Sony Xperia Z1 Compact: tested in humans

There is a slang expression in modern Russian language “to get to the bottom of a pillar”, and it has nothing to do with the actual movement of the soil. In the case of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, which came to us for a test, things were approximately the same — the device turned out to be almost ideal. But we all know that nothing perfect happens. However, we are getting ahead of ourselves a bit ...

The Xperia line of smartphones has been around since 2008. It began with devices on Windows Mobile. And the first Z-series device running Android, appeared just a year ago. Then there were ZL and ZR. In October, the company launched the Z1. The culmination of Z-series devices today can be considered Z2, which was presented at the Mobile World Congress at the end of February in Barcelona.

Well, what about our hero? The Z1 Compact went on sale in early February, being held in Japan - and on the Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyusu and Shikoku islands, a smartphone called Z1f has been on sale since December 19. In fairness, we note that other countries received the Z1 Compact not earlier than ours.

Z1 Compact in numbers:
Screen: 4.3``, 1280x720 (342 ppi), IPS Triluminous
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974, 2200 MHz (4 cores)
GPU: Adreno 330
OS: Android 4.3 (expected to upgrade to 4.4)
RAM : 2 GB
Memory: 16 GB + microSD (up to 64 GB)
Cameras: 20.7 / 2.0 MP
Interfaces: 3G / 4G, Wi-Fi (802.11 a / b / g / n / ac; 2.4 / 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, A-GPS / GLONASS, USB 2.0
Battery: 2300 mAh
Dimensions, weight: 127 × 64.9 × 9.5 mm, 137 g





What is the first thing you notice when you pick up the Z1 Compact? Designed by OmniBalance. He is familiar with other devices of the Xperia line, you can’t confuse him with anything - a thin case, beveled metal ends rounded to the corners, a branded power button. The assembly is excellent - it feels slightly not up to the iPhone, but better than other smartphones with the prefix “mini”. And - plugs, plugs, plugs ... There is nothing surprising here - the device is protected from moisture and dust. We will not load you with the names of the standards - just be sure that neither torrential rain nor accidental immersion in water is dangerous for your smartphone (Sony claims that you can safely forget the Z1 Compact at a half meter depth for half an hour). The main thing is to check the plugs. And do not worry about the audio jack - it is open, but sealed.



Yes, you can work with a smartphone with gloves and wet hands. About wet gloves, the press releases do not say anything, but the smartphone also supports this mode.

As for scratch resistance. Here, not everything is so simple: a polymer protective film is applied to the front side in the factory - in two weeks of operation, it perfectly passed all the tests by stuffing it into a pocket, throwing it in a bag and felting on tables. But on the back panel appeared a whole "bunch" of microscopic scratches and scuffs.

Good news: microUSB works in OTG mode, which means you can connect a keyboard or mouse to a smartphone, but, more importantly, you can use external drives.



In general, the Z1 Compact, it can be said, symbolizes antelope sentiments in society: they say, look, I'm small, but comfortable, beautiful, fast - just one hand is enough to hold me.

By the way. Compact in the name should not confuse you - this smartphone easily bypasses other mini-versions of flagships. In fact, this is the same Z1, which is “non-compact,” only in a more convenient package. The only "compromise" was the screen resolution: here 1280x720 pixels instead of 1920x1080, but the pixel density of the Compact screen is enough without Full HD. And the color rendition, brightness and viewing angles are different here - the IPS matrix did not disappoint.

What's inside? Android 4.3, which may soon be replaced by chocolate 4.4 KitKat, an easy hint of multitasking in the menu of small applications that can be called up by clicking on the rightmost button, well, for some reason, we remembered Swype input (probably because it’s just conveniently).





Almost all the benchmark tests we used blow the exclusivity of a smartphone - but this is also visible to the naked eye. No compromise.

What excites us when getting acquainted with a new device no less than its power? That's right, the battery. In large Z1, the capacity of a non-removable battery was 3000 mAh, here - 2300, but Compact lasts one and a half to two times longer. In principle, if you use the “student-extrovert” scenario - calls, calls, calls-games-video-photos - then for a day and a half you will be able to charge a non-removable battery for sure.

Remember we talked about "getting to the pillar"? So, we still found the Achilles heel of the Z1 Compact. True, it will surely disappear with new firmware updates. We are about a 20 megapixel camera. Engineers stuffed her with a bunch of different funny chips - Info-Eye, Time Shift Burst, Social live, AR effect, but forgot to polish the usual photo / video mode. As a result, all these megapixels do not work as we would like, turning the smartphone into a soap box, and not, sorry for the tautology, a compact camera. There are problems with focus, and the lack of sharpness at the edges, and noise.





In total
You will laugh, but the Z1 Compact has no competitors in terms of the combination of parameters - given the size, filling and protection against water-dust. Yes, there are temporary problems with the built-in camera, but overall it is a truly unique device. Anticipate replicas of that part of the audience that knows the value of money - yes, expensive! Mini versions from Samsung and HTC are much cheaper. Justification? Performance. Well, the price tag for Compact in a couple of months will surely become more enjoyable.

Note, for those who do not want to read letters, but want to watch a video review - it is here