Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Review

Call quality

Sony has produced a fine piece of equipment for phone calls with the Z1 Compact. Its earpiece is pretty loud and relatively clear. There is just a bit of distortion that can be heard in the sound, but overall things sound very well. Meanwhile, your callers will be treated to an equally good sound, thanks to the Z1 Compact's quality microphone.

As we said in the previous part, the loudspeaker is strong enough, so you can easily use it for calls as well.

Battery

Due to the smaller size of the handset, Sony has been unable to fit a very big battery inside the Z1 Compact. In contrast to the chubby, 3000 mAh unit in the Z1, the Z1 Compact only has a 2300 mAh battery. Still, with its smaller screen and lower resolution, we think users won't be experiencing insufficient battery life. According to the official data provided by the manufacturer, the Xperia Z1 Compact should last for about 18 hours of continuous talk-time on 3G, or the impressive 25 days in 3G stand-by (22.9 days in 4G). There are some pretty spectacular results, so we really have high hopes for the battery life of this handset in the long run. Stay tuned for additional details, as we're working on getting our own, custom battery life test done with the Xperia Z1 Compact.

Conclusion

With the Xperia Z1 Compact, Sony has made an important move that will make its smartphone line-up considerably more approachable. The Z1 is a powerful and well-rounded product, but its imposing size meant that there will undoubtedly be a lot of people who'd prefer to go for something a bit more pocketable. Now that the Compact is here (and in a number of fresh colors, at that), those users will have such an option with Sony.

This latest high-end Xperia phone is a beauty to behold, and with its superb features and characteristics, such as the 20.7 MP camera that's among the very best out there, it's actually the first modern Android phone that can offer a top-notch experience in a compact shell. Whether it can be a viable alternative to a “regular”, 5-inch flagship, well, that depends on the type of consumer that you are. If you can't take your eyes off your phone's screen, then maybe you should hold onto the larger display, as it will make your life significantly more comfortable. On the other hand, if you are more of a casual user that would still like to have access to a premium smartphone experience, the Z1 Compact will be a great choice, especially when you have in mind that it will also be easier to carry around.

So, we already know that the Z1 Compact can be a great alternative to any other Android flagship, as long as you don't mind the smaller display. But how does it compare to the iPhone 5s – another premium offering in roughly the same size class? The Xperia Z1 Compact is very well-made (and good-looking), but we have to admit that the iPhone 5s is even more eye-catching, thanks to its slimmer profile and lack of so many ports and slots around its sides. Really, there's a lot of action going on across the metal frame of the Z1 Compact, and this is where the two differ. While the Apple iPhone 5s stays true to its beautiful, minimalist style, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact remains true to its Android nature, which means that it has to provide you with all kinds of useful options, like a microSD card slot, a separate port for its charging dock, and a dedicated camera shutter key.

At the end of the day, the Xperia Z1 Compact is not only a great Android smartphone, it's simply a great phone, all things considered. Sony has made the bold move of venturing where few Android manufacturers have dared to go so far. Let's see how well it's going to work out for them!

Software version of the reviewed unit: Android 4.3, Build 14.2.A.1.114



UPDATE: You can now read our Sony Xperia Z3 Review and Sony Xperia Z3 Compact Review!