Sony Z1 Compact smartphone: review, photos, customer reviews. Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device. Performance and battery life

Compact version of the flagship Sony smartphone Xperia Z1: Compact not only took all the best features from its older brother, but also acquired other interesting features. Somehow the device reminded me of Sony Ericsson Xperia Ray – remember this smartphone? I really liked him at the time.

Design

I want to say in advance that I will not repeat the thoughts expressed in the Z1 review, technically these are identical devices. Here I’ll only talk about the differences and draw conclusions about whether it’s worth buying or not. By tradition, let's start with appearance. If you suddenly want to know something about performance and other points not mentioned here, you are welcome to read the review Sony Xperia Z1, there are answers to all questions.

The device is very similar to the Z1, but with a decrease in the display diagonal, several metamorphoses have occurred. Firstly, the Z1 Compact feels much better in the hand. And the metal “frame” has not gone away, and pay attention to the anodizing, for the “lime” color it is special, not silver, but yellowish, closer to gold. It looks very cool. Secondly, the black smartphone is the most boring in the line, I would recommend looking at other options. This is lime, white and pink, all the colors are very pleasant, I myself use yellow, it’s perfect for spring and summer - and I’m already tired of the same type of black or silver bars. And a black smartphone is the most easily soiled; fingerprints are very noticeable.

Thirdly, instead of glass on the back (like the Z1), it uses a plastic panel with a film. This is written on the official website. Finally, the device has become smaller and, despite its similarities with the Z1, is perceived as a completely different device. On the one hand, it is fair to say that this is the same gadget as the Z1, on the other hand, it is a slightly different device.

Unfortunately, the Z1 Compact belongs to the film generation, films are installed on both the front and back, don’t even try to remove them - you’ll immediately lose the Sony inscriptions, you will have unnamed device. Films are scratched, this is not particularly noticeable on a device of this color, but on black it is visible very well. If you are angry about films as a phenomenon, but want an Xperia, wait for the Z2, it will be on sale soon.

In addition to the films, the plugs are very annoying; I have short nails and it can be difficult to open. It’s good that at least the 3.5 mm jack is open, but for charging you can use a stand for the magnetic connector, I recommend buying one for you too. It is unlikely that you will open other slots often; there are two of them, for a SIM card (microSIM) and a memory card (microSD). Cards with a capacity of up to 64 GB are supported, everything is typical - like the Sony Xperia Z1.

In general, I like Sony’s approach; they really just made the flagship smartphone smaller without making any changes to things that are really important to the user. For example, they didn’t remove the memory card slot – but they could have. They didn’t make the camera worse, they didn’t remove the water protection. And the Z1 Compact can be safely bathed in the sink or washed after the gym. Considering the colors and features of the device, a smartphone could very well be the perfect vacation device for someone. True, the sand may leave scratches - but what difference does it make if you can use it to shoot underwater?

Exact dimensions are 127 x 64.9 x 9.5 mm, weight – 137 grams. Slightly larger than the iPhone 5S, but with daily use the difference is not noticeable. Here's the Z1 or Z2 - yes, you feel it in your pocket, but the Z1 Compact and 5S are just babies by today's standards.

The controls remain the same, there is a camera button, for many this is a big plus - when pressed, you can quickly take a picture, the behavior of the button is customizable. The power button is traditional; if you hold the device in your right hand, your thumb rests on it. Below is the volume rocker. There is a light indicator right in the earpiece; it informs you about various events. At the bottom there is a groove for attaching a strap, next to it is a perforation, under which the speaker is hidden. You can't call it loud, much quieter than the iPhone 5S.

Display

I’ll say right away that the display here is much better than that of the Z1, this primarily concerns viewing angles, there is no fading. Good black color, the image does not hurt the eyes, but the screen is slightly yellow. In the settings you can play with the white balance, but this does not bring any visible effect - and in general, I don’t quite understand why these settings are needed. No matter how you move the sliders, it only gets worse. However, this is a subjective opinion. The Z1 had no white balance settings, and there was no mode for working with the screen while wearing gloves; these are also differences in the Z1 Compact.

The TFT display diagonal is 4.3 inches, resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels. The official documents indicate exactly TFT, I don’t know what screen is in the Japanese version. After Z1, this one seems very good.

Everyone who is used to big screens, I want to warn you - everything looks different with the Z1 Compact. It's about various programs, websites, videos and so on. If Z1 you could use both universal device, in some ways capable of replacing a tablet, not to mention the Z Ultra, then the Z1 Compact is a different story. I remember another successful Sony smartphone, even Sony Ericsson. Let's remember the Xperia Ray. Great gadget for Android based, with excellent design, good screen and good characteristics - and what I liked most was the size of the device and the mechanical semicircular button.

Many people then said that Ray was a stupid device, there was no powerful processor or some wild characteristics. It was the image component that captivated me. And the audience for such devices, of course, has not disappeared anywhere - these are those people who make calls more often, write messages, that is, use a smartphone as a telephone. And all sorts of “smart” functions are of secondary importance. If you ask the question, “why not buy a phone then?”, I’ll answer simply - where have you seen phones with a good design now? That's it, friends, Sony times Ericsson W880 and Nokia 8800 have sunk into oblivion.

In general, Ray had fans, and it sold well - although SE was then going through a difficult period, searching for itself, and continuous losses. There was no continuation. Maybe the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is a sequel?

Problems

• On the plastic cover and scratches on the film. I already said about this above; the issue can only be resolved in one way - by gluing another film. Or choose another device. Or wait for Z2.
• With a flash, due to its smaller size there is flare when shooting in different times day and night. Although not all users experience this problem, it is likely to be fixed by software. Do you use flash often? Personally, never. On the iPhone I turn it on only to find something in the dark. I tried the Sony Xperia Z1 flash indoors at night, during the day, I can say that it really “knocks out” the colors and it’s better to turn it off. There is another problem, you need to get used to shooting, the pictures may turn out to be bad if you use the button - when you press and release it, the device moves a little, resulting in a slightly blurry image. The point here again is changing the size; I didn’t notice this with the Z1 - it’s better to press the button on the display. Try it, you'll probably get better shots.
• There are complaints that the camera button stops working or works every once in a while - keep in mind that for it to work, you need to press it all the way until you feel vibration, almost sinking it into the body. It has two positions: a short press activates focusing, a long press activates a photo. Or launch the camera.
• And one more thing about the camera, I don’t recommend using the automatic mode, the resolution is only 8 MP, the quality is worse than with the manual setting.
• Defective buttons, display - I have not encountered this. Worth checking before purchasing
• Quiet speaker, and ordinary too. I didn't notice this. The regular speaker is quiet, but there are no problems with conversation, the only thing is that I turned the volume up to full. That the voices sound a little unnatural (a little muddy), that’s true, but I wouldn’t call it a problem.
• Plugs. Many people are afraid that they will break away. The problem is solved by purchasing a docking station with a magnet, but in general, they have never come off on my Sony smartphones, you have to try. And the service center will probably give you a new one without any problems.

How much of this is serious? The films upset me, the rest doesn’t bother me at all. If you get used to it, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact will help you create high quality pictures, I’m already silent about photographs for Instagram and other social networks. A quiet ordinary speaker is fine, the main thing is that there is a loud conversational one. Check problems with buttons locally. I also had no problems with the screen, and I have been using the device for a long time.

Opening hours

The declared operating time is 18 hours in talk mode, in music playback mode it is 94 hours (not every player is capable of this), in video playback mode the Z1 Compact lasts about 12 hours. A 2300 mAh battery is installed. Compared to the Z1, the smartphone lasts much longer; sometimes it lasts me a couple of days, if I just make calls and listen to music. It is worth noting fast charging battery (relative to Z1).

Keep in mind that if you have Stamina mode activated (i.e. power saving mode), then third party applications may not work on time, this is especially important in relation to alarm clocks, timers, and programs for organizing schedules.

Specifications

You can read about the processor, software, memory, format support and similar things in the Z1 review.

Camera

The characteristics are the same as those of the Z1; I talked about the flash above. In short, if you really use flash a lot, you probably won't like the Z1 Compact. The frame may turn out to be overexposed, I repeat, I never use this function in everyday life, the flash only works as a flashlight. Below are a few examples of photos; the weather in Moscow is going great right now, so it was great to take an early morning walk in one of my favorite areas. As you can see, with the help of the Z1 Compact you can really create quite good frames both for viewing on a laptop screen and for printing - although I don’t know if you still print photos? It would be interesting to know, I haven’t done this for a long time.

Conclusions

The average price is about 22,500 rubles, you can buy a little more expensive, you can buy a little cheaper (about 18,000 rubles). For Sony Xperia Z1 they ask about 24,990 rubles, you can find it cheaper. Everything is written above about the differences, which device to choose? If you need a large display diagonal and the quality of the screen is not important, then a simple Z1. If you need an image compact smartphone with a normal display, then Z1 Compact. In some ways, the younger model turned out even better than her older brother. The advantages are:

• Interesting design, colors
• LTE support
• Excellent characteristics for a device of this size
• Not a bad camera (in capable hands)
• Good quality sound with a branded headset, but not only - I’ll once again advise you to try the SBH-80, Sony has an interesting accessory
• Water protection
• Good display, better than Z1 (but smaller diagonal)
• Long time battery life(compared to Z1)

The disadvantages are:

• I really want to believe that Sony will start working on the quality of speech transmission and the performance of speakers
• Many people will not like the software package offered by Sony - there are too many additional utilities for unclear purposes.
• Alas, we can’t refuse plugs yet, given the availability of water protection
• Strange flash operation, I repeat, for some this is a minus, for others it doesn’t matter
• Films. And that says it all!

If you loved the Sony Xperia Ray back in the day and are now looking for a good looking compact smartphone, check out the Z1 Compact. Despite the negative reviews online, I am impressed by the device. It is convenient to use as a phone and for the simplest tasks (check email, social media, listen to music, take a photo), reducing the display diagonal had a positive effect on operating time. It’s gratifying that Sony did not degrade the performance compared to the flagship; this captivates many. The device turned out to be well-built and interesting for the widest audience - I hope that the Z2 will also have its own Compact.

Sergey Kuzmin ()

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Information about the make, model, and alternative names of the specific device, if available.

Design

Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Materials used, colors offered, certificates.

SIM card

The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.

Mobile networks

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Mobile communication technologies and data transfer speeds

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Operating system

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SoC (System on Chip)

A system on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device on one chip.

Built-in memory

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Memory cards

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Screen

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Sensors

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Main camera

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Additional camera

Additional cameras are usually mounted above the device screen and are used mainly for video conversations, gesture recognition, etc.

Audio

Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.

Radio

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Location determination

Information about the navigation and location technologies supported by your device.

WiFi

Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for transmitting data over close distances between various devices.

Bluetooth

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USB

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HDMI

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Headphone jack

This is an audio connector, also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.

Connecting devices

Information about other important connection technologies supported by your device.

Browser

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Audio file formats/codecs

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Video file formats/codecs

Mobile devices support different video file formats and codecs, which respectively store and encode/decode digital video data.

Battery

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Unlike the vast majority of smartphone manufacturers, Sony took a different route, creating a pocket version of its flagship, which received all the top characteristics and features. And the differences are only in the size of the device and the reduced diagonal of the display

Unlike the vast majority of smartphone manufacturers, Sony took a different route, creating a pocket version of its flagship, which received all the top characteristics and features. The differences are only in the size of the device and the reduced diagonal of the display.

Equipment

The original box contains a power supply, a microUSB cable, a wired headset with replaceable ear pads, as well as a quick user guide and a set of additional brochures.

Design and ergonomics

The smaller version looks exactly like the Z1, which has been scaled down proportionately while maintaining clean lines and rounded edges. The model is available in bright pink and lime colors, as well as classic white and black.

The body is made of a solid aluminum frame with an anodized coating, the front panel is covered protective glass, and the back is made of damage-resistant transparent plastic.

At the same time, moisture and dust resistance has been preserved; all connectors, except for the audio port, are covered with plugs. Taking a shower or jumping into the pool with a smartphone in your pocket will not end in tragedy.

Above the screen there is a webcam, light and proximity sensors and a speaker in a small recess. An event indicator is also installed there.

Despite the wide frame at the bottom, the manufacturer decided to use screen touch buttons, instead of a separate block.

On the right side, right under the thumb, there is a round power/unlock button made of aluminum. And just below is the volume rocker and separate button quick launch cameras.

A multimedia speaker and microphone are hidden behind the oval grille on the bottom panel.

With a thickness of just under 1 cm, the smartphone weighs 137 g.

Display

The 4.3-inch matrix is ​​made using TFT technology. TRILUMINOS display resolution is 1280 x 720 pixels with a density of 342 ppi.

The screen supports X-Reality technology wide angles review, excellent color reproduction and incredible clarity. White balance settings are available in the settings, allowing you to change colors to personalize the display.

The sensor is incredibly sensitive, it recognizes touches with gloves and wet hands: enviable versatility.

Ergonomics

The compact version is for people who are intimidated by the size of the original Z1. The Compact fits perfectly in the palm of your hand, doesn't slip out, and doesn't look like a snow shovel. Therefore, operating with one hand will not be difficult.

The on-screen keyboard is large enough for speed dial text in both portrait and landscape positions. The buttons are large, touches are recognized accurately.

Sound

You don't need to connect headphones to listen to music and watch movies on the Z1 Compact. The speaker has loud and clear sound. And the sound effects settings transform recordings beyond recognition, highlighting the bass and creating transparent highs.

In addition, in the “Call Settings” item there are settings for the sound quality when talking with the interlocutor. You can use an equalizer, voice enhancement, which, subjectively, often worsens the sound, and also programmatically slow down the caller’s speech.

Interface and software

Unlike, compact works on operating system Google Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. This is where the differences end. Branded shell from Sony, as well as a list before installed programs hasn't changed.

Performance

An honest “mini” boasts flagship characteristics. It is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor with Adreno 330 graphics. In addition to 2GB of RAM, it comes with 16GB of storage. This volume can be expanded using a microSD card.

The pocket version is only slightly behind in performance from the company's main smartphone, judging by the results synthetic tests. Most likely this is due to significant heating of the case when the processor and graphics are running on maximum frequencies. But in everyday use it is difficult to imagine a task that could load the device by at least half.

Camera

Where else will you find a compact version with a 20.7 MP main camera? The smartphone received a 1/2.3″ Exmor RS sensor, a 27mm wide-angle lens with F2.0 aperture and a proprietary BIONZ image processor. The maximum image resolution is 5248 x 3936 pixels. In addition, the device shoots Full HD video at 30 frames per second.

The photos have excellent detail and excellent color rendition, the picture is clear without obvious blurring. The smartphone can easily replace the average compact camera.

Examples of photos:

Video examples:

The camera app is packed with modes, settings, and options. At the same time, the interface is simple and uncomplicated. In addition to branded automatic mode, there is a manual one, with the ability to configure all parameters.

• Timeshift burst will help you choose best photo from the series.

• AR effect Suitable for entertaining children - you can create photos with virtual characters.

In addition, there is panoramic shooting and graphic effects.

Communications

The model exists only in the LTE version. Of course, standard GSM and HSDPA are also supported. In addition, the smartphone received all modern wireless interfaces: Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS with A-GPS and GLONASS support, as well as DLNA and FM receiver.

Hidden behind the plugs on the left side are microUSB (MHL), microSD and microSIM connectors, which are illuminated when the display is on. There is also a port for connecting an optional docking station.

The only uncovered connector is the 3.5 mm headset slot on the top edge.

Opening hours

The Xperia Z1 Compact has a slightly smaller battery compared to its larger counterpart. A 2300 mAh battery provides excellent autonomy. With moderate use of functions and infrequent calls, the smartphone will easily work for 3 days. And maximum use of wireless functions, watching videos and surfing the web, games and programs can drain the battery in one incomplete day. Energy saving doesn't improve the situation much.

Impressions

Sony is fighting hard for customers, so the Xperia line of devices is getting better and better. Therefore, it is not surprising that the Xperia Z1 Compact is a unique smartphone - a smaller version with top-end specifications. Protected case, clear display, 20.7 megapixel camera, powerful chipset. Most flagships can't boast even half of this.

PECULIARITIES

Bright design.

Protected housing.

Compactness.

Powerful filling.

Clear display.

20.7 megapixel camera.

Battery life.

Software .

SPECIFICATIONS

• Model Sony Xperia Z1 Compact D5503
• Standard GSM 850/900/1800/1900, HSDPA 850/900/1700/1900/2100, LTE 800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600
• Dimensions 12.7 x 6.49 x 0.95 cm
• Weight 137 g
• CPU Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800, 2.2 GHz, quad-core
• GPU Adreno 330
• Display 4.3", TFT, Triluminos
• Permission 1280 x 720 pixels
• RAM 2 GB
• Memory 16 GB + microSD up to 64 GB
• Nutrition Li-Ion 2300 mAh
• Camera 20.7 MP + 2 MP
• Communications GPRS, EDGE, HSDPA, HSUPA, Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, DLNA, FM radio
• Connectors microUSB (MHL), 3.5 mm output
• Additionally dustproof and waterproof housing, IP55/IP58 standards
• OS Google Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with proprietary graphical shell

At the beginning of the year, Sony announced the release of a new mobile device, which certainly stands out from the range of equipment sold by other manufacturers. For several days I tested this new phone - the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.

Smartphone Sony Xperia Z1 Compact - Reviews

At the end of last week I received a package from Sony with the latest smartphone Japanese company called Sony Xperia Z1 Compact. After spending a few days with it, I can confidently say that the phone will stay with me for a long time. Thus, in my pocket it will replace last year’s flagship Xperia Z1, presented at the IFA 2013 exhibition in Berlin. Combination highest performance and “compact” sizes are a 100% hit.

The difference between Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

Nowadays, when it comes to Android phone manufacturers' offerings, the media gets the most attention. the best devices, which often differ from each other in everything except one key parameter: the length of the screen diagonal.

Flagship models from companies such as HTC, Samsung and LG have in common that they are much closer to the phablet segment than to regular smartphones.

A five-inch screen will not surprise anyone for a long time, and people interested in small phones, are doomed to a weaker processor, less RAM and a worse camera. The Japanese company Sony decided to break such stereotypes, which earlier this year presented the official international version of the smartphone called Xperia Z1 Compact.

It's time to write a review

As mentioned earlier, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact came into my hands at the end of last week and since then I have begun to use it intensively. In addition, the phone is one of my main work tools, so the main things for me in a smartphone are mobility, speed, reliability, and battery life. In each of these aspects, the Xperia Z1 Compact performs more than well. This phone is even more convenient to use than its older brother, the Xperia Z1, released last year.

The Xperia Z1 Compact is virtually identical to last year's model in terms of specs and design, and the "new" one is simply smaller in size. I'm also glad that new model included all the advantages of the successful Xperia Z1.

The Xperia Z1 Compact eliminates the shortcomings of its predecessor

The main headache for people who were considering purchasing Zet-ens was, of course, the massive size of this phone. Big screen That's one thing, but the device also had a very thick bezel around the display, making the phone feel even more powerful. Another unpleasant thing about the screen was its quality. Sony claimed that they used space technology improving image processing, but the truth was that the image quality wasn't really that great.

Compared to Super screens LCD3 in HTC One and latest generation AMOLED in the Galaxy S4, the Sony screen is inferior to them in quality, color reproduction and viewing angles. With the Xperia Z1 Compact, both problems have been resolved - firstly, the panel now has a much more reasonable 4.3-inch diagonal length and is made using different technology, meanwhile, the image quality does not stand out compared to the company's competing products, although, Paradoxically, the Z1 Compact displays fewer pixels.

Remember that more is not better

What may be disappointing for many people is the fact that by reducing the size the manufacturer has also reduced the resolution, but I can defend the manufacturer in that regard. Actually, 720p doesn't sound impressive when you think about the fact that in 2013, 1080p screens dominate. And in the coming months, screens with 2K resolution should appear, i.e. 2560 by 1440 pixels! But so what? A higher resolution means at the same time more charging consumption through the same screen and processor that creates the image. And the benefits? Actually invisible.

The more pixels on the screen, the better it looks, but only on the advertising brochure. In practice, with the naked eye, a user using a phone is not able to see - or at least I cannot see - the difference between 720p and more high resolution in such a small area (with the same screen parameters).

Xperia Z1 Compact specifications

The rest of the specification remains largely unchanged. Sony Xperia Z1 Compact in terms of parameters belongs to the upper part model range, like Z1. By the way, here we are dealing with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 system and 2 GB of RAM, thanks to which there are no applications and games that will be hosted separately. Additionally, the Z1 Compact, thanks to its 720p panel, is slightly faster than the larger Z1. Don't change the number of ports and card slots (and only slightly their system), and the new phone has the same 20.7-megapixel camera with LED backlight. GPS, NFC, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and LTE are of course also available.

My only concern with the Xperia Z1 Compact was its battery life. But here too the smartphone surprised me. The device has a smaller battery, but also... less current demand, due to screen size and resolution. Rarely has any of the smartphones I tested could boast that by the end of the day the battery level showed 50%, and the new Xperia Z1 Compact pleased me with this figure.

The appearance is not surprising

The manufacturer decided not to bother and settled on the same design as in previous models. The phone is flat, and the front and back cover made of glass. The phone is surrounded by a solid aluminum frame, which hides plugs for the MicroUSB port and slots for microSD and microSIM cards. Everything is on the left side. The charging connector is located on the top of the phone.

On the right side, slightly above the middle, there is a rounded lock button. Just below it is the volume control. Further, at the bottom on the right side there is, rarely found in smartphones, a two-stage shutter button, holding which allows you to turn on the camera - and then, by selecting the appropriate option in the settings, even immediately take a photo.

Xperia phone The Z1 Compact is well made. Nothing creaks, the design itself is compact and thin. Although the device is a little thicker than last year's ZET-ons, it fits very comfortably in the hand. It's almost the same length as the iPhone 5(S), it's only slightly wider, while the display is 0.3 inches larger.

When turned on, the screen contains the same amount of content as in previous version. All labels and designations are just a little smaller, but not so much that selecting the appropriate item in the menu would be problematic. Of course, for gaming and watching movies Xperia screen The Z1 Compact isn't very suitable, but it's what you need for work.

After closing the MicroUSB port and slots for MicroSD cards and microSIM, top phones from the Xperia line are not afraid of contact with water. So you don't have to worry about your phone stopping working when it rains, or when it accidentally falls into the sink, and you don't have to end up buying another copy. From own experience I know that isolation open port The minijack is made very well, and the speaker located on the bottom edge of the well will not be damaged after a flood. The only problem arises when talking in the rain - the glass body of the phone becomes quite slippery.

The developers of Sony Xperia Z1 decided to please their users and expanded the range of body colors. In addition to the classic white and black models, a model in lemon and pink colors has appeared on sale.

Outdated software

The only complaint that can be made to the manufacturer of this phone model is the use of an already outdated Android versions 4.3 Jelly Bean. Although KitKat was released last year, it never made it into the sales version of the Xperia Z1 Compact. It seems that Sony simply did not have time to prepare the firmware on time, because they really wanted to present their phone during bidding at CES 2014, or at the upcoming MWC. But it seems that Android 4.4 will soon appear in the Xperia Z1 Compact - system firmware changes have already been included in the list of amendments, due to latest version Google.

It’s hard to say more about the software than I wrote in the case of the Z1. The header is identical, and many built-in applications are 99 percent the same. In September there will be updates for some of the system programs, which can only be assessed as a plus - for example, in Mail the navigation bar has been moved to the very top to be compatible with the system Gmail, access to Sony PlayMemories has appeared in the Gallery, and in the SMS application you can disable “tails”.

The system looks simple but very good

Despite the fact that Sony's modifications Android form not as much as in the case of, for example, HTC Sense, but the system looks good. The notification bar on the desktop is transparent, and the strip Home buttons and the app switcher changes color depending on the current app. The list of installed programs scrolls horizontally and can be used to immediately remove them unnecessary programs. In App Drawerze, among other things, there is a link to Sony app Select. Fortunately, there is still a replacement app store, and the manufacturer simply assembles popular apps in the form of links to Google system Play.

In addition, the phone can find quite a few other applications from the manufacturer, of which, as usual, most of them are of no use. Luckily, many of them can be removed or disabled in the settings. In typical system applications such as Messages, Calendar, Mail and Phone (except Gallery) dominates white. Even the manufacturer widgets are very aesthetically pleasing. The settings menu is slightly modified compared to pure Android, but you can easily figure it out.

Just two small notes on the functions of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

One note is that, for some unknown reason, the Xperia Z1 Compact lacks a speed dial function that binds a contact to one of the buttons on the screen. I don't understand what the programmers were thinking about when they removed this feature because it doesn't seem to me like it happened by accident. For me, the lack of this feature is a huge problem.

The second thing that sometimes annoys me is the notification counter right on the desktop. It's nice that Sony reports unread emails from the mail system and new notifications from Facebook, but the counter only works for a few applications, for example, it does not work for Gmail. The worst part is that it cannot be turned off.

Let's sum it up

As a rule, I test a phone for two weeks before writing a review, but in the case of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, I decided to make an exception. That's because it's virtually identical to the phone I've been using for the past few months. Even before receiving the package, I knew what kind of image quality to expect from the built-in 20.7-megapixel camera. I knew everything well system applications and generally knew what to expect from this phone.

Making sure that from the point of view software Xperia, the new phone is actually no different from its older brother, I just have to check the quality of the screen, the battery life, and whether the “compact form” is convenient in practice.

In all three aspects, as we know from the previous paragraphs, Sony met my expectations. If I had to give Sony's engineers a hint for the future, however, it would be that the next release of this phone would really like to see stereo speakers and improvements to the glove screen mode service, which are currently middling.

Fortunately, these shortcomings do not spoil it

As expected, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact will remain with me for for a long time. This phone was made for me and has virtually no flaws. Its strengths are (finally!) a decent quality screen, long time battery life, water resistance and impeccable speed. I recommend the Xperia Z1 Compact because it is simply one of best androids, which you can buy today.

The top specification combined with a reasonable screen size works great. Of course, if someone is intentionally looking for a phone with a huge display, then you might want to look at Sony's offerings like the classic Xperia Z1, or even the Xperia Z1 Ultra phablet, but I'm convinced that for most people, looking for a phone With a 4.3-inch screen, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is simply ideal.

I'm also wondering if there will be any worthy competitors from other companies for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact at MWC 2014 in Barcelona. Manufacturers still hold the (wrongly) belief that “more is better.” New phone Sony can essentially be called unique, and at the same time it surprises at a relatively low price. Today, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact costs about $600, while all large flagships cost much more.
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is great phone, which will not ruin your wallet.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact - video review

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