I managed to get invited for a hands on event on the Sony Xperia Z Ultra which is due to be launched in Singapore from 5 Sept onwards. The new Xperia Z Ultra is a 6.44" smartphone powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with 2.2 GHz quad-core CPU and it comes with 4G LTE capabilities.
The Likes
1. Supreme display – Sony has incorporated TRILUMINOS display, a technology used in SONY’s BRAVIA TV, in this phone creating richer and more natural colors. The high resolution of 1920 x 1080 Pixels makes the image sharper.
2. Slim and Light – We place a Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 beside this phone and we can see that the SONY Xperia Z is much thinner than Samsung Galaxy Mega ( SONY Xperia Z is 6.5mm thick whereas Samsung Galaxy Mega is 8mm thick). Given its large screen size, the phone weights only 212 grams.
3. Good touch responsiveness – I am currently holding to Samsung Galaxy S4. When comes to touch responsiveness, I feel that my Samsung Galaxy S4 is a bit more sluggish than the SONY Xperia Z Ultra. This could be due to Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core 2.2Ghz processor (My Samsung Galaxy S4 run on 1.9 Ghz quad-core processors). Again I would need to emphasize this is only the first impression. I have been using my S4 for months so it might not be a fair comparison to begin with.
4. Tough Device – Similar to the predecessor SONY Xperia Z, it is highly water resistance. You can literally drop this device into a tank of water and this device will still be able to function normally.
The Dislikes
1. No flash and poor camera quality – Although camera is not my number 1 criteria when comes to purchasing of smartphones, I am sure it is an important aspect to some people especially those working in the creative line. Compeition is hot in the smartphone market. Camera spec will make a difference in customer’s buying decision. Having spoken with the people during the event, the 8 megapixel camera has not seem to be impressive.
2. More like a tablet with a phone feature rather than a smartphone – I like the display and the UI. However, I cannot imagine myself placing the phone at my ear when answering a call.
How likely I will buy this phone?
Couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine asked me whether he should buy the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0. I post him back a question asking him whether is he looking for a smart phone or tablet? He replied stating that he seldom makes phone call with his smartphone these days. Most of the time, he uses his phone as a small portable computing devices to play games and engage in social networking activities which is why he would want to get a “bigger phone” like Galaxy Note 8.0 for better experience. In the event if he wants to make calls, he can do so via bluetooth.
I believe the SONY Xperia Z Ultra appeal to people like my friend. It is indeed a good mobile entertainment device. If you don’t mind bringing additional bluetooth device, you can purchase SONY Bluetooth headset SBH52 which has a built-in standalone FM radio.
Out of 5 stars, I will give 3.5 for this device. Currently, it is priced at SGD1,038 without contract.
