The Sony Xperia XZ1 is a premium smartphone that surprised consumers with its stylish build, powerful internal specs, and impressive cameras. Not only that, but it also touts the latest Android 8.0 Oreo OS. The question is, if the Xperia XZ1 truly merits the title of “premium” smartphone?
Each purchase of the Sony Xperia XZ1 will get you:
- Sony Xperia XZ1 (1 unit)
- Startup Guide (1 pc)
- Sony Warranty Certificate (1 pc, Customer’s Copy and SPH Copy)
- SAR Information (1 pc)
- Sony Premium Services+ VIP Card (1 pc)
- Replacement Earbuds (1 pack)
- Travel Charger (1 pc)
- Earbuds (1 pair)
- USB Type-C Cord (1 pc)
Sony made the strange choice of keeping large bezels on their flagships, despite the market going towards truly bezel-less devices. On that note, the XZ1 does exude a premium feel with a loop surface, a metallic body around the exterior, and diamond-cut edges. Not only that, but the 5.2-inch Full HD display is protected by both Corning Gorilla Glass 5 and an IP68 rating for water and dust resistance. Admittedly, I found the phone’s shape to be strange, but it was comfortable in my hands.
As for button placement, the 13-megapixel front shooter is joined by the earpiece, a notification LED, and sensors. Inversely, the bottom features the main loudspeaker. Meanwhile, the left of the device features two antenna bands, as well as the flap for the SIM and microSD card slot. For the right, we can see the volume rocker, the lock button which also acts as the fingerprint scanner, and the dedicated shutter button for the camera farther down. At the very top, we will find the audio port and a secondary microphone, while the bottom contains the main microphone and a USB-C port. The back part touts the 19-megapixel Motion Eye camera, flanked by sensors, LED flash, and NFC.
In terms of the display, this 5.2-incher keeps Full HD, with HDR support and Dynamic Contrast Enhancement. Again, another strange choice when competitors are going for QHD. All in all though, this choice still works for the casual user.
Honestly, the design feels rather old, although I somewhat expected this from Sony, who does like keeping a relatively uniform design for their premium lineups. Personally, I’m not bothered by the design choices, and can appreciate what they’re doing. However, some consumers may not look at it this way and feel that the Xperia XZ1 is trying to keep an outdated design.
The Sony Xperia XZ1 runs Android 8.0 Oreo out of the box via the Sony UI skin. Pre-installed apps include Facebook, Amazon, Spotify, and AVG Protection for Xperia. In addition, it includes the usual Google and Sony apps. Overall, these apps take up about 13GB of internal storage, leaving users with about 51GB left. While it’s a bit alarming that the pre-installed software takes a sizeable chunk, 51GB is still a highly useful amount of storage space.
On paper, the 19MP 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS Motion Eye sounds like an amazing camera setup, especially with a memory-stacked image sensor. In fact, there’s good reason to assume that these top Sony phones might deliver superior photographic experiences, due to their great reputation. In practice, the pictures look alive, vibrant with lively colors and crisp details. On the other hand, the 13-megapixel selfie shooter follows suit with high-quality selfies. Even in low light, the photos sacrificed very little in terms of detail, and we were impressed with the images.
Be sure to watch out for our full review for this top-tier flagship, and see if the Sony Xperia XZ1 can hang with the best smartphones!
