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Sony Xperia Z5 review: Is James Bond's new phone the best in the business?

Sony Xperia Z5 review

 

  • 5.2in screen
  • 1920 x 1080 resolution with 428 pixels per inch
  • 7.3mm thick, weighs 154g
  • 32GB storage (expandable), 3GB RAM
  • Snapdragon 810 processor
  • 23-megapixel rear camera, 5.1MP front
  • Waterproof
  • £549
By all accounts, the Xperia Z3+ was not a good phone. It was too similar to the Z3 and crippled by a processor which overheated when you used many of the camera's features. The Z3+ was nothing short of an embarrassment for Sony as it sought to rival the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S6.
But now the company has tried again. Just five months after the Z3+ burnt out fingers in more ways than one, the Xperia Z5 has arrived. It has a new design, a new camera and new features. This is a fresh start just when Sony needed it most - but is the Z5 any good?

Sony Xperia Z5: Look and feel

Right out of the blocks, Sony has made some key changes to how its Z flagship looks and feels. There is still glass on the back - smashable, crackable glass - but it has a frosted finish which almost feels like soft touch plastic. I like it, and I like colour too. My silver review sample is exactly the same colour as number 11 Humbrol paint; you know, the one you use for the metallic bits of your Spitfire. I digress. It's a lovely colour and finish, and the other options of gold, dark grey and a sort of metallic blue/green all look good too.
Sony Xperia Z5
New for the Z5 is a glass rear which has a frosted finish
The Z5 is slightly thicker and heavier than the Z3+, but the 10g and 0.4mm difference are pretty much invisible. A small visual change is the power button, which is flat against the phone's body rather than sticking out, as it now doubles as a fingerprint reader; I'll come back to this later.
A final note for the design is to say the Z5 is waterproof without really trying. The USB port and headphone jack are both exposed, so only the SIM and microSD card tray need a removable cover to keep the water out.

Sony Xperia Z5: Screen

If you're familiar with previous Sony Z phones then there isn't much to report here. It's a 5.2in panel with a Full HD resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a pixel density of 428 per inch. Unlike some reviewers, I really don't mind that Sony has stuck to HD and not upgraded to 2K; you really can't see any individual pixels so it's fine as it is. Brightness could be higher, in my opinion, and when viewed from an angle the screen turns white images into a pale pink. There is also the trademark Sony issue where you can see the screen's touch-sensitive panel shimmering in bright sunlight beneath the glass.

Sony Xperia Z5: Camera

The rear camera has been upgraded for the first time since the Z1 in 2013. It's now 23-megapixel, up from 20.7, and has what Sony claims is the best image sensor ever fitted to a smartphone. There is no denying this lofty claim. The Z5 takes excellent photos in almost any situation and, to my eyes, is a match for the iPhone 6 and Galaxy S6 (I'm yet to try an iPhone 6s for any length of time).
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