Hands on review: Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet, the ludicrously thin waterproof tablet

Design: the mnemonic is ‘splishy-splashy, not bishy-bashy’

Sony’s OmniBalance design is present on all faces of the Z2: slick Gorilla Glass panels, with metallic edges and that distinctive centrally placed power button. Anyone who didn’t get on with the ergonomics of its predecessor, or its Z-series smartphone cousins – some find the thin, shiny design ungraspable – will not find new favour with this. We wouldn’t call it a deal-breaker – you could always employ some strategic Sugru.

Screen: the numbers remain the same

The net result should be bouncy, vibrant colours that stop short of the stark unrealism of some OLED screens. The truth of the matter will have to wait until we can try out a Z2 under test conditions. The harsh fluorescent light of Sony’s London offices just wouldn’t be representative for the, frankly huge, percentage of you that don’t live in Sony’s London offices. That said, we also got the chance to try out the Z2 Tablet’s compatibility with a Dualshock 3 Playstation pad and in that gaming situation, where you want the dynamics ramped up to max, the results were very impressive.

Accessories: bring the noise

A PS3 pad isn’t the only friend you’ll want for your Z2 – tablets cry out for add-ons that can make them more productive or more entertaining. First up is the BSC10 Bluetooth Speaker Dock that also charges your tab via the magnetic connection on its longer side. Whilst it’s docked, you’ll want the BRH10 Bluetooth Remote, which can control media and also act as a wireless handset for Skype calls and whatnot. Though if your teenagers catch you doing this – apparently using the remote as a telephone – it’ll be months before they let you forget it. They’re just jealous, you zeitgeister.

Finally, come Sunday night’s pre-work panic, you’ll be reaching for the BKC50BT Bluetooth Keyboard Cover. The removable keyboard part is super-slim but it’s made of metal, with enough of a throw to the keys to be workable. At €120, you’ll want to try that before you buy that, though.

Audio: turn that sound frontside down

Away from your speaker dock, your aural experience should be enhanced by the new positioning of the Z2’s speakers, brought round from the sides to the front of the tablet. They seemed powerful enough, though such a think device is never going to generate much in the way of bass. No, on Triphop Tuesdays you’ll want to plug in the headphones, and nothing will distract you from your Megabass Mash-Up because of the new built-in noise-cancelling tech. It only works with the Sony MDR-NC31EM earphones that come bundled, mind you, but work it does. There are various settings for your expected background noise scenario – transport, office, etc. – then the microphones in the earphones do the rest.

Initial Verdict