Sony's doubling down on design. The Xperia Z2 Tablet is nearly identical to its predecessor, inheriting the minimalist, flat-rectangle design language that has come to define Sony's mobile portfolio. It's exquisitely slim and exudes refinement, but aside from obligatory performance upgrades, this is an encore, not an exciting new installment. Second verse, same as the first: The Z2 Tablet is big on style, but simply sufficient on substance. And for $499.99 (16GB), we expect a little more. The Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 (2014 Edition) goes for around the same price, has a sharper display, and bundles in best-in-class stylus support, while the Apple iPad Air bests the Z2 on design and ecosystem.

Design and Features

The Z2 Tablet perfectly embodies Sony's OmniBalance design language, which puts an emphasis on restraint and attention to detail. It's an understated slab of glass and soft-touch plastic that some will find wonderfully minimalist, but others might find a bit boring. At 10.47 by 6.8 by 0.24 inches (HWD) and only 15.49 ounces, the Z2 tablet is incredibly thin and light, but more or less physically identical to the original Xperia Tablet Z. It's effortless to handle, but you can still feel some flex in the frame, which gives it an unfortunately delicate feel. The micro USB port and microSD card slot are covered by small flaps, which are necessary for the IP58 waterproof and dust-resistant rating. The Z2 can survive being submerged for 30 minutes in up to 5 feet of water, but you won't be able to use the touch screen when fully submerged. The flaps blend seamlessly into the flat edges, but they can be hard to locate, and the small indent can make them difficult to open if you keep your fingernails short.