You've probably come across this phrase on the pages of our resource, but in the case of the Xperia Z3, we consider it necessary to duplicate it: Sony has officially announced that it will release new flagship smartphones as technology improves. While other manufacturers update their older models once a year on average, the Japanese manage to produce as many as two flagships during this period. Accordingly, you have to come up with something new twice as fast.
We cannot say that changes from device to device are insignificant - it’s just that a large number of new technologies do not have time to accumulate in six months. Rather, engineers refine and improve their older, and therefore main, device from time to time - they work on errors and revise possible changes. So, I got a gorgeous IPS display, which the Z1 was noticeably lacking. At the same time, it improved the camera and interface, and added support for some cellular communication bands. There were changes to the exterior: the frames around the display became thinner, and the screen itself grew by two-tenths of an inch. Fine? Undoubtedly. Revolutionary? Not at all. Slow evolution. So what's new in the Z3?
⇡ What's new?
Perhaps that's enough new. At least from the appearance of the smartphone alone, we can say with confidence that this is truly a new model. You had to take a closer look at the previous “Z”s: look at what the inserts are made of, try to determine the thickness by eye. Well, or put smartphone A to smartphone B - such a comparison made it possible to identify the newer one, at least due to the difference in size. With Z3 everything is much simpler.
Sony designers emphasized the change in the appearance of the gadget with a new color scheme. Black and white options have not gone away, but rich purple has been replaced by two colors: light green and copper metallic. A “strict” white version of the Z3 came to us for testing, which we are, perhaps, rather happy about.
There are several changes in terms of characteristics. For example, the Z3 uses the smallest SIM card format - Nano-SIM. It will probably be in all future Xperia smartphones. Despite the increased IP (Ingress Protection) value - IP65/68 versus IP55/58 for the Xperia Z2 - the waterproofness of the case (remember, the last digit in IPxx is responsible for it) of the device remains the same. The smartphone is protected from low pressure water jets from all sides. It can also stay in fresh water for up to half an hour at a depth of up to one and a half meters. The protection of the case from dust has increased exclusively, which, frankly, is not significant for most users: what difference does it make whether dust can get into the device (IP6x) or not (IP5x), if it does not harm it in any case.
Sony Xperia Z3 - official photo
In terms of technical content, there are practically no changes: Sony engineers still put a 5.2-inch Full HD screen, the 801st Snapdragon (except overclocked to 2.5 GHz) and three gigabytes of RAM in the flagship. Someone might want to talk about stagnation or savings, because there is already the Snapdragon 805, the 810 was recently announced, and competitors are making full use of higher-resolution displays. However, most sober readers will probably agree that Sony acted rationally. LG engineers, for example, equipped the G3 with the world's first Quad HD display (translated into numbers - 2560x1440 pixels), which significantly reduced its battery life. Excess power will also eat the battery with double appetite. So we understand and approve of Sony’s desire to concentrate on design, and not on “giblets”, which seem to be coping with the tasks assigned to them so far.
⇡ Appearance and ergonomics
Nevertheless, the development of the OmniBalance concept, which is reflected in the new “Zetka,” may upset many fans of the modern Xperia line. Sony Z series smartphones have always been identified with strict, angular, but very stylish “bricks”. The Xperia Z3 turned out to be much lighter than its predecessors - both visually and in fact. The gadget weighs 152 grams, while the Z2 with the same screen diagonal weighs 163 grams. Moreover, the body of the new product has lost weight by a millimeter compared to the previous version - from 8.3 to 7.3 millimeters.
Sony Xperia Z3 - front panel
The changes in appearance are obvious. The corners of the case have become more rounded, the sides are not so flat, and the frames around the display are much thinner. Due to the latter, the gadget looks more elongated. It is still made of pure materials - metal (edges, frame) and glass (back and front panels). However, now it is much more comfortable to hold in your hands - the corners and rough flat ends do not dig into the palm. From an ergonomic point of view, it has become noticeably better. We don’t undertake to judge the design - this is too individual a question.
Perhaps the Z3 is the most comfortable of all four Zets. Your hands don’t get tired of it even with prolonged contact, and thanks to its reduced dimensions, it’s actually quite comfortable to use with one hand - the thumb of a normal, average hand can easily reach all four sides of the display. Tested on several boys and girls.
Sony Xperia Z3 with display on
The front panel is still free of hardware keys. At its bottom there is a speaker - the same as at the top. Next to the latter there is a front-facing camera lens, a two-megapixel camera and sensors. The new events indicator has been moved to the upper left corner. He can still glow in different colors.
Sony Xperia Z3 - side edges
The design feature of the new “Zetka” is that there are polycarbonate inserts in the corners of the case, which in theory should soften the impact when the device falls. Of course, we didn’t check this, but it’s good that Sony generally thinks about the “survivability” of its smartphones. Many modern gadgets break after the first fall.
Sony Xperia Z3 - right side
All connectors are still covered with plugs, thanks to which the case is protected from moisture. The hardware wake-up button of the smartphone is located on the right side. There are also volume keys and a separate physical button for activating the camera and shooting.
Sony Xperia Z3 - card slots
At the same end there are slots for installing microSD and Nano-SIM cards. The device “swallowed” a 64 gigabyte TF memory card without any problems. The universal 3.5 mm audio jack is located at the top end. Next to it there is a second microphone, with the help of which a noise reduction system is implemented.
Sony Xperia Z3 - left side
The Micro-USB interface on the left side is also hidden under a flap. With its help, you can connect external peripheral devices to the Z3 via a special OTG adapter. Next to it is a magnetic connector with which the gadget is connected to the docking station.
Sony Xperia Z3 - rear panel
The “back” of the device, as we have already said, is covered with scratch-resistant glass. We carried the gadget in the same pocket with our keys, and it still has a completely factory look. There are no stickers on the front or back. Despite the fact that the panel is smooth, due to the rough convex ends, the Xperia Z3 fits perfectly in the hands and does not try to slip out of them. At the top of the back panel is the main 20-megapixel camera lens along with an LED flash.
The smartphone case is monolithic, non-separable - users do not have access to the battery. Its capacity, by the way, due to the reduction in the thickness of the gadget, engineers had to reduce it - from 3200 to 3100 mAh. However, this is perhaps the only clear deterioration in the new flagship Sony smartphone.
In general, the exterior of the Xperia Z3 left us with ( True, not all of us. — approx. ed.) pleasant emotions. It is convenient to use, pleasant to hold in your hands, but one cannot deny the fact that the gadget has slightly lost its “thoroughbred” face and began to look more ordinary. I would like to believe that designers will continue to experiment and find a middle ground between individuality and ease of use.
⇡ Technical specifications
| Sony Xperia Z2 | Sony Xperia Z3 | |
| Touch screen | 5.2 inches, 1080x1920 pixels, IPS; Capacitive, up to ten simultaneous touches |
|
| Air gap | No | |
| Oleophobic coating | Eat | |
| Polarizing filter | Eat | |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB v3: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7), frequency 2.27 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC: four Qualcomm Krait-400 cores (ARMv7), frequency 2.5 GHz; process technology 28 nm HPm |
| Graphics controller | Adreno 330, 450 MHz | Adreno 330, 578 MHz |
| RAM | 3 GB LPDDR3-1600 | |
| Flash memory | 16 GB (about 11.5 GB available to the user) + microSD | |
| Connectors | 1 x micro-USB 2.0 1 x microSD 1 x micro-SIM |
1 x micro-USB 2.0 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x microSD 1 x nano-SIM |
| cellular | 2G/3G/4G One SIM card in micro-SIM format |
2G/3G/4G One nano-SIM format SIM card |
| Cellular connection 2G | GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz | |
| Cellular 3G | WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 MHz DC-HSPA+ (42.2/5.76 Mbps) |
|
| Cellular 4G | LTE FDD band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20 (2100/1900/1800/1700/850/2600/900/700/800 MHz) LTE Cat. 3 (150/50 Mbit/s) | |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4 and 5 GHz + Wi-Fi Direct | |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 | |
| NFC | Eat | |
| IR port | No | |
| Navigation | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS | GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou |
| Sensors | Light sensor, proximity sensor, accelerometer/gyroscope/pedometer, magnetometer (digital compass), barometer |
|
| Main camera | 20.7 MP (5248x3936), Sony Exmor RS matrix with back-illumination, 1/2.3 inches Autofocus, LED flash |
|
| Front-camera | 2.1 MP (1920x1080), Sony Exmor R back-illuminated sensor | |
| Nutrition | Non-removable battery 12.16 Wh (3200 mAh, 3.8 V) | Non-removable battery: 11.78 Wh (3100 mAh, 3.8 V) |
| Size | 147.2x73.4 mm Case thickness: 8.3 mm |
146x72 mm Case thickness 7.3 mm |
| Weight | 163 g | 152 g |
| Housing protection | IP55, IP58 | IP65, IP68 |
| operating system | Android 4.4 KitKat Sony Xperia's own shell |
|
| recommended price | 25,990 rubles | 29,990 rubles |
| Average retail price | 23,800 rubles | 29,990 rubles |
At the moment (mid-summer 2015), Sony's flagship arsenal actually consists of two smartphone models - the Sony Xperia Z3 and its updated version Sony Xperia Z3+ (Z3 Plus), which in turn is the international version of the Sony Xperia Z4 model, which was presented exclusively for the Japanese market. Apparently Sony has not completely moved on from the six-month flagship release cycle - now we will receive a flagship every year, and in the middle of the year an updated version of it. Looking at all this, especially for an inexperienced user, the question may involuntarily arise, so, what is the difference between the Sony Xperia Z3+ and the Xperia Z3 and Xperia Z4, how they differ, and indeed what they are.
First, let's dot the i's and see what the difference is between the Xperia Z3 Plus and Xperia Z4. There really aren’t that many differences: the Xperia Z4 has FeliCa, the Japanese equivalent of NFC, as well as a built-in TV tuner for local digital television. Otherwise, the smartphones are completely identical both externally and in terms of design.
But the differences between the Xperia Z3+ (Z4) and the Xperia Z3 are more obvious. The first difference is in dimensions: Xperia Z3 – 146 x 72 x 7.3 mm and 152 grams, and Ixperia Z3 Plus – 146.3 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm and 144 grams. You can feel the difference as much as possible by comparing the two phones head-to-head. The new product is lighter and actually fits more comfortably in the hand.
The design itself has not changed as much as the masses might want. The new smartphone received stereo speakers located along the top and bottom side edges like the Xperia Z2 - this option appealed to most users.
The side corners are still made of polymer, which protects from impacts, but the metal frame received a new type of treatment, which makes it more shiny.
As for the main technological innovations of the Xperia Z3+, it is worth noting the presence of a waterproof microUSB connector, which made it possible to get rid of one of the plugs. Both smartphones have IP68 protection. The new product is also equipped with the new Snapdragon 810 chipset, which is more productive, but it’s hard to say whether this will be very noticeable in real-life conditions of use. We were also pleased with the expansion of the internal storage – now the smartphone has a 32 GB module installed by default. By the way, one cannot fail to note the display, which in terms of size and resolution remains the same, but already has increased brightness, more accurate and clear color reproduction. But with the battery, the opposite happened: if in the Xperia Z3 its capacity was 3100 mAh, then in the Xperia Z3 Plus it was 2930 mAh. It is quite possible that the new filling is more economical, which made it possible to slightly reduce the battery capacity without compromising the overall autonomy.
I suggest you compare the parameters of smartphones in the table below:
Comparison of characteristics of Sony Xperia Z3+ and Xperia Z3
| Sony Xperia Z3+ | Sony Xperia Z3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 146.3 x 71.9 x 6.9 mm | 146 x 72 x 7.3 mm |
| Weight | 144 grams | 152 grams |
| Display | 5.2-inch, IPS LCD Triluminos (424 pixels per inch) | |
| Permission | 1920 x 1080 pixels | 1920 x 1080 pixels |
| Processor and video | 64-bit 8-core Snapdragon 810 (4 cores 2.0 GHz + 4 cores 1.5 GHz), Adreno 430 | Quad-core Snapdragon 801 2.5 GHz, Adreno 330 |
| RAM | 3 GB RAM | 3 GB RAM |
| Inner memory | 32 GB, expandable | 16 GB, expandable |
| Camera | 20.7 MP main, 1/2.3” Exmor RS, 4K video recording 2160p video recording 30 fps, 5 MP front | 20.7 MP main, 1/2.3” Exmor RS, 4K video recording 2160p video recording 30 fps, 2.2 MP front |
| Battery | 2930 mAh | 3100 mAh |
| Peculiarities | IP65/68 certification - dustproof and waterproof over 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, stereo sound | |
| Wireless connections | Wi-Fi 802.11 A/B/G/N/, Bluetooth v4.1 | Wi-Fi 802.11 A/B/G/N/, Bluetooth v4.0 |
| System (at time of writing) | Android 5.0.1 Lollipop | Android 5.0.1 Lollipop |
Specifications
- Android 4.4.4
- Screen 5.2 inches, 1920x1080 pixels, IPS, automatic brightness adjustment
- 3 GB RAM, 16 GB internal memory, memory cards up to 128 GB
- Chipset Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AC, 4 cores, 2.5 GHz, GPU Adreno 330
- Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, MHL 3.0, USB on the Go, GPS/Glonass, ANT+;
- LTE Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 13, 17, 20
- Camera 20.7 megapixel Sony Exmor RS, autofocus, LED flash
- Front camera 2.2 megapixels
- IP68 protection
- Battery 3100 mAh Li-Pol
- Dimensions – 146x72x7.3 mm, weight – 152 grams
Contents of delivery
- Telephone
- Charger with USB cable
- Instructions
- Table stand (not for all countries, not in Russia)
- Wired stereo headset (not for all countries, not in Russia)
Positioning
Sony has chosen a six-month pace of updating its flagships, unlike all major manufacturers, which can only afford to release flagships once a year. With such a rate of release of new models, one cannot expect that the number of changes will be large; each subsequent device will be perceived as a slightly improved version of the previous one. If you read reviews of the Sony Xperia Z2, most of them call the device a work on the bugs of the Z1, which is quite logical. A dozen reviews of the Sony Xperia Z3 use the same phrase - work on bugs, a corrected version of the Z2. I am sure that in January 2014, if Sony does not change anything in its approach, we will see feedback that the Z4 is also a work in progress. For Sony, this becomes a serious problem, since such a perception makes sales of the flagships of the Z line difficult, and the release of new models leads to lower prices for old ones, making them more profitable. It’s curious that Sony unwittingly created more than just a headache for itself - the company, with its flagship release schedule, has formed a whole galaxy of those who are waiting for prices for previous models to drop and choose them.
Given the relatively identical characteristics of the models, the promiscuity of buyers and the selection of goods from the shelf, the same design is already becoming a problem. But for Sony Z2 and Z3 we can also talk about comparable characteristics; the buyer in the store does not realize the difference between these devices, he simply does not see them. But he will feel the difference in price of 5,000 rubles and the fact that the Z3 package is noticeably poorer.
Sony is in the grip of its own choice - they need to release a flagship every six months. Sales of the Z line have long been minimal, the device is a competitor to the same Samsung Galaxy S5, but while the first Z was sold in small but noticeable quantities, the same Z2 dropped to minimal volumes (the reasons are described above). In Russia, the sales ratio of Z2 to Galaxy S5 is 1 to 12. And here we come to the conclusion that when releasing a new flagship, Sony cannot position it higher than the market and other models that are present on it, for example, the same Galaxy S5 , which is the leader in the segment.
Compared to Samsung Galaxy S5
It becomes vital for a company to achieve the minimum cost for its product - therefore, a proven solution is used, reducing the scope of delivery. The Sony Z2 came with branded headphones with a noise reduction system along with the phone, which were of high quality and separately cost about 1,700-2,000 rubles. And this was a serious plus, an argument in favor of the Z2.
In the Z3 they were removed from the package for Russia; the savings for the manufacturer are noticeable and quite justified in the struggle for price on the shelf. It is interesting that a similar approach was used in later deliveries of Z2 - in Svyaznoy at a price of 24,990 rubles you can find Z2 sets both with and without headphones. The black device is sold without headphones, which is perceived by many as an initiative of the retail chain; there are often comments from those who purchased such a phone that, apparently, the sellers stole the headset. But this is just a kit that was created in the struggle for efficiency.
Sony discussed the possibility of putting the Z3 on the shelf for 32,990 rubles, but retail chains dissuaded the company from this step and did so quite sensibly. Few people will be interested in the package, the initial price will scare them away, as was the case with HTC with the flagship HTC One M8, which is excellent in terms of performance, but is not popular, its sales are similar to the Z2.
In 2014, Sony consistently misses the mark in terms of time to market. For example, Sony Z2 was supposed to be released earlier than the flagships of other companies, but it turned out the other way around. With the Z3, everything is going according to plan, but the model is not perceived as something new, and hence there are many different problems; the volume of its purchases by distributors is minimal. But the most important thing is that such products are perceived only by those who remain loyal to the Sony brand; this is a small audience that continues to buy Sony devices in different segments, adherents of Sony Style. It is impossible to say that Sony plays in the mass market, comparable to other manufacturers. Of the successful products of 2014, I’ll highlight the Compact series, which had an impact on the market, but everything else passed by and did not attract the attention of the general public. In this aspect, the Z3 becomes exactly the same device, and a number of fans of the brand who previously purchased Z/Z1/Z2 say that they see no reason to change their devices to a new product. This trend is observed not only for Sony, new products from all companies are perceived critically by customers, they do not see much difference with their current devices, but for Sony this is much more pronounced.
The bottom line is that we have the Z3 model, which is positioned as a flagship and is such for a small audience of Sony fans. It is impossible to say that this is a device for the mass market. Moreover, with the release of this model, the attractiveness of previous devices is growing, and Sony is partly to blame for this, which has worsened a number of characteristics in its flagship. Let's figure out in order what has changed.
Design, dimensions, control elements
Externally, the device has hardly changed, you look at it and see the same Sony Xperia Z2.
Sony Xperia Z2 and Z3
Phone dimensions – 146x72x7.3 mm, weight – 152 grams (Z2 – 146.8x73.3x8.2 mm, 158 grams). The side edges have been made rounded, the metal frame is no longer rectangular, and the device fits very well in the hand. But this also brings another problem: lifting it from a flat surface is noticeably more difficult; your fingers slide along the side edge, you have to spread them in the shape of a crab and grab the phone.
Compared to Samsung Galaxy Note 3
In addition to changing the outer frame, Sony has almost completely redesigned the body design, which may not be noticeable and which an inattentive person will definitely not notice. Let me start with the fact that in the Z2 review I said that the device has a rather fragile inside due to its design - when dropped, the shock is transferred to the internal board, and the electronics quickly die. It happens that the glass does not crack, but the electronics fail. The Z3 has plastic inserts on the corners and is painted to match the color of the body. This does not mean that the phone has become shockproof; rather, it has received additional protection from falls. This approach can only be welcomed; similar inserts will be used on many models with a frame body design from Sony.
The model is available in four colors - white, copper, black and emerald.
Let's return to the changes in the design - one of the weak points in the Sony Z1/Z2 was sea water - the salt corroded the plugs, and despite supporting the IP58 protection standard, it was definitely not worth swimming with these phones in the sea. Protection was from fresh water. The Z3 tried to correct this shortcoming; to do this, they changed the characteristics of the rubber inserts that are on all connectors. This even made it possible for the Z3 to receive an IP65/IP68 protection standard - that is, dust protection has increased, all connectors are covered more tightly, and at the same time the location of the microphones has been changed. There are no holes at the bottom end; the microphone is hidden behind the grille of the bottom speaker; both the speaker and the microphone are covered by one membrane. The second microphone is located at the top end, it is located next to the 3.5 connector.
You can swim with this device in fresh water without worry, especially if you close the caps before diving. In real life, the device is quite slippery, on par with the iPhone 6, but better due to its larger size. In water it stops being slippery, I noticed this even during tests of the Z2, when I swam with it in the pool.
The front panel, as well as the back, is made of DragonTrail glass, it is no different from the second generation of Corning Gorilla Glass, but less promoted, in fact it is an analogue. The oleophobic coating is rated C, which is typical - hand marks remain with ease. This is not always visible in the sun or light, especially if your device is not black.
On the left side there is a microUSB connector, it is covered with a cap. On the right side, behind a wide flap, there is a slot for nanoSIM, it is in a plastic tray, and there is also a slot for a microSD memory card.
Above the screen, where the speaker grill is, there is a light indicator - it is wide and can blink in red, blue and green. You can turn it off in the settings, but I really like it, as it gives the device a certain charm. This is a typical Sony Style element. On the front surface you can see the front camera, the proximity sensor is hidden behind the glass and cannot be seen.
This model has no complaints about the build quality - there are no noticeable gaps, the glass does not fit tightly to the metal frame everywhere, this is not a defect, but a feature of the device so that it does not break when dropped. But the gaps are minimal, it’s almost impossible to see them without looking closely. In the same Z2 they were noticeably larger.
Display
The technical characteristics of the screen in the Z3 are the same as in the Z2: 5.2 inches, resolution – 1920x1080 pixels (423 dpi versus 440 in the Z1). The screen uses the famously named Triluminos technology, which suggests that the picture has better RGB coverage than conventional LCD screens. In theory, this is true, in practice there are certain flaws. An explanation of the technology can be seen in a promotional video from Sony.
Also in connection with this device, Live Color Led technology is often mentioned, which, in fact, is responsible for the color gamut, which is somewhat misleading to the user - these names make your head spin. From a marketing point of view, it is noted that the red and green subpixels are made using phosphor, which improves the quality of the color gamut; colors look saturated.
One of the main problems with the Z2 for the screen was that it distorted the colors - it made them bright, but they were not reliable. The built-in tool for adjusting color profiles turned the picture completely indigestible; it was not worth using. It turned out that a good screen, due to shortcomings in technology, did not give out the maximum of what it was capable of. The Z3 tried to overcome this problem, but it didn’t work out very well - the colors are still distorted, fine-tuning in the menu does not work. Separately, I want to emphasize that for most people this does not play any role - they will find the screen good.
Check out the screen comparison between the Galaxy S5 (top) and Note 4 (bottom).
Comparison of Samsung Galaxy S5, Sony Xperia Z3 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4
Comparison of Sony Xperia Z3 and Samsung Galaxy S5
You can find a comparison of the Z2 screen with other devices at this link.
The Z3 has changed the way the picture is analyzed; each point can change the brightness of the backlight, which creates a more reliable picture in different lighting conditions. It was not possible to notice an improvement in the picture; in the sun the previous device behaved well, although there was clearly not enough brightness here, it had to be turned up to maximum, there was no reserve.
The Z3 decided to solve this problem and increased the screen brightness by 20 percent (650 cd/m2 maximum value with manual adjustment). Now the device is quite comparable with other flagships of 2014, there are no complaints about this characteristic. This improves the viewing experience of the screen both indoors and outdoors, and information is easy to read.
The settings include a mode for working with gloves; you can set a mode for working with wet hands.
In the Z2 review, I called the device's screen not ideal, but for Sony it was an obvious breakthrough - the abandonment of unnecessary film, improved quality, but the presence of such drawbacks as insufficient brightness and poor color rendition. The Z3 got rid of one of the shortcomings, now the screen is bright, they tried to play with color reproduction, but the result was not too different from the previous model. We are waiting for the Z4, in which the company will try to correct this defect again. As mentioned, this is a continuous work on bugs.
Battery
The phone has a lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 3100 mAh (Z2 has 3200 mAh). For a flagship, this battery capacity is excellent, it is quite comparable to Note 3/4, however, these devices are similar in operating time.
In the description of this device, Sony says that it is capable of providing two days of full-time work, with up to 5 hours a day of active work. Unfortunately, the methodology is not given, but here is a screenshot from the company’s website.
My first impression of the battery was fantastic - it lasted a very long time in standby mode, I inserted a card and barely used the phone, and it barely drained.
When I began to actively use the device, it showed slightly better results than the Z2, but nothing fantastic happened. The reason is that Qualcomm has worked on the energy saving of the processor, and in standby mode the device consumes almost nothing. That is, in fact, one processor core operates at a very low frequency. They conjured a wonderful spell; in standby mode the device works just fine.
But in normal modes the miracle did not happen; it is not so much the processor that affects the brightness of the screen backlight and your settings. Considering that the brightness of the screen has increased, the consumption has also become slightly higher, which neutralizes all the chipset settings.
So, the video viewing time is the standard 10 hours (without sound or with headphones). The declared operating time in talk mode is up to 16 hours, in standby mode – up to 920 hours (for the previous model – 740 hours). Music playback time is up to 130 hours.
In practice, the phone showed excellent results, it performs at the level of Galaxy Note 3/4, depending on the load. You can easily count on one day of work with active use or two days of work with moderate use. If you don't use your phone, it will last much longer.
Full charging time (2A charger) is about 3 hours to one hundred percent. Up to 90 percent will be enough in just over 2 hours. From my observations, the device is very sensitive to the quality of the network and its coverage; if you have data transmission and the network is not of very high quality, then the discharge will go faster than on other phones. But if the network is good, then the operating time, on the contrary, will increase. In any case, this device differs in operating time compared to its classmates (Galaxy S5, HTC One M8), beats them and is comparable only to Note 3.
In my opinion, this phone can be recommended to anyone who wants to quietly live until the evening without charging during the day; this is a huge plus of the model. Among the proprietary features, I would like to note the ability to see approximately how long the device will work in the selected mode; there is also a Stamina function, which increases operating time by disabling data transfer in the background, unloading applications from memory, and so on. This is a lifesaver if you need to hold out until the outlet appears. In principle, the function works, although there are some rough edges in the implementation. Most people don’t use it, especially since this device will rarely need it.
There is an intelligent mode when charging, then you can change profile settings and the like.
Memory, memory cards
The phone has 3 GB of RAM (933 MHz, dual channel), which is unusual for models of this level; until recently, only Note 3 could boast of this, and the Galaxy S5 had only 2 GB. Simply increasing the amount of RAM does not solve anything; it all depends on how it works with the processor and what the overall system performance is. Below in the tests it will be clear that the memory increase did not provide a breakthrough in performance. After startup, about 1 GB of RAM is free.
The built-in memory is 16 GB, of which 11.57 GB is free for you, this can be considered a sufficient amount and typical for Android smartphones. You can connect memory cards of any capacity (up to 128 GB), which is also not bad.
Hardware platform, performance
The model is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 (MSM8974AC) chipset; it is a quad-core processor with a frequency of up to 2.5 GHz per core. This is a different version of the processor, a slightly upgraded version than the Sony Z2, but there is not much difference. In synthetic tests, the performance of this solution is higher than that of its predecessor, as well as its competitors, but the difference is very insignificant.
In real life, when working in the interface, the difference is almost unnoticeable; if it exists, it is minimal. Some say Sony is faster, others say Galaxy S5, and others praise HTC ONE M8. As for me, they are all approximately comparable and the difference can only be felt in individual applications, and then it will be measured in fractions of a second.
In resource-intensive applications (games, 4K video recording), the device heats up, due to the glass of the case this is more noticeable than in the same HTC M8 or Galaxy S5, where the heat is not so strongly felt on the surface of the case. Sony has already responded to this complaint and suggested not shooting 4K video for more than a few minutes, since then overheating can cause applications to spontaneously close, plus the camera will turn off automatically.
Unlike the Z2, the reduced processor frequency in most cases makes warming up almost impossible; the device heats up, but not as much as its predecessor. This can only be noticed when the camera is working; in other modes and even in games it is not so noticeable.
Communication capabilities
The device has NFC, which has already become a good tradition, Bluetooth version 4.0 with ANT+ support. The microUSB connector supports the MHL v3.0 standard, which allows you to output video to external sources. USB 2.0 version, USB Host supported. LTE Cat 4 support, download speed up to 150 Mbit/s. Wi-Fi version – a/b/n/ac.
Camera
Despite the fact that it is written on the body that this is a 20.7-megapixel module and a 1/2.3-inch matrix, the EXMOR RS module itself has been redesigned, plus the optical group has changed, it has been simplified and made wide-angle. It is clear that Sony tried to achieve the same image quality as on previous devices, while reducing the cost of the matrix and simplifying its production. I haven’t made a direct comparison with the Z2/Z1, but according to subjective impressions, the only advantage is rather noisy shooting in night mode (ISO 12800 versus ISO 6400 in the Z2 - achievable only in automatic shooting mode, manual selection is not available).
There is a camera button on the body of the device; when pressed, the automatic shooting mode is always selected, in which the resolution is set to 8 megapixels. If you want to take a picture in manual mode and maximum resolution, then you need to select the appropriate item in the menu. This is terribly inconvenient, but exactly the same approach was in previous models. Look at the difference in pictures when shooting in automatic and manual modes.
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The camera interface has not undergone major changes, everything is quite simple and clear.
Check out the camera shots, as well as comparisons with the Galaxy S5.
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Among the new modes, it is worth noting the simultaneous shooting from the cameras of two devices (“Multi-Camera” mode), in which you can connect another device to the phone and receive pictures simultaneously from two cameras.
Just like in previous models, there is an AR Effects option, these are drawings that are superimposed on a photo in real time, you can create a background of flowers or something similar - a great option for entertainment, however, the same can be done in any graphic editor .
TimeShift video – high frame rate and slow motion effects may be of interest to some, especially when filming sports events.
Defocusing the background is implemented quite controversially - you adjust the focus with the slider, then there is blur, you can choose the geometry of this blur.
Artistic effects are a whole range of different effects, each of which can be applied to a photograph. It also replaces a graphic editor, but usually they don’t use effects, since they spoil the original photo; it’s easier to edit it than to get a modified photo.
Info-eye - the ability to point the camera at a famous building or something similar and get a quick hint about what it is. Explicit borrowing from the Googgles program.
For those who want to upload photos and videos to the network, there is a proprietary PlayMemories service, also familiar from cameras. You can set downloading only via Wi-Fi, but I prefer to use DropBox for these purposes, it is more convenient.
Videos can be recorded in FullHD, the quality of video recording is not bad, there are no complaints here.
I can’t say that the camera in the Z3 has become noticeably worse than in the Z2 - they are slightly different, but this, in principle, is normal for cameras and the perception of images from them. In automatic mode, the Z3 produces very good 8-megapixel images, which, like its predecessor, are liked by many people - this is above average quality among many devices, close to the best cameras on the market. No comparison with the Chinese, just head and shoulders above, regardless of the fact that they use Sony Exmor with similar or similar characteristics. For normal everyday use, this is an excellent camera; few people need to stretch pictures from mobile cameras to some standard of quality. This may seem like heresy, but the current generation of flagships is very close in its characteristics; the convenience of shooting and the quality of images in different conditions come to the fore. On a sunny day the Z3 is excellent, in the dark it is noisy, but this is an expected result. The bottom line is a good camera, which is quite at the level of its price segment.
Multimedia capabilities – sound, PS4 games
If the Z2 came with noise-cancelling headphones and a 5-pin connector, then the Z3 needs to be purchased separately. To fully experience the quality of music on this model, I tried the MDR-NC31EM noise-canceling headphones, as well as the regular Monster DNA.
Technically, previous models in the line could support Hi-Res Audio and Sony DSEE HX technology, which is used in Walkman players and can “finish” MP3 songs to high-quality sound, that is, it tries to restore lost frequencies. It doesn’t always work error-free, but for those who listen to MP3s of unknown quality and have not yet switched to lossless formats, this is a real opportunity to get high-quality sound on your phone.
Unfortunately, on third-party headphones the sound is not fully revealed, even if you take quite expensive models from Sony - it feels like the sound was optimized specifically for the 31st model, the phone sounds great in them. Having tried different headphones, I can say that they sound from good to very good on this model, but the 31s always win due to noise reduction, the sound is cleaner.
Sony was at the forefront of the music revolution in the phone market, and it was then that the Walkman brand was returned to the market and made sound quality important to millions of people. But if you pay attention, no one has been talking about this for the last few years. Cause? The sound of phones has reached its theoretical limit for large companies, and now either it is necessary to change DSP processors and move to another level, or be content with expanding the number of supported codecs. Sony took the second route, also adding a perfect pairing with headphones, and this is a winning strategy. The only pity is that now you have to buy headphones separately, they are not included.
For example, comparing the sound of the Z2 with Note 4, Galaxy S5 with third-party headphones, one cannot say that the Z2 has an advantage - the sound is quite comparable. But with branded headphones from Sony, everything changes dramatically. Therefore, it is worth remembering this when choosing the Z3 as a player - you should buy original headphones, which, however, will not suit everyone. And one more important point - if you purchase headphones of a higher class ($200 or more), you will not get a qualitative leap in the sound of the Z3, it will play about the same.
The Walkman player has a large number of settings and is familiar to all models from Sony.
Another feature that until recently was not found in phones from Sony is support for PS4 Remote Play. You can install the program on your phone, connect it to the DualShock4 joystick via Bluetooth and, by inserting the device into it, play the game on PS4 - a kind of additional screen. That is, the picture, instead of your TV, will be broadcast to your phone - what is the point of this approach is absolutely unclear to me, this is a very far-fetched function. Why? Yes, because it’s more pleasant to play PS4 on a big screen at home, and it’s not clear to me why a small smartphone screen is needed. Of course, there are very limited use cases where this might be useful. But these are such rare cases that it’s not even worth remembering about them. Sony tried to create a feature, but it was not very successful.
Software
The device runs Android 4.4.4; a full description of standard functions and the Xperia UI shell can be found in a separate article.
Among the new and unusual features, I would like to note the ability to make screencasts, that is, record videos of all actions on the screen - this function has been found on a number of phones from other manufacturers, but for Sony it appears here for the first time. Press the power key and select “screen recording” from the menu. You can also record a picture from the front camera, plus your voice is recorded.
Impression
The stereo speakers sound noticeably louder and better in this device than in the Z2. In terms of sound quality, the device is not bad, it is loud, conveys speech well during a conversation, and cuts out unnecessary noise. The vibration alert is average and can be skipped.
The Z3 model turned out to be interesting - the case has been greatly redesigned, the standard of protection against water has been increased, and the protection against falls has been strengthened (the device is still fragile, so this is relative). The camera was changed, but there was no significant or catastrophic deterioration in shooting quality. The screen has been noticeably improved in terms of backlight brightness, the colors still have the same problem, they are not very natural. And they also removed the sensor grid on the screen, it is now not visible - this could irritate someone in the Z2. They did a good job on the power saving mode and standby time.
In my opinion, the Z3 wins over the Z2 in almost everything, but both devices are not popular on the market; in the “Positioning” section I gave the sales ratio with the same Galaxy S5. This is a systemic problem for Sony, which concerns not only the quality of products in previous periods, the erosion of the customer base, but also the inability to highlight its strengths. These devices have Sony Style, they have their own characteristic and different face. But the irony is that traditional buyers of Sony smartphones are already fed up with them; the question is in appearance. And that’s why many people fall in love with the Z3 Compact, but don’t pay attention to the “simple” Z3.
With a price of 29,990 rubles and a very limited supply package, this device is five thousand rubles more expensive than the Z2. Despite the obvious advantages, it’s still worth buying the Z2, especially since it can be found cheaper, and if you buy the Asian version, you’ll also get a desktop charging stand. The real difference is 6,700 rubles, since it is worth taking into account the cost of the headset, which is included in the Z2 kit.
It is necessary and possible to compare this device with other flagships of the season, taking the same iPhone out of the equation; it exists in a different universe. I can hardly imagine a person who can choose between Sony or iPhone (in fact, I know only one - Sergei Kuzmin, by the way, many Sony Mobile employees carry an iPhone, and not only in Russia). You can see the comparison with the Galaxy S5 below.
Here everyone chooses their own, I would consider the Sony Z3 as an alternative not only to the S5, but also to the HTC One M8, these are products of the same level. Another thing is that the late release with a six-month cycle makes the Z3 more expensive than its competitors - the same S5 costs 28,000 rubles. In my opinion, in this price segment this difference is not so critical.
The review turned out to be detailed, with all the “little things” that are important for this device. The choice, as always, is yours; our task was to talk about all the pitfalls, show the pros and cons of this decision.
This model has a version for two SIM cards (one radio module), while maintaining support for memory cards, perhaps someone will be interested in such a device.
The six-month release cycle of flagship smartphones gave us in September 2014 another representative of this level and the fourth in a row in the company’s top line, and this Sony Xperia Z3 review- go! Despite the not so big difference with its predecessor Xperia Z2, the new product has still acquired a number of improvements, both in terms of design and technical content, with its own strengths, which allow us, without exaggeration, to call it the main representative of the line. Here you will find a faster processor, improved audio, new camera algorithms, software additions and other innovations, which we will discuss in more detail below.
Design and dimensions
When I first saw the new Xperia Z3, to be honest, I fell in love with this device - despite the general OmniBalance design concept, the smartphone received rounded side frames in the color of the body, which made holding it in the hand much more convenient and pleasant. Also, the Japanese managed to make the case, albeit a little, but still more compact, thinner and lighter than its predecessor - the physical dimensions of the model are 146 x 72 x 7.3 mm and the weight is only 152 grams, which is very good considering that the case is made of metal. As already mentioned, the side edges are rounded and they are completely made of metal, the only thing is that all four corners are made of a special polymer that can absorb and soften the impact of a possible fall so that the internal components are not damaged - this is the concern for the consumer. Both the front and back panels are traditionally covered with tempered glass. The buttons are also made of metal, and the power key has become larger. The plugs acquired a rounded shape. By the way, the phone uses nanoSIM, which is worth considering. On the front panel, you will see two stereo speakers, which are located in the center of the top and bottom frames. And yet, no matter how you look at it, the Z3 is perfect and beautiful!
Traditionally for expensive models of the line, this smartphone received a waterproof and dustproof case in accordance with a higher degree of certification IP65\68, so if it suddenly gets covered with sand, you can soak the phone for half an hour at a depth of up to one and a half meters.
Another innovation is the color options and it is worth noting the Sony Xperia Z3 colors: classic black and white, as well as new menthol and bronze. This is what they look like in real life:
If we compare the model with the main competitors of the rank, it is a little larger, but in my opinion it also looks more beautiful.
Sony XperiaZ3 display options overview
The model received a display similar in size and characteristics to the Z2 - it is a 5.2-inch IPS LCD matrix with FullHD resolution with a pixel density of 424ppi. And yet, despite the lack of differences in terms of parameters, this is a new panel with an adjusted color gamut, more optimized in terms of charge consumption and very high brightness. All this thanks to Live Color LED and TRILUMINOS technology. In tests, the screen performed very well - highest brightness, deep blacks and high contrast. If you value superb clarity and high image quality, then the Xperia Z3 delivers. The only thing is that the color scheme goes a little blue, but again this was done because the human eye perceives such tones better. If you are not satisfied with something, you can always adjust the white balance.
Hardware and performance
You can look at more detailed technical specifications in, but we’ll tell you a little about the main hardware part. First of all, I would like to say that two versions of the model have been released: the Sony Xperia Z3 with one SIM card and the dual-SIM version of the Sony Xperia Z3 Dual, a review of which would be completely similar to this one, because in everything the phones are the same except for the amount of support for operator cards.
The Sony Xperia Z3 is based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 chipset model MSM8974AC - this is an overclocked version of the chip with 4 cores at 2.5 GHz and Adreno 330 video. This is a slightly improved processor than the Xperia Z2. There is also 3 GB of RAM on board. Based on synthetic tests, the smartphone takes a worthy place among its competitors, even despite some minor differences in performance. Still, you can’t rely on “synthetics”, because true performance is felt in real use, and I’ll tell you, it’s more than enough. Several test results:
To store data, the phone has a 16 GB drive, of which more than 11 GB is available to the user. You can always expand it using microSD memory cards up to 128 GB.
The sound of the speakers is quite good for a waterproof smartphone: its quality is high, the melody is clear. Support for noise-cancelling headphones is still there, but they are not included in the package, which is a pity.
Despite the fact that the battery capacity was reduced to 3100 mAh, as it turned out, this did not negatively affect the battery life; nevertheless, the smartphone showed one of the highest results on the market in terms of operating time on a single charge! If you use the phone for an hour of calls, an hour of Internet and an hour of video per day, the battery should last for 85 hours, that is, three and a half days!
User interface
Out of the box, the smartphone comes with Android 4.4.4 KitKat, and the user interface has been changed and, in my opinion, for the better. The signature Xperia Home is very smooth, comfortable and practical. Fortunately, the smartphone is not overloaded with an excessive number of unnecessary programs and has a list of really important applications, among which, of course, it is worth noting the multimedia ones: “Album”, “Movies” and WALKMAN. Below you can see a video of the interface and screenshots.
Camera with the highest light sensitivity on the market
The camera in the Sony Xperia Z3 is a 20.7 Megapixel Exmor RS module with a BIONZ processor, already well known to us since the days of the Xperia Z1. The front camera has not changed - 2.2 Megapixels. As for the main camera, it received an enlarged matrix and new optics, as well as the highest light sensitivity ISO12800. The mechanical camera start button, which is very convenient for underwater photography, has also remained intact. However, when you start the camera in this way, “Super Auto Mode” will start with a maximum frame resolution of 8 Megapixels; to switch to the full 20 Megapixels, you need to use “Manual Mode”. The settings have all the necessary options, modes and settings, and you can also use special applications for the camera, such as the augmented reality effect, slow motion, and more. This is what the camera interface looks like:
The Japanese did a great job with the camera algorithms, and the camera really began to work better. Images come out clear in both automatic and manual modes. The photos have excellent dynamic range, color reproduction is good, but there is still a noticeable increase in white balance. 20-megapixel photos have more detail. Photos from automatic mode have slightly less noise and increased sharpness. In low light conditions, the automatic mode also produces less noise. Here are examples of photos taken on the Xperia Z3:
Photos in ISO12800 mode in very low light without a flash - of course, noise is noticeable and clarity is not the best, but in reality, not a single smartphone will take a photo of the best quality in such conditions:
In terms of video, the camera is also good: it is possible to shoot 2160p video at 30 frames per second, 1080p at 60fps and even slow motion mode with a resolution of 720p, as well as HDR video. Digital stabilization SteadyShot does its job perfectly - the picture does not twitch. Below you can see the quality of the recorded video:
Bottom line Sony Xperia Z3 review
In general, the transition from Xperia Z2 to Xperia Z3 cannot be called too global; if you are the owner of a second “Zetka”, then there are not many reasons to switch to Z3, but if you are buying the flagship of a Japanese brand for the first time, then the Sony Xperia Z3 will probably be the best choice . It has a beautiful design, first-class build quality, a waterproof body, a bright display with high contrast, high performance, excellent battery life, stereo speakers, and a good camera.
In contact with
Today we have a new flagship from Sony, the Xperia Z3 smartphone. The previous model turned out to be quite successful, but very little time has passed since its release. Let's figure out what the improvements are compared to its predecessor and how good the new Z3 is.
Design and usability
With the Sony Xperia Z3, the company continues to hone the design ideas inherent in the first. In fact, before us is the same “sandwich” of two glasses with an iron filling.
Compared to the previous flagship, changes need to be looked for in the details. The first thing you notice is the changed shape of the sidewalls. Now they are neatly rounded, not a trace of brutality remains. Plastic inserts appeared on the corners of the case.
They were added for practical reasons; with them, the smartphone has a better chance of surviving a fall. Perhaps for the same reason, in our engineering sample of the Xperia Z3 there are minimal gaps between the glass and the frame, in which, unfortunately, debris collects.
In addition, compared to the Z2, the Sony Xperia Z3 has become a little thinner, narrower, shorter, lighter and received a new protection class:
New body colors are another innovation in the Xperia line:
The layout of controls and connectors is traditional for Sony flagships. The camera keys, volume controls, power buttons and connectors for Nano-SIM and memory cards under a common cover are located on the right side.
The magnetic charging dock connector, Micro-USB port under the flap, and strap mounts are on the left. At the top there is only the headset jack and the second microphone hole.
In addition to the company name and display, on the front side you can see small slots for stereo speakers, a camera lens, light and proximity sensors. The multi-colored indicator of missed events is now in the upper left corner, hidden under glass.
At the back, the Sony Xperia Z3 is practically indistinguishable from the Z2 - the same camera lens, flash, NFC area.
As for the ease of use of the smartphone, one cannot fail to note the thinness of the Xperia Z3. This is what you pay attention to first when you pick up the device. In general, the device turned out to be quite compact. At first it may seem that you are holding a 5-inch smartphone in your hand, but the increased diagonal, and with it the dimensions, make themselves felt - to successfully handle the Z3 with one hand you need a little practice.
Smooth rounded sides, together with a thin body and glass back, create an ambiguous effect - the smartphone seems to stick to all smooth surfaces, which makes it difficult to lift it from the table at first.
Metal and glass are very pleasant to the touch and feel expensive, but in dry hands the Sony Xperia Z3 turns out to be very slippery. The volume keys are convenient to use for their intended purpose, but many programs for reading books and articles suggest using them for turning pages, and in this use case they turn out to be inconvenient due to their low placement.
Sony is one of the first companies to produce waterproof smartphones. Already in the second generation of Xperia Z, engineers were able to get rid of the 3.5 mm jack plug, but it still remained with MicroUSB. There is no doubt about the reliability and durability of the connector covers, but aesthetics and ease of use suffer. Perhaps in future models engineers will be able to reduce the number of detachable elements of the case or they will add wireless charging to the smartphone.
Apart from the small cracks mentioned above, there are no complaints about the build quality. The body of the Sony Xperia Z3 feels monolithic, although it has a minimal degree of flexibility.
Operating system and shell
As befits a flagship, the Xperia Z3 runs Android 4.4.4 KitKat operating system. The entire line of Sony Xperia Z smartphones will receive an update to Android 5.0 Lollipop. Compared to the Xperia Z2, the interface of the new product has not received any changes.
Hardware platform
The smartphone is built on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 system-on-chip (MSM8974AC), it has 4 Krait 400 cores operating at a frequency of up to 2.5 GHz along with Adreno 330 graphics. The amount of RAM is 3 GB, permanent memory is 16 GB, of which 11.5 GB available. There is a slot for memory cards, media up to 128 GB are supported.
Wireless interfaces include Bluetooth 4.0 (ANT+), Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (DLNA), NFC module.
The speed of the smartphone corresponds to the class of the device; there are no problems with playing games, watching FullHD and 4K videos or solving any other problems. After prolonged use of the camera or heavy gaming, the back of the smartphone gets a little warm. Overall, the performance of the Sony Xperia Z3 is similar to the previous model and other flagships.
The operation of the GPS and Wi-Fi modules is satisfactory.
Calls, multimedia
In the Sony Xperia Z3, the company has implemented a number of proprietary technologies aimed at improving the sound quality of the smartphone. In addition to the classic equalizer, there are “ClearAudio+” settings for optimizing sound and “Dynamic Normalizer” for equalizing the volume levels of different recordings. If you turn them off, the smartphone sounds similar to other flagship models, but turning them on makes the sound subjectively higher quality and more spacious.
In addition, Sony Xperia Z3 plays uncompressed audio formats (wav, aiff, flac, alac). The company calls them “high-definition audio,” and to listen to such compositions it recommends using a number of branded full-size headphones or outputting the uncompressed source signal via USB to compatible branded equipment - a smartphone can act as a DAC. Unfortunately, we did not have suitable equipment to test this functionality.
The smartphone uses a special 5-pin 3.5 mm connector, which allows you to connect branded accessories. Among them: active noise canceling headphones MDR-NC31EM and external microphone STM10. These headphones were supplied with the Xperia Z2, but were removed from the Z3 package. Considering that such functionality is unique, and the availability of Sony accessories in Ukraine leaves much to be desired, simplification of the configuration is a key deterioration in the Xperia Z3 compared to the previous flagship. In addition to those listed, the company has other accessories in its arsenal - a charging dock and a special holder for the Play Station 4 joystick. The latter is needed for the convenient implementation of the Remote Play function, which allows you to display images from the console on the smartphone screen.
Support for various video formats is implemented at an average level; for some reason, our sample did not play files with AC3 tracks, although the previous model did not have any problems with this.
It’s difficult to make any complaints about the quality of the speakers in this smartphone. They are loud, conveniently located, but compared to the HTC One M8 they sound less spacious.
During a call, the speaker shows an excellent volume reserve, which is enough for comfortable communication even in a very noisy environment. The vibration alert of the Xperia Z3 feels good; the user will most likely not miss an incoming call.
Together with the Xperia Z3, the company announced a version of the Z3 Dual smartphone, which supports the simultaneous operation of two Nano-SIM cards.
Working hours
The smartphone has a non-removable battery with a capacity of 3100 mAh. Compared to the previous model, its capacity has decreased by 100 mAh, but this did not prevent the smartphone from showing an increase in autonomy of 10-20% depending on the operating mode.
| Mode | Sony Xperia Z3 | Sony Xperia Z2 | OnePlus One | LG G3 (ART) |
| Music | 66:40 | 87:30 | — | 58:49 |
| Reading | 16:40 | 13:20 | 15:23 | 8:42 |
| Navigation | 10:32 | — | 8:20 | — |
| Watch HD video | 12:30 | 11:06 | 11:07 | 7:02 |
| Watching HD videos from Youtube | 8:00 | 10:00 | 6:27 | 6:04 |
| Antutu tester (points) | 6773 | 590* | 4667 | 396* |
| GFXBench (minutes) | 193 | 245 | 181 | 140 |
| GFXBench (scores) | 1625 (29.0 fps) | 1228 (21.9 fps) | 1607 (28.7 fps) | 634 (11.3 fps) |
* – data obtained under similar conditions, but with brightness set to 50% and possible
You can get acquainted with the testing methodology in material
The company promises up to two days of smartphone operation in typical use. According to information posted on the manufacturer's website, this mode includes approximately five hours of total activity (calls, text messaging, web surfing, multimedia) at a screen brightness of 100 cd/m2.
In the author’s operating mode, which included constant synchronization of two Google accounts, conducting various tests, watching videos at maximum brightness, and actively using the camera, the smartphone worked for about a day, and the screen operating time was five hours.
Taking into account the fact that the smartphone practically does not discharge in standby mode, the data provided by the manufacturer can be considered correct - an abstract user will get two days of work from one charge. The smartphone has energy saving modes Stamina and Ultra Stamina, which allow you to increase operating time.
Display
The Sony Xperia Z3 has a 5.2-inch IPS display with a resolution of 1920 by 1080 pixels. Its brightness varies from 3 to 519 cd/m2, contrast is 1:572. The smartphone uses a new matrix with an increased brightness level. In the screen settings, you can enable X-Reality image enhancement technologies, high brightness mode, activate the ability to operate with gloves, and adjust the white balance.
Based on the measurement results, a matrix of average quality is used. Its main disadvantages are inaccurate color rendition and very high color temperature, which is why the image gets a characteristic bluish tint.
Default display settings:
Manually adjusting the white balance allows you to slightly reduce the color temperature, but the color rendition still remains quite cold.
Manual White Balance (Blue: 0, Green: 200, Red: 250):
Based on personal impressions, the smartphone’s display can be called controversial. It has excellent viewing angles, one of the widest brightness adjustment ranges, good readability in the sun and a high-quality oleophobic coating.
On the other hand, not everyone will like the specific cold color rendition; the displays of most competitors have much more natural color rendition. Minor shortcomings of the screen also include the mesh of the touch layer, which is barely noticeable in direct sunlight (manifests itself in the form of small dots reflecting light) and the average sensitivity of the sensor in the “With Gloves” mode - it reacts to fabric gloves, but ignores leather ones.
Cameras
The Sony Xperia Z3 has two cameras. The main module received a new Exmor RS sensor with a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, a maximum sensitivity of 12800 ISO, and a wide-angle (25mm) G Lens lens with an aperture of 1/2.3. It is capable of shooting 4K video, FullHD video in HDR mode or at a frame rate of 60 fps. The front camera has a resolution of 2.2 megapixels and is capable of recording FullHD video.
The camera app gives you access to a variety of shooting modes, including quite a few for fun. For example, you can take a photo and record the surrounding sounds, or shoot the same subject from multiple angles using a pair of Sony smartphones, and combine all the images into one video sequence.
You can add virtual dinosaurs and gnomes to your photo and watch them in the viewfinder. You can download additional camera modules from the Play Market, for example, an application for shooting Time Lapse video.
Examples of pictures in maximum resolution (20 MP):
When you launch the camera using the volume key from the locked screen, a special automatic mode is activated. All shooting parameters, scene and required mode are adjusted automatically, and the final photos are saved in 8 megapixel resolution.
Examples of photos taken in automatic mode (8 MP):
To obtain photographs in full resolution, you need to switch to manual mode, in which you can adjust the shooting parameters yourself.
Examples of photos taken at night (8 MP):
Traditionally for smartphones, the final quality of photos and videos depends on the shooting conditions. In studio conditions, the Sony Xperia Z3 shows image quality comparable to the Xperia Z2 and other flagships. Looking at photographs taken in real conditions, one can notice the aggressiveness of image processing algorithms and periodic errors in determining white balance. As is often the case with Sony flagships, with the release of new firmware the quality of the resulting photos will also improve.
Video examples
FullHD video:
Shooting slow-motion video:
4K video:
The front camera demonstrates photo quality that is normal for modern devices:
In terms of the speed of launching the camera, focusing and saving photos, the smartphone is comparable to other flagships.
Results
Sony Xperia Z3 can be perceived as a slightly improved version of the Xperia Z2. In comparison, it has become smaller, lighter, has a brighter display, new body colors, a slightly overclocked processor, better battery life and a comparable camera. Unfortunately, excellent headphones were missing from the package, which help to evaluate a number of proprietary technologies and distinguish the smartphone from among similar ones, and the display received a rather specific color rendition. At the same time, the famous “Sony-style” has been preserved, including high-quality case materials, the maximum degree of moisture protection, and a huge selection of branded accessories, so the Z3 will certainly find its buyers.
Liked:
Housing materials
Maximum degree of water protection
Hardware platform and performance
Stereo speakers, support for uncompressed audio formats
Autonomy
Display: brightness, olephobic coating, readability in sunlight, work with gloves
Large selection of accessories
Did not like:
— Slippery body
— Average number of supported video codecs
— No headset included in delivery
— Display: cool color rendering
 |
| operating system |
Android 4.4 (KitKat) |
RAM, GB |
3
|
Built-in memory, GB |
16
|
Expansion slot |
microSD (up to 128 GB) |
Dimensions, mm |
146x72x7.3 |
Weight, g |
152
|
Protection from dust and moisture |
IP65/IP68 |
Accumulator battery |
3100 mAh |
Operating time (manufacturer's data) |
Talk time: up to 16 hours, Standby time: up to 890 hours, Music playback time: up to 130 hours |
Diagonal, inches |
5,2
|
Permission |
1920×1080 |
Matrix type |
IPS TRILUMINOS |
PPI |
424
|
Dimming sensor |
+
|
Touch screen (type) |
touch (capacitive) |
Other |
16 million colors, X-Reality matrix for mobile devices |
CPU |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 + Adreno 330 GPU |
Kernel type |
Krait 400 |
Number of Cores |
4
|
Frequency, GHz |
2,5
|
Main camera, MP |
20,7
|
Autofocus |
+
|
Video shooting |
2160p, 30 fps |
Flash |
LED |
Front camera, MP |
2,2
|
Other |
8x digital zoom, image stabilization, face detection, geo-tagging, burst mode |
WiFi |
802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot |
Bluetooth |
4.0 (A2DP) |
GPS |
+ (GLONASS) |
IrDA |
—
|
NFC |
+
|
Interface connector |
USB 2.0 (micro-USB) |
Audio jack |
3.5 mm |
MP3 player |
+
|
FM radio |
+ (RDS) |
Type of shell |
monoblock |
Keyboard type |
screen input |
More |
proximity and light sensors, accelerometer, digital compass, gyroscope, barometer, A-GPS receiver, vibration alert, DLNA support, Sony 3D Surround Sound (VPT) technology, Clear Audio+ |
|
