The Sony Xperia Z5 is the latest flagship device in Sony’s excellent Xperia range. Like its predecessors, it’s waterproof, has a great camera, and includes support for microSD cards (up to a whopping 200GB), all of which makes the Z5 a serious contender against the equivalent offerings from the two biggest Android players, Samsung and LG.

Design

Sony has embraced waterproofing like no other smartphone manufacturer.

Like the Xperias that have gone before it, the Z5’s design is a mix of crisp edges and a glass rear panel, both of which make it feel like a seriously high-end device. The headphone jack and microUSB ports are both waterproof without the need for the annoying covers found in previous models.

It's waterproof

Sony has embraced waterproofing like no other smartphone manufacturer, and it’s one of the best reasons to consider the Japanese manufacturer’s handsets if you’re an Android fan. Also, Sony knows how to make a great camera, and the 23MP primary camera on the Z5 is no exception.

Brilliant display

Then there’s a brilliant 5.2-inch full-HD display to consider. It may not offer the 2K resolution found on many competitors’ offerings, but contrast and colour are excellent. Besides, if you’re after screen resolution, the forthcoming Z5 Premium’s 4K display is the one to hold out for. For the rest of us, though, HD is more than sufficient.

Also, fewer pixels means less demand for power, which is probably at least part of why the Z5 and its 2 900mAh battery last for a day and a fair chunk of change, even with fairly heavy use. The Z5 also includes fast battery-charging support, which means you can get up to 60% charge in half an hour.

Nifty fingerprint scanner

Another great addition to the Z5 is the fingerprint reader on the lock/power button. You wouldn’t know it was there to look at the button, but it is, and it works a treat. Not only does the reader make it possible to unlock your phone with your fingerprint, but it’ll make Android Pay a whole lot easier to use when it eventually gets here.

Verdict

There’s a lot to like about the Xperia Z5 and if you need convincing, how about the fact that it’s been chosen as the new phone for none other than James Bond in the forthcoming movie Spectre? After all, if it’s good enough for the world’s most famous spy, it’s probably good enough for the rest of us.

The Sony Xperia Z5 is available through Vodacom Online now »