Constant growth of the smartphone screen diagonals does not suit all users. Not wanting to buy a “shovel” until recently, many are older models, and choosing new clothes ready to put up with a simple characteristics in order to preserve the desired size. In such circumstances, the flagship compact unit is of particular interest, and today we will learn, perhaps, with the most interesting of them.
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact – a mini-version of the Xperia Z3, the company’s flagship, with whom we met a few months ago. Compact consoles in the case of Sony characterizes only the dimensions of the model, because in terms of the hardware platform, software, and features similar to smart phones. To avoid repetition, in some places, we refer to the written review, but in this material will try to pay attention to the differences and peculiarities, which Z3 Compact apart from the competition.
Options – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (D5833) comes in a simple box with charger and a half ampere, cable, normal headset with in-ear headphones and documentation.
Design and usability – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact design resembles other flagship Sony. Front and rear panels are made of glass, and a sidewall, this time made from a special polymer. They are translucent and feels like a very hard rubber.
Just note that this positive impact on the ergonomics of the smartphone. Compared with conventional Xperia Z3, which is due to a thin shell and smooth rounded sidewalls heavy to lift off the table, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact proved much more – it merits polymer and slightly increase the thickness of the body.
Location of controls similar to the flagship. On the front panel, you can find the manufacturer’s logo, stereo speakers, a set of sensors, front camera and the light in the upper left corner.
The back has collected the usual main camera lens with flash, area NFC, the Sony logo and ruler Xperia.
On the upper side you can find the headset jack and the opening of the second microphone on the bottom – the main microphone and a strap hole on the arm.
Right side plate collected the power key, volume control, two-position camera button. In the center of the left side is a connector for connecting to the original dock with two wide caps on either side of him. Hiding under the left lotochek for NanoSIM card under the right – MicroUSB connector and memory card slot.
Our sample was collected fine, there were no large gaps, all the parts fit tightly to each other, and the design cannot be rigid and deformation.
If the plastic inserts solved the problems of slippery body, then with the convenience of the physical buttons are not so easy. The first time you take the smartphone in hand, attention is drawn to a very short volume keys and camera. In addition, the power key and the volume unusual move. By and large, it does not degrade the ergonomics smartphone, you get used to them quickly.
Many of those who bought a smartphone in hand pointed out a specific type of dock connector, which is distracting from the overall pleasing design. In terms of ease of use, you’d better shut plug connector and remove it from the connector MicroUSB, the more that HTC has already proven that it is not a mandatory attribute of waterproof smartphone.
Like the Xperia Z3, Sony Xperia Z3 Compact has received new colors of the housing.
Having been on the review of the black version best demonstrates the disadvantages of using glass as the material of the back of the smartphone. It actively collects fingerprints, which are clearly visible from almost any angle.
They are easy to remove by simply wiping with a cloth Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, but to preserve the appearance of the operation will have to be repeated after each use. In other versions of this color feature will be less pronounced.
Its compact size is convenient to use a smartphone with one hand, problems with it not occur even in people with small hands.
Display – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact received IPS display diagonal of 4.6 inches with a resolution of 1280 by 720 pixels. On a set of available options, the use of technology and colors, and other features of the display are similar to the flagship Xperia Z3.
The screen brightness varies from 3 to 449 cd / m², contrast ratio of 1: 782 – Basic Capability display is quite good. HD-resolution on a diagonal gives a pixel density of 319 ppi, which is comparable to «Retina-screen” – to examine the individual picture elements is very difficult even for a thin font, the picture looks smooth.
As we have said, color reproduction is similar to that in the flagship. The color temperature is very overpriced – at 10-11000K, so the image becomes not the most pleasant to the eye blue tint, other parameters are also markedly deviate from the norm.
You can fix this in the settings screen, where there is an item “White Balance”. Customize it, you can reduce the color temperature to near-normal values and a more pleasing to the eye image, although even after such manipulations screen will play initially correctly calibrated IPS-matrices.
Vertical and horizontal viewing angles are maximum, but when you look diagonally noticeable fading, black becomes gray.
In terms of color quality screen Sony Xperia Z3 Compact looks average, but other characteristics of smooth overall picture. These should include the normal oleophobic coating which allows the finger to glide easily on the glass, good readability outdoors, a wide dimming range, the ability to manage gloves.
Hardware Platform – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Hardware platform and a set of communication modules Sony Xperia Z3 Compact fully inherited from the flagship, the only exception – a 2 instead of 3 GB of RAM.
Opportunities SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 is more than enough given the small screen resolution. Smartphone is very fast, even in some problems the feeling that soon flagship.
Such performance sometimes results in a small heating of the case, which is felt, but is within acceptable limits.
By working GPS and Wi-Fi did not have any issues.
Calls, multimedia – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
The multimedia capabilities of the smartphone fully coincide with those of the Xperia Z3. Supported by a scattering of branded accessories, software functions to improve the sound quality and much more.
In terms of phone functionality, the smartphone’s all good. The earpiece is loud, it allows you to easily communicate in almost any conditions. Stereo speakers play nice, although they are very far from those in the HTC One (M8). Vibrate felt in his trouser pockets.
Operating system and shell – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Smartphone running the operating system Android 4.4.4 KitKat with firm skin, completely analogous to that of the Xperia Z3 and Z2.
Operation time – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
The housing Sony Xperia Z3 Compact concealed removable battery capacity of 2600 mAh. As the flagship, the manufacturer declares that the two work days at an average load, the data can be considered reliable.
In the normal mode for the author smartphone confidently showed work hours on a single charge. In addition to the standard set of programs often use the camera, and listening to music happening via Bluetooth-headset.
While reading off all wireless communications, including the transmission of data in the mobile network, and the display brightness is set to 200 cd / m². When listening to music has automatic data synchronization, data transfer. The volume level on 12 of the 15 possible levels. All music files in MP3, 320 Kbit / s. Navigation includes a route in Google Navigation app. Brightness exhibited at 200 cd / m², all communication modules data disabled. When playing as an active data transmission in a mobile network, display brightness set to 200 cd / m², the headphone volume level 12 of the possible 15 video format MKV, resolution 1024h432 points framerate 24. Playing videos from Youtube accompanied not only by the work network Wi-Fi, but also the active data transmission. Display brightness set to 200 cd / m², the volume level on 12 of the 15 possible levels.
* – Data obtained under similar conditions but with the brightness set at 50% of the possible
Become familiar with the testing procedure can be in this material
Camera – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Photographic opportunities hero of the review are similar to those at the flagship. The user two chambers – the main sensor with a resolution of 20.7 megapixels and a 2.2 megapixel front. Camera app has a lot of settings and shooting modes, which can be supplemented by a variety of extensions installed directly from the program.
When you start the camera shutter button is always included smart mode, pictures in it are stored in a resolution of 8 megapixels.
On the whole, the picture is similar to the flagship – a smartphone to shoot well, but inferior to current flagships. Z3 Compact offers excellent performance in terms of the module, the camera application with interesting features, but does not give a normal image processing algorithms to squeeze out of the “iron” maximum.
Results – Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact – a good example of a compact and productive smartphone. If we consider his “head”, then we would be just a smaller version of the flagship, with all its inherent advantages and disadvantages. Among the last to allocate cost very specific colors of the display, dampish processing algorithms pictures, they can also be attributed, and a hefty price smartphone. Replacement of metal sides with polymer, however controversial it may sound, went Xperia Z3 Compact benefit, he became more, such a solution is fresh from an aesthetic point of view. But the hero wins the review in terms of emotions – productive filling and compact dimensions make it easy to stand out from the large flagships, but at the expense of firm Sony-style, water protection, good autonomy and the availability of slots for memory cards “CD” fade to background Samsung Galaxy Alpha and Apple iPhone 6.
Liked Sony Xperia Z3 Compact:
+ Design, materials, dimensions of the case
+ Display: oleophobic coating, a wide range dimming, control gloves
+ Hardware platform and excellent performance
+ Waterproof
+ Multimedia features: stereo speakers, a wide range of branded accessories
Endurance +
Did not like Sony Xperia Z3 Compact:
– Display: very cold, the specific color rendering
– Heating body under load
– A controversial ergonomics keys, camera software is still damp, price
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