IT168 Review Sony has always been at the forefront of the industry in terms of product innovation. Its classic craftsmanship and design even became a model in the industry and became the object of everyone's competition to learn and imitate. In addition to having a paranoid corporate spirit, Sony has further implemented the meticulous workmanship of its products. For its core Xperia Z series mobile phones, it has maintained a fully balanced design of double-sided glass + metal middle frame in the past two years, and has continued to improve and improve on this basis. So we can see Sony Z5’s progress in IP65/IP68 level waterproof features, steady improvements in cameras, and its first bold attempt at side fingerprint features. "Staying the same in response to ever-changing changes" seems to have become Sony's potential idea for its product lines in recent years.

This year, Sony has accelerated the pace of Xperia Z series updates, launching two generations of products, Xperia Z4 (the national version is Z3+) and Xperia Z5, and Xperia Z5 has a Compact (mini version) , Standard Edition, Premium (Exclusive Edition)*** three versions. Compared with Sony, which launched a flagship mobile phone a year ago, this approach obviously caters more to the needs of the market. It also marks the diversification of Sony mobile phones to meet more segmented users. Therefore, it is indeed a correct idea to adopt a decentralized product line approach to provide users with more choices. However, fast-frequency update iterations will inevitably reduce the differentiation between the two generations of products, and focus more on process improvements and the addition of mainstream functions. So how does such a premature flagship mobile phone perform? Can it restore Sony's loss-making mobile phone business? I believe you will find the answer after reading this review.

　

"Comparison of parameters of three mobile phones in the Sony Xperia Z5 series

Mobile phones

Sony Z5

Sony Z5 Exclusive Edition

Sony Z5 Compact

Screen size

5.2 inches

5.5 inches

4.6 inches< /p>

Resolution

1920x1080

1920x1080 (4K in some scenes

)

1280x720

Processor

Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 2.0GHz

Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 2.0GHz

Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 2.0GHz

SIM Card

NanoSIM dual SIM card

NanoSIM dual SIM card

NanoSIM single SIM card

RAM

3 GB

p>

3 GB

2 GB

On-body memory

32 GB

Main camera

23 million pixels, IMX330 sensor, relative and contrast mixed focus, rapid photo taking in 0.03 seconds

Front camera

5.1 million, supports beauty

Operating system

Customized based on Android 5.1.1

Body size

146x72x7.3mmmm

154x76x7.8mmmm

127x65x8.9mm

Body weight

154g

180g

138g

Battery

< p>2900 mAh

3430 mAh

2700 mAh

Body color

Black/Silver/Gold/Green

Black/Silver/Gold

Black/White/Red/Yellow

Features

Side fingerprint recognition, IP68 three-proof, double-sided glass All-in-one body*, strong battery life

Network standard

China Mobile/China Unicom dual 4G

Price

4999 yuan direct

5699 yuan direct

About 3500 yuan (not licensed)

Sony Z5 has the mainstream hardware parameters of current flagship phones, Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor, 3GB running memory, Fingerprint recognition function. Compared with the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium Edition, the standard version has not made too many changes except reducing the body size and abandoning the 4K resolution screen. The moderately sized screen, 1920*1080 resolution full HD screen, and 7.3mm ultra-thin body are more in line with the public’s purchase needs.

" Three major selling points of Sony Z5

" Omni Balance (full balance) design

After several generations of Sony Xperia Z series flagship mobile phones, Omni The Balance design has been optimized quite well.

This design is inspired by a simple "piece of glass brick", so the chamfering of the fuselage and the polishing of the edges of the frame are relatively tough, making it look sharp and three-dimensional. In addition, the concept of fully balanced design is also demonstrated in some details of the appearance. For example, the front camera on the upper left side of the front panel and the light sensor on the right side are in a completely symmetrical position, and the "SONY" logo in the middle is located between the two. . If this panel is folded in half, then using the gap in the "ON" letter as the axis of symmetry, the design elements on the left and right (wrapped up and down symmetrical speakers) are completely overlapped.

To be fair, during the few days I used the Sony Z5 as my main phone, friends around me said that this phone is very beautiful and has an appearance that is not inferior to the iPhone 6s. Viewed from the side, it also reflects the success of the design concept of this mobile phone. The three models launched by Sony Z5 series this time have divided the audience very well. Sony, which once focused on "small but beautiful", is finally willing to lower its attitude a little.

"Excellent listening experience

I believe that a large number of Sony's "die-hard fans" are music lovers and have used the Sony Walkman series before

products. Sony's Xperia Z series flagship mobile phones are mainly targeted at people who pursue high-quality life. Of course, the wonderful feeling brought by music cannot be abandoned, and the restoration of high-quality music is not allowed. The display of surround sound and optimization of equalizer have reached the top level in the industry.

In the latest Android 5.1.1 system, Sony provides users with a variety of DIY audio settings. space. For example: turning on the DSEE HX switch can upgrade the robust quality of compressed music to close to high-resolution audio quality by restoring high-amplitude sounds. In addition, Sony Z5 also supports Pure Sound Technology+, which can automatically optimize the equalizer and achieve better quality. Realistic surround sound. Forgive me for not doing in-depth research on headphones, but by wearing the MH-750 headphones that come standard in the Sony Z5 package, I can clearly feel that when the DSEE HX switch is turned on, the vocal part It is clearer, the accompaniment is richer, and the superimposition has a sense of layering.

" Industry-leading camera capabilities

Compared with the previous generation, the Sony Z5 has certain improvements in the main camera. improvement. First of all, Sony Z5 uses its latest IMX300 sensor, which is 1/2.3 inches in size and has been increased from 20.7 million pixels to 23 million pixels. It has a built-in 6p lens and has the fastest 0.03s ultra-fast focus (phase focus + contrast focus). , multi-point and multi-range focus detection, and night photography capabilities up to ISO 12800, etc. It can be said that it has the most luxurious camera configuration of current smartphones. It was previously rumored that both Apple and Samsung are very interested in IMX330. Unfortunately, it is currently only available to the Sony Z5 series. This shows that Sony is actually working very hard on its own products.

It is worth mentioning that, with the IP68 waterproof function of Sony Z5, Sony Z5 can achieve underwater shooting capabilities of up to 30 minutes within a depth of 1.5m. As we all know, the capacitive touch screen fails in water, and the camera function key designed by Sony Z5 is just for this. However, waterproofing is waterproof. Sony officials strictly prohibit the use of mobile phones for underwater shooting. After all, the water quality of different environments will have different effects on mobile phones, which cannot be quantified. Therefore, you should still exercise caution when shooting underwater. Sony's official waterproof description

"Is the Sony Z5 worth buying?

With a price of 4,999 yuan, it is obvious that the Sony Z5 does not exist within the range acceptable to the public. As mentioned before , Sony Xperia Z series mobile phones are mainly targeted at consumers who pursue high-quality life and are loyal to the Sony brand. Therefore, this mobile phone is not worth recommending to ordinary users. Obviously, 4,999 yuan is already. You can buy mobile phones like iPhone6s or Samsung S6 edge+, which are better than Sony Z5 in terms of comprehensive capabilities and practicality. However, if you are tired of the industrial design of Apple and Samsung, you also have a special interest in the design of double-sided glass. or if you are an audiophile who likes to listen to high-quality music on your mobile phone, then the Sony Z5 will have a chance to enter your shopping cart. It is recommended to buy it at a price of about 3,500 yuan.

If you are still interested in it. If so, you might as well click on the next page to see other evaluation information of the Sony Z5.

"Appearance Industrial Design

Due to the rapid product update frequency, the Sony Z5 is inferior to the previous generation. As far as the product is concerned, the changes in appearance are not obvious. If you just look at the front panel, you can hardly notice the difference between the two. The industrial design still continues the consistent balanced and simple style of the Xperia Z series mobile phones. But for users who plan to buy a Sony Z5 mobile phone, you don’t have to be discouraged. Because in terms of the details of the fuselage, Sony has made a series of improvements and improvements to bring it closer to perfection. There are already rumors that the next generation of Xperia Z series phones will use an all-metal body. Therefore, Xperia Z5 is likely to become Sony's pinnacle in double-sided glass.

After getting hold of Sony Z5, the most obvious feeling I have is that the frame is very uncomfortable, which is also a major shortcoming of Sony Xperia Z series mobile phones that has not been improved. Investigating the reason, it is reasonable to have such a feeling. Double-sided glass panels have a higher risk of screen breakage than metal or plastic ones (because the back cover will also break). Therefore, in terms of technology, Sony added a ring of polycarbonate cushioning pad between the edge of the screen and the metal middle frame, and it will be slightly higher than the screen. This can reduce the wear and tear on the screen in daily life, and minimize the wear and tear on the screen. Reduces the risk of screen breakage. That's the reason for this cushioning pad. When I hold it in my hand, it has a more obvious feeling.

At the same time, the anti-fall design is not just about the cushioning. The Sony Z5 still retains "patch"-like protective pads on the four corners of the fuselage. Compared with the previous generation Sony Z4, it does not use all plastic materials, but uses a mixed material of plastic + metal paint, which has smaller color difference than before. It is this "patch"-like protective pad that plays a vital role in protecting the phone from damage when it falls. First of all, compared with pure metal materials, it has strong toughness. Even if there is an impact at the corner, it will not leave obvious irreversible scratches. At the same time, the impact force on the screen will be greatly reduced.

In addition, the three mobile phones in the Sony Z5 series all use frosted glass back covers. Compared with the previous generation of glass technology, a certain sense of damping is added. It feels richer and less likely to slip out of your hand. In addition, there is a common problem with mobile phones using double-sided glass. Although they look very delicate at first, they can easily leave fingerprints during use, which greatly affects the appearance. The Sony Z5 sprays a layer of frosted coating on the glass panel, which also has a good anti-fingerprint residue effect.

Another difference between the Sony Z5 series mobile phones compared to the previous generation is that the “XPERIA” logo is etched on the frame. I personally guess that Sony's approach is mainly to allow more free design space for the front and rear panels of the fuselage, and to further emphasize the independent attributes of the Xperia brand.

Sony Z5 is the first mobile phone in the industry to combine fingerprint recognition and power button on the side of the fuselage. This design logic cleverly avoids the common front or rear fingerprint recognition modules on the market, while also taking into account the user's usage habits. But the shortcomings are also obvious. Compared with the traditional square or round power button, the contact area with the finger is narrower, and the theoretical recognition rate will be slightly lower. Therefore, during the process of entering fingerprints, it is necessary to change the position of finger pressing multiple times, which can effectively increase the recognition rate.

In addition, in daily use, I found that for ordinary users (the opposite is true for left-handers), it is usually more convenient to press the power button to unlock with only three fingers. They are the thumb of the left hand, the middle finger of the left hand and the thumb of the right hand. Sony Z5 can enter 5 fingerprint information in one slot, and the extra two spaces can be used for repeated entry, which can also effectively increase the fingerprint recognition rate. However, the fingerprint recognition of Sony Z5 is not yet able to realize fast payment methods such as Alipay or WeChat. However, with the support of NFC function, when third-party developers adapt, it will be able to realize convenient functions such as card recharge.

" A software system that remains unchanged for thousands of years

Among many international brands, Sony's system software has always been in a state of tepidity, which is different from the current hot domestic third-party customized systems. It is indeed inferior to the current Sony Z5 Premium Edition software based on Android 5.1.1 customization, but its scope of customization is limited. Apart from some application improvements and system fine-tuning, there are basically not many changes from before. It is still relatively close to the native Android system.

However, although the software is generally not deeply customized, Sony's own special programs are worthy of praise, such as the built-in WALKMAN player, video player, etc. Combined with Sony's strength in multimedia, you can indeed see that it has been optimized for peace of mind. In addition to this, Sony's excellent power-saving function "STAMINA mode" has also been further optimized, in addition to restricting applications and networking. , you can also turn on the basic mode in low power mode, which only allows the core functions of the system to be enabled. This is also the current mainstream practice.

Overall, Sony's system software generally falls into the category of lightweight customization. , although there are symbolic localized uses in order to comply with the domestic market, this kind of customization and optimization does not cover the overall situation, which inevitably makes domestic users a little disappointed. After all, Sony Z series products have already paved the way for many products, but Sony It has never focused on software customization and optimization. Faced with the current excellent and complete third-party customization system experience in China, even Sony, a major first-tier manufacturer, inevitably seems a bit "rough".

Note: It is reported that Sony will upgrade to Android 6.0 as soon as the end of the year, and the Z5 series should be in the first batch of updates. The experience should be more different from now.

"There are many camera functions. Variety

Although Sony has not yet fully optimized the overall software system, when it comes to the camera alone, Sony has put in a lot of effort.

Features such as the first IMX300 sensor, industry-leading 23 million pixels, ISO up to 12800, currently the fastest 0.03s ultra-fast focusing, any one of them is the top level in the industry. At the same time, in addition to the frequently used advanced automatic mode and manual mode, the software also has a variety of creative and interesting photo modes such as AR background effects, AR masks, creative effects, faces in pictures, etc., and supports third-party cameras. Plug-in extensions.

▲ Interesting AR effect

The advanced automatic mode is prepared for most users. It does not require adjusting any parameters. The camera will automatically identify what you are shooting. What specific parameters should be used to take photos, such as portraits, food, macro, night scenes, etc. In addition, users can additionally adjust the brightness and color temperature of the picture. In addition, Sony provides a manual mode for more professional users, who can adjust the exposure value, white balance scene, and HDR switch by themselves. In addition, when you adjust the pixels to 8 million, the camera also supports manual scene selection. These include 17 options such as skin beautification, soft snapshots, motion stabilization, and high sensitivity. It can be seen that Sony is very careful in optimizing the camera.

▲Advanced automatic mode (left), manual mode (right)

The iPhone’s camera capabilities have always been at the benchmark level in the industry, and it is also the subject of comparison by major manufacturers. Let’s take a look at the photography capabilities of the Sony Z5 through several sample photos comparing it with the iPhone6 ??Plus. In addition, I would like to state here that since the Sony Z5 has a color temperature adjustment function, if the user manually adjusts the white balance, it can be infinitely close to the real scene. Therefore, I shot in advanced automatic mode with all default parameters. The sample below does not undergo any post-processing other than cropping.

First of all, consider the white balance. The color temperature of the Sony Z5 sample is cooler, while the iPhone6 ??Plus is warmer. In comparison, the iPhone6 ??Plus is closer to the real scene, and it also captures nuts more clearly. nice. However, thanks to the 23-megapixel camera of Sony Z5, the picture is much sharper than that of iPhone6 ??Plus.

For the performance of green and red colors, the two phones are almost the same. However, it is worth noting here that the Sony Z5 has a relatively obvious defocus phenomenon at the edges of the sample. In addition, the brightness of the picture is also slightly overexposed. Fortunately, the user can adjust it when taking pictures. However, for ordinary users, it is obvious that the optimization of iPhone6 ??Plus is more thorough.

In dark light environments (night scenes), the Sony Z5’s highest ISO value of 12800 plays an obvious role. In contrast, the Sony Z5 has improved the brightness of the picture a lot while ensuring the purity of the picture, and the colors are also more vivid and eye-catching. On the iPhone6 ??Plus, not only is the overall picture much darker, but there is also obvious glare on the left side. It can be seen from this that the Sony Z5’s night photography capabilities are very amazing.

In addition to its powerful night photography capabilities, the photos taken by Sony Z5 have very high resolution. The author restored 100% of the proof of the position circled in black in the picture, and the text above can be clearly seen. Compared to the iPhone Plus, which has only 8 million pixels, it has been completely crushed. As for the 12-megapixel iPhone 6s, it is also far behind the Sony Z5.

▲Backlight shooting sample (click to view the original image)

▲Gourmet macro shooting sample (click to view the original image)

▲Gourmet macro

Take a sample picture (click to view the original picture)

▲

Self-illuminating objects

Take a sample picture (click to view the original picture)

< p>During the actual photography process, the Sony Z5’s focusing speed is very fast and almost invisible to the naked eye. However, the shutter speed will be much slower than that of the iPhone 6 Plus. There will be a delay of less than 1 second after pressing the shutter. Due to the natural shaking of the hand, it is easy for the author to blur the picture. The overall photography experience is not ideal, and Sony still has some room for improvement. However, in terms of sample quality, Sony Z5 is still at the current first-class level, especially its night shooting capabilities, which has firmly ranked at the top of the industry. In addition, the rich and interesting third-party camera plug-ins are also a major plus point for Sony camera functions.

" Hardware performance benchmarks

Sony Z5 uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor and integrated Adeno 430 graphics chip. It is also supplemented by 3GB running memory and 32GB body storage space. In addition It also uses a 5.2-inch 1080P resolution IPS screen and a 2900mAh capacity non-removable lithium-ion polymer battery. The AnTuTu benchmark software gave a score of close to 7W, which is among the many mobile phones equipped with the Snapdragon 810 processor. The main reason for the middle and lower level is Sony's lack of software optimization. However, when running large games such as Asphalt 8 and Modern Warfare 4, the Sony Z5 also has a very smooth operating experience, and it is also vivid and delicate. The screen and external stereo sound are also good bonus points, so things like benchmark scores are just fleeting, and the score does not determine the quality of the experience.

▲

The benchmark score is at the mid-to-lower level among Snapdragon 810 processor phones

Note: The benchmark software used in this test is AnTuTu The latest 6.0Beta version, Sony Z5 is equipped with Android 5.1.1 system platform.

" Fever test

Sony Z3+ has been criticized for its heating problem. After using the mobile phone to record for a few minutes, the system will forcefully close the camera. This time Sony has tested the Z5 series The mobile phone has an internal design of dual heat pipe cooling + silicone coating. This heat dissipation method is mainly used in PC hosts. It can be seen that Sony has paid enough attention to the problem of body heating. After testing, the author found that the Sony Z5 is overheating. The level is completely within the acceptable range.

▲Use your mobile phone to browse Weibo and browse the web for 10 minutes

▲Continuously shoot 4K videos for 20 minutes

In the normal test of using the phone to browse Weibo and browse the web for 10 minutes, the maximum temperature of the Sony Z5 was only 30 degrees Celsius, and there was almost no feeling of warmth in the palm of the hand. In the test of continuous shooting of 4K video for 20 minutes. , the maximum temperature of the Sony Z5 reached 47.7 degrees Celsius, and there was no prompt to force the camera to turn off. The heat is mainly located under the main camera. It can also be seen from the figure that the heat generated by the processor is due to the application of heat pipes. It will quickly spread on the upper part of the fuselage and quickly dissipate the heat through the frame.

Therefore, users who are worried about the Sony Z5’s heating problem can rest assured that in most daily use scenarios, the Sony Z5’s heat will be released. The heat control is very appropriate, even during charging, large-scale games and video shooting, we think the body temperature of the Sony Z5 is within a reasonable range.

" Sony Z5 review summary< /p>

To sum up, the Sony Z5 is a product that people both love and hate. It has an exquisite double-sided glass body, first-class industrial design, IP68 waterproof properties, stunning night shooting capabilities, and a shocking audio-visual experience. Among many flagship phones, Sony Z5 has its own persistence, does not follow the trend, and is unique. When it comes to feelings, I believe Sony is the originator of this aspect.

However, as an established international manufacturer, Sony lacks bold attempts in design. Samsung changed its plastic body this year to make the appearance of Samsung's latest Galaxy S series/Note series mobile phones more textured, allowing its market share to return to an upward trend, which has been declining year by year. If Sony wants to attract consumers' attention again, appearance innovation is essential. In addition, for domestic users, the lack of software localization of Sony Z5 has become another major drawback that affects sales. At the same time, in daily use, lags often occur, which obviously should not happen for a flagship phone with top-level hardware configuration. In contrast, the author is still looking forward to the Sony Z6 mobile phone that may adopt an all-metal design next year.