Android tablets are a dime a dozen these days, and rarely do you come across one that makes you really excited at the prospect of picking it up.
The Xperia Tablet Z is definitely one of those rare ones.
From its name, it’s clear that the tablet shares a lot of similarities with the Xperia Z smartphone, but here’s the pleasant surprise: the Xperia Tablet Z actually feels like a refinement of the Xperia Z.
The tablet’s design sticks with the same stark and minimalist character as the smartphone, with a slick glass panel up front, small rounded corners and a thin plastic strip running around the edges. You can also find the now-signature silvery knob on the left edge, which acts as the power button.
Not surprisingly, the tablet is also dust and water resistant as a result. Its entire construction is tight and reassuring, and features the same port covers as the Xperia Z.
The biggest difference in terms of design is the back panel, which now has a very nice matte plastic finish instead of glass like on the Xperia Z. This gives it a much nicer feel and grip. The black version looks especially good, though there’s of course a white version as well.
The Tablet Z is also phenomenally thin. The entire confection of glass and plastic is a mere 6.9mm thick and weighs in at only 495g, even thinner and lighter than the Xperia Z!
You cannot begin to imagine how light the tablet is until you pick it up. Plus, the weight feels incredibly even across the whole tablet, making it very easy and comfortable to hold.
The display is also quite a sight to behold, with a higher than HD resolution (1,920 x 1,200) and rich colours that isn’t overly saturated. Viewing angles have also been greatly improved compared to the Xperia Z, which tends to wash out colours when viewed from the side.
The software of the Tablet Z also feels more refined than that of the Xperia Z.
Running on Android 4.1, Sony’s skin looks significantly more polished, and includes several useful additions, including a small dock along the top where you can pin some apps, and small little utilities that can run in their own small windows, such as calculator or voice recorder.
Unfortunately, there’s no pricing available at the moment, but Sony has promised that it’ll be on sale at PC Show in about a week’s time.
Check back soon for our full review of the Tablet Z.
