Sony has been improving its smartphones so much that it’s impossible not to see the electronics superpower as a serious competitor to Apple and Samsung, and here we are again with another model and what may well be the perfection of its Xperia range thus far.
Features
- If it doesn’t feel like it’s been long since we saw a new Z model Xperia, you’d be right, with only a few months of space occupying the time since Sony first showed us the Z2 at Mobile World Congress earlier in the year, and then the Z3 at IFA a few months later.
- Here we are, though, with another Xperia, and it’s very much a model like the Z3 Compact we checked out recently, albeit one with a bigger screen.
- As such, expect much of the same technology found in the Z3 Compact in the Sony Xperia Z3, including a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 clocked at 2.5GHz and paired with 3GB RAM, an increase on the 2GB found in the Z3 Compact.
- Google’s Android 4.4 “KitKat” is also found here, with Sony’s own overlay provided, and 16GB storage running alongside with room to upgrade it thanks to a microSD slot found inside the unit.
- Connection options are spot on identical, with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, Near-Field Communication (NFC), microUSB, GPS, and 4G LTE working on a Category 4 system providing download speeds as high as 150Mbps on compatible networks and speeds as high as 50Mbps.
- The camera is exactly the same also, with a 20.7 megapixel sensor with autofocus and flash on the back, also capable of recording 4K Ultra HD video if need be, while the front-facing camera is also exactly the same at 2.2 megapixels.
- Water resistance is also identical, sporting IP68 certification for dust-proofing and water resistance over a metre (usually under three) for up to 30 minutes.
Buttons are few in number on smartphones, and the Xperia Z3 keeps this trend up, with only three physical buttons on the right edge and all remaining soft buttons found as part of the screen.
- Ports are equally few in number, though you will find a microUSB port on the left edge hidden by a door, Sony’s proprietary magnetic dock connector below this, while the right edge houses a microSD slot and nanoSIM slot covered by a door, and the top features a 3.5mm headset jack on the left-most side.
- The casing for the phone is made from glass and aluminium, and the battery for the Sony Xperia Z3 is rated at 3100mAh.
Performance
- Sony has had a few goes with its Xperia Z flagship phones, and for its latest iteration, the smartphone design it started with in 2013 is receiving a tightening up.
- In fact, if you’ve taken a look at the Z2 and then a glance at the specs of the Z3, it’d be easy to be confused at the whole thing: they look identical, or close to it.
- Similar processor, similar screen, similar camera, similar design, similar water resistance, similar so much that you have to wonder how much is new, and whether it was worth Sony releasing a totally new product in time for the holiday season.
- First the look and feel, and really, this is an evolution of the previous Z2 smartphone, with softened aluminium edges, glass on the front and back, and a feeling that can only be described as premium.
- Lovely build and finish that fits nicely in the hands.
- Water and dust resistance at IP68 certification.
- Unlike the Z3 Compact, the sides actually fit in well, boosting that water resistance.
- Great performance; Solid 4G speeds with Category 4 connectivity (150Mbps maximum).
- Excellent battery life.
- Can play the PlayStation 4 remotely if you have one; Supports high-resolution audio.
- Camera shoots 4K UHD video, Shutter button lets you start up the camera phone quickly.
- Supports Sony's magnetic proprietary dock, making it easy to charge while displaying the phone in a horizontal form facing you.
- Very, very slippery -- it fell off our desks several times!
- Can get a little hot.
- No infrared controller
