The ever blurring line between smartphones and tablets just got thinner when Sony introduced the Xperia Z Ultra. At 6.4-inches, it’s the largest handset to hit the Indian market and just so happens to be the most expensive. While bigger is not always better, Sony seems to have got it spot on with the display as it’s the single most stunning thing you’ve ever seen fitted to a smartphone. However, a gorgeous display does not guarantee it being a good smartphone as it has to bear the brunt of everyday use, handle voice calls without dropping and most importantly – sit comfortably in your pocket. The latter might be a tall order for the Ultra given its size, so let’s see if it has its basics right.
Note: Before we venture further, we would just like to mention that the unit we have with us today is not the retail unit, so naturally, we did have minor software glitches along the way. Apart from this, however, the hardware underneath is the same as the final retail units, so this shouldn’t affect our review. We will be getting the final unit soon and update the review wherever necessary.
Design and build
The Z Ultra debuts Sony’s new Triluminos display, which uses the same panel technology used in its 2013 BRAVIA TVs. The result of this is a stunningly bright and vivid picture with decent viewing angles. Despite having an IP58 certification, the screen is not dull and lifeless like the Xperia Z; it is just the opposite. The build is very good and even though the phone is very thin at just 6.5 mm, it feels sturdy. The Xperia Z Ultra doesn’t have one bad angle and is truly a jaw dropper in terms of design. There’s an ergonomically placed power and volume rocker on the side along with a microSD card and microSIM slot. The 3.5 mm headphone jack is not covered, though. There are two exposed leads as well for connecting the phone to the optional dock.
There’s a mono speaker slit down at the bottom of the phone along with a lanyard loop. The front and back are extremely glossy and attract smudges very easily. The screen doesn’t scratch easily, but the same cannot be said about the back. Despite having a screen guard, the back of our unit developed many hairline scratches without even dropping it. The 8MP camera is devoid of any flash, which is very puzzling and will certainly not go down well with prospective buyers. The battery is completely sealed off, so there’s no chance of swapping it out. The design, while stunning, is the least ergonomic to use. You’ll have to stretch your hands all the way just to grip it firmly, so forget about one-handed usage.
Overall, the Z Ultra has a stunning design and looks absolutely gorgeous from every conceivable angle, but is real pain in the back side to hold or keep in your pocket.
Features
The Z Ultra is the first phone in India to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. This powerful chipset packs in four CPU cores running at 2.2GHz and their fastest Adreno 330 graphics. Couple this with 2GB of RAM and we’re looking at an incredibly smooth Jelly Bean experience. Sony’s skin adds some nifty customisation options to the UI as well. The display is extremely vibrant; it actually feels like a mini cinema in your hands. The phone is also IP58 certified, but we didn’t put it to the test since one of the port flaps refused to go back in place securely.
Features
The Z Ultra is the first phone in India to be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 SoC. This powerful chipset packs in four CPU cores running at 2.2GHz and their fastest Adreno 330 graphics. Couple this with 2GB of RAM and we’re looking at an incredibly smooth Jelly Bean experience. Sony’s skin adds some nifty customisation options to the UI as well. The display is extremely vibrant; it actually feels like a mini cinema in your hands. The phone is also IP58 certified, but we didn’t put it to the test since one of the port flaps refused to go back in place securely.
Display | |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | Bar |
| Screen Type | TFT Capacitive Touchscreen |
| Screen Size | 6.4 inches |
| Screen Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| Number of Colours | 16M |
| Protection | Shatter Proof Sheet on Scratch-Resistant |
Processor | |
| Processor | Quad Core Qualcomm MSM8974 |
| Speed | 2.2 GHz |
Memory | |
| Internal Memory | 16GB, 2GB RAM |
| Extendable Memory | microSD, up to 64GB |
Camera Features | |
| Sensor Resolution | 8MP, 3264x2448 pixels |
| Features | Geo-Tagging, Touch Focus, Face Detection, Image Stabilization, HDR, Sweep Panorama |
| Digital Zoom | 16x |
| Video resolution / frame rate | 1080p |
| Front facing camera | 2MP |
General Features | |
| OS | Android |
| Version | 4.2 (Jelly Bean) |
| FM Radio | FM Radio with RDS |
| Bluetooth Features | V4.0 with A2DP |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS, Email, IM, Push Email |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS Support and GLONASS |
| USB Connector | Yes |
| NFC | Yes |
| Available Colours | White, Black, Purple |
Carrier Networks | |
| 2G | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 MHz |
| 3G | HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz |
| 4G | Yes |
Data | |
| GPRS | Yes |
| EGPRS or EDGE | EDGE |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi and WiFi Hotspot |
Body | |
| Dimensions | 92 x 6.5 x 179 mm |
| Weight(grams) | 212 |
| Keyboard | QWERTY Keyboard |
Sound | |
| Alert Tone | Vibration, MP3 |
| Speakerphone | Yes |
| Audio connector | 3.5mm |
Battery | |
| Type | Li-Ion |
| Capacity(mAh) | 3000 |
| Talk Time with Standard Battery (Minutes) | Up to 14 h (2G) / Up to 16 h (3G) |
| Standby Time with Standard Battery (Hours) | Up to 790 h (2G) / Up to 820 h (3G) |
Miscellaneous Features | |
| Built in Applications | Bookmarks - Google Chrome - Google Play - Google Search - Google Voice Search - NeoReader Barcode Scanner - Google Maps for Mobile with Street view and Latitude - YouTube |
| Other Features | Airplane Mode, Alarm clock, Calculator, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Setup Wizard, Tasks, Xperia Gallery |
After Sales Service | |
| Warranty Period | 1 Year |
Posts
