Picked up an XZ2

[Aneres11]

So I picked up an XZ2 this weekend. It had £100 off here in the UK with a free years PS Plus membership, so thought I'd give it a go.

I've always liked Sony handsets. My most recent devices being the XZ, and then the XZ Premium last year which I loved.

This phone. I want to like it, but something is stopping me. I think the camera is disappointing compared to my Huawei P20. I also think the battery life is not as good as the last couple of Android phones I've used. Disappointed there too.

Things I do like are the design and feel of the phone. It's pretty heavy, if a little too heavy, but it's nice in the hand and I really appreciate the squared off design and flat screen.

The phone isn't as fast and fluid as other Androids with this chipset from my experience. I am using the Pixel launcher though, so maybe that's why.

But other phones like the P20 with this launcher don't stutter like this has. I've had the camera crash this weekend twice and would only work again if I rebooted the phone. Very odd.

It's a strange phone. I want to love it but I'm just not sure. Sony are unfortunately, still lacking in certain areas despite this being a step forward.

 

[Eggmundo]

The performance of this phone is right up there with the quickest of them. I'm sure it's the launcher you're using.

 

[Aneres11]

The performance of this phone is right up there with the quickest of them. I'm sure it's the launcher you're using.

Like I said though, I took the launcher off. And it isn't. I've had side by side comparisons with a P20 running the same launcher and the XZ2 stutters. Even in its stock launcher.

Maybe if I was using it on its own with no other device to compare to it wouldn't seem like an issue, but as it stands I notice it unfortunately.

 

[bhatech]

I don't know about P20 but I have Pixel 2 XL and OnePlus 6 to compare currently with XZ2 and it's as smooth as those two devices. Absolutely no complaints in terms of smoothness, stuttering, performance of the phone.

 

[Aneres11]

I don't know about P20 but I have Pixel 2 XL and OnePlus 6 to compare currently with XZ2 and it's as smooth as those two devices. Absolutely no complaints in terms of smoothness, stuttering, performance of the phone.

That's good to know. So your XZ doesn't slow down when the battery is low and it's shooting photos or video? That's a complaint I've had with every Sony phone I've owned and this one is the same.

Don't get me wrong, day to day it flies round and is more than enough, but it has just had the odd stutter that I just don't see with other devices with this chipset. It's odd.

 

[bhatech]

That's good to know. So your XZ doesn't slow down when the battery is low and it's shooting photos or video? That's a complaint I've had with every Sony phone I've owned and this one is the same.

Don't get me wrong, day to day it flies round and is more than enough, but it has just had the odd stutter that I just don't see with other devices with this chipset. It's odd.

Ah ok maybe this is what happening, there is a setting somewhere to optimize battery over performance when battery gets low. I don't have the device in front of me to tell the exact setting name. But I turn that off and don't have the slowness issue but with that setting on yes when battery is low it'll slow down and stutter because that's what that setting is for.

I'll put the setting name later when I get home.

 

[usguyver]

I am wondering since you got the phone if you could get it for 400 would you get it as a back up phone?

 

[bhatech]

I am wondering since you got the phone if you could get it for 400 would you get it as a back up phone?

Yeah for $400 it's a no brainer. And yes I'm using mine as one of many, sometimes as daily driver and other times as back up. Even if you don't like the phone you could sell after a month or so and get back most of what you paid. So not a bad deal IMO.

 

[bhatech]

Here is the setting, optimize battery for good night. It's in Xperia actions and I had initially turned that on for good night actions. I saw it was causing some slow downs when good night action turned on based on the hours I set. But I turned off that setting and was running smooth at all times.