Sony Xperia ZR Pro Reviews

Sony Xperia ZR remains the most compact Android smartphone to deliver the full flagship experience. And as if that's not a great place to be already, the IP58 certification, the microSD card slot and the user-removable battery take it another step forward. With Sony already committed to updating it at least through Android 4.3, it's really one of the easiest smartphones to recommend.

Although there are a few compromises associated with the otherwise solid performance of the Sony Xperia ZR, it manages present users with a satisfying experience that will surely be appreciated by tech-savvy people. The thicker profile, uninspiring materials, average battery life, mediocre camera and so-so outdoor visibility of the display represent a big part of the compromises that were made with the Xperia ZR. Sony has tried to give this phone a not-so-high-end feel, and for the most part, it has succeeded. Still, once you weigh the positive over the negative aspects of the Xperia ZR, it turns out that there is still a lot to like in this Sony handset. It still has a fairly big, 4.5” display with a fine resolution, and it still has that powerful quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset, so you can at least be sure that you're getting a highly-relevant device that won't have a problem running even the most complex game or application currently available. At the end of the day, the Sony Xperia ZR proves it can qualify as an upper-mid-range device, but its price is the thing that will probably put most users off, as the ZR is priced well above many other capable Android smartphones. Right now, last year's Nexus 4 seems like a much better deal with its lower price and comparable specs. Meanwhile, the HTC One mini will soon be an Android model of similar characteristics and a more exquisite design. And, if you're ready to shell out just a bit more cash, you can just go for the HTC One or the Galaxy S4, which will offer you that true high-end feel that only a flagship smartphone can have.