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MagyarSony Xperia XZ3 Smartphone Review
Sony has already shown with the Xperia XZ2 that it can bring new features to the market that do not follow market trends. The XZ3 refines on its predecessor and represents Sony making a more conscious effort to challenge its competitors.
The XZ3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC that integrates an Adreno 630 GPU, which is the same SoC used in most flagship Android smartphones that have been released in 2018. Sony complements the SoC with 64 GB of storage and 4 GB/6 GB RAM, while the XZ3 has a brand-new display. The company has equipped the XZ3 with a 6-inch OLED panel that runs at a native 2880x1440 resolution, which is a noticeable upgrade over the 1080p 5.7-inch IPS display that Sony used in the XZ2.
We have chosen to compare the XZ3 against other equivalently priced smartphones including the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL, the HTC U12 Plus and the LG G7 ThinQ. We have included the iPhone X in our comparison tables too, as the base model now costs around $900, which is on par with the XZ3.
Case
The XZ3 has an almost borderless design and comes in a choice of Black, White Silver, Forest Green or Bordeaux Red. The device still has top and bottom bezels, but the XZ3 looks more elegant overall than its predecessor. The front and back of the device are made from glass, and both sides have curved edges that taper into the frame. The XZ3 feels good in the hand and we noticed no edges or uneven gaps when holding the device. Moreover, the touchscreen works even at the edges of the curved glass like the Galaxy S8 or S9.
Sony has kept the fingerprint sensor in the centre of the back glass, which we still find awkward to locate with our fingers when using the device. We often found ourselves accidentally placing our finger on the rear-facing camera instead as it is in the same place as where many other manufacturers put fingerprint sensors.
The XZ3 has no notch though, which bucks the market trend of the last 18 months. Overall, our test device is well-built, and its design is noticeably different to those of other current premium smartphones. The shiny back glass looks pretty but is not practical as our test device tends to slip off tables and other surfaces if it is not lying perfectly flat. The XZ3 is IP68-certified against dust and water though, so it should survive a few drops in a sink or a spot of underwater photography.
The XZ3 has a comparatively large footprint. The device is narrower than the ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL and the HTC U12 Plus, but it is thicker and heavier than all our comparison devices. Officially, the XZ3 weighs 193 g (6.80 oz), but our test device weighs 3 g (0.10 oz) more, which makes it around 8 g (0.28 oz) heavier than our heaviest comparison device.
Connectivity
The XZ3 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC that integrates an Adreno 630 GPU, 64MB UFS of flash memory and a choice of 4 GB/6 GB RAM. The XZ3 is a dual-SIM device and supports up to 512 GB microSD cards too. However, there are only two slots in its card tray, so you must choose either dual-SIM functionality or microSD card expansion. The device can also only format expandable storage as external memory, which means that you cannot save any apps or data to a microSD card if you run out of internal storage.
Sony has included Qi wireless charging too. There is also an NFC chip, Google Cast support, Wi-Fi Miracast, aptX HD audio and numerous USB On-The-Go (OTG) features.
Software
The Xperia XZ3 ships with Android Pie 9.0 at the time of writing. Sony has kept changes from stock Android to a minimum, which ensures smooth system performance. Our test device has extensive tutorials to explain how some features work, including one for a feature that allows users to switch to frequently used apps by tapping twice on a sensor at the top right-hand corner of the display. Sony calls this “Side sense”. We found little practical use for it during testing and often found ourselves accidentally activating it when we picked up our test device.
Sony also preinstalls a few third-party apps. Our test device has Facebook and Netflix preinstalled, and it is only possible to deactivate these apps and not uninstall them. The XZ3 has a suite of Sony apps preinstalled too. These can only be disabled as well, but they are mostly useful. The 3D Creator app, for example, allows users to scan objects in 3D and then export them to a 3D printer. We needed good lighting and a little patience to get decent results, but it is still a useful app nonetheless despite being rather niche.
Communication & GPS
The XZ3 supports GSM, 3G and LTE Cat. 18 networks, the latter of which theoretically provides up to 1,200 Mb/s download and 225 Mb/s upload speeds. The device can also use a wide range of LTE bands, which should be broad enough for near-worldwide LTE coverage. The XZ3 has VoLTE connectivity too, but this feature will only work when your device is connected to a network that supports VoLTE on the XZ3.
The device has Bluetooth 5.0, NFC, and supports all modern Wi-Fi standards up to IEEE 802.11 ac, which means the XZ3 can connect to either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi networks. Our test device achieves solid transfer speeds in iperf3 Client Wi-Fi tests that put it mid-table among our comparison devices.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Average of class Smartphone (16.9 - 1368, n=65, last 2 years) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Average of class Smartphone (32.7 - 953, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
The XZ3 uses BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS and QZSS for location services, the accuracy of which we tested using the GPS Test. Our test device can find our location with up to three metres accuracy outside, but it cannot find a satellite fix when tested inside. The latter is rather disappointing given how well some of our comparison devices perform in the same scenario.
We also took the XZ3 on our compulsory bike ride to test its navigation accuracy against the Garmin Edge 520, a professional navigation system. Our test device recorded a 330-metre (1,082 feet) shorter course than the Garmin did, which is comparatively good. Moreover, the XZ3 accurately tracked us along straight portions of our test ride. However, our test device cannot keep up in corners though, which it regularly takes shortcuts through as demonstrated in the screenshots below. Overall, the XZ3 is accurate enough for simple navigation tasks, but it is not good enough for instances where you need precise tracking or location data.
Telephone Features & Call Quality
The XZ3 uses the standard Android Contacts and Phone apps to handle telephony. The Phone app provides quick access for call history, contacts and a keypad for entering phone numbers. Our test device has good call quality, but the maximum call volume is too low for our liking. We particularly noticed this when making calls from noisy environments, during which we struggled to hear our call partner. Both sides of the call sounded clear and free of background noise throughout testing though.
The included headphones have a higher maximum volume than the earpiece or speakers and have good enough sound quality for making calls. We would recommend using better quality headphones if you regularly listen to music or watch videos though.
Cameras
The XZ3 has two cameras. The front-facing camera is a 13 MP sensor with an f/1.9 aperture, while the 20 MP rear-facing camera has a smaller f/2.0 aperture. The former takes detailed selfies, with fine structures and details visible even when looking closely at photos. Different colours and objects are well separated too. The default camera app has settings that can change colour temperature and image brightness, while a separate "portrait selfie" app uses AI to adjust image settings. The dedicated selfie app beautifies people, giving them larger eyes, softer skin and a narrower chin. Moreover, the app also has a bokeh effect that works relatively well.
The main camera can take colour-accurate panoramic photos that capture plenty of details while objects in focus are clearly delineated. By contrast, background objects and colours gradients look washed out. Macro shots look great though, with good contrast, vibrant colours and sharply focussed foreground objects. Unfortunately, background objects not only look washed out but also look noticeably grainy.
Low-light performance is surprisingly good, by comparison. Objects are captured clearly, and colour reproduction is strikingly accurate in night shots. The default camera app also has a Pro Mode that has settings for focus, shutter speed, ISO, Lighting and White Balance.
Our test device takes decent-looking videos in up to 4K and with HDR. The image stabiliser works well and ensures that tracking shots look smooth. The Pro Mode cannot be used for videos, but the default camera app can adjust brightness and colour temperature should you need to. Sony has included its Super Slow-Motion feature too that we have seen on other Xperia devices, which can record video in up to 960 FPS.
We also checked the main camera’s colour accuracy with ColorChecker Passport. As demonstrated by the chart below, our test device reproduces colours too darkly compared to the reference colour, especially grey and black tones.
Our test chart also looks too dark when photographed in controlled lighting conditions. Moreover, there is some slight blurring of the chart in the lower corners of the image. Our test device manages to capture details and fine structures though.
Accessories & Warranty
The XZ3 comes with a charger, a USB Type-A to Type C cable, a set of headphones and a USB Type-C to 3.5 mm jack adapter. There is also a pack of earbuds should the default ones not fit well in your ear.
Sony sells numerous general accessories for its smartphones on its website from Bluetooth headphones to car chargers. The company also sells an XZ3-specific stand and a flip case that Sony calls the “Style Cover Stand SCSH70” and the “Style Cover Touch SCTH70,” respectively.
Input Devices & Operation
Our test device has SwiftKey preinstalled as its default keyboard app. The app has numerous settings to customise the look and feel of the keyboard. Others are downloadable from the Google Play Store should you wish to change it.
The touchscreen worked well throughout testing and reliably reproduces our inputs onscreen. The display has a smooth, glossy finish that is easy to use, particularly with multi-finger gestures. The XZ3 also has “Side Sense”, which allows users to switch to one-handed mode and have quick access to apps by double tapping at the top right-hand corner of the display. This is a novel feature, but one which is poorly executed currently. We often found ourselves accidentally activating “Side Sense” when picking up our test device, which just ended up being frustrating. The XZ3 has a camera button too, but this did not always bring up the camera app during our tests. The positional sensor worked well though, although you must first activate auto-rotate from within the Settings menu as it is not enabled by default.
The fingerprint sensor is on the back of the device, which is much lower down than on other devices. The sensor is so low that we regularly found ourselves placing our finger on the camera lens, so there is a degree of acclimatisation here. The fingerprint sensor works well though and reliably unlocks the device quickly.
Display
The XZ3 has a flagship-level display. The display is a 6-inch OLED panel with a 2880x1440 resolution and a 2:1 aspect ratio. The display is 98% evenly lit, which is significantly higher than most of our comparison devices. However, our test device only reaches an average maximum brightness of 358 cd/m² according to X-Rite i1Pro 2, which is noticeably darker than our comparison devices.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 92 %
Center on Battery: 361 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.6 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 4.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
100% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 1.835
| Sony Xperia XZ3 OLED, 2880x1440, 6.00 | HTC U12 Plus Super LCD 6, 2880x1440, 6.00 | Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL AMOLED, 1920x1080, 5.70 | LG G7 ThinQ IPS, 3120x1440, 6.10 | Apple iPhone X Super AMOLED, 2436x1125, 5.80 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 28% | 15% | 26% | 41% | |
| Brightness middle | 543 | 395 -27% | 464 -15% | 974 79% | 600 10% |
| Brightness | 542 | 402 -26% | 468 -14% | 975 80% | 606 12% |
| Brightness Distribution | 92 | 90 -2% | 85 -8% | 96 4% | 94 2% |
| Black Level * | 0.37 | 0.49 | |||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 6.6 | 1.6 76% | 3.2 52% | 5.4 18% | 1.2 82% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 11 | 3.4 69% | 10.5 5% | 13.1 -19% | 3 73% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4.7 | 1.1 77% | 1.4 70% | 5 -6% | 1.6 66% |
| Gamma | 1.835 120% | 2.14 103% | 2.27 97% | 2.31 95% | 2.23 99% |
| CCT | 6817 95% | 6536 99% | 6590 99% | 7480 87% | 6707 97% |
| Contrast | 1068 | 1988 |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 240.4 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 240.4 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 240.4 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 19035 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The OLED panel can individually switch off pixels, which gives the XZ3 a theoretically perfect black value and an infinitely high contrast ratio. Unfortunately, OLED displays do not have a backlight like their LCD counterparts, so manufacturers use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate brightness, which can cause eye strain and headaches for some people. Our tests show that the display flickers at 240 Hz, which is low enough to affect those who are PWM sensitive.
According to CalMAN analysis software, the XZ3 also achieves 100% sRGB colour-space coverage. There is a slight blue tint to the display though, but users could try to adjust the colour temperature or use one of the colour profiles to reduce this if it is noticeable.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 3 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 14 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (22.3 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 3 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows fast response rates in our tests and should be suited for gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 13 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (35.1 ms). | ||
The XZ3 is easy to use outdoors if you use the device in the shade. However, the display gets overpowered in direct sunlight as it simply does not get bright enough. The display is comparatively unreflective though thanks to its anti-reflective coating.
The XZ3 has stable viewing angles thanks to its OLED display. We did not notice any colour or image distortions even at acute viewing angles. Hence, the device is usable from practically any angle.
Performance
Sony equips the Xperia XZ3 with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 SoC, which integrates an Adreno 630 GPU. The XZ3 also packs 4 GB/6 GB of RAM and has 64 GB of UFS flash memory. In short, the device should be powerful enough for demanding applications and games and is on par with our flagship Android comparison devices.
Our test device performed well in benchmarks, equalling the results of our Snapdragon 845-powered comparison devices overall. The order of our comparison table varies between benchmarks, but generally, the XZ3 finishes towards the top. Our test device dominates in 3DMark for example, but it slips back to mid-table in Basemark OS II.
| Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 | |
| 64 Bit Single-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2272 - 2500, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (783 - 8424, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| 64 Bit Multi-Core Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7754 - 9231, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2630 - 21505, n=78, last 2 years) | |
| Compute RenderScript Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (10876 - 14489, n=25) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2053 - 14785, n=64, last 2 years) | |
| PCMark for Android - Work performance score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (7998 - 13211, n=26) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (9875 - 19297, n=4, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench (DX / GLBenchmark) 2.7 | |
| T-Rex Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (58 - 89, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (22 - 165, n=186, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 T-Rex Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (98 - 152, n=28) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (19 - 497, n=186, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.0 | |
| on screen Manhattan Onscreen OGL (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (33 - 75, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.8 - 161, n=187, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 1080p Manhattan Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (54 - 83, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (9.2 - 331, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (21 - 59, n=27) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 143, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (32 - 61, n=28) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 223, n=188, last 2 years) | |
| AnTuTu v7 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (246366 - 299878, n=27) | |
| AnTuTu v6 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | |
| HTC U12 Plus | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | |
| LG G7 ThinQ | |
| Apple iPhone X | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (162183 - 242953, n=23) | |
The XZ3 achieves similar scores in browser benchmarks to those of our comparison devices too. The XZ3 finishes mid-table overall in these benchmarks, but the difference among devices is negligible.
In daily use, web-browsing on the XZ3 feels smooth and fast. Websites load quickly, and there is no waiting around for media content to load either.
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPhone X (IOS 11.1.1) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (27.5 - 414, n=77, last 2 years) | |
| LG G7 ThinQ (Chrome 66) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (Chrome 70) | |
| HTC U12 Plus (Chrome 66) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (22.5 - 90.9, n=25) | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL (Chrome 55) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Apple iPhone X (IOS 11.1.2) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 74261, n=193, last 2 years) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (Chrome 70) | |
| LG G7 ThinQ (Chrome 66) | |
| HTC U12 Plus (Chrome 66) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (3991 - 18275, n=28) | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL (Chrome 55) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (2154 - 11204, n=28) | |
| LG G7 ThinQ (Chrome 66) | |
| HTC U12 Plus (Chrome 66) | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL (Chrome 55) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (Chrome 70) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (414 - 10031, n=167, last 2 years) | |
| Apple iPhone X (IOS 11.1.2) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - --- | |
| Apple iPhone X (Safari Mobile 11.3) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (34 - 292, n=145, last 2 years) | |
| HTC U12 Plus (Chrome 66) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (Chrome 70) | |
| LG G7 ThinQ (Chrome 66) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (19 - 103, n=17) | |
| WebXPRT 2015 - Overall Score | |
| Apple iPhone X (Safari Mobile 11.0) | |
| HTC U12 Plus (Chrome 66) | |
| LG G7 ThinQ (Chrome 66) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (96 - 291, n=23) | |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (Chrome 70) | |
| Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL (Chrome 55) | |
* ... smaller is better
The internal storage is about as fast as our best comparison devices, according to AndroBench 3-5. By contrast, the microSD card reader has considerably slower read and write speeds than our comparison devices. We tested all devices using our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference card.
Sony claims that the XZ3 supports up to 512 GB micro SD Cards. We did not test the validity of this, but we did notice that our test device can only format microSD cards as external storage. This limitation means that users can only store their data on the card, while apps and app data can only be saved to the internal storage.
| Sony Xperia XZ3 | HTC U12 Plus | Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL | LG G7 ThinQ | Average 64 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 103% | 17% | 39% | 76% | 323% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 681 | 709 4% | 409 -40% | 695 2% | 697 ? 2% | 1186 ? 74% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 196.1 | 195.8 0% | 163.1 -17% | 176.4 -10% | 217 ? 11% | 753 ? 284% |
| Random Read 4KB | 135.7 | 118.1 -13% | 100.9 -26% | 110.5 -19% | 136.6 ? 1% | 208 ? 53% |
| Random Write 4KB | 22.22 | 104.2 369% | 14.55 -35% | 23.26 5% | 81.6 ? 267% | 218 ? 881% |
| Sequential Read 256KB SDCard | 34.2 ? | 84.3 ? 146% | 77.8 ? 127% | 84.7 ? 148% | 68.6 ? 101% | |
| Sequential Write 256KB SDCard | 30.4 ? | 63.6 ? 109% | 59 ? 94% | 62.7 ? 106% | 52.2 ? 72% |
Games
The Adreno 630 is powerful enough to handle even the most demanding games at high graphics. Moreover, load times are comparatively short, so games should start quickly, and you should not be left waiting for levels to load.
We tested the XZ3’s gaming capabilities with Asphalt 9: Legends and Arena of Valor, both of which ran smoothly throughout testing. According to GameBench, our test device achieved a consistent 30 FPS in Asphalt 9 and 60 FPS in Arena of Valor.
The touchscreen worked well throughout our games testing. We had no issues with the positional sensor either.
| Arena of Valor | |||
| Settings | Value | ||
| min | 60 fps | ||
| high HD | 60 fps | ||
| Asphalt 9: Legends | |||
| Settings | Value | ||
| High Quality | 30 fps | ||
| Standard / low | 30 fps | ||
Emissions
Temperature
Surface temperatures idled at around 28 °C during our tests, and they noticeably rose under load to an average maximum of 36 °C. Some areas of our test device exceed 40 °C though, which will feel warm to the touch. However, the XZ3 remains comfortable to hold even when it is running at its hottest.
We also subjected our test device to a looped GFXBench benchmark to test how well the XZ3 can maintain its performance. Our test device handles the less-demanding OpenGL ES 2.0-based test with ease, but performance drops by around 10% by the end of the more complex Manhattan 3.1 benchmark. The XZ3 performed comparatively well in the latter benchmark, with some other Snapdragon 845-powered devices like the Xiaomi Pocophone F1 performing up to 44% slower by the end of the benchmark. Overall, users should only see marginal thermal throttling in particularly demanding applications.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 41.5 °C / 107 F, compared to the average of 34.9 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 54.6 °C for the class Smartphone.
(±) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 42.6 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 33.7 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.9 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.6 °C / 91 F.
Speakers
The XZ3 has a comparatively quiet speaker, which reproduces largely mid-range frequencies. The speaker gets loud enough for occasional audio playback in quiet environments. We would recommend using external speakers or headphones for longer listening sessions though.
The included headphones connect to the XZ3 via the included USB Type-C to 3.5 mm adapter. We would recommend using higher quality headphones for frequently listening to music as the included ones are only good enough to make calls with. The XZ3 supports High-Resolution Audio, LDAC and DSEE HX for improved audio quality over headphones, the latter of which improves the sound of compressed audio.
Sony Xperia XZ3 audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (78.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 23.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (8.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.5% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 30% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 59% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 55% of all tested devices were better, 9% similar, 37% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Apple iPhone X audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 14.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 7.3% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (4.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 15% of all tested devices in this class were better, 8% similar, 77% worse
» The best had a delta of 11%, average was 23%, worst was 65%
Compared to all devices tested
» 41% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 51% worse
» The best had a delta of 3%, average was 20%, worst was 65%
Battery Life
Power Consumption
The XZ3 is more efficient than all our comparison devices. Our test device consumes an average of 1.2 W at idle and a maximum of 6.2 W under load, which is significantly lower than average and all our comparison devices.
Sony includes a 7.5 W charger. The charger is powerful enough to recharge the device even when it is operating under sustained load.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.2 Watt |
| Idle |  0.8 / 1.2 / 1.5 Watt |
| Load |
4.8 / 6.2 Watt |
    
| |
| Sony Xperia XZ3 3300 mAh | HTC U12 Plus 3500 mAh | Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL 3000 mAh | LG G7 ThinQ 3000 mAh | Apple iPhone X 2716 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -44% | -18% | -35% | -34% | -28% | -10% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.8 | 0.77 4% | 0.85 -6% | 1.16 -45% | 1.03 -29% | 0.862 ? -8% | 0.88 ? -10% |
| Idle Average * | 1.2 | 2.18 -82% | 1.2 -0% | 1.98 -65% | 2.4 -100% | 1.728 ? -44% | 1.48 ? -23% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.5 | 2.21 -47% | 1.25 17% | 2.07 -38% | 2.6 -73% | 2.07 ? -38% | 1.695 ? -13% |
| Load Average * | 4.8 | 6.25 -30% | 6.97 -45% | 4.51 6% | 2.96 38% | 4.87 ? -1% | 4.27 ? 11% |
| Load Maximum * | 6.2 | 10.16 -64% | 9.74 -57% | 8.3 -34% | 6.6 -6% | 9.27 ? -50% | 7.1 ? -15% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery Life
The XZ3 has a 3,300 mAh battery, which delivered disappointing battery life in our tests. Our test device lasted just seven hours in our Wi-Fi battery life test, which is less than half what the LG G7 ThinQ achieves with its 10% smaller battery. Overall, the XZ3 finishes bottom of our comparison table in three of our four battery life tests. This is a rather surprising result given how efficient the device is.
The device also takes a long time to recharge fully with the included 7.5 W charger. Our test device took almost four hours to charge from flat to 100%, which is frustratingly slow.
| Sony Xperia XZ3 3300 mAh | HTC U12 Plus 3500 mAh | Asus ZenFone 3 Deluxe ZS570KL 3000 mAh | LG G7 ThinQ 3000 mAh | Apple iPhone X 2716 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 15% | 21% | 54% | 19% | |
| Reader / Idle | 1270 | 1452 14% | 1393 10% | 1662 31% | 1292 2% |
| H.264 | 420 | 464 10% | 799 90% | 908 116% | 634 51% |
| WiFi v1.3 | 419 | 507 21% | 463 11% | 591 41% | 564 35% |
| Load | 202 | 230 14% | 149 -26% | 260 29% | 180 -11% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
The Sony Xperia XZ3 is suitable for almost any task. The device takes good photos and has solid system performance. Our test device also handles complex apps and games well too. The one-handed mode is hit or miss, particularly as we frequently activated it while just picking the device up.
The Sony Xperia XZ3 is a flagship device that fares well against its competitors without having to jump on market trends.
Our test device has disappointing battery life though, while the positioning of the fingerprint sensor will take some getting used to. Moreover, we would advise holding the device carefully as it is liable to slip out of your hands. Overall, the Xperia XZ3 is a great smartphone that looks and feels different than many of its competitors.
Sony Xperia XZ3
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11/18/2018 v6(old)
Mike Wobker
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