Hands-On: Sony Xperia Z2 and M2
The Xperia M2 is a slightly smaller, somewhat cheaper variant of the flagship Z series devices. It is meant to fill the mid-market slot in Sony's lineup and it loses some of the luster associated with Sony's top-of-the-line hardware.
The M2 uses the same Omnibalance Design as seen on the Z2. That means it has a polycarbonate frame sandwiched between two glass panels and an over-sized power button on the right edge. It looks like a Z2 Mini more than it does a unique device. It is certainly classy for a mid-ranger, and comes off with a lot more appeal than what Samsung offers in the class of device. The M2 is very thin and light, but you can tell that the materials aren't as high quality as the Z2. The polycarbonate frame isn't as cool as the aluminum one of the Z2, but it has the same set-up with hatches and buttons and such. The M2 is also not waterproof, nor dustproof.
The screen measures 4.8 inches across the diagonal and offers qHD (960 x 540) resolution. You can tell it has far fewer pixels than the Z2. The M2's screen looks good, but it is not as impressive as a full HD screen would be. I found it to be bright and relatively sharp. It befits the class of device the M2 is.
The button placement is OK. The power button, volume toggle, and dedicated camera button are all on the right edge. The power button feels great, but the other two are horrible. The volume toggle is much too small and offers barely and travel and feedback at all. The camera buttons isn't too bad. As with Sony's other phones, the microUSB port is covered by a hatch on the left edge, and the memory card / SIM card slots are covered by a hatch on the right edge. The headphone jack is on top.
The M2 runs the exact same user interface offered on the Z2 and comes replete with Sony and services, such as Walkman and PlayStation.
The M2 will be made available globally in April. No U.S. carriers have voiced plans to sell the M2, but it's not unreasonable to believe it will show up eventually.
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Sony Xperia Z2
