Sony Xperia Z2 deals and reviews

The Gadget Show

For anyone else though, the Z2 offers a slick, no-nonsense design, solid performance, an incredible camera and the extra boon of waterproof powers. This is easily a top-drawer recommendation that's in the same class as the HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy S5 and iPhone 5s - but you may want to look elsewhere for a whole lot more character.

What Hi-Fi?

With that bigger screen, improved performance, enhanced camera, excellent stereo sound and noise-cancelling, it's outstanding.

Stuff | Sophie Charara

Of the 2014 flagships we've seen so far, the Xperia Z2 is the connoisseur's choice. This is a true converged gadget that's capable of taking brilliant photos and playing videos at cinephile quality, but also one where practicality has taken a backseat.

Brighthand | Louie Tran

The Sony Xperia Z2 is one of the best Android devices currently available, thanks to its excellent overall performance, beautiful design, and a camera that takes fantastic photos.

pocketnow | Michael Fisher

But for a phone with these specs to be crammed into a water-resistant casing this attractive, with a camera and personal-media suite this capable … well, as the saying goes: you get what you pay for. And if you ask us, the Xperia Z2 is worth every penny.

What Mobile | Saqib Shah

Although not quite the step up from the Z1 that we were expecting, the Z2 is still an immaculate high-end smartphone. Like its predecessor, it may hold more appeal for Sony fans, but its impressive camera, processor and GPU should help sway the sceptics.

International Business Times | David Gilbert

A refinement of last year's Z1, making it one of the best smartphones around

Mobile Choice | Alastair Charlton

The operating system is full of features but remains simple to use; the camera is superb in the right conditions; the screen is gorgeous, and the performance is top-notch. Not everyone will love the design and bulk of the Z2, but aesthetics aside the Sony is a fine phone and a worthy rival to the HTC One (M8) and Samsung Galaxy S5.

Digital Spy | Hunter Skipworth

The Z2 is a fantastic smartphone, with a premium look and feel, great screen and a camera that is above and beyond a lot of the competition.

PC Advisor | Chris Martin

Although not much has changed from the Xperia Z1, the Xperia Z2 is another solid effort from Sony. The smartphone is a good all-rounder with a great screen, camera, build quality and performance. We just wish it wasn't quite so bulky.

Pocket-lint | Chris Hall

The Samsung Galaxy S5 is a fantastic handset. The design could be seen as playing it safe, although the addition of waterproofing and presenting a compact and lightweight device has much merit, as does continued access to the battery.

CNET UK | Andrew Hoyle

Sure, it costs a bundle, but the Sony Xperia Z2 is everything you should expect from a top-end phone. Its impressive performance rivals the Samsung Galaxy S5 for smartphone top dog, but the Z2's slick glass and metal design trumps the S5's plastic body. If you're looking for both style and substance from a phone, you've come to the right place.

TechRadar | John McCann

The Xperia Z2 is an excellent smartphone with all the components you'd expect from a flagship device, providing a pleasing user experience. The trouble is, it doesn't excite me.

Wired UK | Dave Oliver

The price is high, but the build quality is excellent and there are an awful lot of features packed into the Xperia Z2. Its camera is one of the very best and its performance easily matches, if not exceeds its high-end rivals.

NotebookCheck | Florian Wimmer

It is more like a good development in many areas, which can be an indicator for the upcoming Xperia Z3 (sturdier case, good speakers at the front, better panel). At least we hope it is; it would be the next step towards a perfect smartphone.

Mobile Syrup | Daniel Bader

It's easily Sony's best smartphone to date, and the combination of an excellent screen, decent speakers, unobtrusive software, good app design and premium content makes it a compelling option, despite its carrier exclusivity. The sad part is that it will likely go relatively unnoticed next to the Galaxy S5.

Engadget | Sharif Sakr

The Xperia Z2 is a solid purchase and easily the most impressive Sony phone we've reviewed. It's strong in every major department, from the display through to the camera, battery life and waterproof build. In return, however, you'll need to offer up some muscle-power of your own, because this handset is a whopper.

Australian PC World | Tony Ibrahim

Sony's Xperia Z2 is a genuine contender in the competitive smartphone market. Sony's hallmarks are all there - the solid camera, excellent screen and mature software.

Coolsmartphone | James Pearce

Overall I really liked the Sony Xperia Z2, having been disappointed with previous models I was really pleasantly surprised with the Z2. Yes the launcher might be a bit iffy and yes the overall size of the device compared to the screen size is huge, but I really liked it.

The Mobile Indian | Anil Satapathy

... no one can take an underwater picture as this Sony handset. However, it certainly does not beat the Lumia 1020 which is definitely the best camera smartphone in the market today.

phoneArena | Nick Todorov

I really wanted this phone to be a true, worthy alternative to the hugely prevalent iPhones and Galaxy S-series phones. Perhaps it would have been, had Sony priced it lower than it did, but as it is, the Xperia XZ2 stands a step behind its rivals. Just keep in mind that for the same amount of cash, there are several alternatives that could ultimately provide you with more bang for your buck.

TechSpot | Tim Schiesser

I'm sure many people will love the Xperia Z2, but if Sony wants to take it to the next level, it'll need to find itself a killer feature.

Android Authority | Joshua Vergara

You do get a better and larger display on a device that isn't much larger than its predecessor, updated software, and a somewhat enhanced camera experience. It may not be a significant change, but Sony's policy of correcting issues from the previous versions while packing everything into a very familiar package seems to be working.

TechnoBuffalo | Brandon Russell

There hasn't been a ton of Android tablets this year outside of the Samsung camp, so this is definitely a nice breath of fresh air. The hardware alone is worthy of your attention, though the software, while functional enough and pretty decent on the eyes, can be sluggish and frustrating

Digital Versus | Romain Thuret

With the Xperia Z2, Sony has corrected a good deal of the issues encountered on the Xperia Z1, given it an even more sophisticated design and included just as many outstanding extra features, all without overcrowding the phone.

Digital Trends | Simon Hill

The Xperia Z2 is Sony's best release yet and shows how fast its smartphones are improving. This is a phone that can compete with anything on the market.

ITProPortal | Sandra Vogel

Sony has stuck to its tried and tested chassis design for the Xperia Z2, and I am not its biggest fan.

IT PRO | Khidr Suleman

Able to withstand the elements, the Xperia Z2 is unmatched in terms of durability for a high-end smartphone. Battery life is great and Android optimisations are not overdone.

NDTV Gadgets | Jamshed Avari

The third iteration of its top-end Xperia Z model is the slickest yet, with all the features that anyone today might care about, in a package that is as understated as it seems possible to create. This is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying phones to own and use.

Know Your Mobile | James Peckham

Sony has done it again and made a gorgeous looking handset with more features than you'd expect. But its release does feel rushed, there's not that much more here for your money than the Z1 and maybe Sony should have waited a while longer to update the already powerful flagship.

The Inquirer | Carly Page

The Sony Xperia Z2 is a fantastic phone, but we found it difficult to get too excited about the device. While it boasts a great design, slick performance and a market-leading camera, the Xperia Z2 offers very little new compared to last year's Xperia Z1.

The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs

There is no doubt that the Sony Xperia Z2 is a great phone, and is what its short-lived predecessor the Z1 should have been. It is powerful, packed with features and has a great-looking large screen making it a hefty upgrade from two years ago. But that large size makes the phone a big beast.

V3 | Alastair Stevenson

The Sony Xperia Z2's IP-certified design, superior photography powers, super-fast performance and good battery life make it one of the best Android smartphones currently available.

Expert Reviews | Katharine Byrne

Compared to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and HTC One (m8), the Z2 can't quite cut it. It still has its merits, such as the waterproofing and Sony's straightforward take on Android, but for us the stylish metal HTC One, and more decisively the Galaxy S5, are ahead of it.

Trusted Reviews | Andrew Williams

The Xperia Z2 is a great phone in most respects. It has a very good camera and outlasts the competition without compromising the experience. However, it is a bit awkward to use at times and gets hotter than the other top phones when under strain.

T3 | Thomas Tamblyn

Where the Z2 stumbles is in comparing itself to the competition. Yes it packs some of the biggest specs but combined it doesn't really stand out - plus it's just a little too big, making it awkward to hold.

The Verge | Vlad Savov

The Xperia Z2 is far from a failure, but Sony's self-appointed mission to stand out and be substantively different hasn't been accomplished.