Gadgetory

a year ago we got a nice surprise in the form of a smaller Sony Xperia z1 one that didn't compromise on performance just to make a small phone half a year later we got a z2 but we didn't get an upgrade to what was one of the best small phones available now at Eva just a couple months ago we finally saw the update to the compact line and we were just as excited for it as we were for the brand-new z3 now it's Josh Vergara from Android Authority and this is the Sony Xperia z3 compact for the most part the compact moniker tells you exactly what you will get with this version of the new Sony flagship with a much smaller 4.6 inches screen compared to the majority of today's flagship smartphones the entire body of the compact keeps everything within reach harkening back to the z3 proper the new small speaker grilles adorn the front and come in a dual setup around the size or all of the same buttons even the dedicated camera button found near the bottom and the corners have been smooth out much like in the z3 but the compact does not retain the same metallic frame and instead has a hard plastic feel to it the covers look a little different to remaining flush with the overall width of the side and finally the glass back completes the glass on glass construction of this smaller Xperia z3 handling is the highlight here as just about everything is within reach when using one hand while it would have been nice to have the same higher quality construction of the original z3 the styling is still close enough that its aesthetic is just as pleasing it's funny that just a year ago this size would have been considered normal and then five inches was considered too big now 4.6 inches is considered mini and compact but since it is still a great handling experience we're definitely not complaining or the compact a name does mean some real changes is in the display experience but with a 4.6 inch display it's hard to find a lot to dislike about the 720p resolution display 319 pixels per inch work just fine for a smaller size so all text looks nice and sharp still though I questioned how much long reading I would do on a screen of this size the same thought came up when viewing media or playing games if you're already spoiled by the very large screens we're seeing these days then this probably won't be your cup of tea however the high quality IPS construction still provides the contraire in color production that the triluminos display gets with x-reality engine enhancements and with the trade-off of easier handling we'd say that 720p makes more than enough sense for the compact and if you're really looking for a higher experience in the display then the compact is probably not on your radar anyway but that's why we really like sony's take on the smaller device because even if you do decide on the smaller screen you'll still be getting the same big performance expected of its bigger brother the Snapdragon 801 makes a return here and isn't at the bleeding edge but provides great speed and reliability backed by the audrina 330 and two gigabytes of RAM you could make arguments that the Xperia UI is minimalistic and has a big hand in the snappiness or that the 720p resolution lightens the overall load but the real takeaway here is that the Snapdragon 801 continues to provide flagship performance even when playing some intensive games I found little to no lag and when easily multitasking between apps using the recent apps screen I had no doubt that Sony's choice to stick with a tried and true performance package was the right one Sony's hardware offerings remain largely the same with all of this phone capable of taking some real punishment due to an IP certification for water and dust resistance after all these flaps protect the precious innards from the elements many of the same tropes you'd find any Sony Xperia phone return here NFC clearly marked on the back bluetooth and the dual speaker setup while the Sun experience of the Xperia z3 was pretty great it should be understood that you'll get a fraction of it here it's simply a smaller and thus quieter setup but it still provides a nice stereo sound calls all came in loud and clear though I will admit that I use the front-facing speakers for calls more often than not and in battery life a 2600 milliamp hour battery is more than enough for a smaller phone like this and it certainly does the job I got an average of two days with moderately heavy usage made even better when turning on some of the power saving features once I hit around 25% moderate users will probably get a hell of a long time from this phone making it one of the best companions for anyone looking for a phone that goes as far as they do the camera is another point of no compromise as the same 20 point seven megapixel shooter returns here bringing along a two point two megapixel front shooter as such the experience of photography will be much like its bigger brother only even easier considering this phone's pocket ability the dedicated camera button might be a little small for some though indeed popping this phone out of my pocket holding down the camera button and then having a blast was the highlight of the compacts camera fun but in the app there are still plenty of modes to play with including background defocus 4k video recording and AR modes that impose characters on your real-life scene manual mode is where you'll be able to take full advantage of the megapixel count but it will be a raw shot without the software enhancements but that being said the higher data capture of the 20 point seven megapixel pictures is offset by the low noise performance of the superior auto eight megapixel pictures though the difference is not as glaring as it was in the original z3 colors are rendered quite well though you might get the occasional overexposure a high ISO range helps keep some usable shots in low light and actually works more often than not which can't easily be said for other phones all in all it's another good camera from Sony who sticks to its guns in both high-powered optics and feature full applications and finally the Xperia UI returns once again and there actually isn't a whole lot to say about it which tends to be a good thing for Sony simple stock like elements are on the surface like the home screens notification shade and all that any Android user may already be used to but the small additions like the small lapse in the recent app string give quick multitasking tools while Sony's own take on the gallery app and even the built-in Walkman music application bring that distinct Sony style a big addition to the whole z3 line is the ability to stream ps4 content straight to your device on the same network as excited as I am to do I haven't bought my own ps4 yet and actually to be honest playing video games on the screen this small might not be the business for many ps4 titles and then there's the life log Sony's huge data capture apparatus that quite literally logs your entire life on the z3 compact everything from internet usage to steps take it to even my jog earlier today we are recorded by it shown by an avatar that will reenact what you've done if you choose to look back at it it's almost creepy how much it logs without you really knowing about it because it's always on but if you're the type that does love to journal your life you might find something actually pretty useful in the life log while releases on major carriers is still unclear for North American users the z3 compact can be found for the unlocked price of around five hundred and twenty nine dollars main competitors used to be pretty bare in this space but now the compact has the likes of the Samsung Galaxy alpha to contend with what once was part of the market dominated by Sony is now getting a few new members but the z3 compact remains a pretty sure thing in the small phone space and so there you have it the Sony Xperia z3 compact you've heard me say it many times before that with our market of big phones using a small offering is usually refreshing and that hasn't changed with the Xperia z3 compact on some level this is probably the more anticipated release in this cycle of Sony's bi-yearly schedule the Sony Xperia z3 the original was a wonderful phone certainly the best main Sony flagship but the compact takes pretty much everything the z3 offers and puts it into a package that is accessible by just about everyone and that is why it gets our editors choice award for continuing to set the bar in the smaller phone market distinguishing itself through a distinct lack of compromise and that quintessential Sony style as always thank you guys very much for watching and I hope you enjoyed this review of the Sony Xperia z3 compact it gets our editors choice award because it still pretty much stands alone in the small market space where there are now a few competitors but it still brings the big performance and the big camera performance despite its smaller stature so keep it tuned to Android Authority for all of the best coverage including all of the content that you can watch from my colleagues in Android Joe J's Kevin the tech ninja and of course lawn and from there we have a lot of great coverage coming to you in the following weeks make sure you stay tuned here and drop us some likes on our videos and to subscribe to our channel if you haven't already so you can keep up with everything that Android Authority is bringing to you and once you're done with all of that don't forget to head on over to android authority comm for even more because we are your source for all things Android