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Sony Xperia Z1 Compact deals and reviews

Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

91/100
34 Critic Reviews
Many phone manufacturers (most notably HTC and Samsung) have created 'mini' versions of their flagship phones, but in most cases, the end result is a phone inferior to its inspiration. The Z1 Compact ... read more

Release Date (UK): January 2014

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Many phone manufacturers (most notably HTC and Samsung) have created 'mini' versions of their flagship phones, but in most cases, the end result is a phone inferior to its inspiration. The Z1 Compact aims to reverse this trend by having virtually identical specs to the Xperia Z1 in a device small enough to be used comfortably by one hand. Just like its bigger sibling, the Z1 Compact is dustproof, waterproof and has a 21 megapixel camera.

What the critics say (scores are out of 100)

100

S21

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is a pocket-friendly superphone! This smaller version of the Xperia Z1 has a superfast quadcore processor, a 20.7 megapixel camera and is waterproof too!

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100

What Hi-Fi?

The Sony Z1 Compact is proof that good things can come in small packages and if you like a smartphone that's easy on the hand, then this is a good choice.

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100

MSN Tech | Paul Lamkin

We love how Sony has gone all-out with the hardware for its mini flagship and, while it comes in at a few quid more than its mini rivals, we think that it's well worth the extra outlay.

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100

Expert Reviews | Seth Barton

If you want a compact, top-end smartphone before then your only other choice is an iPhone 5S.

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100

The Gadget Show

Sony's crafted the best 'mini' Android smartphone you can buy, and it's the first time we've seen a handset maker get a downsized flagship absolutely right - not to mention that it's a brilliant piece of kit on its own right too.

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100

The Guardian | Samuel Gibbs

Compared to the 'mini' competition - cut-down variants of larger, more powerful smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini - the Z1 Compact is in a league of its own.

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100

Pocket-lint | Chris Hall

Sony has got the Xperia Z1 Compact right: it's packed with power, is well designed, and delivers a first class experience.

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100

Stuff | Sophie Charara

Specs or smallness? The Z1 Compact does everyone a favour and gives you both in one phone.

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95

What Mobile

Hate phablets? Don't like Apple's iOS? Help is at hand at long last. Now you can finally buy a premium phone that doesn't swamp your hands or dwarf your face when you lift it to take a call.

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90

Australian PC World | Tony Ibrahim

Sony has achieved something special with the Xperia Z1 Compact ... by no means is it disadvantaged by its smaller size; this simply makes it more enjoyable to use every day.

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90

Trusted Reviews | Evan Kypreos

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is the best small Android phone on the market. It is superbly designed, has an excellent screen, stonking performance and even a memory card slot. In the Xperia Z1 Compact Sony has created a truly mighty mini.

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90

Brighthand | Dragan Petric

Despite the similar screen size, Sony's Xperia Z1 Compact is in a completely different league due to its powerful hardware platform – it's very much the powerful Sony flagship in a much smaller body.

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90

Digital Trends | Simon Hill

Sony has nailed a market segment that needs some love. The Z1 Compact is the best small smartphone running Android.

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90

ITProPortal | Sandra Vogel

This is a top-end phone in a hand-friendly size - and its price is somewhat less than other premium handsets, too. It is nice to see a smaller phone packing a top-end processor.

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90

The Inquirer | Carly Page

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is in our opinion the best pint-sized Android smartphone presently available on the market. Unlike its competitors - the Galaxy S4 Mini and HTC One Mini, for example - the phone boasts high-end specifications at a reasonable price, and not just for show.

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90

Digital Spy | Hunter Skipworth

It just feels 'right' in the hand, being solid, splash proof and lovely to use. The user interface is among the best in the business right now and Sony's no compromise approach to processor and camera is definitely a refreshing one.

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90

Coolsmartphone | Dan

Sony have done something many others have tried and failed on in the past, and that is managing to take a flagship phone and shrink it down with very minimal compromise.

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90

PC Advisor | Chris Martin

We love what Sony has done with the Xperia Z1 Compact. Finally consumers have the choice to buy a high-end smartphone without being forced to use a large screen.

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90

Engadget | James Trew

There's no point in beating about the bush: Sony's "mini" flagship is what companies should have been doing all along.

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90

phoneArena | Ray S

At the end of the day, the Xperia Z1 Compact is not only a great Android smartphone, it's simply a great phone, all things considered. Sony has made the bold move of venturing where few Android manufacturers have dared to go so far.

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90

Know Your Mobile | Paul Briden

I'm of the opinion that this is an excellent device in its own right, but it's also one of the best-executed "Mini" handsets available to date simply because Sony has not made any compromises; the screen, camera, processing power and performance are all superb.

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90

TechRadar | Thomas Thorn and Gareth Beavis

Sony shows the world how to make a 'proper' mini phone.

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90

CNET UK | Andrew Hoyle

Sony has done with its mini phone what we hoped other manufacturers would do with theirs - shrink the size of the flagship, but keep the elite lineup of specs. Mix in the waterproof construction, the beautiful design and the good camera and the Z1 Compact is a superb phone for those who don't want their pockets stretched out by 5-inch goliaths.

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90

Wired UK | Dave Oliver

Bucking the phablet trend, the Z1 Compact is a whole lotta phone in a neatly pocket-sized body. It has a terrific screen, an outstanding processor and camera, plus better than average battery life.

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88

NotebookCheck | Daniel Schuster

Buyers flirting with the Xperia Z1, but who are in doubt about its size, might want to look closer at the Z1 Compact. It comes with the same advantages of the bigger model, and even mends its drawbacks.

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88

Engadget | James Trew

Sony has set the benchmark for mini-flagships. With strong build quality and robust performance, the Z1 Compact will be a welcome arrival for anyone who prefers smaller devices.

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85

TechSpot | Tim Schiesser

The Xperia Z1 Compact occupies an interesting area of the market with little competition, positioning itself as high-end device in a compact body. Some may see it as nearly a win by default for Sony, but there are genuinely many reasons why you should consider this handset for yourself.

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85

Android Authority | Lanh Nguyen

The Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact is one of the few smartphones on the market that delivers a flagship experience in a smaller size. The XZ1 Compact takes all of the important components of the standard Xperia XZ1 and puts them in a small and easy to use form factor, but it still comes with a full-sized price tag.

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85

pocketnow | Michael Fisher

We'd expect nothing less than premium-level performance from the Z1 Compact, petite package or no - fortunately for Sony, "premium performance" is exactly what the Compact delivers. If big phones aren't your bag and money is no object, your hunt for mid-size quality should definitely begin (and might very possibly end) with a very close look at the Xperia Z1 Compact.

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82

The Verge | Vlad Savov

Its combination of power, battery life, and form factor is simply unrivalled.

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80

Gadgets Now | Javed Anwer

Z1 Compact is the best package in the market. iPhone 5C is the only competition on this parameter but in our opinion, Z1 Compact is a better deal because of the better hardware, superb performance, better design, and more premium finish.

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80

Digital Versus | Florence Legrand

The Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is the scaled down version of the Xperia Z1, but it isn't scaled down in terms of performance. With a gorgeous display, exemplary responsiveness and good battery life, it can proudly stand up to the competition. All that's really missing is a better camera function, because this one doesn't really cut it.

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80

V3 | Alastair Stevenson

The Xperia Z1 Compact is leagues above other smartphones in its size bracket.

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80

T3 | Thomas Tamblyn

The Z1 Compact is more than a match for its rivals. On a day to day basis it's a great alternative to an iPhone if you hate big-screen phones but still want Android.

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Every day, we search through thousands of tariffs and offers from UK online retailers to find the best Sony Xperia Z1 Compact deals and contracts across a selection of price points and needs.

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Compare Sony Xperia Z1 Compact specs side-by-side with other phones
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Form factor and dimensions
Dimensions & Form

Form factor: Touchscreen bar
Dimensions 127 x 64.9 x 9.5 mm (5 x 2.56 x 0.37 in)
Weight: 137 g (4.83 oz)

Screen
Screen

Size: 4.3 inches diagonal
Resolution: 1280 x 720 pixels
Screen Density: 342 ppi
Screen-to-Body Ratio: 61.8 %

Display Type: IPS LCD

Operating System
Runs

Android

Performance
Performance

Chipset: Qualcomm MSM8974 Snapdragon 800
CPU: Quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400
GPU: Adreno 330
RAM: 2GB

Camera
Camera

Main Camera: 20.7MP with LED flash
Secondary Camera: 2MP 1080p

Storage
Storage

Built-in Storage: 16GB
Expandable Storage: Micro SD

Battery
Battery & Charging

Capacity: 2300 mAh
Removable Battery: No
Wireless Charging: No
Quick Charge: None

SIM Standard
SIM standard

Nano SIM
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Water and Dust Resistance
Water & Dust Resistance

IP58 Rating: Partial protection from contact with harmful dust, and protection from immersion in water up to a depth of 30m for up to 30 minutes

Fingerprint Reader
Fingerprint Reader

None

More info
References & More info

Official website
GSMArena specs page

Photos taken with the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact

We've used Flickr to find a selection of pictures taken by the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact camera. Here is a selection of photos taken by users from around the world so you can see what kind of picture quality you can expect from real-world use of the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.

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All images shown are used under the rights and terms specified by the Creative Commons.

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Last Updated: 19th May 2020

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