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Sony Xperia Z5 Hands on Overview, Features, User Queries and Photos

Sony will once again launch a new Xperia Z series flagship, and unlike last time, expectations are quite high as rumors and leaks have been pointing towards a major overhaul. Ladies and gentlemen, The Xperia Z5 is now official and kicking, and here is what we felt about the device after our initial examination.

Sony Xperia Z5

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Sony Xperia Z5 Photo Gallery

Sony Xperia Z5 Hands on Overview, Comparions with Z3 Plus, Z5 Premium [Video]

Physical Overview

Several design changes have been incorporated in Xperia Z5, but the design language is essentially the same. It is the familiar omni-balance Xperia flagship no matter what angle you look at it. This in no way means that the design changes are a insignificant few.

The rear back cover is still glass, but it has a frosted coating which gives it a better grip and makes it much more resistant to smudges. The metallic side edges get a redesign too. The edge continuity breaks at the corners where the edges are still metal, but include a rubber padding to make Xperia Z5 more resilient against drops.


Xperia Z5 Frosted Glass Rear

A fingerprint sensor, which works incredibly well, has been clubbed with the power button, which is unique and something we like. After all, we have trained our muscle memory for years to unlock with the power key – first approach, and the new design doesn’t disrupt the age old process. All hardware button, including the dedicated camera key give good tactile feedback.

Like always, the 3.5 mm audio jack is present at the top, and MicroUSB port is present on the bottom. There are no inconvenient flaps on either of the two frequently used ports. Next to the USB port, a lanyard port is present, and thus you may also use your new Z5 as a rather flashy pendant. The 5.2 Inch IPS LCD display is again a good quality high end display.

 [stextbox id=”alert” caption=”Also Read”]Recommended: Sony Xperia Z3+ VS Samsung Galaxy S6 Comparison Overview[/stextbox]

User Interface

Xperia Z5 UI 2015-09-01 (2)

Xperia UI in all new Z series phones showcased today is based on Android 5.1.1 Lollipop. The interface will certainly be upgraded to Android 6.0 Marshmallow later. You can now directly uninstall apps from app drawer, you can watch individual power consumption from apps and we spotted a few new auto correct options too. There is no dearth of preloaded software (read bloatware), but some of that stuff can be uninstalled.

Camera Overview

Xperia Z5 Camera UI

the rear camera includes a 23MP sensor which is quite large in size at 1/2.3 Inches, which essentially means it can capture more light for better performance in low light situations. In our initial testing we liked the performance of the Xperia Z5 camera, but felt that it falls short of the benchmark already set by 2015 flagships like Galaxy S6 and LG G4. For more details, read our Xperia Z5 Camera impressions.

Camera Samples

Competition

Sony Xperia Z5 is better equipped to play the part of a 2015 flagship as compared to Xpreia Z3+. It includes powerful hardware and a fresh design. Since Galaxy S6, LG G4 and other 2015 were launched months in advance and have already received first price cut, It will be hard for Sony to match prices of other rivals. However, this shouldn’t matter as much at the high end of the spectrum.

Common Questions

Here are some answers to common questions, that you might be looking for.

Question – How much Internal Storage is free?

Answer – Out of 32 GB around 18.42 GB was available on our review unit, but it was also preloaded with camera Samples and other content. We expect around 25GB space to be available at user end.

Question – Is MicroSD card slot available?

Answer – Yes, up to 200GB MicroSD card slot is supported.

Question – How much RAM is free on first boot?

Answer – On first boot, 1.8 GB RAM is free out of 3 GB.

Question – Is USB OTG supported?

Answer – Yes, USB OTG is supported.

Question – Is the Battery removable

Answer – No, battery is not removable

Question – How efficient is the fingerprint sensor?

Answer – The fingerprint sensor, clubbed with the power key, works like a charm.

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Deepak Singh

The Author spent a significant chunk of his formative years resisting technology. He now keeps an eye on where the world is heading to, and drives a passive pleasure from this indulgence. His passion to write, learn and improve drives him each day. When his day ends, he enjoys the pleasant languor and detoxifies with family. You can connect with him on and Twitter