Sony is once again changing the smart phone game with their latest addition to the mix the Xperia Z3.
Running on the Android Kitkat operating system (currently upgradable to Lollipop), the Z3 comes with the basic Android apps like Google Drive, Gmail and Hangouts among others. However, the Xperia Z3 goes above and beyond with its available features… but more on that later.
First, within the box, Sony provides their customers with the bare basics: a charger, a 16GB Xperia Z3 Smartphone and the start-up guide. Unfortunately, one of the most important accessories remains forgotten: earphones. It comes off as rather odd to leave out something like that… especially since the product has a pre-installed Walkman function.
Measuring in at 5.2 inches, only about 70% of the top surface is the screen, giving a nice easy grip without compromising visuals. It also beats out most other phones in regards to thickness, being much slimmer and making it that much easier to slide into your pocket. The design of the phone is also ergonomic with rounded edges and easily locatable memory and SIM card ports, as well as having both the front and back layered with scratch resistant glass.
The only downside to the external design is that with both sides of the phone being layered in glass, dropping and cracking it is a big worry, so I’d recommend tempered glass protectors and casings just to be safe. The other issue is the non-replaceable battery, preventing you from simply replacing the battery if it dies out, meaning a trip down to Sony would be more than likely in your phone’s future
The Xperia Z3 boasts a whopping 20.7 megapixel rear camera with an LED flash that takes beautiful, crisp photos and puts most of its competitors to shame. However, the front camera doesn’t do as well in the resolution department with only 2.2 megapixels and tends to produce grainy photos preventing me from labelling it selfie worthy.
Videos also profit from the rear camera which films at 30 frames per second on full HD, making it more than just good enough for vlogging or day to day videos. In fact, go ahead and shoot a movie on it. You could use the in-built Augmented Reality app installed in the phone to have a dinosaur roaming about your table… because why not, right?
But one of the coolest feature is that the phone is completely waterproof, allowing it to be submerged up to a meter for 30 minutes. This means you no longer have to be worried when you’ve dropped your phone into the toilet bowl (c’mon, we’ve all been there)! This also opens up the possibility of actually washing your phone.
However, the true highlight (which I’m sure would be the most popular use of this trait) would be underwater selfies! Nothing could beat the ability to take photos underwater while swimming or snorkeling. That being said you still have to be careful in ensuring that all the openings to the phone are completely sealed before submerging it in water and beware the possibility that the water proofing can be compromised if dropped repeatedly.
Having been an iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy Note 4 user, I gotta admit the Z3’s battery life is mind-blowing. Due to my extensive usage, my phone’s battery usually lasts me about 8 to hours. With the Xperia Z3 however, the battery stands at about 40%-50% even at the end of the day.
And finally, my favourite feature: the ability to stream PlayStation 4 games seamlessly through the phone. With the Remote Play app, users are able to stream their games on to their phone anywhere around the house as long as both the PS4 and the Z3 are connected to the same Wi-Fi.
The phone can even double as a controller for the PS4 if needed. The phone can even be mounted onto the controller with the purchase of a bracket. As a gamer, I especially love this feature as it makes life so much easier if the TV is already being used. Of course, the screen size is a compromise, but better a little game than no game, right?
In all, the Sony Xperia Z3 provides not only a satisfying experience, but also leaves no regrets when compared to its competitors.