Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact review

25 September 2017
The Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact is a rare breed - it's small on the outside, but big on the inside. Packed with all the latest hardware and having only a small screen to power, Sony’s latest super-mini may very well be the performance champion to beat. But whenever there is a superhero, there is a villain lurking in the shadows. So yes, the Compact has its own battle to fight that’s not all about size or speed.

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Why are the alternatives somewhat irrelevant?
The only relevant ones are the iPhones and Xperias, but why the S8? The P10? The Nokia 8?

The iPhones are great alternatives because they are also small in screen size with competitive specs to the XZ1 Compact, and the Xperias are worth mentioning if they need more than what they could get with the XZ1 Compact, but Idk why the heck are the others here.
They're not Compact, and they're not remotely close to the XZ1 Compact at all, so why is that?
Being a small phone, I was expecting only the iPhones ti be alternatives.

    • B
    • Bonji
    • uwD
    • 25 Sep 2017

    Screen Size should be bigger. It should have been 4.7" @ least in that same size. What was sony designers thinking?? In this new era where even gionee etc makes bezel less sleek phones sony is making brick like phones with too much bezel. No OIS come on... Is'nt it too much illogical. The price is close to one plus and mind it one plus has decent plus battery life too. A little more bigger screen with ois and price about 27,000INR/420$/350€ would have been a super welcome. Even if sony give a 16mp camera with just 240fps slow motion and autofocus selfie 8mp front camera it would not have bothered. (OIS ) is such an important miss. Water proof is a mighty boon but this phone feels like a costly peanut sized ice cream with shattered contour. Better luck next time Sony and better read comments and user opinions from valuable websites such as gsmarena sony.

      • ?
      • Anonymous
      • pWQ
      • 25 Sep 2017

      pt020, 25 Sep 2017This "big bezel" is 11mm wide on the Compact.... iPhone h... moreiPhone's bezels are even worse, yes.

        • p
        • pt020
        • ncr
        • 25 Sep 2017

        Anonymous, 25 Sep 2017Funny thing though, I'm thinking that the only actually int... moreThis "big bezel" is 11mm wide on the Compact....
        iPhone has an 18mm bezel and no one cares.
        Also the screen is "Retina" level.
        Anyway on the 3rd of Oct. I have the pink one in my hand.
        have fun.

          • D
          • AnonD-670091
          • nHb
          • 25 Sep 2017

          AnonD-700950, 25 Sep 2017Where are the 128GB Sony? come on :( and I dont want to ... more128GB for big brands?
          I would guess that might be standard for Androids in 2020... For me is really a big shock that in 2017 some company still trying to sell 32gb internal storage phone for more than 500+ euro! System alone takes 12gb, left about 20gb, which of course cant be filled if you want to keep good performance, in reality one has barely any space for apps!

          Whats the point in flagship hardware if you cannot take advantage with apps due the lack of space?

            • P
            • Panrt
            • gyc
            • 25 Sep 2017

            Nice Battery life Sony. Better than X Compact or A3 2017.

              • S
              • Surficial
              • HCh
              • 25 Sep 2017

              A compelling small android device, upgrading everything but the screen from the x compact (which I own, it's a good screen). Great to hear this has a scratch resistant body, which is my biggest gripe with the x compact.
              I think I'll hold out for next years compact, which should come with a larger screen in a similar body and hopefully OIS.

                • ?
                • Anonymous
                • JU@
                • 25 Sep 2017

                Anonymous, 25 Sep 2017Funny thing though, I'm thinking that the only actually int... moreMi Mix is just a copy of Sharp Crystal 2014.
                Chinese just copy

                  • M
                  • MdN8
                  • 3@f
                  • 25 Sep 2017

                  AnonD-538833, 25 Sep 2017Samsung fanboys will not be happy reading this review. Look... moreI'm using the Xperia keyboard on my Galaxy to type this, as well as the Xperia clock widget. I tried the Xperia Album app too but I like Samsung's Gallery and video player more. Also I'm using Sharp wallpaper and Pixel icons. I even have the HTC camera app in my collection. Android is freedom. I didn't know there was a war.
                  Should I be salty instead? :-p

                    • D
                    • AnonD-700950
                    • nTU
                    • 25 Sep 2017

                    Where are the 128GB Sony? come on :(

                    and I dont want to use SD cards , Android is not good using them for apps.

                    This phone is a dream but lacks storage :( 108 h stand by in tiny phone is the most important thing here

                      • ?
                      • Anonymous
                      • pWQ
                      • 25 Sep 2017

                      AnonD-76172, 25 Sep 2017Literally the only interesting phone on the market right no... moreFunny thing though, I'm thinking that the only actually interesting phone in the last decade or so is Xiaomi's Mi Mix. :-) I was always into big phones, so no wonder I simply drool over that one.

                      This Sony surely could use some bezel-trimming to make the "compact"-model even more worthy of the name. Something about those bezels and the word 'compact' simply makes me cringe every time. It's a small phone now, yes - but has big, BIG bezels. It does have a nice battery life, which is a really positive thing.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • JU@
                        • 25 Sep 2017

                        AnonD-670091, 25 Sep 201732gb internal storage "compact flagship"! 64GB should be t... moreMy xperia runs 7.1.1 and there are some apps that allow you to choose between storage or micro sd.

                        But better sd cards barely reach 100 of speed.
                        Ufs 2.1 must be much more than 400.

                        Apps inside sd is good just for low end phones...

                          • D
                          • AnonD-76172
                          • 86w
                          • 25 Sep 2017

                          Literally the only interesting phone on the market right now and it would be stupid to suggest making it bigger just to take advantage of the hardware. That defeats the whole purpose of making a "compact" phone. If anything, it can be made smaller still, by shrinking the footprint, i.e. smaller bezels.

                          If Google made a Pixel the similar in size to Sony's Compact series, I would be all over it, no matter how expensive because it would be the only fish in a sea of phablets.

                            AnonD-670091, 25 Sep 201732gb internal storage "compact flagship"! 64GB should be t... moreMaybe next year with XZ2 Compact ? We'll just wait .

                              • D
                              • AnonD-670091
                              • nHb
                              • 25 Sep 2017

                              32gb internal storage "compact flagship"!
                              64GB should be the bare minimum in 2017 for flagships!
                              SD cards cannot be used for apps, even if it could apps would be very slow, and SD card life very short!

                                • ?
                                • Anonymous
                                • 6XU
                                • 25 Sep 2017

                                AnonD-538833, 25 Sep 2017Samsung fanboys will not be happy reading this review. Look... moreAnd why they even read this news? They just waste their time. Sony fans don't care about bad comments.

                                  • ?
                                  • Anonymous
                                  • v{u
                                  • 25 Sep 2017

                                  this is the phone for heavy gamers not apples

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • n$G
                                    • 25 Sep 2017

                                    Ugly bezels, no buy.

                                      Battery life better than Z3compact, now that successor. Now only to have that eternal camera processing to get better and put there f1.6 or bigger aperture. Wonder if asking for full-infinity-screen and cpu with npu would be impossible for next gen.

                                        • D
                                        • AnonD-538833
                                        • Aba
                                        • 25 Sep 2017

                                        Samsung fanboys will not be happy reading this review. Looking forward to reading their salty comments.