Sony Xperia XZ

Review Lengkap Sony Xperia XZ
The Sony Xperia XZ is a flagship smartphone released in 2016, offering a combination of premium design, powerful performance for its time, and camera features that are one of Sony's main advantages. Despite being several years old, the Xperia XZ is still relevant for everyday use and even light to medium gaming, depending on the game being played. Here is a complete review, specifications, as well as analysis of compatibility with the requested games.

Full specifications of Sony Xperia XZ
Here are the technical specifications of the Sony Xperia XZ based on official information:
  • Dimensions and design:
    • Dimensions: 146 x 72 x 8.1 mm
    • Weight: 161 grams
    • Material: Frame aluminium dengan panel belakang logam (Alkaleido)
    • IP68 certification (water and dust resistant to a depth of 1.5 meters for 30 minutes)
    • Warna: Forest Blue, Mineral Black, Platinum
  • Screen:
    • Type: IPS LCD, 5.2 inch
    • Resolusi: Full HD (1080 x 1920 piksel), ~424 ppi
    • Proteksi: Corning Gorilla Glass 4
    • Fitur: Triluminos Display, X-Reality Engine untuk warna yang lebih tajam
  • Performance:
    • Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8996 Snapdragon 820 (14 nm)
    • CPU: Quad-core (2×2.15 GHz Kryo & 2×1.6 GHz Kryo)
    • GPU: Adreno 530
    • RAM: 3 GB
    • Penyimpanan: 32 GB (F8331) atau 64 GB (F8332), mendukung microSD hingga 256 GB
  • Operating System:
    • Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow), dapat diupgrade ke Android 7.1.1 (Nougat)
    • Interface: Sony Xperia UI (close to stock Android with little customization)
  • Camera:
    • Kamera Belakang: 23 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.3″, EIS, Laser Autofocus, LED flash
      • Fitur: Triple Image Sensing, RGBC-IR sensor, perekaman video 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps
    • Kamera Depan: 13 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3″, 1080p@30fps
    • Quality: natural color, high detail in good light condition, low-light performance is good enough for its class
  • Battery:
    • Kapasitas: 2900 mAh (non-removable)
    • Pengisian: USB-C, mendukung Quick Charge 3.0
    • Durability: about 4-5 hours screen-on-time for mixed use
  • Connectivity:
    • Network: 4G LTE
    • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
    • Bluetooth 4.2, NFC
    • GPS, GLONASS
    • USB: Type-C 2.0
  • Audio:
    • Speaker stereo
    • Jack 3.5mm
    • Dukungan Hi-Res Audio, DSEE HX, LDAC
  • Additional Features:
    • Fingerprint Sensor (integrated in the power button, depending on the region)
    • Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity, barometer, compass
    • PS4 Remote Play

Review Sony Xperia XZ
Desain dan Build Quality
The Sony Xperia XZ boasts Sony's signature design with an elegant and symmetrical boxy aesthetic. Alkaleido metal Material gives a premium impression, with a texture that is comfortable in the hand and not easily soiled. IP68 certification makes it resistant to water and dust, adding durability value. However, the screen bezels that are quite thick may feel outdated compared to modern smartphones. Physical buttons, including a dedicated camera button, provide an intuitive user experience.
Screen
The 5.2-inch Full HD display on the Xperia XZ is sharp enough for everyday use, with a pixel density of ~424 ppi. Triluminos technology and X-Reality Engine produce vivid colors and good contrast, although not as bright as AMOLED panels. The screen is suitable for watching videos or playing games, but its maximum brightness can be suboptimal in direct sunlight.
Performance
The Snapdragon 820 was the flagship chipset of its time, offering solid performance for multitasking, browsing, and light to medium gaming. The Adreno 530 GPU is capable of handling graphics well, although 3 GB of RAM can be a limitation for heavy modern applications or games. For everyday use, the Xperia XZ is still responsive, but for heavy gaming, certain optimizations are needed (such as lowering graphics settings).
Camera
The 23 MP camera is one of the hallmarks of the Xperia XZ. Teknologi Triple Image Sensing (Laser AF, RGBC-IR, dan Phase Detection) menghasilkan fokus cepat dan warna akurat, terutama di siang hari. Features like 4K video and slow-motion 720p@960fps are quite impressive for its class. The 13 MP front camera is also capable of selfies and video calls. However, low-light performance lags a bit, and Sony's built-in camera app can feel less intuitive than GCam.
Battery
The 2900 mAh battery is fairly small, but the Snapdragon 820's efficiency makes for pretty decent endurance for standard use (about 4-5 hours of screen-on-time). Quick Charge 3.0 allows for fast charging, although the capacity can run out quickly when playing heavy games. Optimizations such as closing background apps are helpful.
Audio and other features
Speaker stereo Xperia XZ menghasilkan suara yang jernih, cocok untuk multimedia. Dukungan Hi-Res Audio melalui jack 3.5mm adalah nilai tambah bagi audiophile. Fitur seperti PS4 Remote Play juga menarik bagi gamer konsol. However, Sony'S UI that comes close to stock Android may feel less feature-rich than competitors like Samsung or Xiaomi.
Advantages:
  • Premium design with sturdy build quality and waterproof (IP68)
  • 23 MP camera with advanced technology for photos and videos
  • Snapdragon 820 still capable performance for everyday tasks
  • Sharp screen with accurate colors
  • High quality Audio with Hi-Res and stereo speakers
Disadvantages:
  • 3 GB of RAM is limited for multitasking or modern games
  • Small 2900 mAh battery for intensive gaming
  • Thick screen bezels, less modern
  • No OS updates beyond Android 7.1.1
  • Camera performance in low-light is less consistent

Compatibility and ability with games
Here is an analysis of Sony Xperia XZ performance for the requested game, based on device specifications and related references such as gaming testing on similar devices:
  1. Genshin Impact:
    • Matches: Low to medium (with optimization)
    • Ability: Genshin Impact is a heavy game that requires a Snapdragon 845 equivalent chipset or higher for optimal performance. Dengan Snapdragon 820 dan RAM 3 GB, Xperia XZ kesulitan menjalankan game ini pada pengaturan grafis default. Users need to lower the setting to “Lowest " and low resolution to get a playable frame rate (about 20-30 FPS). Heating is also a problem, so using an external cooler and closing background applications is recommended. Battery life for Genshin Impact is estimated to be around 2-3 hours due to high power consumption.
    • Tips: Aktifkan mode “Disable HW Overlay” di Developer Options, gunakan aplikasi seperti Greenify untuk menutup aplikasi latar belakang, dan restart perangkat sebelum bermain.
  2. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang:
    • Matches: Height
    • Ability: Mobile Legends is a relatively lightweight MOBA game and optimized for various devices. Xperia XZ dapat menjalankan game ini pada pengaturan grafis “High” dengan frame rate stabil sekitar 50-60 FPS. Battery consumption is also efficient, with a drop of about 4% per 15-20 minutes of play. There is no significant lag or frame drop, making the Xperia XZ a perfect fit for this game.
    • Tips: Enable High Frame Rate mode in game settings for a smoother experience.
  3. Free Fire:
    • Matches: Height
    • Ability: Free Fire is designed for low to medium spec devices, so Xperia XZ can run it smoothly on “High” or “Ultra”graphics settings. The Frame rate is stable at around 50-60 FPS, with the temperature of the device maintained (maximum 40°C after long playing). Small game file size (424 MB) is also suitable for 32/64 GB storage.
    • Tips: Use the “Ultra " graphics settings for the best visual quality without sacrificing performance.
  4. Block Blast:
    • Matches: Very High
    • Ability: Block Blast is a lightweight puzzle game that does not require high specifications. Xperia XZ can run this game very smoothly without lag, even with multitasking. Battery consumption is minimal, and this game does not cause heating. Suitable for long-term relaxing play sessions.
    • Tips: No special optimization is required; the game runs smoothly at default settings.
  5. Minecraft:
    • Matches: Height
    • Ability: Minecraft (Pocket Edition) pada Xperia XZ berjalan baik pada pengaturan grafis standar (render distance 8-12 chunks). Frame rate stabil di 40-60 FPS untuk dunia single-player atau server kecil. However, for a world with a lot of redstone or entities, performance may decrease slightly due to the limitation of 3 GB of RAM. Battery consumption is about 5-6% per 30 minutes of play.
    • Tips: Lower render distance to 6-8 chunks for more stable performance in complex worlds.
  6. PUBG Mobile:
    • Matches: Medium
    • Ability: PUBG Mobile dapat dimainkan pada Xperia XZ dengan pengaturan grafis “Smooth” dan frame rate “High” untuk mendapatkan 30-40 FPS yang stabil. Setting " HD / Ultra” might cause frame drop, especially in crowded areas. The temperature of the device can reach 40-42°C after 30 minutes of play, so external cooling is recommended. The battery decreases by about 5-6% per 20 minutes.
    • TipsTip: use the “Smooth/High " setting and avoid multitasking for optimal performance.

Conclusion
The Sony Xperia XZ is a smartphone that is still viable for everyday use in 2025, especially for users who want a premium design, quality cameras, and capable audio. However, for gaming, the performance varies depending on the type of game:
  • Very Suitable: Mobile Legends, Free Fire, Block Blast, Minecraft (dengan pengaturan standar)
  • Quite Suitable: PUBG Mobile (with low to medium settings)
  • Less Suitable: Genshin Impact (requires strict optimization and limited performance)
For casual gamers, the Xperia XZ is still reliable, but for heavy games like Genshin Impact, the device is less than ideal due to RAM limitations and an aging chipset. If you plan to buy a used Xperia XZ for gaming, be sure to perform optimizations such as closing background applications, using coolers, and updating the OS to the highest supported version.
RecommendationTip: for an optimal gaming experience, consider a smartphone with at least 4 GB of RAM and a newer chipset (such as Snapdragon 845 or equivalent). However, for light use and popular games like Mobile Legends or Free Fire, the Xperia XZ is still very capable at a relatively affordable price on the used market.
If you have any further questions or want any other specific analysis, please let us know!