Sony Xperia Z3: Third time’s the charm

The Xperia Z3 remains one of the most gorgeous and well-designed smartphone ever made.

It took Sony about 7 months to release a new successor to their Xperia Z2 smartphone. The Z2 was announced in Barcelona in February then the Z3 was announced during IFA in Berlin last September.

That’s close to six months between the two of them, the shortest time we’ve seen a flagship handset being replaced by a newer and better

one. It’s an impressive feat but something that’s also risky for the brand to overshadow its own hero product.

Nevertheless, the Xperia Z3 managed to introduce significant improvements over its predecessor.

If the Z and the Z2 did have any significant difference in terms of design and build, the Xperia Z3 introduced a few more improvements.

First is the sleeker design and form factor. The Z3 is still slightly thinner and narrower compared to the Z2. The Z3 has smooth, curved sides while the Z2 has chambered edges.

It’s got game: The great hardware, impressive performance, connectivity with other Sony devices and appliances are all packed in a sleek, weatherproof, glass sandwich body.

Second is the faster processor. While the Xperia Z2 and the Z3 both use a Snapdragon 801 chip, the latter has a slightly faster processor at 2.5GHz compared to the 2.3GHz of the Z2. Both handsets have a generous 3GB of RAM.

The display on the Z3 has better contrast and visibility under direct sunlight. Both have the same display size at 5.2 inches but the Z3 has a higher screen-to-body ratio, narrower bezels in a slightly compact body. The Z3 also uses a nano-SIM instead of the micro-SIM to make for a little more space.

What is surprising, though, is that the Xperia Z3 has a lower battery capacity, at 3100mAh, compared to the Z2 which has a 3200mAh. However, Sony claims they’ve made a number of optimizations in the Z3 that allow it to have a longer battery life despite the discrepancy.

Perhaps the most interesting of all features introduced with the Z3 is Remote Play. Sony’s PlayStation 4 console has the ability to wirelessly stream games to other Sony devices like the PS Vita and PlayStation TV. The Xperia Z3, along with the Z3 Compact and Z3 Tablet, also supports Remote Play. Just attach it to a Game Control Mount and you’re playing your favorite console games on the smartphone.

Sony continues to make waterproof and rustproof smartphones. They were actually the ones who popularized this feature in the market, starting with the first Xperia Z.

However, the introduction of the Xperia Z3 less than a year after the Z2 could be perceived as an adjustment rather than a true upgrade. The improvements made by Sony on the Z3 are not that significant but, nevertheless, laudable. Not that there was something wrong with the Z2 but the Z3 made it a bit better for a 2014 flagship.

The Xperia Z3 remains one of the most gorgeous and well-designed smartphones ever made. The great hardware, impressive performance, connectivity with other Sony devices and appliances are all packed in a sleek, weather-proof, glass sandwich body. One can no longer ask for anything more.

The Sony Xperia Z3 has a suggested retail price of P36,990 and comes in four colors – white, black, green, and copper. Smart is also offering the handset for free if you apply for Data Plan 2000.