Xperia Z2 has subtle class

Sony's latest smartphone is a big improvement over its predecessor but may still find the competition tough

Xperia Z2, the second of Sony's flagship Z range, is an unobtrusive experience. But for its size, it's likely that your friends would have missed to compliment you for it. Though that doesn't mean the understated Z2 is another brick of a phone given its competition, Sony might have to work harder to grab a bigger piece of the cake. Let's take a look why.

Taking the baton from Z1, the Z2 is Sony's bet for the next lap in the smartphone race. It has a better and bigger screen, a more compact body and is more powerful. Its competition is with HTC's One M8 and Samsung's Galaxy S5. Lookwise, compared to its predecessor, the Z2 is hardly different. The familiar Omni-Balance body design, that uses glass and metal with aluminium, edges for a subtly premium yet sturdy look. Though that might trump the plasticky Galaxy, the M8's all-aluminium finish leaves it panting behind. Though protective, the glass on the front and back gets smudged easily; the one on the back gets scratched, too.

Big bezels seem Sony's fetish, and the Z2 is not spared. They make it look taller, like heels make a person tower. What Sony has done here is cut the phone's width making the phone manageable with one hand. What it hasn't is the glass that makes the Z2 too slippery to hold. Against the curvaceous M8, it's hard to keep your eyes or hands on the flat Z2. The IPS display is extremely crisp and vivid with the photos looking sharp and balanced; Sony says it has used the Triluminous technology used in its Bravia TV displays. Images and videos have great viewing angles with good contrast.

In this device, Sony has moved the speakers to the front - two recesses at the top and bottom that are easily missed - directing the sound towards you rather away from you. Also, when you keep the phone down the sound doesn't get muffled. As I said, it's Sony's wont to be subtle. The top speaker hides the notification LED that flashes different colours for various alerts without waking up the phone. The power/lock key is very accessible at the middle of the right side. The volume rocker is just below and at the base is the key for the camera. The body being more water proof than Z1 (the ratings are a notch higher so that under test conditions it could be kept a metre and a half under water for about half an hour), I gave the Z2 a nice shower for relief from Delhi's searing heat.

On the left and the right at the top are the slots for the SIM and the microSD that lets you expand the onboard 16GB of memory (of which about 11GB is usable) to 128GB. Both the slots are protected with flaps that do not seem as durable the phone. So, watch it when you're giving the phone a shower. The 3.5mm headphone jack is uncovered on the top.

At the back is the 20.7 MP camera lens with LED flash. The camera in Z2 comes with a bunch of new features. SteadyShot corrects pictures you might take while you're moving. Use the Timeshift mode to slow down those parts of the video where your puppy made some cloyingly sweet gesture. The higher waterproof ratings mean you can take the camera under water, but you have to use the key at the bottom right since the screen might not respond effectively. And, there's 4K or ultra high-definition (3,840x2,160 pixels) recording at 30 frames a second. Slightly bigger than the five-inch Z1, the full high-definition (1,920x1,080 pixels) Z2 display isn't made for ultraHD viewing. So, when you play your 4K videos they will be brought down to 1,080 pixels. But don't feel disappointed and go get the ultraHD TV (or so the company should be up-selling).

The Z2 uses the latest quad-core Snapdragon 801 processor and packs in a 3GB RAM, keeping it on its feet in the ring with the M8 and S5. The processor clocks a speed of 2.3GHz. The phone never lagged and there were no delays even as I streamed a video, opened 39 tabs on the browser, checked my Twitter feed and liked a status on Facebook. Running on Android KitKat operating system, the phone comes with Sony's usual software. So, there's an app menu you can tailor to your needs, the company's image and video gallery and music and video streaming that requires subscription.

With the loud M8 and S5, Sony's Z2 wants to fight a subtle battle. The question is, at a time when flamboyant devices seem to be the norm, will the Xperia Z2 with its subtlety make the cut.

SONY XPERIA Z2
Display: 5.2-inch full HD with Triluminous
OS: Android v4.4.2 KitKat
Processor: 2.3GHz Qualcomm 801 series quadcore processor
RAM: 3GB
Memory: 16GB, expandable up to 128GB
Camera: Main 20.7MP, 4K video recording; front 2.2 MP full HD