Sony has released the Xperia Z3, successor to its Xperia Z2 mobile phone. It wasn't long when Sony brought forward the Xperia Z2 this year, but seems like Sony really wants to stick to its 6 months of refresh cycle for its products. It might put the improvements in the Z3 under heavy scrutiny and making consumer question if an upgrade really is imminent or not.
But Xperia Z3 does seems like a product which has been improved in just the right areas.
With slight adjustments in the construction and internal hardware department, it will be interesting to know what changes made to the Xperia Z3 convinced Sony to bring out an upgraded mobile phone.
Construction
Sony has stuck to its omnibalance designing theme and nobody should be complaining really. The Z3 exhibits many other traits from its predecessor as
well, such as the front and back being made up of glass.
Sony did shave Z3 a little bit compared to the Z2. The phone has been reduced in the length and breadth by 0.8mm and 1.3mm respectively. The back of Z3 has been imparted a silken touch.
The result being that the handling has become more easier, and that alone should make things exciting from the word go.
Other changes include the flattened out volume and camera buttons.
Display
Sony didn't tinker with the display one bit with the Z3 when compared to the Z2. The Xperia Z3 carries the same 5.2-inch worth of screen size, and has the same pixel density as well. This would have sounded strange, but Sony made the Z3's display noticeably more brighter than the Z2, and the effect is clearly visible.
Sony's claim that Xperia Z3 is 600 candela bright is not without visible proof. As a result, the overall quality seems to be much better than the predecessor. The colours come out more vibrantly than Z2 as well.
The display has great viewing angles, and most importantly, the visiblity outdoor is brilliant as well. One doesn't need to crank up the brightness to a complere 100 per cent either.
Hardware
Sony Xperia Z3 has the same Quad core Snapdragon 801 processor as that of Xperia Z2. The Z3 does get a marginally bumped up clock speed when compared to Z2. The latest edition has 2.5GHz whereas the Z2 had 2.3Ghz. The graphic processor remains the same as well (Adreno 330), so does the 3GB RAM.
Overall, Sony hasn't made any significant changes to the hardware with the Z3 which was a bit strange to say the least, but surely has gone a long way in keeping the cost in check.
Camera
At 20.7 MP with LED flash, capable of shooting 1080p videos, camera supplied in the Sony Xperia Z3 is again the same as Z2, but this time it is a wide angle version, an improvement from the previous version.
The phone retains the 2.2MP front facing camera from the Z2 as well.
PS4 Remoteplay
By making Xperia Z3 the first smartphone enabled with PS4 remoteplay support, Sony has given the Z3 a huge advantage. Users can stream games wirelessly to the phone from their PS4 consoles. The dual shock controller combined with an adapter turns the Xperia Z3 in a new version of playstation portable of kinds.
This functionality requires the Wi-Fi connection for functioning. Do make note, that this functionality will be made available by November 2014.
Speakers
Since the Z3 has been provided with a brilliant display, and the PS4 remoteplay catapults it into a near handheld category, the onus was there to provide it with capable speakers, and Sony didn't disappoint.
The speakers on the Z3 makes up for an enriching experience. They are nowhere near the class of HTC's boomsound system, but they are not a pushover by any means either. The sound always came as pure and without any hints of tinning effect.
Enhanced dust and liquid resistance
The Xperia Z3 has been upgraded to IP 68, making it the phone with highest waterproof rating. The enhanced protection basically means that the phone can withstand 30 minutes under fresh water, and can be taken up to 1.5m deep. Thanks to this, underwater photography can be exercised as well to some extent.
The metallic flaps protect the SIM, MicroSD and the MicroUSB ports.
Battery
The phone comes with a 3100mAh battery, which is less than the 3200mAh battery of the Xperia Z2. Yet, the Z3 churns out the same output as its predecessor.
Moderate usage will see the phone going nearly two days without the need of a recharge.
Gamestore
The Xperia Z3 features an extra Game store, and a section for Apps, which allows users to purchase and download specific content from Sony. This section will more or less remain gimmicky, unless Sony starts paying more attention.
But for the time being, it does provides a little bit of an extra option to the users.
Price, offers and freebies
Available for just a shade under Rs 50,000, Sony should think about bringing the price down just that much to hit the sweet spot vis a vis the Indian psyche. Sony is also providing freebies like bundling 3 Hollywood movies, 3 months of Bigflix subscription, and 3 months worth of free downloads via Sony Music Jive.
Lack of any accessory surely is a disappointment, as that would have justified the initial price of Rs 50,000.
Sony Xperia is definitely a great phone, and enhances the Z2 in all the correct places as well, but the launch price is definitely a hindrance in making Z3 and automatic choice and a clear favourite in its segment.
Otherwise, the Z3 seems like a pure winner.
