Sony Xperia XZ1 First Impressions

Xperia XZ1 is the new flagship Android smartphone recently launched into the market by Sony.

Never having used an Android device before and curious to see how well the phone holds up, I decided to take a closer look and put together a post about how I got on.

I’ve heard good things about Sony smartphone cameras and as a photographer myself who only uses smartphones for photography I wanted to take a closer look for myself and put the Sony Xperia XZ1 to the test.

This review is a first impressions look at the handset and a run down on how well the smartphone can be used for travellers and photographers like myself.

Here is my first impressions look at the new Sony Xperia XZ1.

Unboxing the Sony Xperia XZ1 smartphone

I’m always excited when a new gadget arrives in the post, and the unboxing stage is always the most fun.

I love how simplistic and minimal the Xperia box design is and they’ve kept it as basic as they can which highlights the most important aspect of the unboxing – the handset itself.

The box invites you to quickly jump onto the next stage, setting up, and use your device as quickly as possible. How exciting is that.

When you pull the XZ1 out of the box, it feels nice and solid, I love that feeling of a fresh new well designed and built phone in the palm of your hand.

First impressions? The more I’m holding it, the more I’m liking it. I want to load it up straight away.

Easy set up straight out of the box

Within minutes, out of the box I was able to power up the handset and quickly set up the XZ1 device to start using straight away.

I didn’t find the set up complicated at all and found it rather straight forward.

Took only a couple of minutes and found the on screen instructions, easy to follow.

This is a nice change as you’re often left frustrated sometimes at the setup stage, but the XZ1 passed with flying colours. Now lets have fun with the device.

Design is flawless

After my first hands on experience with the Sony Xperia XZ1 the one thing that stands out for me has to be the design and build of the device.

It’s a work of art when you take a step back and look at the handset. With a seamless metal loop surface that surrounds the exterior and diamond cut edges, the Xperia XZ1 is a thing of beauty.

With its durable gorilla glass 5 material it’s a well built rugged bit of kit, which is going to work well with travellers who need equipment that works wonders out in the field.

Xperia XZ1 is designed to withstand splashes, spills and unexpected showers (Certified IP65/68) which is another feature which will be loved by travellers.

Most importantly, its stylish and a phone you want to be seen with. Choose from a wide selection of colours to match your own personal style.

Introduction to Android and Oreo 8.0

This is my first time being introduced to an Android smartphone and Sony Xperia have gone a step forward by having the device pre-installed with the latest Android Orea 8.0 OS software for the Xperia ZX1 so you have the latest up-to-date features of the latest Android software.

Great to see how concerned Sony Xperia was by making sure the latest Android Operating System is loaded onto the XZ1 at launch.

It’s for sure making the phone future proof and allowing the software to get the most out of the awesome hardware that’s on offer with this device.

They both work well together and it’s great to be up-to-date with the latest OS.

Lets talk about the HDR Screen and sound

Discover razor-sharp images with beautifully bright and clear display on a true to life HDR 5.2 high dynamic range screen.

The Xperia XZ1 display will take you on a journey that will allow you to lose yourself in your favourite shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime.

It’s a powerful screen that fits perfectly into your pocket to come with you on your own adventures and long flights.

Also the Xperia XZ1 comes with High-Resolution Audio with built in DSEE HX Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, which brings you closer to Hi-Res quality with the ultimate sound experience.

Did I mention it has an audio jack to plug your headphones into? It’s the simple things in life that make situations less complicated.

Mighty camera that packs a punch

When it comes to smartphones for travellers, the camera has to be the most important buying decision as it can easily replace carrying a heavy and expensive DLSR camera or point and shoot.

With the Sony Xperia XZ1 built in camera you can simply fit the same technology in the safety of your own pocket.

– 19MP Exmor RS. 25mm wide angle G lens f2.0.
– Steady shot with intelligent, active mode.
– Super slow motion video (960 fps).
– Auto burst feature.
– 4K video recording.

With everything captured on the XZ1 you’re truly in control of the shot. With manual focus and shutter speed controls, you have even more creative freedom to do and shoot as you wish.

With a Smartphone which is normally unheard of for packing all these features, you’re in for a photographer’s treat with this handset.

Stay tuned for a more in-depth review of the Sony Xperia XZ1 Camera features as I will take it onto the street for a proper real life, travel road test to see how the features live up to the specs.

Thank you for reading

Thank you for reading my first impression review of the Sony Xperia xz1, I hope you found it useful and if you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below in the comment section.

This blog post was put together in collaboration with Sony Xperia to showcase the new flagship Sony Xperia XZ1model and my opinions remain my own.