Customer Ratings & Reviews

======= Summary ======= The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact is an awesome phone that is powerful, fast, battery-efficient, compact, and an utter delight to use. Its compact size that allows for easy one-handed use like in the old days of smartphones before everything became BIG and phablet-like. With Sony's minimal Android skin - the Xperia UI - the phone is blazing fast & buttery smooth. And Sony's 19 MP Motion Eye camera takes great pictures. If I had to sum up my entire experience with the Xperia XZ2 Compact in one word, it's the word "Refreshing." It's a fantastic phone with good looks, good size, powerful internals, great battery life, fast & efficient software, and a great camera. ======= Phone Design ======= Prior to receiving my Xperia XZ2 Compact, I had decided that I didn't like the design that much because it looked so chunky in pictures and videos. Once I unboxed the phone and held it in my hands and looked at it with my own eyes, I quickly found myself with a different opinion. The phone looks great~! Despite having a Samsung Galaxy S9+ with its big, beautiful Infinity Display with super-minimal bezels and an all glass & metal design, I still find the Xperia XZ2 Compact to be attractive and eye-catching in its own right. I like its symmetrical bezels, its metal sides, clicky buttons, metallic finger print sensor (FPS), and the nearly-flush camera module on the back. No unslightly camera bulges or distracting notches here! The matte, metallic sides offer good grip and feels very durable. Some say the XZ2 Compact feels cheap on the back but I disagree. Although it's not glass or metal, the "frosted-look" plastic backcover feels very nice, smooth, and dense. It's high-quality plastic unlike older Samsung phones' glossy and smear-prone slippery plastic backcovers. The only time I actually felt that the backcover was kind of "cheap" was when I tapped on it with my fingernails. Depending on where on the backcover you tap your fingers on, the phone makes a hollow "plasticky" sound. With that said, actually using the phone in your hands is a great experience. I have medium-size hands and I have had no issues whatsoever using the phone fully one-handed - all of the time. My thumb can easily reach the top of the phone to pull down the Notification Panel. No need for finger and hand gymnastics here. Typing is much easier as well because keys on the keyboard that are further away such "Q" or "1" are much easier to reach and press on a smaller keyboard. With its smooth rounded corners and a curved backside, the Xperia XZ2 Compact is an extremely comfortable phone to hold and use, even for long periods. The phone naturally snuggles in the palm of your hand and there are no uncomfortable pokes from sharp corners. The fingerprint sensor is ease to find and reach as it is underneath the camera module a good distance away. This phone is a complete ergonomic win from Sony. ======= Hardware - Display ======= I like the XZ2 Compact's 18:9 5.0" Full HD+ screen with its 483 ppi density. The display is very crispy and bright and watching stuff under direct sunlight here in sunny California is no problem. The only thing I didn't like initially was Sony's default "Color Gamut and Contrast Setting" which was set to "Standard mode." With that setting, I found pictures and videos to appear overprocessed and a bit unnatural. Changing the mode to the "Professional mode" setting corrected everything. I left all other display settings at their default such as "Adaptive Brightness" and "Video Image Enhancement" to "On." Comparing directly to my Galaxy S9+, I expected the XZ2 Compact to fall short by a noticeable margin. This isn't the case at all. I really like the display and how crisp, bright, and well-calibrated it is. The whites are bright and white and the blacks are dark and inky. Even as I switch back-and-forth between the Galaxy S9+ and the Xperia XZ2 Compact, the only difference I notice is just the smaller 5" screen size on the Sony. Both phones' displays look fantastic and the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact doesn't lose any ground in this department in my opinion. ======= Hardware - Audio ======= The front stereo speakers sound great and they blow away pretty much all other phones that only come with a single back-firing or bottom-firing speaker setup. The volume, even at its maximum, has no distortions and media continues to sound loud and clear. Sony offers granular control over how audio is delivered. Inside the Sound settings, one can choose from eight predefined Equalizer settings (8 choices + 1 custom + 2 User-defined). You can also set the Clear Bass level (-10 to +10) and activate the "S-Force Front Surround" that virtually reproduce realistic surround sound. Additional sound settings are available to fine-tune your music when listening via headphones. I noticed a boost in audio quality - in the form of tighter sound & increased sound stage - after I activated the "S-Force Front Surround" and set Clear Bass to +3. Some people might bemoan the loss of the 3.5 mm audio jack but for me, personally, it doesn't bother me at all. I prefer wire-free Bluetooth headphones and I have a Sony 1000XM2 headphones that I thoroughly enjoy using. I always struggled with wires and get easily annoyed by them. ======= Performance ======= With the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 from the Galaxy S9 & S9+, the Xperia XZ2 Compact simply soars~!! Everything is just so fast, snappy, and smooth - opening and launching apps, playing games, watching high-resolution videos, taking pictures, moving files around, and more. I give major props to Sony for outfitting the smaller XZ2 Compact with the same Snapdragon 845 found in its bigger sibling, the regular XZ2. With the Snapdragon 845, 4GB of RAM, and fast UFS internal storage, the XZ2 Compact won't become obsolete for a very long time. In other words, it's very future-proof and its performance potential is probably overkill for most people except for the very demanding hardcore gamers. ======= Camera ======= The 19 MP Motion Eye camera is another strong point of this phone. It takes very crispy, detailed, and color-accurate photos the majority of the time and Sony's "Superior auto" mode works very well and is easy to use and navigate. Shutter speed is fast, dynamic range is very good, and the photo quality is consistent. And I really love the dedicated hardware camera shutter button. The only time the camera feels a little bit lacking is during very low-light photography. Using the auto mode, I found the camera to overexpose too much and blow out the highlights, causing some distortion artifacts and taking not true-to-life colors. Shutter speed also slows down dramatically as well during very low-light photo sessions. If you find yourself taking lots of very low-light photography and it is very, very important to you, then I would recommend buying another phone. But if very low-light photography takes up less than 25% of all your photo-taking, then the Motion Eye camera will serve you just fine. In other scenarios, the pictures come out wonderful, sharp, and with good dynamic range and color gamut. Recording video is another strong positive of the Xperia XZ2 Compact. Samples I took using the 4K and Full HD (60 FPS) modes came out nice-looking and well-stabilized. Dynamic range and color accuracy were also good and satisfactory. If there is one sort of glaring weakness with the camera, it is the relatively low-resolution 5MP selfie camera. The pictures look noticeably softer and blurrier. Turning off the "Soft skin effect" brings back more detail but 5MP is 5MP and in this department, the Xperia XZ2 Compact falls short compared to other flagship phones. Overall, I like the camera of this phone and I trust it to take consistently good photos and videos. Just don't expect a lot in very low-light scenarios. ======= Software ======= I loved the simple and efficient Initial Setup process. I could choose - I could choose~! - what NOT to install. That was refreshing and a pleasant surprise not having bloatware forced upon me. Upon booting to the Home Screen, there were already some updates applied for me automatically - the Sony Support app (3.8.8) & Xperia Intelligence Engine (1.2.A.0.30). Android version preinstalled on the phone was 8.0.0 Oreo. The phone came with 75% free space left (16.63 GB used of 64GB total size). System used up 14GB out of the box. The phone is smooth, snappy, and fast. And it's consistent. I experienced no weird janks, stutters, or hiccups. I hope Sony continues to maintain their software reputation and provide timely OS and security updates for the Xperia XZ2 Compact. ======= Battery Life ======= OMG, the battery life is SOOOOO good~!! After 6 hrs & 48 mins of being taken off the charger, my phone still had 95% battery life left (drain of 0.7%/hr). Screen-On-Time (SOT) was just 5 mins & 54 seconds though. I took a second measurement when the phone had been off the charger for 15 hrs & 50 mins. I had 50% battery left (drain of 3.2%/hr and my SOT was 3 hrs & 11 mins. Sony did an EXCELLENT, FANTASTIC job at controlling Android and optimizing for great battery life and endurance. Bravo, Sony~! ======= Misc Stuff ======= Other functions worked very well such as quick & accurate GPS positioning, great call & mobile data reception, and loud & clear voice calls. The finger print sensor responds quickly and works well consistently. ======= So, is it any good? ======= Not only is this phone good, it's excellent. It has so many strengths - easy one-handed use, excellent ergonomics, quality camera, good display, great speakers, lean software, and superb battery life. This refreshing phone from Sony has made me a fan.

When looking for a new cell phone for an update (I used an Xperia Z for about 5 years), I wanted something that was small enough and had all the right features. The Sony XZ2 Compact is it. It's just as good as any of the other major brands out there to me, but I always prefer Sony phones over them. It has the same Snapdragon as others, but in a nicer compact size. People will look at the thicker design and the rounded curved back as negatives, but it's perfect for me and my hands. Quick Positives: The thinner screen ratio is not hard to get used to. Tactile buttons on the sides. Fingerprint sensor location. Vivid screen and colors. USB C and quick charging. The ability to disable bloatware. (That could be an android thing though.) Quick Negatives: SIM and SD card location. They are on the same tray. Replacing either can be a pain with a flimsy feeling tray. I have been using the phone's features and have found nothing else that either annoys me or runs slow. If you're looking for something different than the standard phones you see everywhere, I would recommend the XZ2 Compact or it's bigger brother for extra RAM and larger screen.

I have finally found a near perfect phone. I am one of those people who upgrades to the latest phone whatever it is at the time. I am often happy with the new phone for a little while but there is always that itch that the next phone will be better. After using the XZ2 for a few days, I feel like there is nothing wrong with this phone and I can find no faults that make me look at other phones. I had to look hard for any issues and luckily any that I found I truly don’t care about. Starting with the unboxing, the packaging is basic compared to those of other phones. The box is simple with the Xperia logo on it (shiny). Upon opening you see the device which instantly strikes you as very small. Under that there are the Quick Charge 3.0 charger, cable, documentation, headphones, USB-C to headphone dongle, and some extra ear buds to find your fit. I was surprised to see there was no SIM insertion tool. Upon inspection I saw the SIM tray can be removed without the tool and you can quickly swap SIM’s or memory cards. You might see this as a curse or a blessing but I had zero qualms with this. Upon inspection of the device, it felt right. What I mean is phones these days are huge. My previous phone was a 6” screen device and I was a little concerned with a compact phone. Well, I can finally do anything on this phone with one hand and has amazing ergonomics. Sony put a lot of effort into making sure the device fits well in your hand as you can reach any part of the screen with your thumb and the curved back side will fit in your palm just right in a way that reduces slipping, a problem which plagues most phones these days in my opinion. The materials are high quality. Even though the back side is a polycarbonate it feels very tough and looks amazing with a translucent appearance. The fingerprint reader, lens and sensors are all laid out in a way that makes sense. The buttons on the right side contain volume at the top, power in the middle and, thanks heavens, a CAMERA BUTTON at the bottom! I don’t know why all phones don't come with a dedicated camera button as it makes life so much easier. It not only launches the camera app but it also is a two stage button so a half press will focus, a full press will take a photo just like a real camera. I quickly booted it up and installed my apps after. The Snapdragon 845 processor is a beast! You can easily install gigabytes of apps while using the phone and see zero stutter. I have not seen a single instance of lag on this device yet. Games will run buttery smooth and everything loads with extreme speed. The interface has a Sony skin on it but is mostly stock. It uses most of the Google apps for everyday applications such as calendar, messages and so on but there are a few duplicates such as the Sony photo app which is kind of silly since Google includes Photos app as well. It is annoying but I felt bloatware was minimal on this device. The only thing I ended up disabling was the PlayStation app (Xbox guy here) and the AVG antivirus app since I use a different brand. The phone unlocks very quickly with the back mounted fingerprint sensor. Thank goodness Sony finally included a fingerprint sensor as this has been missing from previous models. This was important enough that I figured it deserved its own paragraph! It is easy to find and far enough away from the camera that you do not risk getting fingerprints on it. Being a smaller phone you will need to bend your finger a bit to reach it though as it is mounted in the middle below the natural resting spot of your index finger. Audio is great, the twin speakers are very loud and clear. I noticed very minor distortion at max volume with certain podcasts, but I did not hear any issues in music. The headphones are curiously not USB-C type but traditional 3.5mm type which you can use with the included USB-C dongle. Once I found the right fit with the earbuds, they sounded great. Not the most amazing pair but pretty darn good for free headphones with punchy bass and a crisp sound. The display is great! It is IPS so the blacks will not be as dark as a OLED but in actual use I could barely tell any difference! The resolution is more than enough for a 5” screen at 1080x2160 and HDR content looks great. One sacrifice you might make with a smaller screen like this is the keyboard can feel a little cramped. The device ships with SwiftKey but a switch to Gboard fixed that issue for me. I would not rate the camera as the best in the market but it is extremely good, accurate and will give you detailed photos. They were a little noisy in low light but only when I zoomed in to full size. As stated earlier, the camera button makes things work so well. Video recording supports 4k WITH HDR! One of the only phones that can do this right now I believe. You can also take some very quick 1080 extreme slow mo clips if you want to be creative. I tossed a few sample shots of random household objects in low light so you can see. The 5mp front camera is a little lacking but it isn’t bad. It lacks detail but colors look good and is more than sufficient for a phone. If selfies are your thing you might be put off by this as there are better phones for selfies (Sony ones included). I have not tested the water/dust resistance but it does have a resistance rating that should keep you safe. I am also not going to test the scratch resistance but I have confidence in the Gorilla Glass 5 it uses. Last thing I want to touch on is battery life. Being a smaller phone you will have a smaller battery. I believe it is 2870 mAh and after a few days of use I got home with about 20% battery life. That is not bad for me as I am a heavy user who listens to podcasts and music all day, reads the news, uses GPS a few times a day and plays a few games / YouTube videos during lunch. The battery charges extremely fast with the QC 3.0 charger and I was able to get it up to 75% after getting home while cooking dinner. There is no wireless charging so I recommend you have a charger in your bag if you expect extended times of heavy use and travel. This is probably the phone that is closest to perfect thus far. My only fixes if I could make it any better would be add wireless charging and upgrade the front camera slightly. Other than that I love this thing and Sony has earned my confidence in their phone brand once again!

I have never been swept away by the huge phones now in vogue, and this Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact has been designed to meet the challenge of packing every premium phone feature into a smaller Android phone that fits nicely in your hand and your pocket. This smartphone meets the assignment and more. And Sony has thrown in some special surprises as well. I have attached pictures of the phone in my medium-sized hands. It is metal cased with a non-fingerprint coating. The 2,870 mAh battery lasts all day, and maybe even a little longer. The device is not particularly light. It felt a little heavy in my hand, but it was never cumbersome. to hold or use. The fingerprint sensor is in the middle of the back cover. I never had to fumble around to use it. The 5-inch LCD panel shines gorgeous. It sports full HD+ resolution (2,160 x 1,080) and displays a 18:9 aspect ratio. I found it to have very good viewability from different angles, and it held up well in outdoor conditions. The screen has a narrow bezel which I find quite attractive, but which may not satisfy those who demand a bezel-less display. This is an unlocked smartphone for use on GSM networks. When I opened the package, I noticed there was no tool to get the SIM drawer open. I quickly discovered that I didn't need one. The SIM tray, which can hold a both a micro SD card, as well as the SIM slides out for easy access. I popped in a T-Mobile Nano- SIM, and had the phone up running instantly. With the phone's 64 GB of internal memory, I did not feel the immediate need for the SD card, but the option is always there if extra space is needed- up to 400GB!! Calls were crisp and clear on T-Mobile's 4G LTE network. In my city T-Mobile offers a great signal just about anywhere. Callers thought my voice clear, and I could hear them well. Sony provides an excellent earbud set, but, as is the case with the evolution of smartphones, you must use the included USB adapter to enjoy them. There is no earphone jack. The on board speakers were also loud and clear, and the speakerphone feature worked well. The camera is superb. It captured indoor and outdoor subjects with great aplomb. Outdoors, its images are world-class. In darkly- lit environments, some noise can creep in, but never to an unacceptable level. The camera is easy to use and quick- operating for snapshots. And the 13-megapixel rear camera records 4K video footage with full 10-bit HDR processing. I shot some 4K which looked great on the small screen, but I was not immediately able to stream it in full 4K to my Livingroom set which sports full 4K resolution. The picture nonetheless looked stupendous on the 65-inch screen. I am going to transfer the video to other media for exhibition on the large display and I expect spectacular results. Sony also offers a 960fps slow-mo mode, which, although not in HD+, is certainly in full HD, has the potential to capture family sporting events with incredible detail. I had great fun playing with this and am having to educate myself in hitting the slo-mo capture at the right second. The XZ2 compact runs a near- stock Android Oreo build, with Sony features built in as well. It found it to be smooth as silk and found no evidence that the Sony tweaks slowed the Oreo experience down one iota. The top of the line Snapdragon 845 processor and 4GB RAM, of course, allow Oreo to really shine, and all the Google conveniences are at your immediate beck and call. OK Google, navigate to Charleston; send a message – all there. One of the tweaks I enjoyed was a beautiful set of Sony exclusive themes, once of which is shown in the photograph. I was able to easily use the phone all day, with plenty of battery left over. The phone quick charges through the supplied AC adapter which accesses the USB-C port at the phone's base. Sony offers Xperia Assist which automates certain processes to conserve battery usage and maximize battery longevity. The XZ2 Compact is a beautiful, smaller compact phone that does everything that its larger competition can do and goes beats the non- Sony competition with its special video features. If a smaller phone melts your butter, this is the one to consider. Highly recommended.

I bought this phone as open box exellent condition. Was worried about about functionality. But it was great as new.

Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact Setup/Testing/Conclusion The Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact works on Verizon Wireless!!! That is right ladies and gentlemen. Just to clarify, you “may” run into some issues; because I did. On initial setup I was able to make calls but not able to receive any text messages. I ended up speaking with a Verizon Wireless rep and worked it out. The Verizon Wireless rep stated he had to remove the provisioned ID and reprovision it. Once he did that, I was able to receive text messages. But shortly after, I noticed I couldn’t make calls. I was getting an server error, please try again later (or something of that matter). Basically at that point, just log into your My Verizon Wireless account and make sure to enable HD Voice. After all that, the Xperia XZ2 Compact worked without any issues. Now that I cleared that, I’m going to go into my review of the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact. Jumping right into it folks! I am going to give the device a 3.7 out of 5 stars. Although this is the “younger sibling” of the Sony Xperia XZ2, the internals are practically identical. Throughout my usage of the Xperia XZ2 Compact, I ran everything without any lag or hiccups. The phone works beautifully and extremely fluid in my opinion. I especially enjoyed watching movies, videos, and listening to the sound that the Xperia XZ2 Compact produced. I compared it to an iPhone 6 Plus that I had along with a Google Pixel and I noticed that the Xperia XZ2 Compact had sharper colors and picture quality when watching 4k videos on YouTube. The Xperia XZ2 Compact is definitely not a “compact” device. It’s quite chubby and has some weight to it. But by all means, this is not a negative part of the phone. I personally like the size and weight but that could be because of my hand size and whatnot. The build quality of the phone is also fantastic in my opinion. It doesn’t look “cheap” at all. I’ve owned several phones in the past that are “plastic” backs but with the Xperia XZ2 Compact I can’t even tell that it’s “plastic”. So this is where my “docking the star” comes into play. I personally didn’t really like the camera, fingerprint sensor placement, and the 3 buttons on the side of the device. When I say I didn’t like the camera, the phone does well when taking pictures where there’s light, but as soon as low light comes into play; the Xperia XZ2 Compact picture quality takes a big hit. I could barely even see the pictures I took where there was low light. So if/when you compare it with other Android devices and iOS devices, the camera on the Xperia XZ2 Compact is not as great. As for the fingerprint sensor placement along with the 3 buttons on the side; it is just flat out “weird” for me. Even with 3 buttons, I wished the top button was the power button and the volume rocker be placed in the middle. That would’ve made it a bit more manageable for me. The only other thing I can say about the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact is the fact that there isn’t anything “revolutionary” or game changing. Compared to other devices out on the market right now, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact sorta just fits in; there’s nothing that makes it really stand out from the rest. The battery is definitely good (it should last you the day), it lasts longer than the Google Pixel phone. But, I always feel like with battery optimization; iPhones seem to manage battery better. Overall, the Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact is a good phone. With the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, it handles everything beautifully. But, in my opinion it doesn’t get the perfect score. With so many different devices releasing on the regular basis, something about that phone HAS to stand out from the rest. Specs Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (Chipset) Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) (CPU) Adreno 630 (GPU) 4GB RAM Internal Memory of 64GB (Expandable to 400GB w/ microSD) Android 8.0 Oreo IPS LCD Capacitive Touchscreen (16M colors) 5.0 Inches Resolution 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (483 ppi density) 19 MP Rear Camera 5 MP Front Camera Bluetooth 5.0 Rear Fingerprint Sensor Non removable Li-Ion 2870 mAh battery What's in the box? Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact USB A to USB C Cable AC Adapter USB C to Audio Jack Cable Wired Earbuds with Interchangeable Earpieces Various Manuals (Hearing Aid Compatibility, US Safety Guidelines, Startup Guide, Important Information, FCC Statement, Declaration of Conformity)

For the past few years, phones have been getting harder and harder to tell apart. Sony, apparently, found this to be a problem and set out to fix it with the XZ2 Compact. The biggest thing you’ll notice when taking it out of the box is how big it isn’t. Rather than going the usual route of a large screen on a thin glass slab, the phone is trying its hardest to keep its footprint as small as possible. The result is a phone that’s very easy to use one-handed (even if you have somewhat smallish hands.) For some, small still sells, and I don’t think that you’re going to find another phone of this size with modern hardware anywhere on the market. What’s even more impressive is how little they’ve had to compromise to achieve this. Yes, it’s a fair bit chunkier than a lot of phones, but the curved case still fits easily in your hand and looks suitably flashy. And I imagine that some people will stop right there, but there’s quite a bit more to see in this phone than that. In addition to being small, this phone has more unusual features and gimmicks than I think I’ve ever seen in an Android device. This is probably the best and worst part of the device. One example is a physical button specifically for the camera. This is one of the better quality of life features on the thing – as it makes using the very nice camera much faster and more natural than most phones. Unfortunately, it’s also placed in such a way that you can very easily hit it by accident. Likewise with the back-mounted fingerprint scanner. It’s very accurate and fast to respond. But placed almost in the center of the backplate it doesn’t feel very natural to use. Usually when I go to try and unlock it I end up jamming my finger up against the camera lens instead. I wouldn’t call it a deal breaker, but it’s definitely something I hope that Sony can improve on in future models. A lot of the other key features are nice, but really do fall more in the line of gimmicks. The camera has a variety of special modes that let you record video at 960fps, take 4K HDR videos, or videos where you shoot fire out of your mouth. And these are fun, but not the kind of thing that you’re likely to use frequently. The sensor isn’t really good enough to get great results from the HDR mode, and the extreme high speed mode can only record at that speed for a fraction of a second, making it very difficult to use effectively. The 3D scanning feature is cool, if you can manage to get the ideal light conditions and have VERY steady hands. If you’re looking to pick it up specifically for these features, you might want to keep in mind that they’re really intended more for playing around with than anything else. Fortunately once you get past the gimmicks, the fundamentals are very solid. Sony made a wise choice of keeping their version of Android very close to stock, producing a highly responsive interface with very little in the way of visual clutter. The build quality might not quite match what some people define as “premium” seeing as much of it is plastic, but I’d wager that this is a phone that could survive a lot of hardships that your average glass and metal device couldn’t. They even included expandable storage – a feature I had sorely missed in the last few generations of devices. It’s also got what might be the best sounding set of stereo speakers I’ve heard on a cell phone (though, sadly, no audio jack.) It’s not a phone for everyone. Rather it’s a phone for a very specific type of customer who cares more about size and quirkiness than they do having the biggest screen space or the thinnest profile. And for once, you won't have to sacrifice having flagship performance or durability to get it.

The camera on this phone stands out first and foremost, especially with the super slow motion and the ability to record video at 4k with HDR. Very impressive in such a small package. The phone's performance is also very impressive. It has easily lasted all day. The screen is very nice, vibrant and crisp. I do wish that the phone had wireless charging, but the look, feel and features of this phone are easily worth a look if you're in the market for a smaller sized device. I was also pleasantly surprised by the weight of the phone. It's not heavy, but it has a nice weight that adds to the feel, giving a bit more of a premium feel. Pros: Crisp, clear screen, great camera and battery life, very responsive and fast Cons: No wireless charging. Plastic back doesn't feel quite as premium as other devices.

Overall: high quality build, decent phone, excellent video/camera, decent audio, excellent connectivity options in general. A little bulky for its size (hoped it was bigger). It is unlocked. Background: I’ve been a loyal Microsoft Windows Phone user for years, currently I own the Lumia 950. Now that there are no new Windows Phone, I decided to try an Android one. At home we have Windows and Android phones (950XL and Samsung S6/S7), but personally I hadn’t used an Android phone extensively. I have been using the device for almost three weeks now, side by side with my Lumia. Initial Setup: Opening the package I was greeted with a solid looking phone, yet a little heavy and bulky for its size. I decided to configure the phone to initially be just a computing/media-consumption device for evaluation and determine how well the non-calling capabilities outdone my Lumia’s, so my plan was to not add phone chip initially. Main reason was that I don’t really trust Google with my information. Initial charge was at 61% so I proceeded. First impression, nice picture quality and very responsive to touch. Setup steps, nothing out of the ordinary, I thought it was interesting to have a fingerprint and PIN unlock options. Nevertheless, 24% and 48.44GB free after first setup, why is this phone using so much storage first time? The OS plus basic apps (I assume) take more space than what people used to complain from the Windows Phone. After setup about 56% battery was left, seems that there was some extra processing going on. Software updates: I was expecting the Android OS to be updated frequently, in this case an update was already available after initial setup. For about 500MB took about 10 minutes, so far so good. I also installed a few apps (Bing, Wordament, Netflix, Amazon Music), and the storage was at 26%. Recharge: First recharge using the “fast recharge” adapter/cable took about 2 ½ hours! Subsequent two recharges took about 2 hours, and this using the cable/adapter provided. I assume charging times will get better eventually. Screen dimensions: it looks too vertical, I assume it is because of the 4K capability. It resembles a folio size paper when compared to a letter size, it was disturbing at the beginning, since it seems I was used to my Lumia having a wider width where I could read news vertically, whereas in the Sony XZ2 compact, it seems that horizontally, is the best way to read news and consume other media. Also, I miss my Lumia bigger screen size, but not so much as going back to it, so it seems that this XZ2 is a keeper. Video/Picture: amazing video, leaves my Lumia behind so bad, and other Android phones I’ve seen. Picture quality, well, it replaces my point-and-shot camera (another Sony by the way, sorry camera). For media consumption I think it is a top-notch device, albeit a little small for my taste (I think whoever ends up buying the bigger XZ2 would be more than happy owning the phone). Security: I like the fact that it has the fingerprint scanner in the back. Initially it was annoying because I would unlock the phone without realizing when just holding the phone. However, as weeks passed, I got used to not touch the scanner area unless I wanted to unlock the phone. Connectivity: Interestingly it can connect to my Wi-fi better than other devices I own, so a plus on this side. I can listen to music reliably outside while working in the yard using an outdoor Bluetooth speaker. As expected with most modern devices it can connect to wireless displays (nice projecting my vides to my TVs, not 4K). Experia Assistant: Not so sure about the Experia Assistant app, I haven’t used it too much, besides just checking the Tools section for STAMINA mode, and some settings. Besides the Tools sections there is the Inbox and Chat, the latter seems to interact with someone/something to get help with the phone, not sure I will ever use any of them. Apps: I had to sign-in to my Gmail to get the chance to download any apps! I didn’t want Google to know what free app I was downloading or using, now they know, and worse, they send me updates about having new messages in my Inbox when I never configured my email (well had to use the email to sign in to the store, but didn’t choose to have my email). Also, Google sends me emais about missing this or that app (what do they know about what I want?). Other thoughts: decent phone, good voice quality, sound, size for a phone is excellent, but for media consumption a bigger screen seems to be preferable. Runs very hot when playing music/videos and connected to a Bluetooth speaker (battery drains fast too, but I didn’t compare to other Android phones in this arena). Rather than silver, I would have preferred if it was available in black, my Lumia looks cooler in black. The one top game I use, Wordament, is so much more fun to play it in the XZ2 than in my Lumia, looks like the Lumia has shown its age, gaming feels a breeze in the XZ2. Looks like I will need to suck it up and let Google take over some of my personal stuff, e.g. contacts and the like, wished there was a way to configure the whole Android experience but on a Microsoft backed ecosystem (Onedrive, Office, email contacts, etc.).

This is truly a one handed phone. It’s powerful for hundreds of dollars less than its competitors. It has the same Processor and RAM amount as the Samsung S9, Pixel 3, and a tiny few others. Only the rest costs over $700 while the sale price of $500 is a bargain! The phone is quick, has great battery life and best of all the size. Honestly, the only reason I bought this phone was because of the size next to the price. Pros: Super Quick with the most powerful processor available in 2018 Factory unlocked to work globally MicroSD card Size and resolution Main Rear Camera Android Pie from Sony available (works great) Cons: IPS LCD is nice on this device, but not as nice as OLED\AMOLED Will not work with WiFi calling if you are with AT&T or T-Mobile Front Facing Camera is average RIP Auxiliary Jack (I don’t know why, the phone is thick enough to have one) Comes with Earbuds, but they are not USB-C . Must use adapter . Fail in my opinion No Wireless Charging (it’s not a huge loss to me, but I am coming from an S8) The only reason to buy this phone is if you want the compactness. Otherwise I’d recommend the S8\S9. The Pixel 3 is also a fine choice, but they are too expensive for what they offer when comparing with the S8\S9.

First the positives. The ergonomics are great. The phone feels fantastic to hold. It can easily be operated one handed, and actually has some heft to it, which gives it a more expensive feel even though it's plastic. The force feedback while at first I thought was a gimmick I've actually come to appreciate. Quick charge is nice along with the USBC. The 19 Megapixel camera allows for huge prints, and IMO one of the best on the market. All that being said I have to say the biggest draw back is the screen. I feel Sony really misfired in this respect (No OLED) They put an awesome camera in, then don't have the screen reproduce the photos at the best quality. It's not that the screen is bad, however it seems to be JV when all the other manufactures are producing Varsity. The bezels are huge compared to it's rivals and while the phone feels good, it doesn't "look good". This is a niche handset that will appeal to a very select few. It almost seems to be a beta version of things to come., not a flagship phone

I think I expected a little more from a Sony flagship phone. First off, I think this "compact" version of the phone is a little too small. It may be better suited for a child or someone with small hands who really cannot handle a modern larger phone. It also has a weird texture to the back of the phone, like a frosted metal kind of. It's not a deal breaker, but it doesn't feel sleek like most other phones. I suppose it is good for resisting fingerprints. I booted up the phone and set it up with no issues. I don't think it has any more setup menus than a Galaxy or iPhone. Then finally I was up and running. The phone is very fast and operates smoothly. The Sony software with Android work very well together. I was able to run all of my apps perfectly with no issues. I then used the 3D avatar creator which is very cool. It works way better than the avatar creator on the Galaxy S9. The physical features of the phone fall a little short. First of all Sony took a page out of Apples playbook and scrapped the headphone jack. It gives you a USB C to headphone port adapter. So if you lose it, you cannot use headphones with the phone. Plus, Sony takes pride in their headphones so excluding a headphone jack seems very unusual. The other thing it lacks is wireless charging. Even Apple and Samsung now include this feature on all of their flagship phones. I was disappointed in this missed feature. Overall I was pleased with the XZ2 as it performed extremely well but lacks the features to make someone truly pick it over Samsung or Apple.

The phone has a great screen, fast processor, finger print reader and is small. I was mainly looking for small android phone that I could easily use in one hand and was up to date with software and hardware. This was the closest phone I could find in the market. As for the cons of this phone: Screen mirroring does not work from my phone to my Sony blue ray player (it works on my Samsung tablet). I tried using the chat feature on Sony Support and the person kicked me off. I tried calling Sony support and it took 15 minutes for her to just verify my email address. She sent me technical instruction to my email and told me to call back on another line/phone if I was still having problems. I only have one phone and the instructions were not helpful. Now Sony keeps sending me emails with my first name (my name is only 3 letters) spelled wrong telling me to sign up for a Sony account. I went ahead and unsubscribed to the emails. The only other irritant with the phone is that it does not have a head phone jack. The phone comes with a dongle but then I have to carry the dongle with the phone since I have multiple headphones/devices that have use a 3.5mm jack. I would have given this phone 4 or 5 star if the support was better.

I wanted a smaller phone for my pocket and hands. My Moto G4 was to big, but flat...and it died. The 845 processor and 4GB RAM are amazing. While I miss the larger screen and flat back, everything else is perfect. The Camera is top notch, the 3D mode is exceptional. I have not tried the 960FPS yet, maybe this spring with a bumble bee!!. The phone is slippery due to rounded non-textured back, but I have yet to drop it...I don't use cases. This thing lasts forever!...I work 12hr shifts, so easily away from a charger for 13.5 hrs...lowest battery level was 40% It doesn't feel as nice as an apple x series, but for $500 this was a great deal.

It's amazing how a 5 inch display is considered small these days. Having said that, this "small" flagship has everything that a more expensive smartphone should have, plus the convenience of not having a huge device in your pocket all day long. Very speedy phone, which was expected given its internals. Great camera. Also very pleased to say that it updated to the latest version of Android (Pie 9.0) as soon as I got the phone. I recommend this phone to anyone that never got used to huge screens, want flagship performance/features and do not want to spend over $800 for a mobile device.

I was looking for a smaller phone for my husband as he doesn't like the huge ones they make now because they wouldn't fit in his pocket. I actually bought 2 of these Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact unlocked phones, one for my husband and one for my 19 year old. They both are very pleased with their new phones. This Sony is super fast and can open apps, search the internet and for my son, play games very quickly. It also takes beautiful pictures. If you're looking for a smaller phone that fits good in one hand and does what it's suppose to do with no lag, you should consider buying this phone. No complaints on our end. Also, Best Buy made purchasing online with my choice to pick up in store a breeze!

Bought the phone to replace my Essential PH-1 after I destroyed that phone following a drop in the pool. Learned my lesson, a seriously water resistant phone is a VERY good idea. The XZ2 Compact is underrated for some reason. I think it's priced well compared to other flagships with a Snapgragon 845. This phone is blazing fast, super slick looking, and just works. No hiccups, near stock Android, fast enough OS updates. At 5 inches in screen size, I think this device is perfect. So happy with the purchase.

A few years ago I began getting frustrated with the size of phones, they keep getting bigger and bigger. In the late 90s and early 2000s, we used to show off how little our phones are, today, it is about who has the biggest phone. A large phone is hard to operate single handed and uncomfortable in pants pockets, not to mention easy to break! A couple of years ago, when my LG G3 broke, I decided to find a small, yet powerful phone. I found Sony's X Compact. I bought one from Europe and shipped it to the US because the US version didn't have the finger sensor enabled. I loved that phone! A couple of weeks ago, I decided to upgrade to this XZ2 Compact and what a great little phone it is! the effective screen size is noticeably bigger than the X Compact but the overall size is only slightly larger, great job Sony! The camera is much faster now and still captures beautiful images and video. The video deserves especial mention because the stabilization function is superb! I often record my daughter skiing or in our bicycles and there's absolutely no camera shake, just smooth movements! The only down side to it is that the flash/torch is not very bright, but I normally shoot with no flash as low-light handling is pretty good too. Fast processor and beautiful screen resolution. Why would anybody, with okay eye-sight, want a larger phone? There's no need. Lastly, the price is good too for those of us that purchase unlocked without a contract, again, good job Sony...and BestBuy!

I own a Note 8 and now this little device. I have never been a fan of tiny phones, but this thing is a beast. I use this as my back-up phone and work phone. I love the screen and the camera. The processing speed is amazing as well. Colors look vibrant, rich and fun. The camera is incredible. I don't need a tripod to stabilize the image enough to get tiny details out of a large photo. So far the swiping is smooth and no glitchy transitions when apps open or close. It is very fast. 4 Gigs of RAM seem to be enough for multitasking. I've yet to notice any drawbacks to this device other than the fact that there's no headphone jack. It is a little heavy, but I don't mind the weight. The other thing that I've noticed is that as using the camera as a barcode scanner, it does not focus very quickly and close up focus is no fun to achieve. Overall, I'd say that I am very happy with it. I wouldn't want it as my primary device since I'm not a huge fan of tiny phones, but as a back-up, I'm set. For a year or two anyways. Maybe sooner. I don't know. I'm a geek.

Was looking for a phone to replace my Galaxy Light. Didn't want to spend a premium for a IPhone, so saw reviews for this phone to be high. Couldn't agree more with the reviewers. For almost half the price of the IPhone, I got an excellent android phone. First off, the phone is a little heavier than the IPhone. Very solid build, IMO. This has a 5 inch screen which is larger than the Galaxy Light, but still fits in my shirt pocket and my pants pocket without worrying if I will bend the phone. No worries there. Features, pretty much anything you really want. Apps load very quickly, as do games. I play Jurassic Park Live and no problems at all. Game runs smoothly. Power button is on side, rather on front of phone like the Galaxy Light had. Takes a sim card and is comletely compatible with T-Mobile. Talking on the phone, clarity is better than the Light. You can tilt the phone to bring up the screen to enter password, so don't need to press power button. Even has a finger print button if you would rather use that than a password. Giving it 5 stars rather than 4, because it's better than a 4 star phone. Battery life, am charging every other day and that includes playing Jurassic Park Live. Usually down to 8-14% after two days of battery power left. This is a solid 4.5 - 5.0 phone!