[Q] G3 vs Z3C? Opinions - Xperia Z3 Compact Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

Hey there, I'm planning to give back my g3 to amazon spend 20€ more and get the z3c...
I know this is the z3c forum so I will get more positive reviews about it.
Some extra info: I keep using my nexus 7 2013 for reading and video, with the G3 I didn't use the nexus 7 2013 at all these days so if I keep the G3 I think I will sell the tablet.
G3 foto gets really good with XCam from xdabebb although you can't modify so many values as the z3c manual mode 20 megapixel...
Battery: G3 can give me 5 hours SOT MAX in a day of use, if I forget to charge it It wont get through the second day.
The best thing I like about the LG G3 are the thin bezels and the fact of a 5.5 inch into so small sizes + the screen for multimedia purposes can substitute tablet use.
The worst thing about the LG G3 is the size for 1 hand is nearly impossible and dangerous (phone can easily fall), and the battery + the camera is only good with xdabbeb camera XCam and now with lollipop LG has removed many functionalities about the hardware of the camara that can be accesed
Sorry for the long post
TL.DR: Why should I get Z3 Compact over G3, provide some links in your answers (even I've searched in google quite a lot and not many people compare these 2 due to different screen sizes)

I come from the LG G2 (1 year) -> Amazon Firephone (3 months)-> z3 compact (3 months so far) . However I help my friend to buy a LG G3 and use if for a couple of days. Technically, the LG G3 is mostly identical to the LG G2 (slightly bigger in screen and size, same camera, battery capacity, design and internals (S801 is just an overclocked s800)) However, when the G2 has very good battery life, the G3 is just average. G3 has better camera focus time thanks to laser sensor, but the image quality is mostly the same (they uses the same Sony sensor) The reason I switch to the Z3 compact is G3 is mostly the same as G2 and I need to upgrade my smartphone, as my father love to use the G2, and he's still using. And I advise 4 of my friends to buy sony devices. Our group now have 1 z3, 4 z3 compacts.
The reason for buying z3 compact is:
+ water proof: trust me, my s4 died for just drop into the water for 3 seconds. This z3c has several times accidentally into the water and she lives well. Plus one time listening to music under the heavy rain for more than 1 hour.
+ battery: The best battery life device for more than 10 smartphones I've used in my life. My habit is charge the phone over-night and I have to plug it in normally at 40-50%, 30% on the intensive day and even 70% on the easy one.
+ speakers: It has 2 stereo speakers towards your ears. Most of the other smartphone including LG and has speaker grill at the bottom (one ear in landscape mode) or in the back ?? after using phones with front-facing speakers, you will never go back. And my daddy love my mother's Moto G 2014 just because of those speakers haha.
The reason to not buy the z3 compact is:
-screen size: Depends. Yeah it's very efficiently designed since it has 4.6 inches screen and much smaller than the 4.7 inches galaxy alpha and Iphone 6. However, 4.6 can be considered too small for some. You can buy the z3 in this case, keep in mind that the bigger Z3 doesn't have the as good screen-size ratio as the z3 compact
-camera: IMX 220 is the very good camera (proven in other devices. However, I don't know why Sony can introduce the very bad camera software. It's hard to use, it's complicated, it re-focus when you hit the button even when you already focused just before. Plus, the camera software stays the same without any major updates for nearly 2 years since the z1 and z1 compact. It's a joke when Sony keeps updating theirs other apps like Walkman (now music), Gallery, launcher, themes, major android updates. And don't get me wrong, z3c camera is really good, it just cannot cope with the potential of the sensor itself, and ironically they are the maker of the sensor ha ha. And please not to forget the 2MP front facing camera is just average (with f 2.8 and bad quality) if you are the selfie person.
In conclusion, I'm very satisfied with the z3 compact and will stick with it for a long time.

robocopvn said:
G3 has better camera focus time thanks to laser sensor, but the image quality is mostly the same (they uses the same Sony sensor)
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Hello thanks for your post it was very usefull for me, I also owned the G2 for a while and I must say, from what I remember, the camera noise is much lower in the G3 under low light conditions. The main reason I want to get the z3c is due to the camera (in manual mode you can get impressive pictures & auto mode is improving from what I've read) and the battery. The biggest con I see with the z3c is non-removable battery. When the battery life ends it will mean you have to throw it away or take it to the service center and pay a big amount of money to get a new one.

EDIT: Damn, didn't read you already have a G3, curse my lack of reading skills.
I don't know much about the Z3C as I haven't had much contact with it besides playing with it at some store, but I suppose I can tell you a little bit about my G3
Pros:
+Screen size and resolution - it's just perfect for watching vids, playing games and browsing stuff in your bed. Everything you see is incredibly sharp due to the horrendous resolution. I can definetely say there is a difference between my dad's Z1 (it's FullHD, while Z3C is just HD so the difference is even bigger) and my G3 in terms of clarity of the display. You can literally read ant's-****-sized text.
+Camera - it produces really nice shots, in good surroundings it can give birth to magnificent images you will be proud of. And having the laser focus makes you feel like a James Bond... sometimes
+Performance - yes, the QHD sometimes makes the CPU a bit sweaty, but overall there is little to be desired. You may be disappointed if you expect your phone to switch to landscape mode in a blink, but for a simple user it is absolutely ok.
+Pretty and slim design - not as flamboyant as your favourite drag queen, but I really like the way it looks. Altough it is more like a matter of taste.
+Physical buttons placement - it may seem weird at first, but you will like it.
+Durability - I squeezed it many times in my pocket by sitting or kneeling abruptly, yet nothing happened and after six months my device still looks great. Also, the screen is really scratch resistant, there is no need to purchase any screen protector.
+Great standby time - it will live a looooooong life if you just leave it idle.
+Mod-friendly - easy to root, easy to flash, you can restore it no problem if you screw something up (no fear of permanently damaging the camera like in Z3C's case)
+Removable battery - you will love it if your phone gets stuck for some reason. Just pull the battery and all the bad dreams are gone!
Not-pros:
-Overheating - yep, sometimes it gets hotter than girls in your browser history. Hovewer, it occurs only if you push the phone to the limit.
-Need of tinkering - I mean, LG screwed up the software a little bit so you may want to get rid of some of the annoyances like screen oversharpening (it was so annoying that I've decided to root the device just to repair this one goddamn thing, I couldn't stand my mom's face oversharpened), heating, battery life, etc.
-Battery life - not as good as Z3C's, expect it to have 4-5h SOT and be battery hungry at the end of the day if you use it a lot. There are no perks like Stamina mode, though it can be dealt with through rooting or simply buying a bigger battery.
-Plastic - it doesn't feel as premium as the Z3, it emits some creaky sounds if squeezed, the back of the phone can get scratched if you place it on a harsh surface.
-Dimmed screen - not useless in a direct sunlight, but you will have a hard time reading the text on it.
-Not waterproof - unfortunately it's not as resilient as your ex-friend's head, you shouldn't try to flush it down the toilet.
-No stereo speakers - not like it is really needed on a mobile phone imo, but still.
So the way I see it... if you like small screens, perfect performance, topnotch battery life and water resistance, go for Z3C. But if these things aren't that crucial for you, then you won't be disappointed with LG's flagship child... oh wait, isn't G4 out already? Too lazy to check it, but this can only result in one thing - price drop.

Krastinov said:
So the way I see it... if you like small screens, perfect performance, topnotch battery life and water resistance, go for Z3C. But if these things aren't that crucial for you, then you won't be disappointed with LG's flagship child... oh wait, isn't G4 out already? Too lazy to check it, but this can only result in one thing - price drop.
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Thanks for your opinion, I've been using the G3 for 1 week or so and I got exactly that, 4-5 hours SOT and at the end of the day you had to charge it. The worse part of the G3 in my opinion it is that it was too big and this made even worse the fragile/slipery feeling.
The camera are great in both smartphones, but just today I saw one which was even more amazing, the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL. I had it a while and besides 5.7 inch it felt very solid and comfortable. Now I'm between going full retard and buy the 640 XL for 200€ or the z3 compact for 350€. Both are the best in battery performance and camera (although 640XL goes a bit higher on both due to wp). But z3 compact being so smal and so good camera and battery...

sanogueralorenzo said:
The worse part of the G3 in my opinion it is that it was too big and this made even worse the fragile/slipery feeling.
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Maybe it's just me and my sticky hands, but I haven't had any problems holding it. Never experienced any OMG-GONNA-DROP-IT scenarios (just being overly careful after shattering my last Samsung...). Moreover, I heard that the Z3C is more prone to being dropped due to the glass on the back... yet I'm not sure, the one I played with had some anti-theft gizmos attached to its back, so I couldn't compare :d.
sanogueralorenzo said:
The camera are great in both smartphones, but just today I saw one which was even more amazing, the Microsoft Lumia 640 XL. I had it a while and besides 5.7 inch it felt very solid and comfortable. Now I'm between going full retard and buy the 640 XL for 200€ or the z3 compact for 350€. Both are the best in battery performance and camera (although 640XL goes a bit higher on both due to wp). But z3 compact being so smal and so good camera and battery...
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Click to collapse
Yea, Lumias are great photo-taking devices, but you would have to settle for Windows Phone, which is... well, let's say that not everybody likes it. But it's your call, as an Android fanboy I would, of course, choose the Xperia, even though it's photo capabilities may be a bit behind Lumias.

Related

Should i switch from Xperia Z to Xperia Z1?

So i have an Xperia Z, and i'm thinking of upgrading to a Z1, but i don't know if it's a worthwhile investment.
I am more or less satisfied with my Z, camera is a miss in some more difficult situations, but other than that it does what i want it do.
Bassically i want to know 3 things;
1) Does the S800 make much of a difference in real usage compared to S4 Pro?
I have very high end games on my Z, like MW4, Riptide 2, Asphalt 8, and in my opinion they are as good as they can get, but maybe i am wrong.
2) How good is the screen?
3) How good is the camera, in your honest opinion? The more in-depth answer, the better!
I know i could read reviews, but they are running older software, so i think image quality might have changed over time.
Thank you for your answers, in advance.
Warmo said:
1) Does the S800 make much of a difference in real usage compared to S4 Pro?
I have very high end games on my Z, like MW4, Riptide 2, Asphalt 8, and in my opinion they are as good as they can get, but maybe i am wrong.
2) How good is the screen?
3) How good is the camera, in your honest opinion? The more in-depth answer, the better!
I know i could read reviews, but they are running older software, so i think image quality might have changed over time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I love my Z1 but in my honest opinion, I would probably not upgrade yet unless you are a diehard Sony fan or definitely can't wait for next September or so. But I'll try to answer your questions best I can:
1) It makes enough of a difference to show in games but doesn't really show huge improvements in normal usage. If your Z can play the games you have without hickups, then those games aren't a reason to upgrade to S800. This of course may or may not be different for future and upcoming games but for now both chips can play those games just fine. If you are thinking of upgrading, I would probably not list this as #1 reason unless you want a more future-proof device (and more are coming out during and after Q1).
2) The screen is a bit of hit and miss. It seems Sony is using at least two if not more types of panels and some of them are better than others. If you get a good one, the screen is excellent and very enjoyable. However the lower-graded panels seem to have a variety of issues from yellow hue and bad viewing angles to even problems with the actual touchscreen. The only way to avoid these issues is to read about them and then try to examine the unit you are going to purchase at a shop. I would personally not recommend getting the Z1 online for this reason. I also had to get my touchscreen fixed because of touch issues but after repairing it under warranty it works perfectly and I am not suffering from the yellow hue issue.
3) The camera is good but the software is lacking. To be more precise the automatic setting that the camera starts with (called Superior Auto or SA) is extremely hit or miss and in many cases produces sub-par pictures. This will be an issue if you want to quickly take the device out and snap pictures without touching settings. The pros on the other hand are that the manual settings are versatile and by using manual you can take as good or better pictures than any other cameraphone on the market right now not counting the new high end Lumia's with their pureview technology. There is hope that the camera software can be improved with future updates but this is what the current situation is like. As for my own experience, I'm still getting used to the manual settings and am not yet entirely satisfied with my pictures. I'm getting the hang of it though and they are showing some small improvement - my biggest challenge is low light (100% of the time in winter for me) and noise/grain.
As of now if I was you I would wait. There are new models coming out from Samsung and later from HTC and possibly other manufacturers and the rumors are quite promising. There is some inconsistency with the Z1s that are sold and you really need to be able to examine your unit prior to purchase unless you rely on getting lucky. Also it's likely that later on in Q3 or Q4 Sony will announce the successor to the Z1 which will probably be a bigger leap from the Xperia Z that you have right now. This is just my opinion and I hope it helps.
OFFTOPIC: Also don't be surprised if your thread goes PUFF as the mods don't allow comparison threads and I'm not sure will they count this as one.
1) It's definitely faster. But with 4.3, Z is already fast enough IMO.
2) I actually prefer Z's screen. Z1's has got slightly better viewing angle but Z's colours are better IMO. And Z has got white balance settings, Z1 doesn't.
3) I don't see that much difference between the two, to be honest. But Z1 can create much better bokeh. And when it's set to 20 MP, a slightly blurry photos may still look good when uploaded on web at lower resolution (e.g. Facebook's 2048x1536 pixels). Apart from that, they seem to produce similar looking photos, esp in terms of colour tones, contrast, noise levels, etc.
All in all, I don't think you should upgrade now. It's already a bit late for you to do that. Better wait for the 2014 flagship (Z1's successor).
I've owned the Z and I had a love/hate relationship with it for the following reasons:
-Battery : It sucked. No really, I've tried and tried to make it last at least a day and never succeeded. Yes, I'm a heavy user, but when I switched to the G2 I never ran out of juice with the same use.
-Screen: The screen on the Z1, no matter what these people are saying, is MUCH better than the Z. Not just in terms of viewing angles and washed out colors (which obviously have improved remarkably), also in terms of brightness and color reproduction.
-Lag: The S800 is a beast, after using the G2 I knew for a fact that any phone I buy next would absolutely have to have it. In real world use, its snappy as hell and even under the most intense 3D gaming and heavy multitasking it never skips a beat.
-Camera: the camera on the Z1 has improved after the latest update, and for me, the rule of thumb is quite simple. Use Superior Auto for night shots and Manual 20 MP the rest of the time and you won't need much tweaking to create some absolutely brilliant photos. The Z no matter what I tried It wouldn't hold a candle to the Z1.
This is my opinion having used both phones and a G2 - the upgrade is welllll worth it.
I'd definitely wait for 2014 flagships
few reason why I didnt get the Z and got the Z1
1. Z covered headphone jacks... really annoying to take out the flaps everytime you want to listen
2. battery life sucks
3. mediocre camera... (I expect sony to revolutionize smartphone camera at every flagship, same with that they did on Xperia S, first 12 mp camera)
which all the above was resolved at Z1...
---------- Post added at 09:00 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:54 AM ----------
2 things:
1. if you are a person who has the cash power to upgrade your handset every year? then do it.
2. if you are a person who upgrades rarely and have to buy the absolute value for money handset every time (every only 2-3 years)... then don't do it, wait for the successor by end of the year.
Ask yourself, do you really need a new phone? Does your Xperia Z not perform as you like?
I would strongly recommend that you wait for few days until the CES (tech conference) ends. for the past few years sony has revealed new flagship during this conference (they might or might not do this year because the Z1 was released not to long ago). But you should wait and see if they release anything interesting for you.
regarding your question, The Z1 is an upgraded Z in almost every aspect including screen, battery, camera, chipset... etc and is more future proof because it has newer chipset and because it was released later so it will be supported for longer. However, if you are satisfied with your Z, I suggest that you wait for 2014 H2 flagships (not even the one that might be released in H1) which will be using chipset based on ARMv8 architecture because this will be a big step forward in the mobile industry. Chipset is the most important part of the phone because better chipset means better performance, gaming experience, camera, overall experience ...etc
thank you for opinions. I decided not to do the upgrade from the Z to the Z1, and i will wait to see what 2014 will bring.
i admit that the camera was really the singular compelling reason for me to switch, my Z does good pictures, except ones w/ bad light. but i can live with that.
hopefully the new flagships won't be as big as the reports are predicting. the Z is right at the edge of my comfort zone in terms of size, and i have big hands mind you.

Which one to replace Nexus 5? (Z1 vs G2)

I love the pure Google experience but internal memory and battery capacity of Nexus 5 is just killing me. I would go for G2, but I heard it struggles with poor internal memory performance. Can anyone confirm it with KK onboard? My N5 is .84 rw. Which one has better community support? I would probably flash cm/omni. And Im considering 16GB Z1 vs 32GB G2. I like the feeling of N5, and that's why Im a bit scared of Z1 huge frame, but stable and fully functional pure Google is the most important for me.
mnickkk said:
I love the pure Google experience but internal memory and battery capacity of Nexus 5 is just killing me. I would go for G2, but I heard it struggles with poor internal memory performance. Can anyone confirm it with KK onboard? My N5 is .84 rw. Which one has better community support? I would probably flash cm/omni. And Im considering 16GB Z1 vs 32GB G2. I like the feeling of N5, and that's why Im a bit scared of Z1 huge frame, but stable and fully functional pure Google is the most important for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you care about horrible viewing angles? I mean horrible.
As long as they are not worse than in my TFT desktop monitor, I'm fine with that. Are they worse than in Xperia S? Cause those are almost unacceptable.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
I came from Experia Z and truly don't go for a Z model, screen is horrible, camera is horrible "noise!", battery more horrible than N5. Don't do it!. Today I bought a additional battery for my N5 which easy to replace..
Verstuurd vanaf mijn Nexus 5 met Tapatalk
Wait for the Z2
Sent from my C6906 using Tapatalk
mnickkk said:
As long as they are not worse than in my TFT desktop monitor, I'm fine with that. Are they worse than in Xperia S? Cause those are almost unacceptable.
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
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Click to collapse
They're worse. The Z2 fixed that though. It also has a much better camera algorithm. The z1 is full of noise.
Sent from my C6916 using Tapatalk
Wait for the Z2
Sent from my Xperia Z1
I think Z1 is great
Sent from my N986 using xda premium
The only horrible thing is the community, that writes crap about this nice device every time ...
I can tell you (with many hours of testing Z1, G2, S4, etc. that the Z1 is by far the best device out of the top devices at the moment... for sure you will have to know, what you are doing (and seemingly no one here does) ... i'm a photograph and have to say that the camera is brilliant (for a mobile camera) ... you just have to choose manual iso and such things, cause the automatic is (as always at EVERY camera) not the best for all situations ... e.g. if you shoot pics at night, the automatic mode gains the iso to maximum ... this will for sure make you able to shoot pictures that look like at evenig, not at night, but will gain the noise to a max ... if you choose wisely (e.g ISO 400) at night shots and hold the camera still you will get good pictures ...
i may upload a few examples today or tomorrow ..
the display: Yes, it is not such a good viewing angle as on new IPS-Panels or something ... BUT ... do you want everyone in a train e.g. be able to look and read everything on your display? Me not ... It's important to have enough angle to watch videos or look at photos (espacially for me) without getting wrong colors or something ... and THAT is what the Z1 does ...not more, but not less ...
so why is the z1 better than evey other mobile available?!
- it's water resistant (and yes, i testet it half an hour fully under water) ...
- its aluminium frame with saphire glass on both sides (yes it is) gives it a nice finish (im sure you can even let it fall on a stone without braking it, but not tested - it just falls periodically from my table on the carpet - ca 1m - and is still alive )
- the dev community is good
- the battery life is the longest for those cpus and displays
- the camera is awsome
- the display (triluminos) is brilliant with true colors, good contrast, etc ...
- sony delivers good support
- the sound that comes out of this mobile (even with just the headset in the package) is amazingly brilliant - with good earphones it's for sure the best i ever heard (sony has much experience cause of the walkman devices and such things ...)
- it comes out of the box with very cool features such as the stamina mode (wich works brilliant - no need for any other battery apps or task killers) or the ability to bind an DualShock-Controller to the mobile for gaming e.g. ... and much more ...
so enough said .. haters will allways hate ... but i will never give my z1 away ... it's the best phone i ever head in my hands (and i've had more then enough) ...mybe the z2 will be the replacement for the z1 in a while ... but at the moment there is nothing better available ...
EHHHM .. just to be clear ... im reporting about the standard german nonbranded C6903 .. i heard that some other countrys and models may have other display panels and may be worse than the "normal" device ... don't know, what is exactly true about this .. i can only tell you something about German unbranded C6903 which is mine and the mobile of 2 friends of me .. all working without problems ...
I sign this
mnickkk said:
I love the pure Google experience but internal memory and battery capacity of Nexus 5 is just killing me. I would go for G2, but I heard it struggles with poor internal memory performance. Can anyone confirm it with KK onboard? My N5 is .84 rw. Which one has better community support? I would probably flash cm/omni. And Im considering 16GB Z1 vs 32GB G2. I like the feeling of N5, and that's why Im a bit scared of Z1 huge frame, but stable and fully functional pure Google is the most important for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the Z1, but the only reason I went for it instead of the G2 is because I need more than 32GB storage and I care about the materials / build quality of a product a lot. I guess if those things are important to you, go for the Z1, otherwise the G2 is probably better than the Z1 in every way really (especially the display and the size of phone to size of screen ratio. Z1 has HUGE bezels)
DJ_Synergy said:
The only horrible thing is the community, that writes crap about this nice device every time ...
I can tell you (with many hours of testing Z1, G2, S4, etc. that the Z1 is by far the best device out of the top devices at the moment... for sure you will have to know, what you are doing (and seemingly no one here does) ... i'm a photograph and have to say that the camera is brilliant (for a mobile camera) ... you just have to choose manual iso and such things, cause the automatic is (as always at EVERY camera) not the best for all situations ... e.g. if you shoot pics at night, the automatic mode gains the iso to maximum ... this will for sure make you able to shoot pictures that look like at evenig, not at night, but will gain the noise to a max ... if you choose wisely (e.g ISO 400) at night shots and hold the camera still you will get good pictures ...
i may upload a few examples today or tomorrow ..
the display: Yes, it is not such a good viewing angle as on new IPS-Panels or something ... BUT ... do you want everyone in a train e.g. be able to look and read everything on your display? Me not ... It's important to have enough angle to watch videos or look at photos (espacially for me) without getting wrong colors or something ... and THAT is what the Z1 does ...not more, but not less ...
so why is the z1 better than evey other mobile available?!
- it's water resistant (and yes, i testet it half an hour fully under water) ...
- its aluminium frame with saphire glass on both sides (yes it is) gives it a nice finish (im sure you can even let it fall on a stone without braking it, but not tested - it just falls periodically from my table on the carpet - ca 1m - and is still alive )
- the dev community is good
- the battery life is the longest for those cpus and displays
- the camera is awsome
- the display (triluminos) is brilliant with true colors, good contrast, etc ...
- sony delivers good support
- the sound that comes out of this mobile (even with just the headset in the package) is amazingly brilliant - with good earphones it's for sure the best i ever heard (sony has much experience cause of the walkman devices and such things ...)
- it comes out of the box with very cool features such as the stamina mode (wich works brilliant - no need for any other battery apps or task killers) or the ability to bind an DualShock-Controller to the mobile for gaming e.g. ... and much more ...
so enough said .. haters will allways hate ... but i will never give my z1 away ... it's the best phone i ever head in my hands (and i've had more then enough) ...mybe the z2 will be the replacement for the z1 in a while ... but at the moment there is nothing better available ...
EHHHM .. just to be clear ... im reporting about the standard german nonbranded C6903 .. i heard that some other countrys and models may have other display panels and may be worse than the "normal" device ... don't know, what is exactly true about this .. i can only tell you something about German unbranded C6903 which is mine and the mobile of 2 friends of me .. all working without problems ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, I do not think there is anything more to say :good:
Why everyone is complaining about Z1?
I have a Z1 and i LOVE IT!
Ok, my first impression wasnt the best (touch issues), but i replace it and now its perfect!
My battery can hold for 2 days with wifi and 4g the entire time, twitter, facebook, email, linkedin, everything connected and i play on my free times. TWO DAYS!
I dont have any problem with the angle because i dont use my phone looking from the sides (who do this?) when i use it the screen is in front of me, so not a problem.
Its water resistent, do you need more? (oh, but i dont live inside a pool bla bla bla, neither me, but is something to consider on a top end phone).
Performance is unbelievable! Im using stock ROM from Sony and is fast, stable, beautiful.
The camera is noisy? Yes, but ONLY on AUTO mode, change to MANUAL and do some basic camera ajustments, you will see a new camera, very clear photos even at night.
Internal storage 16gb, yes, this is crap, but i have 12 games installed and more 2gb of music without a SD Card, so all depends on your use.
So if you want a perfect phone, buy the Z1 or the brand new Z2, both of the phones are incredible!
I also agree.
I sold a Galaxy S4 and caught a Z1 and do not regret it.
I Make excellent pictures in Manual mode (the best camera on a smartphone).
Viewing angles never bothered me, so I usually look at the screen from the front.
Quality construction and water resistance = Perfect!
Excellent battery life.
G2 / N5 = plastic phones, no sdcard slot, no real good cameras, no water resistant, no great battery life.
Conclusion: Today, Z1 is the best option. If you can wait, buy a Z2 or HTC One 2 (M8). These will be better than Z1. :laugh:
I would say the technical best devices are the HTC One or the Xperia Z series. If you compare the Z, Z1 and Z2 the differences are minimal. Because of that you can decide by the amount of money you want to spend for a mobile phone. I am sure after the Z2 reaches the market, the prices for Z and Z1 will be lowered.
marciozh said:
I also agree.
I sold a Galaxy S4 and caught a Z1 and do not regret it.
I Make excellent pictures in Manual mode (the best camera on a smartphone).
Viewing angles never bothered me, so I usually look at the screen from the front.
Quality construction and water resistance = Perfect!
Excellent battery life.
G2 / N5 = plastic phones, no sdcard slot, no real good cameras, no water resistant, no great battery life.
Conclusion: Today, Z1 is the best option. If you can wait, buy a Z2 or HTC One 2 (M8). These will be better than Z1. :laugh:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
G2 has great battery life. probably on par or even better than Z1.
DJ_Synergy said:
so why is the z1 better than evey other mobile available?!
- it's water resistant (and yes, i testet it half an hour fully under water) ...
- its aluminium frame with saphire glass on both sides (yes it is) gives it a nice finish (im sure you can even let it fall on a stone without braking it, but not tested - it just falls periodically from my table on the carpet - ca 1m - and is still alive )
- the dev community is good
- the battery life is the longest for those cpus and displays
- the camera is awsome
- the display (triluminos) is brilliant with true colors, good contrast, etc ...
- sony delivers good support
- the sound that comes out of this mobile (even with just the headset in the package) is amazingly brilliant - with good earphones it's for sure the best i ever heard (sony has much experience cause of the walkman devices and such things ...)
- it comes out of the box with very cool features such as the stamina mode (wich works brilliant - no need for any other battery apps or task killers) or the ability to bind an DualShock-Controller to the mobile for gaming e.g. ... and much more ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
few things i'd like to reply on:
first a few things that are not quite right:
display:
the triluminos display may seem brilliant, but is has it downsides. for those who are in this stuff, this video is pretty nice. well aside from that, it just has to look good right? wich it, in my opinion, does.
sound:
well yeah, with headphones it's definitly something, but without? ouch...
screen:
it's dragontail glass not saphire glass (source)
positive:
camera:
the camera is excellent IF you know how to use it. The G2 does decent pictures without questions, but they are heavily post processed. It may not be visible for the normal user, but if you're in that photo stuff the z1 should do better.
take a look at this page for further information.
but this should all be in vain, because those are stock roms, who really knows how the perform on custom roms?
battery:
it's huge. i came from Xperia S what lasted about 10 Hours with my usage. The Z1 easily gets over 2 Days with wifi, gps, mobile allways on. Additionally i receive quite a few push messages.
edit:
i love my Z1
owned both (Z1 & G2) and I would definitely recommend the G2
Both are good phones...and I was in the exact same position choosing between the G2 and Z1. Yes the Z1 can have images with noise but I've managed to get a good technique with all the tips from XDA members...people are always complementing my Z1 camera
Ultimately it's down to what you want;
mnickkk said:
I love the pure Google experience but internal memory and battery capacity of Nexus 5 is just killing me. I would go for G2, but I heard it struggles with poor internal memory performance. Can anyone confirm it with KK onboard? My N5 is .84 rw. Which one has better community support? I would probably flash cm/omni. And Im considering 16GB Z1 vs 32GB G2. I like the feeling of N5, and that's why Im a bit scared of Z1 huge frame, but stable and fully functional pure Google is the most important for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So if you want custom roms the G2 is hands down the winner compared to the Z1 with a permanently locked bootloader (i.e. not unlockable). However if you can get a unlockable Z1 it's about even. If not the stock Z1 is still really good and very close to pure google experience once you root and clean things up with titanium backup.
If I could choose again I would probably go for the G2 since I prefer messing around with custom roms (although I would miss the solid premium feel the Z1 has...so maybe I'd try harder to source an unlockable Z1 :silly: ).
I was hesitating about the same thing, G2 vs Z1. I was almost sold for the G2, it was pretty nice at test (swipe gestures and tap screen are very user-friendly).
But finally I got my Z1 form my carrier, thinking that if it was not good for me I could sell it at a big price and buy a G2 instead. I never went this way. Testing a Z1 and owning a Z1 are 2 different worlds, this phone has just blown my mind.
Also had an accident with Coca and my phone held out for 30 minutes without any problem, I just washed it under a shower, cleaned it with my shirt. Way to go!
And I'm a music addict. Just check the two topics I've opened lately. All about sound. The Z1 is by far the best out there with Qualcomm DAC, implementation is perfect. Zero noise, zero distortion, power, lively music, responsive EQ, it is worth the experience.
I will definitely not trade my Z1 for a LG G2. Though the last one is an amazing phone and I recommend it, if you have money to chose either the Z1 or the G2, Z1 is the way to go. I don't know the Z2. If it does eveythign the same way or better than the Z1, it's a WIN-WIN situation.
Ah, I run stock ROM, haven't looked after root yet, nor bootloader stuff etc.

[Q] Is the Razr i still worthy of consideration?

I believe it is and it has definitely been on my wish-list ever since it first came out. Specifically the i, not the M version. But it has been a year and a half since it was launched, so I thought you guys, the owners, would be the perfect people to tell whether it's still a good buy
Firstly, could you tell me about how does it age? I mean, if you have it for longer than a year now, did it collect too many scratches or other signs of wear and tear? The build quality of the thing seems to be top notch, but I hope you guys can tell me whether it stands up against the everyday usage just as well
And secondly, I'm just going to list things I use my smartphone for and what I want from it and maybe you could tell me whether the Ri would be a good choice for me
Use for, do and want:
-compactness (I currently have a DEFY+ and I love its size, except for the thickness - this little boy sure is a fatty, but I think that the Ri is the perfect size and can be used with just one hand easily, correct?)
-good battery life (I keep my phone always connected, it's on WiFi when at home and on 2G while I'm anywhere out and sometimes on 3G+ when I need the speed for browsing or a quick download of something - the Ri should be good in this regard, because of the power optimisations coming from Intel, right?)
-music playing (my smartphone is my music player and one big plus for the i in the Moto range is the memory card slot. How is the quality of audio output, though, if you could comment on that?)
-enough power for multi-tasking (multi-tasking in my case = music playing + web browsing + writing a mail, for example. It should have plenty enough power for tasks like this, I think.)
-quick camera (the biggest problem I have with my DEFY is that Camera takes 5-6 seconds to start which makes it almost pointless for me The only times I would use my phone as a camera is when I need to capture something quickly and the Ri seems to be perfect for such occasions, because of the dedicated camera button and the speed of all camera operations)
-custom ROMs (one thing I love about the DEFY is that sooo many ROMs are available for it! on the other hand, it seems that development for the Ri is at a much lower level... maybe that will change with KitKat, ey? But I really wish there was some CyanogenMod available for it, it's really got a lot more to offer compared to AOSP )
Don't use for, don't need:
-gaming (I don't game on my phones and I just need enough graphics power to have a smooth UI experience throughout all apps and when browsing and for an occasional video, I guess. Nothing more.)
So... That's pretty much it, I guess. I'm sorry about the long post But please bear with me and give me a couple of answers Please
Cheers!
razr i defy+
in my pinion the razr i has an ideal pocket size, not as thich as the dey+, but screen size a little bit larger. the razr is robust (metal frame), it's not
water resistent but water potected (some type of coating). The display is, sharp with good colours. The display suffers only the things every
phone display suffers, nearly not readable in the sun and not matted (I wish one day there are matted displys for phones).
Scratches, the same as all others (gorilla glass or similar) is scratch resitant till a certain point, but only a tiny grain of sand can scratch it and maybe even a hrdened or coated metal (I use a pouch). For not being afraid of snd grains you need display with saphire glass.
I have Omar's ROM installed and this ROM is very responsive on the razr i with good battery life. i'm looking forward to kitkat too.
I'm satisfied with the razr i. The only phone I would give away the razr I, is an xperia z1compact (because ofit's water resistance and the CM support).
I think, considering your list, you'd be happy with the Razr I. It's a great Smartphone and since Motorola announced the update to KitKat it'll become a bit more up-to-date.
The Razr I is my daily phone for more than a year and I'm still satisfied with it.
It's very robust (almost no scratches) and has everything a good Smartphone needs.
Additionally I'd recommend you to take a look at the Moto G, if you haven't done it before. I think it's at least as good as the Razr I and a good, but not so old Smartphone.
I also did have the defy:
niksy+ said:
Firstly, could you tell me about how does it age? I mean, if you have it for longer than a year now, did it collect too many scratches or other signs of wear and tear? The build quality of the thing seems to be top notch, but I hope you guys can tell me whether it stands up against the everyday usage just as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine has a couple of heavy scratches on the border (it fall when I was running) but pretty good overall.
niksy+ said:
Use for, do and want:
-compactness (I currently have a DEFY+ and I love its size, except for the thickness - this little boy sure is a fatty, but I think that the Ri is the perfect size and can be used with just one hand easily, correct?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes, you get used to the size pretty quickly
niksy+ said:
-good battery life (I keep my phone always connected, it's on WiFi when at home and on 2G while I'm anywhere out and sometimes on 3G+ when I need the speed for browsing or a quick download of something - the Ri should be good in this regard, because of the power optimisations coming from Intel, right?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can't complain, but its not much better than say a defy+
niksy+ said:
-music playing (my smartphone is my music player and one big plus for the i in the Moto range is the memory card slot. How is the quality of audio output, though, if you could comment on that?)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its not great, but its better than the defy
niksy+ said:
-enough power for multi-tasking (multi-tasking in my case = music playing + web browsing + writing a mail, for example. It should have plenty enough power for tasks like this, I think.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yess more than enough-
niksy+ said:
-quick camera (the biggest problem I have with my DEFY is that Camera takes 5-6 seconds to start which makes it almost pointless for me The only times I would use my phone as a camera is when I need to capture something quickly and the Ri seems to be perfect for such occasions, because of the dedicated camera button and the speed of all camera operations)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yess its freaking fast
niksy+ said:
-custom ROMs (one thing I love about the DEFY is that sooo many ROMs are available for it! on the other hand, it seems that development for the Ri is at a much lower level... maybe that will change with KitKat, ey? But I really wish there was some CyanogenMod available for it, it's really got a lot more to offer compared to AOSP )
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
not so much scene for this phone, but I rather have a good stock experience than an half backed custom rom.
niksy+ said:
Don't use for, don't need:
-gaming (I don't game on my phones and I just need enough graphics power to have a smooth UI experience throughout all apps and when browsing and for an occasional video, I guess. Nothing more.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use it for gaming, and I'm pretty happy (ppsspp, and epsxe with the ipega, plus some native games and I'm really happy)
I don't know about serbia, but around here, the razr i is the cheapest phone to get kitkat that you can buy (yes, more cheaper than the moto g) If you are on a budget, its still a good option.
paulle said:
The display suffers only the things every phone display suffers, nearly not readable in the sun and not matted (I wish one day there are matted displys for phones).
Scratches, the same as all others (gorilla glass or similar) is scratch resitant till a certain point, but only a tiny grain of sand can scratch it and maybe even a hrdened or coated metal (I use a pouch). For not being afraid of snd grains you need display with saphire glass.
I have Omar's ROM installed and this ROM is very responsive on the razr i with good battery life. i'm looking forward to kitkat too.
I'm satisfied with the razr i. The only phone I would give away the razr I, is an xperia z1compact (because ofit's water resistance and the CM support).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Display - Oh... I read the reviews and they all said great things about the display and its contrast when outside. Is it at least good outside, when not in direct sunlight? The DEFY's display is completely unreadable in direct sunlight
Gorilla Glass - Yes, I do know it doesn't offer complete protection from scratches, but it's still a huge advance from standard glass, imho. The Gorilla Glass on my DEFY was great for me, it has been actively used for two and a half years now and it does have a tiny scratch or too, but they aren't deep and they are hardly visible at any angles, I don't even remember where they are until I search for them. And I know what sapphire glass is, my dad's got a swiss army watch with it, it is incredible!
Z1 Compact - Absolutely awesome device! But I've got two problems with it - the price is MUUCH higher than Razr i and it's not a Motorola... I'm still a huge Moto fan
To tell you the truth, I would possibly rather have a Droid Mini (which is the actual Razr i/M successor, with a 720p 4.3" display and even more compact than Ri (it's noticeably shorter)), but it's only available in America and shipping and taxes would make it too expensive for me But the phone is a beast as much as that Z1 Compact, imho, although it does lack waterproofness. All Droid Minis are factory unlocked and work anywhere in the world, if you didn't know And the new Ultra line (which Mini is a part of) all have the Moto X8 chip which is in the X, as well, so there's touchless control and all that... A really sweet device
j0n1th4n said:
The Razr I is my daily phone for more than a year and I'm still satisfied with it.
It's very robust (almost no scratches) and has everything a good Smartphone needs.
Additionally I'd recommend you to take a look at the Moto G, if you haven't done it before. I think it's at least as good as the Razr I and a good, but not so old Smartphone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Age - Year and a half is a long period, it's good to know that you're still satisfied with it. Could you tell me if the battery is still as good as it was when you bought it? I'm kinda worried that it will start losing capacity quickly, which would be a big problem Actually, if you could tell me anything more about battery life, that would be great :good:
Moto G - a great device, but simply not for me. The build quality, camera, memory card slot, size - all in favour of the Ri The G does have more horsepower and a better (actually bigger, but not sure whether bigger = better) screen, but it's plastic and the bezels around the screen suck and it's veery limited on memory... I love what Moto has done, but it's really not for me
YaPeL said:
Battery:
Can't complain, but its not much better than say a defy+
Price:
I don't know about serbia, but around here, the razr i is the cheapest phone to get kitkat that you can buy (yes, more cheaper than the moto g) If you are on a budget, its still a good option.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Battery - What does "not much better than a defy+" mean? Because my defy+ did last for 3 days often when it was new and on the stock Gingerbread ROM, but now I have to recharge it every night The only time it lasts for 2 days is when I'm at home for those two days and barely use it
Price - The Ri is cheaper than a 16gb Moto G here, as well
And yes, I am on a tight budget, to be honest. I believe the Ri is the best I could get for my money, but I'm trying to triple-check it with you guys, since I will probably be stuck with it for at least a year and a half after purchase
Thanks for helping out, mates
niksy+ said:
I believe it is and it has definitely been on my wish-list ever since it first came out. Specifically the i, not the M version. But it has been a year and a half since it was launched, so I thought you guys, the owners, would be the perfect people to tell whether it's still a good buy
Firstly, could you tell me about how does it age? I mean, if you have it for longer than a year now, did it collect too many scratches or other signs of wear and tear? The build quality of the thing seems to be top notch, but I hope you guys can tell me whether it stands up against the everyday usage just as well
And secondly, I'm just going to list things I use my smartphone for and what I want from it and maybe you could tell me whether the Ri would be a good choice for me
Use for, do and want:
-compactness (I currently have a DEFY+ and I love its size, except for the thickness - this little boy sure is a fatty, but I think that the Ri is the perfect size and can be used with just one hand easily, correct?)
-good battery life (I keep my phone always connected, it's on WiFi when at home and on 2G while I'm anywhere out and sometimes on 3G+ when I need the speed for browsing or a quick download of something - the Ri should be good in this regard, because of the power optimisations coming from Intel, right?)
-music playing (my smartphone is my music player and one big plus for the i in the Moto range is the memory card slot. How is the quality of audio output, though, if you could comment on that?)
-enough power for multi-tasking (multi-tasking in my case = music playing + web browsing + writing a mail, for example. It should have plenty enough power for tasks like this, I think.)
-quick camera (the biggest problem I have with my DEFY is that Camera takes 5-6 seconds to start which makes it almost pointless for me The only times I would use my phone as a camera is when I need to capture something quickly and the Ri seems to be perfect for such occasions, because of the dedicated camera button and the speed of all camera operations)
-custom ROMs (one thing I love about the DEFY is that sooo many ROMs are available for it! on the other hand, it seems that development for the Ri is at a much lower level... maybe that will change with KitKat, ey? But I really wish there was some CyanogenMod available for it, it's really got a lot more to offer compared to AOSP )
Don't use for, don't need:
-gaming (I don't game on my phones and I just need enough graphics power to have a smooth UI experience throughout all apps and when browsing and for an occasional video, I guess. Nothing more.)
So... That's pretty much it, I guess. I'm sorry about the long post But please bear with me and give me a couple of answers Please
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the "common" Defy, not the plus one, before the Razr I. What a tough phone, I really enjoyed that, upgraded the CyanogenMod's until the ICS, then I sold it to a friend... whom killed him sinking it in a glass of Red Label whisky! Poor phone :crying:. But let's talk about the Ri. I bought mine in December, 2012. Now, I was about to buy another phone, but the news about upgrade to KK changed my mind, and I'll keep it a little more months. The Ri isn't water and dust proof as Defy, but it's tough anyway. It fell in the ground after 1 week I received it, and made a VERY little scratch in the bottom left metal corner! The Kevlar, in practice, doesn't make it feel tougher, but helps a lot about finger prints usually is visible in the back of other phones, in Ri is extremely reduced.
-compactness: In comparison to Defy, it's MUCH thinner! I use my Ri with a silicon case, and screen shield, and when I take out the case, it makes a huge difference, in weight, and dimensions, and the feel that metal + kevlar gives you. Yes, it can be used with only one hand easily.
-good battery life: It depends a lot of use. I use my Ri with static wallpaper and auto brightness. 2G/3G always ON, 40% of the time in WIFI, a few times checking Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, some SMS's and a few calls, it can handle from 8am till 10pm~01am most of times, in my style of use.
-music playing: I have to admit that Ri isn't my main music player, but my tablet Asus Transformer. Anyway, I have PowerAmp installed in Ri too, it has a good sound quality, the speaker could be louder, it reduces the bass to avoid dirtortions. The earphone that comes with Ri is an ordinary one, with a mic. If you really like sound quality, I recommend you to buy a good one, if you don't have already done.
-enough power for multi-tasking: It can handle this case of Multi Tasking easily. It won't be as fast as the top phones, but it won't disappoint you in your situation of multi tasking.
-quick camera: The camera opens REALLY fast. The case I use in my Ri, doesn't have the hole to press the camera button, so sometimes when I take my phone, accidentaly press the camera button and it instantly turns on. In quality of image, it's more than enough to post in Facebook, and this social websites. But looking deeply, in dark situations, it shows a lot of noise, if not used in Night mode (use in Auto, for ex.). The videos in Full HD are awesome, sound too, but the against part, is that if you don't get steady, they'll be shaky very easily.
-custom ROMs: This is weakest point of Ri, because of Intel processor, it makes to get the drivers much harder for the developers. But I'm fine with the way stock JB is, and Kit Kat is about to come. I had already passed some bad situations changing ROM's in my old Defy, so the more you stand in a stock ROM, better it'll be. With KK, Ri will be up to date, so there's no reason for a while to search for other ROMS.
I don't like gaming in the phones too. Although, Ri can handle most of them, it heats a little, nothing that makes unconfortable, like most of the other phones in the market.
Sometimes, my Ri starts to get a little laggy, but I learned a trick, that anyone can use it if you want: the cache memory from apps. When the laggy starts, just go to Settings, and clear the caches from the main apps (Facebook, Instagram, for ex., which ones can reach +100MB of cache quickly).
It's a good phone, worth it for it's price, but it will get outdated, as I bet that KK will be the last update for Ri. As someone told before, there is the Moto G, that is newer, and can receive another update, but it loses against the Ri in the lack of SD card, and camera.
Sorry for any mistake in my English, I really hope you understood everything I wrote, because it's my routine with Razr I.
You can also consider waiting few days for Moto E launch, but if you don't like Moto G, wou probably wouldn't like E as well ;]
I bought my Razr i just about month ago and it was great choice.
hey there, what an interesting subject !
I had similar thoughts to yours about a months ago.. and then I bought myself a white, used Razr I
I have to say that I'm very satisfied with it. Previously I owned a Samsung Galaxy S Plus (nice phone but the plastic-metal frame around the screen made it sooo ugly) and before this I owned a Motorola Defy whitch I practically felt in love with and I really liked Motorola for the quality of the product.
With the Razr I am now finally 100% happy. This phone is very powerfull - its flashing fast, the UI is super smooth on stock and every app and game Ive tried works amazingly great and I had no problems or disappointments at all.
Now I'll try to quick-answer to you questions basing on my experiences:
- multitasking - PERFECT
- battery life - you can easily get 2 days of usage with all the extras turned on all the time BUT with programs like DS battery saver installed (turns off all the connectivity after screen is turned off and just regulairly turns it on) and maybe other apps which prolong the battery use. WIthout these apps one day is easily achievable even with gaming, GPS, and web browsing etc.
- sound - really good, speaker isn;t as good as in DEFY (Defy's speaker is a legend !!) but its also loud and nice to listen to, not like in all the samsung galaxy S plus or LG nexus. With the headphones the quality is good for me, comperable to my iPod classic 5g.
- camera - super fast but the photo quality is not fantastic (Samsung S plus 5MP takes better pics), but still great, movies quality is super sharp !
- size and quality of make - the size is ideal, HEAVY is RELIABLE ("Lock stock and two smoking barrels" ;D ) but my first experiences were a bit stressing - the phone felt as it could fall out of my hands - after getting used to it it feels better. Im still thinking whether to get a case for it or not.
Generally its a great phone that I would honestly recomend, if you have any questions feel free to ask.
niksy+ said:
Display - Oh... I read the reviews and they all said great things about the display and its contrast when outside. Is it at least good outside, when not in direct sunlight? The DEFY's display is completely unreadable in direct sunlight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
its passable with the brightness on medium, its better than the defy in every aspect but definition, you may see some pixels on the white letters, but you get used to it, and once you go amoled, you never go back (?.
niksy+ said:
Battery - What does "not much better than a defy+" mean? Because my defy+ did last for 3 days often when it was new and on the stock Gingerbread ROM, but now I have to recharge it every night The only time it lasts for 2 days is when I'm at home for those two days and barely use it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I get the same as with the defy, a day and a half, a day-
niksy+ said:
And yes, I am on a tight budget, to be honest. I believe the Ri is the best I could get for my money, but I'm trying to triple-check it with you guys, since I will probably be stuck with it for at least a year and a half after purchase
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
go for it, try to avoid the white version if you can.
Well,
I am on my second Razr I at the moment. When it came out, I was really happy to be one of the first to have the Atom based Smartphone. Here my thoughts about the phone:
Pros:
- Awesome battery life. I switched from a Galaxy S2 to the Razr I and I was happy to at last be able to last through the day. When the Razr I came out, I could hardly think of a phone that could beat it's battery life. Then, a year ago I moved and got a new phone, the Razr I was still the best option considering battery life. The "old Razr I" is now used by my wife, she also loves it.
- Good build Quality
- Excellent size for people who don't like having such big phones.
- Nice screen quality. That does't mean that it has the best screen, I just see it has a good contrast level (blacks are really black, colors are vivid).
Cons:
- Many apps were (or are still) not compatible with Intel based phones. One example was (now it works) Firefox. It isn't a stopper for me, but it could be for some people.
- Really few custom roms.
- Updates from Motorola... Well, its a shame but I see it's just the same with other vendors...
- Battery not removable. Bad if the phone hangs (has happened to me once or twice, rebooting it is not very normal-user-friendly). However, after having the first phone with relatively heavy usage since it was launched, battery still performs without any noticeable difference.
- The Aluminium Bezel easily scratches, and scratches then are... aluminium color, so for me using some kind of case is a must (imho).
- Even though it supports Hyperthreading, it is just not as fast as a 4-core chip...
So, if I was going to get a new phone soon, I probably would consider some other (newer / more actual) model. There are plenty of 2000mAh+ phones on the market, I would just look for options where battery life is at least as good as the Razr I and I would probably go that way. However, that doesn't mean that the Razr is not actual anymore, I think we will stick with them for at least one more year...
Regards
mschmiedel said:
- Updates from Motorola... Well, its a shame but I see it's just the same with other vendors...
- Battery not removable. Bad if the phone hangs (has happened to me once or twice, rebooting it is not very normal-user-friendly). However, after having the first phone with relatively heavy usage since it was launched, battery still performs without any noticeable difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
-Yeah well I think motorola is the best in this regard, also the razr i its one of the oldest non-nexus device to get kitkat (if not the oldest)
- Just press powerbutton + vol up + vol down and you will reboot your device, no matter how bad it hung it will work.
YaPeL said:
- Just press powerbutton + vol up + vol down and you will reboot your device, no matter how bad it hung it will work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I found out after the first time it got stuck... However, I don't see it as a very normal-user-friendly feature... Any normal user would remove the battery, and if it's not possible, they would keep the powerbutton pressed, but I can hardly imagine someone trying it in combination with other buttons (well, the Razr I only has these three )... I could imagine people letting the battery drain and rescuing the phone after a full charge...
I'm glad to say that after more than a year with this phone, I still wouldn't give it up and would whole-heartedly recommend it.
On the case of durability, I bought a bodyglove case for mine and it's practically indestructible. I mean, drop on concrete from five feet indestructible. Didn't even bother putting a screen protector on it, I let the Gorilla Glass do its job. Only a minor scratch after months without one, from one of my keys. The aluminum frame will scratch, but that's expected.
Battery life is, in one word, MAGNIFICENT. I used to be really frugal with it and never used 3G unless I needed it, and I could make it through twelve hours of light use with 60% left. Now I just leave my 3G on all the time, and I still make it through about 12 hours of heavy use (trivia crack got me) with about 40% left. It's truly fantastic.
Multitasking is fine for what you plan on using it for, I usually have music playing while I'm on it. As a music player, I love it. 32gb card keeps my whole collection, and I use Shuttle for a really nice, clean experience.
The camera is more than adequate, and very fast. Literally launches in less than a second. Pictures often come out grainy, especially if you zoom in it. But it's still a very good camera.
On roms, it's pretty meh. Not too many roms to choose from, but we have many dedicated members who have put some amazing roms out. I'm on omar's rom and it's quite fantastic.
Overall, it's a great phone. If you can find for a decent price, I'd go for it. Even with low price contenders like the Moto G (which has KK, a +) I would still recommend it. Definitely a good buy.
Do you want a compact phone? Get it. Otherwise get the moto g which is great. The I is fast, getting KitKat, the only downside is that it has only one gigabyte of RAM which us notable like once a day after heavy browsing. Speed wise its fast, real racing works nicely(it's the only hardware intensegame that I could test, I don't play on the phone). Browsing is fast but pages will have to reload after multi tasking more often then not. As I already said, if u want the size go for it, if you don't care or are after size don't.
I bought the Moto G for my father and he didn't want it so i decided to keep it. I have the Razr I and i have the moto X. Long story short, i sold the Moto G. Why? Well the screen technology is not as good as the amoled that is on the razr i. Yes it was fast, but the Moto G (at the time) didnt take an SD. The phone was considerably bulkier (and yes i have a Moto X that i use as my daily driver).
I am anxiously awaiting KitKat upgrade because the phone used to run out of memory and lag some once too many applications were running. Everyone compliments me on the Razr I and its screen when i travel.
Hi there, just adding, i bought a Rarzr i recently (around 2 month) well i have to say : totally worth it ( and i had a one X and a SGS III before )
It is the 1st one i keep at stock ROM plus the battery last quite long and it feels smooth and snappy
All i wait now is the 4.4 update...
Sent from my XT890 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
YaPeL said:
go for it, try to avoid the white version if you can.
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Click to collapse
why should one avoid the white version ? ..
your_login said:
why should one avoid the white version ? ..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No kevlar. (Although its more beatiful)
Enviado desde mi XT890 usando Tapatalk now Free
YaPeL said:
No kevlar. (Although its more beatiful)
Enviado desde mi XT890 usando Tapatalk now Free
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All right, i havnt even noticed how does it make a difference in practical way? Is kevlar lighter, protects the back of the phone stronger or radiates the hot temperature from the cpu better?
your_login said:
All right, i havnt even noticed how does it make a difference in practical way? Is kevlar lighter, protects the back of the phone stronger or radiates the hot temperature from the cpu better?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well english is not my first tounge so I don't really know how to explain it exactly but some people reported that the "^threads^ of their back started to fall out", anyway is not something that happened to everyone, so maybe you got a good one.
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Is the Z3C still worth to buy?

Hello everyone!
Right now I own a Moto X (2013) and I love it mainly because of the size of the screen, it actually fits in my pockets! But as of late, the battery is already draining a bit fast, and the camera has never been very good either. So I'm looking for a phone to replace it that has a better camera, battery and keeps about the same performance. The problem lies in the big sized phones available today! They're huge. I don't want it to exceed the 5.2 inch display size, nor it be larger than 140mm approximately.
So I thought about the Z3C. I also considered the new Xperia M5 (not yet on sale) (145mm long) or even wait for the Z5 Compact. What do you guys recommend? Is the Z3C still worth it?
I think the camera is is pretty good on the Z3C but I am no photographer. It suits my needs well. I think you will have a hard time finding a small phone (or any phone) that matches the battery life of the Z3C. For that reason alone, I think it is work it. I also think the Z3C is a nice looking phone. I also have a 2013 Moto X and loved it until I got spoiled by the Z3C's battery. You should find the Z3C to be faster and have better performance overall.
Z3 battery life is great and it fits in pocket much better than some of the slabs available now.
If you dont want to pay a premium for the absolute latest and greatest but want a phone that just works really well, i think the z3C is pretty good value.
Glass screen protector and decent case are a must though as although IP68 rated, dont think its very "drop proof".
- The Z3C battery life takes a hit with Lollipop though (damn mobile radio active bug), so if you're not satisfied, you can always roll back to KitKat for the best performance.
- The camera's auto-mode is decent in well lit conditions (tends to over-expose), but is sub-par indoors. It lacks sharpness once you zoom in on the picture. It actually excels in some low-light conditions due to the higher ISO, but most people don't need to take photos in a dark room.
- Over all, you won't find a better phone with more features at this price point that actually fits in one hand comfortably. Plus, it's waterproof.
That being said though, the new Z5C is supposed to be announced this week. Wait a few days and see if it's worth the upgrade or not.
Still the best compact phone (< 5") out at the moment. I just find Sony's politics towards homebrew and open source dev going slowly from mediocre to worse.
Z5c may be announced tomorrow so you may as well wait a day and see, but if it's, as rumoured, released with a Snapdragon 810 chip, Z3c may remain on top of the category until the next iteration...
Until the Z4C releases yes.
There is no Z4C - Sony skips a generation for the compacts. It will be a Z5C instead.
PuffDaddy_d said:
- The Z3C battery life takes a hit with Lollipop though (damn mobile radio active bug), so if you're not satisfied, you can always roll back to KitKat for the best performance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
MobileRadioActiveFix
rafabr4 said:
Hello everyone!
Right now I own a Moto X (2013) and I love it mainly because of the size of the screen, it actually fits in my pockets! But as of late, the battery is already draining a bit fast, and the camera has never been very good either. So I'm looking for a phone to replace it that has a better camera, battery and keeps about the same performance. The problem lies in the big sized phones available today! They're huge. I don't want it to exceed the 5.2 inch display size, nor it be larger than 140mm approximately.
So I thought about the Z3C. I also considered the new Xperia M5 (not yet on sale) (145mm long) or even wait for the Z5 Compact. What do you guys recommend? Is the Z3C still worth it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am/was basically in the same situation as you! I also own a moto x 2013 an love it because of the screen size. It has a great feel in the hand, actually usable with one hand and it fits in the pocket nicely. But my battery life has gotten horrible since Lollipop, even with cm 12.1. I don't really care about the camera that much, and the performance was always great although lately its been starting to feel a little sluggish.
I researched for over a month but couldn't find any other good alternatives at this size. The only other option is the galaxy alpha ( but there are various complications with rooting, versions, LTE etc).
I finally gave up and went with the Z3C. Just got mine like yesterday though so I'm still in the process of setting everything up and transferring my stuff over. So far I really like it. It looks and feels nice and premium. It doesn't have as nice of a feel in the hand as the x because the back is flat and not curved. Software wise I will probably miss active display, but it seems like sony also included some neat features. Stereo speakers are just a different (better) experience than the moto speaker on the back. The contrast of the screen isn't as nice as the AMOLED on the x. But I definitely notice it being faster, which is nice. and so far the battery life seems to be amazing. I'll see how it is in a few days once everything is set up and I'm using it more, and then I can let you know. But so far it seems like I made a good decision.
Hope this helps.
I would go for the new z5 compact , if you dont care about custom roms, then go for the z3c , that is if you care about camera.
overall, get z3c for performance, looks, and cheaper than new z5c.
or z5c if you have money, probably better performance, bit expensive, no root yet.
PuffDaddy_d said:
- The Z3C battery life takes a hit with Lollipop though (damn mobile radio active bug), so if you're not satisfied, you can always roll back to KitKat for the be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is a working Xposed module that fixes that.
ifonuser78 said:
There is a working Xposed module that fixes that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know, but does it actually with for you? How much improvement have you seen? The thread for that fix is full of mixed results.
Sent from my D5803 using XDA Free mobile app
Before buying/ordering the Z5c I would strongly advise anyone to wait until someone reliable thoroughly tests the Z5c to make sure the Snapdragon 810 version it sports has no heating induced performance issues.
It's not because "they" say the issues have been fixed that you should trust them. Anyway it's your call...
The reviews I've seen show that the camera is still painfully slow between shots. That .003 sec autofocus doesn't do us any good if you have to wait 2 seconds to take the next picture.

How is the phone in 2017?

Hello everyone, just a few questions before I buy this phone:
1. How is the phone this year? - reception, screen on time, etc.
2. How is the battery life? Will I need to replace? I had z5c but wasn't happy with the battery and over heating...
3. Is the reception still good? Camera?
4. I've been reading some reviews about glass cracking and screen coming off because of the glue wearing out, is that true?
I'm buying brand new but still interested in your input. Thanks!
As a guy who is now waiting for his new LG G6 I can say some final words about my Xperia Z3 Compact before I sell it:
Reception - very nice, no problems with the signal at all.
Screen on time - non-root, bluetooth always on, mobile data always on, streaming with spotify, Android Wear watch always connected - ~4,5 - 5 hours. Android Marshmallow killed the Sony's wonderful STAMINA mode so the SOT is just... average.
Performance - very, very nice. Never had any problems with the speed AS LONG AS THE PHONE STAYED COOL. What do I mean?
The heat... - because the components are arranged in pretty DUMB way (I'm an electronic's service specialist and this is my opinion), the CPU and other heat-generating components are right under the display, then there is PCB and then the battery. On Marshmallow the phone tends to overheat pretty quickly and it's hard to cool it down sometimes especially when you are in urge of charging the phone... Good luck... This brings me to:
The GPS - AWFUL. AWFUL. AWFUL. Sony messed up the construction of the phone, the GPS antenna connectors are not properly touching the copper plates on the antenna itself which causes the GPS work like S.H.*.T. . Sorry for the offensive words but imagine Google Maps telling you to turn left... 300 meters after the corner. Your marker stays in one position, the phone is searching for the GPS, the position changes and the marker freezes again. Repeat it infinitely amount of times. I fought with this crap for more than a year now, just got the phone from the Service Center, they changed some parts and the problem remains the same so I decided to sell it and try another manufacturer.
Overall battery life is pretty good on MM as long as you have a brand new device which should be cheap now. On KitKat it's MUCH better but you lose some functionality.
Camera and photo quality - NO. Absolutely NO. After SIX YEARS of being loyal I will NEVER choose Sony over any other smartphone manufacturer as long as they will keep their VERY aggressive post processing in photos. I miss my Xperia T which took much better photos in terms of... pretty much everything except the resolution. Many people may disagree with me but check the tests. Sony tends to squeeze much more pixels in the same sized sensor as their other 12-13-16 megapixel sensors which are much better in LG, Samsung, Xiaomi phones etc. Every time new Sony flagship came out, I checked the camera quality by myself f.e. in the store or with help of my friends who bought the specific model. Compared to Z3C it's slightly different, but the overall problem remains the same. It's really sad their sensors are the best on the market but their smarphone's cameras are just... meh. And don't look at DxOMark results, look at real-life tests, GSMarena photo comparison tool etc.
Glass cracking, glue coming off - this problem affected early Z3C models from 2014, in 2015 they mostly fixed this problem. The same comes to glue comin off. Mine never had any problems at all, the phone was always sealed perfectly.
If you want to be loyal to Sony, buy Z3C, but if you're still not sure... think twice.
Yes, if romcio47 advise in the same way like he advised me.. don't listen to him. He said that I should not buy Xperia (pointing nearly the same reasons like in his post) so i bought... iPhone. Now I'm unhappy with that I spent a lot of money for a phone that have 16gb of memory, poor battery life and I'm always interrupted on street.
If you were not happy with your x5c, don't buy worse phone
Reception - haven't had any problems
Screen on time - I use LineageOS and I didn't really measure the screen on time,the last time I checked it passed 4 hours and that includes Snapchat,Facebook,Messenger,YouTube,music listening and playing 8 Ball Pool.
Performance - The performance on Lineage is amazing haven't had literally any lag,only needed to change the profile to performance in battery settings since my phone overheats like a b*tch and when it would get hot in normal profile it would thermal throttle so much(but this is just my unit because I saw people having much better temperatures)
Camera - In my opinion I think the camera is okay nothing special to be honest for me on Lineage it does take decent photos,only the colour is a bit off.,but I am not the biggest fan of the front camera,quality wise it is good but I wish it had wide angle lens like the Galaxy S6 or S5
Glass cracking and glue coming off - well I didn't have any issues with the glass cracking itself but from my experience the screen cracks very easily when it falls,I already had two screen replacements in a year because it fell,and when the glass cracks it kills the touch digitizer as well.
About the glue coming off,I didn't have problems with the screen itself,but the back glass started to come off,but I think this is because my device overheated so much on so many occasions the glue probably got very weak.
If you ask me,I would only buy the Z3 Compact as a replacement phone in case the main phone breaks to be honest,it does have qualities definitely for a daily driver and I do use it currently as a daily driver,but when my contract expires gonna pick up a LG G6,feels pretty compact but has a killer camera and a solid screen.
I am not going to sell it,going to keep it since it is a very good phone and not worth selling,as I said it is perfect to be a replacement phone.
Thanks guys! Really appreciate your input. I had a z5c and sold it for an iPhone SE, then sold it for a Leeco Pro 3. I really miss compact phone, so I will definitely think about this matter! I am currently looking at X compact as well
Samsung A3 2017
One hand Size
WP
well cameras
a good battery
OLED
Sony Slim 5" works to me too, but not WP like z3 and z5 family.
iPhone 7 is ****ing perfect, and yu will be happy when yu see the taller iPhone 8. No more One hand device.
Z3c/Z5c Still the battle with iPhone 7 in >4,8" screens with WP resistence, now with A3 as a good choice.
About my Z3 today:
Batery:
Specs
full bright, wifi and gsm, youtube 720P Bt off, Locations off.
1srt test: <10%/hour new battery
Today: ~12%/hour (with services in background)
HArd use with Smart WCDMA and many calls: 1 and 1/4 day full cicle (<7 hours screen)
Regular use with Smart WCDMA and some calls: 2 days full cicle (<7 hours screen)
SmartUse with a little of wifi and WCDMA, low number of calls, low bright: 3 days (<6 hours screen)
On time screen: 7/10
CPU cnsumption: 6/10
In use experience: 10/10
Size/Size: 10/10
Project/life: 5/10
Knowed isure: low number of devices can be locked in low battery state.
Screen:
Bright: 10/10
Style: 9/10
DPI: 10/10
Black: 7/10
Contrast: 8/10
Colors: 9/10
Know isures: many devices with touch problem, gorilla glass is stronger than.
Performance:
Mario Kart 64 (muphen/rice): 10/10
OpenApps: 8/10
InApps: 10/10
Multitasking: 7/10
Câmera:
Raw effect: 10/10
Enchements: 6/10
Auto: 8/10
Focus: 7/10
Rec: 8/10
Specs: 8/10
Night: 8/10
Usability: 10/10
Frontal: 7/10
Work Result: 9/10
Knowed Isure: Plastic lens needs a special type of care, to be perfect, yu will need some water.
Audio:
Speaker Bass: 5/10
Speaker Result: 7/10
Speaker Position: 10/10
Specs: 9/10
Connectivity:10/10
Knowed Isure: A low number of devices will have problem in P2 connection.
Networks specs and reception: 10/10
No problems, here.
Desing: 8/10
Could be 100% simetrical. In 2014, 70% screen ratio was magic, today is OK. I don't like 2.5D. No fingerprint.
Storge: 8/10
>10Gb to apps + SD to Multimedia
My device is fully rooted in 4.4.4 with casemod to impruve WP. No more changes.
Good lucky in your choice.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
1st: Lg L3 e400 (Custum Rom and kernel experience): Sold by symbolic price to a friend
2nd: LG F3 p655 (Same and Link 2 SD experience): Donated to a friend
3rt: Sony M2 Aqua d2403 (in a fly root experience - useful, but not to me... xD): Died
4rt: Sony Z3 Compact d5833 KK (CaseMod Experience): Looking for Perfection
5rt: Iphone 5: Sold by symbolic price to a friend.
I have been using the phone in Glove mode for the past 6 months due to the touchscreen being unresponsive. As of yesterday, even Glove mode isnt working for the back and home buttons! Although I have liked the phone otherwise, this has seriously put me of getting another Sony phone in the future. Ive only had the phone over 2 years. My previous Moto ran for 4 years before I upgraded.

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