Sony Z2

Upgraded from my Samsung S2. Quite a step up - I loved the S2's compact size and design and wasn't really impressed with the following S-series Samsungs. The tech got better over the years of course but they all (including HTCs and Sony Ericssons) looked and were bulky. I didn't want the files transfer hassle + pay a hefty price tag for a phone I really didn't want! But the S2 needed retiring and I realized I just had to put up with the bigger sizes of the high-end phones so I gave in and chose Sony Z2 because of the design and camera!

Anyway! I am very pleased with my choice. The battery life is so incredible, I have literally played with it ~20 hours with countless downloads and about 30 hours later it still has 5% left! By far the best attribute of it.
Considering the intense competition the tech is as good as it gets: it's ultra fast at all tasks, the screen is razor sharp, the camera has all the bells and whistles and it IS waterproof (couldn't resist it!). One cool feature is that, with the right USB cable, you can actually play games with your PS3 controller!
There is some bloatware included but you can hide the unwanted apps in the settings, that's a big plus in my book.

The only thing I'm missing is a physical home screen button but that's just a habbit from the S2. But it does have a camera button that I really missed with the Samsung so I guess it evens out.

I am happy so far, and I hope Sony gets back on top because they still got it.

 

Let me update this thread and let you guys know that I have dropped my Z2 countless times (I think the part of my brain that keeps track of stuff to not lose on the ground is not working properly), and it has survived everything. Not even a scratch on the screen! This is the best smartphone I have ever owned and I'm now a Z series buyer for years to come. Finally a 'phone I'm really satisfied with!

Ps. The Stamina mode is AWESOME! I can use all the apps (including games and Internet/GPS) and get 2 whole days out of it with relatively extensive use! The battery life won't budge if it's on standby with minimal use. So satisfied.