If you see a Sony Xperia smartphone the first thing that’s sure to cross your mind is an exorbitant price tag. Well Sony have surprised us this time with the launch of yet another Xperia XZ series device – the XZ1.
The most attractive specification of the phone is the price tag of Rs 44,990. Thank God they kept it under 50K.
The XZ1 looks like a small size copy-paste variant of the XZ Premium but rest assured there are a few more additions that give the XZ1 a unique identity.
Specifications
- Display: 5.2-inch FHD
- Processor: Snapdragon 835 octa-core
- Storage: 64GB (expandable)
- Operating system: Android Oreo
- Rear camera: 19-megapixel
- Front camera: 13-megapixel
- Battery: 2,700 mAh non-removable
- Price: Rs 44,990
Design & Display
The fact that the design of the phone has been crafted from a single sheet of metal is commendable. It looks elegant.
It sits firmly in the palm and is easy to operate with one hand. The 5.2’ full HD display looks crisp and bright thanks to the Bravia TV technology in the device and also thanks to HDR (High dynamic range).
Storage & Performance
The XZ1 becomes the first Xperia in the country to come bundled with the Android O Orea update and that compliments the Snapdragon 835 chipset coupled with 4GB of RAM. First experience with the phone is good, with no lags as such.
The big feature that makes the XZ1 special is the 3D creator application that helps you create virtual 3-dimensional images of faces and even objects. I had fun playing with the new 3D app although to get the 3D figure accurate your hands need to be stable when you are mapping anything.
The phone comes with 64GB of on-board storage than can be expanded up to 256GB via a microSD card. The phone supports a hybrid SIM slot.
The XZ1 comes with IP68 water and dust resistance certifications and also offers type-C charging.
Camera & Battery
Image captured outdoors.
(Photo: The Quint)
Sony’s latest offering comes with a 19-megapixel rear camera with Motion Eye technology. Along with the 960 frames per second (fps) super slo-mo video capability (already seen on the XZ Premium), it also offers additional features like Predictive focus and Autofocus burst mode.
A 13-megapixel camera sits on the front of the phone. Again good pictures from this Sony.
On paper the battery doesn’t seem to be that impressive. At 2,700mAh, it’s way below than what the average smartphone comes packed with these days. Sony says with the battery management capability of the XZ1 and also the Quick Charge 3.0 technology, battery life isn’t going to be a big problem.
Worth the ‘Moolah’?
I don’t get to say this many times but I feel for the first time Sony is spot on with the pricing of the XZ1.
At Rs 44,990, it’s not too much that makes you have second thoughts about buying the phone and not also too less that shows in any way that Sony is compromising on quality.
For the ones looking for a compact yet powerful phone that come bundled with superlative video and photography capability, the Sony XZ1 checks all the boxes.
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