Meet the Flagship Sony Xperia Z5 & Xperia Z5 Compact

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The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium isn’t the only big news (and I mean that literally, seeing how it offers a 5.5-inch 4K display) to come out of IFA 2015. Likely to be far better sellers, due to their more practical sizes and likely lower price point, Sony also announced the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact. As near identical devices, the biggest differentiator between the two new flagship smartphones is their 5.2-inch and 4.6-inch displays. After the jump, we’ve got all the details you can handle.

So first, the technical specs of the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact.

  • Android 5.1
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (MSM8994) Adreno 430 GPU
    • 64-bit Octa Core processor
    • 3GB RAM
  • 32GB Internal memory
    • Expandable micrSD card slot (up to 200GB)
  • 23-megapixel rear-facing camera with Hybrid Autofocus
    • 0.03 seconds focus time
    • 4k video
  • 5-megapixel front-facing cameraSony_Xperia_Z5_and_Z5_Compact_Hero_11
    • 25 mm wide-angle lens
  • Hi-Res Audio
    • Digital Noise Canceling
  • Remote Play
  • 2-day battery life
  • Waterproof and dust tight
    • IP65 and IP68

Though lacking a 4K display, Sony still wants to put entertainment front and focus on the two flagship phones. As such, along side Hi-Res audio which promises to also upconvert your Mp3 sound quality using Sony’s Clear Audio+ technology, you’ll also find Digital Noise Canceling built in. With all this goes a two-day battery life that should easily get you through your day no matter how you use the phones.

Any phone worth its weight should offer a good camera and if specs are anything to go by, the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact have something special in store for us. Powering the main shooter is a 23-megapixel rear-facing camera with 4K video. According to Sony, the camera is incorporates a unique Autofocus system that’s capable of capturing a photo in just 0.03 seconds, a first on smartphones. This, along with what Sony calls Touch Capture and wide AF coverage will mean that you’ll be able to touch anywhere on the screen and the camera will focus and immediately take a picture. Zooming will also no longer be a burden via Clear Image Zoom which allows for 5x zoom with no loss in image quality.

Megapixel count aside, Sony was especially keen to point out that their main focus this time around has been image quality. To go along with that narrative, they promise photos with high sensitivity and low noise in low light situations, thanks to their Exmor RS CMOS sensors. Of course what’s a smartphone without a good ‘selfie’ camera and the Z5 and Z5 Compact are no slouch with their 5-megapixel front-facing camera with 25mm wide-angle lens. Both phones also offer sleek, surface smooth power button with an integrated fingerprint sensor. Sony has also left a dedicated camera shutter button on the side with the volume up/down acting as your zoom.

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So what’s different between the two units? Not a whole lot, though they’re worth pointing out. The most obvious different between the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact is their screen size. While the Z5 offers a 5.2-inch display, the Z5 Compact has a 4.6-inch display which some might call more pocket friendly. With the screen size difference come a screen resolution difference as well with the former offering a 1080p (1920 x 1080) display and latter a 720p (1280 x 720). Another small difference is battery life with the Z5 offering a slight advantage with a 2900 mAh battery versus a 2700 mAh battery. Both phones promise to deliver a two-day battery life.

The final differentiator of the sibling phones is their finish. With a premium finish and front and back glass, the Xperia Z5 offers a metal frame where the Z5 Compact instead opts for a plastic housing. It’s been described as more premium feel than the iPhone 5C which is a complemented, seeing how the plastic around iPhone 5C has been praised. Shipping globally in October, the Xperia Z5 will be offered in graphite black, gold, white, and green where the Xperia Z5 Compact will be offered in graphite black, yellow, white, and coral. No price point or carrier support has been announced yet.

Discuss:

What do you think about the Xperia Z5 and Xperia Z5 Compact?