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Sony Xperia Tablet Z
82
Engadget Review
The Xperia Tablet Z serves as an excellent second screen. Remote functionality is easy to set up, while the display is one of the best we've seen from Sony's Xperia range, if not the market in total.
Pros
- Wide viewing angles
- Infrared blaster and remote apps easy to set up
- Water-resistant, stylish design
Cons
- Weedy charger, temperamental micro-USB port
- Frustrating waterproof covers
Sony
Xperia Tablet
Engadget
82
Critics
29 reviews82
AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE
Users
13 reviews95
AVERAGE USER SCORE
View All Critic & User Reviews
Sony Xperia Tablet Z
- Critic Reviews (24)
- User Reviews (13)
- 82AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE24 ReviewsArs Technica80Second time’s the charm: The Xperia Tablet Z revThe Xperia Tablet Z is nice—really, really nice—to hold and use for extended periods of time. If anything, it's an indication that Sony has indeed got its groove back. We're just hoping that it means there are greater things to come.Gizmodo80Sony Xperia Tablet Z Review: Sony Finally Gets OneWe wish the guts and the software were a little more current, but for the majority of consumers, this is an excellent tablet, and if you've got 500 bucks to spend, there are certainly worse ways to spend it.PC Mag80Sony Xperia Tablet ZThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is among the finest Android tablets available, combining an incredibly thin and light design with top-notch performance.AllThingsD80A Tablet Good for Living Room, Bag and WaterIf you’re an Android fan and you’ve been waiting for a tablet with a great design, Sony’s Xperia Tablet Z fits the bill. Just don’t expect its battery to last as long as the iPad’s.CNET80Sony Xperia Tablet Z review: Thin, thoughtful desiThough awash in features, the Xperia Tablet Z's $500 price is a decidedly rough pill when a better, cheaper alternative exists for $100 less.Laptop Magazine80Sony Xperia Tablet Z ReviewThe Xperia Tablet Z packs a ton of features and excellent battery life into an impossibly thin and light design, making it one of the most compelling Android tablets yet.Engadget80Sony Xperia Tablet Z review: the company's best AnSony's made its best tablet yet. It's a stylish relaunch of the company's Android tablet series, but we can't shake the feeling that the Xperia Tablet Z's benefits are harder to sell than, say, the crisp display resolution of the Nexus 10 or the app strength of the iPad.TechHive80Review: Sony's waterproof Xperia Tablet Z is bathtIs the Sony Xperia Tablet Z the best 10-inch tablet on the market today? Not with the Nexus 10 and the iPad 4 roaming the land. But in the sea, Xperia Tablet Z reigns supreme.Wired UK90Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a top-quality tablet at price that's reasonable, if not exactly a bargain. It's extremely thin and lightweight and has one of the best screens around, not to mention probably the best camera available on a tablet.Pocket-Lint90Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a great Android tablet. The design and specification is impressive, offering a thin and light tablet that's a pleasure to hold, with the reassurance of protection from water for those inevitable accidents ... Overall the Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a great choice.SlashGearNot RatedSony Xperia Tablet Z hands-on: Slim is inPerformance from the quadcore processor is tricky to judge amid the limits of the MWC show floor, but we’ve seen good things from Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Pro before, and we couldn’t get the slate to bog down during our playtime.PC World AustraliaNot RatedSony Xperia Tablet Z (preview)Although Sony has been light on specific details so far, the company has confirmed the Xperia Tablet Z is water and dust resistant. This means it is likely to have plastic flaps covering all ports. It weighs just 495g, which makes it the lightest 10.1in tablet on the market.Digital Versus80Sony Xperia Tablet ZThe Xperia Tablet Z is a beautifully designed tablet that may not break any records in terms of performance, but it can handle any task correctly.IGN90THE ANDROID TABLET, REFINED....if you're in the market for a full-sized Android tablet, the Xperia Tablet Z is a no-brainer. With its quality, lightweight design and useful software features, Sony has succesfully built an Android tablet that has the chops to even make some iPad owners envious.What Hi-Fi80Sony Xperia Tablet ZWe like the Sony Xperia Tablet Z. It does a lot of things right and only very few things terribly wrong, and is easily Sony’s best tablet to date. The design is a little Marmite, but its slim and light frame makes it the perfect travelling companion.TechRadar90Sony Xperia Tablet Z review Lightest, slimmest andThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a triumph, a tablet that genuinely deserves consideration when you're in the market for a new top-end gadget.GSM Arena80Sony Xperia Tablet Z review: Stepping upYou won't find a tablet quite as thin and light and, however subjective that is, as good-looking as the Sony Xperia Tablet Z. The specs are great too, our only real complaint is that the battery capacity is on the low side.T380Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a decent return for a company that's struggled with mobile over the last few years. It's certainly the best Sony tablet ever made, and the insanely thin lines and lightweight build will appeal to Android-hunters looking for a device that turns heads.T3Not RatedSony Xperia Tablet Z review: Hands-onUp until now there haven't been many options aside from Samsung for Apple refuseniks who want to get in on the tablet action. We reckon Sony's new lightweight, waterproof tab could be the one to change that.TechRadarNot RatedHands on: Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewHowever, if you're someone that doesn't want to own a top end smartphone but loves the idea of having a family device that can be shared among kids and adults alike (don't forget, different accounts are available on today's newer Android tablets) then this is definitely one to check out.TrustedReviews80Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a very good tablet - there's no doubting that. It's fast, has a good screen and is very thin and light. But it does no single thing appreciably better than its immediate rivals, and its unique features fall a little flat.Digital Trends80SONY XPERIA TABLET Z REVIEWThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is the most impressive Android tablet we’ve ever held and a strong competitor to the Nexus 10, Surface RT, and iPad 4. It’s as light and thin as we’ve hoped tablets could be, but doesn’t sacrifice battery life or power.The Inquirer70Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe tablet's IP57 certification, light weight and ultra-slim design, coupled with its entertainment and productivity services make it a compelling choice for a business user who is regularly required to travel for work.Android Police80Sony Xperia Tablet Z Review: A Surprisingly Good TIt's a good device, but you have to really focus on build quality to justify the extra cash. For some people, that alone is enough reason to spend a little extra.Expert Reviews100Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe thinner, lighter, waterproof chassis, built-in IR blaster, expandable storage and Sony-specific tweaks, like the ability to pair a PS3 DualShock controller for gaming, all give it a real edge.V380Sony Xperia Tablet Z reviewThe Sony Xperia Tablet Z is a noble attempt by the Japanese firm to draw attention away from the more fashionable Samsung and Apple competition. The tablet's IP57 certification, lightweight and ultra-slim design--- make it a compelling choice for any business user.TrustedReviewsNot RatedSony Xperia Tablet ZThe harsh lighting conditions of Sony’s booth at MWC 2013 made for just about the worst conditions to assess a screen, but it appeared sound with good contrast, faithful colours and no visible pixellation. Viewing angles are solid too. This screen is much better than that of the Sony Xperia Tablet S.USA Today80Hit the beach with Sony Xperia Tablet ZSony's look-how-I-can-swim hardware isn't cheap, but there are a lot of things to like: thin attractive design, TV remote capabilities, water resistance. The big question Sony faces is how big a splash that all adds up to.PocketNow80Sony Xperia Tablet Z ReviewWhile we wish its stock software were a bit more responsive, its battery a bit bigger, and its price a bit more competitive, this is still one of the most beautiful tablets we’ve ever handled, and one of the only Android tablets we’d consider buying at the 10-inch form factor.
- 95AVERAGE USER SCORE13 ReviewsEngadget Reader90January 10, 2015Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader90December 3, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - EngadgetEngadget Reader100August 12, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100January 21, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetAntti90January 9, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Surprisingly good Android tablet. I wasn't very convinced of Android tablets before this one and Sony didn't sound good about one year ago (now they have been changing their image quite a lot)But this is a very good tablet. Very thin, very light and very stylish. This is iPad air for android and it came about six months before the air.Battery life for me is excellent. I have been travelling long distance flights and I can easily watch three full length movies there and still have some juice left to check from maps which address my hotel was again.Display could be better but it is still very good. Sharp and nice colours.Camera is awful but who uses tablet cameras anyway.Also Sony has been updating this quite nicely and should get kitkat soon. I really think that this was the most underrated tablet from the last year.Engadget Reader100January 9, 2014Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader100December 6, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I purchased my Xperia Tablet-Z in September as an update to my 2011 Sony Tablet-S1. While the old tablet was comfortable to hold and use, there is a tremendous improvement in performance and construction of the new Tablet-Z. I really like the new thin form factor and the sharp display. The construction quality is excellent! Despite the thinness the tablet feels solid and very strong. I also like the clean implementation of the Android OS. I use the tablet as a media consumption device using the FM-radio, and internet services like You-Tube, Pandora, and Netflix. Using the tablet for watching streaming content or reading is very enjoyable. Although I use a portable Bluetooth speaker to enhance the sound for movies, the built-in speaker system is adequate for most tasks. I wish there was a way to eliminate sound-to-image lag that is inherent in Bluetooth. The Bluetooth 4.0 implementation in this device is quite good, better than prior version, but it does not eliminate the lag. Perhaps a future implementation will address this; it is a common problem with the BT-technology. The camera is much better than my prior tablet-S offering better resolution and light sensitivity. Battery life on the device could be better but is adequate for my purposes. I find that the battery will last only about 3 days under my intermittent use. I usually store the tablet in its charging stand so it has full power when I want to use it. The interface and integration to the Google services I use is also very good. Overall I find the tablet to be excellent and I enthusiastically recommend it.Engadget Reader100November 25, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I love it.Engadget Reader100November 25, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Best tablet I have used to date!Engadget Reader100June 21, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Love it , stunning design and screen , with all the great features , and can be easily cleaned with water ...Engadget Reader80June 17, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I picked up the Sony Xperia Z tablet in black with 16GB storage during a recent business trip.I haven't been using a tablet regularly in the past 6 months, but when I last did it was the iPad 3. I've also used the Microsoft Surface RT (http://goo.gl/J4SBr) and several Android tablets namely the Acer Iconia A500 (http://goo.gl/NtnQ5), Asus Transformer Prime (http://goo.gl/MHX3h) and Nexus 7 (http://goo.gl/hIcSm) extensively in the past.I've generally been frustrated by the limitations, hardware and software wise, of tablets while of course appreciating their portability and, in most cases, excellent battery life (especially the iPad and the Surface RT).My current laptop is the Chromebook Pixel and phone the HTC One.One more preface before I jump into the review itself: I've given up on the hope of the tablet being a multi-purpose device that can truly replace a laptop which is something I've been wanting for a long time: Apple limits the iPad's potential in this area with the way iOS works, Windows RT (and 8) has a long way to go, Android even further. Hardware form factors are getting there (even if overall performance is still somewhat wanting) but the software that most tablets run on isn't ready for this scenario. Therefore I've approached this review by looking at the Xperia Tablet Z as a companion computing device rather than a primary one, which, I guess, is what most manufacturers intend them to be.The first thing one notices about the Xperia Z is how thin it is and then, when picking it up, how impossibly light it is. Power it up and the crisp, bright, colorful (but not over saturated) screen completes the picture - it is a work of art and Sony have outdone themselves from an industrial design perspective. Their material choices such as a soft touch back and ergonomic decisions such as rounded edges, power button placement put the finishing touches and, given that the tablet is water and dust proof, little covers conceal all the ports making the device appear almost seamless.It of course has front and rear-facing cameras. The front is very well optimized and suited for video chats and the rear one is of reasonable quality and more than does the job for document scanning and other things that one might need to use a camera on a tablet for.Out of the box it was running Android 4.1.1 a recent update pushed this up to 4.1.2. There are quite a lot of pre-installed apps, mostly Sony's media offerings and a few that they're promoting, almost all can easily be uninstalled. Sony has also applied a fairly light skin to Android and added a few features such as quick control menu for launching mini-apps (similar to Samsung) accessible from any home screen. I haven't found myself using these much but their presence is unobtrusive. One rather useful one is a universal remote that is pre-programmed to work with equipment from most major manufacturers and can be trained to learn the commands from anything with an IR remote. This is clever and useful.Sony has also changed the keyboard and while it is adequate I replaced it with Swiftkey which is much better but introduced an odd quirk of Android on tablets: when typing, especially with the split keyboard in thumb mode, it is all too easy to accidentally tap the keyboard input selection button located at the bottom right of the screen next to the notification bar and which brings up a menu, interrupting the typing experience. They should simply do away with this button as it is a fairly pointless feature. Note: a recent software update to SwiftKey has fixed this.Other than that the tablet has been a joy to use and plays to all of Android's inherent strengths as an OS while also (finally) giving it the hardware it deserves to be a prime time mobile computing device.Watching movies is a great experience on the 16:9 screen, the speakers are also very good with fairly unique placement at the bottom left and right with grills facing both down and to the side and offering discernible stereo separation. If outputting video (or using an external monitor) is something one wants to do with a tablet then this is where this one falters a bit. It supports one of the over micro-USB standards (MHL or the other one, I can't remember, too confusing) and wireless screen mirroring IF you have a recent Sony TV. I'm sure it also does DLNA but that's another standard that has never delivered on its promise.Speaking of standards that haven't delivered, the tablet also supports NFC.Redundant standards aside the Xperia Tablet Z is a great device. It runs extremely fast, with none of the lag that has previously plagued Android tablets, supports pretty much any media type you can throw at it, is so thin and light that you can take it anywhere without noticing and is priced to compete effectively with anything else of quality that's out there.The tablet app offering for Android has improved significantly from the last time I used a big Android tablet, it's still way behind iOS but the basics are more than adequately addressed.Anyone looking for a tablet and wants something that offers greater flexibility software-wise than iOS and with a very different hardware experience should give the Xperia Tablet Z strong consideration.Engadget Reader100April 15, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!A gadget unicorn - EngadgetEngadget Reader90February 7, 2013Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The best in its category. We highly recommend it. - Engadget
Key Specs
FORM FACTOR
Tablet
OPERATING SYSTEM
Android
SCREEN SIZE
10.122
STORAGE TYPE
Internal storage
CAMERA (INTEGRATED)
Yes
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