Sony Xperia Z5 Compact Pro Reviews

Sony's new small form phone is the hidden gem of the Xperia Z5 range - it's just a shame there isn't a Full HD screen.

The unlocked Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is a bit pricey, but it's the best small Android phone you can buy.

The Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is quite the unusual handset. It promises flagship-worthy features in a tight, compact package, and there’s still plenty of folks looking for that kind of phone. At the same time, there are very few alternatives fitting that description – practically, we can’t think of a brand-name Android-powered alternative to Sony’s offering. But in reality, the Z5 Compact fails to impress on many levels. It is a good smartphone, just not an excellent one. All things considered, it stands out with its powerful processor, good performance, decent battery life, and water resistance. In most other categories, the Z5 Compact is an average performer. Its camera gets the job done, but it isn’t as impressive as Sony makes it look. The screen is very bright, but of average quality. Having stereo speakers is nice, but their sound is average at best. Okay, perhaps our expectations were a bit too high, but that’s expected, more or less, when the off-contract Sony Xperia Z5 Compact costs north of $500 (over $600 in some markets). Given that it has few alternatives in its size category, that’s a price Sony can get away with. But if compact size is not of utmost priority, perhaps you might want to spend your money on something else – a proper Android flagship, perhaps, or why not even an iPhone?