If incredible screen resolution is an essential spec for you, the Z5 is for you– it’s the world’s first smartphone with a 4K display!
For those of you who don’t know, 4K – also known as Ultra High Definition (UHD) – is a particular type of resolution, which offers 4 times the amount of pixels compared to HD; this increase allows for much higher image quality, more vibrant, varied and realistic colours.
Despite the screen, the standout feature is the 23 MP camera (this can also be found on the Z5 Compact). The combination of this impressive shooter and the powerful hardware, allows you to record UHD (2160p) quality video with the main camera and FHD (1080p) quality with the front-facing snapper – it’s a photographer’s dream phone.
It also scores in the majority of spec categories, with the exception of the battery life, but overall, it’s able to “run with the big boys” in the never-ending battle of smartphone superiority.
Key specs
- 5.2” IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen
- Resolution: 1080 X 1920 pixels
- Protection: Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating
- 23 MP, phase detection autofocus, LED flash
- 1 MP, f/2.4, 1080p, HDR front-facing camera
- Android OS, v5.1.1 (Lollipop), v6.0 (Marshmallow), planned upgrade to v7.0 (Nougat)
- Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810 chipset
- Octa-core (4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A57)
- microSD dedicated card slot (expandable up to 256 GB)
- 3 GB RAM
- 32 GB built-in memory
- Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot
- Bluetooth: 1, A2DP, aptX
- microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3 TV-out), USB Host
- Non-removable Li-Ion 2900 mAh battery
- Up to 17 h (3G) talk time
Pros: 4K screen; 23 MP camera; amazing display; waterproof; clear, crisp audio output
Cons: Outdated Android OS; poor battery endurance; heavier and thicker than the Z3+
Verdict: 8/10