Before our eyes a whole generation of people who have no idea how compact phones were before. Since then, as the touch screen has become the main body, the evolution went in the opposite direction – cell phones do not decrease in size, and are constantly increasing. A six-inch tube will not look weird, and in the year 2005 the production of such a gadget would have turned into an epic fail. In 2015, the average flagship has a screen diagonal of 5.5 inch, and therefore the unit itself becomes quite large. Smaller devices have traditionally been cheaper and equipped with the most advanced hardware. Sony at the time played well with Xperia Z1 Compact, occupying a niche of compact and powerful smartphones, and now before us the third generation of “compact flagship” – Xperia Z5 Compact. Especially for those who are not accustomed to sacrifice anything for the sake of the phone convenient to carry in your pocket.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, official portrait
This is the smallest and the cheapest smartphone flagship series, but technically it is equipped not worse than the Z5 and Z5 Premium. Potentially this is the most popular model Sony Xperia for the next six months, so we just have to consider it in more detail.
Specifications
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
Operating system
Android Lollipop 5.1.1 (planned upgrade to Android 6.0 Marshmallow)
Android 5.0 Lollipop (planned upgrade to Android 6.0 Marshmallow)
Processor
Qualcomm MSM8994 Snapdragon 810, 4 cores 1.5 GHz + 4 cores at 2.0 GHz; GPU – Adreno 430
Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 801, 4 cores at 2.5 GHz; GPU Adreno 330
Memory
2 GB RAM, 32 GB of storage, a microSD slot (up to 200GB)
2 GB RAM, 16 GB of storage, a microSD slot (up to 128GB)
Mobile communication/data transmission
GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS, HDSPA/HSUPA, LTE
GSM/GPRS/EDGE, UMTS, HDSPA/HSUPA, LTE
Screen
IPS, diagonal – 4.6 inches, resolution – 720h1280 pixels, 323 ppi
IPS, diagonal – 4.6 inches, resolution – 720h1280 pixels, 323 ppi
Interfaces
USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS/GLONASS, NFC
USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, GPS/GLONASS, NFC
Camera
main – 23 MP, autofocus, flash, front – 4 MP, without autofocus and flash
primary – 20 MP, autofocus, flash, front – 4 MP, without autofocus and flash
Battery
non-removable, lithium-polymer, 2700 mAh
non-removable, lithium-polymer, 2600 mAh
The format of the SIM card
nano SIM
nano SIM
Dimensions, weight
127x65x8,9 mm, 138 g
127x65x8,6 mm, 129 g
Approximate price
40 000 rubles
25 000 rubles
The Z5 Compact appearance without significant changes preserved the shape, size, location of buttons and other elements. But in detail there was a lot. First of all, this new colors: compact “socket” and never shy of bright colors, but this year Sony outdid themselves, releasing the Z5 Compact in coral and bright yellow colors.
All of the available colors of Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Classic black and white still in stock, but this time my favourite is yellow. I even watched the sales in the store – this colour visitors take most often.
Sony Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact
As the original Xperia Z5, back panel compact version of its closed frosted glass. Feeling about the same as from soft touch plastic, only the glass cools the hand. More importantly, such a solution significantly more practical than gloss in Z3 Compact.
Sony Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact
On a yellow housing the fingerprints are completely invisible, as well as on a white and coral, but the black model was naturally more brand. In the thickness of the case Z5 Compact is a bit larger than the Z3 Compact – the difference is 0.3 mm, which is quite imperceptible to the eye.
The thickness is increased only at the expense of the frame perimeter of the hull, it now extends slightly over the front and back panels. And if you put the phone on a table to adjoin to the surface will be frame only, the screen doesn’t touch her. First, it is an additional protection – the screen is not scratched on the grains of sand on the table. And secondly, the unit does not slide on smooth surfaces for Z3 Compact has carried out such a peccadillo, a smartphone could easily fall off the Desk or bedside tables.
Case back Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
The micro-USB port and minijack protected from water and successfully without lids. The shutter remained only one, it is located under the expansion slot and SIM card slot. SIM now only one – Dual-versions are only Z5 and Z5 Premium. Pretty strange decision in my opinion, obviously in a more affordable model of the second SIM slot will be more in demand.
A commonality all three devices in the line Z5 is a fingerprint scanner built into the power button on the right side. For him from the usual circular power button had to be abandoned. But smartphone nothing lost. Previously, the button was easy to find by feel, thanks to the convex form, and now – thanks to concave. So from the point of view of ergonomics no changes have occurred.
The upper end of the housing Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
During a demo session at IFA 2015 I was having a little trouble with the fingerprint sensor, but in the final version it works quickly and flawlessly.
Screen and interface
The display is probably, the most controversial element in Sony Xperia Z5 Compact. Yes, it is IPS-matrix, and in General he showed himself to be fine, but many why-that confuse HD resolution. Like, why so few, if even in the cheaper counterparts are Full HD displays? Apparently, Chinese manufacturers have spoiled us ultradeshevye handsets with impressive features. But if you talk sensibly, the Sony looks quite logical.
The Screen Of Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
First, the screen size is small – just 4.6 inches, which gives a fairly high pixel density (323 ppi). Secondly, a higher resolution implies more power consumption of both the matrix and the platform in General. Ultimately this leads to a reduction of autonomy. In Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Premium is balanced by a larger capacity battery, but set as surround the battery in Z5 Compact.
The Sony interface is not much different from the classic Android 5.1.1 – redrawn icons and in-app camera available advanced settings. Add a bit of proprietary software, for the most part useless. A separate section in the settings menu on the work with fingerprint sensor – here everything is organized the same way as on the original Xperia Z5.
Of course, it will be released update of the operating system to version 6.0 (Android Marshmallow), however, the exact date Sony have not yet called.
Camera
All new smartphone flagship range is one and the same camera is a 23 megapixel sensor BSI-CMOS, which is equipped with a phase sensor faster autofocus. So, Xperia Z5 Compact shoots just as well as Z5 and Z5 Premium.
Built-in camera of Sony Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact
If you compare the novelty with the Xperia Z3 Compact, you can focus only on higher resolution (20 megapixels). The maximum you can withdraw only with aspect ratio 3:2, and at 20 megapixels, the photos are saved in 16:9. Manual configuration is represented in abundance: ISO, focus type, exposure compensation and so on. The auto focus began to work noticeably faster, it is noticeable, however, the overall picture quality is lower than the competition. The more I talked about this in the comparative test.
The smartphone supports shooting at 4K resolution, but you have to run a separate mode. HD recording and Full HD you can enable one button from any other mode.
Performance and autonomy
Let me remind you, Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is built on the same hardware base as the original Z5 is the familiar Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 chip with an OCTA-core Central processor and a graphics accelerator Adreno 430. The battery capacity in this case slightly lower, but power consumption should also be lower due to the screen with smaller screen and lower resolution. So in terms of performance you can count on the same result, which showed Xperia Z5 and Z5 Compact of autonomy needs to prove himself even better. But it is in theory and in practice?
Test Sony Xperia Z5 Compact in Geekbench
Test Sony Xperia Z5 Compact in AnTuTu
In the test Geekbench, only measuring CPU performance compact flagship has proved worse than its neighbour on the line. In AnTuTu Benchmark it was better, but the slight discrepancy can be attributed to the error of the test. And yet it should be noted that in the process of implementation of the benchmarks the Sony Xperia Z5 is practically not heated – it’s amazing for a Snapdragon 810.
According to the results of 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited compact version of Xperia Z5 can be attributed to the number of the best gaming smartphones, although there is barely noticeable lag from the older model.
Test Sony Xperia Z5 Compact in 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited
In General, my assumption is that the Z5 Compact will be more productive Z5, was not confirmed. Probably affected a smaller amount of RAM. But in terms of battery life, the smartphone does not disappoint.
Testing battery life of Sony Xperia Z5 Compact in PCMark
Even more capacious battery not Xperia Z5 allows you to work longer than Z5 Compact. And if you comparative chart means nothing, look at the individual measurements in the play mode, viewing the video and reading every time Z5 Z5 Compact is superior.
The battery life
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Sony Xperia Z5
Game
4 hours 40 minutes
3 hours 20 minutes
Video
10 hours and 20 minutes
8 hours 20 minutes
Reading
11 hours 40 minutes
10 hours 6 minutes
Let us recall that all tests are conducted with disabled energy saving functions. But in reality to disable signature Stamina Mode absolutely no reason. With it Xperia Z5 Compact works a day and a half in active mode, but with a more restrained handling the smartphone is able to work for two days. A good result for an Android smartphone, and it’s a little better than that of the original Z5.
Conclusions
I still unusual to call a smartphone a 40 thousand budget, but that is the reality. In dollar terms Xperia Z5 Compact is even cheaper than its predecessor at launch, so to blame Sony that the price is too high, will not work. I definitely like the new colors (especially yellow) and trim the rear panel. And there’s nothing wrong with that, the screen has HD resolution — it is enough. More importantly, as the use of this screen affect autonomy, because the Xperia Z5 Compact became one of the best devices based on Snapdragon 810.
Truly pocket-sized smartphone Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Obviously, the main selection criterion in the case of Z5 Compact will be the size, so the argument about the possibility of buying past flagships for the comparable amount wouldn’t work. This is a beautiful, modern and practical smartphone that you can comfortably carry in any pocket. None of the flagships of recent years can not boast.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
+ Good design, unusual color
– Small screen resolution
+ Fingerprint scanner
– Front facing camera without autofocus
+ Good autonomy
– Not enough RAM