I'm currently using a Moto X. One of my top priorities is in-hand ergonomics, and in this the Moto X is probably the best modern smartphone to date. However the battery life leaves a lot to be desired, as do the screen and camera. I've been following the Z3 Compact since it's release and realize the battery life and screen will be much better and the camera too, even if it has it's minor shortcomings.
How does the in-hand feel of the Z3C feel to the 2013 Moto X? It's a little bit smaller but much more squared-off shape.
vinuneuro said:
I'm currently using a Moto X. One of my top priorities is in-hand ergonomics, and in this the Moto X is probably the best modern smartphone to date. However the battery life leaves a lot to be desired, as do the screen and camera. I've been following the Z3 Compact since it's release and realize the battery life and screen will be much better and the camera too, even if it has it's minor shortcomings.
How does the in-hand feel of the Z3C feel to the 2013 Moto X? It's a little bit smaller but much more squared-off shape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you're concerned about comfort compared to the Moto x it doesn't even come close. I used to own a Moto X. And with that said it was worth the switch for me. If you don't mind not getting updates as fast as Moto and not at all too concerned about the comfort in hand. Then you should consider buying it. For me what made the switch worth it was the battery life and small form factor. As every other flagship now is in the 5 inch range.
Coming from a Moto x, I like my new z3c, but wouldn't do it again. Great battery life, but the LCD screen is inferior to the oled, and the camera is par at best.
On the other hand, it does offer an sd card slot, and did I mention the great battery....
I've had the Moto X before and really no phone is as well designed ergonomically. From the material and finish, which promote grip and a pleasant soft touch, to the subtle curvatures which were thoughtfully and meaningfully conceived for human hands, the Moto X is the cream of the crop in that regard.
The HTC Ones and supposedly iPhones may be lauded for their quality builds, but honestly those devices do not feel very natural nor at all secure in the hand. They may look pretty (debatable), but are far inferior when it comes to hand feel and everyday usage.
Similarly, the Z3 Compact is a pretty phone, but the boxy, squared off design does not offer the same satisfaction as the Moto X. However, the small size does make up for that deficiency and the more rounded plastic edges which are slightly rubberized are a massive improvement over the Z/Z1/Z2/Z3's borders, not to mention the translucent liquid reflection effect is sexy as hell.
That said, I would pick the Z3 Compact over the Moto X in a heartbeat, it's simply no contest. As mentioned a million times, the battery is just ridiculous, the camera is a huge improvement and just as capable as other flagships once you learn how to use manual mode. The speakers? Fuggetaboutit. It holds its own against everything that isn't BoomSound or the full sized Z3. I can't emphasize enough how much I love front-facing, let alone dual speakers. Any manufacturer that stubbornly still positions them on the back needs to fire their designer. Depending on your preference, the screen is better too. I did enjoy super amoled, but I feel the Z3C is better, not to mention the Bravia Engine gives you the option of simulating the vivid colors of a super amoled screen. The blacks still aren't as black, but they're some of the blackest I've seen on an LCD display.
Finally, in virtually every other aspect that matters other than design, the Z3C is the winner so it wasn't a hard choice for me at all and I REALLY liked the Moto X.
vinuneuro said:
I'm currently using a Moto X. One of my top priorities is in-hand ergonomics, and in this the Moto X is probably the best modern smartphone to date. However the battery life leaves a lot to be desired, as do the screen and camera. I've been following the Z3 Compact since it's release and realize the battery life and screen will be much better and the camera too, even if it has it's minor shortcomings.
How does the in-hand feel of the Z3C feel to the 2013 Moto X? It's a little bit smaller but much more squared-off shape.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i used to have moto x 1st gen.. then a galaxy s5 and then z3 compact. The inhand feel of moto x is way better than z3 compact. Display wise i prefer moto x super amoled to z3 compact. I can see pixels on z3c and black levels are worse. Camera is a bit better in z3 compact. Personally i prefer galaxy s5 camera superior to this. But battery life is really good and performance too.. Updates are slow though.. So if you really want a better display and better inhand feel this is not for you. If you want slightly better camera, good battery life and good performance and dont bother about updates then jump on z3c
I'm surprised so many people say that they prefer the Moto X's display. That was a real turn-off for me on the Moto X after coming from a HTC One X. I'm not saying I'm against the OLED display (love the displays on the GS5 and Galaxy Tab S), but the color reproduction just wasn't there for me, and the pentile pattern was noticeable to my eyes.
But other than that, I agree with the others: Moto X's ergonomics are better, but the battery life (x1000), camera, and performance heavily favor the Z3C.
Corrion said:
I'm surprised so many people say that they prefer the Moto X's display. That was a real turn-off for me on the Moto X after coming from a HTC One X. I'm not saying I'm against the OLED display (love the displays on the GS5 and Galaxy Tab S), but the color reproduction just wasn't there for me, and the pentile pattern was noticeable to my eyes.
But other than that, I agree with the others: Moto X's ergonomics are better, but the battery life (x1000), camera, and performance heavily favor the Z3C.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am surprised that you mentioned pentile pattern considering that the Moto X uses the RGB stripe layout and not the RGBG pentile. If there was anything to comment on the Moto X: its' colors were definitely warmer in whites compared to traditional IPS LCD(which most LCD panels are based on now.)
alpha-niner64 said:
I am surprised that you mentioned pentile pattern considering that the Moto X uses the RGB stripe layout and not the RGBG pentile. If there was anything to comment on the Moto X: its' colors were definitely warmer in whites compared to traditional IPS LCD(which most LCD panels are based on now.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're absolutely right, my mistake. Still, I couldn't stand the colors on the Moto X, and text never looked sharp, hence why I thought the display was pentile. I have no issue with sharpness on the Z3C even with the same resolution and display size.
I had a Z1C (water damaged ) then a Moto X 2013 and now the Z3C. I can say I much prefer the Z's for a couple of reasons. Performance and battery are far better on either Z compared to the X. Build and part quality of Z is also superior IMO. X scratched like butter, feel is cheaper, and internals (except dual antenae) were underwhelming. Useability goes to X since it is lower cost and has less glass I was fearless with it. Z is a case and screen cover kind of phone. Ergonomics are obviously the X as holding a square brick made of glass is not the most comfortable. Software goes to X but with a ROM, root, etc you can level the playing field. I bought mine from Amazon and it came riddled with crap carrier software. Flashing a cleaner FTF and 'pm block' was enough for me. I also prefer some of the touches Sony adds over Moto. Always on voice is cool for 5 minutes but didn't stick for me but usibility gestures from Sony work for me. Storage is not a concern since I try to keep very little on my device, but external SD is always a down side to me. I hate having to manually switch/place files in the right location. I've also had several SD go bad over the years but never once internal storage.
Just my 2ยข
Loved my 2013 Moto X for it's feel in hand and notification features while the screen is off, never had a phone feel that perfect to hold.
Now the Z3 Compact does not feel as good to hold but given it's compact size it still feels really good. It has a physical camera button and the camera is FAR superior to the Moto X in all conditions, using manual modes you can get outstanding results IMO. Sound might not be as loud overall but since the speakers face you you arent forced to cup your hand to direct the sound to hear it. The display is better imo, you can fine tune it yourself and outside I can actually use the phone in bright sunlight. Performance and battery are vastly improved over the Moto X, the battery life still amazes me from such a small phone. Software is very close to stock and I actually like the Sony tweaks they have done.
Install AC DIsplay app for lockscreen functions like the Moto X and Agent app, NOT regretting buying this phone at all. Sure I would like root with the chance to back up my DRM keys someday but honestly this is my first phone without root and I'm OK with that.
Related
This is basically the problem. Does the n4 have Ny advantage over the s3 in the screen department?
I sold my nexus 7 after 2 days of owning it but it waz not due to the screen waz cause I could not justify owning a tablet and a phone. Tablet be comes a burden if you have a good smartphone already.
So trying to decide between a s3 or s3 mini or n4 or even a a xperia. Or htc one x.
I did notice my nexus 7 screen seemed more pleasant than my s2 because the colors looked more natural and were easier on the eyes.
My s2 has broken wifi so I need to sell it as its hardware fault.
I hear the n4 feels like holding a iphone its unibody design feels very expensive and quality.
The colours are fantastic and you can tweak the gamma settings via a custom kernel. My display looks absolutely gorgeous, with way better black levels than normal (but of course, can't beat AMOLED in that department).
AFAIK, AMOLEDs still have the degrading issue so your display will look a bit weird as some parts of the screen will burn out faster than others. It's up to you at the end of the day, i can tell you the N4's display is great out of the bot, but absolutely awesome once you've tweak the gamma settings. You'll also be getting regular, guaranteed updates straight from Google.
Check out the spreadsheet in my sig. Many great color settings there; and after using the bolded set, I now like my display more than my friends AMOLED on his SGSIII
I had the Gnexus before...and honestly, I didn't quite like the display on that.
What I did like was the viewing angles and the black blacks. Everything else was off-balance and saturated.
Oh - and amoled, I hear, are prone to greater degradation (and mine was a bit awful with horizontal lines and what-not).
With IPS, you won't get those deep blacks bit they do the job even at night with a lightbulb on. However, everything else renders fine. And crispier.
Just check out the screen on the One X and the One and you'll see how far ahead IPS is in terms of brightness, sunlight visibility and clarity.
Oh, and the fact that Amoled, when they're not displaying black, consume more power than IPS...
My two cents.
Sent from my upgraded mini tractor.
I had an S2 as well, and its screen doesn't hold a candle to the Nexus 4 IMO.
[DISCUSSION] Google Nexus 4 vs any other phone
Your questions are likely answered here. Please continue discussions in that thread
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Hi,
So ive tried all the websites like gsmarena etc but i wanted a view user opinions as well.
How is the camera? Is it better than HTC E8, HTC M7 and Samsung Galaxy S4?
Are there any phones better than this in the same price range?
Any issues i should know about?
Finally, should i buy this phone? Its more or less the max i can afford atm.
Any help would be appreciated thanks
AliHB said:
Hi,
So ive tried all the websites like gsmarena etc but i wanted a view user opinions as well.
How is the camera? Is it better than HTC E8, HTC M7 and Samsung Galaxy S4?
Are there any phones better than this in the same price range?
Any issues i should know about?
Finally, should i buy this phone? Its more or less the max i can afford atm.
Any help would be appreciated thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it seems that you're looking at mid-high range phones.
imo, z1 screen isn't as good as its competitors, like you can notice the screen getting washed out with only a slight change in your viewing angle.
Camera is... so-so, video recording is amazing on the galaxy s5. Photos are decent I guess.
Build quality is amazing though and looks sexy. Also waterproof is a big bonus.
Software wise it's probably better than the S4, I hate Touchwiz before the S5 (laggy)
Battery life is quite average
Lol. Mid high range.
Sent from my C6903 using XDA Free mobile app
tomascus said:
it seems that you're looking at mid-high range phones.
imo, z1 screen isn't as good as its competitors, like you can notice the screen getting washed out with only a slight change in your viewing angle.
Camera is... so-so, video recording is amazing on the galaxy s5. Photos are decent I guess.
Build quality is amazing though and looks sexy. Also waterproof is a big bonus.
Software wise it's probably better than the S4, I hate Touchwiz before the S5 (laggy)
Battery life is quite average
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I see. Thank you. Any recommendations, if not Z1?
YES!
I would recommend to buy Z1
Camera is really good. Much more better than Galaxy S4, S5, HTC M8, iPhone 5 and 5S
I have compared these models myself and Z1 is the best
tomascus said:
imo, z1 screen isn't as good as its competitors, like you can notice the screen getting washed out with only a slight change in your viewing angle
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is because display colors are calibrated irregularly
Xperia Z1 has one of the best displays
Go to settings > display > white balance and change colors to
Red 5
Green 5
Blue 117
Jedidiah-Morse said:
YES!
I would recommend to buy Z1
Camera is really good. Much more better than Galaxy S4, S5, GTC M8, iPhone 5 and 5S
I have compared these models myself and Z1 is the best
It is because display colors are calibrated irregularly
Xperia Z1 has one of the best displays
Go to settings > display > white balance and change colors to
Red 5
Green 5
Blue 117
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah I agree with regard to color reproduction, but there's nothing that can be done to fix a bad viewing angles other than getting a better screen.
@OP, I would rather get the z1c or Z3c for its battery life and compact-ness if it's in your price range
I recently got one over my Nexus 4 and can definitly recommend it.
What I don't like:
- The screen has a little border, especially top/bottom. But that is in all phones, the speaker/mic and front camera need some space.
- The stock screen protector. While it adds an extra layer of protection it also easily scratches. Warranty seems to be ok when replacing it, but you better get that confirmed.
- Some crappy preinstalled apps. But then again, that is even worse with other phones.
- The "big" internal speaker is a little quiet when listening to music because it needs to be waterproof.
What I like:
- Good prices and basically still the same hardware as in the newest phones released just recently.
- Battery life. At least comparing to a Galaxy S4 I can easily beat it with Stamina Mode. No comparison to Nexus 4.
- Design. It looks and feels very high quality.
- Waterproof. No need to say more.
- Officially unlockable bootloader. No need for hacks, just get a code from the Sony website and it's unlocked.
- Best of all: Only slightly modified Android. No crazy stuff that makes it complicated or laggy, and it looks pretty neat.
I appreciate your help guys, thanks a million
Put it this way...
Dropped my Z1 while the flip case was OPEN... from the top of a scaffold. About 12 feet in the air.
Scratched one of the port covers but it didn`t break. Works perfectly. Very high quality.
My wife also dropped hers down stairs about a week ago. Not a scratch. Not in a case.
These phones are built to last (excluding the port covers... the seals come loose after a while)
Buy it lad!
Hi guys I am currently in the market for a flagship phone, and I can't seem to be able to decide between:
HTC one M8
Xperia z3 compact
LG g3
Moto x 2014
PRICE IS NOT A PROBLEM.
So which would you pick and why? What are the pros and cons?
Thanks for your help
M8: Ultra pixel camera sux IMO. Very big phone.
G3: Also pretty big. Reports of heat issues. Very nice device, tho. Personally I'm inclined toward the G2.
Moto X: Battery life on this phone will never be good enough.. Camera underperforms.
Z3 Compact could use more storage, but it's a really nice device. 720p is not a problem, but it feels like they could have squeezed more usability out of the 4.6" screen. Thing is slipperier than a wet bar of soap. Haven't dropped it, but it slides on any surface you'd put it down on. Undoubtedly one of 2014's best phones.
I actually find the glass to be quite grippy and "sticky" in the hand. More so than my previous phone which had a soft-touch plastic, anyhow.
Z3 compact is definitely the one you should pick of you want compactness AND top performance. And the water proofing gives you peace of mind.
I came from a HTC One M8.
Overall, I have no regrets and I'm not looking back. The M8's ultra pixel camera did not impress me. Photos lacked detail and were noisy. The M8 is also a really tall phone for its screen size. The top and bottom bezels are huge to accommodate the stereo speakers. Speaker sound quality goes to the M8. The Z3C's speakers sound so muffled in comparison.
Display quality also goes to M8. It's not so much screen resolution, rather colour accuracy. Z3C colours are very "blue". I can't even tell the difference between 1080P vs 720P unless both phones are side by side.
Storage capacity goes to M8. I really wish the Z3C had 32GB, instead of only 16GB. With the direction Android is taking, having a large SD card won't really help when it comes to apps. A few games and as your installed apps fill their cache folders and your 11.8GB useable space is gone.
Everything else goes to the Z3C. Including battery life, camera, better physical size, waterproofing, etc.
I can from HTC m7. Considered new moto x but battery and screen size weren't right for me.
Z3c battery, camera, and SD card is what sold me. I don't miss the full HD screen of the m7 as I prefer the smaller size of the Z3c.
Edit: and the noise cancelling headset is amazing.
Thinking of edging my G3 to this....anyone have any opinions on if the screen really feels that much smaller? .3 inches seems almost negligable
sent from my LG G3 Rasputin, by far the BEST phone I've ever owned.
big70tom said:
Thinking of edging my G3 to this....anyone have any opinions on if the screen really feels that much smaller? .3 inches seems almost negligable
sent from my LG G3 Rasputin, by far the BEST phone I've ever owned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the G3 and the turbo. Its really not that much smaller. Turbo is a lot faster. G3 screen in the sun is better along with camera is faster. I'm giving the turbo a week of use before passing full judgment.
I'm coming from the G3.
The screen feels like the same size, mainly due to the on screen buttons on the G3 making the G3 feel like it has the same size screen in most applications. When comparing them side by side, the on screen buttons are taller than where the display starts on the Turbo.
The screen on the Turbo is more vibrant and looks more saturated (in a good way), however the display is warm compared to the G3. Whites are ever so slightly yellow when looking at them side by side, where the G3 is more cool and very slightly blue.
Performance is definitely better on the Turbo, everything launches very quickly. I have the nylon variant and it's very comfortable to hold just like the G3, it's not awkward for me putting my pinkie on the bottom to support the phone while using it one handed. Active display is also a great idea, the only thing I notice is that it turns on a lot showing me notifications, even if I'm not near my phone. From a few quick pictures, I'd say the rear camera on the G3 is definitely better, and OIS is missed on the Turbo, but the Turbo has a better and wider FOV FFC.
I haven't been able to compare battery life too well yet. I will say, that on the G3 it stays at 100% for a while, then once it hits 99% it falls pretty quickly when being used. The Turbo does not stay on 100% very long, but so far seems to be a more consistent drop. About an hour after being off the charger, the G3 was at 100% and the Turbo was at 97%, but after 2 hours off the charger, the G3 was at 91% and the Turbo was at 92%. I'll use them today, and will report back after trying to use them both equally to compare battery life.
Thank you. I really like the size of my g3, but it has its issues, and mainly I have a phone addiction
sent from my LG G3 Rasputin, by far the BEST phone I've ever owned.
The thing about people posting their battery stats and SOT is that there are many variables that effect those figures, depending on how they use the device, the WiFi/cellular signal, etc. Today I tried using both my G3 and Turbo exactly the same throughout the day, and the results are pretty much neck and neck, I was hoping for a significant improvement with the Turbo since it has a 900mAh larger battery.
LG G3:
DROID Turbo:
I've been considering getting a new phone for a while now as my S8's battery life has fallen off a cliff and the screen also has a minor crack.
My Xperia Z3 is probably my favourite phone I've ever had and I've always been tempted by going back to Sony. I've heard some brilliant things regarding the screen but wondered if anyone could tell me what the camera and battery life are like on this phone? The S8 has a very good camera and I would want something that is at least on a par with that.
I'm toying with the idea of getting this or waiting until April for the P20 Pro's successor. Would really appreciate any user opinions of the XZ3 to help inform my decision.*
I've used the phone for two days now (so not too much time) but battery seems to be great! Had 60% left after my day (with relatively light usage: messaging, an hour or two of youtube a few calls). The camera is not special though. With good lighting the shots are really good, but performance drops fast with lower light (even compared to my previous phone a Nexus 6P). I would check out some camera reviews as I haven't had that much time.
Oh and btw the thing I was most scared about, the fingerprint scanner placement, isn't really a problem now I have it. It's not as cramped as it looks to reach it.
Battery life is great, camera is mediocre. The screen is also great, and the fingerprint reader placement is surprisingly ergonomic. The phone is way too slippery though, and will slide & fall off any surface that isn't perfectly level. The curved screen edges are nice in that they give you a sense that there are no bezels, but in practice when faced head-on, there is a viewing angle effect where the edges are darker than the rest of the screen, which is pretty annoying. Android Pie is great and the skin is almost purely AOSP as we've gotten used to with Sony, although there are the usual suspects with a locked boot loader and no root where certain notifications can't be dismissed and other annoyances like apps that you can't uninstall but only "disable" (I call this "Microsoft syndrome").
The battery life is pretty much at par with the other flagships. Around 6-7 hrs SoT with medium to heavy usage. The camera is good, however there's a very annoying lens flare present. It was mentioned also in one of the reviews on YouTube. Lowlight photos IMO are great. Clean, and definitely does not have the "oil painting" effect.
Screen is super great. I upgraded from the XZP, so it's a huge difference from the IPS display on it.
The phone is indeed slippery, so you might want to throw a case on it.
Check out my full "observations" after 2 days with Camera Images over at Android Central Forums:
https://forums.androidcentral.com/sony-xperia-xz3/921989-i-own-xz3-any-questions.html#post6393260
Ide be interested what you think of the images... Sorry theyre in jpeg
Just an FYI... I just ordered mine from Clove, headed for me here in the states. The Clove price in USD is about $100 less than I can get here, AND it includes the Sony BT speaker.