Sony Xperia Z5 Premium review

    Sony's Xperia Z5 premium is the flagship phone Sony has owed us for a long time. While the standard Z5 was a fairly uninspiring reissue of the brilliant Z3, the Z5 Premium packs a bigger screen with a whopping 4K resolution, which is 3,840x2,160 pixels. It's the first phone to have a 4K resolution and it's the highest resolution I've ever seen on a phone.
But wait: Don't get too excited about seeing your photos with revolutionary levels of resolution. I personally could tell no difference in clarity on a high-resolution image between the Z5 Premium's display and that of the iPhone 6S Plus -- even though the iPhone display has half the resolution of the Sony.

We've debated before whether the step up from full HD to ultra HD displays is worth bothering with on small devices like phones, and that argument is even more pertinent having spent serious time with this phone. The major selling point of the Z5 Premium is its 4K display -- that's also how Sony tries to justify its whopping asking price -- but when you can't see any real difference, it's more of an empty marketing boast than a real benefit.
Fortunately, the Z5 Premium has other bragging rights, such as a meaty processor, a waterproof design and a 23-megapixel camera that puts it on par with any of today's top-end flagships. Yet it's all let down by a design so dull it could send a hyperactive toddler to sleep and a price tag somewhere north of ridiculous. Samsung's Galaxy S6 Edge costs less and looks far more stylish. It's where I'd spend my money, over the Z5 Premium.In the UK, the Z5 Premium can be yours for an eye-watering £630, SIM-free, directly from Sony. In Australia, it'll set you back AU$1,199 but comes bundled with a digital noise-cancelling headset worth AU$79. Sony has yet to announce whether it'll be available in the US, but that UK price converts to around $960. Better start saving now.

Pin-sharp display

• 5.5-inch screen size
• 4K (3,840x2,160-pixel) resolution

The Z5 Premium's resolution equates to a massive 801 pixels per inch. That's the highest resolution I've seen on a phone, beating both iPhone 6S Plus (401ppi) and the Samsung Galaxy S6 (577ppi). On paper, that's an impressive feat, but the reality isn't quite as groundbreaking.
While you might think that cramming a truckload more pixels into a screen will make everything look sharper, I couldn't see any real difference in clarity between high-resolution images seen on the iPhone 6S Plus and the Galaxy S6 and the Z5 Premium -- even when I looked very close up at the displays to try and pick out individual pixels. The same goes for video. I showed comparison photos to several people and they agreed that the difference was so marginal, you'd never notice it was there.
More importantly, does it make your everyday tasks of emailing, calling and tweeting any crisper? No, absolutely not. Does it even give your mobile photography an extra level of clarity? Nope. Given the significant premium placed on it, I'd really want to notice it more.
While 4K might be worth having on a massive TV in your living room, cramming that many pixels into a small phone screen doesn't achieve anything except a higher selling price.
That's not to say this display is bad though. Far from it. It's unquestionably pin-sharp, and the colours are rich and vibrant, with great contrast too. I sometimes found it a little too vivid, with colours looking unnaturally oversaturated, so I tweaked the colour balance in the settings to find a more realistic look. It's bright too, once you go into the settings to disable the auto brightness. Oddly, you can't do this from the pull-down quick settings panel, and I found the auto mode to heavily restrict the brightness.

Tired design
I'm disappointed with the Z5 Premium's design. Sony has stuck rigidly to its usual Xperia look, which is beginning to look a little tired. The minimalist style, with its buttonless front, is as stark and monolithic as ever, but the squared-off sides make the phone look too blocky. The back panel is extremely glossy, and easily picks up fingerprints. I much prefer the frosted glass back of the standard Z5.

I once applauded the older Z phones for their slick, minimalist style, but Sony has done nothing to give its flagship phones a fresh look. Now, they're just boring, a worse fate. That's dangerous when its main rival Samsung has overhauled its top-end Galaxy S6 Edge with a gorgeous, curving design. Even LG is doing more to tickle the senses with its leather-clad G4 and textured, baby blue V10.

You'll find the Z5 Premium in black, mirrored silver or gold. The black model I reviewed is really very dull and is without doubt the last colour variation I would ever choose for this phone.

The phone has an IP68 level of water resistance, which technically allows it to withstand being submerged in water up to 1.5 metres (5 feet) in depth, for up to 30 minutes. Sony, however, no longer recommends fully submerging its phones in water. That's a real shame, as the ability to take underwater photos was one of the main reasons to buy one of the previous Z phones.

What this means for you is the waterproofing is there to keep the Z5 Premium safe from spilled beers, and for taking calls in the rain. The latter of which I'm pleased about, given I live in perpetually damp Britain. You'll need to firmly secure the rubberised flap over the combined nano-SIM and microSD card slot, although thankfully the 3.5mm headphone jack on top and Micro-USB port on the bottom don't need a seal to keep the water out.

Android software and Sony's skin

• Android 5.1 Lollipop
• Custom Sony skin
• Too much pre-installed bloatware

The Z5 Premium comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop as standard, and there's no word yet on when this phone might receive an update to the latest Android 6.0 Marshmallow. I can't hold this against Sony too much, as it announced the Z5 Premium last September before Marshmallow was even available. Sony doesn't tend to roll out software updates to its phones quickly either, so I wouldn't recommend buying the Z5 Premium if you really crave your first taste of Marshmallow.

Sony's thick Android skin is one of the main reasons updates are so long in coming. I don't mind Sony's tweaks on standard Android though. It looks quite neat, it's easy to use, and you can easily sort apps in the apps tray by alphabetical order, most used or by name, which makes it easy to find the tool you're looking for.

Sony typically adds in quite a handful of software extras and the Z5 Premium is no exception. Beyond Sony's own calendar and email clients (the latter a baffling addition, given the phone also arrives with Google's Gmail on board), you'll find Amazon's shopping app pre-installed, as well as various PlayStation stores, Kobo's e-book app, OfficeSuite, a news app, AVG antivirus, and various other bits and bobs. It all helps the phone feel somewhat cluttered before you've even downloaded your first app. The various widgets you'll find scattered across the home screens don't help either.

Mercifully, you can uninstall many of the pre-loaded apps and I recommend you do. Before you start adding your own stuff on board, spend a bit of time clearing out anything unwanted and give yourself a blank slate to start from. You'll appreciate the reduced clutter in the long run.

Camera

• 23-megapixel rear-facing camera
• 5-megapixel front-facing camera
• 4K video recording

The camera has had a decent boost from the previous Xperia Z3, with a new 23-megapixel sensor. I took it for a spin around Britain's capital and found it can take some great shots.

Sony Xperia Z5 Premium camera test

The rear camera can shoot video in 4K resolution. Footage plays back smoothly and it's generally well-exposed, although the iPhone 6S Plus achieves richer colours in video. On the front is a 5-megapixel camera which will snap some good selfies outside in the sunlight, but suffers from image noise in low-light situations.

Battery life

• 3,430mAh battery
• Non-removable

Powering a huge screen with such an astonishing resolution is no easy task for a battery and indeed it does take its toll. If you play high-action games or watch videos with the brightness set to max, you'll watch the battery ebb away pretty quickly. If you like to watch episodes of your favourite TV show on the bus in the morning, and keep powering up the screen to check email throughout the day, you'll want to give it a quick charge in the afternoon if you want any power left at the end of the night to call a cab home after the pub.

If you're more cautious, you can easily get a day of use. It holds its charge quite well in standby mode, so simply slumbering untouched in your jeans won't drain the juice. Even with moderate use -- music or podcasts on your commute, a bit of light texting, calling and emailing throughout the day and snapping a few shots of that beautiful sunset as you leave the office -- you should have some power left when you go to bed. As with all smartphones though, you'll want to give it a full charge every night.

Conclusion

The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is worthy of its name. It does everything you'd want of a top-end phone, but I'm not calling it a triumph. Though crowbarring 4K resolution into a screen sounds impressive on paper, in reality it doesn't really make any difference except to the price. This phone costs significantly more than the Galaxy S6 Edge, yet it's the Edge that has really pushed the boat out with a stunning new design. Sony's design looks dated and repetitive in comparison.

Both the Edge and LG's G4 also pack higher-than-HD displays which are beautifully crisp with more pixels than your eyes will probably appreciate. You'll get great cameras and loads of power on both those phones too. What separates the Z5 Premium from its competition, then, is its waterproof capabilities, which is certainly worth having -- particularly if you're clumsy around drinks, baths and other bodies of water -- but I don't think that feature alone justifies such a big price increase.

If you're after a high performance Android phone that you can safely use in the rain and you can stomach the price, it's worth checking out in the flesh. Personally though, there's no reason I would choose to spend more money on the Z5 Premium when I can get a gorgeous, powerful phone with a stunning screen and awesome camera in the form of the Galaxy S6 Edge -- with enough left over for a posh dinner.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge review

       Here's the phone you should buy right now: This one. What catapults the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge to such heights? Is it the excellent camera, the beast of a battery, the expandable storage or the seductive design that's worth more than the sum of its parts? Yes, and more. This phone kicks the already-fantastic (just slightly smaller) Galaxy S7 up a notch with a bigger battery and that wraparound design on both sides that never fails to draw me deeper into whatever I'm viewing or doing.
Everything about the 5.5-inch S7 Edge excels from the inside out, and Samsung has refined the extra navigation software that dresses up the screen's physical curves. There are of course a few minor drawbacks -- there's no such thing as a perfect device -- but something about it feels more organic than your garden-variety phone, more complete. If you've ever seen one of Samsung's curve-screen phones before, such as the S6 Edge, S6 Edge+ and Note Edge, you know what I'm talking about.
Samsung has put a lot of effort into making the secondary menu bar more useful: icons get bigger and there are more types of information you can show there, like a shortcut to your favorite apps and tasks. There's a speed dial to your favorite contacts, an optional pane for sports scores and news headlines, even a tool to pull up the flashlight and ruler. These are handy, just use them sparingly.
Is the Edge worth the higher price compared to the S7? If you have the cash, then yes. For me, the phone's shape is reason enough, like how a car enthusiast might upgrade to a leather interior. The extra cost spreads out if you pay by installments; even if you pay in full, the difference diminishes when you consider you'll probably own this phone for the next two years.
That said, you wouldn't be making the mistake of your life by going for a more wallet-friendly phone like the Google Nexus 6P or even the S7. But if you want the most stylish, most all-in-one phone that money can buy, you've found it.
The S7 Edge starts at $750, £639 and AU$1,249. Read more about the S7 Edge's top-notch software and hardware in my full Galaxy S7 review, and read on below for more on the Edge's software, battery performance and specs.

Navigating the Edge
I liked being able to jump into the edge display navigation from any screen, without having to go back to the start screen as you would normally have to do. This was an easy way to reach out to a favorite contact and my most-used app.
At first, it's fun to hit the nine-tab ceiling and try them all, but pretty soon I realized that if I didn't know exactly which pane I wanted, I wasted more time looking for it than if I had just gone to find the thing I wanted from the home screen in the first place. Three or four of these add-ons hit the sweet spot.
Also, some panels that I'd want just don't exist yet, because the companies haven't made plugins.

Monster battery life, bigger size
Battery life was killer in our lab tests, which measure video playback time: almost 20 hours on average, compared to the S7's already astounding 16-hour average. Real-life results were also full steam ahead. Expect the battery to last a long day on a single charge, but I'd prepare to top it up each day anyway, especially if you tend to hit streaming and navigation hard.
It's a solid, heavy device, but I never dropped the phone or felt like I was going to. I'd still buy a glass screen protector and case anyway to protect your pricey investment, but the same goes for any phone. For my small hands, its 5.5-inch screen is a little more manageable than other larger-than-average handsets, such as the iPhone 6S Plus, Google Nexus 6P and Samsung Galaxy Note 5.

Minor drawbacks
As the S7 Edge shares the S7's triumphs (clear 12-megapixel camera, smooth-running processor), it also shares the S7's drawbacks: slightly plastic-looking selfies, a bastion of finger grease you'll have to constantly wipe away and a non-removable battery, which was expected, but whose presence would check the final box of most-wanted features.

HTC 10 review

        If there's one thing the HTC 10 can do, it's deliver great sound. Its dual speakers, coupled with some fancy software technology, means your music and movies are going to sound fantastic. It also looks pretty damn good too -- a hard feat to pull off in a world filled with black slabs.
But at $699 unlocked, £569 in the UK and AU$1,099 in Australia, it fails to offer the same hardware performance and value as its Android rivals. For instance, its performance is comparable to the Google Nexus 6P even though the 6P is cheaper. Its battery doesn't last as long as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and LG G5, and there are times when its camera exposure misses the mark.
While those competing handsets could stand to have better audio quality like the 10, HTC's flagship phone ultimately doesn't have all the other things that elevate a good phone into a great phone.

Design: Handsome and refined
The 10 has an aluminum construction with angular edges that adds to the polished, industrial aesthetic HTC is famous for. Its unibody design does mean you can't take out the battery, but the phone feels solid and looks handsome.

With its high-end look, the 10 is a stunner when it comes to design.

HTC got rid of the dual front-facing audio speakers seen in previous years. Now the phone has one speaker grille on the top bezel and a home button (which doubles as a fingerprint reader) on the bottom bezel. The second speaker is still there though, except now it lives on the bottom edge.

As for the fingerprint reader, it provides extra user security and it launches Google's digital assistance service, Google Now, after you longpress it. Though it's not a deal breaker, this Now shortcut can get irritating. There were a bunch of times when I accidentally launched Now just from resting my finger on this home button and it was no fun having to quit it constantly throughout the day.

Software: More fun at your fingertips

The 10 runs Google's Android 6.0 Marshmallow operating system with HTC's Sense user interface skinned on top. HTC has gone for a deeper integration with Google, meaning the only web browser you see is Chrome, the only music player you have is Play Music and the only gallery you have is Google Photos.

I love getting rid of bloatware as much as the next person, but I wish HTC kept the native gallery app. I'm super wary about cloud security, and even though you can turn Google syncing off, I just don't want my personal photos linked in any way to any cloud or Google service.

There are some welcomed software goodies though. HTC's signature BlinkFeed gives you a feed of your news and social networks. And Themes lets you customize parts of your interface like the layout, wallpaper and app design. The cool thing about some of these themes is that their home screens aren't restricted by any grid lines, so you can place apps and widgets anywhere.

Apps also don't have to look like labelled, uniform icons. Instead, HTC calls them "stickers" and they come in different size and shapes. If you play around with Themes long enough, your home screen can end up looking like a page out of a children's storybook, with little objects that launch apps only you are privy to knowing.

Sound and audio: Here comes the Boom

A marquee feature of HTC flagships is an emphasis on audio quality, which the company brands as BoomSound. Music through the dual audio speakers definitely sounded louder and clearer than the usual thin and sharp audio I get from other devices.

But what really impressed me was listening to music through the included earbuds. To get the most out of the buds, I configured my "audio profile," which tested the frequency range that I could hear in each ear, and optimized audio output accordingly.

Music through the earbuds sounded amazing -- bass was deep without becoming too overwhelming and I could discern each layer of instrumentation.  Undoutedbly, the audio quality is one of the strongest features of this phone.

With its dual speakers (one is shown here on the top bezel), the handset delivers big sound.

Another unique audio quality of the 10 is its compatibility with Apple's AirPlay streaming standard. That means you can stream audio from the handset to an Apple TV and other devices compatible with Apple's Wi-Fi audio standard, which generally offers better sound quality than Bluetooth.

Camera: Exposing the problem

The device's 12-"Ultrapixel" camera (a term used by HTC to identify its use of larger pixels in its camera lenses) operates smoothly and takes clear shots. Auto- and tap-focus also work quickly, and there's a brightness meter right on the interface so you can adjust the lighting easily. It also has optical image stabilization on both the back and front cameras, which helps smooth out any bumpy videos, quick snapshots and rushed selfies.

Compared to its Android competitors, I found the 10 overexposed its images more readily than the others. In addition, the Galaxy S7 took photos with richer green and blue hues. The G5 and Nexus 6P had deeper red and pink tones. I also found that the 10 had a harder time properly lighting up objects in the foreground when there was a lot of backlighting. Even when I tapped to focus on said objects, the device hardly adjusted its lighting settings and the overall image turned out dim.

I did, however, like the 10's Macro zooming, which seemed to show a shallower depth of field. This blurred the background a tad more, making for more cinematic and dramatic photos. For more about photo quality, check out the pictures below. And be sure to click on each image to see them at their full resolutions.

In this closeup shot, the shallow depth of field gives the photo a nice, dramatic look.

Battery life: Needs more juice

One of the disappointments of the HTC M9 was its battery life, lasting only 8 hours and 40 minutes during our lab test for continuous video playback on Airplane mode. This time around though, the 10's 3,000mAh battery clocked in a much better result of 11 hours and 15 minutes.

But competition is stiff these days and compared to some of its rivals, the 10 lags behind. While the Nexus 6P clocked a similar battery life to the 10, the G5 lasted 12 hours and 34 minutes (it's also removable in case you want to swap it out during the day). In addition, the 3,000mAh battery inside the Galaxy S7 lasted an impressive 16 hours and it can charge wirelessly.

Anecdotally, the 10 was good, but not great. After a weekend on standby without a charge, the device was at about 60 percent Monday morning. On the other hand, using the handset heavily (surfing the Web, downloading apps, taking photos) dropped the battery by 20 percent after 40 minutes.

The phone also uses Quick Charge 3.0 technology from Qualcomm, which promises a 50 percent charge in 30 minutes. When I tested this claim, I got pretty close -- 44 percent in 30 minutes. A full charge takes about an hour and 40 minutes.

Should you get it?

Because it falls in the same price range as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and the LG G5, I expected the HTC 10 to deliver the same sort of performance as its fellow Android competitors. While I give it major props for its superb audio quality (seriously, I've never nodded my head to music being played by a phone as strongly as when I was using HTC BoomSound) and handsome good looks, I hesitate to recommend it as anyone's top choice.

For the same price you can get the Galaxy S7, which is also beautifully designed and water resistant. There's also the G5, which beats the 10 in battery life (plus you can replace the battery with its unique modular design if need be).

And while the Google Nexus 6P didn't edge out the 10 in our benchmark tests, it costs about $100 less, has a comparable battery life and gets software updates from Google as soon as they're available.

The mobile landscape is as cutthroat as they come. Despite the HTC 10 being a solid device, it simply doesn't have enough to carry it over the top. So unless you're a diehard music lover, skip the 10 for something better.

Sony Xperia Z5 review

   Sony's flagship Xperia Z5 is stuffed with a lot of the top tech we expect from a high-end phone. It's got a full HD display, tons of power and a meaty 23-megapixel camera. Mix in its minimalist, waterproof design and you've got yourself the phone of the year, right?
Well, not quite. The mobile phone landscape has changed dramatically in the past year with Samsung really shaking things up with its Galaxy S6 Edge. By totally redesigning its flagship handset with metal and curving glass, Samsung managed to inject some much-needed excitement into its products. LG, meanwhile, made a curved phone and wrapped its devices in real leather.
By contrast, Sony is doing little to push the boat out in its flagship refreshes. The Xperia Z5 is very much a revision of last year's Xperia Z3, with an identical display, mildly tweaked key specs and a similar design. By itself that might be fine, but the Z3 was only a refresh of the Z2 before it, which itself wasn't much of a leap over the Z1. What's more, both Samsung and LG have also equipped their flagships with ultra high-definition displays -- something you won't find on the Z5. If you want that, you'll need to splash some more cash on the 4K Xperia Z5 Premium.

The Sony Xperia Z5 has a waterproof body that is ready for the rain.

It's not that there's anything wrong with the Z5: It looks perfectly fine, and it's got a solid lineup of specs. But its £549 asking price puts it squarely in the elite category, right up against the Galaxy S6 Edge. For that price, "fine" just doesn't cut it. It needs to be amazing, and side-by-side against the Edge, the Z5 is not the phone I'd award the title "amazing."

The Xperia Z5 is available now in the UK for £549, and is up for preorder in Australia starting at AU$999. It'll cost $600 unlocked in the US; sales start February 7, 2016.

Design

Even a passing glance at the Z5 is enough to notice it's from the same family as the Z3 and Z2. It keeps the glass front and back, with a metal edge and minimal Sony branding. Still, it shows a few small changes: the rear glass panel is frosted, which I personally prefer over the glossy panel on the previous model.

The metal edging is now flat, rather than rounded, which gives the phone a blocky look and feel. The metal edges also protrude slightly away from the glass back, making the Z5 feel slightly sharp when I held it. Whether this is an intentional move or not, I can't say, but it does give the phone an unrefined feel. At 7.3mm thick, it's a touch chubbier than some of its rivals too.

The power button also functions as a fingerprint reader.

Another tweak to the new model is the power button on the side. Sony's replaced its almost iconic sticking-out dimple of a button with a long, flat one. It's not just a cosmetic change -- the power button now functions as a fingerprint reader, and it's the first time Sony has included one on its phones.

I find its side position comfortable to use as it's where my thumb naturally sits when I hold it in my right hand. Left-handers among you may consider it less convenient, though. If it's lying flat on a table, however, it's easier to just type in the PIN -- something that's less of an issue with the iPhone's front-mounted fingerprint scanner. It's quick to set up and accurate, rarely failing to recognise my prints.

While I like the stark, minimalist approach Sony takes with its phone design, the Z5 is (as I said) very much a refresh of what we've seen before, rather than a total overhaul. It also doesn't look as luxurious a device as Samsung's curving Galaxy S6 Edge. Personal preference will no doubt come into play a lot here so I recommend going hands on in a shop before making your mind up.

Waterproofing

Sony's website states that the Xperia Z5, like its predecessor, has an IP68 level of waterproofing, which technically states (again, on Sony's own website) that it's submersible in water over 1-metre in depth for 30 minutes. However the fine print on the specific product page for the Z5 says that it should not be submerged in water, unlike the Z3 and Z2 before it which were both advertised as underwater phones.

All the while, Sony has rather downplayed the significance of the waterproofing in its marketing materials for the phone. While the Z2 and Z3 were both shown plunging into water and taking photos of people in swimming pools, the Z5 is shown only in the rain -- not fully underwater.

I asked Sony to clarify and a company rep explained, "The recent changes to guidance we provide to our customers are designed to more clearly illustrate the best ways to protect devices in day-to-day usage. We communicate necessary precautions, and the specific parameters of ingress protection ratings, to help customers to protect their smartphones and tablets in line with the applicable warranty we provide. We have also recently updated our marketing visuals to better advocate sensible usage of our devices." OK, then.

The Xperia Z5 is 7.3mm thick.

What that means for you is this phone is not for underwater use. Instead, its waterproofing is designed to keep it safe from accidentally spilled drinks and to let you take calls in the rain. It may be able to survive a drop in the toilet, but don't keep dunking it in your pint to show off to your mates in the pub. If underwater photography is your thing, you'll need to look at rugged compact cameras which can survive full submersion in the ocean for extended periods of time.

Display

The Z5's display hasn't really changed much from the older Xperia Z3. At 5.2-inches, it's the same size and it has the same full HD (1,920x1,080-pixel) resolution, giving it the same pixel density. It's sharp, with fine text and clear images. Although the display looks admittedly perfectly crisp, I'd have liked to see a higher resolution panel. Both the Galaxy S6 and LG G4 (both of which can be bought for less than the Z5) have ultra HD screens, so Sony isn't doing much to keep up with its rivals here. It's the Z5 Premium that packs the 4K display, as well as an even higher price tag.

The screen has the same full HD resolution as the Xperia Z3.

Sony boasts that the display uses much of the same tech it whacks into its TVs -- the meaningless word "Triluminous" features in the Z5's marketing materials -- which is a convoluted way of saying "it looks good." To its credit, it does. Black levels are deep, resulting in rich colours with good contrast. You can tweak the colour and vibrance settings, too, if it gets a bit much.

It's a great screen for flicking through your pictures, gaming or watching Netflix at home, but it's not super-bright making outdoor use a little more difficult. Even under a cloudy Sussex sky, I found the screen to be a bit dim to read, so those of you who are lucky enough to live in perpetually sunny climates might struggle here.

Android software

The Z5 comes with Android 5.1 Lollipop on board, which is the most recent version of Google's software that's currently available. Android 6.0 Marshmallow has recently debuted on Google's new line of Nexus phones, but as the Z5 was launched back in September, I can't expect it to have it on board already.

On its official blog, Sony confirmed that the Z5, along with the Z5 Compact and Z5 Premium, would receive the update to Marshmallow, although it gave no indication as to timings (I've asked Sony to provide more information). Yet, I wouldn't get your hopes up for it arriving any time soon however as Sony previously has been slow to update its phones -- even the flagships -- to the latest Android releases. Don't buy the Z5 if you're desperate to be among the first to play with Marshmallow. I will of course update this review when we hear any information about the Marshmallow upgrade.

The Xperia Z5 ships with Android 5.1 Lollipop, with plans to update to Android 6.0 Marshmallow in the future.

One reason Sony takes so long to update its phones is that it heavily customises the Android interface. When a new version of Android comes along, its engineers have to work hard to apply the skin over the software. Plus each version of Android requires a whole new approach.

Sony's skin isn't too bad though, so you shouldn't be in any rush to get rid of it. It looks fairly neat, it's easy to learn, and some features like the ability to quickly arrange app icons in the app tray by most used or alphabetical order are more intuitive than some of its rivals.

There are quite a few pre-loaded apps which clutter things up, but mercifully you can uninstall most of them. I recommend a full clear out of all superfluous apps and home screen widgets before you do anything with your new phone.

Processor performance

The Z5's engine is a Qualcomm 810 octa-core chip, with 3GB of RAM backing it up. It's a potent piece of silicon, but this chip has had issues with overheating in the past. Most notably on Sony's own Xperia Z3+, which I found would regularly force close apps due to increased core temperature.

Whether by tweaking the software or simply by throttling the power of the chip, Sony has kept the 810 under control on the Z5 as I found no problems with the handset overheating. Sure, it gets a touch warm around the top of the phone (where the processor sits), but it didn't become uncomfortably hot like the Z3+ and at no point did apps force close. I received a warning when shooting 4K video that the camera app may close if it warms up too much, but even after five minutes of filming, it was working fine.

It's certainly a powerful chip as the Z5 is very smooth to use. There are no unpleasant delays when swiping around the Android interface, with apps and menus loading quickly. Gaming too is handled with aplomb with both Angry Birds 2 and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas playing with high frame rates.

It achieved a multi core score of 2,926 on the Geekbench 3 benchmark test, putting it alongside the LG G4 (2,981), although a significant step down from the Samsung Galaxy S6 (4,608). On the 3D Mark Ice Storm: Unlimited graphics test however, the Z5 racked up a score of 26,885, putting it far above the Galaxy S6 (20,778), the LG G4 (18,611) and the Galaxy S6 Edge+ (24,737). The Z5 then is an extremely powerful device, with more than enough juice to tackle anything you'll want to throw at it.

Camera

Sony has given the Z5's camera a load of tweaks to improve it over the Z3. For one, its 1/2.3" size sensor now delivers a whopping 23-megapixel resolution. The resulting images are very large, clocking in at 5,520x4,140-pixels, and in file sizes, with most shots being around 8-10mb per image at full resolution.

The extra resolution give you some flexibility to digitally zoom into a scene or crop into an image after it's been shot, without losing too much detail. The images themselves though are no crisper than on most phones, and actually rather suffer from compression artifacts when viewed up close.

Sony Xperia Z5 camera test

Battery life

Powering the Xperia Z5 is a 2,900mAh battery, which is a touch smaller than the Z3's battery (3,100mAh), although Sony still reckons you can squeeze up to two days from it. That's a big boast, and not one that's particularly realistic.
In our two battery rundown tests, the Z5 lasted 9 hours 36 minutes and 9 hours 49 minutes -- a bit below the Galaxy S6's 12.4 hours and far below the Motorola Moto X Play's 16 hours. Our rundown test is quite brutal however, so day to day battery life will vary depend on how demanding you are of the phone.
It actually holds its charge well in standby mode, so if you tend to listen to a bit of music on your morning commute, leaving it mostly untouched at work, then enjoy a podcast on the way home, you shouldn't struggle to get a day from the Z5. If, however, you keep the screen on most of the day, sending and receiving messages, streaming music and gaming then you'll probably find the juice running out some time in the evening. You'd have to be extremely careful in how you use the phone if you hope to achieve Sony's boast of two days of battery life.

Conclusion
The Sony Xperia Z5 isn't a bad phone by any means, it just doesn't do much to stand out anymore. Its blocky design remains too similar to past generations to really generate much excitement, and its display and processor are pretty much unchanged from its predecessor. That Sony no longer lets you take it for a swim means the device also lost the one major feature that consistently set the Z series phones apart from its rivals -- the ability to take underwater photos.
It performs well though, wielding as it does sufficient power for intense gaming, and its camera can take some great shots. It's a decent phone all-round, but it lacks the real wow factor I expect to see on a new flagship. At a time when its main Android rival Samsung has overhauled the design of its flagship with a stunning curving glass and metal design, being simply 'fine' doesn't really cut it. This is the year that Sony needed to pull out all the stops and it just hasn't with the Z5.

iPhone 6S Plus review

    I don't usually like really big phones. I want phones that can fit in my hand. But last year I switched from an iPhone 6 to 6 Plus , to see what difference it made it my life. Its advantages turned out to be really useful: a bigger battery, a larger screen with higher resolution. And I realized, when I switched back to an iPhone 6, that optical image stabilization made a difference, too...sometimes.
And yes, I came to love the Plus for its pro-type features, and even for its near-tablet feel. For videos, and games. But as a normal phone, its size never seemed truly comfortable to me.
Just like last year, the new iPhone 6S Plus and iPhone 6S are nearly similar except for a few key advantages on the larger model. The Plus gets you a 5.5-inch display instead of the 4.7-inch one of the iPhone 6S. And while the Plus's camera sensor and resolution is identical to that on the smaller iPhone, it adds optical image stabilization, which can deliver more blur-free photos in certain light conditions (especially if you're zooming). Unlike last year's Plus, that stabilization works when shooting videos, too. And you get a bigger battery that lasts just a bit longer. It costs more, but its perks are worth it if you're a mission-critical user of your phone camera.
But oh, that size.
I'd probably use a Plus over a 6S. But for most people, I still think the smaller 6S is the way to go.

iPhone 6S next to 6S Plus. It's bigger.

What do I mean by 'too big'?

For some people, the Plus might not be too big at all. But for many others I've talked to, it is. There's nothing wrong with a 5.5-inch screen, but the 6S Plus -- like the 6 Plus before it -- seats that screen into a phone that has a larger top and bottom bezel than many big-screened Android phones. End result: it's wider and longer than similar 5.5-inch competitors, albeit thinner. See the photo below for comparison, next to the Samsung Galaxy Note 5 and last year's Nexus 6. The Note 5 is a tiny bit less wide and tall, but has a larger 5.7-inch screen. The thicker and ever-so-slightly wider Nexus 6 has a 5.9-inch screen.

The width and length usually make more of a difference to me, and my pants. I have pretty large jeans, and my pockets accommodate the Plus fine. Other people I know don't have that luck.

The Plus still doesn't fit easily in one hand, either. I find myself using a pinky tucked underneath.

You do get a 5.5-inch 1,920x1,080 resolution display instead of the 4.7-inch 1,334x750-resolution screen of the iPhone 6S, which matters mostly for photos, videos, and Web browsing. You can fit a bit more of everything on screen at once, as long as apps take advantage (many do, some still haven't upgraded).

Super-powered with 3D Touch and better speed

For more on what the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus offer, read my whole iPhone 6S review . Know that the new A9 processor and double the RAM (2GB) from last year's iPhones means faster-feeling system speed, and apps that load better when you swap between them. And the extra perk of always-on Siri means that, especially for drivers, hands-free operation works even the phone's not plugged in.

3D Touch has potential, but takes getting used to.

3D Touch is the promise of a whole new type of interaction with the touchscreen; this phone has a pressure-sensitive display that does different things when you press in with your finger. Everything from pop-out menus to previews of Web links before you open them, and a growing library of apps and games that are starting to make the most of this tech. It can measure a whole range of pressure gradients, which means this could be used for sketching and art apps in particular. On a larger-screened tablet-type phone, that could get very interesting. At the moment, however, 3D Touch is more subtle additions and potential than anything eye-popping or world-changing. It's definitely worth keeping an eye on, however, because iOS is bound to transform to take advantage of it down the road.

Battery life: Better than the smaller iPhone

I'd like the iPhone 6S to have the battery of the 6S Plus.

Over a regular day of use, the Plus got me enough juice so I didn't panic. It's an all-day experience. On the iPhone 6S, towards the end of the day, you'll need to consider power-saving or recharging.

Our battery run test, which uses a video loop played back on the phone in airplane mode, lasted 11 hours, 54 minutes. The iPhone 6S (non-Plus) lasted 10 hours, 30 minutes. That doesn't sound like a huge difference, but in everyday, real-life use it amounted to a last-through-the-day experience, versus a need-to-recharge one. However, last year's iPhone 6 Plus running iOS 8 ran for longer on that same battery test: 13.3 hours. And there are plenty of larger-screened phones packing larger batteries that last longer than this. The Plus is the longer-life iPhone, but like the smaller 6S, it could still do better.

It's enough to matter to me -- but then again, it means you're carrying a bigger phone. What I really want is the smaller 6S to have this better battery life, and for the larger Plus to last even longer.

A note on different processors in the iPhone 6S

It turns out that this year's iPhone 6S A9 processor has been sourced out to two different manufacturers, meaning your iPhone 6S (or 6S Plus) could either have one or the other. According to Apple, battery performance between the two variants (TSMC and Samsung) only varies by around 2 to 3 percent. Others online are reporting varying performance differences. We are doing our own testing with iPhones containing both types of chips, and will update this when we have definitive answers. Our review iPhones had processors made by TSMC. So far we haven't seen anything worrying, but will alert you if we do...and update this review.

The Plus feels great in landscape mode.

I don't think the Plus can replace a real tablet, even an iPad Mini . But it comes close in a lot of instances, especially for reading, email, videos and games. In landscape mode, the Plus is a pretty perfect travel screen, and videos and games shine. The extra bezel on the top and bottom become pretty good hand-grips, too.

Yes, it's good enough that you probably won't need anything else on a long train ride or flight. That proposition remains the same as last year's Plus, but it bears mentioning if you're considering a leap from regular-sized iPhone to Plus-land.

Some apps still don't take advantage

It's about a year since Apple introduced a Plus-sized iPhone, and I still find a lot of apps that never bothered to optimize for its larger-screened, higher-resolution 5.5-inch screen. Some still don't allow for landscape mode or clever semi-split-screen functions, either, like you see in some of Apple's core apps like Mail. Instead of pushing for unique features, a lot of apps seem to settle for more subtle upgrades.

Does that make the Plus less desirable? I don't think so. The Plus is really about that extra size and resolution for Web browsing, reading, games and videos/photos. I'd love to see more Plus-optimized apps, but I don't know if they'll emerge at the rate I'd like, or make the Plus feel more like an iPad. The Plus really is very much a sibling of the smaller 6S.

Conclusion: If only this phone were a bit smaller

You're paying up for the Plus, and if you consider what it offers, the $100 increase -- £80-90 in the UK, AU$150 in Australia -- at every storage capacity versus the 6S isn't unreasonable. (As with the smaller iPhone, skip the entry-level 16GB model, and pay up for at least the 64GB version.) But it also means a more expensive iPhone, and I still say that most people don't need its extra perks. Its speed and performance, except for battery, are largely the same as its smaller sibling.

If the Plus shaved its bezels down and got just a bit smaller and more hand-friendly, maybe this would be the ultimate phone for me. I actually do want an iPhone somewhere in between the 6S and 6S Plus -- perhaps a 5- or 5.2-inch screen, but very little of anything else to get in the way. Could it happen? I hope so, in the iPhone 7, which should get a redesigned body.

Or, if the dimensions of the Plus shrunk down a bit to accommodate that large screen in a slightly smaller frame. It could happen, especially if the home button were removed (or shifted).

If you're a serious iPhone user or someone who relies on their phone camera for work, you should get the Plus. If you can live with its size.

Even a year later, I'm not completely sure I can. But I envy its advantages.