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[Q] Xperia Z3 or HTC one M8 (need opinion)

hi, as the title says, im currently looking for a new phone, but im still confused, which one is better, the sony Xperia Z3 or the HTC one M8. Maybe you guys can give your opinions here and help me decide which one is better
thanks

azirr said:
hi, as the title says, im currently looking for a new phone, but im still confused, which one is better, the sony Xperia Z3 or the HTC one M8. Maybe you guys can give your opinions here and help me decide which one is better
thanks
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Before this gets locked, i'd say, I preferred my M8. Speakers, build quality, camera and screen. Z3 is waterproof though, and a nice shape.

azirr said:
hi, as the title says, im currently looking for a new phone, but im still confused, which one is better, the sony Xperia Z3 or the HTC one M8. Maybe you guys can give your opinions here and help me decide which one is better
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've used the m8 for about 3 months and the Z3 for maybe 3 weeks now and while they are close I'd have to say the Z3 is the better phone in many areas. The camera is no contest, the phone is just as snappy and the UI is great. The m8 has better speakers but the Z3 for most purposes is just as good. The battery life is much better on the Z3 and in my opinion the screen is a lot nicer and that extra real estate though not that much on paper is certainly noticeable. I love the camera shutter button and don't miss the IR from the m8 since I have no problem reaching for the remote control one foot away from me. The sound is louder through headphones on the m8 which is my only gripe really. Both feel very premium, I wouldn't rate one over the other, they're just two different types of premium (metal vs glass). The glass feels great, though the m8 is more comfortable to hold, but when the phones are past a certain threshold for size I think comfort in hand is all relatively the same anyways, aka I have no problems handling this phone and didn't think the m8 was significantly better other than mild comfort from the curve. That's about it, if I had to recommend to any friends I would hands down tell them they're getting better bang for the buck with the Z3 especially after the ps4 screen share update arrives. If you have any other comparison questions just ask away!

Jonathan-H said:
Before this gets locked, i'd say, I preferred my M8. Speakers, build quality, camera and screen. Z3 is waterproof though, and a nice shape.
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oh sorry, i just found out the device suggestion thread. thanks for your suggestion btw!

ladelfm said:
I've used the m8 for about 3 months and the Z3 for maybe 3 weeks now and while they are close I'd have to say the Z3 is the better phone in many areas. The camera is no contest, the phone is just as snappy and the UI is great. The m8 has better speakers but the Z3 for most purposes is just as good. The battery life is much better on the Z3 and in my opinion the screen is a lot nicer and that extra real estate though not that much on paper is certainly noticeable. I love the camera shutter button and don't miss the IR from the m8 since I have no problem reaching for the remote control one foot away from me. The sound is louder through headphones on the m8 which is my only gripe really. Both feel very premium, I wouldn't rate one over the other, they're just two different types of premium (metal vs glass). The glass feels great, though the m8 is more comfortable to hold, but when the phones are past a certain threshold for size I think comfort in hand is all relatively the same anyways, aka I have no problems handling this phone and didn't think the m8 was significantly better other than mild comfort from the curve. That's about it, if I had to recommend to any friends I would hands down tell them they're getting better bang for the buck with the Z3 especially after the ps4 screen share update arrives. If you have any other comparison questions just ask away!
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thank you for your very informative suggestion, im more leaning to z3 now after reading your sugestion! do you know what earphone around below 50$ that suits with the z3? since the bundled earphone is just sucks from what i heard.

While I don't own a m8 my cousin does but I do own a Z3 for a week now and apart from the louder/bassier stereo speakers (Z3 is still good enough) and the louder audio in headphones on the m8 (again Z3 is still good enough especially when using DSEE HX and the noise cancelling headphones and also has better Equalizer presets).
The Z3 is the better phone imo especially for camera/video, battery life, screen, look/feel/design is subjective but I much prefer the Z3 in this department and it is waterproof too and that has come handy in the last week alone.

I'd agree on getting the Z3 (although this is the Sony thread). Both are well built and have quality screens, but I prefer the larger battery and camera over the M8's. Although the speakers could be better, I believe there was a mod called DSEE HX that amplifies the speakers on the Z3. Overall, it relies on what your needs are. They both look good so you wouldn't lose either way. As this is based on opinions, I'd go for the Z3 because it is the newer model and its design is so sleek. Sense is pretty, but I'm all about Sony's stock look and feel. If those don't really matter to you, I guess you would decide whether or not you take more pictures or listen to more music.

RCJ89 said:
While I don't own a m8 my cousin does but I do own a Z3 for a week now and apart from the louder/bassier stereo speakers (Z3 is still good enough) and the louder audio in headphones on the m8 (again Z3 is still good enough especially when using DSEE HX and the noise cancelling headphones and also has better Equalizer presets).
The Z3 is the better phone imo especially for camera/video, battery life, screen, look/feel/design is subjective but I much prefer the Z3 in this department and it is waterproof too and that has come handy in the last week alone.
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Richie5767 said:
I'd agree on getting the Z3 (although this is the Sony thread). Both are well built and have quality screens, but I prefer the larger battery and camera over the M8's. Although the speakers could be better, I believe there was a mod called DSEE HX that amplifies the speakers on the Z3. Overall, it relies on what your needs are. They both look good so you wouldn't lose either way. As this is based on opinions, I'd go for the Z3 because it is the newer model and its design is so sleek. Sense is pretty, but I'm all about Sony's stock look and feel. If those don't really matter to you, I guess you would decide whether or not you take more pictures or listen to more music.
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thanks for your opinion guys! i think i have made up my decision now

What did you decide? I'm trying to decide if the z3 camera and battery life are enough of an improvement from my m8 to switch. I generally love the m8, but I HATE the camera. All my pictures are washed out with tons of glare from any light source.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

I just trade up my Htc m8 for the sony Z3 by using my T-mobile jump program.. I am really luving this phone man ?.I love how you really have alot of options..my biggest worry is dropping the phone and breaking the glass front or back...i really do not like covers on my phone..i think it take the beauty out of them..beside i pay
the extra $10 a month issuance ?
Sent from my Sony xperia Z3 using XDA Free mobile app

This thread had helped me make my decision to grab a Z3 today. I was on the fence in using Jump! to switch from my M8. I'll be going to T-Mo during lunch. Thanks to everyone for the input here.

I had an m8, I switched it for the z3 and I did everything I could to get it back again. Android development for z3 hasn't even begin, speaker quality is bad, the ui feels outdated and less responsive, camera besides x reality treatment in viewing is slow and inconsistent, the price is too high. Get an m8 which is superior in almost every aspect (m8's camera is mediocre too) or a z2 which is much cheaper and offers almost the same.

morfini said:
I had an m8, I switched it for the z3 and I did everything I could to get it back again. Android development for z3 hasn't even begin, speaker quality is bad, the ui feels outdated and less responsive, camera besides x reality treatment in viewing is slow and inconsistent, the price is too high. Get an m8 which is superior in almost every aspect (m8's camera is mediocre too) or a z2 which is much cheaper and offers almost the same.
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You don't think the camera is much better? It seems like it wouldn't take much to beat the m8 there.
I wish I could try it out and get my m8 back if I didn't like it. Tmobile doesn't allow that though.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

Had M8 and now have Z3. Both are great phones. Camera isn't that bad on the M8. Especially if you just use it for social media.
Things I miss on the M8 are the IR Blaster and Blinkfeed.
Things I don't miss on the M8 are the power button on the top of the phone and the inability to swipe or double tap screen to unlock while sitting on a flat surface. You have to move the phone or it has to be in your hand on the M8. Z3 does not require that. Also, the curved back makes it rock if you wanna use the phone on a hard surface.
They both feel very comfortably to hold. Although the M8 was a bit slippery when it was brand new. Both have great speakers, and screen. Build quality is equal to me but the Z3 is a bit lighter so the M8 has little more of a solid feel in your hand.
Oh, and one of the most important thing. The battery life is a lot better on the Z3. After the first charge, I got over 6.5 hours of screen time. I expect it to get better after a few more charges. Most I could get out of the M8 was barely 5 hours.

There are tips in m8' s topic which make its camera decent even for printing photos.. It can even get better than z3's in some aspects in my opininion. Z3 has indeed better battery life, and x reality engine can make colours pop out from the screen, if you like such an effect. That's it for me, everything else is better on m8. And keep in mind that z2 is now much cheaper.

Erckul said:
This thread had helped me make my decision to grab a Z3 today. I was on the fence in using Jump! to switch from my M8. I'll be going to T-Mo during lunch. Thanks to everyone for the input here.
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If you go to buy, ask to test the device first, they will open the packaging for it.
Look for the following:
-Frame being bent outward or toward LCD <- Mine had that
-Light bleed between frame and LCD <- Mine had that
-Pink spots in camera <- Mine had that (barely noticeable but diffuse)
-Pressure test to ensure, water tightness
-Test speakers as some are getting major stereo mismatch in loudness.
I unfortunately, could not test, and since I preordered, I cannot exchange in store had to mail mine back.

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azirr said:
hi, as the title says, im currently looking for a new phone, but im still confused, which one is better, the sony Xperia Z3 or the HTC one M8. Maybe you guys can give your opinions here and help me decide which one is better
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
when you ask about Z3 in z3 forum it means more will vote for z3
1 important thing i can say about Xperia devices is durability
beside this there is more ram and awesome camera and better design
:good:

definitely z3 for me. the last time i had a htc one m7, it died on me after just barely after a year. i was also having a lot of software issues with it. purple tint, battery depleting fast and auto shut down. that was my last htc phone.
z3 got my attention with the battery life.

thanks for all of your opinions guys!! helped me alot. im going for the z3 but its not available yet in my country, so i have to wait for a couple more weeks to have it

I have both a Z3 D6603 and a HTC M8 Developer Edition. I really like the UI on the Sony a lot. Its a tough choice. The Copper color Z3 is awesome and a nice change from the gold devices by all the rest.
I do like the extra battery, more ram, and x-reality on the Z3, however; I can convert my m8 to a GPE and get Android L much quicker than we will get it on the Z3. By the time the Z3 gets Android L, then HTC will launch it as well (both promise within 90 days of release) and I can throw that on my m8.
I am more concerned with the lack of development on the Z3 and Sony's DRM Bootloader crap. I know the device was just released but so has a boat load of other devices and which ones with ultimately get the Dev Love ?

To get the Z5 or not??

So what do people think? I can upgrade my phone next week, currently on a nexus 5. Is the Z5 actually worth getting? (seems to be a lot of negative feedback about) or I'm thinking maybe the Nexus 5X (but the Z5 outspecs it in every way.... BUT... It's a nexus, it will be stupidly fast at all times)
Or what else if anything currently?
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Hey,
I currently own an iPhone 5S and I was looking forward to change to Android for a few months now.
Today my contract ended and I finally wanted to get a new phone so in the last two weeks I was searching the right phone for me almost everyday for a few hours. Reading reviews, looking at xda and so on.
Yesterday I ordered the Z5.
At first I was looking at the G4, reviews say it has a really really good camera, it got an SD slot for up to 1 TB and a replaceable battery. Almost anything I wanted, the only thing missing was the fingerprint reader.
Then I checked for the developer community and saw/read that it's not really popular with developers which is a huge negative for me.
Then I read about the touchscreen problems it has and I was looking for something else at first.
I was hoping for the 5X or the 6P to be great phones but without an SD slot and the small storage (16GB at minimum price) as well as the high price (in Germany) I discarded the idea.
I was looking at the S6 then and realized it is a great phone, but again - no SD card (which makes it way pricier than one with an SD card as you want enough storage to not run out) - and the Exynos CPU scares some developers (at least I read that).
After checking the S5 (yes, a bit older) It was my favorite at first but I got the chance to reduce the price of the Z5.
The S5 has expandable storage, replaceable battery, great screen, good camera and a fingerprint reader.
The fingerprint reader is not the best, the design is not as great as on other phones (but that's really not important to me) and it has useless stuff like a heart rate sensor.
But if the Z5 is bad I will get the S5.
Why an older phone? You don't need really need the processing power for most stuff you do, when calling, taking photos, messaging or browsing you dont need an octa-core. Things like storage (for photos and videos you take (especially when you can record 4K)) and battery life are important to me. The fingerprint reader is not necessary but a nice to have when unlocking your phone 100 times a day.
So why the Z5?
Well, it got 32GB, an SD slot, a fingerprint reader, a good CPU, pretty good battery life and a nice camera and It will most likely get a nice developer community.
If I experience problems with it that don't justify the 560€ I paid I will return it and get another phone. But when looking at the whole package I think it's the best for me.
I hope I could help you with describing my way of choosing the phone!
Have fun looking around and I hope it doesn't take you 2 weeks to find the right phone like it took me... :laugh:
Greetings,
Daniel

Had a Z1, Z2, Z3 and now Z5. Also had a Xiaomi Mi4, Redmi Note 4G, HTC M9 and a ZTE Axon. I would recommend this phone, you won't be disappointed especially coming from Nexus 5 (Had one of these also but only briefly before digitizer went). Z5 is tops in everything compared to devices on this list with two exceptions. M9 exterior speakers are better and Axon audio through headphones is better. Guess you could argue build quality as well since M9 and Axon are metal but the Z5 is built well, water/dust resistant but glass everywhere so no drops

Yea i definitely need to find a box type rugged case if I get one!
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

Depends what you want from a phone. The thing is negative reviews always outshine positive and more people write about issues they have had. (most could be user error)
My decision to get this was the fingerprint reader which works very well. Having Sony phones for so long I also couldn't see myself with anything else. The Sony launcher in my opinion is the best but I have used it for so long now it would be hard to switch to anything else.
Usually you get time to return bought items if not satisfied that would give you the chance to see for yourself
I would definitely recommend it anyhow and have not encountered many issues.
Sent from my SGP771 using Tapatalk

compare to Z3 Can you update us with
1- Battery life
2- Heat problem
3- sound qulity from the speaker like playing videos from youtube or whatsapp
compare the sound VS Z3 and Let us know please

entra6 said:
compare to Z3 Can you update us with
1- Battery life
2- Heat problem
3- sound qulity from the speaker like playing videos from youtube or whatsapp
compare the sound VS Z3 and Let us know please
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Just streamed a two hour movie and dropped 22%. Only had the phone five days so not sure the battery is fully calibrated yet.
2. No problem with heat while streaming but have not tested extensive gaming or video recording.
3. Speakers are noticeably louder than Z3 but still do not approach HTC M7 or even M9 levels. Headphone audio is also louder than Z3.

augie7107 said:
1. Just streamed a two hour movie and dropped 22%. Only had the phone five days so not sure the battery is fully calibrated yet.
2. No problem with heat while streaming but have not tested extensive gaming or video recording.
3. Speakers are noticeably louder than Z3 but still do not approach HTC M7 or even M9 levels. Headphone audio is also louder than Z3.
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Click to collapse
Seems all the S810 based devices have battery issues even on standby. HTC and Sony both have regressed significantly in battery life with the Z3+/M9. Keep us posted, I was wondering if this one improved back to the Z3 levels or not. I saw a speaker comparison test don't remember where but the M9 and Z3 topped the Z5 not by too much though in terms of clarity, the Nexus 6 was last.

[Q] is getting the z3 now in the almost ending 2015 a good idea?

I'm considering in purchasing a xperia z3 D6603. I will be coming from the new 2015 moto x pure which I can't put my finger on it but something about the phone I don't like. I know the mot x pure is a brand new phone with brand new specs so why would i downgrade to an older device? I've always sparked interest in the Sony line of devices. The z5 is just way to expensive for me. I'm still in the 14 day return period for the moto x pure and thinking of returning it and ordering a xperia z3. Does the z3 already have 5.1.1 lollipop ota? And which varient of the z3 is the more supported version?. I'm from the u.s but looking in the android dev thread it looks like the D6603 is the more supported version.
Any thoughts and issues with the device?
Thanks in advance

I think you should
It's an awesome piece of device. I bought mine 6 months ago knowing that there will be newer flagships such as the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge or the upcoming Sony Xperia Z5 and so on. Despite the newer flagships on the market, I still consider this unit at top notch. Sure it has no fingerprint sensor like the 2 that I mentioned, but nonetheless, it's a handsome piece of device. As for the OTA update, I'm not quite sure if it is available there in the US.. But I'm pretty sure with PC Companion, you can update yours easily. Not to mention that the upcoming Android Marshmallow or Android M for Sony will be released before the year ends. Just watch out for dead pixels; those are the common defects I read about on the internet.

I just bought my Z3 a few days ago... My G4 screen died and I decided to get an older device. Like you I had the same issue with the G4... Great device but there was just something about it I just cant get away with, i think it mightve been the clunky interface or the whole G4 package just seemed to much.. Im not sure.
However, Im happy with the Z3.. I also looked at the M9 as Im a bit of a Media lover, but for me the Camera on the M9 just hadnt improved enough to warrant the cash... Yes ok, the speakers on the M9 do give a richer fuller sound than the Z3, but the ones on the Z3 are not to be ignored. They can lack bass and mid-range, sounding a bit tinny at times, but for me it was... Great speakers, Awesome camera, great battery of the Z3 Or Amazing speakers, awful Camera and ok battery of the M9.. The Z3 won... plus I like alot of the Apps that come on the Z3, which save me having to download extra apps to waste more battery, such as:
A podcast App built strainght into the Walkman player
Google Newstand and Xperia lounge for news, music and a few interesting things.
Sony Video
A built-in FM Radio
and Love it oir Hate it... Sonys LifeLog.
The speakers are Loud but again can lack richness.
A great all round package... and even though its very square.. It looks quite cool as well and a nice dearture from all the Samsung sheep walking around.
Here in UK, we have LP 511, but just hope SONY survive with the Z5... Their mobile devision hangs in the balance here.
Z3 is a great device.. ide recommend it to anyone

I bought this phone 3 months ago, and it is an awesomely great looking phone with good specs... I except more from the camera, but the design is outstanding to me... You'll see what i mean when you have this phone, especially the copper colour. Multitasking is great, it is comfortable to hold, the speaker is awesome but sometimes it is a bit low, especially when watching on YouTube., it is fast, no stutter what so ever, except in lockscreen which is frequently stuttered (it is a new bug, haven't discovered this in 5.0.2), low light and outdoor camera is very good, it is very rigid to me, especially if you use tempered glass screen protector on both front and back, the battery is great,but the performance is a bit reduced since. 200 update and later..
Sent from my D6653 using XDA Free mobile app

I'm about to buy that phone next week. Is it still a problem with camera after rooting? I don't know much about it, that's why I'm asking.

Definitely worth it. Esp the price is low now. I have Z3, my brother the S6 and he is thinking of switching to a Z3 too. Mainly bec of the battery, waterproofness, SD Card slot, front speakers and practically everything else except maybe the screen amd fingerprint scanner. If fingerscanner is a must i advised him to get tge Z5, but the price is still quite high.
Sent from my D6653

I bought the xperia z3 a few days ago and i have no regrets. The battery, sleek UI and design is what makes this phone amazing and the community on the Z3 forums on xda are one of my favourites so far

Should I buy this phone?

Hi everyone! I have a Sony z3 and I'm really in love with Sony's devices.
I saw this phone but I have two questions :
1) it's possible to root it? Or there are problems with drm in the bootloader like on z3?
2) between this and the one plus 5 which one do you suggest? Which make the best photos and videos?
3) can you suggest me some good cover for this phone?
Inviato dal mio D6603 utilizzando Tapatalk

In a word, no. Not for the price. I never really have buyers regret but on this device I do. I wish i had just bought a HTC U11.
Positives
Good industrial design
Fingerprint scanner is great
Battery life is excellent
solid performance
Negatives
The camera in the day is great, not the best but not the worst. The camera in the evening is poor at best unless you have a tripod.
Obvious distortion issue on 95% of camera modules, people who say they don't I think are in denial, so that number is most likely 100%
The dual speakers are quiet and sound quality is also not the best.
The screen is great but the sub pixel arrangement means it is not as good as the HDR screen on the lower resolution G6 or S8.
The Headphone jack is great, but the volume is low. Having used the S8, iphone 7 and HTC U11, they are all much louder - Dongle or not.
The Frame of the phone is plastic and scratches very easily. My plastic case has scratched the sides already and I am very careful with my phones.
No MHL support, No figerprint support in USA, no wireless charging and althought the industrial design is good the screen to body ratio is poor.
I would save you money and buy a cheaper HTC U11 or One Plus 5.

All of which is publicly known for a long time now. All devices have pros and cons, the question is what your wiling to live with and what are you not able to do without.
Fact of the matter is this, whilst the camera is probably the most significant issue, pretty much everything else is just subjective ramblings of whoever your speaking too. Wireless charging? Wow but a deal breaker? I doubt it
Phone case a bit scratch prone? Who doesnt use cases on these phones these days.
Everything else except the camera is subjective, meaning some folk won't mind the audio, some will, some will not like the bezzle, some will.
Personally the u11 not having a jack is a deal breaker. Blooming stupid idea not having one given the cheapness of headphones. Sorry but if I've forgotten to bring my phones I'm not spending 25 quid on a new set, I'll be spending no more than a fiver from just about any shop on earth
The one plus 5 nice phone, but who's idea was it not to add a sd card slot?! And is got a comparatively low PPI.
And both of those have loaded with pish compared to the XZp relatively stock UI
Now that's not to say they are rubbish, you just need to work out what you want and what you can compromise with.
---------- Post added at 05:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:03 PM ----------
indecently, I got the XZp after a lot of deliberating.
And with the exception of the camera, I am happy with it.
Just hope they sort out the camera, not so much the wonky lines introduced by the lens, but by the overuse of sharpening, the camera is stunning as shown by the image on the screen but after processing, it certainly losses its flare, if someone is watching, if they wont change the processing, give us the option to shoot RAW and ill deal with it

If you are watching a lot of videos on Youtube, Netflix and Amazon Prime and you also transfer many movie files into your phone, then buy it and you will never regret it. But if you are not watching a lot of media content then wait for the XZ1.

I don't have any of above mentioned pro lens. And I am vary happy with the phone. Speakers are enough loud and the audio is perfect from the ear pads. No distortion at all.

dazza9075 said:
All of which is publicly known for a long time now. All devices have pros and cons, the question is what your wiling to live with and what are you not able to do without.
Fact of the matter is this, whilst the camera is probably the most significant issue, pretty much everything else is just subjective ramblings of whoever your speaking too. Wireless charging? Wow but a deal breaker? I doubt it
Phone case a bit scratch prone? Who doesnt use cases on these phones these days.
Everything else except the camera is subjective, meaning some folk won't mind the audio, some will, some will not like the bezzle, some will.
Personally the u11 not having a jack is a deal breaker. Blooming stupid idea not having one given the cheapness of headphones. Sorry but if I've forgotten to bring my phones I'm not spending 25 quid on a new set, I'll be spending no more than a fiver from just about any shop on earth
The one plus 5 nice phone, but who's idea was it not to add a sd card slot?! And is got a comparatively low PPI.
And both of those have loaded with pish compared to the XZp relatively stock UI
Now that's not to say they are rubbish, you just need to work out what you want and what you can compromise with.
---------- Post added at 05:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:03 PM ----------
indecently, I got the XZp after a lot of deliberating.
And with the exception of the camera, I am happy with it.
Just hope they sort out the camera, not so much the wonky lines introduced by the lens, but by the overuse of sharpening, the camera is stunning as shown by the image on the screen but after processing, it certainly losses its flare, if someone is watching, if they wont change the processing, give us the option to shoot RAW and ill deal with it
Click to expand...
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I haven't owned a phone with a memory card slot in about five years and haven't missed it

crom1 said:
I don't have any of above mentioned pro lens. And I am vary happy with the phone. Speakers are enough loud and the audio is perfect from the ear pads. No distortion at all.
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Click to collapse
Same for me

Super Chimp said:
I haven't owned a phone with a memory card slot in about five years and haven't missed it
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Na, my old dear doesn't either but the she's 65 an can barely turn the phone on. I on the other hand have a requirement for an expansion slot, not just for additional storage but for peace of mind, knowing that should my phone go to the great rubbish dump in the sky, its important data is kept safe and to hand where ever I might be.

The 1 second slow-mo is a joke. And the blocked FM radio tuner is also a slap in the face of every Sony customer out there. Not to mention the other blocked features.

If you tell me what cloud service I can use, I will upload some photos.

dazza9075 said:
Na, my old dear doesn't either but the she's 65 an can barely turn the phone on. I on the other hand have a requirement for an expansion slot, not just for additional storage but for peace of mind, knowing that should my phone go to the great rubbish dump in the sky, its important data is kept safe and to hand where ever I might be.
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Click to collapse
You ever heard of cloud storage grandpa.

Super Chimp said:
You ever heard of cloud storage grandpa.
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Yeah, its a wonderful service that, when you are connected to the internet, allows you to backup and stream data. The problem is moving 30GB of Data on to the cloud and downloading it takes a fair old toll on your Data plan unless you are connected to wifi and, shock horror, wifi isn't everywhere and even if it is, it can be A, Throttled, or B Data Limited which kinda sucks, it also takes a great deal of time.
What you are saying in a round about way is this, you don't actually need two legs these days, you can get away with a wheel chair in most places so actually, lets lob our legs off our new borns because they are clearly redundant. Ludicrous? yes but its the same with expansions slots, you don't NEED an expansion slot but having them can make life awfully simple.
Just the other day I decided to de-brand my XZp. Wiped the device and back up and running in a few min, all my work is exactly where I left it, all my photos are right there various other backups for a number of other apps plus music blar blar blar. all there, no fannying about having to download it all again
Disdrediting something as simple as a expansion slot is daft, yes not everyone needs them but if you do, its better to have and not need then need and not have. Same with the 3.5mm jack (which I notice my comment isn't being challenged as much on here) Do we need it? no, does it make life simple, yes.
---------- Post added at 12:30 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:24 PM ----------
oh one other thing, my kids are like 12, I sincerely hope I'm not a Grandpa, around my neck of the woods Pre-Teen parents are thankfully few and far between, but I realise in some other parts of the world its more common practice, so just for future reference, I'm Not a Grandparent.

We all know the hardware capability is there but it has been bottlenecked on purpose. MHL anyone?

XZ Premium is for those who like the most advanced tech in their phone like a 4k Display, dual speakers, 960 slow mo camera, etc...
But it's definitely not for "Common Stream Product Lovers" like Samsung or Apple fanboys. As much as the Hardware is awesome and Sony Quality, the Drivers are terrible. All complaints you will hear about the XZ premium are in fact Software based.
- Wide Angle Camera has Distortion? Really? This is completely normal and expected. But this pushes people to complain because Sony isn't as good as coding a proper software to counter balance the distortion.
- Sound? That's completely relative in so many levels. First, when you listen to HD audio, the speakers are awesome. The sound can't be cleaner and the level is just right. But 90% of apps and low quality media will not sound as good. Again, it's a software issue. For some reason, you open an APP and the sound is too Loud and sounds really bad. You open another and you hear nothing. And sometimes you hear some high quality sound and go "wtf? The speakers are that good so why all the other stuff sounds so terrible?". Again, Sony's Drivers. It's like they don't even care.
4K Display? Best Display ever. And even better for VR. Do not believe that complete BS that LCD is not good for VR etc... I have written a whole thread about it, and there I explain how this is BS. The first 8K VR headset uses an LCD display. So what's the problem then? Again no Support from Sony for nice 4K Content, (Except Youtube), and not even any APP. And no, there's no shadow effect whatsoever. What people complain about is in fact the 30 FPS blurriness because of stereoscopic settings. ( Stereoscopy can't have a constant setting in any distance. So if an item on the image moves fast, this will cause the 3D effect to get off because sterescopy can't work at the same level wherever you look in the display. That's why Samsung is in fact working on a VR which tracks your eyes so they can focus immediately where you look. This will help them to not only fix the 3D continuity but also lower the need for resources by lowering the resolution anywhere you're not actually looking). (and btw, If XZ premium would allow its processor to play 4K at 60 FPS, even this wouldn't be an issue). But of course, this is less detectable on Amoled displays. Oh, Amoled have this problem too. The Note 7 Gear VR gets also blurry as any other 3D rendering device. Even 3D movie theaters have this problem. Finally, a 4K LCD is like 100000000x way better than any 2K Amoled. The absence of the screen door effect alone is worth it. But again, Sony doesn't even advertise that. Cause they really don't care.
------- Bottom Line:
Dude. This is the BEST Phone you can get. Ever. The Note 8, iPhone 8, etc.. are all Complete BS next to this Phone....
BUT, once you buy it, you are left alone with it. Sony doesn't have your back like Samsung or Apple. So if you're not a Tech Enthousiast who takes time to tweak his phone, tweak Apps, etc.. Stay away from it.

Sony is simply the best and this phone is easily the best.
There's literally no other brand I can see myself buying since all have weird stuff going on.

nomailx said:
XZ Premium is for those who like the most advanced tech in their phone like a 4k Display, dual speakers, 960 slow mo camera, etc...
But it's definitely not for "Common Stream Product Lovers" like Samsung or Apple fanboys. As much as the Hardware is awesome and Sony Quality, the Drivers are terrible. All complaints you will hear about the XZ premium are in fact Software based.
- Wide Angle Camera has Distortion? Really? This is completely normal and expected. But this pushes people to complain because Sony isn't as good as coding a proper software to counter balance the distortion.
- Sound? That's completely relative in so many levels. First, when you listen to HD audio, the speakers are awesome. The sound can't be cleaner and the level is just right. But 90% of apps and low quality media will not sound as good. Again, it's a software issue. For some reason, you open an APP and the sound is too Loud and sounds really bad. You open another and you hear nothing. And sometimes you hear some high quality sound and go "wtf? The speakers are that good so why all the other stuff sounds so terrible?". Again, Sony's Drivers. It's like they don't even care.
4K Display? Best Display ever. And even better for VR. Do not believe that complete BS that LCD is not good for VR etc... I have written a whole thread about it, and there I explain how this is BS. The first 8K VR headset uses an LCD display. So what's the problem then? Again no Support from Sony for nice 4K Content, (Except Youtube), and not even any APP. And no, there's no shadow effect whatsoever. What people complain about is in fact the 30 FPS blurriness because of stereoscopic settings. ( Stereoscopy can't have a constant setting in any distance. So if an item on the image moves fast, this will cause the 3D effect to get off because sterescopy can't work at the same level wherever you look in the display. That's why Samsung is in fact working on a VR which tracks your eyes so they can focus immediately where you look. This will help them to not only fix the 3D continuity but also lower the need for resources by lowering the resolution anywhere you're not actually looking). (and btw, If XZ premium would allow its processor to play 4K at 60 FPS, even this wouldn't be an issue). But of course, this is less detectable on Amoled displays. Oh, Amoled have this problem too. The Note 7 Gear VR gets also blurry as any other 3D rendering device. Even 3D movie theaters have this problem. Finally, a 4K LCD is like 100000000x way better than any 2K Amoled. The absence of the screen door effect alone is worth it. But again, Sony doesn't even advertise that. Cause they really don't care.
------- Bottom Line:
Dude. This is the BEST Phone you can get. Ever. The Note 8, iPhone 8, etc.. are all Complete BS next to this Phone....
BUT, once you buy it, you are left alone with it. Sony doesn't have your back like Samsung or Apple. So if you're not a Tech Enthousiast who takes time to tweak his phone, tweak Apps, etc.. Stay away from it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Totally agreed to this opinion. And I can add that for me it works on flawlessly. Battery, Sound on HI res audio is amazing.

lol i had the xperia xzp for about a week and what a phone it is the display and front speakers where amazing and i have always liked the design and the launcher of the xperias
what was bad for me was the camera and they always have been for me on xperia devices and ive had a few
xperia z,z1,z2,z3,xzp had them all and the cameras have always been the weak point for me which is really frustrating as on paper they have the best hardware for the cameras then all the competition but for me just seem to fail especially in low light
and now the whole not been able to root on locked bootloaders was it for me as ive never unlocked my bootloaders as ive never wanted to loose xreality ect
so i jumped on the bandwagon and now got the galaxy s8 plus but im starting to already miss my xzp
my views to anyone is get the xzp its a famous case of quality over quantity which all sony products not just phone have

There is certainly a lot more to a phone then benchmarks, I haven't yet seen a reliable means of benchmarking the UI, fluidity is one of the primary reasons I went for the XZp, but you can only really gauge that by watching it and comparing. personally I haven't experienced a single stutter despite very heavy usage and running some bloated crap not even once has this phone stuttered on the UI.
Its actually very impressive, but it's also entirely subjective.
On paper it may not appear to hold It's own when compared to others but in your hand I think it tells a different story.
I would like to see some evidence that Sony has deliberating DISABLED Features, I don't see how you can possibly know that to be true at this stage but if it is true then yes that's a single black mark against the XZp. Not sure FM radio is a deal breaker in my mind but each to their own

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While healthy debates over which brand is better are okay, please try to not cross the line and keep it civil. Remember, not everyone will share your opinion and whatever you say or do will change their opinion/thinking
Now lets try and help the OP regarding whether to buy the XZ Premium or not

Honestly, I'd wait to see what the XZ1 brings.
I went with the XZ Premium because I wanted a dual sim phone, and the Compacts don't seem to come with dual sim support.
I would have waited for the XZ1 Compact but the 4k really sold me on this thing. It's great for watching videos in VR (Although I need to to change the resolution with ADB first).
If you're not looking for dual sim, the XZ1 Compact *should* come with an S835. I'd go for that one, but that's just me.

Will Sony ever make a phone with good sounding 'bassy' speakers??

Viper4Android speaker enhancements makes nice difference but still compared to my other half's Mate 10 Pro, the Sony is like a little kid screaming in a room full of deep chested adults.
Plus the OLED screen of the Mate 10 is awesome! and the camera is sooo much better too.
So anyway, my question, is Sony not bothered with speakers and all about the headphones because I don't think I've ever heard of a single Sony smartphone having a half-decent bassy speaker!

Your XZPremium has an 807 PPI 4K HDR Triluminous LCD screen, wayyyy better than any *****y Samsung or LG..
You do know that in settings > Sound.. theres an EQ under "Audio Settings".... IMO, I think the Speakers sound ok on our XZP...
They sound better on the newer XZ2 and better again on the XZ2 Prem.... and probably improve on the new XZ3...
Camera wise... Meh, SONY have never followed the trend, theyve always stuck with their own "quirky" f2.0 / 5-way EIS cameras.. which suffer badly in low light, but are actually pretty good in daylight, which, incidentally hasnt been upgraded since the original XZ... still using the IMX400, even on the newer XZ2 and XZ2 Prem.
The secret to an Xperia camera is... keep it in Manual Mode, Metering set to "SPOT" or "Centre weighted" and the ISO at 50 - 200. You should be fine. Although I must admit, Superior Auto isnt bad these days, and when your taking a shot.. frame your shot first, then focus and shoot quickly... dont keep focussing all the time before you shoot.. as you get camera shake... obviously,
OIS is not the god send of photography you know... you can get some stunning shots taken with EIS stablisation, Pixel XL for example.. Oh and BTW, if you want to take low light photographs, buy a compact camera, dont rely on your phone.

Yes, aware of EQ settings, but no amount of software wizardry will upgrade the physical design of the speaker and associated chambers.
The thing that gets me is that Sony has been around for donkeys years, yet they keep flaffing around with fancy looking outer shells and bezels and stereo speakers etc... yet the most basic of things such as a bassy sounding speaker are simply lacking. I have heard the XZ2, and the speaker sound is not that much better than the XZ.
Yes the screen is nice, but hold an XZ outside in daylight next to a Mate 10, and suddenly you then see which screen is the more functional. Same goes for when relying on Google Maps driving in the car during daylight.
The iPhone X sounds amazing on speaker too, as well as having a camera that just works perfectly, snap snap, great pictures, no messing around in settings trying to figure out a manual override for every scene just to get a good picture out of it.
Just don't get why Sony has a problem, with their SLR camera division, their decades of sound-systems experience, yet companies like Apple and Huawei get the most functional things perfect.
I'm an Android fan, love to be in control of my own devices, I guess I'm just not grasping why Sony is flooding the market with new models continuously with newer snapdragons and whatnot yet they still lag in something as basic as the camera and the speaker.
If we don't voice our concerns, they're probably keep wondering why people who actually hang in a shop to buy a phone, actually buy an iPhone or Huawei in the end, well, take a quick picture inside a shop, zoom in, and you'll hand the Sony back to the assistant... or likewise play some music, and the Sony get's blown away by the bass of the other high end phones. The triluminous screen might win some brownie points in the shade of a shop, but stand under a bright light and the Sony goes back to the assistant very quick.
(PS... own personal experience with the other half. I simply believed the reviews raving about the Sony... now I realise what reviews actually rave about and what you actually experience in the real world with real function are two very different things)....
not here to start a war, simply points of concern for I actually am a fan of Sony products in general, but I'm losing faith in their phones very quickly, especially compared to the competition when it comes to the very basics.

Water resistant Speakers will never blow You away. I compared the Galaxy S6 with the S5 and S7 and guess which One was the loudest. I also owned the Axon 7 before the XZP. There are worlds between them but compared to other Water Resistant Devices is the XZP actually pretty loud and well saturated. At least with the latest Firmwares and i i think i optimized out even more out of the Software. Speaker Protection as example is enabled by default to save the speakers while beeing wet from Water. Disabling it allows more output Power but could damage the Speaker if You don't pay attention of the Volume after letting it dive... There are clearly limitations to this Speakers but SONY made a great Job on this Part. Also on the Real Stereo Setup on the Front which has no other OEM besides them...

I only ever dropped a phone into the loo once and that was over 25 years ago, a Nortel. Not really bothered about extreme waterproofing etc, marketing sure, but in real world not everyone hangs out in a monsoon or surfing the waves with their smartphones or drops them into glass full of water.
Function before form before gimmicks with solid marketing.
Just my 2pence gents, its why google search engine killed the competition, its why Apple have such a big chunk in the smartphone domain.
Pixel 3 has stereo front facing stereo speakers minus the (nasty imo) notch... looks nothing fancy but could be the perfect functional next phone... but indeed I wud prefer to go with Sony, because the brand is what people respect, but only if it keeps its head on straight.

SXS-Groovemaster said:
Function before form before gimmicks with solid marketing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Think of it next time you'll get under a sudden rain. Think of it next time you'll ride your bike using the phone for the navigation. Think of it next time you'll want to take a shot at the beach and you'll be afraid to come too close because your phone ain't waterproof. Think of it next time you'll have to answer a Very Important Call when you're in the shower and you'll spoil your phone because it's not waterproof and you just couldn't dry the side of your head well enough.
Think of it next time you'll have your phone in a pocket during a hot summer day and it'll get wet from your own sweat.
And yes there's not a single phone loud enough to watch YouTube on a noisy street, so +\- 10% loudness and bass won't make a difference anyway. But there's hundreds cases when being able to not care about the phone getting wet is amazing.
Don't think everyone is having the same use case.