Sony at IFA 2016: Xperia XZ and X Compact hands-on

Introduction

What makes a great and powerful Xperia smartphone even better? Sony had six months to figure it out and came to IFA with what looks like the answer.

Now that the Xperia Z series is put to rest, at least for now, the Xperia X lineup is flourishing. After the flagship Xperia X and X Performance, complimented by the mid-range XA and XA Ultra, two new members are joining the club bringing new features and old traditions.

The Sony Xperia XZ is the new headliner with top-of-the-line hardware, a bigger display, a new and improved camera, stunning design, and, of course, water-proofing.

The mini flavor is making a comeback with the Xperia X Compact. The X Compact comes with a small 4.6" display, and yet retains the main camera and isn't crippled at all when it comes to performance. Oddly, the new Compact is not protected against water.

Both new Xperia phones use the new Sony IMX300 23MP camera sensor with laser-assisted autofocus and retire the microUSB port in favor of USB Type-C. There is one other shared novelty, smart fast charging, which can prolong the battery lifecycle.

Sony Xperia XZ at a glance

• 5.2" 1080p IPS display, 428ppi
• Snapdragon 820 chipset: quad-core (2x2.15 + 2x1.6 GHz) Kryo processor, Adreno 530 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• Up to 32GB of built-in storage, expandable via the microSD card slot by up to 200GB
• IP65/IP68 certified - dust and water proof up to 1.5 meter and 30 minutes
• 23MP Sony IMX300 camera, 24mm-equiv. f/2.0 lens, laser-assisted and phase-detection autofocus, SteadyShot, LED flash, dedicated hardware shutter key
• 2160p video recording, SteadyShot
• 13MP selfie camera with noise reduction, SteadyShot
• Stereo speakers
• 2,900mAh battery
• Qualcomm Quick charge certified, smart charging at night
• Capless USB Type-C port design in waterproof phones
• Side-mounted fingerprint sensor in the power button

Sony Xperia X Compact at a glance

• 4.6" 720p IPS display, 319ppi
• Snapdragon 650 chipset: hexa-core (2x A72@1.8GHz + 4x A53@1.4 GHz) processor, Adreno 510 GPU
• 3GB RAM
• Up to 32GB of built-in storage, expandable via the microSD card slot by up to 200GB
• 23MP Sony IMX300 camera, 24mm-equiv. f/2.0 lens, laser-assisted and phase-detection autofocus, SteadyShot, LED flash, dedicated hardware shutter key
• 1080p video recording, SteadyShot with Intelligent Active Mode
• 5MP selfie camera, SteadyShot
• Stereo speakers
• 2,700mAh battery
• Qualcomm Quick charge certified, smart charging at night
• USB Type-C port
• Side-mounted fingerprint sensor in the power button

It's weird to see the water proofing gone from the X Compact, as all other Compacts to date had it as a key feature. But other than that, everything seems in order, and maybe, Sony will make up for this omission with the price.

Naturally, we spent some quality time with these Xperia smartphones at IFA and our first impressions are in. Check them out right after the break.