The new enhanced Sony Xperia Z series is in town – the Xperia Z3+ – sleek, stylish and in dual SIM glory. The new waterproof Z3+ brings with it powerful performance, two-day battery life, Hi-Res Audio and PlayStation 4 gaming technologies.
Promising a new flagship every six months, the Sony Xperia Z3+ comes eight months from the debut of the previous generation Z3.
The same Xperia that you love, only better
One of the main reasons to love the Xperia Z series is its stylish, minimalist design. The Xperia Z3+ carries the same OmniBalance design language – slimmer (6.9mm) and lighter (144g) than ever before. It sports a metal frame, with tempered glass and rounded edges. The much-loved Xperia look is wholly there with Sony not tampering with the award-winning design much.
READ ALSO: [First look] Sony Xperia Z3 hands-on
Another thing that users have loved (as do I) is its signature dust- and waterproof (IP65/68) capabilities, which makes it one of the most durable phones out in the market today. A gapless USB port means no fumbling when you need to charge your phone. Sony has also removed the magnetic charging pin on the Z3+, resulting in a more seamless design overall.
Made to shoot
Being one of the dominant, well-known innovators in the camera and mobile camera space, it is no surprise the Xperia range packs the best camera that Sony can offer. The familiar 20.7MP main camera with Exmor RS, BIONZ for mobile processing engine and a 25mm wide-angle G lens is mainstay on the new Xperia Z3+.
Capable of shooting up to ISO12800 sensitivity, coupled with a large 1/2.3 image sensor, the Z3+ captures detail even in low light conditions. Camera software-wise, Superior Auto is an intelligent mode that can recognise up to 52 different scenarios, and optimises settings for each.
The front gets a 5MP unit with Exmor R for mobile image sensor which should ensure beautifully sharp selfies. It’s 1080p capable, coupled with SteadyShot and Intelligent Active Mode for smoother videos.
Performance, performance, performance
Under the hood, the Z3+ is powered by the Snapdragon 810, one of Qualcomm’s most powerful SoCs in its stable. This is the newer v2.1 version of the Snapdragon 810, and here’s hoping it doesn’t have the heating issues that plagued the original version. The 64-bit chip is mated to a generous 3GB LPDDR4 RAM. There’s 32GB of storage out-of-the-box, with an option to expand via microSD (up to 128GB).
The Z3+ supports LTE Cat 4 (150Mbps) and Wi-Fi MIMO support for faster connection speeds of up to 300Mbps. It supports dual-SIM, dual-standby and will take nano-SIM.
The single SIM version, which Sony isn’t bringing in, supports LTE Cat6.
We’ve seen some impressive battery life claims on the Z3 and Z3 Compact, and Z3+ will be no different. Sony promises an incredible two-day battery life with Sony Stamina Mode from its 2,930mAh battery.
Sony hasn’t changed the display from the old. You’ll still get the ultra-bright 5.2-inch Full HD TRILUMINOS display (424PPI) with Live Colour LED and X-Reality for mobile.
Entertainment on the go
High-Res audio has been a key focus of Sony of late. Sitting on the Walkman brand with such a rich history in audio and music, it isn’t a surprise. With Hi-Res Audio you’ll enjoy high frequency sound and fidelity. Built-in DSEE HX upscales existing MP3 or AAC tracks to near Hi-Res Audio quality. For wireless music listening, Sony’s new LDAC codec transmits data three times more efficiently than legacy codec over Bluetooth.
As seen and experienced in previous Xperia Z flagships, the Z3+ supports digital noise cancelling. When paired with the MDR-NC31EM headset, can reduce ambient noise by up to 98%.
The Z3+ also has the ability to connect to your PS4 at home with PS4 Remote Play. Connect your Z3+ to your PS4 and use the DUALSHOCK 4 Wireless Controller, and game on!
What’s hardware and software without content? Xperia Z3+ users will benefit from access to Xperia Lounge Gold – that means exclusive competitions and offers, new apps, latest movies, TV episodes and music.
Pricing and availability
The new dual-SIM Xperia Z3+ will be available for purchase from Sony Stores and Sony Centres nationwide at RM2,599. The Z3+ will come in Black and Copper. Other colour options include Aqua Green and White – these will be available at a later date.
The first 200 buyers of the new Z3+ will get a Micro USB Charging Dock (DK52) worth RM139.
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