Whatever other difficulties the Japanese electronics giant has faced in recent years, Sony's Xperia line of Android phones has earned a loyal following. And in 2016 the company has its Xperia phones, doing away with the Z series and launching the new Xperia X range.
Sony's still a bit of an outlier in the U.S. smartphone market, where Xperia handsets are only available unlocked at full retail price. But high-end Xperias have enjoyed greater success in Europe, where they're widely available across many carriers. So without further ado, let's take a look at the ones you should be paying attention to.
Article updated July 2016.
Sony Xperia X Performance
Released July 2016: The X Performance is Sony's all-singing, all-dancing flagship phone for 2016. It's got a Snapdragon 820 CPU, water resistance, a metal-backed design and an upgraded version of the sensor found in last year's , along with new predictive focus tracking tech. And all in a relatively compact 5-inch form factor, with a gorgeous 1080p display.
Sony has focused on the core experience in its X series, and as a result the X Performance isn't as flashy as some of its competitors, but it is a solid phone overall. However our enthusiasm is tempered by a slow camera and persistent touchscreen responsiveness issues, as laid out in .
Also problematic is just how much the Xperia X Performance costs. In the U.S. it'll set you back $700, with UK prices being north of £520. Nevertheless, if you want the very best Sony phone out there, this is it.
Sony Xperia X
Released June 2016: The regular Xperia X is the mainstream cousin of the X Performance, with slightly less trailblazing internals inside an almost identical chassis. Differences include a step down to a Snapdragon 650 CPU, an ever so slightly smaller battery — 2,620mAh versus 2,700 mAh — and the unfortunate removal of water resistance.
The crucial similarities are there, however — a great display, metal construction and the same 23-megapixel rear camera.
Like its big brother though, the Xperia X is an expensive piece of hardware, facing many more reasonably priced competitors from rival manufacturers. Launching at $550 unlocked in the U.S., it's a tough sell, but maybe a phone worth looking out for in the sales. In the UK it'll run you a more palatable £400, with on-contract deals also available.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
Released October 2015: Sony continues to cater to a market seemingly ignored by the other major Android manufacturers. If you want a top of the line, high-spec phone without having a screen over 5-odd inches, you go Sony. (Or, OK, sometimes you )
The hardware in the Z5 Compact is the same as that of its bigger brother, barring a few slight differences in RAM, screen resolution and battery capacity. All of which are acceptable in shrinking to 4.6-inches. The same premium design, Snapdragon 810 CPU, decent camera and uncluttered software experience awaits in a more pocketable, more hand friendly, more wallet friendly phone.
And its update to earlier in the year makes it even more capable — especially nine months on from launch, with prices having dropped considerably.
Sony Xperia Z5
Released October 2015: The larger of the Xperia Z5 phones is arguably beaten by the Compact on a value for money. It's the same basic handset only larger, with a 5.2-inch 1080p display and an extra gigabyte of RAM. But it's also a good deal more expensive than the smaller one, thanks to its use of a metal frame instead of the Compact's plastic border.
Where the Xperia Z5 does get some extra bonus points is that Sony seems to have rectified any heat related issues that presented themselves on the earlier . The Z5 was a solid contender among its contemporaries in late 2015, and still stacks up well today — particularly thanks to several price drops since launch.