C0ps
08-29-2013, 02:02 AM
Sony Xperia ZR review: Ready to dare
Introduction
Squeezing your flagship smartphone in a tinier, sportier shell is the fad in Android these days. Not the one to blindly follow the pack, Sony has chosen to do things differently. The Xperia ZR didn't get as far down as the Galaxy S4 mini and the One mini, and got a 4.55" display rather than a 4.3" diagonal.
However, unlike its HTC and Samsung rivals, the Sony Xperia ZR is keen to match the oomph of its flagship, offering better IP protection at that. Considering how important dust and water resistance were for the Xperia Z' success, some may as well consider this one as an upgrade, rather than a trimmed down version. There's also the proper shutter key - the Xperia ZR comes across as the better photographer too.
http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/offic/thumb/gsmarena_001.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/offic/thumb/gsmarena_002.jpg
Sony Xperia ZR official photos
The battery capacity has been kept the same, and it's even user-removable this time. Together with the smaller screen of slightly lower resolution and stamina mode, you get a smartphone that's not only easier to pocket, but one that will last more than the premium package. Now, how's that not a winning combo? Here goes the complete list of Xperia ZR pros and cons.
Key features
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
4.55" 16M-color 720p capacitive touchscreen with 323ppi pixel density; Bravia Mobile Engine 2
Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with custom UI
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, HDR
1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
VGA front-facing camera
IP 58 certification - dust resistant and water resistant
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
8GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot
MHL-enabled microUSB port
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Main disadvantage
Below-par viewing angles of the display
Feeble loudspeaker
Low-res front facing camera
So, basically all you'll be losing if you chose the Sony Xperia ZR over the Xperia Z is some screen estate, the 1080p front-facing camera and the Full HD display. We wouldn't call any of those a deal-breaker, though: the smaller screen favors portability and, at this size, 720p is more than adequate. As for the video-call camera, most video-chat apps don't really support much higher resolutions anyway.
http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_001.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_002.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_005.jpg
Sony Xperia ZR at ours
It seems then that Sony has another potential winner on its hands. The Xperia ZR might just be what the company needed to cruise through the next quarter and allow enough development time for the Honami and Xperia Z Ultra, which look like the kinds of projects they wouldn't want to rush.
We need to see whether the smartphone behaves as promised, getting the most out of an impressive feature set. We start with the full physical right after the break.
Retail package
The Sony Xperia ZR comes with the usual set of accessories for a smartphone - flagship or not. There's the essential USB cable and a wall-mount plug as well as a pair of headphones.
http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_019.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_020.jpg
The Sony Xperia ZR retail package and its contents
We haven't seen a microSD card supplied in a retail package for a long time and this one is no exception. The 8GB internal memory is what you will have to do out of the box, until you find time to get an expansion card yourself.
Introduction
Squeezing your flagship smartphone in a tinier, sportier shell is the fad in Android these days. Not the one to blindly follow the pack, Sony has chosen to do things differently. The Xperia ZR didn't get as far down as the Galaxy S4 mini and the One mini, and got a 4.55" display rather than a 4.3" diagonal.
However, unlike its HTC and Samsung rivals, the Sony Xperia ZR is keen to match the oomph of its flagship, offering better IP protection at that. Considering how important dust and water resistance were for the Xperia Z' success, some may as well consider this one as an upgrade, rather than a trimmed down version. There's also the proper shutter key - the Xperia ZR comes across as the better photographer too.
http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/offic/thumb/gsmarena_001.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/offic/thumb/gsmarena_002.jpg
Sony Xperia ZR official photos
The battery capacity has been kept the same, and it's even user-removable this time. Together with the smaller screen of slightly lower resolution and stamina mode, you get a smartphone that's not only easier to pocket, but one that will last more than the premium package. Now, how's that not a winning combo? Here goes the complete list of Xperia ZR pros and cons.
Key features
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE support; 3G with HSPA; LTE
4.55" 16M-color 720p capacitive touchscreen with 323ppi pixel density; Bravia Mobile Engine 2
Android OS v4.1.1 Jelly Bean with custom UI
Quad-core 1.5 GHz Krait CPU, 2 GB RAM, Adreno 320 GPU; Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro chipset
13 MP autofocus camera with LED flash and geotagging, HDR
1080p video recording @ 30fps with HDR mode, continuous autofocus and stereo sound
VGA front-facing camera
IP 58 certification - dust resistant and water resistant
Wi-Fi a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct and DLNA; Wireless TV out
GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS
8GB of built-in storage; microSD card slot
MHL-enabled microUSB port
Bluetooth v4.0
NFC
Standard 3.5 mm audio jack
Accelerometer and proximity sensor
Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic
Main disadvantage
Below-par viewing angles of the display
Feeble loudspeaker
Low-res front facing camera
So, basically all you'll be losing if you chose the Sony Xperia ZR over the Xperia Z is some screen estate, the 1080p front-facing camera and the Full HD display. We wouldn't call any of those a deal-breaker, though: the smaller screen favors portability and, at this size, 720p is more than adequate. As for the video-call camera, most video-chat apps don't really support much higher resolutions anyway.
http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_001.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_002.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_005.jpg
Sony Xperia ZR at ours
It seems then that Sony has another potential winner on its hands. The Xperia ZR might just be what the company needed to cruise through the next quarter and allow enough development time for the Honami and Xperia Z Ultra, which look like the kinds of projects they wouldn't want to rush.
We need to see whether the smartphone behaves as promised, getting the most out of an impressive feature set. We start with the full physical right after the break.
Retail package
The Sony Xperia ZR comes with the usual set of accessories for a smartphone - flagship or not. There's the essential USB cable and a wall-mount plug as well as a pair of headphones.
http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_019.jpg http://cdn.gsmarena.com/vv/reviewsimg/sony-xperia-zr/phone/thumb/gsmarena_020.jpg
The Sony Xperia ZR retail package and its contents
We haven't seen a microSD card supplied in a retail package for a long time and this one is no exception. The 8GB internal memory is what you will have to do out of the box, until you find time to get an expansion card yourself.