Sony Goes Camera Crazy With Snapdragon 820-Fueled Xperia XZ And Xperia X Compact
It's become somewhat standard procedure for smartphone makers to release two standout handsets with each new generation. They're typically separated primarily by size—different strokes for different folks—and a spattering of features. Such is the case with Sony and its new Xperia ZX and Xperia X Compact, the former touting a 5.2-inch Full HD 1080p display (1920x1080) and the latter with a 4.6-inch HD 720p (1280x720) screen.
The Xperia XZ is the beefier device of the two. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage in the single SIM version and 64GB in the dual-SIM model (both upgradeable via microSD), USB Type-C port, and 2,900 mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology. Android 6.0 Marshmallow ships with the device, though with any luck, Sony will have an upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat before long.
Its little sibling, the Xperia X Compact, sports a similar feature-set (it's only available in a single-SIM version) but with a Snapdragon 650 SoC and slightly less capacious 2,700 mAh battery.
Core engine aside, what really drives these phones is the camera. Sony's focus is clearly on photography.
"Oozing camera excellence using Sony’s heritage in camera technology and in collaboration with our digital imaging engineers, the new models feature one of the most advanced cameras in a smartphone. Maximising Sony’s acclaimed image sensor, two additional assisting sensors have been added to become Sony’s triple image sensing technology. This allows you to capture beautiful images in motion with true to life colors in virtually any conditions," Sony says.
The Xperia XZ sports a 13-megapixl front camera with a 22mm/90-degree wide angle lens and up to ISO 6400 for high-quality selfies, and a generously sized 23-megapixel rear camera with triple imaging sensing technology, predictive hybrid autofocus, and up to ISO 12800 for superior low-light performance.
The Xperia X Compact features the same rear camera paired with a 5-megapixel front shooter, also with a 22mm wide-angle lens and up to ISO 6400.
Sony says the Xperia X Compact will be available in the U.S. on September 25 followed by the Xperia XZ landing stateside on October 23. No word yet on pricing.
The Xperia XZ is the beefier device of the two. It has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage in the single SIM version and 64GB in the dual-SIM model (both upgradeable via microSD), USB Type-C port, and 2,900 mAh battery with Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology. Android 6.0 Marshmallow ships with the device, though with any luck, Sony will have an upgrade to Android 7.0 Nougat before long.
Its little sibling, the Xperia X Compact, sports a similar feature-set (it's only available in a single-SIM version) but with a Snapdragon 650 SoC and slightly less capacious 2,700 mAh battery.
Core engine aside, what really drives these phones is the camera. Sony's focus is clearly on photography.
"Oozing camera excellence using Sony’s heritage in camera technology and in collaboration with our digital imaging engineers, the new models feature one of the most advanced cameras in a smartphone. Maximising Sony’s acclaimed image sensor, two additional assisting sensors have been added to become Sony’s triple image sensing technology. This allows you to capture beautiful images in motion with true to life colors in virtually any conditions," Sony says.
The Xperia XZ sports a 13-megapixl front camera with a 22mm/90-degree wide angle lens and up to ISO 6400 for high-quality selfies, and a generously sized 23-megapixel rear camera with triple imaging sensing technology, predictive hybrid autofocus, and up to ISO 12800 for superior low-light performance.
The Xperia X Compact features the same rear camera paired with a 5-megapixel front shooter, also with a 22mm wide-angle lens and up to ISO 6400.
Sony says the Xperia X Compact will be available in the U.S. on September 25 followed by the Xperia XZ landing stateside on October 23. No word yet on pricing.
