bit processors, which in turn are more powerful than 16-bit processors. | 32 bit |
| Instruction Set Architecture Instructions are commands with which the software sets/controls the operation of the processor. Information about the instruction set (ISA) that the processor can execute. | ARMv7 |
| Level 0 cache (L0) Some processors have L0 (level 0) cache, which is faster to access than L1, L2, L3, etc. The advantage of having such memory is not only higher performance, but also reduced power consumption. | 4 kB + 4 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 1 cache (L1) Cache memory is used by the processor to reduce access time to more frequently used data and instructions. L1 (level 1) cache is small in size and works much faster than both system memory and other cache levels. If the processor does not find the requested data in L1, it continues to look for it in the L2 cache. On some processors, this search is performed simultaneously in L1 and L2. | 16 kB + 16 kB (kilobytes) |
| Level 2 cache (L2) L2 (level 2) cache is slower than L1 cache, but in return it has a higher capacity, allowing it to cache more data. It, like L1, is much faster than system memory (RAM). If the processor does not find the requested data in L2, it continues to look for it in the L3 cache (if available) or in RAM memory. | 2048 kB (kilobytes) 2 MB (megabytes) |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes software instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing multiple instructions to be executed in parallel. | 4 |
| CPU clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 2300 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) The Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphics applications. In mobile devices, it is most often used by games, consumer interfaces, video applications, etc. | Qualcomm Adreno 330 |
| Number of GPU cores Like a CPU, a GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle graphics calculations for various applications. | 4 |
| GPU clock speed Running speed is the clock speed of the GPU, measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 578 MHz (megahertz) |
| Amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) is used by the operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost after the device is turned off or restarted. | 3 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR3 |
| Number of RAM channels Information about the number of RAM channels that are integrated into the SoC. More channels mean higher data rates. | Dual channel |
| RAM frequency The frequency of RAM determines its operating speed, more specifically, the speed of reading/writing data. | 933 MHz (megahertz) |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed capacity.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the quality of the information image directly depends. | TFT |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, screen size is expressed by the length of its diagonal, measured in inches. | 10.1 in (inches) 256.54 mm (millimeters) 25.65 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate screen width | 8.56 in (inches) 217.55 mm (millimeters) 21.75 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate screen height | 5.35 in (inches) 135.97 mm (millimeters) 13.6 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.6:1 16:10 |
| Permission Screen resolution shows the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means clearer image detail. | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be displayed on the screen with clearer detail. | 224 ppi (pixels per inch) 88ppcm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for color components in one pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors that the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen area occupied by the screen on the front of the device. | 64.86% (percent) |
| Other characteristics Information about other screen features and characteristics. | Capacitive Multi-touch Scratch resistance |
| Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 Chemical tempered glass OGS (One Glass Solution) Oleophobic (lipophobic) coating |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that a mobile device can recognize.
Rear camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on its back panel and may be combined with one or more secondary cameras.
| Sensor model Information about the manufacturer and model of the sensor used by the camera. | Sony Exmor RS |
| Sensor type Information about the camera sensor type. Some of the most widely used types of sensors in mobile device cameras are CMOS, BSI, ISOCELL, etc. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of cameras is resolution. It represents the number of horizontal and vertical pixels in an image. For convenience, smartphone manufacturers often list resolution in megapixels, indicating the approximate number of pixels in millions. | 3104 x 1746 pixels 5.42 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum video resolution that the camera can record. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video recording speed (frame rate) Information about the maximum recording speed (frames per second, fps) supported by the camera at maximum resolution. Some of the most basic video recording speeds are 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, 60 fps. | 30fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about additional software and hardware features of the rear (rear) camera. | Autofocus Continuous shooting Digital zoom Digital image stabilization Geographical tags Panoramic photography HDR shooting Touch Focus Face recognition Self-timer Scene Selection Mode |
Front-camera
Smartphones have one or more front cameras of various designs - a pop-up camera, a rotating camera, a cutout or hole in the display, an under-display camera.
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between various devices of different types over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, and making devices easier to discover and connect. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.0 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols that provide faster data transfer, energy savings, improved device discovery, etc. Some of these profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) GAP (Generic Access Profile) GATT (Generic Attribute Profile) HDP (Health Device Profile) HFP (Hands-Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) MAP (Message Access Profile) OPP (Object Push Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) SPP (Serial Port Protocol) |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to exchange data.
HDMI
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the main characteristics and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different audio file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital audio data.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge necessary for their functioning.
| Capacity A battery's capacity indicates the maximum charge it can hold, measured in milliamp-hours. | 6000 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more precisely, the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used batteries in mobile devices. | Li-polymer |
| 2G latency 2G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 1240 h (hours) 74400 min (minutes) 51.7 days |
| 3G latency 3G standby time is the period of time during which the battery charge is completely discharged when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 1200 h (hours) 72000 min (minutes) 50 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional characteristics of the device's battery. | Fixed |
| Battery life - up to 13 h |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
The SAR level refers to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Body SAR level (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum permissible SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by the CENELEC Committee in compliance with the ICNIRP 1998 guidelines and IEC standards. | 1.806 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR level (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation to which the human body is exposed when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest permissible SAR value in the USA is 1.6 W/kg per 1 gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA monitors mobile devices' compliance with this standard. | 1.26 W/kg (Watt per kilogram) |
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 the designers of the Japanese company have more or less decided on the exterior of their devices - gadgets with the letter Z in the name are made in a similar style, then it is impossible to choose the 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. The key feature of the new product is the reduction of 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 frames around the display are a little too big – I wish they were a little narrower. However, this is a remark from the “nit-picking” category. The front panel is covered with scratch-resistant protective glass.
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 at the bottom end, which is why when watching a movie you have to turn the device upside down, since leaning it, for example, against a table with headphones connected is absolutely impossible. 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 controlling 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 from 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 | 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 |
Tablets had no future until Apple loudly announced them. Much water has passed under the bridge since then, but no matter what tablet comes out, one way or another, sooner or later it will still be compared to the iPad. Our test subject is compared to the iPad Air for a reason. It was the “air” tablet that was called the lightest and most elegant before the advent of the Sony Xperia Tablet Z2. Now we have a huge 10.1-inch tablet with resistance to water and dust, which has earned the title of the thinnest and lightest tablet ever. Impressive?
Sony Xperia Tablet Z1 was recognized as the best tablet in Europe. This is not a very sour start. The bar was set high from the very beginning. Girls filmed reviews about him in the bathroom, men bathed him in the Dnieper, in general, everyone liked him. Although there was something to complain about - the rigidity of the device, for example, left much to be desired. And at IFA 2014 in Barcelona they presented a continuation of this beauty, calling it simply Sony Xperia Tablet Z2. And what did they do?
Design and ergonomics
At first glance, the tablet resembles a plasma TV, the perfect size if you plan to carry it in a backpack. Or a thin university notebook for all subjects. It is practically A4 size and is easily lost among papers, folders and books. I especially like the fact that despite the dominance of tablets on the market, the Tab Z2 is not like any of them. It is strict, conservative, straight lines, sharp corners, ideally combined with the flagship.
Thin, light and elegant - I will never get tired of repeating this, it seems. Because everyone who has ever picked up a tablet was very surprised that it weighs practically nothing. It seems that the Japanese were inspired by a piece of paper.
There is a lot to see here. The edges are strewn with various ports, connectors and buttons. On top there are two plugs. Under the first long one there are slots for a micro-SIM card and microSD, under the second there is a slot for microUSB. Actually, these are the two topics that must always be kept dry, otherwise the tablet will simply stop working.
There is nothing placed on the right side, but on the bottom there are sensors for connecting a docking station and an audio jack.
On the left side there is a volume rocker and a small lock button. Since there is no double-tap unlock function, get used to its miniature size and location. It's not as difficult as it might seem at first glance.
The front part is completely covered with protective tempered glass, and the back is covered with soft-touch plastic that is pleasant to the touch. It has a plus and a minus. Plus - tactile sensations. Pleasant and tenacious. Minus - easily soiled. Very easily soiled. And it takes a lot of effort to wipe it off.
There are Sony logos on the lid, Xperia logos below, and in the upper corner there is a peephole for the 8.1 MP main camera and an NFC icon below it.
On the top frame around the display there is a company logo, a 2.2 MP front camera and an event indicator.
You understand that such a bandura will not fit into a small handbag. There is no magic way you can stuff it into a clutch. So your girlfriend, who values mobility, small handbags and small dogs, may not like such a tablet and will lie on the bedside table. For everyone else who doesn’t worry and walks around with a backpack and a larger bag, the tablet will be convenient to use. Due to its parameters, it fits perfectly into the laptop compartment instead of a laptop, and also weighs two or even three to four times lighter than your laptop. And due to the parameters and the “smart” keyboard, the Sony Xperia Tab Z2 can easily replace it, unless, of course, you are going to load it as a gaming laptop. As a non-fan of tablets, I can confidently say that a 10-inch device, as an intermediate device between a smartphone and a computer, is the most logical option for using a tablet.
Display
At first glance, the screen seems very cool. 10.1 inches, capacitive IPS display with TRILUMINOS technology with excellent oleophobic coating. And then you discover that it also has a glossy finish. And that its resolution is quite strange - 1920 x 1200. And that the maximum brightness in the sun is not comfortable enough. That is, the text is readable, but when we filmed the video review, nothing was visible through the lens.
But indoors the display has good viewing angles, the brightness is sufficient, and the richness and contrast of the picture are at a decent level. Sitting in a room with normal lighting, watching a movie on such a display is a thrill. The only thing is that at an angle the white color turns slightly pink, at another angle it turns a little yellow - that’s how unpredictable it is.
The huge frames at first glance are actually the perfect size if you end up using the tablet and didn’t buy it so that it would sit nicely in the docking station. Such a large tablet is unlikely to be purchased for mobility, but rather for practicality. Therefore, frames are needed so that there is somewhere to put your hands. With such a width, the tablet is easy to control in both horizontal and vertical orientations. Just now, the virtual buttons still “eat up” part of the display... And thanks to the black fields, the tablet can resemble a photo frame. But this is definitely a subjective question.
But there is definitely one advantage over the previous tablet - the Sony Tablet Z2 does not have films! That is, the developers have finally come to the realization that protective glass does not need proprietary protective films, which you simply cannot remove, even if you really want to. Excellent tempered glass with oleophobic coating. This is beauty! Ideal for working with texts, surfing the Internet and watching movies. But if you want to look at something on the display in direct sunlight, then do not forget to take off your sunglasses, or better yet, look for shade.
Cameras
There are two of them, and they are of fairly good quality. Unless you have a bad habit of comparing smartphone and tablet cameras. The main camera has 8.1 MP and a bunch of useful and not so useful software. The camera can take panoramas, HDR photos and videos, carry out multi-shot shooting, has 8x digital zoom and LED backlight. The frames are of very good quality, but there will be problems with detailing. And even in artificial or insufficient lighting, the resulting image will not delight you.
The menu has as many as nine shooting modes: super auto, manual settings, background defocus, fabulous effects, art, timeshift butst (when you have the opportunity to choose the best photo taken before and after pressing the shutter), social life (for people who constantly post photos on Facebook and want to share them with friends there), a panoramic view and evernote, with which you can save photos to your account.
There is no separate button to launch the camera, but this function is accessible from the unlock screen. In the lower left corner you will find a small menu where you can select the resolution and shooting ratio. Above it is an icon for switching to the front camera, which has 2.2 MP. You shouldn't expect anything supernatural from her. There is a feature to "clean up" the face, which is usually called "smoothing".
The main problem that I personally have with cameras is the size of the tablet. It’s very inconvenient to photograph with such a huge tablet. It is at this moment that it seems that the tablet is cumbersome, it turns out that at the concert you are blocking everyone’s view, and they look at you in surprise and condemnation. If two aspects—convenience and the attitude of others—don’t matter to you, then feel free to photograph everything.
Sound
The speakers are placed favorably. They are small, I didn’t find them the first time, it seems that the sound comes from somewhere inside. In fact, these are two short stereo speakers that are located at the bottom of the display.
But given the fact that when watching a video you hold the tablet with both hands, most often I turned the tablet over and the speakers were located on top of my fingers. Volume is adequate, clarity is average, and overall, if you forgot your headphones at home and want to watch a series with sound, the sound of the speakers will not disappoint. In nature or in recreation areas you will hear quite well.
Specifications
The tablet received mega-progressive technical characteristics, like a flying saucer. Quad-core Krait 400 processor Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8974-AB with a frequency of 2.3 GHz, Adreno 330 graphics and 3 GB of RAM. In tests, the tablet is ahead of the rest, which is what you hope for when you pay that kind of money for such hardware. All toys run at maximum settings, everything looks beautiful. The interface responds instantly, the animations are smooth, and everything looks quite nice. And in general, what can I say if everything is fine? At maximum loads, the tablet still heats up, a little closer to the left edge in the center. And so, yes, the speed of the device is cool. These are huge advantages of the device. The tablet does not slow down and flies straight.
- Dimensions: 172 x 266 x 6.4 mm.
- Weight: with Wi-Fi support - 426 g, with LTE support - 439 g.
- Operating system: Android 4.4 KitKat with proprietary shell from Sony.
- Processor: four cores Krait 400 Qualcomm Snapdragon MSM8974-AB with a frequency of 2.3 GHz.
- Graphics: Adreno 330.
- Display: capacitive IPS, 10.1 inches, 1920 x 1200, glossy finish.
- Memory: 16/32 GB + microSD up to 64 GB.
- RAM: 3 GB.
- Camera: main - 8.1 MP, Exmor RS matrix, 8x digital zoom, HDR, burst mode, FullHD video recording, LED flash; front - 2.2 MP, video recording in HD.
- Wireless technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GSM, HSDPA, GPS, NFC, DLNA, optional LTE.
- Interface connectors: 3.5 mm headphone jack, MicroUSB, docking station connector.
- Battery: Li-Ion battery 6000 mAh.
Software
The device runs Android 4.4 KitKat. Firmware from Sony is always an acquired taste. The look with the flying waves, ooh The opinion is subjective, personal, there are people who like this whole appearance. But! I repeat not for the first time - the number of programs pre-installed on the fly is such that with devices from this company I spend the least amount of time in the Play Store.
Here are all the popular social networks, a folder with tools, branded navigation, news from Sociallife, SonySelect and Whats New, where the company recommends interesting applications, TrackID, remote control of home appliances via infrared, Smart Connect, which helps connect your tablet and devices one touch. In general, there is a lot of useful stuff, but also a lot of nonsense that clogs up the device’s memory. And on a 16 GB tablet, about 11 GB are immediately available. There is also a 32 GB variation. Whichever option you choose, there is always the option to install microSD up to 64 GB.
Protection
This has become a good tone for flagship devices. And if once protection from water and dust was perceived as something that added great advantages to the device, now it is so commonplace that the absence of a function causes indignation and bewilderment. The housing is protected from water and dust according to IP 55/58 standards. That is, you can easily lie on a sandy beach near a river or pool without being afraid of grains of sand.
And if you want to swim with the tablet, you can do this for 30 minutes in fresh water at a depth of up to 1.5 meters, and only if all the plugs are closed. There are only two of them, so take the trouble to make sure they are sealed tightly. Otherwise, no warranty will save the device.
