Xperia Z?

[RadioActive]

I recently got a Galaxy Nexus and I was quite satisfied with it until it met and unfortunate accident and it fell in water, and despite my best efforts it can't fixed anymore according to the Samsung agent/shop, they tested it and I quote "complete water damage" is what they said.

In any case, I'll need to get a new phone and although I'm usually a fan of Samsung I'm considering getting Xperia Z instead. I realize that the S4 is superior but I'm considering the Xperia Z mainly for its water resistance. The way I see it, the Xperia Z is a decent phone with specs comparable to the SIII and the added water resistance is a nifty bonus.

Perhaps I'm being naive, in any case, I still haven't decided and I'm not in a rush, I'm using a backup for now.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts? any of you used or own the Xperia Z?

The Xperia Z and ZL (dunno the difference) costs the same as the S4 and the the S4 is much better, I don't really need the extra features in S4.

One thing in the Xperia Z is giving me pause, is the display, it's not an AMOLED or even an SLCD but it's a plain TFT? how bad/good is it compared to other technologies/displays?

[chlorophyll]

dont go for Z for only its water resistant..u mean u gonna drop ur mobile in water frequesntly?no??then wats da point in choosing Z\

k now coming to s4 theres not much diff between s3 n s4

only an UPGRADED S3 = S4..it again carried the same OLD PLASTIC LOOK

so wats the point in getting it??wat i mean to say is wen u gonna invest huge amount u shud be satisfied on every corner of u r inverstment.

my personal suggestion is got for HTC ONE it had new design..very stylsh look n finishing.but its very costlier than the above phones u specified.

better wait for note 3.

[Tweety.Abd]

I think it is the best phone you can buy at the moment. I'm going to get mine soon. I've read quite a lot of reviews about the phone and talked to some top developers on xda and they all had to say that its a decent phone. Not to mention that it is the highest rated phone on gsmarena. One of the main reasons I prefer the phone over others is that you have a choice whether to run the Sony's stock firmware or pure AOSP. As for the display, I've read they're not as good as Samsung, but they're not that bad either.

[RadioActive]

dont go for Z for only its water resistant..u mean u gonna drop ur mobile in water frequesntly?no??then wats da point in choosing Z\

k now coming to s4 theres not much diff between s3 n s4

only an UPGRADED S3 = S4..it again carried the same OLD PLASTIC LOOK

so wats the point in getting it??wat i mean to say is wen u gonna invest huge amount u shud be satisfied on every corner of u r inverstment.

my personal suggestion is got for HTC ONE it had new design..very stylsh look n finishing.but its very costlier than the above phones u specified.

better wait for note 3.

The HTC One is out of the question, it costs 25% more the the S4/Z.

And I know the argument that you don't normally drop the phone in the water often is valid, but it did happen to me and the phone was almost brand new and now it's as good as a brick. That's why the water resistance is quite appealing to me at the moment.

I think it is the best phone you can buy at the moment. I'm going to get mine soon. I've read quite a lot of reviews about the phone and talked to some top developers on xda and they all had to say that its a decent phone. Not to mention that it is the highest rated phone on gsmarena. One of the main reasons I prefer the phone over others is that you have a choice whether to run the Sony's stock firmware or pure AOSP. As for the display, I've read they're not as good as Samsung, but they're not that bad either.

Thanks Tweety, I appreciate the feedback, I will keep it mind.

[maxl96]

You can wait for Xiaomi Mi3. It will be a superior phone with better specs than HTC One and S4...

Also it's price will be very low, only 290$...

It has 5Inch Full HD IPS Display, Snapdragon 800 QuadCore 2,3 GHz, 2 Gig Ram, 3.000 MAh Battery...

Just my opinion...

[RadioActive]

You can wait for Xiaomi Mi3. It will be a superior phone with better specs than HTC One and S4...

Also it's price will be very low, only 290$...

It has 5Inch Full HD IPS Display, Snapdragon 800 QuadCore 2,3 GHz, 2 Gig Ram, 3.000 MAh Battery...

Just my opinion...

Sorry, I've never even heard of Xiaomi which means it doesn't exist here.

Also, I'm only interested in popular brands because they are easier to find custom software/roms for.

Thanks anyways.

[majithia23]

The Xperia Z is a very appealing buy . On a complete package scale . ( Water proofing , Screen is good , Fast and fluidic and its good to hold ) .

But , will i buy it .

NO .

Sony has some concerns in the build quality wise .

I have never used a Sony smart phone . But i know people who use or used to use Sony and they did have some issues .

In clear terms - Its not as sturdy as the Samsung and the HTC .

Secondly , the after sales service department .

Samsung here in India is a master in the after sales department . Very good and efficient .

And Sony again has some issues in the after sales dept too . Not that good in India .

Enter Samsung . I have been using Samsung from quite some time now . Nexus > S2 > Note 2 ( now ) .

Frankly speaking , the devices are very well worth and solid products . Spend money , forget it !

Now , the new S4 is a very capable device , but only thing i dont understand , is why doesnt Samsung improvise on the visual candy of the device .

I mean , you are releasing your "Flagship" instrument , but unfortunately it bears starkingly much similar resemblance to its predecessors !

I am paying my leg and arm to buy some expensive toy and i would want to people to realize it from a distant that yes i did indeed payed with an arm and leg ! :P

HTC scores in this segment . But hell they even want the buyer's Kidney too along with his leg and arm !

[DKT27]

I would still try to dry it, put in rise bag, etc. :P I know, the everything would have been damaged.

I would still go for S4. One, it's Samsung, two AMOLED feels better than TFT to me (this is LCD and this is AMOLED), three Gorilla Glass, four better processor, etc. The only reason I personally won't buy S4, is that it has no radio.

I am still confused, until Xperia Z came with, everyone was anti-Sony, suddenly, with the water resistant thingy, everyone is considering it the king.

Three things:

1. Xperia ZL has no water resistance.
2. Open Xperia Z's power plug button or other buttons' cover, then drop it in water, forget the phone forever.
3. Samsung is going to release a water proof S4 themselves.

[Tweety.Abd]

I am still confused, until Xperia Z came with, everyone was anti-Sony, suddenly, with the water resistant thingy, everyone is considering it the king.

Sony is indeed the king, but not for the reasons you've mentioned or thought of. Sure the IP57 feature did help the device gain popularity, but its not the only or the prime reason. Developer friendliness is what's responsible for Sony's recent surge in popularity. No other manufacturer is as appreciative of the Android developers as Sony. Besides the phone's gorgeous and coupled with equally gorgeous UI. Sony has the best stock UI IMO.

[chlorophyll]

ROOTING SONY phones is really HEADACHE whereas its DEAD EASY with SAMSUNG.n that too SONY release their devices now a days with NON REMOVABLE BATTERIES from the device.guess y??

s u r right after atleast one yr u have to throw the mobile wen the battery worn out completely n take other mobile perhaps acc to them AGAIN A NEW SONY HANDSET..too ridiculous isnt it

n very imp is sony wont care about UPDATING FIRMWARES.most of the sony firmwares ARE BUGGY.....VERY BAD

already i was a sony victim.now using samsung s2 ..TRULY HAPPY with SAMSUNG.

y cant u try other brands also if price bother u much ..?

[DKT27]

I am still confused, until Xperia Z came with, everyone was anti-Sony, suddenly, with the water resistant thingy, everyone is considering it the king.

Sony is indeed the king, but not for the reasons you've mentioned or thought of. Sure the IP57 feature did help the device gain popularity, but its not the only or the prime reason. Developer friendliness is what's responsible for Sony's recent surge in popularity. No other manufacturer is as appreciative of the Android developers as Sony. Besides the phone's gorgeous and coupled with equally gorgeous UI. Sony has the best stock UI IMO.

I am looking at the consumer point of view. But I guess you are correct about the looks.

Still, I liked the Xperia series from the start (not for myself, but generally) and only now do I see consumers being interested in it.

ROOTING SONY phones is really HEADACHE whereas its DEAD EASY with SAMSUNG.n that too SONY release their devices now a days with NON REMOVABLE BATTERIES from the device.guess y??

s u r right after atleast one yr u have to throw the mobile wen the battery worn out completely n take other mobile perhaps acc to them AGAIN A NEW SONY HANDSET..too ridiculous isnt it

n very imp is sony wont care about UPDATING FIRMWARES.most of the sony firmwares ARE BUGGY.....VERY BAD

already i was a sony victim.now using samsung s2 ..TRULY HAPPY with SAMSUNG.

y cant u try other brands also if price bother u much ..?

Lot of phones come with non-removable batteries, like my One V for example. I believe the service centers can replace them easily.

[nIGHT]

I would still try to dry it, put in rise bag, etc. :P I know, the everything would have been damaged.

I would still go for S4. One, it's Samsung, two AMOLED feels better than TFT to me (this is LCD and this is AMOLED), three Gorilla Glass, four better processor, etc. The only reason I personally won't buy S4, is that it has no radio.

I am still confused, until Xperia Z came with, everyone was anti-Sony, suddenly, with the water resistant thingy, everyone is considering it the king.

Three things:

1. Xperia ZL has no water resistance.
2. Open Xperia Z's power plug button or other buttons' cover, then drop it in water, forget the phone forever.
3. Samsung is going to release a water proof S4 themselves.

DKT27 is right. Here is the link to that news. Waterproof Galaxy S 4 coming soon

That is if you can wait til then and it has the same specs as the samsung galaxy s4.

My GF who used to be a samsung fan til she used my old rooted xperia CM10.1.

But, samsung started to take my liking while I used her phone. Quite odd! haha!

Well, in terms of hardware specs xperia was much better than samsung at that time.

ROOTING SONY phones is really HEADACHE whereas its DEAD EASY with SAMSUNG.n that too SONY release their devices now a days with NON REMOVABLE BATTERIES from the device.guess y??

s u r right after atleast one yr u have to throw the mobile wen the battery worn out completely n take other mobile perhaps acc to them AGAIN A NEW SONY HANDSET..too ridiculous isnt it

n very imp is sony wont care about UPDATING FIRMWARES.most of the sony firmwares ARE BUGGY.....VERY BAD

already i was a sony victim.now using samsung s2 ..TRULY HAPPY with SAMSUNG.

y cant u try other brands also if price bother u much ..?

Sony did suck bigtime in customer service and repair. Giving each customers a hard time replacing their damage phone even still under 2 years warranty. While samsung immediately replaced it with a new one! haha!

ravisoorya is definitely right.

Many people got angry on how sony failed to deliver their promises. I'll rather wait to samsungs' water proof version.

but if you buy sony now and later on go with what we have went on with them then we will be happy to welcome you soon "a sony hater". ;)

edit:

People change and as might as well as the way companies treat their customers change, in time.

You better research the after sales treatment you will be getting with them.

[RadioActive]

Why is everyone keep comparing the Xperia Z to the S4 and the One? I already know that the later ones are better and I already stated that I am a Samsung fan.

I'm not confused or undecided between those three, I've have no interest in the One or the S4 at all no matter how good they are. The One is extremely overpriced and I don't need the S4. And I don't intend to wait for the water-proof version of the S4 because it will take too long and will most likely be quite expensive (the S4 isn't exactly cheap).

I'm looking for opinions on the Xperia Z itself and its pros and cons. I never used to pay attention for the water resistance before, I didn't consider it a necessity but since I lost a brand new phone due to water damage, things have changed. Regardless of how unlikely for that to occur again, I don't wanna take my chances.

From my point-of-view, the Xperia Z seems like a decent package, am I mistaken? I realize the after-sales issue is important but there's nothing I can do about that.

Ok, there's one more option I am considering as an alternative, which is a Galaxy S III combined with something like the

. The S III remains one of my favorite phones and its significantly cheaper than the others. The only problem with this idea is actually finding the OBEX here (I'm not in the US) and even if I manage to find it, it would most likely be quite expensive. Still, it seems like an idea worth considering...

[johndoe]

xperia z is made of glass, front and back, so if it falls (a lot) then you might have problems. personally, i don't see the point of making a phone water and dust resistant and than making it out of glass... :wtf:

oh and by the way, i just recommended samsung galaxy note 2 to somebody only last night because they wanted a lot of battery life and the battery life on the note 2 is mindblowing!!! (compared to other smartphones of course ;) )

[Ramjade]

My take on the xperia series,

My friend have been using xperia mini (not sure which version) for like 3 years. His battery last longer than mine. HIs phone was accidentally thrown against the wall and everything fell out. The cover, battery and etc. He put those parts back and it is still functioning. Next That phone of his also fell into the water before and it survive (remember, it is not waterproof)

On to xperia z, if you look at the drop test for xperia z on youtube (MWC event), you will be impress how hard it is. Although the only thing bad is the screen. Sony products, the price drops fast.

On to samsung, my friend was using S3, frequently charges with a powerbank, and now it is damage.

[johndoe]

i have an xperia mini myself, absolutely love it. there's so many independent developers working on it, it's just awesome! battery won't go for more than a day though

regarding the S3, friend owns one, great phone plus with a custom kernel and proper tweaking he gets great battery life out of it, so basically everybody's experience varies

[nIGHT]

Why is it that the xperia z's display phone is dipped 3/4 of the phone only, not the whole phone is dipped in the more than a foot display glass case?

And, the upper top part of the phone is not wet and not dipped in the water.

I just noticed that in all the sony showcase room in all the malls in our area. Quite weird!

Maybe the phone will not survived a whole day dipped in water if the top part is also dipped in the water.

Just curious :unsure:

[RadioActive]

Why is it that the xperia z's display phone is dipped 3/4 of the phone only, not the whole phone is dipped in the more than a foot display glass case?

And, the upper top part of the phone is not wet and not dipped in the water.

I just noticed that in all the sony showcase room in all the malls in our area. Quite weird!

Maybe the phone will not survived a whole day dipped in water if the top part is also dipped in the water.

Just curious :unsure:

AFAIK it's certified to to last 30mins while being submerged in water up to a depth of 1m.

[Alanon]

Can't speak for smart-phones, but I had a similar experience. Disclaimer - a Sony fan here, Samsung beware. xD After my phone was somehow damaged by humidity, I replaced it with a SE that was waterproof. A beauty it was, it was sturdy, etc. but in the end wouldn't do it for me. Didn't have the features I needed (large storage and good music). So I ended up using an even older SE model which had those features.

I'm saying, just test it out in your mind. If you know you won't be using this and that on the S4, you don't need it. Likewise, it your most prominent feature of the S4 is missing in the Z, you know what to do. On another note, I think that the S4 is waaaaay too much money to pay for a device that you will probably change in two years' time (it's 6-700 euros here. :s). Having said that, nothing beats fiddling with a phone. xD I've held a few Xperias, they are mostly mediocre in build quality, but great looking. Samsung is just plain ugly, and plastic all the way. Motorola Milestone 1 &2 were all metal, and remain the most beautiful smart-phones to date. But that's just me. Hope this non-cohrerent text was of some help. xD

[RadioActive]

Thanks guys, I've decided to go for the Xperia Z after all. Hopefully I can get a good deal on something slightly used or something like that.

[Alanon]

Thanks guys, I've decided to go for the Xperia Z after all. Hopefully I can get a good deal on something slightly used or something like that.

Slightly used is a great method of buying tech! But make sure you have some time left in warranty, just in case.

Oh and, welcome to the Sony club! :tooth: