What's good
- Snappy performance for all tasks
- Over 2 days of battery life during moderate usage
- Incredibly fast autofocus
- Highly detailed photos in bright and low light conditions
What's bad
- 720p resolution display
- Camera lag issues when navigating app and in-between shots
- Difficult to adjust to smaller keyboard when typing
While other companies are pushing forward with larger and larger screens, Sony's Xperia Z5 Compact is one of the few smartphones in 2015 that offers a sub 5-inch display. Despite being only 5 inches tall, it manages to be fairly thick at 0.4 inches, leading many experts to call it chunky and chubby. This slight thickness made it feel like a less than premium device to critics, which was only amplified thanks to its plastic sides. With that said, they still found it to be an attractive device thanks to the frosted glass back panel and array of color options. As well, the added thickness and rounded corners provided them with a comfortable fit.
Gracing the front of the Z5 Compact is the petite 4.6-inch, 720 IPS LCD screen. This provides a Retina-like pixel density of 323ppi. While some critics bemoan the fact that it isn't full HD, they all agree it is sharp enough for most people. Still, there are some limitations to this resolution as they were not able to watch some videos at the intended resolution. The screen did deliver in other aspects, however. They describe it as bright with good viewing angles and good color balance. Unlike larger smartphones, they were also able to use the phone one-handed easily. Some reviewers did discover it took them some time to get used to typing on the smaller screen as they had become accustomed to larger ones.
Just because it's small doesn't mean it's underpowered. The Z5 Compact comes with an octa-core processor that consists of four cores running at 1.5GHz for basic tasks and four 2.0GHz cores that kick in during more intensive tasks. This is backed by 2GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage. For the most part, experts experienced fairly snappy performance regardless of whether they were simply browsing the web or playing a 3D game. Thanks to the 2700mAh battery, they were also able to get a full day's worth of life even when leaving 4G on for hours. Moderate usage netted them a whopping 72 hours.
The Z5 Compact comes with the same camera as the Z5. This means a 23MP camera, new autofocus, stronger zoom and optical image stabilization. According to Sony, the camera can autofocus in 0.03 seconds. While experts didn't time it, they were impressed with the incredible speed citing it as one of the fastest they've tested. Bright light situations provided them with detailed shots and excellent contrast between light and dark. Unlike many other smartphones, critics were also able to take excellent pictures in low light conditions as well even without flash. Still, many experts were unsatisfied with the camera due to shutter lag, delay between shots and sluggishness when navigating the app itself.
Experts recommend the Xperia Z5 Compact for people who are looking specifically for a smaller smartphone. Tech Radar states, "If you're looking for a small Android phone right now, this is it. With an incredible battery life, a new high-end processor and some impressive camera upgradesā¦There's much more to like here than criticize." Android Pit adds, "The Xperia Z5 Compact must be the best 'small' smartphone in the world."
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Michael Desjardin, ReviewedThe Sony Xperia Z5 Compact managed to accumulate high marks in just about every category we test for, but the day-to-day experience of using one tells a slightly different story. It takes beautiful photos, but the process of taking them isn't very fun or intuitive. It crushes our hardware benchmarks...
- Ajay Kumar, PC MagazineWith its powerful processor, good battery life, and solid camera, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is a great choice for a one-handed Android device that doesn't trade power for size. It offers more power and better battery life than any of the similarly sized Android competition.
- Know Your Mobile team, Know Your MobileA truly one-of-a-kind handset, the Z5 Compact proves that big isn't always better. It's the perfect phone for those who don't want a phablet but still want cutting-edge power.
- Eric M. Zeman, Phone ScoopThe Sony Xperia Z5 Compact offers what few other phones do: flagship performance in a petite piece of hardware. The Z5 Compact is refined, small, and manufactured with the best materials. The glass-and-metal combo offers a premium experience, and its waterproof nature makes it all the more appealing...
- Cherlynn Low, Tom's GuideThe Sony Xperia Z5 Compact offers speedy performance and excellent endurance in a petite, waterproof frame. But it has too much bloatware to be the best compact phone.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact user manual here.
Sony backs up the Xperia Z5 Compact with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Xperia Z5 Compact has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Sony support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Sony's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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