Sony Xperia Z3 Compact goes official: a flagship-toting powerhouse in a compact body

Switching the second generation, Sony goes from the first Xperia Z Compact straight to the Xperia Z3 Compact, the newest full-specced flagship by Sony that is smaller only in size, but not in performance power. Sony unveiled the Z3 Compact at IFA 2014, and it’s evolved in terms of looks, getting a rounded liquid reflection frame and featuring tempered glass panels for an good-looking, premium finish.

Sony has also managed to further protect the gadget from water and dust, gracing it with the IP 65/68 rating. This means you can submerge your phone in fresh water of up to 5 feet (1.5m) for as long as 30 minutes without harming it. The new Xperia Z3 Compact comes in a range of colors as well: you can get it in orange, green, white, and black.

After the 4.3-inch Z Compact, the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact now comes with a slightly larger, 4.6-inch 720 x 1280-pixel display. Most importantly, though, it keeps the same powerful Snapdragon 801 system chip with a quad-core CPU clocked at up to 2.5GHz. The compact handset also features the same large 20.7MP 1/2.3” Exmor RS sensor as in the Z3. In fact, this is the biggest sensor of any Android phone out there.

Here is a quick overview of the spec highlights for the Xperia Z3 Compact:

• Smaller does not mean less powerful with the Z3 Compact

  4.6-inch 720 x 1280-pixel display
• 8.6 mm thick
• Weight of 4.55 oz (129 grams)
• Snapdragon 801 system chip with 2.5GHz quad-core CPU
• 20.7MP camera with 1/2.3” “Exmor RS for mobile” image sensor
• Hi-Res Audio, Digital Noise Cancelling support and DSEE HX audio upscaling
• Fully waterproof IP 65/68

“At Sony Mobile, ‘flagship’ now means offering a choice to consumers of enjoying a large screen Xperia Z3 for immersive entertainment or a more compact, lighter Xperia Z3 Compact that doesn’t ask you to compromise on features,” Sony Mobile Communications CEO Kunimasa Suzuki commented on the Xperia Z3 Compact.

The company has not yet unveiled the price for the Sony Xperia Z3 Compact, but we do know that its release date will happen by the end of Autumn 2014.