Smartphones
are increasingly getting bigger, closing the gap with tablets. In fact,
at a point where the smartphone screen crosses the 6-inch, it's
difficult to call them smartphones. While not everyone likes to call
them 'phablets', they clearly lie in hybrid territory, offering
smartphone features in a near tablet form factor.
Sony has also
recently forayed into this segment, with its new device, the Xperia Z
Ultra, which boasts of a 6.4-inch display. It's certainly not the first
device to sport a large screen; we've seen the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 and the Huawei Ascend Mate
featuring 6-inch+ displays, but we'd have to say that it's the sleekest
out of all of them, at this point in time. The Xperia Z Ultra is super
slim with a thickness of just 6.5mm.
We got a chance to play with
the Xperia Z Ultra, and feel that it is one the sleekest devices,
available. Although it weighs 212 grams, the overall weight to
dimensions ratio is optimum and the phone doesn't feel very bulky.
Having said that, it doesn't easily fit the front pockets of your
jeans, and you'd need to put it in a bag or hold it all the time. The
Xperia Z Ultra follows the same design language that we've seen in the
Xperia Z and looks more rectangular as the edges are just subtly
rounded.
The front of the device is dominated by its 6.4-inch
display. The Xperia Z Ultra's screen has a resolution of 1080x1920
pixels and is the first smartphone display that integrates Sony's
Triluminos technology, which the company introduced at CES with its
Bravia televisions. Sony claims that through the technology the display
reproduces a greater range of rich, natural colours to deliver true,
natural shades. It won't be wrong to say that the Xperia Z Ultra's
screen is the most brightest and vivid display we've ever seen on a
device of this size. Unlike the Sony Xperia Z,
where we'd observed minor niggles with viewing angles, the Xperia Z
Ultra's screen was flawless. Pictures and videos looked natural and
colour reproduction was pretty accurate. The big screen and the full-HD
resolution makes watching videos a joyful experience. Blacks had the
perfect depth and the screen contrast was optimum.
Another
interesting feature of the Xperia Z Ultra is its handwriting recognition
functionality. The phone's screen is compatible with any pencil and
selected stylus or pen with tip diameter over 1mm. We tried using a lead
pencil to input text on the phone's screen with the Notes app and found
that it recognised our writing with mixed accuracy. It offers word
predictions even in the handwriting recognition mode, so this should not
be a major problem.
The device's 2-megapixel front facing camera
and the sensor array are located above the display. There are no
hardware buttons on the front and the Xperia Z Ultra features software
controls for navigation.
The front panel is surrounded by a thin frame which meets a thicker aluminium frame that separates the front and back panel.
The
right side of the device features the same round metal button for the
Power/ Screen lock functions that resembles the crown of a watch. Below
this button, you'd find the Volume rocker key, made of plastic. Both
these keys are easily accessible.
Since the Xperia Z Ultra is
also dust and water proof and comes with IP55 and IP58 certification,
the ports and slots are protected with plastic flaps. A flap that hides
the microSD card and the micro-SIM card sits above the Power button at
the right side. The 3.5mm headset jack is located just above this flap.
The
left side of the device features a flap that protects the micro-USB
port. You'll also find contacts for docking the device to a dock
accessory, which is sold separately. The top and bottom edges feature
small speaker outlets.
The back of the device is made of glass
and sports a shiny, reflective finish. You'll see minimalist Sony and
Xperia branding and the 8-megapixel rear camera lens at the back. The
back is not removable. Unfortunately, the device doesn't offer an LED
flash to shoot pictures in the dark.
Under the hood, the Sony
Xperia Z Ultra features a 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with
2GB of RAM. It's the first device in the market featuring the Snapdragon
800 processor and in our short time with the device, the user
experience delivered by the device was pretty snappy. The Xperia Z
Ultra's interface which has been customised by Sony was responsive and
smooth during our use. We also played the preloaded Asphalt 7 game and
the gaming experience delivered by the phone was top notch.
We
used the device's camera to shoot pictures with decent amount of light
but found that there was some noise when one zooms in 100 percent.
Overall,
the Xperia Z Ultra's USP is its big and bright screen, though we're not
sure if everyone would be happy with its form factor, and the fact that
it doesn't feature an LED flash with the camera. At an MRP of Rs.
46,990, no one would like compromises.
Watch out for our in-depth review of the Xperia Z Ultra.
Sony Xperia Z Ultra key specifications
- 6.4-inch TFT Triluminos display with a resolution of 1080x1920 pixels and Shatter proof sheet on scratch-resistant glass
- 2.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor
- 2GB RAM
- 8-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS sensor
- 2-megapixel front facing camera
- 16GB internal storage expandable up to 64GB via microSD card
- Android 4.2 Jelly Bean
- 4G LTE/ NFC/ Bluetooth 4.0/ Wi-Fi
- 3000mAh battery