The Sony Xperia Z1 was launched with what seemed to be a reasonable price for a phone packed with so many interesting specs and features. But you seriously need to have more than one reason to buy it. We’re soon about to tell you why. In India, you can now get it for a little less than Rs 40,000, while it costs $650 in the US.
Display:
First, let’s take a very brief glimpse at the key features and specifications of the smartphone. Sony put a 5-inch capacitive display on the Xperia Z1 in consideration of the fact that devices with 5- to 7-inch touchscreens are becoming more popular than ever before. This panel is a noticeably crisp one which spits out graphics in 1920 x 1080p resolution, but can be a little too enthusiastic about sharpening parts of images which don’t require any retouching.
Overall build:
The Xperia Z1 may be IP55/58 certified for water and dust resistance. But we haven’t had a chance to take it for a satisfyingly long spin. So we can’t tell if it will share the same weakness as its predecessor and manage to stay waterproof for only as long as the 6 months it took for the protective port coverings to wear out. The exterior has got a nice look with its rectangular shape and a profile which is a slim as 0.33 inches, not to mention the lack of a vaguely unattractive camera hump like the one sported by the Lumia 1020.
What’s under the hood:
The handset packs in 2GB of RAM and a 2.2GHz quad core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974 processor. It runs on Android Jelly Bean and is lined up for an update to KitKat 4.4. If storage space is a big deal for you, you will have to be content with 16GB of onboard memory and a microSD card slot for cranking it up to 64GB. A 20.7MP camera is fitted onto the back panel (scroll down for more on that). For now, Sony’s only selling the device in black, purple and white.
Camera and comparison to Nokia Lumia 1020:
We’ve finally come to the highlighted specification of the Xperia Z1, probably your prime reason for wanting to buy the handset. Now you’ll remember that Nokia has already launched the Lumia 1020 carrying a beast of a 41MP camera. So the high resolution sensor on the Sony phone isn’t a revolutionary new feature never before seen on any other device of its ilk. It’s a 20.7MP sensor, not the highest resolution one in the market, but one to reckon with nevertheless.
The smartphone even has a 2MP 1080p webcam perched above its display. Coming back to the 20.7MP lens, it had pulsed LED flash, auto focus, 8x digital zoom and HDR for stills as well as videos. It’s decorated with impressive support such as Exmor RS for Mobile, the Sony G Lens and BIONZ image engine. All of this translates into really great captures but for one problem – a high amount of noise in low light conditions. If you’d rather pit it against an Android option, then the 16MP Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom delivers somewhat similar photography skills.
Is it worth the price?
The Sony Xperia Z1 is one mighty Android smartphone. You can invest in it without thinking twice if you are capable of looking at the whole shiny package without inspecting the tiny issues like its overzealous image processing engine and inability to match up to the Lumia 1020’s camera at all times. It’s a good tool for photography in most situations and is great for entertainment on the go.