Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

                 

Update 31/01: Final test and video Xperia Z1 Compact.Segment abandoned with the wave of phablet, Sony offers with the Xperia Z1 Compact powerful and compact smartphone. A 4.3-inch Xperia Z1 which is placed as a credible alternative to the iPhone 5S and 5C, an alternative status cultivates the Japanese manufacturer since the first of the name Xperia Z ...
Sony has once again taken advantage of the CES and the lack of significant ad on the side of mobility to unveil a new smartphone, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, perfect mini version of its latest flagship. A strategic move with a Smartphone less bulky but equally effective, while competing offer mini versions, they, benefits "degraded".
Apple in the crosshairs
Sony intends to renew the right timing of Xperia Z, introduced at CES 2013 and available before competitors (S4 and One). Conditions which had largely contributed to the good sales of the Xperia Z.
And the Xperia Z1 Compact presented at the 2014 edition could well follow the footsteps of his grandfather. For if it follows the trend of mini, like the S4 Mini or Mini One, this variation will be available in February before the MWC in Barcelona, ​​responds primarily to the ambitions of the Japanese, offering a premium alternative to the iPhone for Apple.

baseline confirmed many times by the manufacturer in 2013 and which will materialize again early this year, with a 4.3-inch model based on the characteristics of very bonXperia Z1.

The concept of mini, expensive for manufacturers who yielded to the sirens of phablet is debatable and with 4.3 inches diagonally, the Compact Z1 will not be for everyone. But with 127 x 64.9 x 9.5 mm for 137 g on the scale, it is nevertheless approach the iPhone 5C format (124.4 x 59.2 x 9 mm 132 g) and this is the main thing for the Japanese manufacturer.

An alternative choice to the iPhone and as often with Sony, a premium showcase for Android.

To present the Z1 Compact, we could be satisfied with a "Z1 shrunk to 4.3 inches." Same design and rewarding finish with facades glasses and an entourage of aluminum, same aesthetic codes with oversized power button, even resistance to dust and sealing IP58 (1 meter for 30 minutes), now DNA Mobile branch of the Japanese.

In addition to the 4 color variations, the flashy yellow and pink do not désorienteront those considering the purchase of an iPhone 5C, it will report an overweight compared to its big brother, 8.5 mm thick for the Z1, 9.5 Compact Z1.

The difference between the two machines would be especially fetching the side of the screen diagonal of 5 inches for the Z1 against 4.3 for the compact declination.

In practice, the difference is not merely a matter of size, but of course a display technology of choice. The Z1, as his grandfather Z, was based on an MVA panel, which even supported by soft and hard treatments Triluminos display and X-Reality Engine did not give full satisfaction.

We noted a limited viewing angle and contrast especially compaction when the mobile was tilted. The Z1 Compact, Sony has aligned with most of the competitors and made the choice, judicious, to implement an IPS panel on the machine.

Results, Z1 gaps have disappeared, the viewing angles are great as is the color reproduction that much seems true, though there are still quite a cool color.
Same story on the side of the particularly intense brightness and contrast. With this good IPS panel supported by the Japanese house technologies, Compact Xperia Z1 realizes the full house on the display.

coherent display that will forget the pixels within the Z1 Compact with a HD resolution 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) against the Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) for the big brother. Reported to the diagonal, the reduction of the definition is not obvious, with a pixel density of 342 PPP, the Z1 Compact is better than iPhone 5S / C (326 DPI), an S4 Mini (258 DPI) or One Mini (341).

Two caveats form details all the same, the setting of the light intensity does not drop very low generating more discomfort in the dark and still very important entourage around the screen, it could have the Z1 Compact be more.
Performance by Max

Differentiating element facing the mini versions of Samsung or HTC adopting configurations "degraded" compared to their big brothers or S4 One, Z1 Compact adopts the same SoC as the Z1.
S800 solid four cores at 2.2 GHz Qualcomm beating supported by the Adreno 330 GPU and 2GB of RAM, enough to be quiet for a moment beside performance and eligibility for updates of Android. The Z1 Compact runs Android 4.3 with classical and sober Sony overlay well worth putting the brand content kiosks.

 

34360 to 13993 for Z1 Compact vs S4 Mini
Content that can be stored on the internal memory of 16 GB (11.79 GB in practice) expandable via microSD slot up to the traditional 64 GB.
The configuration and performance delivered on paper as the felt, put the Z1 Compact next to its big brother, the peloton heads for Android smartphones. Same side connectivity with USB MHL to TV Host and output devices to accommodate the RDS radio, NFC, 4G in Cat4 150 Mb / s or Wi-Fi ac. Perennial as its big brother.
Greater autonomy to direct competitors

The Compact Z1 is significantly heavier and thicker than its direct competitors displaying the same size of 4.3 inches, but it adopts, at the same time, a larger battery. 2300 mAh on the Z1 Compact against S4 Mini 1900, 1800 on the Mini One and for comparison on a 1507 mAh iPhone 5s 4 inches.

In practice, the results are up to the advertised capacity, two days of use called "mixed" with mostly web browsing, alerts / push some calls and 30 minutes of video or play. In standby, with the Stamina Mode (Energy Saving) disabled, the result is just as convincing, the Z1 Compact is not a marathon runner as can the Note 3 to the G2 but its battery life is quite good, at least in the top competitors set out above.

Photo: we expect better!

The picture part is another element that Sony wants to differentiate. Sony has implemented the same type of sensor that on some of its compact cameras (HX 50 in particular), in this case a 1 / 2.3 inch, announcing a resolution of 20.7 megapixels. A larger sensor and a great aperture of f 2 to catch maximum light. And to complete this beautiful art form, a handy physical trigger on the wafer and a Bionz chip dedicated to the photo.

Datasheet dream, but the results do not always live up to our expectations.