The best Sony smartphones according to customer reviews. Sony Xperia smartphones Sony Xperia smartphone
Xperia Z, which will be a very serious competitor to current and future flagship devices. This is the first major manufacturer to use a 5-inch 1080p screen. In our review we will try to talk about the features of this smartphone.
So let's start with the appearance Sony Xperia Z. It comes in a compact package that contains the smartphone itself, a USB cable, headphones, network adapter, map microSD memory 2 GB (availability will depend on the region of delivery).
The gadget is easily recognizable as a Sony device with its angular design. Glass covers the front and back panel device, blue plastic is used on the sides, and the edges are rubberized. There are several covers that make the device waterproof (IPX57 standard) and dustproof (IP55 standard).
The choice of materials also has negative aspects. This way the glass quickly becomes covered with fingerprints and loses its brightness, but at the same time you can always wipe it.
The build quality is excellent: it seems that no creaks, other sounds or play were detected during operation. Since there is glass on both sides, the smartphone is reliably protected from scratches.
The Xperia Z has a very standard set of functional elements above the screen - a speaker, a front camera, touch sensors and a company logo. Below it are the touch navigation buttons, which are part of the display, and a microphone.
On the right side there are a volume control key, a power/lock button and a slot for a microSIM card, which is covered with a plastic cover. Unfortunately, there is no camera control key here. On the bottom right there is an external speaker.
At the top end, a 3.5 mm audio jack is hidden under a plastic cover.
On the left you can see a microUSB port and a slot for microSD cards, and under it is a connector for the docking station.
The bottom end of the gadget is completely devoid of functional elements.
Finally, on back cover You can see a 13-megapixel camera, LED flash and a second microphone, which serves for noise reduction and for capturing stereo sound.
The dimensions of the device are 139x71x7.9 mm, and the weight is 146 g.
Performance and Software
Sony Xperia Z is based on the Snapdragon APQ8064 S4 Pro chipset with a quad-core Krait processor with clock frequency 1.5 GHz and with Adreno 320 graphics accelerator. The smartphone also has 2 GB of RAM. In general, the gadget will not disappoint in terms of performance and speed; resource-intensive games and applications simply fly on it.
The device runs Android 4.1.1 Jelly Bean OS. Built-in memory – 16 GB (there is a slot for microSD cards).
In the BenchMark Pi test, which reflects single-threaded performance, the device under test takes first place. The same results were demonstrated in the LinPack benchmark, which focuses on multi-threaded performance.
Let's move on to the GLBenchmark 2.5 Egypt test (1080poffscreen), which will allow us to check graphic capabilities devices. Sony's new product did not disappoint here either, almost catching up with the Oppo Find 5.
But most games will likely run at native resolution, so we tested Epic Citadel, which uses Unreal Engine 3, which is hugely popular among game makers for mobile devices. So this is a very important test. It was carried out at high quality settings and, surprisingly, the gadget again came out in first place.
We already thought that the smartphone would pass all tests perfectly, but browser tests were not very successful for the Sony Xperia Z.
So in the SunSpider test, the device was at the bottom, ahead of only the Nexus 4 and Oppo Find 5. But in BrowserMark 2, the gadget took second place, behind only the Optimus G, which has a similar chipset, but a lower resolution. The device also came in second in the Vellamo HTML5 test, losing only to Samsung Galaxy Note II.
So, from the tests let's move on to the communication capabilities of the Sony Xperia Z. The gadget has Wi-Fi modules, GPS/A-GPS/GLONASS, Bluetooth 4.0, supports FM radio, 3G and LTE networks.
There is a rich preset software: browser, mail client, programs for integration with social networks, navigation applications, audio and video players, etc.
Screen
Sony Xperia Z became the owner of a 5-inch display made using TFT technology using Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a color rendition of 16 million shades.
Pixel density – 441 ppi.
You can actually see the advantage over 720p displays with the naked eye, but the difference is not that big.
The new Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2 technology will also improve performance when playing videos and viewing images, and work better in bright sunlight.
Below is a specialized sunlight clarity test:
However, the screen is by no means perfect. First of all, the viewing angles are not very large. Of course, a step forward has been made compared to the Sony Xperia T, but a very slight one. So Sony needs to work more carefully in this area to catch up with its competitors.
We also note that the display does not have very good contrast and the colors are not very inspiring. Below is the test.
Camera
Sony Xperia Z is equipped with a 13.1 megapixel camera that allows you to take pictures with a maximum resolution of 4128x3096 pixels. If you use the default improved automatic mode, you will get a photo with a resolution of 3920x2940 pixels.
The difference between the enhanced auto mode and the normal mode with all auto settings is that the device first tries to guess what scene you're trying to capture and adjusts all the image parameters accordingly. This includes color saturation, contrast, and exposure metering mode. In normal auto mode, only exposure is set, but you can experiment with other settings.
Sony Xperia Z offers all kinds of features including facial recognition, Smile Shutter, geotagging, touch capture and HDR mode.
In improved automatic mode smartphone takes photos good quality, although the colors are a bit oversaturated in our opinion. The noise level is average, the dynamic range is good, and the contrast is excellent.
In general, we note that the results are quite good, although we did not find any noticeable advantages compared to flagship 8-megapixel models.
Examples of photos:
The Xperia Z is capable of shooting video with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels at 30 frames per second. This model It also provides video recording capabilities, which sets it apart from most other smartphones.
The disappointment was that when recording video, the gadget was able to take a photo with a 1-megapixel resolution. So last year's flagships were able to take full-resolution footage when recording video.
This, of course, is a minor minus, since the device does basic things very well. The video has amazing detail. Bitrate hovers around 16Mbps, which is a decent compromise between quality and file size.
Example video:
Battery
Sony Xperia Z uses a non-removable lithium ion battery capacity 2330 mAh. One charge should be enough, according to the manufacturer, for 11 hours of talk time (GSM) and up to 14 hours via UMTS networks, up to 550 hours of standby time, up to 40 hours of listening to music and up to 5.5 hours – in video viewing mode.
With an average smartphone load, the battery lasted us about a day.
Price
The price of Sony Xperia Z on the Russian market is 29,990 rubles.
Let's summarize the main disadvantages: low display contrast, non-removable battery, weak speaker.
Sony Xperia Z video review:
Sony Xperia phones are ideal for the dynamic and fast-paced life of a big city. These devices will not let you down, no matter where you are: latest models They can take high-resolution photos and videos even underwater, without any image distortion.
When choosing any smartphone from those presented in our catalog, you can be sure that only pleasant discoveries await you. Besides, Sony line Xperia is constantly expanding, new interesting smartphones are appearing.
What's good about Sony Xperia phones?
- Stylish, reliable case
One of the most valuable Sony benefits Xperia is rugged and literally unsinkable. Most models can be successfully submerged to a depth of 0.5 to 1.5 meters. In addition, numerous drop tests demonstrate the high resistance of phones to falls and other mechanical stress. And, of course, the Sony design team made the smartphones stylish and catchy. With such an accessory you will not go unnoticed.
- Excellent camera
High quality shooting is Sony's strong point. Starting from the earliest models, each smartphone stands out among its competitors with clear, rich pictures with good color reproduction. Even among similarly specced cameras, Sony's come out on top, thanks to its Cyber-Shot and Handycam technologies, Exmor RS™ sensor and ultra-fast BIONZ™ image processor.
- High sound quality
Sony Walkman technology once set the vector for the development of all portable audio devices. So pure and deep sound, like Sony Xperia, and today not all flagships of competitors can boast of it. Along with other advantages, there is digital noise reduction technology, thanks to which you can enjoy your favorite tracks without interference in a noisy subway or with a drill working behind the wall.
Choose your Sony Xperia
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Sony Xperia phones are presented in branded stores Sony Center, as well as in the online store. We offer delivery throughout Russia. Hurry up to place your order!
A balanced product with decent characteristics, thoughtful ergonomics and expressive appearance
On the first day of summer Sony company Mobile officially presented in Russia what a few months earlier the international community had the opportunity to see at the spring Mobile Congress in Barcelona. Finally on Russian market new mobile products of the next generation of Xperia smartphones were brought. The usual letter Z from the general name of the family was replaced by the letter X, so that the updated Sony Xperia family included the X and XA lines of smartphones.
The 4 new Sony smartphones are called Xperia X, Xperia X Performance, Xperia XA and Xperia XA Ultra. The six-inch tablet XA Ultra, by the way, is the only model in the new line that differs in screen size - the other three devices have exactly the same five-inch displays. The basis of the flagship line is balanced in all respects Xperia smartphone X, with this model we will begin to study the new family of Japanese mobile devices.
Key features of Sony Xperia X (model F5122)
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (MSM8956), 6 cores: 2x1.8 GHz (ARM Cortex-A72) + 4x1.4 GHz (ARM Cortex-A53)
- GPU Adreno 510 @600 MHz
- operating system Android 6.0.1
- Touch display IPS 5″, 1920×1080, 441 ppi
- RAM(RAM) 3 GB, inner memory 32/64 GB
- SIM cards: Nano-SIM (1 or 2 pcs.)
- Supports microSD memory cards up to 200 GB
- GSM networks 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
- WCDMA 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz networks
- LTE networks FDD Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, TDD Band 38—41
- Wi-Fi 802.11n/ac with MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct
- DLNA, Miracast
- Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
- USB 2.0, OTG
- GPS/A-GPS, Glonass, BDS
- Direction, proximity, lighting sensors, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, magnetic compass, step counter, fingerprint scanner
- Camera 23 MP, f/2.0, autofocus, LED flash
- Front camera 13 MP, f/2.0
- Battery 2620 mAh
- Fast charging Quick Charge 2.0
- Dimensions 143×69×7.7 mm
- Weight 152 g
| Sony Xperia X | LG G5 se | Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge | Apple iPhone 6s Plus | |
| Screen | 5″ IPS, 1920×1080, 441 ppi | 5.3″ IPS, 2560×1440, 554 ppi | 5.5″ Super AMOLED, curved on both sides, 2560×1440, 534 ppi | 5.5″ IPS, 1920×1080, 401 ppi |
| SoC (processor) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (2x Cortex-A72 @1.8 GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @1.4 GHz) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 (4x Cortex-A72 @1.8 GHz + 4x Cortex-A53 @1.4 GHz) | Samsung Exynos 8890 Octa (4 Mongoose cores @2.6 GHz + 4 Cortex-A53 cores @1.6 GHz) | Apple A9 (2 cores @1.8 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 510 | Adreno 510 | Mali-T880 | Apple A9 |
| Flash memory | 32/64 GB | 32 GB | 32 GB | 16/64/128 GB |
| Connectors | Micro-USB Type C (with OTG support), 3.5mm headset jack | Micro-USB (with OTG support), 3.5mm headset jack | Lightning dock connector, 3.5mm headset jack | |
| Memory card support | microSD (up to 200 GB) | microSD (up to 2 TB) | microSD (up to 200 GB) | No |
| RAM | 3 GB | 3 GB | 4 GB | 2 GB |
| Cameras | rear (23 MP; video 1080p), front (13 MP) | rear (16/8 MP; 4K video), front (8 MP) | rear (12 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP) | |
| LTE support | There is | There is | There is | There is |
| Battery capacity (mAh) | 2620 | 2800 | 3600 | 2750 |
| operating system | Google Android 6.0.1 | Google Android 6.0.1 | Google Android 6.0.1 | Apple iOS 9.0 (updated to 9.2.1) |
| Dimensions (mm)* | 143×69×7.7 | 149×74×7.7 | 151×73×7.7 | 158×78×7.3 |
| Weight (g) | 152 | 157 | 157 | 190 |
| average price | T-13486416 | T-13804120 | T-13485518 | T-12858631 |
| Sony Xperia X retail offers | L-13486416-10 | |||
Appearance and ease of use
The following can be said about the design of the device: at a quick glance, the new products of the Xperia X and XA series are practically no different from the previous models of the Xperia Z generation. All proprietary distinctive features are preserved, the shapes and dimensions of the body are similar, the corners are still quite slightly rounded in plan, the buttons are spaced out in the usual places, you still don’t need a paperclip to remove the cards, because the covers that are familiar to Sony are used.
But, naturally, there were differences. The same lids are no longer suspended on rubber tails, as before. Now the slides are attached directly to the covers, and by pulling such a plug, you automatically pull out the holder with cards. The glass on the front panels is no longer flat, but, according to modern fashion, has rounded edges and is called 2.5D glass. All these points make the use of new Sony smartphones a little more comfortable. But the main thing is that Xperia X and other representatives of the new generation now lie much more pleasantly in the hand, this is achieved due to more smooth transition between the side frame and the rounded edges of the glass. The back wall of the case also bends slightly towards the edges, so the edges of the side frame are completely lost and do not dig into the palm as before.
The smartphone is thin and light, its dimensions are small - Sony has decided this time to limit most of its models to five-inch screens. Due to the matte, pleasant-to-touch surfaces of the metal back wall and side frames, the device is securely held in the hand, does not tend to slip out and does not collect fingerprints. There is no effect of the Brushed aluminum surface, like the more expensive Xperia X Performance model, but this does not negatively affect the tactile sensations from contact with the surfaces of the body. Xperia X is also pleasant to hold in your fingers, convenient to carry in your pockets, it is less slippery than the iPhone 6, so, in principle, it does not require a case.
Unlike cheaper models Xperia series XA, here the case, together with the back wall, is completely made of metal. The assembly does not cause any complaints, the monolithic body is assembled with high quality, there are no cracks or irregularities to be found.
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On the front panel, completely covered with glass with sloping edges, there is a familiar set of elements: sensors, front camera and led indicator events. You can also find two stereo speakers located in the front plane above and below the screen. The speakers are quite loud, and it will be difficult to accidentally turn off both of them at once, so you definitely shouldn’t be afraid of missing a call signal. Naturally, there are no hardware control buttons under the screen; Sony has long since made them virtual.
The back side contains only a camera window and a not very bright single LED flash. The camera module does not protrude beyond the surface, so you can use the device comfortably even when it is lying on a table—the smartphone will not wobble.
The Xperia X has only one card slot, it is dual, you can install two SIM cards in the Nano-SIM format or replace one of them with a microSD memory card. Sony has moved away from the practice of installing three separate connectors, limiting itself to a hybrid option. In the case of 64 GB of flash memory, however, installing microSD is not very relevant - there is enough memory as is.
The mechanical buttons on the right side are placed in an unusual way: for some reason the volume key is lowered much lower than the power button, it now often falls under your fingers and is pressed when not needed. Left-handers especially suffer in this situation. But there is a separate key for the camera. The buttons have a soft and springy action, are easy to feel, and if not for the inconvenient layout, there would be no complaints about these elements.
The central flat power button habitually turns on a pad with an inscribed fingerprint scanner. The scanner works quite clearly and quickly for full unlock you must press the button if the screen has not previously been activated.
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The Micro-USB connector is located in the center of the bottom end, next to the speaking microphone hole. It supports connecting third-party devices in USB OTG (USB Host) mode.
At the top end there is a 3.5 mm audio jack for headphones and a second auxiliary microphone for noise reduction.
Unlike the Xperia X Performance, the review hero did not receive protection from water and dust. Sony X Performance is now the only waterproof model in the new generation of Sony smartphones. To our surprise, the strap mount on the case also disappeared.
As for the colors of the case, here the buyer has a choice of four colors: white, black (graphite black), lemon (golden lime) and copper pink ( pink gold), these colors will be present to one degree or another in all modern Sony models.
Screen
The smartphone is equipped touch screen IPS with the now fashionable 2.5D glass with sloping edges. The physical dimensions of the display are 62x110 mm, diagonal - 5 inches. The screen resolution is 1920×1080, the pixel density is 441 ppi. The frame around the screen on the Xperia X, unlike the XA series models, is quite standard: just under 4 mm on the sides and 16 mm on the top and bottom.
The display brightness is automatically adjusted based on the light sensor. There is also a proximity sensor that blocks the screen when you bring the smartphone to your ear. Multi-touch technology allows you to process 10 simultaneous touches. You can activate the screen by double tapping the glass. After this, just put your finger on the fingerprint scanner; there is no need to press the power button. Supports working with the screen while wearing gloves.
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Detailed examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are better than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia X, as it is not difficult to determine, is on the right; then they can be distinguished by size):
Both screens are dark, but the Sony screen is still darker (its brightness in the photo is 98 versus 112 for the Nexus 7). Tripling reflected objects in Sony screen Xperia X is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the outer glass (also known as the touch sensor) and the surface of the matrix (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass/air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better under strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, even better than that of the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a lower speed than with regular glass.
When manually controlling the brightness and displaying the white field in full screen, its maximum value was about 570 cd/m², and the minimum was 5.3 cd/m². The maximum value is very high, and, given the excellent anti-glare properties, in bright daylight and even in direct sunlight, the image on the screen should be clearly visible. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. There is automatic brightness adjustment based on the light sensor (it is located to the right of the front speaker slot). In automatic mode, as external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the position of the brightness adjustment, with which the user can try to set the desired brightness level in the current conditions. If in an office environment the brightness slider is set to maximum, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 4.8 cd/m² (dark), in an office illuminated by artificial light (approximately 400 lux) it sets it to 550 cd/m² (excessively bright) , in a very bright environment (corresponding to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to 560 cd/m² (this is enough). If everything is also in the office, the brightness slider is at half the scale, then the screen brightness for the three conditions indicated above is as follows: 4.8, 240 and 560 cd/m² (the first value is low, the second is high). If the brightness control is set to minimum - 4.8, 4.8, 60 cd/m² (all values are too low). Our attempts to achieve a satisfactory result from this function were not crowned with success, even if in the dark we slightly increase the brightness to an acceptable level, then it still resets down and the screen becomes too dark. But other users will probably have a different opinion. Only at very low brightness levels does significant backlight modulation appear, but its frequency is high, about 2.3 kHz, so there is no visible screen flicker (but perhaps can be detected in a stroboscopic effect test).
This screen uses an IPS type matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The screen has good viewing angles without inverting shades and without significant color shifts, even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and Sony Xperia X, while the screen brightness is initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field across the entire screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K .Perpendicular to the plane of the screens is a white field:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:
The colors on the Sony Xperia X screen are oversaturated, skin tones are heavily red-shifted, and the color balance is noticeably different from the standard. Of course, you need to be very careful when assessing the color rendition of a screen from a photograph, but the trend is conveyed correctly. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens, and on the Sony Xperia X the contrast has decreased insignificantly. And a white field:
The brightness at an angle for both screens decreased noticeably, but in the case of the Sony Xperia X the drop in brightness is much less. When deviated diagonally, the black field is lightened to a medium degree and acquires a red-violet hue. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):
And from another angle:
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is good:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 1100:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 27 ms (15 ms on + 12 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 47 ms. Constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal a blockage either in the highlights or in the shadows, and the index of the approximating power function was 2.18, which is close to the standard value of 2.2. In this case, the real gamma curve deviates little from the power-law dependence:
In this case, we did not find any dynamic adjustment of the backlight brightness in accordance with the nature of the displayed image, which is very good.
The color gamut is noticeably wider than sRGB:
Let's look at the spectra:
They are very atypical for top mobile phones Sony devices. Apparently, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphor (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows for a wide color gamut. Yes, and the red phosphor apparently uses so-called quantum dots. Unfortunately, as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and these are the vast majority) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. The result is shown in the photo above.
The balance of shades on the gray scale is average, since the color temperature is much higher than the standard 6500 K, but at least the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10 units, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the variation in color temperature and ΔE is not very large - this has a positive effect on the visual assessment of color balance. (Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
This smartphone has the ability to adjust the color balance by adjusting the intensities of the three primary colors.
That's what we tried to do, the result is data signed as Corr. in the graphs above. As a result, we adjusted the color temperature, and even ΔE became lower on average. However, at the same time, the brightness (as well as the contrast) decreased significantly - from 540 to 415 cd/m². This correction, of course, did not reduce the oversaturation of colors. Enabling proprietary mode helps a little X-Reality for mobile. The result is shown below:
Excessively bright colors are slightly muted, although not enough. There is also extreme Super-vivid mode, in which, on the contrary, the color contrast increases even more. Here's what we got:
Let's summarize. The brightness adjustment range of this screen is very wide, the anti-glare properties are excellent, which allows you to comfortably use the smartphone both on a sunny day on the beach and in complete darkness. It is acceptable to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, although from our point of view it does not work quite adequately. The advantages also include a very effective oleophobic coating, the absence of air gaps in the layers of the screen and flicker, high contrast, which does not decrease much even when viewed at an angle to the screen plane, and good uniformity of the black field. Disadvantages include oversaturated colors (skin tones are especially affected) and average color balance. The presence of appropriate adjustments allows the balance to be slightly corrected, but at the expense of a very strong reduction in brightness (and contrast). Nevertheless, taking into account the importance of characteristics for this particular class of devices (and the most important thing is the visibility of information in a wide range of external conditions), the quality of the screen can be considered high.
Sound
The Xperia X sounds more interesting than, for example, the same LG G5 se: the entire spectrum of frequencies is clearly visible both when the main speaker and headphones are operating. The sound is bright, rich, clear and quite loud - it uses two speakers located at the top and bottom of the front panel and supporting proprietary S-Force Front Surround sound technology. Individual instruments can be distinguished, the backgrounds do not merge. Bass may be lacking, but overall the Xperia X still sounds well above average.
To play music, the device uses its own player with a familiar set of settings: the user is traditionally given the choice between manual adjustment and automatic optimization of all sound parameters using the complex ClearAudio+ function. It includes a lot of different technologies; you can read more about this on the page dedicated to the sound technologies used in all modern top-end smartphones from the manufacturer.
There are no complaints about the conversational speaker and microphone either: the intonation and timbre of a familiar voice remain recognizable, extraneous noise practically none, the sound is thick, rich and not dull at all. There is no fault with the sensitivity of the microphones; the sound through the voice recorder is recorded clearly and is clearly distinguishable when played back; the noise reduction system copes with its tasks adequately.
There is an FM radio in the smartphone, but automatic recording telephone conversations from the line using standard means is not provided.
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Camera
The new representative of the Sony Xperia family is equipped with the same familiar two camera modules of 23 and 13 megapixels. The front camera has a 13-megapixel sensor with a 1/3-inch Exmor RS sensor for mobile devices and a 22mm wide-angle lens with f/2.0 aperture without autofocus and its own flash. Here, as for the main camera, it supports super auto mode for photography and SteadyShot video stabilization technology with smart active mode. The maximum sensitivity is ISO 6400. The front camera copes very well with both photo and video shooting; you can’t ask for better for selfies. Below are photos and videos taken with the front camera Sony camera Xperia X.
- Video No. 1 (15 MB, 1920×1080 @30 fps)
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The main camera features a 23-megapixel 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS mobile sensor and a 24mm wide-angle G Lens with f/2.0 aperture with Intelligent Hybrid Autofocus and LED flash. The maximum sensitivity is ISO 12800.
All new smartphones received, as before, SteadyShot stabilization with Intelligent Active Mode, which ensures smooth shooting without distortion. And of course, we should not forget that Sony is practically the only manufacturer that still installs a separate hardware camera control button in its smartphones.
IN manual mode For shooting controls, you can set ISO, white balance, and change the focus type. There is a five-fold digital zoom using Clear Image zoom technology.
Among the settings you can traditionally find several additional modes, for example panoramic. Among them there are also entertaining ones, such as the familiar augmented reality mode called AR effect, which makes it possible to combine real photographs with animation. Recently, the choice of options for AR has been greatly expanded. Some shooting settings can be transferred for management third party applications via Camera2 API, RAW recording is not supported.
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The video camera, quite unexpectedly, cannot shoot in 4K; here the maximum resolution is 1920x1080 - however, you can shoot at 60 fps. The SteadyShot stabilization function is noticeable when shooting on the move, and the image really becomes smooth. The camera generally handles video shooting very well: the image is sharp, bright, without noticeable artifacts, with good color rendition. At the same time, the sound is also recorded with high quality, the noise reduction system even copes adequately with wind noise.
- Video No. 2 (130 MB, 1920×1080 @60 fps)
- Video No. 3 (120 MB, 1920×1080 @60 fps)
- Video No. 4 (72 MB, 1920×1080 @60 fps)
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Good detail in the background. |
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Sharpness across the frame is good except for the area on the left. |
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The dynamic range of the camera is quite wide. |
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The camera copes well with noise. |
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Nice work with shadows. |
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The license plates of nearby cars are clearly visible. |
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Sharping on the wires is practically absent. |
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The text is poorly done. Too many out of focus areas. |
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The camera copes well with macro photography, but the minimum focusing distance is too long. |
We also tested the camera on a laboratory bench using our method.
| 8 MP | 23 MP |
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Lighting ≈3200 lux. |
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Lighting ≈1400 lux. |
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Lighting ≈130 lux. |
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Lighting ≈130 lux, flash. |
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Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. |
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We can immediately conclude that compared to its predecessor models, the camera has practically not grown. There's nothing wrong with that because the previous camera was very good. But the past shortcomings have not gone away. Despite the fact that Sony has long positioned its camera as a 23-megapixel camera, it still only works adequately in 8-megapixel mode. Good grouping/compression algorithms and a slightly smaller usable sensor area have a positive effect here. Apparently, elementary geometry prevents a sensor of this size from fully working at such a short distance to the lens, so the resulting image has to be stretched around the corners to fill the required rectangle. As a result, the monstrous distortion is “smeared” in all corners, and the program tries hard to hide it, and as a result, the corners of the frame in full-size photographs are completely unworkable - so much so that we abandoned the idea of \u200b\u200bgiving resolution values in them on the graph. At the same time, the resolution in the center is quite good, and in the case of 8 megapixels it is absolutely excellent. In addition, when converting images to 8 megapixels, many defects are eliminated, including noise. Thus, if we consider the camera as an 8-megapixel camera, we can conclude that it will cope well in many different scenarios. The 23 megapixel mode should be used only in case of emergency, if you want to capture some documentary details in the central part of the frame.
Telephone and communications
The smartphone operates in most bands of 2G GSM, 3G WCDMA and LTE FDD and TDD networks. The Snapdragon 650 SoC used here has a built-in X8 LTE modem that supports download speeds of up to 300 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 100 Mbps. The smartphone supports all three of the most common LTE FDD bands among domestic operators (B3, B7 and B20), but can also operate in LTE TDD Bands 38-40. The connection speed in 4G networks and work with cellular networks in general in the Sony Xperia X do not give rise to any complaints: the smartphone instantly reconnects after a break, does not lose connection in areas of poor reception, and produces the highest speeds in 4G in test areas where competitors demonstrate much higher speeds. worse results. In terms of communication capabilities, the hero of the review is at his best.
The device also supports Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, supports two Wi-Fi bands (2.4 and 5 GHz) MU-MIMO, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels . The Micro-USB connector supports the USB 2.0 specification and connecting external devices in USB OTG mode. The NFC module demonstrates compatibility with the Mifare Classic protocol, which is necessary for the successful operation of the “” application with the Troika transport card.
The navigation module works with GPS (A-GPS), Glonass and Chinese Beidou. There are no complaints about the operating speed of the navigation module; the first satellites are detected during a cold start within the first seconds. The smartphone is equipped with a magnetic field sensor, on the basis of which the compass of navigation programs operates.
The smartphone supports two SIM cards using the Dual SIM Dual Standby standard. There is only one radio module, so there can only be one active conversation. A SIM card in any slot can work with 3G/4G networks, but only one of the cards can work in this mode at the same time (the second will only work in 2G). The choice between two SIM cards for making a call, sending SMS, etc. can be done in advance or immediately before the call.
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OS and software
There were no particularly noticeable changes here. Xperia X is based on the Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow platform, the sixth version of Android has already been tested on previous models of the Xperia Z5 series. For the most part, only the external appearance has changed: the icons have been completely redrawn, each body color has its own theme with a similar color scheme. At the same time, the internal structure, the location of menu sections, the organization of desktops, etc. - everything remains the same.
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Performance
The Sony Xperia X hardware platform is based on the new 6-core SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (previously called Snapdragon 618). This SoC is made using not the most advanced 28-nanometer technology. Unlike its more advanced sister, the 8-core Snapdragon 652 installed in the LG G5 se smartphone of a similar level, 6 cores are used here. The SoC includes only two powerful ARM Cortex-A72 cores with a frequency of up to 1.8 GHz and four Cortex-A53 with a frequency of up to 1.4 GHz. The Adreno 510 video accelerator with an operating frequency of up to 600 MHz is responsible for processing graphics in the SoC.
The smartphone has 3 GB of RAM and 32 or 64 GB of built-in flash memory. Out of 64 GB, the user initially has 48.6 GB of free space available. This volume can be increased using microSD cards, but then you will have to remove one of the SIM cards. It is also possible to connect external flash drives to the USB port in OTG mode. MicroSD cards are supported up to 200GB in capacity, and in practice our 128GB Transcend Premium microSDXC UHS-1 test card was reliably recognized by the device.
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Judging by the popular comprehensive AnTuTu test, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 platform is, by modern standards, in the middle segment, not in the upper segment. The flagships reign there with resulting figures from 90K to 130K points and higher, while the hero of the review scores only 75K in AnTuTu 6. There is also a gap in graphics tests, but it is not nearly as noticeable. In comparison with the related Snapdragon 652 (using the example of LG G5 se), we did not find much difference, but this can be attributed to twice as much a high resolution display on a Korean smartphone, which could partly offset the superiority of the older platform in some tests.
Testing in the latest versions of comprehensive tests AnTuTu and GeekBench 3:
For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
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Testing the graphics subsystem in gaming tests 3DMark, GFXBenchmark and Bonsai Benchmark:
When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).
| Sony Xperia X (Qualcomm Snapdragon 650) |
LG G5 se (Qualcomm Snapdragon 652) |
Moto X Force (Qualcomm Snapdragon 810) |
Meizu Pro 5 (Exynos 7420) |
Huawei Mate S (HiSilicon Kirin 935) |
LeTV 1s (Mediatek MT6795T) |
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| 3DMark Ice Storm Extreme (more is better) |
Maxed out! | 8847 | Maxed out! | Maxed out! | 6292 | 10162 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (more is better) |
18262 | 15108 | 23849 | 25770 | 12553 | 16574 |
| 3DMark Ice Storm Sling Shot (more is better) |
871 | 738 | 1098 | 1340 | — | 542 |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Onscreen) | 33 fps | 19 fps | 40 fps | 52 fps | 16 fps | 26 fps |
| GFXBenchmark T-Rex HD (C24Z16 Offscreen) | 31 fps | 25 fps | 53 fps | 57 fps | 12 fps | 27 fps |
| Bonsai Benchmark | 4119 (59 fps) | 3515 (50 fps) | 3810 (54 fps) | 4130 (59 fps) | 3396 (48 fps) | 3785 (54 fps) |
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Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
Thermal photographs
Below is a thermal image of the rear surface, obtained after 10 minutes of running the battery test in the GFXBenchmark program (the lighter, the higher the temperature):
Heating is slightly more localized in the upper part of the device. At the same time, a large area with approximately the same temperature suggests that the case distributes heat well from heating components. According to the heat camera, the maximum heating was only 36 degrees (at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees), which is relatively little.
Playing video
To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it. All results are summarized in a single table.
According to the testing results, the test subject was not equipped with all the necessary decoders that are needed to fully play most of the most common multimedia files on the network, in this case, audio files. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, it is also necessary to change the settings and manually install additional custom codecs, because now this player does not officially support the AC3 sound format.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Standard video player |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720, 24 fps, AAC | plays normally | plays normally |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720, 24 fps, AC3 | The video plays fine, there is no sound | |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24 fps, AAC | plays normally | plays normally |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080, 24 fps, AC3 | The video plays fine, there is no sound | The video plays fine, there is no sound |
Further testing of video playback was performed Alexey Kudryavtsev.
We did not find the MHL interface, like Mobility DisplayPort, in this smartphone, so we had to limit ourselves to testing the output of video files on the screen of the device itself. To do this, we used a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Methodology for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices) 720/24p
Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.
According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can (but are not required) be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames - with the exception of files with 60 fps, in in which case approximately two frames per second are skipped. The reason is the atypical screen refresh rate of approximately 58 Hz. When playing video files with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels (1080p), the image of the video file itself is displayed one-to-one pixel by pixel, exactly along the edge of the screen and in true Full HD resolution. The brightness range displayed on the screen corresponds to the standard range of 16-235: all gradations of shades are displayed in shadows and highlights.
Battery life
The capacity of the non-removable battery installed in the Sony Xperia X is not so large by modern standards - 2620 mAh. However, the device demonstrates a surprisingly high level of battery life in all standard tests and in real-life usage scenarios. The smartphone is really capable of lasting two days even with active use, and this is good news.
In addition, it is worth mentioning the Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology used in new Sony smartphones, which monitors the state of the battery while charging. This smart technology monitors and analyzes cycles and their schedule, independently adjusting the charging current. For example, if the program understands that the smartphone is usually set to charge for a long time (say, all night), then it reduces the current, allowing the battery to charge in a more gentle mode.
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Testing, as usual, was carried out without using any power saving functions, although the device has the familiar Stamina and Ultra Stamina modes.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D Game Mode | |
| Sony Xperia X | 2620 mAh | 15:50 | 9:00 a.m. | 5 h. 30 m. |
| LG G5 se | 2800 mAh | 13:20 | 8:30 a.m. | 4 hours 20 minutes |
| Alcatel Idol 4s | 3000 mAh | 12:00 pm | 8:00 am | 4:00 am |
| Moto X Force | 3760 mAh | 16:30 | 10:00 am | 4 hours 40 minutes |
| Huawei Nexus 6P | 3450 mAh | 15:00 | 8:30 a.m. | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| LG Nexus 5X | 2700 mAh | 14:30 | 6:00 am | 4:00 am |
| LG G4 | 3000 mAh | 17:00 | 9:00 a.m. | 3:00 am |
| OnePlus 2 | 3300 mAh | 14:00 | 11:20 am | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Google Nexus 6 | 3220 mAh | 18:00 | 10:30 a.m. | 3 hours 40 minutes |
| Meizu Pro 5 | 3050 mAh | 17:30 | 12:30 pm | 3 hours 15 minutes |
Continuous reading in the Moon+ Reader program (with a standard, light theme, with auto-scrolling) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted more than 15.5 hours until completely discharged. When continuously watching videos from Youtube in high quality (720p) with the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network, the device lasted at least 9 hours, which is not so much. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone operates reliably for 5.5 hours.
Unfortunately, the test unit arrived for testing without the included charger, and this is sad, since it should charge the smartphone faster. Sony Xperia X supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 technology. From a regular third-party network adapter with a maximum output current of 2 A, the device charges in approximately 2 hours 20 minutes with a current of 1.5 A. The device does not support wireless charging.
Bottom line
Xperia X is the first model from the new family of Sony smartphones that officially goes on sale in Russian retail. Such a device in modification with one SIM card is priced at 40 thousand rubles, and with two - at 41 thousand. Xperia X is a smartphone of a well-known brand, balanced in all respects, with a high-quality screen, sound system, hardware platform, communication capabilities, a high level of autonomy, excellent ergonomics and a recognizable appearance, because of which many fans continue to treat the products of the Japanese company with love and respect . Most of the disadvantages characteristic of Sony smartphones in the past (not always high-quality displays, for example) are gradually being corrected; now there is practically nothing to complain about. Among the shortcomings of the new product, we can perhaps only note the disappearance of water protection, but in reality, most users find it unnecessary, and those who really need protection can always turn their attention to the top model in the line - Xperia X Performance.
