Develop Bugs

[Video] Xperia Z1 vs. Xperia S - Should you upgrade?

Good day fellow XDAers!
I recently received my Xperia Z1 as an upgrade to my Xperia S as my Xperia S was hitting the age two mark, and what better upgrade than the Xperia Z1 I thought? Sure, the Z2 or Sirius is also about to be announced but that'll only mean the Z1 will be priced even better! I've had the Z1 for about a week now and I figured I wouldn't be the only one thinking of upgrading their Xperia S.
So in this thread I will let you know whether it's a good choice for you personally to upgrade (since there is no such thing as a 'smartphone to rule them all').
I will create another post below with a couple of camera comparisons because, if you were like me, you probably also chose the Xperia S for its camera, and are likely to consider the Xperia Z1 for the same reason. I will say beforehand that, yes, the camera is indeed an upgrade. The Z1's camera is not as bad as some review(er)s may have made you believe - at least not with the latest firmware of Android 4.3 installed.
Anyway, let's get to the hardware. The Xperia Z1 feels much, much more premium. It's a really slim device that's cold to the touch and has a bit of heft to it as well, making it feel as premium as it gets. Much more so than the Xperia S, that feels, after having held the Xperia Z1 for a couple of days, very plastic-y. One week prior to writing this I would've said that the Xperia S feels good in the hand, but once you've held the best, there's just no going back.
The processor is just extremely snappy, not much more to say of it. The Xperia S annoyed me with lag occurring more often than not, and if I were to upgrade, it would definitely be a major step upward, hence not going for the Xperia Z (which is probably still snappier than the Xperia S but I don't have experience with it). I wanted to test the Z1's processor but I couldn't find anything graphically intense and fun enough to do. So the Z1 is essentially more than powerful enough
Where the Xperia S had a pretty loose back, the Z1 is as sturdy as it gets with the aluminum frame sandwiched between the glass. If you're coming from the Xperia S, you probably won't mind the flaps. They're a tiny bit harder to open but that's obviously due to the waterproof rubbers (which seem a little too thin for my comfort but hey, Sony tested the device to be waterproof so I'll take that for granted).
I'll have to test the headphone jack some more but so far the quality seems on par with the Xperia S, if not better. I'm not the craziest audiophile out there, but I do believe there's a bit more bass outputting from the Z1's jack. Another thing worth mentioning about the build: the camera button is more comfortable to press and is a little better positioned, and the power button is perfectly in line with my thumb on the side (I hated the top mounted power button on the Xperia S - trying to press it while having it on a table has sent the device flying multiple times). The speaker on the bottom (which isn't the entire grill, just the most right part about one-fifth of the actual grille in size) is less loud as the Xperia S' internal speaker, but the quality to me sounds similar. Again, it's not as horrible as reviewers may have you think, but then again, they always get to review the best devices out there and this is just a mediocre speaker that gets the job done. Finally, the screen is really a joy to look at once you've set the white balance correctly, and the Full HD resolution does make it look better than 720p on the Xperia S. Colours pop more but the screen of the Xperia S seems to have a little more contrast. So yes, the display is indeed another upgrade to the Xperia S from what I can tell.
All in all, what are things you need to consider when you're in the market for a new Sony phone?
- Will the Xperia Z2 / Sirius have anything that *I* really wish I had, that makes me want to wait and get it instead of the Z1?
- Is the Xperia Z1 worth the money, since it's still priced very high?
- Do I want a 5" display on my phone, or is the display size of the Xperia S just fine (refer to the Z1 Compact then)?
- Are the downsides mentioned above not too important?
- How do *I* value waterproofing of a smartphone (I personally value it high, because I lost one phone to a river and it makes life so much easier carelessly taking pictures in the rain or playing music in the shower)
I hope this is of any use to you, looking to upgrade your phone. If this helped you make up your mind, don't hesitate to click a specific button under my XDA name
If you have any questions considering the two devices, please let me know - I'll answer them ASAP! :fingers-crossed:
EDIT:
I've created a video comparison between the Xperia S and Xperia Z1, because I often look things up on YouTube myself
Check it out below:
Sony Xperia S vs. Xperia Z1 - Should you upgrade? <- link to the video
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Now, for the camera comparison of the Xperia S and the Xperia Z1...
Disclaimer: the images were shot with Auto Mode on the Xperia S and Superior Auto Mode on the Z1. I basically compared them as point-and-shoot cameras.
Who would've thought the difference between the Xperia S and Z1 was this big? (zoomed in, that is)
Xperia S:
Screenshot_2014-02-21-16-16-19 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Xperia Z1:
Screenshot_2014-02-21-16-16-22 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Or let's try one without zooming:
Xperia S:
DSC_0019 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Xperia Z1:
DSC_0143 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
I'm trying not to be biased, but the Xperia S suffers from much more lens flare than the Xperia Z1 for example I initially held the Z1 on the right next to the S, but after viewing the lens flare on the S I decided to swap the two, the Z1 now being right. Did it make a difference? Nope. Still the same lens flare on the S, still none on the Z1. When you're shooting in daylight, the Z1's camera really is amazing!
Once you take away the sun however, the Xperia Z1 is no longer amazing but just 'good' at best (I don't have examples just yet).
P.S. the full images of the first crop:
Xperia S:
DSC_0022 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
Xperia Z1:
DSC_0146 by HurrHurrHerman, on Flickr
The Xperia Z1 also has the advantage of having a wide-angle lens, as you can see in the pictures above.
If you want to see more, let me know. I'm here to help and answer any questions!

Good point,talking about the camera,does Z1 have 16:9 resolution higher than 8MP?

RodrigoOgasawara said:
Good point,talking about the camera,does Z1 have 16:9 resolution higher than 8MP?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As of yet, nope. But I expect the update to 4.4 to add a 15 megapixel option. Still, megapixels really don't matter as the 8 megapixel shots seem more detailed in daylight than the Xperia S'.

dam U, my XS just reached the end of contract. I trying persuade myself not to give in to temptation and buy such an expensive phone right away.
I am considering between Z1 or Z1 compact. Waiting for WMC to see if there is any phone to push the price of Z1 down.

Hermantje said:
As of yet, nope. But I expect the update to 4.4 to add a 15 megapixel option. Still, megapixels really don't matter as the 8 megapixel shots seem more detailed in daylight than the Xperia S'.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree with that,but its a bit frustating thing to have a 20mp camera that don't shoot at full resolution,but the quality of the photos looks really good.
Another question,about image compression,pictures take with Z1 are less compressed than XS?I mean,with the Superior Auto mode.

sinple said:
dam U, my XS just reached the end of contract. I trying persuade myself not to give in to temptation and buy such an expensive phone right away.
I am considering between Z1 or Z1 compact. Waiting for WMC to see if there is any phone to push the price of Z1 down.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't have the cash, don't bother. The Xperia S is still a good phone. Not everyone needs the best high-end device out there, it's just that I love smartphones so much that I oblige myself to get at least a high-end phone (since I consider the Xperia S to be a darn good midrange device, just not high-end anymore).
RodrigoOgasawara said:
I agree with that,but its a bit frustating thing to have a 20mp camera that don't shoot at full resolution,but the quality of the photos looks really good.
Another question,about image compression,pictures take with Z1 are less compressed than XS?I mean,with the Superior Auto mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Superior Auto mode makes great images in daylight, but once the sunlight is partially gone or you're trying to take pictures with artificial light, the sharpness drops and you get to see this odd Z1 specific 'oversharpening lining' when fully zoomed in. Once you're out of the light, I really recommend using the Manual Mode, because setting the ISO manually makes a huge difference. So if you can live with that, the Z1's camera is as good as it gets (ISO-50 images in darker environments look detailed - Night Mode is even better!).
One other thing I have noticed, is that the Z1 has barely any chromatic (colour) noise - if you can see noise in pictures, it's going to be these 'sharpened lines' that I don't know how else to explain. I really hated how often the coloured noise occurred in pictures taken with the Xperia S, it really ruined the images for me.

Hi there, I liked reading your review as I have had the Xperia S for around a year now on 3 PAYG but Ive been ever so tempted to get either the Z1 or Z1C on contract, but now that ive seen rumours/videos of the suspected 'Z2' which looks pretty darn awesome, do you think its best I get a Z1 or wait for the new release? I mean the Xperia S is a great phone I could cope with it a little more, although stock jellybean 4.1.2 which is what im running has quite a few bugs, also lately my device has been 'overheating' after updating a fair amount of apps which is a sad thing so i guess its nearlly the end for my XS, sad times haha
Sent from my Sony Xperia S LT26i using XDA app-developers app

LevsOG said:
Hi there, I liked reading your review as I have had the Xperia S for around a year now on 3 PAYG but Ive been ever so tempted to get either the Z1 or Z1C on contract, but now that ive seen rumours/videos of the suspected 'Z2' which looks pretty darn awesome, do you think its best I get a Z1 or wait for the new release? I mean the Xperia S is a great phone I could cope with it a little more, although stock jellybean 4.1.2 which is what im running has quite a few bugs, also lately my device has been 'overheating' after updating a fair amount of apps which is a sad thing so i guess its nearlly the end for my XS, sad times haha
Sent from my Sony Xperia S LT26i using XDA app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was just too eager to get the Z1 that I couldn't wait one other week for the Z2. But as for the leaks, the Z2 does look like a more perfect device, but it's probably going to be about €150 (or a similar amount of dollars) more expensive, and I didn't think the Z1 would get much cheaper instantly.
So if you can wait, do so. It's always better - prices can only drop. I just really wanted the Z1 and I wasn't planning on paying that much more for a Z2 that's a little closer to perfection.
To summarize, here's what the Z2 is probably going to improve:
- IPS display, so no more viewing angle complaints
- Android 4.4 (but I presume all software tweaks will be made available for the Z1 as well, either through Sony or else through the amazing XDA developers we got)
- Stereo speakers
Other than that, the Z2 seems to be similar to the Z1. So for the price, I'd go (and I actually went) for the Z1. But it's all up to you, and wait if you can because phones are only getting cheaper!

thinking to upgrade too
but i didnt chose yet ,, Z1 or Z1s or Z1 compact !!! i think the almost the same no ?

sparxx4 said:
thinking to upgrade too
but i didnt chose yet ,, Z1 or Z1s or Z1 compact !!! i think the almost the same no ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure what the Z1s is supposed to be, but it's either a specific variant of the Z1 or Z1 Compact.
Either way, if you're in doubt between these two and you have an Xperia S, just think about the size. Are you longing for something bigger?
One thing I have to mention: although I love the size of the Z1, it's just not as practical to use in one hand as my old Xperia S. Keep that in mind.
And have fun choosing your next phone

sparxx4 said:
thinking to upgrade too
but i didnt chose yet ,, Z1 or Z1s or Z1 compact !!! i think the almost the same no ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Z1s is only for T mobile in USA and it has a slightly better camera and 32GB storage
please read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2600577
as for me I'll until Z2 is released in my region :good:

Update: I added a YouTube video of the comparison to the original post!
If you'd like to see more of a comparison, ask & subscribe I'd say :angel:

still better S
Still better s because it cheaper Maybe i'll buy z1 when sony will release z2 and z1 went cheaper.

misqowiec said:
Still better s because it cheaper Maybe i'll buy z1 when sony will release z2 and z1 went cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Very true that the Xperia S is cheaper now. I can't even sell mine because I'm asking too much apparently :silly:
But make no mistake: the Z1 feels much more of an upgrade than reviews may make it seem.
I purchased the Z1 because the price had already dropped to just above €400, as opposed to the Z2 which is around €550 or even €600 now.
In case of the Z1 vs Z2, I'd go (and I have gone) for the Z1, just for its pricetag.

Genneraly i'm thinking about z1 compact becasue classic z1 is too big for me

misqowiec said:
Genneraly i'm thinking about z1 compact becasue classic z1 is too big for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Except for the size there's barely any difference between the two, so I'm hoping my guide will still be useful :3

Hermantje said:
- IPS display, so no more viewing angle complaints
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Click to collapse
Isn't it good to have bad viewing angles because of privacy issues? Also it is not a tv so i don't get why people care about viewing angles.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

FaiselW said:
Isn't it good to have bad viewing angles because of privacy issues? Also it is not a tv so i don't get why people care about viewing angles.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's all personal preference, but people usually prefer being able to view the display perfectly when it's on the table. It's actually more common than you might think, that you're not looking directly at the display. I'd say, if you're really into privacy, you won't dislike the absent viewing angles. Otherwise the display just looks better overall, when you can even look at it from an angle without contrast loss. The issue I often have is that I can't read text due to lowered contrast when my phone's on the table, for example hooked up to my radio, like it is at this moment. It's more difficult to change songs because the text on the display is not always readable.

FaiselW said:
Isn't it good to have bad viewing angles because of privacy issues? Also it is not a tv so i don't get why people care about viewing angles.
Sent from my HTC One X using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What privacy issues? Are you concerned someone can read your texts over your shoulder? You'll probably notice when someone's breathing down your neck then, because even with a 5 inch screen, the screen is still small enough to require the phone to still be in an arm's distance from your face to read properly. For everything else like photos and videos, you are aware that you've already shared all of your life with Google, Facebook, etc anyway?
For me, one of the downsides of the Xperia S is how grey all the colours are when you look at it if it's lying down on a table. You can't properly show photos to other people or you need to hand them your phone.
Saying that bad viewing angles are good for privacy is just one of those excuses to avoid criticizing Sony. Sony never made those viewing angles so bad by design, it's not a feature, so the viewing angles should just be as good as possible. If it were a feature, it should be optional because not all of us wear tinfoil hats. If you want bad viewing angles because you're actually concerned about your privacy (and you don't want to tell that creep breathing in your neck to shove off) there are filters you can apply as a screen protector or a case to get even worse viewing angles. I know that Siemens employees need to put a similar filter on their laptops if they're using it in public to avoid leaking company secrets.
About the Xperia Z1/Z2, they're too big for me. I'm considering the Z1 compact but after 2 years of Sony, about half of which with AOSP based ROMs, I've decided I don't like OEM skins and the limitations they pose. So next phone will probably be a Nexus (it's a bit smaller but only just though..) or a Motorola if they release the successor of the Moto X in Belgium at all. I would be tempted to get an Xperia Z1 compact if there were a Google Play Edition.

[Q] Z1 compact or s5 mini? Please read!

Hi
I'm aware there is already a similar thread but I wanted some answers more specific to my needs and to current prices. I recently had my uninsured S5 stolen and I'm stuck in a contract so I need to buy a mid-range phone which is going to last me another 16 months or so without feeling too outdated. I want a smaller handset as I was getting sick of the larger phones. My budget stretches to about £270 for which both the S5 mini and the Z1 compact are currently priced. Unfortunately I can't stretch to the z3 compact price. I want to know which phone has the better camera, as this is one of the main selling points for me. I know that neither will match up to the s5 camera. On paper the z1 compact has the best camera, but I've seen a few posts saying it is actually disappointing and often freezes. The S5 minis camera seems to get fairly positive reviews despite being only 8MP. I'm no pro photographer so will I even be able to tell the difference?!
I don't care about the samsungs gimmicks (heart rate sensor, fingerprint scanner etc.) and also don't mind touchwhiz too much. I do like the fact it has a removable battery as I often carry a spare, but maybe the sony battery is miles better anyway?
I'm also wary about changing to Sony. I've had Samsungs for years and they've never broken, apart from when I dropped them. Samsung quickly replaced them for me free of charge after some persuasion it wasn't my fault! I've seen a lot of posts questioning the z1 compacts reliability, and a few more claiming sony aren't too good at dealing with replacements etc. Also slightly wary about the glass back cracking? Though I admit the Sony looks better.
I've never rooted or flashed custom ROMs or anything so I'm probably in the wrong forum (sorry!) but this seems to be the most active phone forum I could find. I'm not completely opposed to rooting etc if it would be really beneficial, though again, I'm wary!
Should point out that I don't game much on mobile, I just like a smooth, reliable experience for browsing internet, watching youtube, using facebook, whatsapp, reddit etc, and a good reliable camera.
So basically, do I play it safe and stick with Samsung, better screen, decent camera, pics may even look better on the better screen, though the phone may be slightly slower? Or do I go for the z1 despite my reliability concerns?! Is rooting going to change the decision between the two??
Thanks, and sorry for the long post! Appreciate your answers, if I get any! :good:

Anyone?!

Get the sony they beat samsung hands down

If u ar a samsung fan then go for s5 mini
But from the spec s5 mini is no where compared to z1c

Thanks for the replies. Think I'm leaning towards the Sony, think I'm just wary that its more likely to break.... quite fancy a change from the samsung though

creme_egg said:
Thanks for the replies. Think I'm leaning towards the Sony, think I'm just wary that its more likely to break.... quite fancy a change from the samsung though
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you don't really need a very fast CPU/GPU and the 512MB more memory. Actually, I would recommend you to stick with Samsung.
S5 Mini got 0.2" larger screen with physical key so actually it's about 0.35" larger, the battery is 200mah smaller capacity on S5 mini but battery switchable. The image quality is better on Z1c but focus is bad, so it is a 50/50. The S800 CPU on Z1c is like 2x ~ 3x raw performance plus there are 512MB ram more, it really depends if you are going to run some big 3D games or heavily multi-tasking then you need it. The phone design is also more pretty on Z1c and there are more mods(like 4K video) and custom roms for Z1c but you'll need to root.
If you just run some basic apps and normal gaming, then I think S5 mini with larger screen and spare battery is more better for you.

creme_egg said:
Hi
I'm aware there is already a similar thread but I wanted some answers more specific to my needs and to current prices. I recently had my uninsured S5 stolen and I'm stuck in a contract so I need to buy a mid-range phone which is going to last me another 16 months or so without feeling too outdated. I want a smaller handset as I was getting sick of the larger phones. My budget stretches to about £270 for which both the S5 mini and the Z1 compact are currently priced. Unfortunately I can't stretch to the z3 compact price. I want to know which phone has the better camera, as this is one of the main selling points for me. I know that neither will match up to the s5 camera. On paper the z1 compact has the best camera, but I've seen a few posts saying it is actually disappointing and often freezes. The S5 minis camera seems to get fairly positive reviews despite being only 8MP. I'm no pro photographer so will I even be able to tell the difference?!
I don't care about the samsungs gimmicks (heart rate sensor, fingerprint scanner etc.) and also don't mind touchwhiz too much. I do like the fact it has a removable battery as I often carry a spare, but maybe the sony battery is miles better anyway?
I'm also wary about changing to Sony. I've had Samsungs for years and they've never broken, apart from when I dropped them. Samsung quickly replaced them for me free of charge after some persuasion it wasn't my fault! I've seen a lot of posts questioning the z1 compacts reliability, and a few more claiming sony aren't too good at dealing with replacements etc. Also slightly wary about the glass back cracking? Though I admit the Sony looks better.
I've never rooted or flashed custom ROMs or anything so I'm probably in the wrong forum (sorry!) but this seems to be the most active phone forum I could find. I'm not completely opposed to rooting etc if it would be really beneficial, though again, I'm wary!
Should point out that I don't game much on mobile, I just like a smooth, reliable experience for browsing internet, watching youtube, using facebook, whatsapp, reddit etc, and a good reliable camera.
So basically, do I play it safe and stick with Samsung, better screen, decent camera, pics may even look better on the better screen, though the phone may be slightly slower? Or do I go for the z1 despite my reliability concerns?! Is rooting going to change the decision between the two??
Thanks, and sorry for the long post! Appreciate your answers, if I get any! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Disclaimer: You are asking this on the Z1 Compact sub-forum, of course you will get biased answers here but I will try to stay objective.
First up the S5 Mini comes with either an Exynos 3 processor or a Snapdragon 400, if you get the Exynos variant there will be very little to no community support for it, meaning once Samsung drops support for it you won't be able to get community updates through CyanogenMod or such for it, you'll be stuck with whatever version of Android Samsung leaves you with, as opposed to the Z1 Compact which I'm expecting to live for a long time provided it physically holds together.
Z1 Compact back is plastic, not glass. I can't really say about drops and screen cracks, but I have been told this is one of the areas the Z3 Compact improves on, I've dropped mine a few times and it's fine so far.
The camera is fine, it isn't the best, but it's certainly not bad. On Sony ROMs it produces very good pictures. On non-Sony ROMs the pictures are not as good, but still ok.
As far as performance goes there's no comparison, the Z1 Compact thrashes both variants of the S5 Mini. I haven't used the S5 Mini myself, so I can't comment on its battery, but I can tell you for sure that the Z1 Compact will without a doubt last you at the very least one full day of quite heavy usage. If you're not a heavy user as you claim, then it will most likely last you 2 full days, perhaps requiring you to activate stamina mode on day 2. This will improve even more with Lollipop.
If you've been using Samsungs for a while then yes, colours will look dull at first on the Sony since Samsung over-saturates their screens providing very vivid (but unnatural) colours, but I can guarantee you that the Sony screen is not bad, in fact, it is really very good, which you'll see once you've gotten used to non-Samsung screens.
I have owned iPhones (original, 3GS, 4S), HTCs (3 or 4 over the years, last one was the One X, loved it, but when the screen broke I got the S3 LTE...), Samsung (S3 LTE, hated its guts, I don't know how you can stand TouchWiz), Motorola and a few Sonys. Performance and features aside, the Z1 Compact is the best phone I have owned hands down. It's the right size for me, it's not too heavy and not too light either, battery life is excellent even for a heavy user like myself, usually at about 40-50% at the end of the day.
Oh and don't forget the Z1 Compact is waterproof as well, very useful feature!
...Sorry for the long reply hehe.

Moto x4 vs nokia 8 vs Xperia xa2 ?

Hi guys , I'm about to buy a new phone here in my country you can get moto x4 (4/64) for $260 and nokia 8 for $280 same as the Xperia xa2 For $280 , I'm wondering which of three is better , i know the Nokia 8 is better because of snapdragon , but i prefer the Moto design , please suggest me

keep in mind with moto's design, it's mostly glass so you'll end up having it in a case most of the time. i used to sell cars and always had to remind people not to get to caught up on exterior looks, since you barely spend any time looking at it. the software experience will be better on the nokia, which makes it the better overall choice in my opinion.

RockinAmigo14 said:
keep in mind with moto's design, it's mostly glass so you'll end up having it in a case most of the time. i used to sell cars and always had to remind people not to get to caught up on exterior looks, since you barely spend any time looking at it. the software experience will be better on the nokia, which makes it the better overall choice in my opinion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you ?

At the same price I would choose Nokia. Better SoC, UFS 2.1 storage(moto has emmc), better and bigger screen, more durable because of metal back. And yes, Nokia has better software experience. The only thing is the lack of ip68.

.LavS said:
At the same price I would choose Nokia. Better SoC, UFS 2.1 storage(moto has emmc), better and bigger screen, more durable because of metal back. And yes, Nokia has better software experience. The only thing is the lack of ip68.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you

Keep in mind, Nokia does not offer any way to unlock the bootloader ...
https://www.xda-developers.com/no-official-bootloader-unlock-nokia-8/

I can compare Moto X4 against Xperia XA2 - I have both devices :
Moto X4 :
- much better camera (+ GCam available, working fantastic)
- better software (like Moto add-ons, night light mode)
- probably better support when it comes to updates
- better fingerprint reader
Xperia XA2 :
- better audio (using headphones)
- maybe slightly better display quality, just an impression
- better battery management
- slightly more internal memory available

XZ2C Owners - How is it compared to the XZ1c ?

So I am looking for a decent compact phone and I see the XZ1 and XZ2 are about 250 euro and 400 Euro respectively.
The CPU difference is marginal, so we're down to build quality, the most important thing for me. Not just what its made of but how it feels in the hand.
Could you share your build quality impressions ? thanks !

Fif23 said:
So I am looking for a decent compact phone and I see the XZ1 and XZ2 are about 250 euro and 400 Euro respectively.
The CPU difference is marginal, so we're down to build quality, the most important thing for me. Not just what its made of but how it feels in the hand.
Could you share your build quality impressions ? thanks !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I deliberately avoided the XZ1 Compact because the fingerprint reader was disabled for US customers and I'm a Verizon customer. The XZ2 Compact reader works in the US, and it works on Verizon. FABULOUS camera. Feels GREAT in the hand. A bit thicker than the XZ1, but I LOVE IT.

Before the XZ2 compact I had the X compact, very similar physically to the XZ1 compact, the X compact was much more comfortable in hand mainly because the lower weight and rounded sides, both has really good built quality, the screen quality is a little better on XZ2 compact. About the speed it isn't comparable, but both moves really well so I assume the XZ1 compact too. The camera is in theory better on XZ2 compact despite it shares the same sensor that XZ1 compact because of software improvements, but if it worth the 150 euros of difference is on you.

They are both good phones. The only differences that matter to me are as follows:
* Camera: the XZ2c is clearly better under all conditions (but the XZ1c is not abysmal)
* Size: the XZ1c wins, as the XZ2c is a bit too tall for no-hassle one-handed use
* Weight: I am surprised that I should find this relevant at all, but the XZ1c is a joy due to being (and feeling) light(er)
* In-hand (and pocket) feel / ergonomics: the XZ2c and its curved body is so much more forgiving - a pleasure to hold; the firm edges and sharp corners on the XZ1c are uncomfortable to me
* 3.5mm jack: I use it less and less, but I have been through situations where the XZ2c not having one was a problem.
There are small software perks to the XZ2c (the night light), but in all other respects (screen, speed, software, finishing, the quality of the plastics) I find the two barely distinguishable. (Though I am one of those who appreciates the design of the XZ1c more - but just to look at, not to hold.) I use the newer phone most of the time, but occasionally revert to the XZ1c - and I can see myself using just the latter. It's a tough choice.

XZ2 Compact - Still a good phone to buy?

Hi guys, I'm currently planning to settle on a new, smaller phone (currently a 5.5 inch user).
But as you all know, the market is currently dominated by large screen phones.
Comparing to Pixel 3a which is recently launched, would you guys still go for XZ2 Compact?
My priority is small phone and accurate screen colour.
I do like the fact that XZ2C is LCD (screen colour is closer to real life? Since OLED are vivid), handy size, except that this phone is more than a year old
Personally I'm a root user, high chance going for custom rom if the stock rom is not vanilla enough for me.

I just bought mine 3 weeks ago me am happy I did!

Raven_Yen said:
My priority is small phone and accurate screen]
If you want a small, fast Android, it's the only option (next to the XZ1c
And yes, it's pretty good.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Yes, the SMD845 is very fast.
And you won't find another compact phone with the same hardware has its big brother easily.

absolutely recommended!
i had all compact series and this phone is the best!
maybe I only envy the battery life of the z3c, but for the rest is better.
fast and smooth also after an year of hard use
And above all, the glass is absolutely resistant!

And price just dropped to $400 for some models.

Got mine on the weekend for 320€ (upgrading from XZ Compact) and am super happy for now.
I like the screen ratio and the display, the built quality feels nice even though it's made of plastic, everything runs snappy, camera quality is great and I love the new Sony UI with the little animations.
The only disadvantages for me are that it is quite thick and heavy and I haven't found any decent protections glasses (all I tried were to small or ****ty in some other way) and cases.
But if you want a small powerful phone, you can't be too picky these days. The Galaxy S8 looks pretty nice too and isn't that much bigger, but with the European variant having an Exynos CPU, there's no custom Rom support.

pintness said:
Got mine on the weekend for 320€ (upgrading from XZ Compact) and am super happy for now.
I like the screen ratio and the display, the built quality feels nice even though it's made of plastic, everything runs snappy, camera quality is great and I love the new Sony UI with the little animations.
The only disadvantages for me are that it is quite thick and heavy and I haven't found any decent protections glasses (all I tried were to small or ****ty in some other way) and cases.
But if you want a small powerful phone, you can't be too picky these days. The Galaxy S8 looks pretty nice too and isn't that much bigger, but with the European variant having an Exynos CPU, there's no custom Rom support.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm open to any idea except OLED screen
Don't enjoy their vividness and unnatural colour despite the changeable colour profile in system

Raven_Yen said:
I'm open to any idea except OLED screen
Don't enjoy their vividness and unnatural colour despite the changeable colour profile in system
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No OLED drastically limits your options, as the smallish Google and Samsung phones are all OLED. (But trust me, the sRGB option on the Pixels takes all of the vividness away and makes everything perfectly bland.)
But those are smallish phones, not small/compact. For me even the XZ2c stretches the limit at 65x135cm, but that is the absolute largest that would qualify, in my book. In terms of size, I find the XZ1c ideal, though the XZ2c has other qualities that make it a better option. Oh, and it has a great screen too.

Mine arrived from Amazon today and so far I am very impressed!