Sony Xperia XZs Unboxing And First Impressions
Sony has a new smartphone in town, the Xperia XZs, it's the company's high-end offering that has the ability to shoot super slow motion videos with ease.
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| Say hi to Xperia XZs |
How? Like its higher-end and pricier Xperia XZ Premium sibling, Sony equipped this machine with a the same type of 19 MP Motion Eye camera technology which can record up to 960 fps super slowmotion videos.
On top of that, Sony paired the Xperia XZs with industry leading IP68 water and dust resistance, capable flagship grade specs, HiFi audio (Hi-Res), and trademark Sony technologies to ensure good overall smartphone experience.
However, it goes with a steep price tag of PHP 39,990. Can Sony justify it with great actual performance? Let's see!
Sony Xperia XZs Specs
Display: 5.2 Inch FHD Triluminos 1920 x 1080 w/ 2.5D curved glass and Gorilla Glass protection at 424 ppi
CPU: 64 Bit Snapragon 820 quad core processor
GPU: Adreno 530
RAM: 4 GB
ROM: 64 GB expandable via micro SD card slot up to 256 GB
Back Camera: 19 MP f/2.0 1/2.3 Inch Exmor RS w/ Motion Eye, Hybrid AF, SteadyShot, and dual tone LED flash
Selfie Camera: 13 MP f/2.0 1/3.06 Inch Exmor RS sensor
Battery: 2,900 mAh w/ Qnovo Adaptive Charging
OS: Android 7.0 Nougat
Connectivity: WiFi, 3G, LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS, A GPS, dual SIM
Sensors: Accelerometer, orientation, magnetic, light, proximity, gravity, rotation, gyroscope
Others: Fingerprint sensor, IP68 water and dust resistance, USB Type C, HiFi audio, Colors: ice blue, black, warm silver
Dimensions: 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm
Weight: 161 g
Price: PHP 39,990
Disclaimer: This unit was borrowed from Sony Philippines for our honest opinion and constructive review.
Unboxing / Accessories
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| Everything you'll need inside |
The packaging of the XZs is plain. It comes with a simple and easy to open white box with most of the things you'll need inside.
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| The Xperia XZs itself |
You'll get the Qnovo Adaptive USB wall charger and USB Type C data / charging cables together with the phone itself and paper documentations. Unfortunately, there are no standard freebies like earphones w/ mic and case.
Construction-wise, the nothing much has changed coming from the XZ to the XZs. It's still made out of the same mostly metal construction w/ metal back plate which is tough enough in general. In front, the 5.2 inch 2.5D curved LCD is protected w/ a layer of Gorilla Glass against scratches. The best part, it has IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. In particular, you can submerge your phone for up to 1.5 meters in 30 mins.
In terms of design, Sony retained the boxy look of the XZ. It isn't thick looking and has slim side bezels. The hybrid SIM card tray is located on the left side and it has a clever type of design that won't require the need of a SIM ejector tool anymore. You can simply pull it off with ease. However, we find its large top and bottom bezels kinda awkward.
The power button / fingerprint scanner is easy to reach. But, you'll need to exert some effort to reach the volume rocker on one handed operation. We're glad that Sony followed the USB Type C standard and retained the 3.5 mm headphone jack on top though.
Overall, the Xperia XZs has a safe design and build, but the materials used doesn't feel as premium and not as modern compared to most modern competing flagships today.
1. It could be better in design, but the construction is generally okay and we liked that is has water and dust resistance. The 5.2 inch FHD 2.5D Triluminous screen is superb quality wise and can go quite bright.
2. The chipset that Sony still used the same Snapdragon 820 chip found w/ the regular XZ. But, the legendary Japanese electronics brand upgraded its RAM to 4 GB. So far, so good and so smooth.
3. We're glad that this phone boots w/ a clean type of Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.
4. The 19 MP Motion Eye camera is interesting. It can really shoot super slow motion videos at 960 fps. You can even lower it to 120 fps when needed. Picture quality is close to flagship grade as well. The selfie camera is super wide in angle!
5. OTG works, LED notification is available, Hi-Res audio though headphones is enjoyable. The fingerprint scanner placement is clever. We also liked that the speaker is front firing.
Related: Sony Xperia XZs: First Camera Samples
Please stay tuned for our full review!
Build Quality / Design
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| The 19 MP Motion Eye camera behind |
Construction-wise, the nothing much has changed coming from the XZ to the XZs. It's still made out of the same mostly metal construction w/ metal back plate which is tough enough in general. In front, the 5.2 inch 2.5D curved LCD is protected w/ a layer of Gorilla Glass against scratches. The best part, it has IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. In particular, you can submerge your phone for up to 1.5 meters in 30 mins.
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| Headphone jack slot and microphone on top |
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| Microphone, USB Type C port, and front firing single speaker below |
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| Removable hybrid SIM tray |
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| Shutter button, volume rocker, and power button / fingerprint scanner |
In terms of design, Sony retained the boxy look of the XZ. It isn't thick looking and has slim side bezels. The hybrid SIM card tray is located on the left side and it has a clever type of design that won't require the need of a SIM ejector tool anymore. You can simply pull it off with ease. However, we find its large top and bottom bezels kinda awkward.
Ergonomically, the 5.2 inch screen is just right!
The power button / fingerprint scanner is easy to reach. But, you'll need to exert some effort to reach the volume rocker on one handed operation. We're glad that Sony followed the USB Type C standard and retained the 3.5 mm headphone jack on top though.
Overall, the Xperia XZs has a safe design and build, but the materials used doesn't feel as premium and not as modern compared to most modern competing flagships today.
Initial findings
2. The chipset that Sony still used the same Snapdragon 820 chip found w/ the regular XZ. But, the legendary Japanese electronics brand upgraded its RAM to 4 GB. So far, so good and so smooth.
3. We're glad that this phone boots w/ a clean type of Android 7.0 Nougat out of the box.
4. The 19 MP Motion Eye camera is interesting. It can really shoot super slow motion videos at 960 fps. You can even lower it to 120 fps when needed. Picture quality is close to flagship grade as well. The selfie camera is super wide in angle!
5. OTG works, LED notification is available, Hi-Res audio though headphones is enjoyable. The fingerprint scanner placement is clever. We also liked that the speaker is front firing.
Related: Sony Xperia XZs: First Camera Samples
As of the moment
The Sony Xperia XZs feels like a decent flagship, but has a steep price tag for the specs on paper. However, its 19 MP Motion Eye camera and Sony's well loved reputation could still be enough for potential buyers to consider this handset. We also liked that it has water and dust resistance and Hi-Res audio certification.Please stay tuned for our full review!
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