The Sony Z1 Compact is a successful, according to many experts, Japanese brand’s attempt to please mobile enthusiasts with a miniature, stylish and at the same time very functional and productive device. In terms of hardware and software characteristics, the smartphone is almost identical to the flagship model Xperia Z1. The main thing that distinguishes the two devices is the design.
Did the brand manage to surprise experts and users with the appearance of the new product? What is the originality of the concept, which is laid down by the manufacturer in the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact smartphone, in relation to competing solutions within the Android platform and iOS line? Did the phone meet the expectations of users who decided to become its owners?
Case and management
Experts note the ergonomics and style of the smartphone. The dimensions of this device, which still belongs to the middle class, as some experts observe, are very close to those of the branded iPhone 5S. The device is 127 mm long, 64.9 wide, and 9.5 mm thick. The control buttons are conveniently located. Due to the small size of the case, you can use several keys at once. Experts call an interesting solution a light indicator mounted in a voice speaker - this element is designed to inform the owner of the phone about various events.
The device - experts and many users admit - perfectly lies in the hand. The reasonableness of the color design of the case is noted. In addition, the market has a large number of sets with a variety of shades - white, black, pink and others. The same theses can be regularly met among users who leave reviews describing Sony Z1 Compact reviews on resources of the corresponding subject.
The casing of the device is protected from external influences through several elements at once. Firstly, it is a strong, scratch-resistant film located on top of the front and back panels. Secondly, this is a special kind of plugs that ensure the tightness of the case (we will consider this property of the phone in more detail later). Opinions about the usefulness of the mentioned elements of the Sony Z1 Compact smartphone in the user and expert environment vary widely. Some consider the phone’s moisture protection system a great solution, while others find it a PR. One way or another, the main part of competing solutions, as experts say, is not equipped with similar elements for the protection of the apparatus.
Display
Experts note that the picture quality on the smartphone screen remains high, regardless of viewing angles. The display has a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels. Its diagonal is 4.3 inches. The screen is made using TFT technology - not the most modern, but, as experts believe, providing a high quality matrix.
The display of the device is praised by everyone - both the manufacturer and users who wish to leave reviews upon the fact of studying the Sony Z1 Compact. High color rendering quality is noted, as well as a minimum level of “pixelation” of the image on the screen.
Battery
The battery capacity with which the smartphone Sony Z1 Compact is equipped is 2.3 thousand mAh. The battery life of the device, declared by the manufacturer, is 18 hours (when used purely for talking). In the mode of playing songs - 94 hours, when watching a video - 12 hours.
Experts, having tested the smartphone, received figures that were generally comparable with the declared ones. Many experts note that the gadget's battery charges very quickly. There is a special power saving mode in the device.
Performance
The smartphone is equipped with 2 GB of RAM. The available amount of internal flash memory is 11 GB. You can install additional microSD modules within 64 GB. The smartphone, like the flagship version (Sony Xperia Z1), has a very powerful MSM 8974 processor with a clock frequency of 2.2 GHz and four cores. The graphics subsystem of the device is regulated by the high-performance Adreno 330 chip. Such characteristics allow you to run a variety of applications on the device. Experts have not noted problems with the launch of many modern games on the Sony Z1 Compact. An overview of the hardware capabilities of such a high-tech mobile gadget will be incomplete if we do not record the results of device performance tests. As such, there are quite a lot of applications that allow you to measure power in specific indicators. Among the most popular are the Antutu benchmark. A smartphone performance test conducted by experts using this application showed a result of more than 35 thousand units. This is very decent for this type of gadget.
Software
The smartphone is running Android OS in version 4.2.2. There are a large number of pre-installed programs, including interfaces for listening to the radio, the usability of which is especially emphasized by people who have already purchased a phone.
Some experts complain that there are even too many programs installed, and the owner of the device does not have much reason to find time to study the latest products on the Google Play catalog. Many experts, ironically, say that you can do a separate review that reveals all the details of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact software, along with exploring the hardware capabilities of the smartphone.
Communication
There is support for most modern wireless interfaces - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, as well as the innovative NFC standard, which is actively being introduced into retail trade as a convenient tool for paying for purchases using a smartphone. There is an ANT + interface. Supported by modern technology of mobile Internet LTE. During the tests conducted by experts, the phone kept in touch with this innovative standard very steadily.
Camera
The Sony Z1 Compact camera has a decent resolution of 20.7 megapixels. In addition, it is very functional. It supports 8x digital zoom, there is autofocus, a large number of different modes, face recognition option. There is a red-eye correction function. There is an interesting option AR Effect, by using which, the user can complement the picture with colorful visual effects. Many experts note: to reveal all the capabilities of the camera, you need a separate review of this hardware component of Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. In short, we note that experts (and consumers) generally speak very positively about the quality of pictures and videos taken from a smartphone.
Housing protection
Among the most notable features of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is the use of elements in the design that provide reliable protection of the device from moisture. And not only from exposure to, say, rain and snow. The phone can withstand full immersion in water. In addition, the smartphone can be controlled if the screen is wet and the wearer's fingers are wet. Many remembered one of the commercials, demonstrating how the owners of the device took pictures, boldly dipping it into the sea wave. Theoretically, experts say, it is really possible to take photos underwater with the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. True, it is doubtful that the photographs obtained in this way will be of high quality.
The moisture protection system of the device can be useful not only from the point of view of protecting the device, but also when the case needs to be washed from something. Experts pay attention: in order to achieve maximum security of the phone, it is necessary to keep the plugs located on the case in the closed position.
Expert Summary
What is the result of the majority of experts who took the time to make a review revealing the technological details of the Sony Z1 Compact, and also reflect a personal vision of the advantages and disadvantages of the device? Among the main advantages of the gadget, noted by experts, is the original design, as well as a pleasant color scheme. Among the technological advantages, it should be mentioned the support of the modern LTE communication standard, a high-quality camera, excellent sound, a good screen, a fairly capacious battery. Many note a high level of moisture resistance of the phone. Among the disadvantages of the device is insufficiently loud, according to some experts, the voice of the interlocutor, heard during conversations. At the same time, speech perception is a very subjective phenomenon, as with other devices.
User reviews
What kind of mood prevails among users who have left reviews of various gadget information resources after studying and testing Sony Z1 Compact features? Are smartphone owners in their opinions with experts in the field of mobile devices? Users of the device, as well as experts, first of all note the original design of the device, a capacious battery, high quality pictures taken with a regular camera, a good screen. A lot of smartphone owners appreciated the decent performance of the device when running games and applications. Among the minuses, often voiced by the owners of such an apparatus, is the high sensitivity of the body materials to scratching. At the same time, this problem, as the owners themselves admit, is solved by purchasing a high-quality cover made of soft materials.
So what do we have? Smartphone Sony Z1 Compact is estimated by users and experts as an example of a stylish, functional and productive device that can compete with premium solutions of the iOS line, not to mention analogues in the environment of Android devices. And above all, due to the fact that all these advantages of the smartphone are complex. So, there is every chance that the device will confidently occupy its niche in the market.