Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone specifications. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact – the mini-flagship has become stronger
Today people are divided into two categories: some crave devices with large screens, others, remembering Steve Jobs’ commandments about the ideal diagonal of a smartphone, demand from manufacturers compact but powerful phones. At IFA 2014 Sony company satisfied everyone's needs. The Japanese showed not only new flagship Z3, but also its smaller version Z3 Compact, which differs from its “big brother” only in dimensions (well, and some other small points). If you could already review the first one on our website, then we will get acquainted with the second one now. Make yourself comfortable!
Video review of Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
To begin with, I propose to understand the main differences between the Z3 and Z3 Compact. There are not so many of them anymore. It is clear that our today's hero has lost a little in dimensions (64.9 x 127 x 8.6 mm versus 72 x 146 x 7.3 mm) and weight (129 grams versus 152 grams). The Z3 Compact is a little thicker, but that's logical. The battery in the Z3 is set at 3100 mAh, and in the Z3 Compact it is 2600 mAh. In the first case, 3 GB of RAM is available, in the second there is 1 GB less - 2 GB. Due to the smaller diagonal of the Z3 Compact (4.6 inches versus 5.2 inches), the resolution has also decreased: from Full HD to regular HD. That's all. Otherwise, these devices are identical, which is good news.
Appearance
Externally Sony Xperia The Z3 is similar to the company's previous models, so it will be difficult to confuse the device with solutions from other companies. But it's for the better. Personally, I like the design solutions of the Japanese over the past few years. For example, in our case, the smartphone has very thin side frames (they are also quite small at the top and bottom), so the 4.6-inch screen was placed in a body that is much smaller in size than competitors with a similar display diagonal.
Above the screen there was a place for the Sony logo, two sensors (lighting and proximity), a front camera and a speaker. Moreover, the latter has a twin brother, who is already located under the display. You understand that stereo sound in any device is always pleasant. By the way, about the sound. It is of very high quality and clean, but at maximum volume (this is especially noticeable in games), the smartphone begins to vibrate in your hands.
Exactly in the center of the right side, the engineers placed the power control key, which is made in the best traditions of Sony - round and silver. On the black version (there are also red, light green and white) it looks very impressive. Just below you can find a volume rocker. It has two features: it is small (on my Lumia 1520 the lock button is the same size) and it is located too close to the aforementioned power control key, so accidental presses cannot be avoided for the first few days. But then you get used to it. A two-position camera button is also present.
On the left everything is hidden behind plugs. Only a two-pin connector for connecting to the docking station in a visible place. Under the top “flap” you can find a microUSB connector and a slot for memory cards, and under the bottom there is a tray for SIM cards in Nano format. To be honest, opening the cap every time to charge a smartphone or transfer some data to a computer is not always convenient. Although security (according to the IP 65/68 standard) is never superfluous. But HTC, as we all know, does not believe that plugs are a mandatory parameter. , which is not afraid of water (IPX7) - good for that example.
On the bottom edge, in addition to the microphone, you can also find a place for attaching a strap, and on the top there is an audio output and another microphone. Back panel, like the front one, is covered with protected glass. There you can find the Sony logo, the inscription “Xperia”, the “N” icon, which indicates the location of the NFC chip and, of course, the main camera peephole and flash. The Japanese are very proud of their camera, so they unobtrusively placed the “20.7 MP” mark next to it.
In general, the device can be safely given a solid “A” for its appearance, build quality and body materials. Nothing creaks or plays. The only problem is fingerprints. They are visible very well. Although this problem is solved in just a few seconds by a regular napkin. The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact feels great in your hands. However, I have to admit that it was difficult to get used to after my 6-inch Lumia 1520.
Display
We figured out the display diagonal and its resolution at the very beginning of the review - 4.6 inches and 1280 x 720 pixels. There was no point in Full HD here, and the company did the right thing by not chasing dry numbers. HD is quite enough for such sizes that you cannot see individual pixels on the screen - 319 PPI. Glove control is provided, and up to 10 touches are supported simultaneously.
Everything is fine with viewing angles, maximum and minimum brightness, and font readability. The only thing worth understanding is that a small screen (although a few years ago a 4.6-inch smartphone seemed gigantic) means a small keyboard. When typing, you often press the wrong key. It would seem that this is also a matter of habit, but during the test I never managed to get the hang of it.
Camera
The main camera received 20.7 MP, and the front camera received 2.2 MP. In respect of software everything is pretty good (although, as we remember, this was not always the case; the company took a noticeable step only in its latest devices). There are a lot of modes here. The only funny thing is that maximum quality(i.e. 20 MP) can only be selected in manual mode, the rest use 8 MP. Although let's face it, for most daily tasks this is sufficient. You can also shoot videos in 4K and broadcast live on YouTube. Bloggers, rejoice! Yulia spoke in more detail about the camera’s capabilities in her .
But, as they say, it’s better to watch once than to read seven times (or something like that). Here are some sample pictures:
I was very pleased with the quality of the pictures. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is the case when 20-megapixel (and even 8-megapixel) quality is not a shame. It often happens that there seem to be a lot of megapixels, but the pictures are such that even on Instagram with one subscriber you can’t even raise your hand to upload them. But in our case everything is different. The camera is good. I would even say that it is very good.
Features and software
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is a true flagship! Here you have a Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores, 2.5 GHz), and 2 GB of RAM (we have already found out that the Z3 has 3 GB of RAM), and an Adreno 330 graphics accelerator. The smartphone copes with games and other demanding tasks excellently. This is quite expected, because such “hardware” is paired with not very high resolution capable of a lot. Asphalt 8 starts with maximum graphics, and Dead Trigger 2, despite average parameters, does not slow down even in dynamic scenes (where everything explodes and crowds of zombies are running towards you). In various tests, the smartphone also showed its best side: 45 thousand in AnTuTu, 20 thousand in Quadrant and 19 thousand in 3DMark. During the entire testing of the device, I did not notice any shortcomings even when flipping through the desktops (although here, most likely, the issue is proper optimization branded shell). The operating system used here is Android (wow, what a surprise!) version 4.4.4.
As for the built-in memory, there is 16 GB of it. MicroSD cards up to 128 GB are also supported. But autonomy is a completely different matter. The Sony smartphone is clearly one of the best in this regard. The thing is that the manufacturer managed to install in such compact body battery capacity 2600 mAh. For example, the same battery is installed in, but there is already a Full HD screen. If we talk about the “lifetime” of the Xperia Z3 Compact, then the device will last one and a half or even two days. This is during normal use ( social media, mail, a little YouTube, calls, e-reader). If you squeeze all the juice out of the phone (play games all the time, watch movies and all that), then the charge will last for 10 hours. There is also a STAMINA mode in the settings, which will make the Z3 Compact immortal. For example, at 32 percent the program promises 7 hours battery life, and when energy saving is activated, this figure increases to some sky-high indicators - 1 day and 16 hours!
All specifications look like this:
- Dimensions: 64.9 x 127 x 8.6 mm.
- Weight: 129 grams.
- operating system: Android 4.4.4.
- Processor: Quad-core Snapdragon 801 clock frequency 2.5 GHz.
- Graphics: Adreno 330.
- Display: IPS, 4.6 inches, 1280 x 720 pixels.
- Memory: 16 GB + microSD slot.
- RAM: 2 GB.
- Camera: main - 20.7 MP, front - 2.2 MP.
- Battery: 2600 mAh.
Eventually
The positioning of the phone fully explains its name. Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is not a mini version of the Xperia Z3 with simplified characteristics, but simply a compact version of it. Before us is a real flagship in a small package. He has very few controversial points. The only things I can complain about are the keys on the right side (they are located too close) and the price. If the amount of 490 dollars still sounds acceptable, then 13 thousand hryvnia or 32 thousand rubles is somehow too much (but the company itself is unlikely to be able to help customers in any way here). Otherwise, I really liked the smartphone: high-quality camera, good screen, beautiful appearance, powerful “filling” and for a long time life from one charge. If you've been dreaming of a flagship device with a small screen for the past few years, then the Xperia Z3 Compact may be just about the only viable option.
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Detailed testing of the new mini-version of the flagship in the line Sony smartphones Mobile
New line of mobiles Sony devices The Xperia Z3 was presented at the very beginning of autumn during the IFA 2014 world exhibition. Among other things, it includes three main top-end devices: the flagship Sony Xperia Z3, its compact version Xperia Z3 Compact, and a new eight-inch tablet called the Sony Z3 Tablet. As for the most important device of the new line, the flagship Z3, we have already published a review of it. Now it’s time to look at its miniature version in detail, which was presented simultaneously with the flagship during an exhibition in Berlin.
In this regard, it is worth immediately noting two points. Firstly, the Z3 Compact can be called a “miniature” only according to its status in the line and the positioning established by the creators for this model in relation to the flagship. The device received the prefix “Compact” in its name, but this does not mean that the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone is small. In terms of size and screen area (4.6″), this is a completely ordinary smartphone, although it cannot be classified as a “shovel phone”.
The second interesting point is that the Japanese, having again updated the entire main line mobile devices Xperia Z, without exception, all devices included in the updated series were given serial number 3. Thus, a miniature version Xperia Compact“jumped” one digit in its index so as not to differ from its comrades in the line, and there will never again be a model called Xperia Z2 Compact.
Video review
First, we suggest watching our video review of the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone:
Main characteristics of Sony Xperia Z3 Compact (Model D5803)
| Sony Xperia Z3 Compact | ZTE nubia Z7 mini | HTC One mini 2 | LG G2 mini | |
| Screen | 4.6″, IPS | 5″, IPS | 4.5″, IPS | 4.7″, IPS |
| Permission | 1280×720, 319 ppi | 1920×1080, 443 ppi | 1280×720, 326 ppi | 960×540, 234 ppi |
| SoC | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.5 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (4 Krait 400 cores) @2.0 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 (4 cores ARM Cortex-A7) @1.2 GHz | |
| GPU | Adreno 330 | Adreno 330 | Adreno 305 | Adreno 305 |
| RAM | 2 GB | 2 GB | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Flash memory | 16 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory card support | microSD | microSD | microSD | microSD |
| operating system | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 | Google Android 4.4 |
| Battery | non-removable, 2600 mAh | non-removable, 2300 mAh | non-removable, 2100 mAh | removable, 2440 mAh |
| Cameras | rear (20.7 MP; 4K video), front (2.2 MP) | rear (13 MP; 4K video), front (5 MP) | rear (13 MP; video 1080p), front (5 MP) | rear (8 MP; video 1080p), front (1.3 MP) |
| Dimensions and weight | 127×65×8.6 mm, 129 g | 141×69×8.2 mm, 143 g | 137×65×10.6 mm, 137 g | 130×66×9.9 mm, 121 g |
| average price | T-11028554 | N/A | T-10829000 | T-10833941 |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Compact offers | L-11028554-10 | |||
- SoC Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC), 2.5 GHz, 4 cores
- GPU Adreno 330
- operating room Android system 4.4.4 KitKat
- Touchscreen IPS display, 4.6″, 1280×720, Triluminos
- RAM(RAM) 2 GB, inner memory 16 GB
- Slot for microSD cards up to 128 GB (SDXC)
- Protection against dust and moisture according to IP 65/68 standard
- Communication GSM GPRS/EDGE 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
- Communications 3G UMTS HSPA+ 850, 900, 1700, 1900, 2100 MHz
- LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20 (2600/800 FDD are used in the Russian Federation)
- Bluetooth 4.0, NFC
- Support DLNA, MHL 3.0, OTG, Media Go, MTP, Miracast
- Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5 GHz), point Wi-Fi access
- GPS/Glonass
- Exmor RS 20.7 MP camera, autofocus, LED flash, 4K video
- Front-camera 2.2 MP
- Non-removable battery 2600 mAh
- Dimensions 127×65×8.6 mm
- Weight 129 g
Contents of delivery
The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone is packaged in a fairly simple appearance, which has already become a classic for the latest mobile products. Sony lines a flat and square box made of thin unvarnished cardboard with a cardboard tray and three different-sized compartments inside, separated by thin partitions.
The smartphone's equipment is extremely modest: in the box you can only find a compact Charger yes connecting Micro-USB cable, nothing else. Sony headphones I decided not to invest any more in the kit with my flagship products; they will be offered separately at a fairly reasonable price, as an additional accessory.
Appearance and ease of use
Unlike the flagship Xperia Z3, the changes in relation to its predecessor are almost exclusively cosmetic, the difference between the compact modifications is more significant. The new Xperia Z3 Compact has changed not only the hardware platform, but also the most noticeable element - the display, which has increased the diagonal size. At the same time, the dimensions of the device remained unchanged, but the frames around the screen became narrower, which made it possible to integrate a larger screen into the same body dimensions - everything is logical.
As for the appearance of the device, changes are noticeable here too. If the flagship only had its flat side edges redone, which now became rounded and pleasant to the touch, but remained the same metal, then the Xperia Z3 Compact also changed the materials of the side frame. Now it is made not of metal, but of polycarbonate, and besides, it has become transparent, which has radically changed the status perception of the device.
If previous Xperia smartphone The Z1 Compact really looked and felt like a serious, expensive product, like a real miniature version of the flagship, with the same materials, with the same heavy metal frame that gave the device brutality, or transparent plastic running along the entire side perimeter of the case new Xperia The Z3 Compact is simply not capable of giving such a serious look. On the contrary, it seems to simplify and reduce the cost of the device in appearance, transferring it into the category of youth solutions. Of course, colorful and transparent plastics may well captivate the younger generation, but for a high-status, serious item such changes in appearance are disastrous. As a result, if you put the Z1 Compact and Z3 Compact side by side, they will look like two products of completely different levels, especially considering the variety of colors that have appeared in the latter, including green and carrot-orange options.
But in all this there is also a positive point: The corners of the side frame are now made of polycarbonate material, so they play the role of shock absorbers, supposedly helping the smartphone “survive” after falls from a height.
The side plastic frame feels hard and slightly rough to the touch, so the smartphone is held quite securely in the hand, this cannot be taken away. In general, dimensions and thickness new Sony The Xperia Z3 Compact is such that the smartphone can be held comfortably in your hand and carried in a pocket of any size. Compared to most modern mobile devices, the smartphone is indeed quite compact, although not the thinnest solution on the mobile market.
As for the general structure of the body, the smartphone is still a non-separable candy bar, consisting of two glass plates and a wide frame running along the entire side perimeter. The non-separable nature of the case also implies the method of installing cards: the SIM card and memory card are inserted into the side slots; no paper clips are required to remove them; you just need to open the covers covering the slots from the outside.
The covers on the side frame are made of the same transparent polycarbonate and equipped with rubberized gaskets, since the smartphone, like its predecessors, is provided with maximum protection against water and dust according to the IP 65/68 standard. There are two covers; they hide slots for a memory card and SIM card, as well as a Micro-USB connector. By the way, changes have also occurred here: now top-end Sony mobile devices use Nano-SIM cards, obviously with an eye to a painless possible transition for some users from Apple iPhone. The rest will have to go to the communication store again and change their SIM card to a new one.
There is another very noticeable improvement that should please fans of mobile devices of the Japanese brand. Now the back surface, like the front, is made not of plastic, but of real glass. Both glasses do not have factory protective film, the characteristics of the glass are similar to the known Corning Gorilla Glass.
There have also been changes in terms of sound. Now the smartphone has two grilles for sound output, they are located above and below the screen; the role of the grilles is played by two symmetrical slits cut directly into the glass. A completely logical solution is to turn the speakers “facing” the user, and there are now two speakers themselves.
Another change: previously, it was through the top slot of the speaker that the light of the alert indicator came through, but now it is brought out into the traditional separately located round peephole. There is an item in the settings menu where you can disable some of the indicator’s functions, leaving it to notify only about the charging status.
There are traditionally no hardware buttons below the screen; control is carried out using virtual buttons on the screen.
The only functional elements on the back side are the camera window and the flash eye. The flash here consists of one section and is located a little further from the camera than before. It can be used as a flashlight; for this purpose, the smartphone has a corresponding pre-installed program.
There are no changes in terms of mechanical hardware controls. The power and lock button are still located on the right side, traditionally for latest smartphones Sony, has the appearance of a metal round, but in models of the third series it is somewhat different in appearance. Next to it you can find a double volume rocker. All the keys are large, easy to feel blindly, have a distinct springy action, there are no complaints in this regard.
At the bottom of the right side there is a dedicated hardware camera control key; with its help, the smartphone can be used to shoot even underwater, although the screen at this time becomes insensitive to touches. The ability to shoot underwater is a signature feature of Sony mobile devices, constantly played out in advertising and on posters.
A special connector with an open pair of contacts for installing a smartphone in a docking station has not been forgotten. The connector is universal: most modern Sony devices, including tablets, can be installed in the same docking station, purchased separately.
The headphone audio jack (3.5 mm) is located on top here, and it is not covered by any plugs. However, it is also protected from water entering the housing. At the bottom end you can only see the microphone hole - a universal Micro-USB connector that supports connection external devices in OTG mode, hidden under a cover on the left side. For daily charging, you will have to open this cover every time - or use a separately purchased docking station.
There is also another hole at the bottom - this is a traditional strap mount, which is present in all Sony smartphones, and it is a pity that other manufacturers neglect this useful element.
The color scheme of the new mini-flagship has undergone significant changes. The smartphone is presented not only in traditional black and white, but also in completely unexpected bright cucumber-green and carrot-orange colors, which, coupled with transparent plastic, is clearly designed to attract the interest of a young audience.
Screen
The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone is equipped with an IPS touch matrix. The screen dimensions are 57x101 mm, diagonal - 4.6 inches, resolution - 1280x720 pixels. The pixel density here is 319 ppi, which by modern standards is not so much. The developers themselves call this type Triluminos display. Naturally, there is also proprietary X-Reality image enhancement software technology for mobile devices.
The outside of the screen is covered with protective glass without a factory protective film - Sony finally decided to abandon it. The thickness of the side frames from the edge of the screen to the edge of the body is approximately 3 mm - the frames are very narrow.
The display brightness can be adjusted manually, or you can use automatic adjustment. Multi-touch technology here allows you to process up to 10 simultaneous touches. The display can be operated with gloves or wet fingers. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is locked using a proximity sensor.
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Detailed examination using measuring instruments conducted by the editor of the “Monitors” and “Projectors and TV” sections Alexey Kudryavtsev. Here is his expert opinion on the screen of the sample under study.
The front surface of the screen is made in the form of a glass plate with a mirror-smooth surface that is scratch-resistant. Judging by the reflection of objects, the anti-glare properties of the screen are no worse than those of the Google Nexus 7 (2013) screen (hereinafter simply Nexus 7). For clarity, here is a photograph in which a white surface is reflected in the switched off screens of both devices (Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, as it is not difficult to determine, is on the right; then they can be distinguished by size):
Both screens are dark, but the Sony screen is still darker (its brightness in the photo is 119 versus 122 for the Nexus 7). Tripling reflected objects in Sony screen Xperia Z3 Compact is very weak, this indicates that there is no air gap between the outer glass (also known as the touch sensor) and the surface of the matrix (OGS - One Glass Solution type screen). Due to the smaller number of boundaries (glass-air type) with very different refractive indices, such screens look better under strong external illumination, but their repair in the case of cracked external glass is much more expensive, since the entire screen has to be replaced. The outer surface of the screen has a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (very effective, much like the Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much more easily and appear at a slower rate than with regular glass.
With manual brightness control, its maximum value was about 530 cd/m², and the minimum was 3.5 cd/m². The maximum value is high, and, given the good anti-glare properties, in bright daylight The image on the screen should be clearly visible. In complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable level. Automatic brightness adjustment works based on the light sensor (it is located in the left top corner on the front panel). IN automatic mode When external lighting conditions change, the screen brightness both increases and decreases. The operation of this function depends on the brightness adjustment position. If it is at maximum, then in complete darkness the auto-brightness function reduces the brightness to 100 cd/m² (a bit too much, but it will do), in an artificially lit office (about 400 lux) it sets it to 200 cd/m² (normal), in a very bright environment (corresponds to lighting on a clear day outdoors, but without direct sunlight - 20,000 lux or a little more) increases to 450 cd/m² (sufficient). If the brightness slider is at half the scale (it is very non-linear - after 50% the brightness goes up sharply as the setting value increases), then the screen brightness for the three conditions indicated above is as follows: 50, 125 and 450 cd/m² (suitable values). If the brightness control is set to minimum - 4.5, 40, 450 cd/m². As a result, the auto-brightness function works absolutely adequately. At any brightness level, there is no significant backlight modulation, so there is no screen flickering.
This screen uses an IPS type matrix. The microphotographs show a typical IPS subpixel structure:
For comparison, you can see the gallery of microphotographs of screens used in mobile technology.
The screen has good viewing angles without inverting shades and without significant color shifts, even with large viewing deviations from perpendicular to the screen. For comparison, here are photographs in which the same images are displayed on the screens of the Nexus 7 and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, while the brightness of the screens is initially set to approximately 200 cd/m² (across the white field in full screen), and the color balance on the camera is forcibly switched to 6500 K. White field perpendicular to the plane of the screens:
Note the good uniformity of brightness and color tone of the white field. And a test picture:
The colors on the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact's screen are oversaturated, skin tones are heavily red-shifted, and the color balance is different from the standard. Now at an angle of approximately 45 degrees to the plane and to the side of the screen:
It can be seen that the colors have not changed much on both screens, but on the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact the contrast has decreased to a greater extent due to the strong highlighting of blacks. And a white field:
The brightness at an angle for both screens has noticeably decreased (by at least 4 times, based on the difference in shutter speed), but in the case of the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact the drop in brightness is less (brightness according to photographs is 232 versus 214 for the Nexus 7). However, the color tone did not change much. When deviated diagonally, the black field brightens greatly and acquires a violet or red-violet hue. The photographs below demonstrate this (the brightness of the white areas in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the screens is the same for the screens!):
And from another angle:
When viewed perpendicularly, the uniformity of the black field is average, since there are areas with slightly increased brightness along the edge:
The contrast (approximately in the center of the screen) is high - about 900:1. The response time for the black-white-black transition is 32 ms (18 ms on + 14 ms off). The transition between halftones of gray 25% and 75% (based on the numerical value of the color) and back takes a total of 46 ms. Constructed using 32 points with equal intervals based on the numerical value of the shade of gray, the gamma curve did not reveal any blockage in either highlights or shadows, and the index of the approximating power function was 2.48, which is higher than the standard value of 2.2, while the real gamma curve strongly deviates from the power law:
The smartphone has a dynamic (and cannot be turned off!) adjustment of the backlight brightness depending on the nature of the displayed image. The general tendency is that in dark images the brightness is reduced, but the algorithm is somewhat complex, and as a result, periodically the brightness jumps noticeably, which is annoying, and decreasing the brightness in dark images reduces the visibility of gradations in the shadows under external illumination. That is, there is zero benefit from this function, only harm. As a result, we carried out a number of tests - determining contrast and response time, comparing black illumination at angles - when displaying special templates with a consistently average brightness, and not monochromatic fields in the entire screen. Of course, the resulting dependence of brightness on hue (gamma curve) most likely does not correspond to the gamma curve of a static image, since the measurements were carried out with sequential display of shades of gray on almost the entire screen.
The color gamut is noticeably wider than sRGB:
Let's look at the spectra:
They are very atypical. As they write on the Sony website, this screen uses LEDs with a blue emitter and green and red phosphors (usually a blue emitter and a yellow phosphor), which, in combination with special matrix filters, allows you to obtain a wide color gamut. Unfortunately, as a result, the colors of images - drawings, photographs and films - oriented to the sRGB space (and these are the vast majority) have an unnatural saturation. This is especially noticeable on recognizable shades, such as skin tones. The result is shown in the photo above.
The balance of shades on the gray scale is not ideal, since the color temperature is significantly higher than the standard 6500 K. True, the deviation from the blackbody spectrum (ΔE) is less than 10, which is considered an acceptable indicator for a consumer device. At the same time, the variation in color temperature and ΔE is small, which has a positive effect on the visual perception of color balance. (Dark areas of the gray scale can be ignored, since color balance there is not very important, and the error in measuring color characteristics at low brightness is large.)
This smartphone has the ability to adjust the color balance by adjusting the intensities of the three primary colors.
That's what we tried to do, the result is data signed as Corr. in the graphs above. As a result, we reduced ΔE a little and set the white point to 6500 K (but also greatly reduced the brightness):
However, this correction did not reduce the oversaturation of colors. If someone still finds the image on the screen of this smartphone not bright enough, you can turn on the proprietary mode X-Reality for mobile. The result is shown below:
Saturation and contour sharpness are software enhanced, and there are fewer discernible gradations in the area of saturated colors. But the picture, yes, has become brighter. There is also a “maximum brightness” mode, in which color contrast increases even more:
And alternately (if you have scripts enabled) all three modes on the gradient:
Turned off:
Let's summarize. The brightness adjustment range of this screen is wide, and the anti-glare properties are all right, which allows you to comfortably use the smartphone both on a sunny day outside and in complete darkness. It is permissible to use a mode with automatic brightness adjustment, which works absolutely adequately. The advantages also include an effective oleophobic coating, no flicker and no air gap in the layers of the screen. The disadvantages are a strong highlighting of black color when the gaze deviates from perpendicular to the surface of the screen and aggressive dynamic brightness adjustment. Color rendering is not all right, as the colors are oversaturated (skin tones are especially affected) and the color temperature is too high. The presence of appropriate adjustments allows you to adjust the balance to almost ideal, but at the expense of reducing brightness. Taking into account the importance of the characteristics for this particular class of devices (and the most important thing is the visibility of information in a wide range of external conditions), the quality of the screen can be considered high.
Sound
While I was pleased with the significant improvement in the sound of the flagship Sony Xperia Z3, the sound of the compact version remained so inexpressive, even with two stereo speakers. Low Frequencies are present, but the speakers sound somewhat muffled, they do not impress with either the purity of the sound or the power, and at the maximum volume level they even wheeze slightly. In conversational dynamics, the interlocutor’s speech, intonation and timbre remain distinguishable and recognizable, however, it also sounds rather muffled.
Interior arrangement and sound settings remained the same. To play music, the device traditionally uses its own proprietary Walkman player. The standard audio player is rich in settings and additional software sound improvements, such as a built-in equalizer with a lot of preset values (you can set your own), Clear Phase, xLoud technologies and virtual surround sound. Control of most settings is available if the complex ClearAudio+ function is turned off, otherwise all settings are left to the machine. It is worth noting that the new “compact”, like the new flagship, implements Sony’s proprietary digital noise reduction technology. The developers promise that when using a special headset MDR-NC31EM, the level of external noise can be reduced by 98%.
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FM radio is included as standard with the smartphone. Traditionally, it only works with connected headphones as an antenna; it does not have the ability to record programs. There was no voice recorder in the standard configuration of the smartphone, just like the main one, by the way. Xperia versions Z3.
Camera
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is equipped with the same two modules digital cameras with a resolution of 20.7 and 2.2 megapixels, which were equipped with previous flagships and which are now installed in the Xperia Z3. The hardware here is exactly the same, only software effects are added. The main 20.7-megapixel camera is equipped with a G Lens series lens with a focal length of 27 mm and an aperture of F2.0. The camera uses a 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS for mobile sensor and a Bionz for mobile processor.
By default, the cameras of all Sony devices operate in the so-called super auto mode (iauto) with a wide aspect ratio, but you can switch the shooting to manual settings. It is noteworthy that when you press the hardware button on the side of the device, the camera quickly turns on, but is always activated in automatic shooting mode, even if the mode was previously turned on manual settings. If you launch the camera application from the desktop or from the program menu, then in this case everything goes as usual, and the camera leaves the previous settings intact, that is, it starts in manual mode, if one was set earlier. Note that there is a big difference between automatic and manual modes, because the maximum resolution can only be set in manual adjustment mode. When shooting in automatic mode, which is set by default, photos are obtained with a size of 3840 × 2160 (8 megapixels), and in manual mode the maximum possible resolution is exactly the same 20.7 megapixels (5248 × 3936).
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The camera can shoot video in 1080p and UHD (4K) resolution, but the main thing is that it also has the ability to shoot in the most interesting mode - 1080p at 60 frames/s. An example of such a video is presented below.
- Video No. 1 (85 MB, 1920×1080, 60 frames/sec)
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Good and uniform sharpness across the entire field of the frame, it only falls off a little in the corners. |
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The handling of foliage in the distance hurts the eye a little. |
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The camera works well near foliage, but you can find areas of blur. |
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Good job with shadows and noises in them. |
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Sharpness is good in almost all plans. |
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Good dynamic range - the camera handles shadows. |
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You can find slight sharpening on the wires. |
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The text is worked well, but the sharpness drops a little towards the bottom of the frame. |
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The outbreak does little to improve the situation. |
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The camera copes well with macro photography without a flash. |
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Still, the flash helps a little with macro photography. |
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Lighting ≈3200 lux. The camera does a good job. |
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Lighting ≈1400 lux. The situation is not changing. |
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Lighting ≈130 lux. The noises are still not noticeable. |
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Lighting ≈130 lux, flash. The flash hardly helps. |
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Lighting<1 люкс, вспышка. В темноте хорошо видно, что вспышка очень слабая. Единственное заметное падение разрешения. |
The compact model managed to rehabilitate its older brother in terms of camera. The Z3 Compact's camera isn't perfect. Or rather, it’s not perfect yet. But it is clear that it is well designed. In some places you can find echoes of the unpleasant moments that were pronounced in the Z3, but overall the camera is ready for use.
However, oddly enough, the Z3 Compact has a different module installed than the Z3. At the same time, it is very similar to the Z1 Compact and Z2 modules. This assumption can be made from the size of the resulting image. On the other hand, it is possible that all the latest flagships have the same modules, since the size of a full image of 20 megapixels is no different. And since in Superior Auto mode only the Z3 stood out in image size, we can assume that all flagships, starting with the Z1 Compact, work according to the same program with minor differences, and only the Z3 should be fundamentally different from them (and its program is fully we haven't seen it yet). However, all these guesses are partly confirmed by the graph.
The camera itself does a very good job, which is quite expected. Its graphical resolution curve is almost perfect. And although the gap with the leader is slightly more than 0.1 lines per pixel, the dependence is almost constant, which indicates equally good performance in different conditions. Field photographs confirm this, although in their case there is still something to complain about. As already mentioned, echoes of the Z3's shortcomings are also present here, but are much less pronounced. You can find barely noticeable sharpening, sometimes there are small areas of blur, and the program does not work very smoothly over foliage in the distance. But there is practically no noticeable noise, and by and large the camera does not have any significant problems. So it's still great for shooting a variety of subjects.
Telephone and communications
The smartphone works as standard in modern 2G GSM and 3G WCDMA networks, and also has support for fourth generation networks (LTE) used in Russia. In practice, with a SIM card from the domestic operator MTS, the smartphone confidently recognizes and works with 4G networks. The network capabilities of the smartphone are extensive and correspond to a truly top level: there is support for the 5 GHz Wi-Fi band, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi Display, and as a standard you can organize a wireless access point via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth channels. The mode for connecting external devices (USB Host, USB OTG) is supported, so you can connect flash drives and mice with keyboards to the Micro-USB port. The navigation module works with both GPS and the domestic Glonass system.
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There were no spontaneous reboots/shutdowns observed during testing, as well as system slowdowns or freezes. When you bring the smartphone to your ear, the screen is blocked by the proximity sensor. The LED indicator at the top of the front panel provides notification of charging status and incoming events.
There is no dedicated top row with numbers on the standard keyboard - you need to switch the layout every time. The layout itself and the location of the keys are standard: to switch the language layout, just click on the button with the corresponding icon. The phone application supports Smart Dial, that is, while dialing a phone number, a search is immediately carried out by the first letters in contacts. There is a convenient option to move the keyboard closer to one of the sides to make it easier to reach with the fingers of one hand. Naturally, the ability to continuously enter by sliding your finger from letter to letter is also supported - Swype.
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OS and software
The operating system is the latest version of the Google Android 4.4.4 KitKat software platform, on top of which is traditionally installed its own proprietary graphical user interface. The internal structure of the shell, all menus, settings items and pop-up contextual submenus - everything remains exactly the same. However, the external shell has undergone significant measurements. Previously, Sony's graphical interface elements were drawn quite finely. Now, unexpectedly, all the elements on the screen, and most importantly the application icons themselves, began to look much larger and clearer. The fonts have increased; such sudden transformations have only benefited the smartphone. There are also less obvious, but in some ways more useful, improvements. For example, the menu finally has a function to reboot the device, because before this only Sony smartphones lacked such an option.
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New Sony mobile devices now have close integration with the Sony PlayStation 4 game console. If you already have one in your home, then the new Xperia Z3 line of smartphones or the Xperia Z3 Tablet will be able to act as a “portable screen”, that is, everything that happens begins to be displayed on the mobile screen devices. This is convenient when, for example, you need to free up the TV if one of the family members suddenly wants to watch some program. For this use, Sony will produce a special fastener that will allow you to connect a smartphone or tablet to the joystick of a game console. This mode is called PS4 Remote Play.
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Performance
The Sony Xperia Z3 Compact hardware platform is based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 single-chip system (SoC) with four Krait 400 cores, like the flagship Xperia Z3 (the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact was based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 800). Here, the maximum frequency of the processor cores is a maximum of 2.5 GHz, since the most advanced version of Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) is used.
Graphics processing is handled here by the same Adreno 330 video accelerator. About 11 out of 16 GB of own memory for the user’s needs are initially available in the device. The smartphone's RAM capacity is 2 GB, and this makes the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact unfavorably different from the company's flagship, which has as much as three gigabytes of RAM. Cards microSD memory this model supports up to 128 GB, you can also connect external flash drives, keyboards and mice to the Micro-USB port using a special adapter in OTG mode.
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To get an idea of the performance of the platform of the smartphone under test, we will conduct a standard set of tests.
For convenience, we have compiled all the results we obtained when testing the smartphone in the latest versions of popular benchmarks into tables. The table usually adds several other devices from different segments, also tested on similar latest versions of benchmarks (this is done only for a visual assessment of the obtained dry figures). Unfortunately, within the framework of one comparison it is impossible to present the results from different versions of benchmarks, so many worthy and relevant models remain “behind the scenes” - due to the fact that they once passed the “obstacle course” on previous versions of test programs.
Testing in MobileXPRT, as well as in the latest versions of AnTuTu and GeekBench 3:
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In the AnTuTu test, the smartphone demonstrates very high numbers, but it is worth considering that the new, fifth version of the popular benchmark is now used, and all previous models were tested in the fourth version. The resulting numbers have increased greatly, so it is not worth directly comparing such results. (We will mark in the tables which versions of the benchmark this or that model was tested with, until there are again enough models tested in the fifth version of the test for comparison.) In any case, all top smartphones based on the Snapdragon 801 are the most powerful and Today's productive mobile devices, the power of which will be enough for a long time to complete any assigned tasks.
When testing in 3DMark, the most powerful smartphones now have the ability to run the application in Unlimited mode, where the rendering resolution is fixed at 720p and VSync is disabled (which can cause the speed to rise above 60 fps).
Results of testing the graphics subsystem in the Epic Citadel gaming test, as well as Basemark X and Bonsai Benchmark:
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Browser cross-platform tests:
As for benchmarks for assessing the speed of the javascript engine, you should always make allowance for the fact that their results significantly depend on the browser in which they are launched, so the comparison can only be truly correct on the same OS and browsers, and this is possible during testing not always. For Android OS, we always try to use Google Chrome.
Playing video
To test the omnivorous nature of video playback (including support for various codecs, containers and special features, such as subtitles), we used the most common formats, which make up the bulk of the content available on the Internet. Note that for mobile devices it is important to have support for hardware video decoding at the chip level, since it is most often impossible to process modern options using processor cores alone. Also, you shouldn’t expect a mobile device to decode everything, since the leadership in flexibility belongs to the PC, and no one is going to challenge it.
According to the test results, the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact smartphone was not equipped with all the decoders necessary for full playback of most of the most common files on the Internet. To successfully play them, you will have to resort to the help of a third-party player - for example, MX Player. True, even in it you will first have to change the settings, switching from hardware decoding to software or to a new mode called Hardware+(not supported by all smartphones), only then will sound appear. All results are summarized in a table.
| Format | Container, video, sound | MX Video Player | Standard video player |
| DVDRip | AVI, XviD 720×400 2200 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL SD | AVI, XviD 720×400 1400 Kbps, MP3+AC3 | plays normally | plays normally |
| Web-DL HD | MKV, H.264 1280×720 3000 Kbps, AC3 | Hardware+ | |
| BDRip 720p | MKV, H.264 1280×720 4000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware+ | The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹ |
| BDRip 1080p | MKV, H.264 1920×1080 8000 Kbps, AC3 | plays fine with decoder Hardware+ | The video plays fine, but there is no sound¹ |
¹ MX Video Player only played sound after switching to software decoding or a new mode Hardware+; The standard player does not have this setting
Additionally, the MHL interface was tested. To test it we used a monitor ViewSonic VX2363Smhl, supporting direct MHL connection (in version 2.0) using a passive adapter cable from Micro-USB to HDMI. In this case, output via MHL was carried out at a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels at a frequency of 60 frames/s. Regardless of the actual orientation of the smartphone, the image is displayed on the smartphone and monitor screens only in landscape orientation with the connector on the smartphone facing down.
In this case, the image on the monitor fits exactly within the boundaries of the display area (if you don’t forget to set the Image Size 100%) and one to one repeats the image on the smartphone screen in an interpolation variation from 1280 by 720 to 1920 by 1080 pixels.
When connecting via MHL, an icon for accessing MHL settings and an icon for launching several selected programs appear in the list of events:
Traditionally, in the case of Sony, a smartphone connected via MHL can act as a remote control for a TV, if the latter supports such a function.
Sound is output via MHL (in this case, the sounds were heard through headphones connected to the monitor, since there are no speakers in the monitor itself) and is of good quality. In this case, sounds are not output through the loudspeaker of the smartphone itself, and the volume is not adjusted using the buttons on the smartphone body, but is turned off. In our case, the smartphone with the MHL adapter connected was charging, judging by the charge indicator.
Next, using a set of test files with an arrow and a rectangle moving one division per frame (see “Method for testing video playback and display devices. Version 1 (for mobile devices)”), we checked how the video is displayed on the screen of the smartphone itself. Screenshots with a shutter speed of 1 s helped determine the nature of the output of frames of video files with various parameters: the resolution varied: 1280 by 720 (720p), 1920 by 1080 (1080p) and 3840 by 2160 (4K) pixels and frame rates of 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60 fps. In the tests we used the MX Player video player in the “Hardware” mode. The results of this (block entitled “Smartphone Screen”) and the next test are tabulated: excellent
Note: If in both columns Uniformity And Passes Green ratings are given, this means that, most likely, when watching films, artifacts caused by uneven alternation and frame skipping will either not be visible at all, or their number and visibility will not affect the viewing comfort. Red marks indicate possible problems with playback of the corresponding files.
According to the frame output criterion, the quality of playback of video files on the screen of the smartphone itself is good, since frames (or groups of frames) can be output with more or less uniform alternation of intervals and without skipping frames. The displayed brightness range is equal to the standard range of 16-235; in the shadows, only a couple of the darkest shades are indistinguishable in brightness from black, but in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed. When playing video files with a resolution of 720p (1280 by 720 pixels), the image of the video file itself is displayed exactly on the edge of the screen, in the original resolution.
With a monitor connected via MHL, when playing video, the monitor displays an exact copy of the smartphone screen, but the output is already in true Full HD resolution in the case of 1080p files.
The brightness range displayed on the monitor is equal to the standard range of 16-235; in the shadows, again, only a couple of the darkest shades are indistinguishable in brightness from black, but in the highlights all gradations of shades are displayed. The results of the monitor output tests are shown in the table above in the “MHL (monitor output)” block. The output quality is good.
The conclusion is typical - an MHL connection can be used for games, watching movies, displaying web pages and other activities that benefit from an increase in screen size.
Battery life
The lithium-ion battery installed in the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact has a capacity of 2600 mAh, not the maximum, but quite decent for a modern smartphone - this is even more than that of the previous model (2300 mAh for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact). As a result, the smartphone demonstrated excellent results in terms of battery life; this is due to both the screen being not the largest in area and the resolution being far from Full HD.
| Battery capacity | Reading mode | Video mode | 3D Game Mode | |
| Sony Xperia Z3 Compact | 2600 mAh | 22:00 | 10:00 am | 5:00 a.m. |
| ZTE nubia Z7 mini | 2300 mAh | 13:20 | 7:20 am | 4 hours 50 minutes |
| HTC One mini 2 | 2100 mAh | 15:20 | 8 a.m. 20 p.m. | 3 hours 50 minutes |
| Alcatel Idol 2 mini S | 2000 mAh | 15:50 | 9:00 a.m. | 4:00 am |
| Asus Padfone E | 1820 mAh | 15:20 | 7 h. 10 m. | 3 hours 50 minutes |
| Samsung S4 mini | 1900 mAh | 16:40 | 10:30 a.m. | 4 hours 40 minutes |
| LG G2 mini | 2440 mAh | 16:00 | 10:00 am | 5:00 a.m. |
Continuous reading in the FBReader program (with a standard, light theme) at a minimum comfortable brightness level (brightness was set to 100 cd/m²) lasted 22 hours until the battery was completely discharged, and when continuously watching videos from YouTube in high quality (HQ) The device lasted 10 hours at the same brightness level via a home Wi-Fi network. In 3D gaming mode, the smartphone worked for about 5 hours. The smartphone charges quite quickly; a full charge takes less than 3 hours.
Bottom line
Sony Mobile has released another compact smartphone that is quite good in terms of all its characteristics. Unquestionable workmanship, body materials, highest performance and maximum autonomy, comfortable dimensions and excellent ergonomics - these are the strengths of the new product, which it adopted from its predecessor, and improved some things (the rear window, for example). As usual, the camera and screen quality can be criticized when compared with products from other market leaders, but overall they are quite consistent with the high level of the smartphone. We were very surprised by the sudden transition from a metal frame, as a visual basis, giving the smartphone the status of an expensive thing, to transparent, cheerful teenage plastic, but perhaps many will like it, because the ergonomics, in general, did not suffer. The price of the device, at which the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact will be officially presented in our stores, was announced just the other day: the smartphone on the Russian market will be sold at a price of 24 thousand rubles. The start of sales was scheduled for September 19, so by the time of publication of this article, retail did not experience a shortage of offers. At the same time, the flagship Xperia Z3 appeared on store shelves, the recommended price of which was set at 30 thousand rubles. It is worth noting that the flagship will also be offered in a version with two SIM cards at a price of 31 thousand rubles, but the Z3 Compact is not expected to support two SIM cards.
The fashion for mini-smartphones has not yet passed. Various manufacturers every now and then announce smaller versions of their flagships, counting on a decent level of sales due to the sounding and memorable name. Unfortunately, in most cases this is pure, unadulterated marketing in the bad sense of the word. Mini-copies often have nothing in common with flagships, except for a vaguely similar design, and their technical content leaves much to be desired. We swam - we know.
The real mini-flagship from Sony, which appeared last year along with the Xperia Z1, has somewhat changed the attitude towards this class of devices. It really was a smaller copy of the older device: platform, camera - all the technical stuff of the compact version was borrowed from the flagship. “Compact” even took over its protection against dust and moisture. The only differences were the size and resolution of the display - for 4.3 inches Full HD is simply not necessary. Sony understood this and decided not to waste resources.
In our memory, the Z1 Compact is one of the most productive smartphones with a 4.3-inch screen diagonal. Literally a gift that has no analogues for those who wanted a compact but powerful gadget. Obviously, Sony decided to update the Compact once a year, unlike the usual “Zetok”. And to avoid a lag in the serial number, the number 2 in the new generation of the “compact” had to be omitted. So welcome to Sony Xperia Z3 Compact! Before testing begins, we note that the Z1 Compact dropped to a very “tasty” fifteen thousand rubles in various online stores. For such a price this is truly a gift! It’s all the more interesting to see if there’s anything in the Z3 Compact that will make the user pay about seven thousand more for it.
⇡ Specifications
| Sony Xperia Z1 Compact | Sony Xperia Z3 Compact | |
|---|---|---|
| Touch screen | 4.3 inches, 1280x720 pixels, IPS; Capacitive, up to ten simultaneous touches | 4.6 inches, 1280x720 pixels, IPS; Capacitive, up to ten simultaneous touches |
| Air gap | No | |
| Oleophobic coating | Eat | |
| Polarizing filter | Eat | |
| Factory film | No | |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7); frequency 2.15 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7), frequency 2.46 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm |
| Graphics controller | Adreno 330, 450 MHz | Adreno 330, 578 MHz |
| RAM | 2 GB LPDDR3-1600 | |
| Flash memory | 16 GB (about 11.5 GB available to the user) + microSD | |
| Connectors | 1 x Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x MicroSD 1 x Micro-SIM |
1 x Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x MicroSD 1 x Nano-SIM |
| cellular | 2G/3G/4G One SIM card in micro-SIM format |
2G/3G/4G One nano-SIM format SIM card |
| Cellular connection 2G | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | |
| Cellular 3G | WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz DC-HSPA+ (84 Mbps) | |
| Cellular 4G | LTE Cat. 4 (150 Mbps) band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20 (2100/1900/1800/1700/850/2600/900/800 MHz) | |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz + Wi-Fi Direct | |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | |
| NFC | Eat | |
| IR port | No | |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou |
| Sensors | Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope, magnetometer (digital compass) |
Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope/pedometer, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer |
| Main camera | 20.7 MP (5248x3936), Sony Exmor RS matrix with back-illumination, 1/2.3 inches Autofocus, LED flash | |
| Front-camera | 2.1 MP (1920x1080), Sony Exmor R back-illuminated sensor | |
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery: 8.7 Wh (2300 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 9.88 Wh (2600 mAh, 3.8 V) |
| Size | 127x65 mm Case thickness: 9.5 mm |
127x65 mm Case thickness 8.6 mm |
| Weight | 135 g | 129 g |
| Housing protection | IP55, IP58 | IP65, IP68 |
| operating system | Android 4.4 KitKat Sony Xperia's own shell |
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| Average retail price | About 15 thousand rubles | About 23 thousand rubles |
⇡ Appearance and ergonomics
Let's start with the obvious. Smartphones with a screen diagonal of 4.6 inches are no longer in fashion - we have already begun to forget how convenient it is to use them. The Z3 Compact fits easily into any pocket without sticking out. The device is really easy to operate with one hand - even the fair sex does not have to reach with its thumb to any of the four edges. Your hands don’t get tired from prolonged interaction with this gadget, because it weighs less than 130 grams.
Sony engineers pleasantly surprised us by increasing the display of the Compact - from 4.3 to 4.6 inches, but leaving the dimensions of the device the same. They are the same for both Compact models: 127 mm in height and 65 mm in width. It is noteworthy that the thickness of the case was reduced by almost a millimeter - from 9.5 mm to 8.6 mm. In general, the Z3 Compact turned out to be even smaller than its predecessor.
The layout of the keys and connectors on the device is the same as on the vast majority of Android smartphones - you get used to the Z3 Compact very quickly. Perhaps the main innovation in terms of design can be considered the transfer of the external speaker to the front panel - the calculation is that the phone is usually placed on the table “face up”, so that the speaker will not be covered.
The signature round power key, made of aluminum, now has a slightly larger size. Next to it is a rocker button for adjusting the volume and a dedicated hardware camera key. All buttons have a short and distinct stroke.
The side edges of the body of the new “Compact” are made of transparent plastic. Due to this, it seems that they are concave, although in reality they are, of course, convex. The inscriptions on the ends cast a shadow “deeper” into the smartphone - an interesting optical effect. There are special inserts at the corners of the case that protect the case from impacts when dropped. Whether this works is unknown: we did not dare to check.
The card slots here are hidden under special plastic plugs in order to maintain the tightness of the structure. The device is protected from dust and moisture according to IP65/68 standards. The manufacturer states that if all the plugs are tightly closed, the gadget can be in fresh water at a depth of up to one and a half meters for no more than thirty minutes.
Under one flap there is a Micro-USB interface and a slot for a microSD memory card, under the other there is a slot for Nano-SIM. Between them is a traditional Sony magnetic connector for connecting the device to the docking station. At the top end there is a universal 3.5 mm audio jack for connecting a wired headset, and at the bottom there is a loop for a strap.
The “back” of the new Compact is made of glass, while its predecessor was made of plastic. Despite this, the smartphone does not slip in your hands at all, and it looks much more expensive and interesting than the previous version ( The opinion of the author may not coincide with the opinion of the editors. — approx. ed. ). On the back panel there is a lens of the main 20-megapixel camera along with a diode flash.
The available range of colors for the Z3 Compact is its own - it has nothing in common with either the colors of the “regular” Xperia Z3 or the colors of the Z1 Compact. This season, Sony designers, along with the traditional black and white colors, offer bright orange and mint green. In promotional photographs, the new colors look very interesting and unusual. Obviously, they will resonate with young people.
A stylish mini-version of the flagship smartphone with almost identical hardware is Sony. Characteristics of hardware and software capabilities, as well as the pros and cons of this device based on real reviews from owners - this is the material that will be discussed in detail in our review material.
Gadget equipment
Although this is a mini-version of the flagship solution, you can’t tell from the configuration. 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 non-separable), the delivery set includes the following accessories and components:
High quality sound system.
Charger 1.5A.
The usual 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 ease of use
It’s worth noting right away that, like the flagship device, the body of this smartphone has an increased degree of protection - IP65 and IP68. This provides protection from dust and moisture. That is, this gadget can be immersed under water and take video or photographs at this time. To do this, there is a special button on the left side of the smart phone. The only condition that needs to be met is to install the special supplied plugs in the corresponding slots. In addition to the previously mentioned camera control button, on the left side of the smartphone there is a power button and the usual volume up and down buttons. There are two slots on the right edge: for a SIM card and for an external flash drive. At the bottom there is only a hole for the speaking microphone, and all the wire connectors are on the top side: 3.5 mm and a universal microUSB.
Like this manufacturer’s tablet with a similar name, the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact is equipped with “Gorilla Eye” protective glass. It protects its front panel, most of which is occupied by a screen with a very modest diagonal, as today - 4.6 inches. Above it there are several sensors and below, below the screen, there is a typical of three backlit touch buttons. There are 2 speakers located symmetrically relative to the screen: one on top and the other on the bottom. The main camera and LED backlight are located on the back side.
CPU
The flagship solution Snapdragon 801 from the leading developer of AWS chips - Qualcomm - provides one of the best levels of computing performance compared to analogues in Sony Compact. The characteristics of its hardware parameters indicate the presence of 4 high-performance modules. Each of them is built on 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 leaves much to be desired.
Graphics accelerator and display
The screen diagonal of this smart phone model is a very modest, as it is today, 4.6 inches. It is made using the proprietary technology of this manufacturer - IPS TRILUMINOS. In this case, there is no air gap between the display and glass, which ensures high picture quality that does not depend on the viewing angle. The only thing that causes certain comments is the color gamut, which is slightly distorted in this device, but proper configuration of the Sony Compact will help 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 figures than those of the flagship smartphone (1920x1080 and FullHD, respectively), but it is almost impossible to distinguish individual pixels on the display. This device uses the Adreno 330 graphics adapter as a video accelerator, 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 applications, including the most demanding ones.
Cameras
Like Compact, this smart phone is equipped with front and rear cameras. The technical parameters of the last of them are really impressive: a 20.7 megapixel sensor element, autofocus, a software optical image stabilization system, eight times digital zoom and Another feature of this camera is video recording in the new “4K” format with a refresh rate of 30 frames per second . Well, don’t forget that the case of this device is dust-proof and moisture-resistant (the smartphone can be submerged to a depth of 1 meter). That is, this device allows you to take high-quality photos or record videos under almost any conditions. The front camera has more modest technical specifications. A 2.2 megapixel sensor is used here. But this is quite enough for both selfies and video calls.
RAM, built-in storage and memory expansion slot
An impressive amount of RAM, 2 GB, is integrated into the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact. The characteristics of the built-in storage are also impressive - 16 GB. This is quite enough to start using the gadget out of the box. If the specified values are not enough for someone, 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 flash drive to your phone. Personal data is best stored on some cloud service. This will allow you to restore all photos and videos if your smartphone is lost or damaged.
Device autonomy
On the one hand, the Compact comes with a built-in battery, the capacity of which is a “solid” 2600 mAh. On the other hand, the screen diagonal, as noted earlier 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 some software optimization, and in reality the phone can function for even 5 days instead of the stated 3 days. There are also more energy-efficient modes in this smartphone, which allow you to last a week on one battery charge. But in this case, the functionality of the device is significantly reduced, and some important options are disabled (transferring data to the Internet, receiving multimedia messages).
Software and its features
Something unusual in terms of system software does not allow the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact to stand out from its competitors. Android is the operating system of this device. Currently version 4.4 is installed on the device. Regarding updates to more recent versions, it is quite difficult to say anything definite. The situation is similar with another device in this line of mobile gadgets: the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact tablet boasts similar software.
Interfaces
This smart phone model has an impressive list of supported interfaces, as does the Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact. Reviews indicate that this list contains all the most necessary interfaces. Among them are the following:
Price
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 price of the flagship at $502 versus $456 for the compact version looks overpriced. Still, shelling out an additional $50 for 1 GB of RAM and a slightly larger screen with a higher resolution is not entirely correct. Moreover, it is easier to work on a smaller copy of the flagship.
Quite a fast device. The battery life in call/Internet/social network mode was at one time enough for 1.5-2 days. Waterproof - you can safely use it in the rain; I haven’t tried heating it in water.
Compact and design
Characteristics, appearance, convenient size, dust and moisture protection. Everything made me very happy for 6 months. This is at the time of purchase in 2014, now I have had the Galaxy A3 2016 for 2 years, no questions. Samsung is tearing up Sony!!! Sony - I deliberately write with a capital letter. the brand is over.
compact, convenient, fits perfectly in the hand, one of the best phones of that time.
Powerful and compact
A year ago
Everything is described in the specifications. Convenient location of buttons on the body. Headphone jack mini jack 3.5 mm.
A year ago
Camera, design, size (fits perfectly in the hand)
A year ago
Performance. Almost no lag during the entire time of use, smooth, nimble. Camera. It shoots pretty decently even in automatic mode, but for maximum quality it is of course better to shoot in manual mode. Connection. The network picks up well, satellites, and other sensors also function well. Unless NFC doesn't support mifare. Battery. There are no words here. Although its volume is small, thanks to some super-nanotechnologies, energy consumption is remarkably optimized; with normal use, it lasts for one and a half or even 2 days. Basically, the location sensor eats up the most, if it is constantly on, then of course it will last until the evening at most. Notification indicator. A useful thing that, unfortunately, is not installed on all phones. Dimensions. Comfortable to hold and use with one hand.
A year ago
Design, shapes, ergonomics, assembly! Feels good in the hand. Performance: everything flies, no lags were noticed. (Android flies on this hardware like iOS on the best Apple models). Communication is excellent, speaker, microphone. The camera is also a big plus, there are a lot of settings, you can take amazing shots. Paired with the aforementioned performance, photography is a pleasure. The battery is optimized, with an average load (without stamina mode, with 4G, average display brightness, this is two days of work! At maximum load (without letting go): a full working day. When “stamina” is activated, fortunately there are quite a lot of settings for this mode , you can individually and subtly optimize the battery depending on operating conditions, which will significantly increase the battery life.
A year ago
camera, size, body
The non-removable case (which is also an advantage in terms of tightness) means that it is impossible to change the battery yourself (without special tools), because you will have to break the seal of the device.
SCREEN!!! IT JUST FALLED AWAY after a year. glued. FALLED OFF AGAIN. In the workshop they glued the proximity sensor and covered it with glue - that’s it, the display needs to be replaced, replacement 15k. Threw away the phone. After some time, I bought another SONY phone and screw it, THE SCREEN FALLED OFF AGAIN. NEVER BUY SONY PHONES, Because the quality of their products is worse than the Chinese nonname.
Sony's quality is poor. It sat for 2 years while it was being sued for poor quality and the battery was swollen. Result: three warranty repairs and self-destruction....
camera, back cover, top plug (it lasts exactly half a year - and the elastic starts to fall off).
After a year and a half, the front glass came off. Let me add: all my friends who had such a phone had the glass come off (3 more phones), and after warranty repairs it came off again.
A year ago
I didn't find it for my needs.
A year ago
The front and rear glass come off, it gets very hot, and the gallery upload files take up 3 GB. Not sealed right out of the box. Jack changed it 3 times, although he is careful with equipment
A year ago
The back cover began to peel off after several months of use. When there is an incoming call, the call sound becomes very quiet (although the volume is at maximum; if you listen to music or watch videos, then the sound is “ok”; I reset it to factory settings, the situation has not changed)
A year ago
Waterproof. You can forget about it right away. Well, it’s not there due to defects and defects in the case. I highly recommend not messing around with water. Audio jack. Couldn't stand up to frequent use and started to malfunction, the contacts are very delicate. In the end, the contacts broke off completely. The sound in general is very quiet. There are 2 speakers, one is auditory; during a conversation, only this one works, it is less powerful. The second, at the bottom, works with incoming calls, alarm clocks, watching videos, listening to audio along with the usual auditory one - the top one, in stereo mode. It is a little more powerful, but still, on the street or in transport there is a risk of missing the signal. Defects in 99% of phones. More about this. I received a black D5803. Moreover, you can literally immediately notice the play of the touch panel in the upper right corner, where the selfie camera is. Initially he is quite
A year ago
software, glitches, weak battery
