What's good
- Dust resistant and water resistant up to 1.5 meters
- Underwater camera and video use
- Good color and image quality on display
What's bad
- Poor viewing angles
- Low light photos still noisy despite flash
Following the success of the Xperia Z, Sony released the Xperia ZR, a smaller yet featured packed version of the flagship phone. At 4.5", the Xperia ZR display is only 0.5" smaller than the Z and offers a slightly reduced resolution of 720p. Despite the lower resolution, most reviewers are pleased with the overall image quality and color of the display in normal straight-on viewing position. Viewing angles, unfortunately, are not its strong point. Phone Arena says, "As soon as you start tilting the phone to one side, things get very washed out."
While the Xperia Z might be water resistant, the ZR is actually IP55 and IP58 compliant, which means that it can be fully submerged in 1.5 meters of water for up to 30 minutes so long as users remember to use the protective covers for the exposed areas. In order to take advantage of its water resistant capabilities, Sony added a dedicated camera key on the right hand side for underwater pictures and video. Reviewers had a hard time actually finding the key due to its size but were overall impressed with the quality of underwater shots thanks to the phones 13 megapixel camera. Above the water, the camera provided decent quality images in outdoor conditions, though low light conditions had some noise.
Performance-wise, the ZR scored fairly well in various benchmark tests due to its 1.5 GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM, though well behind devices like the Nokia Lumia 920 and HTC One. Although the processor does not boast the fastest chipset, there was no noticeable lag when opening or using apps or browsing the web. After a running the phone through several tests GSMArena states, "The smartphone…has more than enough oomph to handle day to day tasks smoothly."
In general, experts agree that the Xperia ZR offers users an excellent overall experience. Android Authority praises the phone saying, "It might not be cutting edge, but it gets close enough that you might not even be able to tell the difference."
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Joshua Vergara, Android AuthorityIf you want a powerful experience without getting too crazy, the Xperia ZR is your bang for buck phone.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
Sony Xperia ZR prices will vary depending on retailer, age, special offers and whether or not it's purchased with a service plan. If purchased with a 2 year service contract for example, you would likely pay much less for the phone itself up front. Sony's suggested retail price is $499.99. You can compare Xperia ZR prices from around the web here on The Informr.
We've got you covered! Download a free PDF copy of the Sony Xperia ZR user manual here.
Sony backs up the Xperia ZR with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Xperia ZR 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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Resources
Manuals / User Guides
- Sony Xperia ZR Manual (PDF)
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