Database Users

Should you buy a Xperia Z or not?

Yes, if you can find a used one to a reasonable price, and no if youre renewing your contract or buying a brand new one.
Reason is that even though its great phone, the samsung s4 and htc one is right around the corner and they both come with full hd displays with nearly everything better in software terms, look at the rewies.
I bought mine used for around 350 pounds it had been used for 11 days. Reason, i didnt wait for the s4 (i dont like metal (htc one)) is that i didnt wanted to renew my contract, and i had a iphone 5 (just to small of a screen) which i sold and bought the Xperia Z.
Now the Xperia Z is a great phone, its a beautiful looking phone, it has a great full hd display, the launcher is nearly stock witch i prefer etc.
The "not so great" about the phone is the software side. The camera isnt the best, but its not bad!. There arent many feauteres in the settings app, its allmost stock, so for the people who like minimality its allright, but for people like me who likes a lot of features the software dissapoints. Even though a lot of the software (samsung series) is gimmicks its nice to have them. My big issue with this phone is the battery, im a heavy user and it isnt meant for heavy users. Even in stamina mode and brightness in auto mode i have to charge the phone at least 2 times a day. And the charge time is crazy, if you are using your phone while charging it just stands still. Bluetooth is dissapointing, it connect to my cars bluetooth but when trying to make a phone call it disconnects every time. On the lockscreen theres time, music and camera icons, if u have a missed call or a message it does not show, for me thats dissapointing, the software just needs big improvements.
Now this phone is big, so if you have small hands try it out in a store before you buy. I have small hands but i like to use two hands so its fine for me, but still it could have been nice if it were a bit smaller, like the zl. The rectangular shape isnt as comfortable to hold as a others. This phone definetely needs to be tried before bought.
To round up:
Good part. Its beautifull looking, great hardware, great full hd screen, good camera, little to no lag, good launcher, notifcation lights, waterproof,
Bad part. battery life, bluetooth, software, not comfortable to hold (small hands),

I would buy one because I like Sony's UI, but the dated hardware specifications, poor viewing experience and sound quality is what's keeping me from doing that.

When you recontract (in my country), the HTC One is $528 vs the Xperia Z at $388, with the NFC speakers thrown in for free. Looking at the SGS4, it's going to be >$500 if the prices of the SGS3 were anything to go by (SGS4 drops on 27th April here). Kind of an easy choice

mahay_love said:
I would buy one because I like Sony's UI, but the dated hardware specifications, poor viewing experience and sound quality is what's keeping me from doing that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So you've had the opportunity to use one for a few minutes and don't like the screen or the speaker and find the phone
sluggish/slow/underpowered for the tasks you would use it for?

Nameless One said:
So you've had the opportunity to use one for a few minutes and don't like the screen or the speaker and find the phone
sluggish/slow/underpowered for the tasks you would use it for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd say far more than a few minutes but yes, I did find the apps to be a little unresponsive/lag-ish at times. The sound quality wasn't good but the screen was enjoyable, at least I thought so until I tried watching a video with a friend, it turned out it wasn't.

mahay_love said:
I'd say far more than a few minutes but yes, I did find the apps to be a little unresponsive/lag-ish at times. The sound quality wasn't good but the screen was enjoyable, at least I thought so until I tried watching a video with a friend, it turned out it wasn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you want to watch a movie with your friend you can go to the Cinema
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium

gm007 said:
If you want to watch a movie with your friend you can go to the Cinema
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was a small video clip though

mahay_love said:
I'd say far more than a few minutes but yes, I did find the apps to be a little unresponsive/lag-ish at times. The sound quality wasn't good but the screen was enjoyable, at least I thought so until I tried watching a video with a friend, it turned out it wasn't.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fair enough, I get the impression that many of the people saying they were going to buy but changed their mind are going purely on what others have said including the many trolls as if anything negative said with confidence is automatically true
and true for all examples of the device (in this case the XZ) being referred to (or they are trolls themselves). There is far too much general negativity (as distinct from negative opinions).

Nameless One said:
Fair enough, I get the impression that many of the people saying they were going to buy but changed their mind are going purely on what others have said including the many trolls as if anything negative said with confidence is automatically true
and true for all examples of the device (in this case the XZ) being referred to (or they are trolls themselves). There is far too much general negativity (as distinct from negative opinions).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe on the internet but I've seen no such negativity from the people who own it, and when I displayed it to my relatives they had a clearly good impression of the device. I think I'm just too particular about my devices.

@op you say the camera isn't the Best but not bad? Yet you praise the screen...... The camera is one of the best out right now lol as for the screen, full HD yeah but the viewing angles are terrible, colors desaturate at the slightest tilt of the screen, anyways....I had my XZ for about a month now and while im happy with it for now I would gladly swap for something else, its gonna be hard to find someone who actually wants an XZ to swap with tho .
Sent from my GT-P3110 using xda premium

With respect to the OP there is simply no answer to the question. Choice is there and all the debate in the world will not alter that.
Trying to compare the top three mobiles at present is fruitless. They all have weaknesses and strengths. It will come down to personal choice and thank heavens for that choice.
I have the blessing to have purchased what mobile I like to that end I am not biased in favour of one brand nor the other. I buy what pleases me and NOT what reviews write. 'Experts' only confuse the situations. The difference between the XZ, HTC One and the SGS4 will come down to style and aesthetics, as far as daily use goes we have reached a ceiling now where the speeds etc can make zero noticeable difference in user interaction between person and device. UI's differ as does materials used in construction. I went with the Sony on this occasion as my SGS3 is a spectacular mobile, for the cost the materials used (for me) are unacceptable, it just feels cheap and the SGS4 looks exactly like its predecessor even though Samsung are using different forms of plastic it still looks cheap.
The HTC One, I fear, living in a very hot climate, that the HTC One will allow body perspiration into the phone via those large frontal speakers ? The phone looks a million dollars but again I fear the aluminium back and front plates will scratch and even dent as they did with my HTC Legend. The other point in choosing to try the Sony was signal strength.
You see I live in the middle of no where so signal strength is a vital part of my mobile ownership. Nokia, in the past, have been top notch in this area where HTC have proved abysmal and I have owned about 5 different HTC's. The Samsung Note was not too bad but the Galaxy S3 that I still have is not as strong as the Sony XZ.
I have found HTC and Nokia build quality to be very good, Samsung are, well they are plastic and look plastic!?
I am thankful for the choices. There is no best and to debate on such things is like trying to debate who the best singer is, the best song, the best brand of stereo speakers or HI-Fi separates. It is a personal choice.
What's the best fruit would be an equally pointless debate.

Best phone so far I find
The fact it's so close to stock android compared to everything else I find a real bonus as well
Feels like a nexus but with the Sony bonus features rather then a forced view of what they think android should be like e.g Samsung
Great camera
Good battery life I find
Best astetic design
Sent from my Xperia Z

swifteh said:
@op you say the camera isn't the Best but not bad? Yet you praise the screen...... The camera is one of the best out right now lol as for the screen, full HD yeah but the viewing angles are terrible, colors desaturate at the slightest tilt of the screen, anyways....I had my XZ for about a month now and while im happy with it for now I would gladly swap for something else, its gonna be hard to find someone who actually wants an XZ to swap with tho .
Sent from my GT-P3110 using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the camera on both the s3 & iphone 5 are better. and those are the phones ive owned. yes the screen is beautiful and bright. i dont care about viewing angles, if you had readen the reviews you would have known that the viewing angles are not so good. well if you paid full price then yeah you should have waited.

After spending two weeks with the iPhone 5, I am unable to agree that it has a better camera than the Xperia Z. I have got better pictures with the latter when manual settings.
I would also say that the selection between Xperia Z, HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S 4 (after seeing the ad in Times Square, the name is S 4 instead of S IV) is a matter of software preferences to a high degree. In my case, the Xperia Z won because of the following:
1. IP57 and the relaxation that the smartphone can be used even if the weather is less than perfect.
2. No TouchWiz or Sense and a very clean Android experience that is more of a "refined Nexus" than a traditional manufacturer modified one. The problem with Samsung is that they change a lot of things in their devices and that results in very heavy bloated ROMs. I also think that Sony has made a better job with their apps like dialer, contacts, messaging, Album and Walkman.
The new HTC Sense isn't too attractive to me either even if I have the opinion that HTC usually make more elegant apps (Gallery, contacts, dialer etc) than Samsung.
3. Because of 2, running clean ROMs are of interest to me in the case of Samsung and HTC. Unfortunately, neither Galaxy S 4 or HTC One are too developer friendly (locked bootloaders, a lack of sources etc) which is paired with a severe fragmentation (in the case of the S 4) where different markets has different CPUs etc. Sony has made a better job with standardizing Xperia Z C6602 and C6603 since both of them can use the same ROMs and kernels. It is also worth to mention that the CM10.1 development has been very rapid for the Xperia Z and everything like camera etc is working.
4. The performance of the Xperia Z is very high, it is the first time I don't feel that overclocking is necessary. The device is very smooth and fast on the stock frequency. It is better to undervolt in order to get better battery life and less heat (it made a big difference in my case).
The performance differences between the Snapdragon S4 Pro and the 600 can be reduced by overclocking. The light ROMs for the Xperia Z is facilitating smoothness, my experience is that Samsung and HTC needs heavy debloating in order to begin to perform at their best.
The most interesting product besides the Xperia Z when it comes to the CPU is the S 4 i9500 with Exynos 5 Octa. It is a great benefit that it is always quad core in both modes (performance and power saver A15/A7). Unfortunately, the Snapdragon 600-versions are what Samsung pushes hard since the production of the Exynos 5 Octa hasn't been ramped up yet.
The drawback with the Exynos is the unwillingness of Samsung to release proper sources, a problem that has affected CM and PA on their devices. Otherwise, it is a really interesting CPU.
The step between Snapdragon S4 Pro and 600 is too small in my opinion, the step to the 800 is much more interesting.
5. The screen of the Xperia Z is very good in my opinion with good color reproduction after calibration. The viewing angle "problem" doesn't disturb me the slightest since I usually don't use the device in off angles - and the screen is still legible in those cases. The "problem" is overrated IMHO.
I also prefer the colors compared to the extreme "color explosion" Samsung offers on their AMOLED screens (which can be changed by make the proper settings). I think the Galaxy S 4 and HTC One offers decent screens but I don't see that the difference between them and the Xperia Z is much of a concern. All three are good.
6. The audio quality of the Xperia Z when decent headphones are used is very good and that is with the PureXAudio mod flashed. I don't experience any kind of "inferior sound" compared to the Galaxy Note II. For further enhancements of the sound, Power AMP can be used.
HTC focuses too much on Beats Audio instead of good DACs etc which is a drawback. Personally, I would not buy anything with Beats (Crap Audio in my opinion). When it comes to the Galaxy S 4, I think the Snapdragon 600 versions are using the integrated DAC while the Exynos version should use the Wolfson one. I therefore expect the i9500 to offer higher audio quality than i9505 et al.
I would claim the Wolfson Samsung Galaxy S 4 i9500 will be the best sounding with Xperia Z as the second while HTC with their Beats Audio will lag behind. Samsung usually manage to offer very good sound from their Wolfson equipped products.
7. The integrated battery on the Xperia Z is a drawback but can partly be explained by the water tightness. The HTC One has a completely disastrous battery placement, sandwiched between the mainboard and the screen. The 1 out of 10 in repairability that iFixit gave it would put me off completely.
The Galaxy S 4 is the winner since it offers both the user replaceable battery and a memory card slot. The Xperia Z comes in second and the HTC One suffers from a very big question mark about the internal layout.
Conclusion:
In my opinion, the Xperia Z is the most "well rounded" device available today. The Galaxy S 4 i9500 with Exynos 5 Octa offers some benefits but suffers from very restricted availability. Many of the features Samsung puts in are more of "gimmicks" than useful things. HTC focuses also on a bit of bling bling with Beats Audio and Blinkfeed.
The Xperia Z on the other hand offers a clean experience that is easy to customize and gives a more "productive" feeling rather than "bling bling". On the other hand, everything comes down to what type of Android experience that is preferred. For those that are comfortable with TouchWiz and Sense, Samsung and HTC is good choices.
On the other hand, for those that prefer a cleaner experience but think the Nexus 4 is too limited (storage, screen etc) - the Xperia Z is a very good choice - especially now when CM10.1 is out and seem to work well in the latest build. It is possible to step straight onto "pure Android" right now, without the question marks that surrounds the other options.
Personally, I think the Xperia Z is the best option right now and can only see the Galaxy S 4 with Exynos Octa as the closest competitor - then there is interesting products from Huawei that can be worth a look. HTC One is uninteresting to me, especially because of the hopeless internal layout with the sandwiched battery that makes repairs extremely complicated.
What I don't like with the Galaxy S 4 is the insane fragmentation Samsung introduced. They use two different CPUs but it doesn't end there: then we have a couple of carrier versions with alterations that make ROMs incompatible. I can see atleast FIVE different S600 versions: i9505 for Europe and then different models for AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.
The Xperia Z C6602 and C6603 is the optimum in standardization in comparison.
HTC One seem to be more standardized too even if there are different carrier branded versions. According to available info, the AT&T version can use the EU ROMs without any alterations necessary and that is a big plus.
I think that the "worst" device of the three is the HTC One and that is purely because of the internal layout and the sandwiched battery. It is tough luck to have a problem with it. Even if it is integrated, it should be placed above the mainboard and not between it and the screen.
Galaxy S 4 is certainly a nice device in different aspects but TouchWiz and the severe fragmentation with different versions is something to keep in mind since it affects ROM development.
Xperia Z is a device that offers a very well rounded or balanced experience that is close to stock Android but with Sony refinements (that adds some value rather than just being bloat). I also think it gives an appearance of sophisticated elegance while the HTC One is a bit "bling bling" and the S 4 is a bit too much of an S III in style.
My last word is this: it is also worth to check out competitors like Huawei with their Ascend series. I think the rumored Ascend Mate II with 1080p screen will be an interesting alternative to a Note III for example.
There is also rumors about a Sony Xperia Cybershot later this year. I guess it will be powered by the Snapdragon 800.
I am very happy with the Xperia Z and don't miss Samsung the slightest.

Ryland Johnson said:
I fear the aluminium back and front plates will scratch and even dent as they did with my HTC Legend.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well maybe scratching is not as bad, looking at this short video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EWqPpYVE08

coios84 said:
the camera on both the s3 & iphone 5 are better. and those are the phones ive owned. yes the screen is beautiful and bright. i dont care about viewing angles, if you had readen the reviews you would have known that the viewing angles are not so good. well if you paid full price then yeah you should have waited.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you seriously trying to say that an 8mp camera is better than a 13 mp camera? i read lots of reviews and watched countless youtube reviews by top reviewers, yes i paid full price but im not fully flaming the phone, viewing angles dont bother me too much either, just pointing out one of the screens shortcomings.... im just hacked off at 50/50 gamble that you get a locked bootloader, which is why we buy android devices in the first place, to unlock, mod and set free, but i really needed a phone at the time so hey ho.

Quite agree with some but not all.
Battery I find it better, at least it was far better than my previous phone - Samsung Galaxy S III, and it also charging fast, at least it was faster than my previous Samsung Galaxy S III.
I don't find this phone that bad only deserved for 2nd hand value.
I do miss some useful function by Samsung especially on those sensor part, but.. it was not a must as it ain't really important.
Stability wise, I can only said this is my 1st Android that is stable out from the box. My experience with Samsung Galaxy S II - G version was the most terrible one, it hang often until I sold it after 2 months usage, actually before I sold the SII-G ROM already quit stable but it still hang maybe once a week. Then I get S III, the performance was smooth before you install anything, it drag down after install full of apps, I am not so satisfied with S III performance, I mean the international edition which only 1GB RAM, it will anytime restart the launcher once you touch the Google Chrome. Even the most simple task - opening Phone also need to wait, this is truly nightmare as older S II - G also don't have this issue, it open instant.
Then my sister buy Note II, and this is the 1st time Samsung did it pretty solid and stable. I am sure since this, they no doubt any issue on S4. But I still don't choose S4 due to bored on it similarity design.
HTC One - this is my choice before I pick Xperia Z as I had seen HTC Butterfly screen before, and it extremely impress me. But for design wise, I still pick Sony as I find it did the best in outer and inner (software part) design. Then, after seeing a lot reviews of HTC One camera, the Ultrapixel camera was quite let down, it too easier over expose in day light outdoor shoot due to it big aperture f/2.0, such aperture if not handle well is a nightmare. HTC One body is similar and even slightly bigger than S III, in such body, it was easier squeeze in 5" screen rather than current 4.7". Beside this, Xperia Z waterproof and solid build with capable of SD card was a plus.
Now talk on screen wise, I actually not please with Samsung over saturate AMOLED screen, it was just too vivid to be natural & preset color of Natural is not working, as it became too dull. Don't talk on S4, I know it came with Adobe RGB Professional profile, maybe this help, I can't justified now as I need to see in person. Xperia Z screen wise was nature but never lost it vividness and nice to look at, the only lose here is the viewing angle but it not really impact actual use.
Sound quality on Xperia Z stock not really impress me due to it too low volume loud speaker and not clear, also all the preset was too flat to listening, Clear Audio+ not flat but too high pitch. All this issue solved after with PureXAudio mod, it was really good and not worst than my S III after the mod.
Performance wise, no doubt S4 win here as it bundle with latest highest CPU and highest speed as well. But is this really matter, I doubt about it, now every flagship phone is fast enough, not really need getting the highest speed, in-fact future phone shall more look on RAM (probably is time equip with 3GB or 4GB) and battery. RAM always play important part in any IT electrical device. More RAM will eventually make everything much smoother and better.
Until now, the only thing I want Sony make it better was reduce the camera over post processing & jpeg compression, I know the output could be better if Sony reduce down the post processing especially the noise filtering, it was like a paint of wax sometimes the output.

It's a great device. At the end of the day is a flagship so it won't disappoint you but it all comes to personal preference sony xz, HTC one or Samsung s4 they are all awesome devices. Compare them and pick the one that ticks all the boxes for you.
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium

I've got my Z on ebay, sitting in front of me waiting to sell right now. I wanted so much to love the Z and still do love the Water resistance and ruggedness, as well as the size of the screen. Simply put though, the Z falls down on too many points.
Z points;
Camera : Very good, although no better than S3 or iphone 4 or 5 for that matter.
Music: Too quiet, although sound quality is great. The low volume overall, especially through the headphone socket, even with audio mods, is inexcusable from Sony.
Screen: Sony have basically just slapped a small computer monitor screen on it, as the viewing angles remind me of PC lcd screens.
Viewing angle is the big no no here, it is almost useless viewing texts with phone on desk, and watching a movie or looking at content with a friend on the screen is very disapointing.
Performance: The Z is slightly too laggy, although it is very fast.
I love the size of the Z screen and the software is very nice, especially the album app, which is hands down the best album app i've ever used.
Sony fell just short of the mark with this. Given the choice again, I would not of bought it. The HTC One i've replaced it with beats it in every respect barring screen size and water resistance.

biffsmash said:
I've got my Z on ebay, sitting in front of me waiting to sell right now. I wanted so much to love the Z and still do love the Water resistance and ruggedness, as well as the size of the screen. Simply put though, the Z falls down on too many points.
Z points;
Camera : Very good, although no better than S3 or iphone 4 or 5 for that matter.
Music: Too quiet, although sound quality is great. The low volume overall, especially through the headphone socket, even with audio mods, is inexcusable from Sony.
Screen: Sony have basically just slapped a small computer monitor screen on it, as the viewing angles remind me of PC lcd screens.
Viewing angle is the big no no here, it is almost useless viewing texts with phone on desk, and watching a movie or looking at content with a friend on the screen is very disapointing.
Performance: The Z is slightly too laggy, although it is very fast.
I love the size of the Z screen and the software is very nice, especially the album app, which is hands down the best album app i've ever used.
Sony fell just short of the mark with this. Given the choice again, I would not of bought it. The HTC One i've replaced it with beats it in every respect barring screen size and water resistance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Music: seriously check with the doctor, volume is high enough.
Perfirmance: laggy but very fast?? What app/game lags for you. Quad core 2gb ram and lags you are trolling here for sure.
Screen: that's totally bs, viewing angles are perfectly fine, right now I'm typing from my desk, I've seen videos in bed with my partner no problems at all.
Getting a bit tired of those HTC fan boys reviews.
What I suggest you to do is go to a shop try all of them and pick the one you like more. Because at the end of the day it's you who have to like it.
Sent from my C6603 using xda premium

Why did you choose Xperia Z2?

Hi all, refer to the above let's discuss why you choose xperia z2 compare with others device.
is it because the design, Spec, price, sony fans or others.
Sent from my LT26w using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

Simply because it's the best flagship on the market at the moment.

S5 sucked balls. It will be Z2 unless HTC suprises us with a monster in about 1 month.
Skickat från min GT-I9505 via Tapatalk

Just saw ARTICLE about new IPS screen and Sony finally have great and quality product.
I'm completely satisfied with my Z1 but if I get some interesting offer (like I got for Z1) I'll definitely try it.
Why?
Because, now, Z1 is ultimate device and Sony just upgraded it
Sent from my C6903 using Tapatalk

Because the Z2 is the best on the market just now, S5 rom is 8Gb compared to the Z2's 4Gb, plus Z2 has way more excellent specs. I don't care that Samsung maybe releasing a 64bit S5 later this year as I think it is too early for me to get into 64 bit phones just now; as infrastructure etc is not in place yet i.e. app devs have yet to jump on board. That is my opinion anyway...

Waterproofing
Micro SD slot
Front facing speakers
Great camera
And thankfully a big battery
Also simple things like a camera shutter button make this the best phone on the market atm.
BTW, would not touch the S5. The design combined with touchwiz is enough to put me off.

I had a Z, ZL and now Z1. Logical to have a Z2 next.
Sendt fra XPERIA Z SGP312

Lost faith in Samsung with there handling of s3 updates plus had problems with them regarding other Samsung products. Been a fan of sony for a while now and its coming close to my phone upgrade and the Z2 currently looks like it. I have a few months to go so plenty of time to judge the competition and see what negatives might crop up about the z2.
As long as root is easily gained with minimal drawback Ill most likely be picking up the z2.
Plus the specs of this phone do look pretty good to me

Bigger battery, nicer look, wanted something that wasn't made by Samsung for once.
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Eye friendly...
I am one of the small amount percentage of population who seems to suffer from LED's displays... Sony triluminos display tech, seems to be benign on our eyes. At least sony Vaio Pro 13 and flip are better displays... This issue has years... Hope Z2 is really eye friendly to me too...
Seems spectrum of light of triluminos technology is more balanced. Not a huge blue spike on spectrum...
Here you could see a thread talking on LED's:
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1677617?start=0&tstart=0
My HTC One is killing my eyes...
Cheers...

xz2
because of this past year i cannot trust Sony easily!
i love to buy Xperia Z2 IF all thing about display & ... be right!
if no two quality of display!
sharp display! jdc! OR all story like those!
It s ok if sony s using different company for display supplying BUT not different quality from each company.
:good:

My first phone was the Motorola RAZR V3i and have been a loyal user since then with Moto Droid & Moto RAZR... just loved the premium build quality along with excellent specs. Beauty with brains! Loved the design of Xperia Z & Z1 but was hesitant to switch due to the screen quality as I'm spoiled by AMOLED on my RAZR.
But the Z2 seems like the only phone to be awesome inside & out with no drawbacks to give me second thoughts why not to buy it... (Size was a little concern but I can live with that)

It's either the htc one 2014 or z2. I'm going to buy on tmobile 's jump program if i do decide to get one of these puppies. The phone addict in me wants the latest and greatest, but honestly don't "need" one just yet since I have the N5.
I expect by Fall, everyone will update their SOCs with 64 bit cpus. Also hope that finger print unlock and pw will be supported more widely. Not to mention waterproof and 3GB of ram. These will be must have options.

bigbrown said:
It's either the htc one 2014 or z2. I'm going to buy on tmobile 's jump program if i do decide to get one of these puppies. The phone addict in me wants the latest and greatest, but honestly don't "need" one just yet since I have the N5.
I expect by Fall, everyone will update their SOCs with 64 bit cpus. Also hope that finger print unlock and pw will be supported more widely. Not to mention waterproof and 3GB of ram. These will be must have options.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I also want to see what htc will bring to the table. I doubt it can match sony. Also would need a case since you can't get protection on the alu back.
I don't really see a need for 64 bit systems. What do you see 64 bit bring? Do phones need a new OS to match it? Will support for old systems stop?

We might not need it in the consumer space, but it's one of those things where if you can get it as a little to no-cost option, why not? I can envision a bunch of enterprise use cases like big data analytics and data visualization, not to mention phones/phablets/tablets with > 4gb of ram etc

I'm currently on a htc one x, my contract has 2 weeks on it, so I started looking. The galaxy s5 is a massive fail in my eyes, and I'm just getting bored with HTC. As soon as a saw a leak of sense 6 I knew I'd be bored. I'm going to miss BlinkFeed, but the look of the Z2 and the specs, plus noise cancelling and stereo speakers, as well as the camera (going on a once in a lifetime holiday in August), coupled with an sd card slot and waterproofing (11 pools in the resort), I think it'd be a crime not to go for the Z2. I am worried about the size a little bit, even tho I have big hands.

I have the HTC one and have very little complaints about it and the 2014 version looks promissing but that panel that used to have the capacitive buttons on it is still there but now it's just a logo. Idk why they would keep that. I hate wasted space and big bezels and I think the Z2 once I get Cyanogenmod running on it would be amazing

because the first android phone that i used was sony
sony phones are great in price , support in my country and dev's are supporting them great
and the most important one because sony phones are blazing fast and their software is useful and they don't have useless futures that only make your phone slower and they will eat your ram as hell
thats why i decided to buy sony z2

I love the design,
I love the software,
I love the camera,
I love the build quality,
I love the bigger battery,
I love front facing speakers,
And 3gb of Ram which the s5 don't have (besides I got the note 3, I dont need any more Samsung devices for now)
The Z2 and the note 3 will do me for now

mujj said:
Waterproofing
Micro SD slot
Front facing speakers
Great camera
And thankfully a big battery
Also simple things like a camera shutter button make this the best phone on the market atm.
BTW, would not touch the S5. The design combined with touchwiz is enough to put me off.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All of the above + 3GB RAM is what sold me. It should also make this phone relevant for a while. Can't wait for the Z2 to arrive!

[Feel time] New Sony phones? I aint even amazed.

Not sure if it's just me but does anyone feels that sony phones were much more fancy in 2012? New design everytime, new cool feaures, special signature stuff for every single phone, even for the lower end ones like the illumination bar of Xperia U.
New sony phones cant surprise me anymore. For example Z2 is a small upgrade from Z1 only dual speakers is worth to be mentioned and Z3 only add better music effects. In fact sony must have enough technology to build a better phone. Pretty much of us know that the Z1 was supposed to be legendary but it comes out just CPU and camera upgrade. Not much different to the XZ for the rest. And if u hear the music quality of Z1 u will know it really sucks especially for early firmwares, surely worse than the xz all the way by bad hardware the Z1 gave. There were even rumour that the Z1 would provide S-Master amplifier back then? Sony seems to cut it to keep the sale of walkman. Maybe the hardware were supposed to be enforced by S-Master but end up the chip was cut, that makes the audio quality sucks? They didnt even managed to fix that problem before they sell the phone. As I thought the music quality would be OK becoz its still a sony, I ended up dissapointed by the noises. Heard that the problem wasnt solved on Z2 either, not sure about Z3.
Heard that Z3 has 2 dac chip that make it capable to play the hi-res music, well no s-master anyway to ensure people still buy walkman? Or they plan to release it with Z4? No idea and I wont be surprised to see nothing special in the Z4.
What's more laughable is their "upgrade" on CPU.
Everyone else run s800 in 2.3Ghz, sony run it 2.2Ghz
Everyone else run s801 in 2.5Ghz, sony run it 2.3Ghz in Z2
(makes me feels strange, they have no confidence with the cpu, lower the freq so it can be more stable?? well ok i aint mad with that)
Z3 realeased, still using s801 but in 2.5Ghz now!!
"WOW what a great upgrade from Z2 that's so awesome!!" <- are we supposed to be like that??
nerf the older phone by software settings to keep the newer one "better", that's what i see sony is doing all the time.
They dont even change the design now. Why keep using the boring omni-balance every single time? I mean it's looking ok but this has been used for every high-end xperias since the z and it makes people bored after so many times. I dont even feel that sony designers and engineers even have the heart to build a smartphone that will WOW us now.

One other reason for running a phone processor under the designed clock speed is improvement in power consumption.
I'd rather have an extra few hours battery life than an extra 5% or 10% top end performance from a processor that is more than capable of handling the majority of tasks.
Sony are not much different to most other phone manufacturers. Many take the safe option of a minor bump in spec rather than a radical redesign every 6 - 12 months. The HTC One M7/8/9 don't look much different to the casual observer. Apple are masters of the minor spec bump, only they could release the same phone with a cheaper casing and still get people to buy it in droves (5 to 5C). Yes I really do know people that 'upgraded' from the 5 to the 5C because they saw the 5C as newer.
The Z3 and Z3C are fantastic phones and the Z4 will be better. The Z4 will come out later this year with an appropriate bump in spec but I don't expect it to come with any new ground breaking features.
When I say ground breaking features I really mean gimmicks. I like the Sony Xperia range of phones because they are gimmick free. Other manufacturer love gimmicks, Samsung and LG phones have been full of them. It's interesting that with the launch of the S6 Samsung have removed a lot of the gimmicks that came with the S5. They realised that people get bored with gimmicks very quickly and rather than have a laser attachment to remove stones from horses hooves they'd prefer to have a stylish phone built from solid materials that has great battery life.
If a stylish phone built from solid materials with great battery life sounds familiar, it is. It's the Xperia Zxx phone you've already got.

As i see Z2 has 3200mAh battery while Z3 has 3100mAh only. The only significant reason that Z3 has great battery life might just be the ultra stamina mode (actually just disable everything except the phone function itself, nerf performance and everything)
The reason i pick sony before was it looks ultra cool all the time and it's different. For example if i use an Xperia S today u will still think it looks amazing and spectacular but if i take a Galaxy S3 u might think "puff, that boring look again". I just hate sony learnt what other manufactures are doing and has loes it best values. Why creating phones that no one will buy like E series and C series? even older high end sony models, ususally and Xperia Z could still beat them all. Instead of wasting money on phones that no one will buy, why dont they just make a completely new look instead? The reason why samsung didnt get so much success in S4 with gimmick stuff is becoz its just always stealing features of old sony phones and iphones and samsung isnt creative itself. Dont care about iPhones at all as it's 80-90% same (except cpu perf) everytime. Honestly i still cant understand what makes people crazy with the iPhone 6. I'm not saying the new Xperia sucks. I just hope sony can collect an enough of goodies, then release it without cutting this and that and really be an amazing phone that i would like to use for long. And seriously, make a new look. Sony was doing it the best back then why stop it now? HTC didnt make a big difference in m8 and m9 but at least they didnt release a high end after every few month, and i heard m9 would have a 20mp camera and i feel more hopeful in HTC now.
Well people are still asking when will Z4 come all the time. I just think: do u want it just becoz it has a new name, or u still dont know the style of sony?"

The great battery life of the Z3 isn't down to UltraStamina mode.
UltraStamina mode is an emergency mode that is designed to preserve the last 10% or 15% of your battery so that you can still make and receive calls/texts.

MobileBritain said:
The great battery life of the Z3 isn't down to UltraStamina mode.
UltraStamina mode is an emergency mode that is designed to preserve the last 10% or 15% of your battery so that you can still make and receive calls/texts.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But I remember Z3 turned on the ultra stamina mode to win those battery life competition?

KWOKSFUNG said:
But I remember Z3 turned on the ultra stamina mode to win those battery life competition?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sony may well have done but it's not something you'd use in real life unless you are unable to recharge your phone.
It turns off just about every feature of the phone, no data, no GPS, no Bluetooth or ANT+ radio, no NFC etc. It dims the display and I'm guessing ramps down the clock speed of the processor.
The battery life without UltraStamina mode is still amazing compared to a lot of phones.

MobileBritain said:
Sony may well have done but it's not something you'd use in real life unless you are unable to recharge your phone.
It turns off just about every feature of the phone, no data, no GPS, no Bluetooth or ANT+ radio, no NFC etc. It dims the display and I'm guessing ramps down the clock speed of the processor.
The battery life without UltraStamina mode is still amazing compared to a lot of phones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I actually wonder for a fair match of Z2 and Z3, since 80% same hardware but 100more mAh

KWOKSFUNG said:
I actually wonder for a fair match of Z2 and Z3, since 80% same hardware but 100more mAh
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The screen may be one of the biggest differences. As that is usually the greatest source of battery use for any smart phone.
The Z2 is the only one of the Z phones I've not used so can't comment on it from experience.

I think they make the same design is becoz they wanna make a signature of Sony's phone...you said that 2012 they make radical design everytime...well ypur right...but that's another name from sony's..the S...what we using now is Z and that's Z signiture design...if they change the design radically, they will have to change the name to....the omnibalance will always be there but flat candibare design will always be used....because Z is successful today, they will make it until 5 or 6 more like Samsung....well thats my opinion...

@KWOKSFUN, if you dislike what Sony is doing now so much, why don't you just switch to another brand that you do like? Also, you seem to say "I have heard" a LOT. Maybe at least do some research so you can form your own opinion on facts, and not on things you "have heard". Doing so you will probably find answers to some of your questions.

martin132014 said:
I think they make the same design is becoz they wanna make a signature of Sony's phone...you said that 2012 they make radical design everytime...well ypur right...but that's another name from sony's..the S...what we using now is Z and that's Z signiture design...if they change the design radically, they will have to change the name to....the omnibalance will always be there but flat candibare design will always be used....because Z is successful today, they will make it until 5 or 6 more like Samsung....well thats my opinion...
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Click to collapse
Constantly creating new design is what i used to like most from sony. I just hate samsung by its lack of design and bad material. Yeah sony is still much much better in picking good material.

aquaboy11 said:
@KWOKSFUN, if you dislike what Sony is doing now so much, why don't you just switch to another brand that you do like? Also, you seem to say "I have heard" a LOT. Maybe at least do some research so you can form your own opinion on facts, and not on things you "have heard". Doing so you will probably find answers to some of your questions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dont mind me saying the word "heard" all the time, these are info i obtained by other users experience or some rumour that i'm not sure if it's confirmed. Take a note that I'm not rich enough to buy every single devices

Should I wait to buy?

Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks

phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It seems as if there will also be a z4c.
You might want to wait for that, but if you fancy a good camera Sony phones wouldn't be something for you.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

Dsteppa said:
It seems as if there will also be a z4c.
You might want to wait for that, but if you fancy a good camera Sony phones wouldn't be something for you.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Generally speaking I'm not quite sure how much the price of the z3c will fall with the introduction of the z4c.
However I'm curious about the overall performance of the phone: Do you think it is worth the buy?
And what is more, I've seen there is quite a struggle with the bootloader and with developers, but with official CM nightlies this should be fine, right?

Jkay7 said:
Generally speaking I'm not quite sure how much the price of the z3c will fall with the introduction of the z4c.
However I'm curious about the overall performance of the phone: Do you think it is worth the buy?
And what is more, I've seen there is quite a struggle with the bootloader and with developers, but with official CM nightlies this should be fine, right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The price won't fall THAT much, but the recent price drop could be because of that.
The phone is still worth to buy for sure as for bootloader problems, they should be history now.

There is no real evidence of a z4 compact being released anytime soon. For now, pretend like it doesn't exist and get whatever phone you want. Besides, the rumors indicate the phone will only be a marginal upgrade: newer processor and increased screen resolution.
Sent from my Xperia Z3 Compact

phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is just my opinion and I don't intend to talk trash about Sony phones but I'm gonna just tell you like it is.
Just so you know, I'm in IT field (Windows) and I have a comprehensive knowledge about PC hardware tech. Since I switched to android from iPhone about 2.5 years ago, I had bought quite a few phones that included 3 Sony phones.
- ZR with overheat problem even only on browsing the internet with Chrome and very poor quality display (made with TFT) => RETURNED with 15% restocking fee.
- ZL Same poor quality TFT display => I ended up gave it to my sis.
- Z3C made with IPS but with poor touch panel. Annoying touch pattern grids are visible. IPS display quality of the Z3C is well below average even compared to the iPhone 4's. Camera is mediocre at best but all the hype makes me really look down on Sony - the only company who created TA partition just to put their crappy softwares on it and tied the bootloader with it. Not that I give a rat ass about losing its DRM functions, it's just that errors pop up here and there when I unlock the bootloader.
My other 2 Android phones are the Nexus 5 and LG Optimus E970. These 2 phones' displays are superb. I wish the Z3C has the same display quality as those 2. I love its size and battery performance but Sony mobile display sucks big time. Don't get me started on Sony bloatwares (2 ecosystems on 1 device is a joke).
I have many Sony devices in my home (laptop, bluray player, tv...) but when it comes to Sony phones, I'm sure next time I'll pass.
I bought my Z3C for $520 USD. It's still 99.99% new. I would sell it to you for $300 USD if you live in my area (I wouldn't buy it even for $300 though)

Some of the cheaper Z3C listings in the US are for the D5833 overseas model. Be careful with this version, as it will suffer from limited 4G compatibility in the States.

phoneowner71 said:
Hi
I'm pretty much committed to buying a Z3 Compact or the Z1 Compact as they seem to be the only smaller Androids out there.
I've noticed the price has dropped a little (£292 on Amazon) which I presume is something to do with the imminent arrival of the Z5 compact - do you think if I wait a little longer the price may fall some more?
And is the Z3C that much better than the Z1C?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a D5803 running stock 5.0.2 and I'm very happy with the device.
It's compact, fast and battery lasts for 2 days minimum (if you don't play games).
The user interface is simple, fast and close to AOSP look&feel .
I saw no reason to hack the phone with custom ROMs or mods, since I found it to be VERY stable and basically everything works.
If you plan to heavily customize your phone, be ready to face some obstacles mainly due to the fact that Lolipop is quite new on this phone and mods are not yet perfect (although they are improving). I've gone that route before with previous phones, and usually the outcome is that you get some visual adaptations to your taste, but in fact the overall stability/performance will be worst.
Some may argue that the camera software could be better, and I tend to agree. But you will be able to take good pictures, if you use some manual settings.
In my experience, Bluetooth/NFC works very well with different gadgets/systems: hi-fi, Pebble watch, BT headphones (even using aptX), car system, ...
I haven't tested audio high-res external DACs, but some users report some devices are tricky to interface well using Lolipop. Other report their device works. Basic audio play is quite good if you have good headphones and choose the right eq settings.
Some users report the glass may crack due to overheating, and I saw many friends with other phones (like Samsung) suffering from the same issue. Mine is in perfect condition and I hope it stays that way.
In summary: I'm very happy with my gadget and I wouldn't change it for anything out there with similar form factor. And although Lolipop 5.0.2 is not perfect, I got used to it and don't see a reason to go back to KK. And 5.1 will certainly come...
Is there a perfect smartphone (hw+sw+UX+price) ? No, but in my opinion this one is a good step forward.
Oh, and if you don't want to fiddle around with connectivity issues, be sure to buy the phone that maps to your geography and operator (D5803 vs D5833) and use a ROM that was built for it.

z4c would defiantly be a "want to have" but at a premium price point, that's why i picked z3c and i got a great deal. In my eyes it's the best phone on the marked atm. If you exclude all the minitablets which i have 0 interest in.

I am in the same position as the OP.
I had some android devices (nexus s, gnexus, htc incredible s, nexus4, htc one m7), right now I have no smartphone.
Z3C seems the "right choice" except for a couple things:
1) Price: here in Portugal the lowest is 400eur. For that price you can also have: htc desire eye, galaxy s5, and a lot of other non-waterproof phones with better cameras and better screens, but also worse battery.
The Z1C is 100eur cheaper.
2) Camera: it seems that sony camera is not on pair with others, even with everyone saying that is software the truth is that nobody solved it.
3) Sudden death: there are some cases (see sony's forum) of sudden death phones.
4) Cracked glass: this I don't know if is hype or not.I had a nexus 5 and people said that it broken by itself but mine only broke by hitting the floor.
I guess that if the Z4C brings the Snappdragon 810 it won't be very good because of overheating and throttling...
Only option is to wait.

Thanks for the replies.
For me the Z3C choice comes down to physical size.
I want a smaller phone but good specs, and as far as I can see there is no competition in the Android sphere (happy to be proved wrong).
I'll be keeping the phone pretty much stock until I need to start tinkering, so mods are not a problem for me currently.
I suspect the Z3C will have OS support for longer than the Z1C so that may make the £100 difference worth paying.

phoneowner71 said:
Thanks for the replies.
For me the Z3C choice comes down to physical size.
I want a smaller phone but good specs, and as far as I can see there is no competition in the Android sphere (happy to be proved wrong).
I'll be keeping the phone pretty much stock until I need to start tinkering, so mods are not a problem for me currently.
I suspect .com/2015/04/22/sony-xperia-z4-compact-e5803-z4ultra-e6683-e6883-certification-details/"]http://www.whatsontech.com/2015/04/22/sony-xperia-z4the Z3C will have OS support for longer than the Z1C so that may make the £100 difference worth paying.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://www.whatsontech-compact-e5803-z4ultra-e6683-e6883-certification-details/
Z4c and Z4U are real coming and they already passed the certification process with the model number being leaked out. I guess they will out on Sep.
But if you are speaking for the battery life, Z3c with s801 and 720p will be much better. All I can think is Z4c will improve the camera software further(and also fixed the Z3/Z3c red/green/purple tint issue) and upgraded to FHD screen. I've got a Z1c, if you want a cheaper phone to wait Z4c then Z1c is still doing good. If you want battery life for all then go for Z3c now.

Z5C vs XC

I already made this thread in the Z5C section and heard the reviews from there, now I'm willing to listen to the users of the XC.
I'm a user of a Z3C (had a Z1C before that). Now that Nougat isn't available anymore for our phone, I was wondering if I should buy a Z5C or a XC.
I'm not a stock user. I use a lot of mods and custom stuff on my phone. Stock isn't for me. I know that Z5C is more powerful and more affordable that a XC, but it only has one more year of support.
Would you recommend upgrading (at all)? And if yes, which of the models
I was thinking about waiting for the new Nexus phone...but damn, that price! Also took into consideration a Nexus 5X or a Samsung S7...I don't want a big phone, nor to sell my kidneys for a phone.

I upgraded from the z5 compact to the X Compact and I have to say I have no regret whatsoever.
The x compact is like a dream phone for me it just fits in your hand like a glove. You won't find a more comfortable in hand feel ever.
Performance is also snappy and Battery life slightly better, camera and display. Everything is just a bit better than the z5 compact.
I was a bit skeptical at first upgrading because the reviews on every big website aren't great for this phone but screw all of em they really have no idea what they are on about.
I follow damir francs reviews on YouTube he's really picky but spot on everytime.
I'm telling you right now this phone is amazing you will not be disappointed at all go get it!

doriandiaconu said:
I'm not a stock user. I use a lot of mods and custom stuff on my phone. Stock isn't for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I recently reinstalled the stock firmware on my phone, which made me realize how much I use that would likely require root on the latest versions of Android. In comparison to something like the Pixel, the limited interest is one of the reasons I'm reconsidering buying the X Compact. I haven't followed the Z5 Compact for some time, but I'd guess there are probably more developers using that phone.
I know that Z5C is more powerful and more affordable that a XC, but it only has one more year of support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I'm only going to buy from a major US retailer for easy returns, so the two phones are currently about the same price for me. I watched the Z5 Compact prices after it came out, but realistically I would have already bought it if I was going to. The following video makes the X Compact look faster than the Z5 Compact for the sorts of things I would do most often.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jvi3Om1zA4
Would you recommend upgrading (at all)? And if yes, which of the models
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I can't say if upgrading makes sense for someone else, but I'm probably going to replace my Razr M before the end of the month. The X Compact would be my choice of the two, mainly due to the newer processor.
I was thinking about waiting for the new Nexus phone...but damn, that price! Also took into consideration a Nexus 5X or a Samsung S7...I don't want a big phone, nor to sell my kidneys for a phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd prefer a multi-network phone (CDMA compatible), so the Pixel and Nexus 5X are the other phones I'm primarily considering. In comparison to the Sony it's not necessary to mess with the DRM for bootloader unlocks, and they have a lot of people using them. If I can get over the larger size, it's probably smarter for me to go in that direction, because I want updated stock Android with root. If I could get an S7 for cheap on Black Friday, I might consider one, because I greatly prefer the S7 hardware over the Pixel, but generally it's too locked down for what I really want in a phone. Since I'm coming from a Motorola that had an easy to unlock bootloader and a fair number of people using the phone, the Pixel is probably most in line with what I'm used to for software, but it's considerably larger than something like the X Compact.

I too upgraded from z5c to xc and was very surprised by this phone, it is absolutely amazing.
although I too must admit I was a little skeptical because of dumb reviews that only look at no of cpu cores, synthetic benchmarks and fails to research deeper and take in considerations like the never efficient cpu core's (A72) and next gen gpu that might also look weaker in benchmarks, does not seem so at all in real life, contrary it seems to offer the same (+Vulcan) at much lower battery use. this might be cause the design of the soc is better than the previous series and the first 64bit cortex (A57) is notorious for overheating and throttling back which also hurts the gpu. what do I know? I know I love the z5c but the xc does excel in every perspective speed, screen, insane battery life. etc.

realtuxen said:
I too upgraded from z5c to xc and was very surprised by this phone, it is absolutely amazing.
although I too must admit I was a little skeptical because of dumb reviews that only look at no of cpu cores, synthetic benchmarks and fails to research deeper and take in considerations like the never efficient cpu core's (A72) and next gen gpu that might also look weaker in benchmarks, does not seem so at all in real life, contrary it seems to offer the same (+Vulcan) at much lower battery use. this might be cause the design of the soc is better than the previous series and the first 64bit cortex (A57) is notorious for overheating and throttling back which also hurts the gpu. what do I know? I know I love the z5c but the xc does excel in every perspective speed, screen, insane battery life. etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree. I'll say it again.. The smoothness and speed of the phone is superior to all previous zcompact models. Not sure what Sony did but it seems very well optimized.

realtuxen said:
I too upgraded from z5c to xc and was very surprised by this phone, it is absolutely amazing.
although I too must admit I was a little skeptical because of dumb reviews that only look at no of cpu cores, synthetic benchmarks and fails to research deeper and take in considerations like the never efficient cpu core's (A72) and next gen gpu that might also look weaker in benchmarks, does not seem so at all in real life, contrary it seems to offer the same (+Vulcan) at much lower battery use. this might be cause the design of the soc is better than the previous series and the first 64bit cortex (A57) is notorious for overheating and throttling back which also hurts the gpu. what do I know? I know I love the z5c but the xc does excel in every perspective speed, screen, insane battery life. etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Notchr302 said:
Agree. I'll say it again.. The smoothness and speed of the phone is superior to all previous zcompact models. Not sure what Sony did but it seems very well optimized.
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Click to collapse
What do you think of the battery? If you had the z5c, how is it compared to that based on your experience?

charliebigpot said:
What do you think of the battery? If you had the z5c, how is it compared to that?
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Click to collapse
I never really check screen on times and all but honestly it's at LEAST on par with the z5c. I think the battery is more on par with the z3c as I thought that phone was better than its successor. I'm a VERY heavy user and have about 20 percent when I lay down to bed.

Notchr302 said:
I never really check screen on times and all but honestly it's at LEAST on par with the z5c. I think the battery is more on par with the z3c as I thought that phone was better than its successor. I'm a VERY heavy user and have about 20 percent when I lay down to bed.
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Click to collapse
Wow, the XC's battery on par of the Z3C? I had the Z3C and loved it because of the battery. Thanks for the feedback!

The only pro's i see in the Z5c over the Xc is ability to root without losing TA, micro usb (C is too new, my otg flash drives dont work), and the lanyard hole. I'd almost rather go back to the Z3c with its magnetic charging port, that was such a great feature.

A couple of observations: 1) XC fingerprint scanner is MUCH faster and more accurate for me than Z5C fingerprint scanner. 2) plastic sides of XC are more grippy than Z5C.
I prefer XC over Z5c so far.
Sent from my F5321 using Tapatalk

So I found someone who's selling the XC and Z5C around the same price. Can I know some opinions now that some time has passed since you got the device? Is it worth upgrading from the Z3C? Thanks!

Z3c doesn't get updates anymore, so probably yes very soon, if not now.
Also for that reason, I prefer the newer device. Also, the fingerprint sensor on xc really is very good.

I upgraded from the Z3C to XC. Not sure how it compared to the Z5C, but it's quite a nice device. The XC is a tad bigger than the Z3C was in the hand, but still easy to be used one-handed for the most part. It's much faster and instantly responds to input. It also has similar battery life to the Z3C on Marshmallow (nothing will be able to match what Stamina did back in KitKat and Lollipop). I updated the XC to Nougat as soon as I bought it, so I can't say how it behaved on Marshmallow compared to the Z3C. It also comes at the right time for me to upgrade since the seal around the USB port cover was finally pulling off on my Z3C. Not having to mess with that anymore is a bonus.
However not everything is perfect. Bluetooth connectivity appears worse than it did on my Z3C. I don't know if this was the case in Marshmallow as well, but it's constantly disconnecting from my car while right next to the radio and my Z3C maintained a much stronger connection. I also lost the ability to use an app for streaming my screen to my car over USB and am not sure why. I've gotten around that by installing an Android Auto hack on the head unit that tends to work better overall, so it's not a total loss. USB-C also required all new USB cables, although this isn't as big an issue.
So it's a bit of a mixed bag. It's positive for the most part and if the bluetooth issues get resolved then I will be much happier.

people who have been using XC for a while (longer than 6 months or so): is there any signs of the structural deficiencies that plagued Z3C such as the screen detaching from the front (or back)? i'd appreciate any input on this.

darxider said:
people who have been using XC for a while (longer than 6 months or so): is there any signs of the structural deficiencies that plagued Z3C such as the screen detaching from the front (or back)? i'd appreciate any input on this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Phone was released just over 3 months ago (end of September I think) so to soon to tell. I upgraded from my old Z1 Compact and haven't had any issues with the XC yet. Granted I have only had my XC for 2 1/2 months. That said I do work outdoors so my phones go through more abuse than what most people put theirs through. So far so good, time will tell.

What about XC vs Z5C camera?? I am undecided to buy... Please help.

adrian_mtz19 said:
What about XC vs Z5C camera?? I am undecided to buy... Please help.
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That depends on whether you want to take 4K video or not. If the answer is "yes", then the Z5C is your only option. If you don't care about that, then you might want to consider the XC. I'm not a huge shutterbug, so I can't tell you how much better it is. It does seem to be faster than it was on my old Z3C and has a larger sensor (although it should be the same sensor for the Z5C). The video recorder also features that multi-sensor stabilization which is pretty cool. I just wish it also worked for still images. Still, it is an overall improvement if the lack of 4K doesn't bother you.

MechaBouncer said:
That depends on whether you want to take 4K video or not. If the answer is "yes", then the Z5C is your only option. If you don't care about that, then you might want to consider the XC. I'm not a huge shutterbug, so I can't tell you how much better it is. It does seem to be faster than it was on my old Z3C and has a larger sensor (although it should be the same sensor for the Z5C). The video recorder also features that multi-sensor stabilization which is pretty cool. I just wish it also worked for still images. Still, it is an overall improvement if the lack of 4K doesn't bother you.
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Ok... I really appreciate your points of view, the 4K recording it doesn't matter to me, I'm just look after the best photos, I mean, color, resolution, withouth foggy efect or dragged photo :/ . I think XC is my final option!
Thanks!! :good:

I have used both since release and while I keep our z5c phones around (I collect Xperia phones) I have not gone back at all after being on X compact, which in my opinion is so perfect from user experience to in-hand feel , speed, and fluidity... with a greatly improved camera over its predecessors, that I actually end up using it far more than the larger Xz phones.

yeah I believe you because some days back I found someone that was willing to exchange his XZ with my XC without any money changed (because here XC is rare to find but not xz) and I didnt do it! as far as Im concerned X compact has the same 3 GBs of ram and the same speed and user experience and a much better screen size to be used in one hand