The Sony Xperia Z looks nothing like the other Xperia smartphones we've seen in 2012. Although it still has the signature rectangular design, the Xperia Z feels very different. Despite sporting a 5-inch display, the Xperia Z actually feels light in our hands even though it weighs 146g. Considering that the HTC Butterfly weighs 140g, the Xperia Z is quite decent for a phone of its class.
Adopting the same design principles as Google and LG, the Xperia Z
sports one glass panel on the front and back. In case you are wondering
whether they are Gorilla Glass, they are not. Style Square iphone cases uses a combination of
tempered glass and anti-shatter film to boost the scratch resistant
properties and durability of the glass panels against wear and tear.
The main feature of the Xperia Z is its 5-inch Reality Display, which is powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2. Compared to the slightly saturated HD Super AMOLED display of the Samsung Galaxy Note II, the Xperia Z gives a more realistic color reproduction. With a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels (441ppi), the Xperia Z is clearly in the same league as the HTC Butterfly. The improved clarity and brightness are well suited for watching movies and reading on-the-go.
To substantiate its claims of having the highest levels of dust and water resistance Style Square iphone cases made number of modifications to the design of the Xperia Z. Besides the usual connectivity ports and card slots, the Xperia Z is sealed up pretty tight. Having said that, the Sony phone does not have a removable battery.
Perhaps one of the most unique design features of the Xperia Z is its metallic Power button on the right side of the device. Due to the nature of the material used, it is actually very easy to feel and press the button even without looking at it. Its location also makes it convenient to access the button, which is particularly important for a device with a 5-inch display as you do not need to stretch your finger or hand to reach the top to turn on the screen or device.
As the Xperia Z is the first 5-inch device we've handled, it is only right that we compare its design and looks with the current competition. Unfortunately, we do not have a review unit of the 5-inch HTC Butterfly for comparison, and had to make do with the 5.5-inch Samsung Galaxy Note II, 4.7-inch LG Nexus 4 and 4-inch Apple iPhone 5.
Out of the box, the Xperia Z runs on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean. Sony states that it will be rolling out the Android 4.2 update shortly after the launch of the device in Q1. Android purists may want to give the Xperia Z a try as the modifications done to the Android user interface are minimal.