Gadget review: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

Even with the crystal clear 4K display and the innovative fingerprint scanner in place, Sony Xperia Z5 Premium falls short in terms of performance. We had great expectations from Sony's recent flagship model, Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, after having a smooth experience with the previous phones from Xperia Z series. Though the Z5 is equipped with a 4K display — a first-of-its-kind to be featured in any smartphone — we wonder if this feature is really worth the money and all the hype.

What's good: We like the sturdy, metal finish body. We were impressed by the 23MP beast of a camera. And considering how important camera quality has become these days, the phone packs in a lot in this regard with preloaded features and effects such as themed backgrounds (underwater, dinosaurs, fairy tale). The 5.1MP front camera was also quite decent, especially in low light conditions. While the bright 4K display eats up the battery fast, Z5's 3,430mAh battery is quite efficient, and lasts almost a day. Sony has also added the much-talked about fingerprint scanner. However, for the first few days, we missed the feature, courtesy it being hidden under the power button. Although it takes a long-winded process to set it up, the feature is quite helpful.

What's not: Xperia Z5 disappoints us on more accounts than one. For starters, the phone is bulkier than the earlier editions. While most smartphones are taking the sleeker route, Xperia Z5 is moving against the tide. To add to that, the mirror finish on the back — interesting in the beginning — soon started accumulating fingerprints. The impressive camera takes more than a few seconds to focus. Most importantly, its USP — the 4K display, which gives us a brilliant pixel count of 806dpi, is not as effective as you'd hope. Its sharpness is on a par with other models like LG G4, iPhone 6s. However, in photographs, the pimples are definitely more prominent.

Verdict: If you are a loyal Xperia user, opt for the latest model. However, we recommend other flagship models in the market in the same budget range.

Quick specs

What: Sony Xperia Z5 Premium

At a glance: 3GB RAM, 4K display, 5.5-inch display, 23MP rear camera

USP: A long battery life, waterproof and dustproof body

Best buy: ₹56,900 on flipkart.com