Sony Xperia Z1 Compact Review: Big Things Come in Small Packages, Or Do They?

Mobile phones have come a long way. There was once an age when feature phones ran rampant in the market, but then the trend was taken over by the arrival of smartphones that opened a whole new dimension to the very concept of mobile phones.

But with so many smartphones currently in the market, it seems like while the competition is hot at its heels, the companies are trying out more new ways to make themselves known in the market. And one of the popular ways of doing that is by releasing a mini version of its popular flagship.

We have a number of companies Like Samsung who have followed suit in adopting the same strategies of releasing mini versions of its handsets. And it seems like the strategy has also found its way to the Japan-based mobile vendor Sony with its comparatively new Xperia Z1 Compact.

Sony has adopted the policy of coming out with mini version of handsets, and with the Xperia Z1 Compact, the company now has a great chance of competing against the likes of HTC One Mini and even the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini. And the competition is also a massive one since compared to the aforementioned devices, the Z1 Compact offers much more.

Apart from the fact that Sony diverted from the "Mini" tag every one else in using and replaced it with a "Compact" tag for the new device, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact comes with all the good things of the original Z1 while keeping its originality intact.

Unsurprisingly enough, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact follows the same design language as that of the previous Xperia Z1. The device comes in choice of four different colors: black, white, pink and lime, and has a really clean feel about it.

So what's so special about this new device? Can it withstand others in the Market in the same price range (and there are lots)? We are currently sitting with a Xperia Z1 Compact unit at out disposal getting all up, close and personal with it. Let's see what this device has to offer.

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact: Design and Display

To be perfectly honest, the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact looks like a livelier version of the 5-inch Xperia Z1. The device's single-piece aluminium frame gives it a hardy look, while its curved edges never really goes away from fitting perfectly in your hands. The overall frame of the phone is placed between two pieces of glass with a thin plastic holding it all.

As expected, the button placement of the Z1 Compact is similar to that of the original Z1. While all the covered ports and slots meant for microSD, SIM and charger are placed on the left side of the phone, the power button, volume rocker and the dedicated camera button are all on the right side of it.

If you are a keen technology watcher, the first thing that will come to your mind once you take a look at the Z1 compact is that the device's build is similar to that of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. However, the difference is only understandable once you pick up the device and feel it for yourself.

Of course, the overall build of the device with its glass panels remain massively open to possibilities of scratches and fingerprints, but that doesn't take away the fact that the device is anyway a great piece of hardware placed on the palm of your hands.

The device's chassis, measuring at 127 x 64.9 x 9.55 mm, seemingly curves slightly at the edges which protects the screen from sudden side impacts, apart from the overall feel of the device thats not big for executing commands via a single stroke of hand. However, make note that exposing the device too much to an air cooler or a conditioner could make it feel quite cold in your hands, again owing to the glass and metal build.

Apart from that, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack at the top of the phone which is open. This means that users can plug in headphones without running into problems with flaps. The speaker grille sits on the bottom of the Xperia Z1 Compact, and also has a wrist-strap hole.

Interestingly enough, as far as numbers are concerned, The 4.3-inch screen of the Z1 Compact has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, compared to the Xperia Z1's Full HD offering. Also, the Z1 Compact screen offers 341 pixels per inch which, for the sake of comparison, is more than the iPhone 5S's 326ppi offering.

Speaking about the on-screen quality and sharpness, you really have to have an eagle's eye to point out problems in that respect. And more so since it is only expected that a company which has spent most of its years developing cutting edge technology for TVs will know a thing or two about imaging and display quality.

The Z1 Compact's colors are visibly more accurate and deeper than most others in the market, provided you just watched a movie or video on it. Also, the device is bright enough for you to check it out under the sun.