Sony Xperia Z Ultra: one phablet to rule them all (hands-on)

Posted by : Osama Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Sony's latest smartphone, an LTE-capable phablet rocking a massive 6.44-inch screen, is a powerful addition to the Xperia family. It's not only the first smartphone from Sony Mobile to pack Qualcomm's top-of-the-line Snapdragon 800 processor, it's also the biggest handset from the company.

Design

Based on the design language of the Xperia Z, the Z Ultra is a very attractive-looking gadget. It combines a metallic frame with tempered glass on both the front and rear, giving it a minimalistic, stylish appeal. During my brief time with the phone, I was immediately impressed by its build quality--it's as lovely as the Xperia Z and yet impossibly thin at 6.5mm (0.26 inch).

The tempered glass rear gives the handset a premium feel.

The large power button is how you tell it's a Xperia handset

Lately Sony has been pushing thin form factors as a main selling point in some of the latest products such as the Xperia Tablet Z, and the Z Ultra is no different. I still can't get over just how slim this phablet is. Sure, it's not the thinnest -- Huawei's Ascend P6 is a mere 6.18mm (0.24 inch) thick -- but the Z Ultra nonetheless represents a very impressive design achievement from Sony.

Also, while the handset's footprint is large, I found it surprisingly comfortable to hold with one hand. The Z Ultra weighs in at a hefty 212g (7.5 ounces), but nethertheless just doesn't feel heavy. Comparatively, the Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3 weighs 198g (7 ounces) but its chassis is mostly made of plastic materials, which somehow doesn't quite impart the same level of luxury as the Z Ultra.