Database Users

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.
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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.

Z3 compact VS S6 Edge

So I have a Samsung S6 Edge from Tmo. I like the phone but do not like all the bloatware that carriers put in it. I'm thinking of returning it and getting an unlocked Z3 compact.
I've read about it and I like the style and other things about it.
My question for those with the phone. How do you like it? Is the phone fast and snappy enough for you? Was rooting straightforward? Hows real world camera quality and speed?
Theres many things I like about the s6 edge but I wouldnt mind returning it and spending less for a phone that still seems really good on paper

bad_HABIT said:
So I have a Samsung S6 Edge from Tmo. I like the phone but do not like all the bloatware that carriers put in it. I'm thinking of returning it and getting an unlocked Z3 compact.
I've read about it and I like the style and other things about it.
My question for those with the phone. How do you like it? Is the phone fast and snappy enough for you? Was rooting straightforward? Hows real world camera quality and speed?
Theres many things I like about the s6 edge but I wouldnt mind returning it and spending less for a phone that still seems really good on paper
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Love mine.
Its the same hardware as the Z3 but is only driving a 720p screen rather than 1080, so its nippy
Rooting was a breeze and and debloated lollipop firmware available.
Not that sony fimrware is bloated as its not really compared to some.

What's important for you?
The Z3C camera isn't that good as I thought it would be... you can find one or two threads with people complaining about it... if you are not so much into photos, maybe you won't notice otherwise you will be a little disappointed. I mean, it's Sony! Others companies use their sensor and give much better images.
What I love about my Z3C is the size and the battery life. It's fast enough, not blazing fast.
Root may be a little complicated, but nothing impossible. I came from a Note II which rooting process was a piece of cake. But following the tutorials you will have it rooted with no issues.

scoobydu said:
Love mine.
Its the same hardware as the Z3 but is only driving a 720p screen rather than 1080, so its nippy
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Samsung does not have the same hardware as the Z3C. It has an Exynos processor and an AMOLED screen. Also, it feels faster in every way.
I like my Z3C and won't switch because of the Z3C's size and battery life. The Samsung does not come close in battery life.
Sony includes almost as much bloatware as Samsung.

scottjb said:
The Samsung does not have the same hardware as the Z3C. It has an Exynos processor and an AMOLED screen. Also, it feels faster in every way.
I like my Z3C and won't switch because of the Z3C's size and battery life. The Samsung does not come close in battery life.
Sony includes almost as much bloatware as Samsung.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
He is comparing the Z3 to Z3 Compact, that only have of diference the screen (720p and 1080p) and RAM (2GB and 3GB).

iFlasher said:
He is comparing the Z3 to Z3 Compact, that only have of diference the screen (720p and 1080p) and RAM (2GB and 3GB).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops, my mistake. [emoji5]

I tried the S6 Edge for about a week. The S6 Edge is better in almost every way. It's slightly faster (and I mean very slightly), has better speakers, better build quality, better display, and the camera outclasses the Z3 Compact's. The Z3 Compact has waterproofing and much better battery life. Ultimately, I returned the S6 Edge and kept my Compact. The battery life on the S6 is awful IMO (even worse than my Z Ultra with its massive display) and that pretty much negates all the other positives.

love my z3c running my debloated FW, very fast and battery friendly
using it with root and xposed, didn't unlock the bootloader yet. root was very easy for me.
love the size and the battery life. didn't use the camera for long, but seems decent to me so far btw.
btw, bloatware that comes with the phone is a lot for me (I'd say the same I've always seen in samsung phones, maybe just a little less) so you'll have to debloat it if you don't like bloatware as I do, but that's what I always do immediately everytime I get a new phone and stay with stock FW for some time, so nothing new for me
would never buy a s6 edge especially for the screen.. how can you guys like those edges? just a waste of screen and visible area for me! :laugh:

Love my Z3C, camera is bit disappointing but still above average. The phone is very fast but somehow other phones with snapdragon 800/801 feel snappier (HTC one m8 and nexus 5). Still, no problems with speed whatsoever.
I prefer the Sony ui over Samsungs. Samsung interface looks cheap and it's the opposite of clean. Sony has a calm nice to use interface.
The killer feature of this phone however is the batterylife. I get an easy 2 days and I'm a pretty heavy user. I still laugh at people with their.iPhone 6/Galaxy S5 taking their charger everywhere while I'm just sitting here with 62% at the end of the day (3 hours SOT)
Also the water proofness is a nice addition. Still wash my phone every morning after a party (beer is sticky). It's a small plus but I would love to have it jn my next phone.
I have never rooted this phone but stock firmware works flawlessly for me (yes 5.0 also)
I would still recommend this phone to everybody who wants a practical phone(Size) without having to worry about anything(battery, memory,speed).
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app

I love everything about the Z3 Compact except the camera. It is flaring all over and I have 2 of them. Overall PQ particularly contrast is so bad compared to Samsung or iPhone 6.

FiWi said:
I tried the S6 Edge for about a week. The S6 Edge is better in almost every way. It's slightly faster (and I mean very slightly), has better speakers, better build quality, better display, and the camera outclasses the Z3 Compact's. The Z3 Compact has waterproofing and much better battery life. Ultimately, I returned the S6 Edge and kept my Compact. The battery life on the S6 is awful IMO (even worse than my Z Ultra with its massive display) and that pretty much negates all the other positives.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep same experience. makes the z3c a better phone for me, but when you think about it sony wouldnt have much to do to have made the z3c an excellent phone.. slightly annoying that they havent
that said.. you can get my days of battery life from the z3c off my dead cold fingers - its the main single reason for keeping it, until competition gets as good.

Z3 works great overall except its camera, but it won't be problem for you if you are not too serious about photos.

nobody mention the sound enhancement? it is great, clearly better than s6.

The S6 and Z3c are entirely different beasts so I'm puzzled why the OP is not considering the regular Z3 (or Z3+), which is at least a similar size. But anyhoo... the Z3c is fast enough for me with Lollipop, but the camera is mediocre at best. You can get good results with it, but that usually involves too much faffing around with manual settings. For quick snaps on the fly, Samsung cameras are a lot better IMO.
The biggest selling points of the Z3c, however, are size and battery life. They are the only reasons I (and probably many others) bought this phone.

bad_HABIT said:
So I have a Samsung S6 Edge from Tmo. I like the phone but do not like all the bloatware that carriers put in it. I'm thinking of returning it and getting an unlocked Z3 compact.
I've read about it and I like the style and other things about it.
My question for those with the phone. How do you like it? Is the phone fast and snappy enough for you? Was rooting straightforward? Hows real world camera quality and speed?
Theres many things I like about the s6 edge but I wouldnt mind returning it and spending less for a phone that still seems really good on paper
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hold in hand and form factor is good..
performance is adequate.. you can root easily and install a debloated lollipop rom.. Battery life is great.. Thats about it..
Coming from a edge to this is such a downgrade display (huge), camera(huge).. Display is the worst on z3 compact..very bad viewing angles.. If you dont mind display and camera then welcome..

sravanz said:
hold in hand and form factor is good..
performance is adequate.. you can root easily and install a debloated lollipop rom.. Battery life is great.. Thats about it..
Coming from a edge to this is such a downgrade display (huge), camera(huge).. Display is the worst on z3 compact..very bad viewing angles.. If you dont mind display and camera then welcome..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Although you're technically correct, I've never understood why anyone cats about viewing angles on a phone. Whenever you use it, it's going to be one foot directly in front of your face. I just don't see the point in comparing viewing angles on a 4 inch display.
Sent from my Xperia Z3 Compact

PuffDaddy_d said:
Although you're technically correct, I've never understood why anyone cats about viewing angles on a phone. Whenever you use it, it's going to be one foot directly in front of your face. I just don't see the point in comparing viewing angles on a 4 inch display.
Sent from my Xperia Z3 Compact
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are correct for the most part. However, I often put the phone down on a table or counter top while I eat and use it to read or browse sites like this. This creates an angle that can make it difficult to read even though it's only a foot and a half from my face.

PuffDaddy_d said:
Although you're technically correct, I've never understood why anyone cats about viewing angles on a phone. Whenever you use it, it's going to be one foot directly in front of your face. I just don't see the point in comparing viewing angles on a 4 inch display.
Sent from my Xperia Z3 Compact
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I care about it.. Most of the times my phone is on my desk while working.. I will just tap on it to wake to see any notifications.. at that time i dont hold my phone.. its still on table.. And from side.. black becomes gray/white and its terrible.. Even when you are showing pictures to some one you wont be viewing it straight.. Also some times while watching a video on bed.. There are many cases which bother me.. i wrote my experience.. if it bothers you or not depends on your use case.. Not all people use the phone same

I never rly understood the viewing angle issue. I type this at 70degres and i see fine. I must be crazy ?

bilboa1 said:
I never rly understood the viewing angle issue. I type this at 70degres and i see fine. I must be crazy ?
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Click to collapse
Agree with u but not at thatextreme angle

New Xperia X Compact Announced

Looks like combination of the XZ design and features and X processor and lack of waterproofing. I'm not sure this is a win for those of us with Z3C's looking to upgrade. The first review from Digital Trends doesn't exactly paint a favorable experience with the devices either.
"It’s a shame, then, that collective weight of all the XZ’s little shortcomings ultimately drag it down. The design is unrefined. The software is strangely unresponsive. The camera is a disappointment, as are the speakers. And the handset lacks basics practically ubiquitous in its category — namely waterproofing and a fingerprint sensor {US Version}."
Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/sony-xperia-xz-hands-on/#ixzz4J17CcPOZ

Mmmm, I think you'd be better of buying the Z5 compact. It cost's less here in the Netherlands, and you'll have a high end processor and waterproof phone. Only downside is 1 gb less of memory, but for me 2gb of ram is sufficient.

The end of mini flagships....

Remuzzz said:
Mmmm, I think you'd be better of buying the Z5 compact. It cost's less here in the Netherlands, and you'll have a high end processor and waterproof phone. Only downside is 1 gb less of memory, but for me 2gb of ram is sufficient.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually snapdragon 650 is better than 810.

deniz2694 said:
Actually snapdragon 650 is better than 810.
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Click to collapse
Not better, but comparable. They both offer similar benchmarking scores

PuffDaddy_d said:
Not better, but comparable. They both offer similar benchmarking scores
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but 810 throttles and heats up a lot which means you will never use it at full potential.

Looks to me so far the only replacement for a z3c is a new z3c?

5,2" and they call it "compact" xDDD
I miss Mini Pro times

SoulFury said:
5,2" and they call it "compact" xDDD
I miss Mini Pro times
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the XZ.
The X compact is 4.6".

I was determined to buy X compact when Engadget preview said besides SD 650 it has the same water-resistant chassis as XZ...turned out to be a mistake and now they have corrected it.
Really, Sony, is it that difficult to get the right thing done?

When I was about to buy z3c I was excited for that waterproofing, but in reality I have used it just 3 times (for more than a year) once was for testing, and twice when I got drunk and threw it in a glass of water
However, lack of that should make the build quality better (*cough* screen peeling off *cough*).
And as for the SD650, the main talking point, it will perform very well on a 4.6" 720p device and it will be surely efficient. It was pointed out by users of Moto X and Redmi Note 3 Pro that it is snappy and battery friendly.
You really don't need to max out clock speed to avoid lags and keep it smooth... I'm using tweaked interactive governor, that goes to 1.57 ghz as max, and most of the time it's at 1.19 mhz and lower.
The X compact looks really nice (for my taste), and it's actually a good package, the problem with it is that picture quality is going to be sub-par based on initial samples (+ based on experience with Sony's post processing) and it will be expensive.

Lack of water / dust resistance means its not something i would buy. While i am not looking for a "rugged" phone, having had one die after dropping in the toilet the IP68 rating is important. Sony FAIL on this one. Much sadness.

astmacca said:
Lack of water / dust resistance means its not something i would buy. While i am not looking for a "rugged" phone, having had one die after dropping in the toilet the IP68 rating is important. Sony FAIL on this one. Much sadness.
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Click to collapse
With all due respect, having dropped your phone in the toilet means you should be a bit more careful with it, not that a waterproof device is a necessity

Cirra92 said:
With all due respect, having dropped your phone in the toilet means you should be a bit more careful with it, not that a waterproof device is a necessity
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Look and ask around friend. There are a lot more people than you may think who have killed phones that way. Its not that hard for it to slip out of a pocket. And anyway, i work out doors a lot in all kinds of weather. To drop the IP68 rating is silly of Sony, but hey, companies to silly things sometime. Be interesting to seehow much in terms of $ / phone they save by doing this. I suspect, not many.

Lol literally just bought another one. I'm cool with this phone still. Still love it and dev community still going.

Sony has gone to ****.

Have prices been announced for it yet? If it's more than the Z5 Compact, then I would probably upgrade to that instead. Despite the Snapdragon 810, Sony is one of the few manufacturers that seemed to be able to wrangle the heat. So unless that S650 gets phenomenal battery life (I'm talking better than the Z3C) and can match performance of the Z5C, I see little reason to go with it over the Z5C. And judging from the way that the full sized X compared with the full sized Z5, I'm not expecting it to do so:
http://www.notebookcheck.net/Sony-Xperia-X-Smartphone-Review.170397.0.html

doriandiaconu said:
That's the XZ.
The X compact is 4.6".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bad

thanks

Since I drifted away from masturbating on benchmark scores when deciding on upgrading my phone and started to value actual practical aspects of the phone, I found this announcement laughable. I watched the hands on review and every time a feature was pointed out I was able to say that I already have that one. Newer CPU and more ram is an insignificant change, at least from my point of view, I'd be able to not play games or simulate protein folding even faster.
I don't need a new phone and I don't care about the current market, yet it really puzzles me, why a completely new phone, the successor to the successor of my current one, is arguably the very same thing?
Camera is still so-so, selfie camera is not a big deal, z3c CPU is still enough, 1 gig of ram is not a deal breaker, what's left on the table?

Z3 Compact Vs Z5 Compact

So,
My Z3 Compact died today.
And im looking to replace it.
I want a similar phone, but I'm not findng other with similiar specifications with a small screen (I want with Small screen).
So I was thinking to buy Z5 compact. Money isn't really the problem for me, but I want a small display yet powerful phone like Z3C.
Help me decide which to buy, and if you have an idea of another phone, share it.
Looking forward for your ideas.
A sad former Z3C owner

Z5c is very very valuable now bcoz the GPU is almost double faster than X Compact plus Z5c got water-proof at much cheaper price now. Developements on Z5c is little but finally we've got some on progress like we have TA backup, drm patch, 3rd kernel and custom roms.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/general/mod-t3250283
Camera on Z5c been much improved with this very new cam mod just released but you'll need root. The image quality now on Z5c near XC.
The real problem on Z5c is heating(not to the level over heat but close to), you can solve it by applying a simple patch or SmartTempX but in both cases, you'll also need root.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/general/mod-t3250283
Simple patch. I'm using this one on XPower V3.0 rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/development/mod-smartemperaturex-best-balanced-s810-t3438890
SmartempX should be even lower the temp down but may bring in some bugs like slow charging.
If you only run stock and don't want to root, I'll actually suggest you to get X Compact with less heating by default and a bit better camera(got extra IR sensor and laser focus) and also with 3GB ram. If you want water-proof only Z3c or Z5c but Z5c without root isn't that good to use in my opinions(mainly hot), with root it can be a phone much better than Z3c.

TheEndHK said:
Z5c is very very valuable now bcoz the GPU is almost double faster than X Compact plus Z5c got water-proof at much cheaper price now. Developements on Z5c is little but finally we've got some on progress like we have TA backup, drm patch, 3rd kernel and custom roms.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/general/mod-t3250283
Camera on Z5c been much improved with this very new cam mod just released but you'll need root. The image quality now on Z5c near XC.
The real problem on Z5c is heating(not to the level over heat but close to), you can solve it by applying a simple patch or SmartTempX but in both cases, you'll also need root.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/general/mod-t3250283
Simple patch. I'm using this one on XPower V3.0 rom.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/xperia-z5/development/mod-smartemperaturex-best-balanced-s810-t3438890
SmartempX should be even lower the temp down but may bring in some bugs like slow charging.
If you only run stock and don't want to root, I'll actually suggest you to get X Compact with less heating by default and a bit better camera(got extra IR sensor and laser focus) and also with 3GB ram. If you want water-proof only Z3c or Z5c but Z5c without root isn't that good to use in my opinions(mainly hot), with root it can be a phone much better than Z3c.
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Click to collapse
THanks for your feedback,
But the X Compact still didnt arrive in my country, and I'm looking for a immediate replacement, thats why its not an option for me.
And yes, I'm going to root the phone that I buy.

like TheEndHK said , X is the about the same GPU speed as Z3C, but !lower about 40-80% from Z5C, (the cpu speed is about the same until Z5c becoming hot!
so..
cons for Z5c heating fast and become slow and low multitasking (2GB RAM) only one big app can be opened
pros for Z5c is waterproof and 4K
cons for the XC is lower GPu no water resist
pros for the XC doesn't heat as much(at least not affect cpu speed) and 3GB Ram
long story short if want play high end games go for the Z5C.
if you want mostly basic uses (instagram, sms,Facebook,whatsapp, google map,) X Compat will be good enough

inexkecible said:
THanks for your feedback,
But the X Compact still didnt arrive in my country, and I'm looking for a immediate replacement, thats why its not an option for me.
And yes, I'm going to root the phone that I buy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're willing to root go for Z5c with thermal patch and new mod camera. Since we've got TA backup now, root will not avoid warranty. If no root just buy a second one Z3c.
---------- Post added at 03:33 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:17 PM ----------
Superrman said:
like TheEndHK said , X is the about the same GPU speed as Z3C, but !lower about 40-80% from Z5C, (the cpu speed is about the same until Z5c becoming hot!
so..
cons for Z5c heating fast and become slow and low multitasking (2GB RAM) only one big app can be opened
pros for Z5c is waterproof and 4K
cons for the XC is lower GPu no water resist
pros for the XC doesn't heat as much(at least not affect cpu speed) and 3GB Ram
long story short if want play high end games go for the Z5C.
if you want mostly basic uses (instagram, sms,Facebook,whatsapp, google map,) X Compat will be good enough
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Heavily debloated the rom and using greenify donated with xposed together improved the memory management a bit though it won't be as nice as 3GB ram but in the acceptable range now for a 2GB ram device.
The main shortage to me Z5c camera not good to it's price and other competitors but now with the newly developed mod cam I think it's accepatble finally.

TheEndHK said:
If you're willing to root go for Z5c with thermal patch and new mod camera. Since we've got TA backup now, root will not avoid warranty. If no root just buy a second one Z3c.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I think im going to get the z5c, I don't play much, but I like a fast. The z3c was doing everything i needed, but when something stops working I normally look for a better one, since I saw many negative reviews of z5c of overheating it kind of scared me. And then I started thinking about getting another z3c
I'm still puzzled of what I'll do, but most likely will get a z5c, or anyone has another good substitute? Of another brand with similar specs and size
I really liked the Sony compact line tho.
About the warranty , in my country we don't have official Sony official store (not even official Samsung store), so we're kind of on our own.

inexkecible said:
Thanks, I think im going to get the z5c, I don't play much, but I like a fast. The z3c was doing everything i needed, but when something stops working I normally look for a better one, since I saw many negative reviews of z5c of overheating it kind of scared me. And then I started thinking about getting another z3c
I'm still puzzled of what I'll do, but most likely will get a z5c, or anyone has another good substitute? Of another brand with similar specs and size
I really liked the Sony compact line tho.
About the warranty , in my country we don't have official Sony official store (not even official Samsung store), so we're kind of on our own.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
These thermal patches will lower cpu clock according to temp and lower default cpu clock. The sd810 is over-powered on 720P and expected double speed gain over sd800/801, a lower clock still faster than my old Z1c without worry.
Any new cpu is hotter than the previous generation of sd800/801 nowadays, even with X Compact sd650 should be hotter. So with thermal patch I think it is accepatble. If you want super cool device then get back Z3c but Sony said no Andorid 7.0.

I like my z5c but I want to be at the bleeding edge of technology. This is why I'm considering the new 5.2" pixel phone.

TheEndHK said:
These thermal patches will lower cpu clock according to temp and lower default cpu clock. The sd810 is over-powered on 720P and expected double speed gain over sd800/801, a lower clock still faster than my old Z1c without worry.
Any new cpu is hotter than the previous generation of sd800/801 nowadays, even with X Compact sd650 should be hotter. So with thermal patch I think it is accepatble. If you want super cool device then get back Z3c but Sony said no Andorid 7.0.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is one of the things that i want , I'm like a tech geek and want the latest firmware and stuff. The only game i had was Pokemon Go on my Z3c, it was normally heating when i was playing, and it also heats when using the camera.

TheEndHK said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/general/mod-t3250283
Camera on Z5c been much improved with this very new cam mod just released but you'll need root. The image quality now on Z5c near XC.
The real problem on Z5c is heating(not to the level over heat but close to), you can solve it by applying a simple patch or SmartTempX but in both cases, you'll also need root.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/z5-compact/general/mod-t3250283
Simple patch. I'm using this one on XPower V3.0 rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The two links are to the same thread - what link should it be for the first one, about the camera?

I'd like the link to the camera thread, too. I had stumbled across it early last week, but I can't find it again.

pelago said:
The two links are to the same thread - what link should it be for the first one, about the camera?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony-themes-apps/mod-cyberian-camera-t3267271/page181
This Cyberian mod cam should be based on X/XP cam apk.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony-themes-apps/sonyz5-family-unlocked-xz-xc-camera-t3463148
This is new one based on XC. However, not sure which is better I need more time to do testing. XC should be better in terms of detail very slightly but I feel that the Cyberian from XP/XP got more accurate AWB and AE, need time to run a full testing. ATM, I more recommended Cyberian.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/crossdevice-dev/sony/mod-project-xperivision-artemisia-ii-t3451137
third one is coming up to support z5c

I like z3c more because of Concept ROM, but it got old and the front and rear panel started to peel off and bought myself z5c as z3c wasnt available anymore

Personally I find Xperia Z5 Compact to be slow. I have Xpower 3.0 running with AndroPlus v36, yet it lags a ton more than the HTC One M8 did.
Planning to reinstall original firmware and root it without a custom rom. That seems to be the most stable option sadly. The thermal mod I use is called SmartTemperatureX and is working fairly good. Your phone will still overheat, but works a bit better with this mod. Overall I don't really like this phone that much, but it's not awful either. I don't really recommend it, if you can find any other phone you'd be happy with.

I'm pretty pleased with mine. I recently replaced a Z3 Compact with one, and it seems a fair amount smoother and faster, and the Ringke case I have is more comfortable to hold since it doesn't have all of the cutouts that the Z3 cases have to have. The only thing I don't like as much is that the front speakers don't seem quite as loud as the Z3's. With the X Compact's camera app installed, the camera is a lot faster than the Z3's too, which is nice since my wife likes me to take pictures of the kids, and they don't stand still for anything! I was also pleasantly surprised that the white Z5 Compact doesn't look nearly as cheap in person as pictures make it out to be. It has a nice pearl white paint job.

I bought the Z5c, but is there a way to lower the cpu temp without root? Because i wont have time to root these days...
It doesnt heat as much i thought, heats up a little bit more than z3c. but not THAT much. I ike the design and I'm loving the phone, fast, smooth,small, everything i want/need in a phone!

Lelelelel said:
Personally I find Xperia Z5 Compact to be slow. I have Xpower 3.0 running with AndroPlus v36, yet it lags a ton more than the HTC One M8 did.
Planning to reinstall original firmware and root it without a custom rom. That seems to be the most stable option sadly. The thermal mod I use is called SmartTemperatureX and is working fairly good. Your phone will still overheat, but works a bit better with this mod. Overall I don't really like this phone that much, but it's not awful either. I don't really recommend it, if you can find any other phone you'd be happy with.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think MM got little memory leaks after long or heavy use, I got some lags too on XPower V3 after intensive use, a reboot usually will fix but it will come again if you are power user.
You can downgrade to LP, when I was with .152/.200 stock LP, I remember I don't have any lag at all. But since XPower V3 fixed my battery drain/radio active bug and MM got a much better mod camera, I've no choice but to stick with it.
---------- Post added at 01:05 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 PM ----------
Saaber said:
I'm pretty pleased with mine. I recently replaced a Z3 Compact with one, and it seems a fair amount smoother and faster, and the Ringke case I have is more comfortable to hold since it doesn't have all of the cutouts that the Z3 cases have to have. The only thing I don't like as much is that the front speakers don't seem quite as loud as the Z3's. With the X Compact's camera app installed, the camera is a lot faster than the Z3's too, which is nice since my wife likes me to take pictures of the kids, and they don't stand still for anything! I was also pleasantly surprised that the white Z5 Compact doesn't look nearly as cheap in person as pictures make it out to be. It has a nice pearl white paint job.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good to hear. I think you can tweak the speakers volume with mods or modifiy it by yourself, the file should be Mixer_paths.xml
---------- Post added at 01:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:05 PM ----------
inexkecible said:
I bought the Z5c, but is there a way to lower the cpu temp without root? Because i wont have time to root these days...
It doesnt heat as much i thought, heats up a little bit more than z3c. but not THAT much. I ike the design and I'm loving the phone, fast, smooth,small, everything i want/need in a phone!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
.224 should be cooler and .253 is hotter probably pushing cpu harder and faster. You can do water cooling on street or in toliet.

TheEndHK said:
Camera on Z5c been much improved with this very new cam mod just released but you'll need root. The image quality now on Z5c near XC.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi man, what's the name of that cam mod you are talking about?

Okey, quick update. Reinstalled original newest firmware, rooted, installed Xposed, installed SmartTemperatureX and finally installed FauxSound and a FauxSound-compatible kernel (Zach's). This means I finally got smooth, stable performance, great audioquality (no white noise anymore, yey ) and enough customization . Batterylife is also good.
I can finally say I'm happy with my device again. If you know how to tweak your device, it can become pretty powerful, as long as you don't install a custom ROM (in my personal experience).

TheEndHK said:
.224 should be cooler and .253 is hotter probably pushing cpu harder and faster. You can do water cooling on street or in toliet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hahaa, so I installed the .253 version, and i feel that its not heating as much as the .224. i'll write again after testing tomorrow or the day after.
And the .253 update remove the ability to change the keyboard height, now i cant make it smaller (the normal uses half the screen, thats a lot!) .
Add the OTG isnt working, tried everything. I've plugged my Sandisk OTG 64gb Thumb drive, and it didnt recongnize, when I clicked to detect usb device, same goes for my usb mouse(with OTG adapter).
I don't have the luxury to replace the phone with the seller or give to Sony to fix/replace
Can't change because it was the last one, and there's no such thing as an Official (any brand1) store in my city/country.
-Water cooling on a phone?
lol
edit: the keyboard thing its fixed , just needed to upgate the Keyboard app on playstore

Future phone options

This phone is starting to show its age. Eventually it will get too slow and/or the battery will degrade too much.
Has started looking at getting a new phone? The only other similar phone I can find at this size is the XZ1.
However I've been getting tired of Sony's poor camera drivers. It would also be nice to be able to record a 4K video longer than 2min in a warm environment. Plus I'd like an OLED screen in my next phone. Unfortunately the smallest phone I can find that meets all my requirements is almost an inch bigger.

I'm only thinking than my next will be a 5 inch screen but without frames because the market tendence.
But nothing more than 5.5" x 3" phone measures.

I agree. I think I'll keep using this phone at least through the end of this year. At that time, I will likely be forced to a larger phone just because there is nothing out there in a small size. Definitely something with a good camera HW AND SW. And something that is actually capable of record 4K video for more than a minute in warm weather without cropping down the video.
Who knows, maybe someone will go out on a limb and put out a phone that will fit in your hand. I think the fact that phone manufacturers have had to add features for "one-handed mode" that resize your phone so the rest of the screen is unusable so that you can reach the buttons or the various products that stick something to the back of your phone so you can securely hold the phone with one hand shows that there exists a market for a phone that you can use with one hand.

Xperia XZ2 compact.
But sadly i need fm radio and dual sim for my next phone. Both are absent in xz2 compact

If anyone finds a good alternative be sure to let us know
Would actually consider the XZ2 Compact if the camera on Z5 Compact wasnt such a big dissapointment, afraid it will be the same on the XZ2. I remember reading the specs and reviews about the Z5 camera being great, 23MP and all, reality was a whole different story...

Hi,
I agree! I want a phone that fits in one hand and in my girl-size pockets! The Sony XZ2 is even bigger. And again (!) no radio! The Z5c seems to be the last decently spec'd small smartphone ... I'm about to buy it for this reason. I mention I tried looking on aliexpress and not sure how great it would work but there's a VKWorld T2 Plus phone that looks like it may be worth checking out. It's thicker but length is decent and think may still fit the pocket! It's dual sim with independent micro SD, and dual screen! It's a flip-phone!! Remember how we used to be able to text without looking at your phone because you could just tap the buttons?!?! So the outside screen is touch, the inside one isn't and is controlled via the buttons... have a look.

What about Nokia 8 Sirocco ?
I also like the Z5c for the same reason, because it fits perfectly in one hand and is very powerful for it`s size. But i also think about upgrading and the best i found so far is this Nokia. The Nokia 8 (the previous version) was compared to Pixel 2 on most forums as for hardware with only drawbacks in the software category. So i think the sirocco version would be much better and although 0,9 Inch bigger it has almost no bezels and screen curved....
What do you think? Also i got my wife a Huawey P10, and it is actually quite good and not that big (5.1 inch) but i do not want same phone as my wife )))
EDIT :
I found out that it has lunched the XZ2 compact.
It is not as good looking as the Nokia 8 Sirocco but ...... i like it

Tarts5 said:
.... I remember reading the specs and reviews about the Z5 camera being great, 23MP and all, reality was a whole different story...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I remember reading reviews with statements like "since we assume this will be fixed with future software updates". I've learned the hard way to never believe those words.
It's sad that my 10yr old phone I had before the Z5 gets better reception (including GPS) and can sometimes take better photos.

Cameras on xz1 compact and xz2 compact are really one level better than z5 compact.
Shooting 4K video problem - it was because of 810 chip problems, not because of the camera.

So I think I've finally had enough with this phone. On my vacations/trips, when I really need the phone to last, I have to carry a secondary battery with me, keep the phone in airplane mode most of the time, and be very careful to get it to last through the day (and not strand me somewhere with no google maps).
Right now, the smallest phone that I can find (with 3.5mm jack, microsd), is the Samsung Galaexy s10e or A40.
Have any of you found any other phones possibilities?

eng3 said:
So I think I've finally had enough with this phone. On my vacations/trips, when I really need the phone to last, I have to carry a secondary battery with me, keep the phone in airplane mode most of the time, and be very careful to get it to last through the day (and not strand me somewhere with no google maps).
Right now, the smallest phone that I can find (with 3.5mm jack, microsd), is the Samsung Galaexy s10e or A40.
Have any of you found any other phones possibilities?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I looked at both A40 and S10e in the store. Bought S10e after testing the camera on both. Been using it for 1 month, no problems so far. Not any custom roms available yet, but I imagine S10e will have a larger chance of getting custom roms than A40 because of popularity.

Why is no one mentioning xz1 compact?

I bought an XZ1 Compact as a replacement and I'm very happy with it. It's a lot faster than Z5C (and Z5C was already fast enough for me), and it has a lot of custom ROMs. Finally I can use LineageOS 16 on my phone, I was hoping it would be on Z5C too eventually but everybody seems to have abandoned this phone, and so did I. Z5C a great phone, but it's useless if it has no ROMs in development. So no regrets here.

TheVan28 said:
Why is no one mentioning xz1 compact?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Uh, maybe because as of July 2019 it's nowhere near being readily available? Even the second-hand market for XZ1c is super-dry.
If you know this to be the case otherwise, then please: point us to your source for excellent-condition XZ1c. No, seriously: I am honestly looking for one (in black) and they are pretty much impossible to find, so any leads would genuinely be appreciated. I keep hoping I'll stumble upon an online retailer that still has a stash of these in new-old-stock condition for a reasonable price...
-- Nathan

nlra said:
Uh, maybe because as of July 2019 it's nowhere near being readily available? Even the second-hand market for XZ1c is super-dry.
If you know this to be the case otherwise, then please: point us to your source for excellent-condition XZ1c. No, seriously: I am honestly looking for one (in black) and they are pretty much impossible to find, so any leads would genuinely be appreciated. I keep hoping I'll stumble upon an online retailer that still has a stash of these in new-old-stock condition for a reasonable price...
-- Nathan
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where do you live?
I'm in Italy where it's available on amazon and you can easly find it at stores.

TheVan28 said:
Where do you live?
I'm in Italy where it's available on amazon and you can easly find it at stores.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lucky you. I'm in the U.S. I imagine this probably has something to do with it. I'm not sure if this is an *accurate* perception, but my perception nonetheless is that as soon as XZ2c was introduced to the market, XZ1c completely disappeared from all shelves -- both physical and virtual -- over here.
-- Nathan

Still very happy with my Z5C, but looking for replacements is a total guessing game, and there's nothing new that even compares with the small form-factor.
I still use the Z5 for everything (on standard OS) and although it's a little bloated with the larger apps (I had to clear off some unused apps recently), it still works very well.
I can't even find a 'new' XZ1C which appears to be the most comparable 'newer' unit.
Have to say I'm tempted by a CAT of some sort, simply for the ruggedness, but they're all over 5" screens. I'm actually surprised that CAT don't do a smaller form factor.

How about the new unihertz jelly 2

Luumumba said:
How about the new unihertz jelly 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Aaaah, it's so cute! But Jeez! Only 2.45" display? Rather not.
I can strongly support the XZ1c as a replacement for the Z5c. Did this myself in summer 2019 and am very happy with it. Don't know about the XZ2c, though: It's got almost the same measurements but has this bulky back which I don't really like.
Best regards,
the.k

I've had the XZ2 compact. I've lost it into the water so I'm back at my Z5c. Yes I know it's waterproof but it's a bit of a struggle to get it back out of a channel 5 meters deep.
The camera is indeed better, especially at low light situations, and yes, while it still has an IPS panel, colors are quite vibrant.
I noticed I was really happy with the smaller size of the Z5c, and I also like the fingerprint sensor being at the side, combined with the power button. I do miss the 960fps video shooting ability despite the fragments are really short.
I'm surprised I don't really miss the higher resolution of the display, which was the reason not to go for the XZ1c, so now that's out of the way I guess I'll be looking for a used XZ1c. I can't find any other reasonable phone with the same size. Also I'm quite happy with Sony's decision to keep the dedicated shutter button, which no other brand has nowadays.
I would almost go for a Palm Palm, but at about € 200 that's a bit too much to spend for a toy.