Sony Xperia Z5 Premium specs

The biggest announcement out of Sony's IFA 2015 press conference today was undoubtedly the Xperia Z5 Premium, the new large form factor handset boasting an insane 4K display resolution. If you're wondering what else is lurking inside the Z5 Premium's e've got full specs for the Z5 Premium after the break.

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CategorySpecification
ColorsChrome, Black, Gold
Size154.4mm x 75.8mm x 7.8mm
ProcessorQualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core 64 bit processor
GPUAdreno 430
Weight180 grams
SIM CardNano SIM
Dual SIM variant available in select markets
Operating SystemGoogle™ Android™ 5.1 (Lollipop)
Rear (main) camera23MP camera with Exmor RS™ for mobile image sensor, with fast autofocus
4K video capture and output
24 mm wide-angle G Lens
5x clear image, without loss of quality
HDR for photos and videos
ISO12800 Photo / 4000 Video
SteadyShot with Intelligent Active Mode
Superior Auto
Front camera5MP with Exmor R™ for mobile image sensor
Full HD 1080p for video chat
25 mm wide-angle lens
SteadyShot with Intelligent
Active Mode
Superior Auto
Audio codec supportDNC, HRA, DSEE-HX, LDAC
Automatic headset compensation
S-Force Front surround
Stereo speakers
ClearAudio+
Display Resolution5.5" 4K (3840x2160 pixels), IPS display
PPI806
Glass panelChemical tempered glass + Anti-fingerprint coating
Display TechnologyTRILUMINOS™ display for mobile, with Sparkling Contrast and Live Colour Creation
X-Reality™ for Mobile
DesignIP65 / IP68 dust-tight & waterproof
Capless USB
RAM3GB
Flash memoryUp to 32GB
Fingerprint sensorSide-mounted, in power key
Expansion slotmicroSD™ card, up to 200GB (SDXC supported)
NetworksLTE (4G), LTE Cat6, GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G), UMTS HSPA+ (3G)
Battery (embedded)3430 mAh (up to 2 day battery life) and Battery STAMINA mode
Quick ChargeYes
Alex Dobie
Executive Editor

Alex was with Android Central for over a decade, producing written and video content for the site, and served as global Executive Editor from 2016 to 2022.

96 Comments
  • So, it has a mostly needless 4K display, a 3430mAh battery that's GREAT for 1080p, GOOD for 1440p, MEH for 2160p, and the Snapdragon 810 which has a reputation for turning phones into toasters, or in the case of the XPERIA Z phones, a water boiler. I'm sorry, but this is just another one of those "Just because we can" phones. There's literally ZERO benefit to the 4K display unless you're the very few who uses VR. As for me, I'm just waiting for a massive battery breakthrough before I can accept these ridiculous screens.
  • If you think about it, anything bryound 720p on a phone is useless by your definition. I, for one, dont mind thrm pushing the limits of mobile tech. People called 2k useless. I'll bet the screen is stunning. As for battery life, we'll see. And as for SD 810, this id more than likely v2.1 which fixes many of the problems with the original. Posted via the Android Central App
  • If you believe HTC, every single phone with the 810 uses the magical 2.1v. Except maybe the Flex? They said every phone, though. Any newer phones with the 810 that run "cooler" more than likely throttle more or simply drop the peak clock speed. Posted via the Android Central App
  • From my understanding, the throttling isn't as severe anymore. The heating problem is not solved, but is not as big as it was. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Well, the OnePlus Two dropped the max core speed, so that's probably why. Down to 1.8Ghz vs 2.0Ghz. Also, its only a 1080p phone. Other phones probably made firmware adjustments to make it throttle sooner, before it heats up. Unless you just don't believe HTC... Posted via the Android Central App
  • It is a bell that cannot really be unrung. It is throttled or hot. Not much in between Check out the new Nexus! https://youtu.be/u3uFOavLo_w, not a Rick roll
  • Agreed, the writing is pretty much on the wall at this point. That said, even if it's throttled, as long as it's not hot, why do people give a damn? As long as the user experience isn't negatively affected (lag, stutters, etc.), the model number of the SoC is unimportant. I get that some might be hung up on the principle of the thing, but I think it's time to move on. If Sony can solve the overheating during camera use, no one will be able to tell a difference between the day-to-day experience on this phone and anything running an 808 (provided the 810 truly is 4k-ready, like they say it is). Yes, I know that begs the question "why not just make it QHD and use the 808 in the first place", and it's a valid question. Who knows? But they didn't. That's that. Let's wait for the reviews and form our opinions then. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Because when both the 810 and 808 are fully throttled, the 808 performs better. That's an issue. The 808 even has an inferior GPU. Would you realize that without data in front of you? Probably not... They either might as well have revised the 810 with 8 A53 cores (or is that what a new 6XX SoC is...?) or gimped the A57 cores at 1.5Ghz or even less just to get it to not throttle and overhead. Even a few minutes using Chrome and you'll be using A53 cores. Ha-ha. Why bother with A57's? Posted via the Android Central App
  • Again, unless the person with the phone in their hand notices performance problems, the chipset might as well be made of Doritos. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Well then we should just ban all reviews. If it is a poor chip, it is poor. I am not paying a premium price for a top of the line chip when the same performance can be given from last year. I pay for that extra performance when I need it. I may never use it to the fullest but it had damn well be there if I need it Check out the new Nexus! https://youtu.be/u3uFOavLo_w, not a Rick roll
  • My point has nothing whatsoever to do with reviews. The premium price is due to much more than just the chipset being used. I'm not suggesting you buy any phone with an 810. If your personal feeling is that any phone you spend your hard-earned money must be capable of achieving its maximum theoretical performance, without compromise, there is nothing wrong with that. But insisting that any phone using the 810 is fundamentally worthless (or at least not worth the price that is being asked), is - in my opinion - an overreaction. If Sony can successfully utilize the 810 without crashing the camera or causing the UI to lag, stutter, and crawl, then anyone who likes the features and aesthetic well enough to spend their hard-earned money it should do so without reservation or criticism. Posted via the Android Central App
  • So I should buy a car that has a hole in the gas tank? The car still works, no matter how flawed it is, and that is just good enough Check out the new Nexus! https://youtu.be/u3uFOavLo_w, not a Rick roll
  • Hardly. I guarantee that a hole in the tank would cause noticeable performance issues and would significantly affect your user experience. Posted via the Android Central App
  • When Apps force close due to heat, it tends to effect user experience. When you notice frame drops during gaming, it tends to effect user experience. Posted via the Android Central App
  • M9 user here. No heat issues. Only exception is when I was on a four hour drive in 90 degree weather. I was using Google Maps, Streaming Spotify on LTE and charging my phone. It got pretty hot and stopped charging. But never restarted, turned off or acted up. The 810 heat issue is completely blown out of proportion. Posted via the Android Central App
  • (With Homer voice) Hmm... Doritos... Shwhshs agghh...
  • Yeah, but weren't companies like HTC able to solve the heating issue. From my understanding, the 810 only ran out in Sony phones, but I could be wrong.
  • I would actually much prefer having them push the limits of mobile tech in the battery department. I mean, sure. Many consumers are more easily swayed by the idea of a 4K display than a 5000mAh battery, but really, I don't see any logic to having a 4K display in a phone. I have a phone with a 2K display (LG G4) and it's already impossible to see the pixels, even when I squint.
  • They are trying to with the battery. It's just that these pesky little things called Physics and Cost, keep getting in the way of big gains in battery tech. There have been breakthroughs but they may not be practical, safe or first effective... Yet. Give them a few more years. Many companies are working on this. Posted via the Android Central App
  • For real Posted From my Nexus 6/Nexus 7 2013/Surface pro 3
  • If you don't really care about super high resolution displays, then why did you buy the G4? Should have bought Motorola Droid Turbo or Xperia Z3 if you wanted great battery life.
  • G4 is more than just display Posted via the Android Central App
  • The problem is performance will be terrible down the road. That's a lot of pixels to push for no added benefit.
  • You've seen a 4k smartphone display before? Lol. You might be right, but people judge way too soon. Every resolution increase people say there's no need, there's no difference. And they are wrong. You're also not thinking about the trickle down effect. Better 4k optimizations means much better optimizations for 1080p and 1440p. Lower prices, etc... Pushing the envelope is always a good thing, it can just take a while to smooth out... Maybe you worded it odd, but are you aware 2160p IS 4k? Posted via the Android Central App
  • Yep, I'm aware that 4K on consumer electronics is 3840x2160. I have a phone with a 2K display, and it's hardly any different from a 1080p panel of the same size minus text being very, VERY slightly sharper. I suspect 4K will be the same when compared with 2K.
  • Well isn't 1080p 2k in itself Posted via the Android Central App on my Nexus 5 or Nexus 7 2013
  • 1440p is not 2k bud. 1440p on my s6e looks better than my 1080p one plus one. I've done side by side tests. Many. I'm happy to see a 4k phone coming out.
  • And 4k isn't really what these phones use either, but... Posted via the Android Central App
  • People are saying "people are proved wrong every time" but I'd argue that they were proved right with QuadHD. Manufacturers won't stop, but there's definitely little to no difference in 1080P to QuadHD, at least compared to the jump from 720p to 1080p. Samsung uses a pentile layout on their displays though, meaning their 1080p displays have far fewer subpixels than a real 1080, and their QuadHD having less than a real QuadHD. If the S6 can be billed as having an amazing display despite this, why on earth do we need a 4k display, likely with an RGB matrix? We're past the point of diminishing returns. Displays have been the biggest or nearly the biggest power hogs for a while now. Manufacturers are introducing devices with displays that actually hamper the user experience by weakening a device's battery life. Would you not rather see phones consistently hitting two, and eventually three days of battery life? Imagine if the S6 had a 1080p display, a slightly bigger battery at the cost of 1mm, and consistently made 6-8 hours of screen on time. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Hence, why I'm more excited for the Zenfone Max. Doesn't have the best specs, but a 5000mAh battery is hard to ignore.
  • Why can't we have a 5000mah battery and a quad or ultra HD scren. What if the note 5 had a 5000mah battery
  • I personally can tell fairly easily between 1080p and QuadHD displays, even a Samsung QuadHD at that. Like I said, the trickle down will help us all. They will have to push to optimize 4k and it will benefit everyone. This phone will probably be a disaster, performance wise, but that could change next year. I think QuadHD on 5-6" is fine, but if the 4k era causes manufacturers to improve batteries (size and efficiency) and SoC's, even faster, I'm all for it. Don't get me wrong, I'd rather have a QuadHD display with a 4,000mah battery... I hate those super thin phones, so I wouldn't mind adding a little thickness for a bigger battery. I held my buddies 6 Plus last night and was actually turned off how thin it was. Way too slippery in my hand. Posted via the Android Central App
  • If the S6 had a 1080p display, it'd likely look as crappy as the S4 and S5. Pentile desperately needed QHD. Compare that difference in the world of RGB IPS, and you're closer to the mark. I really can't discern a difference between the 468ppi of my M7 and the 538ppi of my G4. Get down closer to the 400ppi mark though, and there's a very definite drop-off in sharpness. At least to my eyes. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Yup, the difference from a 368ppi IPS LCD vs 515ppi SuperAMOLED are pretty obvious to me. Anything over 300-350ppi looks "good" to me, though. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I'd still be fine with a 5 inch 720p display after using a 5 inch 1080p display. Not a noticeable difference at all if they're both RGB displays.
  • I just watched a video hands on of the Z5P on YouTube by Betekt. The reviewer said he recorded 10 minutes of 4k video and the Z5P didn't even get warm. So that should put to rest any overheating concerns. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Holy crap! Posted via the Android Central App
  • Honestly, surpassing 1440p is a stretch for normal use. But meh, if the battery easily lasts me atleast 1.5 days, what more can I ask for? Posted via the Android Central App
  • So down. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Meh Posted via the Android Central App
  • Chrome phone lol Posted via the Android Central App
  • Chrome os phone would be awesome. As long as it's not using the sd810. Lol
  • That SoC is going to throttle SO bad. As much as I'd like to see a 4k display on a phone, just to see if it's different, the 810 era was a bad decision. Should have tried Exynos or been the official debut of the 820 or something. Posted via the Android Central App
  • So wait until February. Sony has a 6 month product cycle refresh, so I'm sure there will be an update to this phone when the 820 is released. Now that, I would buy. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Still this phone looks beastly. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Ha-ha. True... Z5 Premium Plus? Lol Posted via the Android Central App
  • Nah, just stick an "s" on the end like everyone else does. Z5s Plus. Done. Posted via the Android Central App
  • What's the deal with changing two out of the three on screen buttons per lollipop design language? Why not the home button? Why this bothers me, I have no idea. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Ppi 806?! That's it?! Posted via the Android Central App
  • +313 I agree
  • 806 flippin PPI !!! dreaming of electric sheep
  • Omg they actually did the 4k screen. I can't believe it. I'd really like to see this in person!
  • I can't wait until CES. The Sony booth is right next to my booth. I will play with this phone then.
  • I'm usually not big into the looks of a phone compared to the functionality, but that chrome finish is SHARP. Overkill with the 4K display I think, and I'm interested to see how Sony will handle it in terms of battery life. Posted via the Android Central App
  • It's the premium one, yet even it has no OIS. I'm curious to know Sony's reasoning for sticking solely to software stabilization. Posted via the AC app
  • 4k doesn't bother me. Hover the fact that it has the sd card slot and is the closest screen size to the galaxy note phones. You will a bunch of samsung users like myself abandoning the note series and move to slightly smaller screen with the new x5. Its a compramise I am willing to make. Sd slots still live yay!
  • Strongly suggest waiting for a performance review! That 810 struggles with 1440p, 4k is going to be rough! The faster A57 cores may never turn on. Ha-ha. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I meant z5 sorry
  • I am thinking the same thing. If it has wireless charging I'm in. Posted via the Android Central App
  • 4K seems a bit of an overkill, IMO. I'm still not convinced about SD810. And, this is a premium with only 32GB internal storage? Such promising specs to the point that it's pushing the limits, yet it seems to fall just a bit short...
    I guess I'll have to wait for the official review of this beast for the final verdict. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I was thinking about getting this for my next phone but im not sure now. Although the specs are nice i will have to wait and see how hot it gets with 4k and 810. Posted via the Android Central App
  • 4k... Sd810soc??!! Yikes! I can appreciate the efforts here but..... Now we know if the sun goes super nova we can just toss this guy into orbit for warmth.
    Maybe ill wait for Android M's official update to this phone to take advantage of "dose" and hope the price has a significant price drop Posted via the Android Central App
  • Has anyone discussed the size of this phone? It's taller than the note 5 with a 5.7 inch screen. 153.2 x 76.1 x 7.6 mm Note 5 154.4mm x 75.8mm x 7.8mm - Z5 Prem 146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm Lg g3
  • The top and bottom bezels on these phones are pretty big, the Z5 is taller than the N5 with the same screen size. That's not right! Posted via Android Central App
  • Unless they need the space for the front-facing speakers (think HTC's claims). Although Moto has been pretty successful in implementing them without the crazy-big chin and forehead, so we know it's doable. Maybe it's just not doable for anyone but Moto. Posted via the Android Central App
  • You may be right on the dimensions but the screen is 5.5 inches. Guess thats closer to the original note screen size Posted via the Android Central App
  • Dat chrome Posted via the Android Central App
  • I wanna Samsung to bring a 4k screen with its own cpu. The only thing stops me from buying this device is sd810. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Wow, this phone is amazing. Waterproof, great cam, great display, expandable storage and big battery in a premium design! Posted from my Beast Galaxy Note 5 via the Android Central App DEVICE HISTORY (since they got smart) Phones
    Galaxy Nexus, LG viper, Galaxy s3, HTC Evo 4g, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy s5, LG G-Flex, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy s6 edge, Galaxy Note 5 Tablets
    Galaxy Note 10.1 gt-n8013, Galaxy tab 3 7.0, a few low budget tabs I care not to mention because they were terrible and not worthy of my memory. Watch
    Galaxy gear
  • Look pal, I don't care about your device history. Posted via Android Central App
  • if it bothers you so much, don't look at it then... Posted from my Beast Galaxy Note 5 via the Android Central App DEVICE HISTORY (since they got smart) Phones
    Galaxy Nexus, LG viper, Galaxy s3, HTC Evo 4g, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy s5, LG G-Flex, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy s6 edge, Galaxy Note 5 Tablets
    Galaxy Note 10.1 gt-n8013, Galaxy tab 3 7.0, a few low budget tabs I care not to mention because they were terrible and not worthy of my memory. Watch
    Galaxy gear
  • It's pretty hard not to when it takes up 90% of the screen. Posted via Android Central App
  • Get a note 5 and you won't have that problem lol Posted from my Beast Galaxy Note 5 via the Android Central App DEVICE HISTORY (since they got smart) Phones
    Galaxy Nexus, LG viper, Galaxy s3, HTC Evo 4g, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy s5, LG G-Flex, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy s6 edge, Galaxy Note 5 Tablets
    Galaxy Note 10.1 gt-n8013, Galaxy tab 3 7.0, a few low budget tabs I care not to mention because they were terrible and not worthy of my memory. Watch
    Galaxy gear
  • Tell that to my 7 inch Nexus 7 2013 ha-ha
    Someone needs to recognize max signature sizes ahem Android Central Posted via the Android Central App on my Nexus 5 or Nexus 7 2013
  • I've shrunk it a little, didn't realize everyone got so upset about a dam signature. Hopefully this will not ruin your article viewing ability as much Posted from my Beast Galaxy Note 5 DEVICE HISTORY (since they got smart)
    PHONES: Galaxy Nexus, LG viper, Galaxy s3, HTC Evo 4g, Galaxy Note 2, Galaxy s5, LG G-Flex, Galaxy Mega 6.3, Galaxy s6 edge, Galaxy Note 5. TABLETS: Galaxy Note 10.1 gt-n8013, Galaxy tab 3 7.0. WATCH: Galaxy gear
  • Much better Posted via Android Central App
  • It was like 30 lines... When you have a 10 word reply with a signature that takes 30 lines, it looks stupid. Honestly, no one in the comments give a $h!t about what devices you have owned... Not trying to be rude. Comment section is just its own beast. Save it for the forums. Yeah, that's better though... Still kinda ridiculous for the comment section. Lol Posted via the Android Central App
  • I never understood the 'direct" link between higher res and increased battery consumption - BUT - having followed TV tech for a while (and reading Sony' s blurb today
    it comes down to upscaling. 1080p phones had to upscale most material designed for 720 or lower. More apps, photos and video are presumably 1080p now, but 99% of the time most (normal) people will be feeding this 4k screen with much lower res material, save for the odd 5 minute 4k recording or paying Netflix your mortgage / rent payments to watch 4k movies on a 5. er 5? " screen, and good luck with that! So this SoC is going to work hard, hard HARD to make up stuff to feed all those extra pixels by evaluating each frame. Still, I am not dissing it. It will be interesting.... but as a first foray I think they are gambling on people wanting bragging rights to the 1st 4k phone, and it may take a few iterations to get it right. Defo needs an SD850 :) Personally I think it's great they brought it out as a show piece, but I wouldn't chance it as my daily driver on a 24 month plan (which seem harder to swap out of in the UK)
  • Samsung is going to follow close behind in fact they'll have one before the end of the year Source: intuition Posted From my Nexus 6/Nexus 7 2013/Surface pro 3
  • You do know it's September? :)
  • Yes but I think Samsung is being low key. Posted From my Nexus 6/Nexus 7 2013/Surface pro 3
  • Me too. We'll see what the Note 5 Active is like. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Actually most of a display's power draw comes from the pixels. Upscaling is done by the processor and as a whole is actually quite minimal considering what else the processor wastes power on. In a typical modern LCD display each pixel is made up of three other individual components called sub pixels (engineer naming sense at it's finest). So in a 1080p screen
    (1080 * 1920) * 3 = 6220800 sub pixels
    And in a UHD screen
    (3840 * 2160) * 3 = 24883200 sub pixels. If we consider that that each sub pixel draws a milliwatt (mW) of power (extremely inaccurate random value) the UHD display would be using about 25 kilowatts of power. While the HD display would be using about 6 kilowatts. That is why with all things equal, different screen sizes with the same resolution doesn't impact power draw, but the same screen size with different screen resolutions does. It is because there are more components to power in a UHD display than a normal HD display. Of course this doesn't account for efficiency, difference in panel types, manufacturing defects and a whole lot of other stuff that can change calculations like these. Some better armchair analysis here: http://pocketnow.com/2014/10/28/qhd-smartphone-displays To everyone in the comments; please feel free to correct me. Also disagree, make witty sarcastic comments and whatever else you do in the comments section.
  • Good to see this from Sony, but I miss their really big phone! Posted via the Android Central App
  • Brilliant Sony; very little is optimized for 2K displays, so you'll have nothing optimized for a 4K display. Additionally, 2K displays burn through battery - we've pretty well established that. So all of 3430 mAh to push 800 PPI, here's to you 1.5 screen on time.
  • At least they'll be feeling the Bern am I right xD Posted via the Android Central App on my Nexus 5 or Nexus 7 2013
  • Hopefully they give multiple quick chargers in the packaging. =D. You'll need one everywhere you go. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I have never had a density issue with a 1080p phone and I have used and owned 1440p phones. I realize no one has used a 4k phone display before but I doubt I will find any benefit.
  • This phone sounds amazing!
  • Guys stop freaking out regarding battery life. I'm willing to bet that the Z5 Premium will end up having much better battery life than the Galaxy S6.
    Plus this phone is waterproof and has expandable memory. Its going to beat the rocks off the Galaxy S6. So stop complaining about the 4K display and battery life.
  • I'm much more concerned with poor performance from SD810 throttling, honestly. Battery life will probably be... OK. Posted via the Android Central App
  • I'm rather certain it'll beat the socks off the GS6, Note 5, and GS6+. However, the 810 remains a concern and a 4K mobile screen answers a question no one asked. Sony may proudly proclaim, we are first; first to have a mobile screen with absolutely nothing optimized for it.
  • Haha so funny how everyone if claiming this will have poor battery life without any proof!! Sony stated 2 day battery life for all the phones, why would they come out with that at a live press conference if they weren't confident?
    And even if this phone falls just short of that claim, lets say 1.5 days...that would still be great battery life compared to the rest of the latest flagships. Posted via the Android Central App
  • Claim vs real life experience, which one do you think speak the truth? Mostly claim are just garbage Posted via the Android Central App
  • Was curious until I read SD810. But the PPI on this thing is insane. Over 800 PPI? Even the best phone on the market right now, the Galaxy Note 5 can only manage 577 PPI or is that the Galaxy S6? Posted via the Android Central App on my Moto G 4G 2nd Gen
  • S6 with the same resolution as the Note but of course in a smaller factor but yea definitely bigger and insane. Waiting for a device to eclipse the 1000 ppi. Take that Jobs and your horrible 30ppi Posted via the Android Central App on my Nexus 5 or Nexus 7 2013