Introduction
The design of the phone is unquestionably familiar - it looks the same as the previous devices at first glance, thanks to the chunky bezel above and below the screen, which Sony is inexplicably hell bent on using every time.But the bezel on the sides is virtually gone, meaning the phone is a lot slimmer and sleeker in the hand, despite maintaining the same 5.2-inch screen.The overall design compared to the Xperia Z2 is really impressive, as it's now shorn the sharp glass edges in favour of the (still glass) rounded frame. The edges are a dull metal, and the corners covered in a hard nylon covering which, according to Sony, is due to the fact users will traditionally drop their phone that way and dent the metal.The effect is more pronounced than you'd think, especially when held side by side with the Z2. The 10g of weight shaved off is noticeable, and the rounded edges are pleasant to feel.
Sony's only gone and done it again. Made a phone, let the paint dry, sell it to the masses, then make another one. The Z followed instantly by the Z1, which was shadowed by the Z2 a few months later at MWC... and now, in what feels like three sleeps later, the Z3 is here.But, apart from the fact it's going to confuse consumers and annoy those that finally decided to make the jump to the Z2, only to find it's been usurped as the best Sony phone around, the Xperia Z3 is actually pretty darned impressive.
The Design
The design of the phone is unquestionably familiar - it looks the same as the previous devices at first glance, thanks to the chunky bezel above and below the screen, which Sony is inexplicably hell bent on using every time.But the bezel on the sides is virtually gone, meaning the phone is a lot slimmer and sleeker in the hand, despite maintaining the same 5.2-inch screen.The overall design compared to the Xperia Z2 is really impressive, as it's now shorn the sharp glass edges in favour of the (still glass) rounded frame. The edges are a dull metal, and the corners covered in a hard nylon covering which, according to Sony, is due to the fact users will traditionally drop their phone that way and dent the metal.The effect is more pronounced than you'd think, especially when held side by side with the Z2. The 10g of weight shaved off is noticeable, and the rounded edges are pleasant to feel.
The ports, which keep the phone waterproof, are also more snug - but this does mean they're hard to push back in, so you'll need to watch that when you're messing about watching videos in the shower.The Sony Xperia Z3 is IP65/68 rated, making it more waterproof than ever before. Why this is important is beyond me, apart from a marketing gimmick, as in reality all we need from our phones is the ability to survive spills and the like. But it makes users feel safer, so it's probably warranted.
The Camera
Sony's not done a huge amount to improve the camera on the Xperia Z3, keeping the resolution at 20.7MP and using the G Lens technology again. The Bionz engine is again in effect, along with the Exmor RS sensor, so the full gamut of Sony Buzzwords is on show here.There are some tweaks though: the ISO capabilities of the Xperia Z3 have been pushed to a whopping 12800, which the brand reckons will get rid of all the noise that so tarnishes its current crop of phones at low light.
Performance
