Customer Reviews

Sony Xperia Z3v, Black 32GB (Verizon Wireless)

Sony Mobile has come a long way. Gone are the days of the Sony Ericsson phones, and the latest Xperia Z line phones have really shown Sony trying to get into the flagship smartphone market. Hefty competition with the likes of the iPhone 6, HTC One M8, and the Samsung Galaxy S5. The Xperia Z3 was released around the world just a short time ago, and it got rave reviews. But no US release until they announced a Verizon specific model. The Z3v which has CDMA radios and a body style that is much more in line with the older Z2. So how does this Verizon version stack up? Read on.

Yes, the Z3v a hybrid of the Z2 and Z3. You get the body of the Z2, albeit slightly elongated and thicker (there's a probable reason), the camera and screen carry over as well. You also get the faster CPU from the Z3, Remote Play for your PS4, a better waterproof and dust proof rating, and a feature that none of the other Z3 family has natively; Qi wireless charging. The phone is indeed thicker and larger than the current Z3 or Z2. But it still feels very nice. In fact, it's quite comfortable for a large phone. It's made of glass panels in the front and back, and it just feels wonderful and premium feeling, easily on par with the HTC One M8 and iPhone 6. Blows the Galaxy S5 out of the water there.

The UI is snappy and lag free, and with 3GB of RAM, you probably won't ever bog it down. It is almost stock Android 4.4 but with a light Sony interface over it. It is actually quite nice and polished. Being a Verizon phone, there is bloatware. The usual Verizon apps rear their head, including a Verizon messaging app which replaces the stock text app. I recommend disabling it, but to be fair, it works fine. I just didn't like the look of Verizon's app. You also get several Sony apps, such as Walkman and Album which are their music and photo management apps, the Playstation App, which is a companion PSN app, and the PS4 remote play app which connects to your PS4 and allows you to use your phone as a screen in place of your TV. You also get Lifelog, which tracks your activity daily including steps and calories burned etc, and can be used with Sony's Smartwatch or Smart bands . I tried the lifelong app with no external device and it seems cool.

The screen is nice and big, at 5.2 inches at full HD 1920x1080. Not a quad HD screen, but it's fantastic anyways. Great viewing angles, though I would prefer the auto dimming to be a bit more "dim" when in low light. It is a tad too bright for my taste in pitch black of night.

Sound and vibration: The phone has two forward firing stereo speakers which sound great. It's almost as good as HTC Boom sound..but not quite. It's a very close second. Plus...they are waterproof. Vibration is on the weaker side. It's passable but barely. Headphone output is terrific and there are even specific sound profiles you can use with certain Sony models of earphones. There is a Sony noise canceling headset that will work with this phone that I have ordered and will update when it arrives.

Battery life and Charging : Superb. There's a 3200 mah battery in there and Sony's stamina mode and ultra stamina mode if you need to squeeze even more juice out of it. The original Z3 has a 3100 mah battery and will last two days. This one will go about a day and a half. You won't drain this in a day. This has the Z2 battery and screen, which is a little more power hungry. Also, the CDMA bands take a little more juice as well. But even with that, the phone lasts all day easily with frequent usage. Wireless charging is available if you have a Qi wireless charger. It works great, just like my old Droid MAXX. In fact, this phone stands up to my MAXX in battery life as I tend to come home with similar amounts of charge left at the end of a day(60-70 percent). Without a Qi charger, it charges through USB under a port cover.

Remote Play for PS4: A big selling point for some, it works wonderfully, even better than my Vita. Without a Dualshock 4, you can use the touch screen, but that is very impractical for most PS4 games. Pair a DS4 to it, and you have a mini PS4 you can play in the bedroom when everyone else is watching TV on the main screen. I hope the DS4 mount comes soon.

Camera: It's a 20.7mp with a fairly large sensor. It takes great photos, but to get the full 20mp you need to engage manual mode. Superior Auto which is the default gives you 8mp pics which still are great. There is 4K video if you have the desire to, or standard HD video as well. There are also a smorgasbord of camera modes to play with...almost too many for my tastes. I like things simple. But for those who like to play with their pics, you can do all sorts of things like insert your pic into photos, or have AR objects.

To sum up, even though I was a little let down when they announced the Z3v and it's Z2-ness, but after spending a week with it replacing my MAXX, I am sold. I am very happy with the phone, and everything it does. If you are on Verizon, do yourself a favor and pick it up. It's a fantastic phone.

This phone has a lot of pros and cons. I'll list some that I think are somewhat relevant.

Pros:
Great reception, I get speeds(80mbps down and 20mbps up) I couldn't even get with Motorola phones.
Gorgeous screen, perfect 1080 resolution. None of that 2k+ bs that sucks the battery dry.
Dual front facing stereo speakers actually produce very clear sound even at high volume.
160gb of storage, 32 built in and 128 sd card. Can't ever have enough when 1min of 4k takes up 400mb.
Waterproofed! I like to read my phone relaxing in a jacuzzi, no longer have to worry of what might happen and yes I've tested it.
Decent size battery, not as good as droid maxx(720p screen and 3500mah battery) but much better then any other screen/battery combo on the market.
Dedicated camera button. Can take a picture in under 2 seconds from picking up the phone.
Camera is phenomenal! Pics that only take up 2-3mb of space and not 10mb that you can't adjust. Quality is second to none.
Wireless charging, always a plus.

Now on to cons:
Ergonomics are horrible. The sharp edges and flat back make holding the phone uncomfortable and it being so tall will make reaching upper left corner impossible one handed.
Glass in the back. What the hell for? Twice as fragile and slippery in dry hands.
Bloatware galore. I had to disable 30 apps from sony and Verizon before I even logged into Google.
None existant developer and aftermarket support. I can't even find a case for it, forget about root or unlocked bootloader.
Software isn't as user-friendly as on Motorola phones. I miss talking to my phone while driving, now I have to touch the screen first. Might seem like a minor disadvantage till you actually use it daily.
No simultaneous voice and data till software update, but who knows what year that will be in.
Adaptable screen brightness is slow to react and doesn't adjust full brightness range like some other phones.

Seems like this phone is a "dark horse". Plenty of potential and best around device but unknown brand(is that Samsung or iPhone they ask me) with limited exposure.

I bought this phone to replace my dated Droid 3 that I've had for years. Moving from such an old smartphone to the Xperia Z3v is quite an upgrade. Everything about this phone is better, aside from having no physical keyboard.

Pros: Pretty nice camera, I've taken quite a few photos already, mostly just to test the camera out. The camera focuses fast and takes decent pictures. The pictures are great for a smartphone in fact; however, I prefer my Nikon camera for anything in low light, far away, or taking any "important" pictures. For getting quick snaps this phone is perfect, especially with the dedicated camera button.

Call quality is great, I've had no issues. Voices come through very clear and loud enough that I chose to turn the volume down when speaking on the phone.

The touch screen is very responsive and the phone has yet to be slowed down by anything. Everything launches quickly and runs smoothly.

Battery life is okay, not great but will give you a day of miscellaneous use. I've been browsing the Internet, playing games, and watching streaming videos from Netflix and Amazon Instant Video intermittently for a couple hours and still have 54% battery. I really have no complaints about the battery life though, it lasts much longer than my Droid 3 ever did.

The phone is very fast on Verizon's 4G LTE network, I did a speed test and got 19.9mbs, a lot better than expected, I downloaded about 65 songs in just a couple minutes while downloading and updating apps.

There are a lot of features with this phone that seem awesome but I've yet to test them out, Qi Wireless Charging, PS4 remote play, Miracast, PS4 controller pairing, and many others.

Cons: Verizon's bloatware, any Verizon smartphone comes with a ton of preloaded garbage, this phone is no exception. It also comes with a couple Sony apps, like media viewers, lifelog, etc.

The phone seems to get pretty warm sometimes but the only warning I've gotten is from using the camera, it warns you that if the camera starts to get too warm it will shut down the camera app. It hasn't happened, just got warnings saying it could.

My biggest and really only problem with this phone is that I can't use a third party app to broadcast a Hotspot, this; however, seems to be a Verizon/Android 4.4 issue and not particularly this phone.

Anyway I'm very happy with this phone and would really recommend it to anyone.

The most amazing phone I've ever owned. I got it on a Friday (Halloween), charged it to 100%, unplugged it at 7PM, stayed out partying for days, and it didn't die til 6PM on Sunday. I typically unplug it around 7:30 in the morning, and come 9PM it's still sitting at 70% battery.

Everyone in the lab was getting iPhones, but I waited for this. Now all I hear are things like "It has wireless charging too!?!" and "why do you store your phone in a dish of water?"

The screenshot looks super lame, but it's Android so you can change everything.

I've had zero lag in using it, amazing battery life, good storage capacity, very good looking, good build quality, 20.7 MP camera, waterproof, MicroSD slot, good call quality..

There are only two less than good things I can say about it:
1) I feel like I could probably break it apart if I tried hard enough (probably true of most phones)
2) I heard (not 100% sure) that it can't run 64-bit android. Definitely look this up yourself though

Final verdict: I would buy it again and again times a thousand. If you're on the fence go to a Verizon store and feel one; it's awesome. Then come back and get it shipped free from Amazon

Also included is a picture I took with it on auto settings. It's kind of hazy and nasty outside, but it's still pretty good and representative of the camera

A quick notice/disclaimer: I am a long time Android user, but was an iPhone user for a couple of generations as well. I use both Apple and non-Apple products and consider myself not-too-biased - I generally go with what works best for me. I had a Note 2 before my Z3v, which I've had for a day now.

This phone is a hidden gem in my opinion. You don't know how great it is until one pulls up next to you, so to speak. Check out the Mobile Tech Review on YT for a reasonably thorough review of this "v" version of the Xperia Z3. Now that I have the phone, I think it's an accurate review on the device itself.

As for my take, here are the things valuable to me:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
=> The UI feels very snappy. Other Android makers put their own little (and not so little) embellishments on the UI and most of the time they aren't that great. HTC and Samsung are the worst offenders in my experience. Sony has done very little from what I can tell. It's not naked Google UI, but it's pretty minimalistic I think.

=> The display - it's excellent. Look at one and you'll see what I mean. If I recall correctly, the Z3v is less bright than the Z3, but it's miles better than the Note 2, which is what I've been looking at for the past couple of years.

=> Sony's stock apps aren't terrible. The image gallery app, Albums, is pleasantly intuitive and simple. I tend to not use Picasa for my image storage, so I am happy when good, free alternatives present themselves.

=> The camera is iPhone good. Say what you will about Apple, but they know how to build a camera into a phone. The Xperia's is fast, the quality is really good, and you have quite a few options if you like that sort of thing. And it has a dedicated physical button, which is already very handy after just a day of use.

Those are the major goods. The only bad I can think of right now is the button placement. All of the buttons are on the right side between the middle and bottom of the device. If you're left-handed, that's probably fine. If you're not, then that area snugs up against the part of your hand between your palm and the lower part of your right thumb. In other words, those buttons are hard to press without sliding the device around in your hand.

As for value, it will really depend on your carrier, sale prices, contract renewals, etc. Everyone's situation is different. I was able to sell my Note 2 back to Verizon and get the 2yr contract price on renewal, so my total cost added up to about a movie ticket and a box of Raisinets. It was really a no-brainer. I couldn't be happier with what I'm paying relative to what I got.

On a final note, two annoying things that have nothing to do with the phone: 1) Verizon puts a ton of lousy, bloaty apps on the Xperia (and every other Android device). I know you can go the Cyanogenmod route, but you shouldn't have to. 2) There aren't many case options as of December 2014.

What it is:
Great, high quality screen
Excellent Camera
Zippy performance
Excellent interface that is easy to use
Excellent call quality
Average sound from speakers

What is isn't:
Bloat free
The Z3
Slim and sleek

Unique features I enjoy:

Double-tap to wake feature
Solidly built side power/wake button (I hate those flimsy power buttons that fail over time)
Waterproof (30 min and 1.5m) and dust proof
Dedicated camera button
Sony apps and PS4 streaming capabilities
3GB of RAM

Performance

The phones performance is zippy without lag. Apps open smoothly and quickly. Scrolling is smooth and without lag.

4G performance and wireless connection have been excellent. No issues with either

Call quality has been clear and easy to hear. Speakerphone is plenty loud. Bluetooth pairs easily and has worked flawlessly.

Camera

Camera takes great photos. You can take up to 15.5MP photos in 16x9, with the 20.7MP being reserved for 4:3 ratio only. This is important if you are set on getting the 20.7MP photos in 16x9 - you can't. Set the camera in manual mode to access the higher megapixel settings. The dedicated camera button on the bottom left of the phone gives it the feel of a point and shoot when taking photos. It also shoots 4K video, and has image and video stabilization.

Design

I like the design of the phone. Feels sturdy and solid. If you are all about sleek curves and such, then consider another phone. I put the Verizon holster case on the phone, but it is a pretty thick case, and I will be looking for another option if it comes available. The phone does have glass on both the front and the back, but I always put my phones in cases, so the back of the phone really doesn't matter to me.

Wireless Charging

This has worked well. I am using the CHOE Stadium Qi Wireless Charger 3-Coils Wide Charging Area Wireless Charging Pad for Nexus 6, Sony Xperia Z3V, Nexus 5 that is found here on Amazon. No issues and reaches full charge.

One thing to note is that the phone currently doesn't support Mobile Data while on phone calls (or Voice over LTE - VoLTE). So, you can't browse the internet while on a phone call unless you are on a Wifi connection. I have read that an update will come in 2015, and I have also read that it won't, but I do know that it currently doesn't support it. I don't really take advantage of this feature, so for me it isn't an issue, but if your phone is your mobile office, well then it may be a concern.

I am very happy with the phone. If you like Sony products and aren't peeved about it not being a traditional Z3, then you should enjoy the phone. I would suggest getting your hands on it at a Verizon store and checking it out.

After owning this phone for a couple of months, I am thoroughly impressed. I purchased for free on a two year contract through Verizon, I purchased the white Z3V because it looked great and fingerprints are a non issue. Performance is zippy with no lag at all. The 3gb of Ram really shines through. The screen is bright and crisp from many different viewing angles, and the audio is very good due to the front facing speakers(something that should be a given in 2014). The waterproofing is as advertised just make sure all the covers are in place. The software is pretty stock there is the requisite bloatware but that can be disabled. The camera and video modes are excellent but make sure to have it in manual mode to take advantage of the 20 megapixels as auto mode is only 8 megapixels. An actual camera button is highly appreciated here as well. Battery life has been very stellar, I stream quite a bit whether it's Netflix, NFL mobile or YouTube and I consistently get about a day & half before charging, and the stamina modes are excellent. Call quality is great with clarity on both ends. The only drawbacks are in my opinion the phone is a bit slippery due to the glass front and back, and the waterproofing covers feel flimsy at times. I chose this over a Motorola Droid Turbo and I don't regret it one bit. Can't wait to see this phone with Lollipop in the near future.

Fast, thin, beautiful screen.

The positive:
Great screen and camera
Responsive
Great processor and RAM

The negative:
Really fragile. In under a month of use I have destroyed both the front and back of this phone. The front screen cracked at some point in the first week - I honestly don't know what happened or when. I pulled it out of my pocket and it was cracked. The back of the phone shattered when I dropped it at work as I pulled it out of my pocket (2 ft fall or so). I'm glad I have a replacement plan for it, but I have never had this happen with other phones. In hindsight, I would not buy this phone. I would stick to a phone with gorilla glass.

Samsung is Better Than Ever, I Bought Sony Xperia And Return It 2nd Day, Hassle + Headache. Samsung Galaxy Series Very Easier To Drive, Sounds, Pictures, Features, Storage Everything Excellent,