A stylish mini-version of the flagship smartphone with almost identical hardware is the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. The characteristics of hardware and software capabilities, as well as the pros and cons of this device based on real reviews of the owners - this is the material that will be examined in detail in our review material.
Gadget
Although this is a mini version of the flagship solution, but the configuration is not the case. It has everything you need to start using your smartphone right out of the box. In addition to the device itself (the battery in this case is non-removable, and the case is not separable), the package includes such accessories and components:
High-quality speaker system.
Charger at 1.5A.
A familiar interface cord with USB connectors and, of course, microUSB.
The list of documentation for this smartphone consists of a user manual and a warranty card.
Smart phone design and usability
It should be noted right away that, like in the flagship device, the case of this smartphone has an increased degree of protection - IP65 and IP68. This provides protection against dust and moisture. That is, this gadget can be immersed in water and conduct video or photography at this time. To do this, a special button is displayed on the left side of the smart phone. The only condition that needs to be fulfilled is to install special complete plugs in the corresponding slots. In addition to the previously indicated camera control button, on the left side of the smartphone are the power button and the usual buttons for increasing and decreasing the volume. Two slots are displayed on the right edge: for a SIM card and for an external flash drive. At the bottom there is only the opening of the conversational microphone, and on the upper side are all wired connectors: 3.5 mm and universal microUSB.
Like this manufacturer, a tablet similar in name, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact equipped with a protective glass "Gorilla Eye". It protects its front panel, most of which is occupied by a screen with a very modest diagonal, as of today - 4.6 inches. Above it are several sensors and a front camera. Below, under the screen, there is a typical control panel of three touch buttons with backlight. Symmetrically relative to the screen are 2 speakers at once: one on top, and the second on the bottom. The main camera and LED backlight are displayed on the back side.
CPU
The flagship Snapdragon 801 solution from Qualcomm, a leading developer of AWP chips, provides one of the best levels of computing performance compared to its counterparts in the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. The characteristics of its hardware parameters indicate the presence of 4 high-performance modules. Each of them is built on the basis of an architecture codenamed “Krait 400”. This is Qualcomm’s own development, which is based on the currently more common “A15” architecture. The clock frequency of each computing cell at maximum computing load can reach 2.5 GHz. As a result, it can be noted that the performance of this chip is at a very high level and allows you to solve any problems. At the same time, energy efficiency is poor.
Graphics Accelerator and Display
The screen size of this model of smart phone is very modest, as of today, 4.6 inches. It is made according to the proprietary technology of this manufacturer - IPS TRILUMINOS. The air gap between the display and the glass in this case is absent, which ensures high image quality, which does not depend on the viewing angle. The only thing that causes certain remarks is the color scheme, which is slightly distorted in this device, but the competent Sony Xperia Z3 Compact setup will help to solve the problem. The display resolution is 1280 by 720 px, that is, the picture is displayed in HD format. Of course, these are more modest indicators than the flagship smartphone (1920x1080 and FullHD, respectively), but it is almost impossible to distinguish individual pixels on the display. As a video accelerator, this device uses the Adreno 330 graphics adapter, which was developed by the same company as the processor - Qualcomm. Without delving into the architectural parameters, it can be noted that its hardware capabilities are more than enough to run any application, including the most demanding ones.
Cameras
Like the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact, This smart phone is equipped with front and rear cameras. The technical parameters of the latter are really impressive: a 20.7 megapixel sensor, autofocus, optical image stabilization software, eight-time digital zoom and a face recognition system. Another feature of this camera is video recording in the new “4K” format with a refresh rate of 30 frames per second. Well, do not forget that the case of this device is dustproof and moisture resistant (the smartphone can be immersed to a depth of 1 meter). That is, this device allows you to get a high-quality photo or record a video under almost any conditions. More modest technical specifications for the front camera. It uses a 2.2 megapixel sensor. But this is quite enough both for "selfie" and for making video calls.
RAM, internal storage and memory expansion slot
An impressive amount of RAM, 2 GB, is integrated into the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. The characteristic of the built-in drive is also impressive - 16 GB. This is enough to start using the gadget out of the box. If for some people these values are not enough, then you can increase the memory subsystem by 128GB by inserting a flash card into the appropriate slot. OTJ technology is also supported. That is, using a special cable, you can connect a regular USB flash drive to the phone. Personal data is best stored on some kind of cloud service. This will allow in case of loss of the smartphone or its breakdown to restore all photos and videos.
Device autonomy
On the one hand, the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact comes with a built-in battery, whose capacity is a "solid" 2600 mAh. On the other hand, the diagonal of the screen, as previously noted in the text, is 4.6 inches, the processor is high-performance, but not energy-efficient, which consists of 4 computing cores - these are quite serious consumers of battery power. At first glance, the declared battery capacity with a mediocre load on the device should be enough for 2, maximum 3 days of battery life. But Japanese programmers carried out a certain software optimization, and in reality the phone can function even 5 days instead of the declared 3 days. There are also more energy-efficient modes in this smartphone, which allow you to stretch for a week on one battery charge. But here the functionality of the device in this case is significantly reduced, and some important options are disabled (data transfer to the Internet, receiving multimedia messages).
Software and its features
Something unusual in terms of system software can not stand out from the competition of Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. Android - This is the operating system of this device. Currently, version 4.4 is installed on the device. Regarding updates to more recent versions, it is rather difficult to say something specific. A similar situation with another device in this line of mobile gadgets: a tablet Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact It boasts a similar software filling.
Interfaces
An impressive list of supported interfaces for this model of smart phone, like the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. Testimonials indicate that this list contains all the most necessary interfaces. Among them are the following:
The phone has only 1 slot for installing a SIM card. But the device itself can function in all existing mobile networks: GSM (data transfer rate is limited to hundreds of kilobytes per second), 3G (in this case, the information will be loaded at a speed of several tens of megabits per second) and LTE (up to 150 Mbps - this maximum speed of receiving data from the global web).
There is also Wi-Fi, which allows you to receive information from the Internet at a speed of 150 Mbps. This allows you to upload files of impressive size to the device, and just communicate on social networks.
One of the most universal interfaces in this phone is considered to be "Bluetooth". It allows you to exchange information with similar devices. And with it, you can connect a wireless stereo headset and listen to music or communicate via mobile networks.
This gadget is equipped with a GPS transmitter to determine your location or make a travel route. Also, this module can interact with the GLONASS system. Additionally, you can use the A-GPS system to determine the most accurate location. The first two systems are satellite, and the last uses the location of the towers of the mobile towers for navigation.
The second universal interface is microUSB. It is indispensable in cases where it is necessary to charge the battery of the device. Also with it you can connect to a personal computer.
Worth mentioning is the 3.5mm audio port. With it, an external speaker system is connected to the gadget.
Cost
The price difference is quite serious between the Sony Xperia Z3 and Z3 Compact. A comparison of their hardware and software characteristics suggests that the devices are almost identical to each other. Against this background, the flagship cost of $ 502 against $ 456 for the compact version looks overpriced. Still, paying an additional $ 50 for 1 GB of RAM and for a slightly larger screen with a higher resolution is not entirely correct. Moreover, it’s easier to work on a smaller copy of the flagship.
Owner reviews
The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact has two important advantages: its relatively compact size and impeccable hardware and software fillings. It is these points that most of the reviews of the owners indicate. In addition, one can note the still powerful main camera, a housing protected from dust and moisture, which allows you to record video and take photos even under water. Well, the degree of autonomy of the device is at a high level. Of course, the price of $ 456 may seem a little overpriced, but such a good smartphone costs that much money.
Summary
The review shows that there are no weaknesses in the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. The characteristics of his hardware and software resources indicate that he will cope with any task without any problems. And with performance, and with autonomy, and with the graphics subsystem, this smart phone has no problems. The only thing that can be put in his liabilities is the price of $ 456. But since the smartphone is really very good, and it certainly costs that much money.