Sony Xperia XZ1 Review

If there's a standout feature on Sony smartphones then it has to be the camera. That's not to say that in other aspects, Sony is lagging behind but the camera has always been Sony's strongest suit. The Japanese brand has launched the Sony Xperia XZ1 which is also the first smartphone in India to come with Android 8.0 out-of-the-box. Add to that the latest Qualcomm processor it packs under the hood and the Xperia XZ1 has got what it takes to give competition a run for their money. We used the smartphone for some time to check where it stands in the Indian smartphone market. Here is our complete review of the Sony Xperia XZ1.

Design and display

We are really impressed with the design of Sony Xperia XZ1. This is one of the most best looking Xperia smartphone launched by Sony this year. The device looks similar to its predecessor the Xperia XZ but this time it is sleeker and comes with an enhanced design. The company has finally ditched the glass like aluminium back design with the Xperia XZ1. The smartphone comes with the same angular form factor but has replaced the shiny rear panel and sides with matte finished metallic design. The top and bottom ends of the smartphone are made of plastic. The smartphone weighs 155 grams and is quite light to use and handle. The front of the smartphone is dominated by a 5.2-inch full HD display, massive bezels on the top and bottom and 13MP front camera, speaker grille and the Sony logo.

There's a lot of space wasted on the bezels considering the three capacitive keys are part of the screen and not placed on the bezels. The right side of the device houses the volume rockers and the power button which also doubles up as a fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor worked really quickly and we were able to unlock the device pretty fast. Along with this, we also liked the placement of the fingerprint sensor as it is easy to reach and use. The left side consists of the SIM card slot which is very easy to remove unlike other devices. The rear panel has the protruding 19MP camera along with LED flash and the Xperia branding. In terms of design and build quality, this is certainly an impressive smartphone.

The Sony Xperia XZ1 comes with a 5.2-inch full HD display with 1080x1920 pixel resolution. The display is protected with layer of Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to protect it from scratches. The display is vibrant enough and the viewing angles are also fine. We found the display to be a bit reflective when we used it under direct sunlight but other than it performs well outdoors. The company has also incorporated some modes in the display for better user experience. There are three modes to control the colour gamut and contrast of the display. One is the Professional mode which uses RGB colour gamut in order to offer authentic colour reproductions.

Then there is a professional mode which uses brilliant colour gamut of triluminous display for mobile for delivery of bright and vivid colour effects. Lastly, there is a Super Vivid mode which also uses vivid colour gamut for bright colour effects. A user can select any mode as per their requirements. There is also a smart backlight control feature in the display which automatically detects if you are holding the smartphone in your hand. The screen stays lit when you are looking at a photo or video without touching the screen. Lastly, there is also a Glove mode that lets you operate on the touchscreen with the glove on. When it comes to design and display, the smartphone has a lot going for it.

Performance and camera

The Sony Xperia XZ1 is powered by Qualcomm's flagship processor Snapdragon 835 paired with 4GB of RAM and 64GB internal storage. Users can further expand the storage up to 256GB by adding a microSD card. The smartphone also comes with IP68 rating, which means that it will not get damaged if you will accidently drop it in a bucket full of water.

When it came to the performance of the smartphone, we did encounter issues. Playing graphic intensive games on the device is a breeze. In fact, the full HD display further enhanced the gaming experience. Multitasking and switching between apps was also not a issue. The only problem we faced was of heating. The device gets heated after a continuous gaming or video streaming session. We ran Antutu and GeekBench 4 tests on our device. While the phone scored 152162.33 in Antutu Benchmarks, the single-core and multi-core scores on GeekBench 4 were 1802 and 6446 respectively.

The call quality was also fine and we received signals even while travelling in underground metro or subways. The smartphone is backed by a 2,700 mAh battery which is smaller in capacity as compared to its predecessor Xperia XZ. The smartphone can deliver full day battery backup for a complete day but a slight heavy usage can make you look for a charging point. Like the earlier launched Xperia smartphones, the Xperia XZ1 also comes with a Stamina mode which prolongs the battery time by disabling some of the functions of the smartphone. Then there is also an ultra Stamina mode that extensively limits the available apps to the minimum necessary in order to prolong the battery life.

The Sony Xperia XZ1 is the first non-Google smartphone to come with the latest Android 8.0 Oreo operating system out of the box. The operating system brings all the Oreo features to the phone such as picture -in- picture mode, improved screen lock along with the UI layer from Sony. The company has also tweaked the notification and has rearranged the icons. It also come pre-installed with some of the Sony apps. However, the bloatware is very minimal and it surely gives a pure Android experience.

Coming to one of the most talked about feature of Sony Xperia XZ1 - camera. The smartphone comes with a 19MP rear camera with f/2.0, predictive phase detection laser autofocus and LED flash. There is also a 13MP front camera for selfies and video calling. With this smartphone the company has improved the image processing. The smartphone camera is capable of reproducing some really good pictures and it didn't disappoint us at all.

The phone does not come with optical image stabilization and despite of that it manages to capture some really good shots even in low light conditions. The company has also incorporated a new and quirky feature in the camera called 3D creator. The 3D creator enables users to scan someone's face or an object or a food item. After capturing the picture you can send it to a 3D printer to print. Users can shoot videos at 960fp and 120fps using the smartphone's camera.

For selfies there is a 13MP front camera on board. At the time of capturing low light selfies the smartphone will show a screen with a bright shade of orange and yellow which will brighten your face. The feature works pretty well and eliminates the need of a front flash.

Verdict

The Sony Xperia XZ1 comes with a price tag of Rs 44,990. The smartphone packs an impressive design and all the high-end specifications which a flagship should have. It has the latest processor and operating system but it still lacks some of the things. For instance, it doesn't come with a dual rear camera setup and the battery capacity is also quite less when compared to its competitors. If you are a Sony fan then you can definitely go for the Xperia XZ1. However, those looking for alternatives can consider buying the OnePlus 5 or the recently launched Nokia 8.