Is the Sony Xperia Z3 better than the Xperia Z2?

We haven’t even gotten over the Sony Xperia Z2 and Sony already has the Xperia Z3 out. This phone will come as a ‘family’, having a phablet, tablet and compact version.

So what does this Sony Xperia Z3 have to offer? Yes we know the Xperia range has been waterproof, this one too, for 30 minutes up to 1.5 metres. That should be enough to time take a lot of selfies under-water. Just make sure all your ports are covered before you take that dive.

Camera: The Sony Xperia Z3 will have a 20.7 MP just like its predecessor the Z2, and a 2.2 MP front camera. However, the Z3’s camera with autofocus, but keeps the same specs as the Z2, having 5248 х 3936 pixels and an LED flash. The Z3 also has other new features, like ‘multi-camera’ which allows you to connect wirelessly to two other cameras and then you can take a picture from 3 different angles. Unfortunately, this feature only works with other Z3 or Z3 Compact smartphones. There is also a ‘face-in’ feature that helps you take a selfie using your rear camera by focusing on your face.

CPU and Processor: The Z3 has a quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 processor, making it faster than the 2.3 GHz processor of the same type in the Z2. Both phones run on the Android 4.4 (KitKat) operating system and are LTE enabled.

Battery: The Z3 has a 3100mAH battery, smaller than the Z2’s 3200mAH, which is disappointing seeing as they are marketing the hell out of their battery! Granted, it will last you a longer time than most smartphones out there in the same period of time but we’d have liked to see an upgrade or maintenance of the battery size.

Display: The screen of the Sony Xperia Z2 has an IPS LCD capacitive shatter-proof touchscreen, just like it’s little brother the Z2. The presence of an IPS panel allows you to view you screen better from different angles. It also has brightness levels that enable you see what’s on your screen in bright lit areas, like out in the sunlight.

Gaming:  The most interesting feature should be the gaming integration called PS4 Remote Play that the Z3 has. You can connect it to your PS4 and play games wirelessly from your Z3. No need to pause incase you have to go to the bathroom, or something. This feature will be functional on the entire Z3 family starting in November but note that some games may not work with PS4 Remote Play.

Dimensions: The Z3 has a slightly thinner body than the Z2 and is even lighter at 152g compared to the Z2’s 163g. However the Sony Xperia Z3 is quite smoother and curvier  than the Z2 making a grip on it less firm than the Z2.

Price: Sony has it listed for pre-order at  £549 (approx. K5, 571), which will cost more to ship into Zambia.

Should you get it? 

If you just want the Remote Play feature and the new camera features, otherwise your Z2 is still good for now. The price is also a bit too high for a phone that really has not brought anything out of this world.

Image credits: Sony Fanatic, PC Advisor