Review: Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet

Where will it sit in the Android slate stack?

The tablet twin of the Z2 phone, reviewed on p65, is thinner, lighter and more powerful than any previous slate. It’s lost the sharp edges but still looks cutting edge.

In fact, the Xperia Z2’s 1200x1920 touchscreen is about the only element of Sony’s tablet that hasn’t been updated. That’s no problem, as packed with Triluminos, X-Reality and Live Colour HD tech from Sony’s telly division, it is one of the best looking tablet screens around. Just like the Z2 phone, Sony’s own user interface sits on top of Android’s KitKat operating system. While we’re not big fans of this UI on its little brother – we find it intrusive, taking up too much screen space – spread across the tablet’s 10.1-inch display it’s far more palatable, allowing you to set your own themes. Navigation is slick, too, powered by a 2.3GHz quadcore chip.

Other features include an IR blaster, which enables it to be used as a telly remote, and Stamina Mode, which switches off all non-essential applications and stretches the battery life to two full days of use. The Z2 smartphone might have slipped behind Samsung’s Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8, but Sony’s managed to make the best 10.1-inch Android tablet on the market, which is a fair feat.