Case

Fans of high-quality materials will shed tears of joy when seeing the Z5 Premium: While the lateral edges are composed of metal, the entire front and back sides are covered by glass. It has been chemically tempered and coated with a fingerprint resistant finish, at least in the screen's area. The spec sheets do not reveal what kind of glass has been used for the back, but there is no subjective difference to the material on the front. Unlike the elegant-looking, matte back cover of the smaller Xperia Z5, our chrome-colored review sample could also be mistaken for a pocket mirror. It is obvious that this design also involves drawbacks. Its surface is covered with some fingerprints after only a short time. They are, however, quite easy to remove. The feel of the applied materials does not give reason for complaint. However, the lateral edges give an otherwise standard design some character. The non-removable battery is difficult to replace, which is a negative point.

The now bigger 5.5-inch screen has an effect on the casing's size: Compared with a normal Xperia Z5, the Premium model has larger dimensions. The handset's length also demonstrates that compactness was not a priority in the device's development. It clearly towers over many 5.5-inch rivals, such as LG's G4 or Huawei's Mate S. This additional space is visible in the relatively tall, unused areas above and below the screen. Some opponents like Apple's iPhone 6S Plus or Google's Nexus 6P with a larger 5.7-inch screen are even bigger. The Xperia Z5 Premium has a thickness of 7.8 millimeters (~0.3 in) according to the manufacturer, which is true in the glass surface areas. We measure marginal 0.3 millimeters more on our review sample's slightly protruding metal frame. In contrast to many competing models, the camera is fortunately flush with the casing. Although the handset is not the slimmest smartphone on the market with these dimensions, it is still relatively thin. Its weight of 181 grams (~6.4 oz) does not necessarily reflect that; only the iPhone 6S Plus is even heavier with 192 grams (~6.8 oz) in the comparison field. Thus, it projects a certain degree of quality.

In contrast to unibody handsets, the Xperia Z5 Premium is much easier to twist. However, it does not produce any disconcerting noises. Waves form on the screen only when higher pressure is applied to the device's front or back. Like other handsets in the Z5 lineup, the review sample is water and dust resistant in accordance to IP65 and IP68 - it should not be exposed to salt or chlorinated water, though. Therefore, care should be taken when visiting the beach or swimming pool.