The Sony Xperia XZ, launched in 2016, was Sony’s flagship that brought together a sleek metal design, water resistance, and a focus on camera tech. It packs a 5.2-inch Full HD display, a Snapdragon 820 processor, and 3GB of RAM, making it smooth enough for everyday use and multitasking back then.
The 23MP rear camera with predictive hybrid autofocus – Sony really hyped it up for fast, accurate shots. It also has a 13MP front camera, great for selfies even in low light. The phone featured USB Type-C, Hi-Res Audio, and IP68 water/dust resistance, which was still kinda rare at the time.
Battery life isn’t that impressive (2900mAh), but it has smart charging tech to reduce wear over time. It ran Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box but got updates later.
Key Specs
- Display: 5.2″ Full HD
- Processor: Snapdragon 820
- RAM/Storage: 3GB RAM, 32/64GB (expandable)
- Rear Camera: 23MP
- Front Camera: 13MP
- Battery: 2900mAh, Quick Charge 3.0
- OS: Android 6.0 (upgradable to 8.0)
- Extras: USB Type-C, Hi-Res Audio
- Release Date: September 2016
Sony Xperia XZ – Quick Review
Pros
- Sleek metal design
- Impressive 23MP rear camera
- Water & dust resistant (IP68)
- Great audio with Hi-Res support, USB Type-C + Quick Charge
Cons
- Only 3GB RAM (kinda low today)
- Battery life was average
- Big bezels (feels dated now)
- UI isn’t super clean out of the box
The Sony Xperia XZ was Sony’s attempt to bring together premium design, strong camera features, and flagship-level performance in a refined package. With a metal finish and water-resistant build, it looked and felt like a premium phone.
Performance was smooth for its time, thanks to the Snapdragon 820 chip and 3GB of RAM, though it may struggle with modern multitasking or heavy apps. The standout feature was the 23MP rear camera, offering fast autofocus and solid image quality, especially in good lighting. The front 13MP camera was also impressive for selfies.
Battery life is just average, and the phone’s design has large bezels that make it feel a bit outdated now. However, the inclusion of features like USB Type-C, Hi-Res audio, and an IP68 rating made it competitive when it launched.
Full Specifications
Display
| Screen Type | IPS LCD |
| Screen size | 5.20 Inches |
| Screen to Body Ratio | 70.9% |
| Resolution | 1080 x 1920 |
| Pixel Density | 424 ppi |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 4 |
| Other Display tech | Triluminos display X-Reality Engine |
Camera
| Main Camera | 23-megapixel |
| Sensor Size (Main Camera) | 1/2.3″ |
| Aperture (Main Camera) | f/2.0 |
| Focal Length (Main Camera) | 24mm (wide) |
| Video (Main Camera) | 4K@30fps 1080p@60fps 1080p@30fps |
| Camera Features (Main Camera) | Laser AF Color spectrum sensor LED flash HDR Panorama PDAF Gyro-EIS |
| Front Camera | 13-megapixel |
| Sensor Size (Front Camera) | 1/3″ |
| Aperture (Front Camera) | f/2.0 |
| Focal Length (Front Camera) | 22mm (wide) |
| Video (Front Camera) | 1080p@30fps |
| Camera Features (Front Camera) | HDR |
Hardware
| Chipset | Snapdragon 820 |
| CPU | 1.6GHz quad-core |
| GPU | Adreno 530 |
| Fabrication Process | 14nm |
| Ram | 3 GB |
| Internal Storage | 32 GB 64GB |
| Storage Type | eMMC 5.1 |
| External Storage | up to 64 GB |
| Card slot | microSDXC (shared with SIM card) |
Battery
| Battery Capacity | 2900 mAh |
| Battery Type | Li-Ion, non-removable |
| Charging | 18W |
| Wireless Charging | No |
| Charging Tech | QC3 |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 5 |
| Wi-Fi Features | Wi-Fi Direct DLNA Dual-band |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 |
| Bluetooth Features | A2DP aptX LE |
| Network | 4G |
| Sim Cards | Dual Nano-SIM |
| USB | Type-C 2.0 |
| NFC | Yes |
| Navigation tech | GPS GLONASS |
Sound
| Speakers | Stereo Speakers |
| Audio Jack | 3.5mm Jack |
Software
| OS | Android 6.0.1 (Marshmallow) |
| OS update | up to Android 8.0 (Oreo) |
| UI | Xperia UI |
Other
| Weight | 161 g |
| Size | 5.75 x 2.83 x 0.32 in |
| Body | Aluminum Back and Aluminum Frame |
| Colors | Mineral black Platinum Forest blue Deep pink |
| Fingerprint | Side mounted |
| Sensors | accelerometer gyro proximity barometer compass |
| Release Date | September 2016 |
