Introduction
The Compact series by Sony used to occupy a niche of its own as it combined top-of-the-line specs with a pocketable footprint. The latter is still very much true for the just released Xperia X Compact, but it no longer has the flagship specs that were used to. Instead, the Xperia X Compact is pretty much what it says on the tin - its a Xperia X - essentially, an upper-midrange phone - but shrunk in size.
Is this the end of the mini flagship as we know it? Well, while we cant quite rule out another shift in product strategy down the line, for now, this very much seems to be the case.
Inside the latest Xperia X Compact ticks an upper midrange chipset. The Snapdragon 650 is a solid SoC, and shouldnt have a hard time powering the smartphone. Most importantly, there hardly is a better specced compact midrange smartphone, and were okay with how the new product is positioned. We would sorely miss the dust and waterproofing, though.
To be fair, the Xperia X Compact does share some of its flagship siblings premium features. First among those is the improved 23MP camera with predictive hybrid autofocus that employs a combination of laser, phase detection and contrast detection in its focus system. Just like with the Xperia X, a glaring omission on the X Compact spec sheet is the 4K video recording. But we couldnt have expected things to be otherwise, could we?
Speaking of spec sheets, its perhaps the appropriate time to see what the Xperia X Compact has to offer.
Sony Xperia X Compact key features
- 4.6" 720 x 1,280px LCD display with 319ppi, X-Reality for Mobile, Triluminos technology
- Android OS v6.0 Marshmallow with Xperia launcher
- Hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, a dual-core 1.8 G Hz Cortex-A72 and quad-core 1.4 GHz Cortex-A53; Adreno 510 GPU; 3GB RAM
- 23MP Sony IMX300 camera, 24mm-equiv. f/2.0 lens, laser-assisted and phase-detection autofocus, SteadyShot, LED flash, dedicated hardware shutter key; 1080p/60fps video recording
- 5MP front-facing camera; 1080p video recording
- 32GB of built-in storage and a microSD card slot
- LTE Cat.6 (300Mbps); Dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac; A-GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou receiver, Bluetooth v4.2, FM radio with RDS, NFC
- Active noise cancellation with a dedicated mic; 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res audio
- 2,700mAh non-removable battery; Qnovo adaptive charging, Battery Care smart charging (market dependent), Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 support
- Fingerprint sensor (market dependent), stereo speakers, USB Type-C port
Main disadvantages
- No 4K video recording
- Lowest-res se lfie camera in the entire X-series lineup
- No waterproofing
- Fingerprint sensor not available in the US
You do get a USB Type-C port, only to be found on the flagship in Sonys lineup, and the stereo speakers are here to stay. The 2,700mAh battery is probably more than you need considering the screen size, so the Compact will likely impress in that department.
Sony Xperia X Compact press images
Sony does acknowledge that the Xperia X Compact isnt quite the flagship the older models were and has an adjusted price accordingly - the X Compact launches at about £70/EUR€100 lower than the Z5 Compact, which came out last year. However, the previous generation has been discounted since, and sells around the X Compacts launch price, so that is shaping up to be a tough dilemma.
Well be attempting to solve it over the next few pages, and well start as usual with an overview of the Xperia X Compacts hardware and exterior.
Sony Xperia X Compact 360-degree spin
Sonys Compacts have traditionally been chubby fellas, but thats understandable - a smaller body still has to fit all those bits and pieces (at least, thats the laymans explanation). The original Xperia Z1 Compact was 9.5mm, and so is the X Compact. The lineup was, at its thinnest, with the Z3 Compact (8.6mm), and the Z5 Compact was 0.3mm thicker than that.
The footprint has stayed virtually the same over the years, but at 129 x 65mm the Xperia X Compact is 2mm taller than the Z5 Compact. At 135g the Xperia X Compact is 3g lighter than the previous generation.
Hardware overview
The Xperia X Compact follows Sonys new Unified Design. Thats one thing it shares with the top-end Xperia XZ and its what sets it apart from the rest of the Xs. Theres no ALKALEIDO here, though - the fancy aluminum alloy is limited to the Xperia XZ.
The styling of the X Compact is touted as ceramic-inspired, and were not quite sure what they mean. Put simply, the X Compact is made of plastic. The choice of material coupled with the dimensions gives it a more youthful look, as opposed to the more authoritative and mature XZ. The po lycarbonate is a different kind of fingerprint magnet, but at least theres less phone to wipe clean.
The all-plastic back has a few benefits over a metal one. For one, it doesnt require antenna cutouts, so the entire rear is one single piece of polycarbonate, curved towards the sides. Its thus truer to the Loop Surface concept than the metal-clad XZ. The curvy sides feel extra pleasant in hand and also work well to mask its near 1cm of thickness.
In the hand
As a result of the symmetrical design some may experience a minor issue - struggling to tell which side is up in day-to-day usage. The power button does offer some sort of tactile orientation, and the entire issue is perhaps only true for the black/blue colo r option that we have for review.
Classic Compact proportions in Universe black
We call it black/blue because the product color named Universe black that we have here is black only half the time. It could fool you in a dark room, but shine any light on it and deep blue hues are nicely revealed. Its particularly telling when you put the Compact next to black device, like an iPhone 6s or an OnePlus 3.
The Xperia X Compact carries no IP rating. Sony had pioneered the feature, and it was a staple in their flagship desig n, full-size or compact, but its now gone on all but the Xperia XZ.
There may be no antenna strips, but the camera and its peripherals do need their cutouts. Staying true to the lineups heritage, the camera module is situated in the top left corner, with the flash to its right. Since the X Compact gets the all-out top-model of a camera Sony has to offer, the flash is joined by the RGBC-IR and laser autofocus sensors, but more on these in the camera chapter of this review.
Ceramic-inspired glossy back • 23MP camera and assorted sensors
The Xperia X Compact features stereo speakers of the more conventional front-firing type (looking at you, iPhone 7!). The two slits are symm etrically placed on the front on both ends of the display. The top speaker has the front-facing camera on its left and the ambient light/proximity sensor pair on its right. A notification LED light is there too, in the far right corner.
The top bezel accommodates a speaker, a camera, a couple of sensors and an LED light • The other speaker is on the chin
The bottom of the phone is home to the USB Type-C port only. Dont let the type of the connector fool you - it conforms only to USB 2.0 spec.
The Xperia XZ has a mic pinhole here as well, but the X Compact doesnt, so we figure Sony has found room to fit the mic around the bottom speaker.
The top mic is more visible - you can see its opening right next to the 3.5mm jack.
USB Type-C port on the bottom • 3.5mm jack and secondary mic on top
There are no surprises in the control layout. The power button that doubles as a fingerprint reader is placed slightly above the midpoint on the right. Its conveniently located for access to the right thumb or the left index or middle finger. The smaller width makes it even more natural to use with the left hand than the Xperia XZ, so lefties shouldnt feel left out.
Americans, on the other hand, are left out - Sony wont be offering fingerprint recognition in the US. It shouldnt come as a surprise, though - the Z5 series had the hardware built-in, but not enabled, and its the same case with the X-series Xperias.
The volume rocker is below the power button, and weve been rambling on and on how Sony has placed it too low for comfortable operation. It does the job but requires a significant readjustment of grip especially if youre holding the phone with the right hand. Mind you, were just thorough - some users wouldnt count that as an issue.
Right side has all the controls • Shutter, volume, power • Card slot on the right
Moving on down, we find the physical two-stage shutter button, which comes in handy as a shortcut for launching the camera. If that feature doesnt work for you out of the box, you can enable it in the settings.
The card slot is located on the right side of the phone. The combined tray can take a nanoSIM card and a microSD card. Dual-SIM versions of the X Compact arent available at this time. The shared slot design means that hot-swapping memory cards is out of the question - the phone will restart upon taking out the SIM card.
4.6-inch IPS display of 720p resolution
The Xperia X Compact sports a 4.6-inch 720p display. The Z3 Compact made the jump to 4.6 inches from the Z1s 4.3 inches, and the lineup hasnt grown in scr een size since. It doesnt have to - after all, thats the whole point of Compacts. The 720p resolution stretched on that diagonal results in 319ppi - if the iPhone can live with that for 7 generations now, the X Compact will somehow manage without breaking ppi records as well.
The Xperia X Compact can shine as bright as 534nits, a number virtually identical to the one posted by the Xperia X. Its not as bright as the Z5 Compact (quite a wide margin, actually), but last years model cant match the X Compacts contrast, achieved in no small part by keeping blacks in check. The minimum brightness of 4.7nits is very good and nighttime reading shouldnt be an issue.
| Display test | 100% brightness | ||
| Black, cd/m2 | White, cd/m2 | ||
| 0.44 | 539 | 1219 | |
| 0.39 | 595 | 1526 | |
| 0.33 | 482 | 1461 | |
| 0.44 | 534 | 1225 | |
| 0.65 | 680 | 1053 | |
| 0.36 | 536 | 1481 | |
| 0.25 | 385 | 1540 | |
| 0.00 | 363 | ∞ | |
| 0.00 | 619 | ∞ | |
| 0.49 | 561 | 1145 | |
The Sony Xperia X Compact did splendidly in our sunlight legibility test. The score it posted is well into AMOLED territory (okay, not where the very best of AMOLEDs reside, but still) and its right there with the best of LCDs (iphone 6s, for example).
Sunlight contrast ratio
- Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
4.615 - Samsung Galaxy S7 edge
4.439 - OnePlus 3
4.424 - Samsung Galaxy S7
4.376 - HTC One A9
4.274 - Samsung Galaxy Note7
4.247 - Samsung Galaxy A3
4.241 - Samsung Galaxy S6
4.124 - Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
4.124 - Samsung Galaxy Note5
4.09 - Huawei Nexus 6P
4.019 - Vivo Xplay5 Elite
3.983 - OnePlus X
3.983 - Oppo R7s
3.964 - Huawei P9 Plus
3.956 - Samsung Galaxy A7 (2016)
3.918 - Samsung Galaxy C7
3.896 - Samsung Galaxy A5
3.895 - Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
3.879 - Samsung Galaxy J2 outdoor
3.873 - Samsung Galaxy A8
3.859 - Samsung Galaxy A9 (2016)
3.817 - Motorola Moto X (2014)
3.816 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016) outdoor mode
3.802 - LG V20 Max auto
3.798 - Samsung Galaxy A5 (2016)
3.789 - Apple iPhone 6s
3.783 - Meizu Pro 5
3.781 - Microsoft Lumia 650
3.772 - Samsung Galaxy J7 (2016)
3.756 - Oppo F1 Plus
3.709 - Vivo X5Pro
3.706 - Sony Xperia X Compact
3.694 - Apple iPhone SE
3.681 - Samsung Galaxy A7
3.679 - Meizu PRO 6
3.659 - BlackBerry Priv
3.645 - Apple iPhone 6s Plus
3.53 - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016) outdoor mode
3.523 - Samsung Galaxy J3 (2016)
3.523 - Acer Jade Primo
3.521 - Microsoft Lumia 950
3.512 - Oppo R7 Plus
3.499 - Samsung Galaxy J7
3.422 - Meizu MX5
3.416 - LG V20
3.402 - Oppo R7
3.32 - Samsung Galaxy J2
3.235 - Sony Xperia X Pe rformance
3.234 - Motorola Moto X Play
3.222 - Huawei P9
3.195 - Lenovo Vibe Shot
3.113 - Motorola Moto X Force
3.105 - LG Nexus 5X
3.092 - Huawei Mate S
3.073 - Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
3.065 - Apple iPhone 6 Plus
3.023 - Sony Xperia X
2.989 - Samsung Galaxy Note
2.97 - Huawei Mate 8
2.949 - Sony Xperia XA Ultra
2.906 - LG G5
2.905 - HTC One S
2.901 - Sony Xperia Z5
2.876 - Microsoft Lumia 550
2.851 - Xiaomi Redmi 3 Pro
2.803 - Sony Xperia Z5 compact
2.784 - LG V10
2.744 - Xiaomi Redmi 3
2.735 - Sony Xperia M5
2.69 - Huawei P9 Lite
2.679 - Vivo V3Max
2.659 - Xiaomi Mi 4i
2.641 - Sony Xperia XA
2.609 - Xiaomi Mi 4c
2.574 - LeEco Le Max 2
2.567 - Microsoft Lumia 640
2.563 - Lenovo Moto G4
2.544 - Oppo F1
2.528 - Sony Xperia Z5 Premium
2.525 - Huawei Honor 7 Lite / Honor 5c
2.506 - Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
2.503 - Oppo F1s
2.481 - Motorola Moto G
2.477 - Lenovo Vibe K5 Plus
2.473 - Huawei G8
2.471 - Huawei nova
2.467 - Sony Xperia Z
2.462 - Lenovo Vibe K5
2.459 - Huawei Honor 7
2.406 - Sony Xperia E5
2.386 - ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
2.382 - Samsung Galaxy J5 (2016)
2.378 - HTC 10
2.378 - Huawei nova plus
2.329 - HTC One E9+
2.305 - Alcatel One Touch Hero
2.272 - Apple iPhone 4S
2.269 - Lenovo Vibe K4 Note
2.254 - Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
2.253 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (MediaTek)
2.249 - Sony Xperia C4 Dual
2.235 - Xiaomi Mi Note
2.234 - Motorola Moto G (2014)
2.233 - LG Nexus 5
2.228 - Huawei P8
2.196 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
2.166 - OnePlus Two
2.165 - HTC One X
2.158 - LG Aka
2.145 - Archos 50 Diamond
2.134 - Xiaomi Redmi Note
2.119 - Acer Liquid X2
2.084 - Huawei P8lite
2.078 - Moto G 3rd gen max manual
2.026 - Xiaomi Mi Max
1.996 - Sony Xperia E4g
1.972 - OnePlus One
1.961 - Meizu m3 note
1.923 - Meizu m2 note
1.892 - BlackBerry Leap
1.892 - HTC Butterfly
1.873 - ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
1.759 - Sony Xperia U
1.758 - Asus Zenfone Selfie
1.68 - Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)
1.675 - ZTE Nubia Z9
1.659 - Jolla Jolla
1.605 - Motorola Moto E
1.545 - Sony Xperia M
1.473 - HTC Desire C
1.3 - Sony Xperia C
1.283 - Meizu MX
1.221 - Sony Xperia E
1.215
Theres inconclusive evidence as to the scratch-resistance of the X Compacts display. The official white paper, detailing all specs and features, doesnt mention any protection. Official Sony Mobile websites state Corning Gorilla Glass, but without specifying the generation. Despite the discrepancy, the phone might as well have such protection. Were trying to get to the bottom of it, and well update you on it once we have confirmation.
Beyond the outer layer lie a host of proprietary display technologies. Triluminous is Sonys trademark for what is commonly known as a Quantum dot display, a variation of LCD panels that deliver a wider color gamut. It generates colors in a different way than vanilla LCDs and even if youre used to AMOLEDs punch, you wont be left wanting here.
On the software side, Sony does image post-processing in its gallery under the label of X-reality engine. You can turn it off, switch to X-Reality mode or go all in with Super-vivid mode. You can get a side-by-side comparison to help you make your choice too.
You also get a White balance option in the menu, where you can adjust the colors via RGB sliders but you need to have a calibration tool as you likely wont be able to improve anything going by eye alone. Even then you wont get significantly more accurate results as the sliders only allow you to add and not take away some of primary colors from the mix.
X-reality gallery enhancements • White balance adjustment
Connectivity
The Xperia X Compact doesnt come lacking in connectivity options, though its not up to the XZs level - rather it matches the Xperia X due to the same chipset being used.
For mobile data you get LTE Cat. 6 (300Mbps down, 50Mbps up) along with HSPA as a fallback (42.2Mbps/5.76Mbps). Local connectivity includes dual-band Wi-Fi a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2 with aptX and Low Energy and NFC. Theres an FM Radio receiver with RDS - you cant find that on the flagship.
The Wi-Fi connection can be used for screen casting - be it Miracast, Google Cast, or DLNA. If you connect a DualShock controller, the Xperia XZ can even double as a portable console streaming your Playstation 4 games via PS4 Remote Play. It can also connect to your cars stereo system via MirrorLink.
GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou satellite positioning is supported, unless youre in the US, where its just GPS and GLONASS.
The USB port is Type-C, but it only conforms to USB 2.0 spec and not 3.0 or 3.1. It lets you hook up USB storage and accessories, but youll need to select the data transfer mode every time you connect it to a PC, as it defaults to charge only, which is somewhat annoying but we guess its there for a reason or use case we can quite think of.
Sony has dropped MHL support, so you have no wired way to output an image to a TV. You do get 3.5mm analog output to your choice of headphones.
Sony Xperia X Compact battery life
Oops, no battery test results here yet. As the battery test is the most time-consuming aspect of our reviews, yet many of you deem it the most important one. We couldnt come up with the endurance numbers by the time of the publishing of this review as were determined not to rush it. We will post the results here on ce weve done our proprietary test routine. Be sure to come back in a couple of days for the details.
The Sony Xperia X Compact is powered by a 2,700mAh battery, the same capacity as both the Xperia Z5 Compact and a little more than the Xperia X proper. Seeing as how the X has a larger and higher-res display, but still did a respectable job in the endurance department, we expected the X Compact to truly impress. But before we get to the numbers, lets say a few words about the technologies at play.
As all members of the new X series, the Xperia X Compact has the Qnovo adaptive charging built-in. The technology allows the phone to monitor the cells electrochemical processes in real time and adjust charging parameters accordingly to minimize cell damage and extend the battery units lifespan.
Qnovo claims the battery should last hundreds of charge cycles m ore than a conventionally charged battery. This means a year or so of extra longevity as in theory if the battery ages better, it should hopefully be able to hold charge better in time (an important aspect for a phone that has its battery sealed-in).
Battery Care is another proprietary Sony feature. It wont be universally available though, so if it sounds like something you might be interested in, check back with your local Sony rep.
So what does Battery Care do? Say you charge your phone overnight, and you regularly plug it in at midnight and unplug it at 8 in the morning. In time, the phone will recognize the pattern, charge the battery to 90% and then stop charging. And then at, say, 7:30 in the morning it will pick up where it left off and top it all up to 100% at a slower pace. If it hasnt picked up your routine, itll do a standard charge.
The handset also supports the Qualcomm QuickCharge 3.0 (and, of course, 2.0), but were not sure if it will come bundled wi th a charger to match. It will most probably be a regional thing.
On the software side of things, theres Sonys Stamina battery saving feature. It has two modes: regular Stamina, and Ultra Stamina. The first disables non-essential features like GPS and vibration, and takes performance down a notch.
Stamina modes
Ultra Stamina is for absolutely dire occasions when you dont expect to be near a power outlet for a long period of time. Enable that and its back to basics - meaning a single homescreen with access to the dialer and contacts, text messages, camera and clock. Going out of Ultra Stamina requires a restart.
The battery testing procedure is described in detail in case youre interested in the nitty-gritties. You can also check out our complete battery test table, where you can see how all of the smartphones weve tested will compare under your own typical use.
Android 6.0.1 with fine Xperia mods
The Xperia X Compact we have for review is running Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow out of the box, and thats the version that is shipping with commercially available devices. Nougat will follow some time later.
Sony is keeping the stock Android look, except for a few gentle touches here and there. The proprietary Stamina battery saving modes a nd the home-baked multimedia apps go without saying.
The fingerprint reader introduced on the Z5 series of Xperias is integrated into the Power button on the right side. We cant deny the convenience, as waking the screen and unlocking the phone are tightly related.
We had an excellent user experience with the fingerprint reader on the Xperia X Compact. Its fast and accurate. Theres an animation that slides the lockscreen away from your thumb (as if you pushed it out of the way). If you have simple swipe unlock enabled (no security) you can tap on the Power button to unlock instead, provided youve woken up the device first.
Smart Lock gives you conditional security - trusted nearby devices, locations, faces, or voices can allow you to skip the security unlock protocol.
Lockscreen • Lockscreen settings • Smart lock
The homescreen appears unchanged from the rest of the X series. This includes the swipe down gesture, which shows a screen of the apps you use most along with recommendations for new apps to install. The search field is highlighted so you can start typing the apps name immediately.
Homescreen • App search • Suggestions and recommendations • Folder view
The traditional app drawer is present, and it features an above average amount of vendor apps. Sony takes great pride in the A/V prowess of t heir devices, so they have pre-installed a nice set of their own multimedia apps.
App drawer • Sorting options • App management
Themes are available (both free and paid) that can customize the look and sound of the Xperia X Compact UI.The bird will look angrily at your finger as you tap - how cool is that!
Xperia themes
The notification area is plain Android. You can re-arrange the quick toggle tiles and adjust the screen brightness. Note that just like in vanilla Android; theres no toggle for Auto brightness (you need to go into the settings for that). Thats the single thing we dont mind getting changed by manufacturers and still, many manufacturers like to keep this aspect stock.
The app switcher is similarly a vanilla Android affair with the 3D rolodex look. The small apps are gone, however, and there is no longer floating-app multitasking. There isnt screen pinning either like we had on the Xperia X Performance - apparently, not a very popular feature.
No-nonsense task switcher • Notification area is vanilla Android
The Smart cleaner feature will periodically empty the cache of apps you havent used in awhile. You can switch this off or just manually tell it not to bother for certain apps.
Smart cleaner frees up memory of both kinds
One thing Android has been missing for years is a proper backup solution and Sony gives you one. It can backup applications, contacts, messages, phone settings. The backup info itself can be stored in the cloud under your Sony online account, or locally on the microSD card or an external USB device.
Backups can be scheduled, including conditions like "Connected to Wi-Fi" and "Charging device", depending on your preferences.
Scheduled backups are the best way to prevent data loss
Synthetic benchmarks
The Xperia X Compact is powered by the same Snapdragon 650, found in the Xperia X. While that seems logical, the Compact moniker used to mean the current Qualcomm top-end model, but you wont find the Snapdragon 820 here.
This midrange SoC is no slouch, though. Its CPU is built up of 2 powerful Cortex-A72 cores clocked at 1.8GHz, and another 4 Cortex-A53 cores limited to 1.4GHz. The GPU is Adreno 510. Unlike last years Z5 Compact, the X Compact comes with 3GB of RAM, as much as the XZ flagship and the X Performance.
Weve had the Snapdragon 650 visit at the office on a number of occasions, including the Xperia X itself, so we have a general idea what to expect in terms of benchmark performance. All previous devices, however, had 1080p displays, so it would be interesting to see just how much better the chipset will fare with the X Compacts 720p resolution.
That said, well be starting with CPU performance, as usual, and well be looking at some GeekBench 3.0 scores. Apparently, the Snapdragon 650 has been tuned differently on the X Compact, as in the single-core test it delivers a noticeable bump in performance compared to the plain X. A score above 1500 is more like the norm here though, looking at the two Xiaomis.
In the multi-core test, the X Compact manages to edge ahead of the Z5 Compact, which has a Snapdragon 810 - thats the difference a year makes in the development of midrange chipsets.
GeekBench 3 (single-core)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 6s
2542 - Sony Xperia X Performance
2273 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
1543 - Xiaomi Mi Max
1536 - Sony Xperia X Compact
1513 - Sony Xperia X
1367 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
1254 - Huawei nova
941
GeekBench 3 (multi-core)
Higher is better
- Sony Xperia X Performance
5460 - Huawei nova
4911 - Apple iPhone 6s
4427 - Xiaomi Mi Max
3861 - Sony Xperia X Compact
3848 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
3796 - Sony Xperia X
3796 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
3695 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
3147 - Apple iPhone 6
2924 - Alcatel Idol 3 (4.7)
1447
Antutu gauges overall performance, and according to the latest pre-6 version of this benchmark, the X Compact pulls ahead of the Z5 Compact as well. The X Performance is still in the lead, but the iPhone 6s is behind, though were not sure just how well this lends to cross-platform comparisons.
In Antutu 6, the gap between the Snapdragon 820 and 650 grows wider, perhaps because it puts more emphasis on graphics performance. The differences between the four S650 devices weve tested are marginal. We have no Antutu 6 results of the Z5 Compact, unfortunately.
AnTuTu 5
Higher is better
- Sony Xperia X Performance
71378 - Sony Xperia X Compact
65305 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
61481 - Apple iPhone 6s
59074 - Alcatel Idol 3 (4.7)
22321
AnTuTu 6
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 6s
129990 - Sony Xperia X Performance
116217 - Sony Xperia X
77537 - Sony Xperia X Compact
76731 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
76186 - Xiaomi Mi Max
74488 - Huawei nova
65021 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
59850
Another indication of all-round performance comes from Basemark OS II 2.0. The X Compact is again a smidgeon ahead of the X, and substantially behind the X Performance. Whats more important is that the X Compact significantly outperforms the Xperia Z5 Compact from last year.
Basemark OS 2.0
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 6s
2195 - Sony Xperia X Performance
2179 - Sony Xperia X Compact
1738 - Sony Xperia X
1714 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
1545 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
1440 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
1426 - Xiaomi Mi Max
1362 - Huawei nova
1218 - Alcatel Idol 3 (4.7)
572
Raw graphics performance on the Xperia X Compact is understandably not on par with the X Performance - in Basemark X the Snapdragon 820-powered device scores nearly twice as high as the X Compact. The Z5 Compact is also in a different league, compared to this years Compact.
Basemark X
Higher is better
- Sony Xperia X Performance
28450 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
23703 - Apple iPhone 6
17054 - Xiaomi Mi Max
15487 - Sony Xperia X Compact
15415 - Sony Xperia X
15087 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
14717 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
12990 - Huawei nova
10511 - Alcatel Idol 3 (4.7)
1578
Moving on to GFXBench, in the of fscreen 3.0 Manhattan test, the X Performance does about 3 times as many fps as the X Compact. In the onscreen version, rendered at the devices respective resolutions, the X Compact (Snapdragon 650, 720p display) doubles its score, but is still roughly 30 percent behind the X Performance (S820, 1080p) and the Z5 Compact (S810, 720p). Here, the Xperia X stands no chance with a combination of the weaker S650 and FullHD resolution.
In the more intense 3.1 Manhattan, the ratio between the various Xperias is kept, with the notable exception of the Z5s excellent onscreen result.
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)
Higher is better
- Sony Xperia X Performance
41 - Apple iPhone 6s
39.5 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
25 - Apple iPhone 6
17.7 - Xiaomi Mi Max
15 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
14 - Sony Xperia X Compact
14 - Sony Xperia X
14 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
13 - Huawei nova
10 - Alcatel Idol 3 (4.7)
1.8
GFX 3.0 Manhattan (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Apple iPhone 6s
53.6 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
39 - Sony Xperia X Performance
38 - Apple iPhone 6
29.2 - Sony Xperia X Compact
29 - Sony Xperia X
15 - Xiaomi Mi Max
15 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
14 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
12 - Huawei nova
10 - Alcatel Idol 3 (4.7)
2.7
GFX 3.1 Manhattan (1080p offscreen)
Higher is better
- Sony Xperia X Performance
30 - Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
18 - Xiaomi Mi Max
9.4 - Sony Xperia X
9.2 - Sony Xperia X Compact
9.1 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
9 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
8.1 - Huawei nova
6.3
GFX 3.1 Manhattan (onscreen)
Higher is better
- Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
38 - Sony Xperia X Performance
31 - Sony Xperia X Compact< /span>
21 - Sony Xperia X
10 - Xiaomi Mi Max
9.4 - Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 (S650)
9 - Xiaomi Mi 4s
7.9 - Huawei nova
6.5
A few conclusions are in order, but the short version is that the Xperia X Compact is doing fine with the Snapdragon 650. The X Performance, well, outperforms the X Compact across the board, despite the adverse effects of the higher-res display. The X Compact is on par, or better than the Z5 Compact in all tests, but intense 3D gaming, where this years model still performs adequately.
Phone
The Sony Xperia X Compact is a single SIM device, and pre vious Compacts havent been available as a dual-SIM version so we wouldnt hold our hopes up for this one.
The call log is separated from the contacts, but theres a shortcut to those in the upper right corner. It can be filtered by missed, incoming and outgoing calls. Smart dial is supported too.
Dialer with smart dial • Call log • Phonebook • Favorites
Loudspeaker
The Sony Xperia X Compact has front firing stereo speaker, with the benefits to such a setup being rather obvious. The ones on the X Compact arent very loud, though, in fact they fall in the Below average category in our test.
You cant expect more from such a small device and in the past Sonys smartphones havent excelled in this test either. All that said, the Xperia Z5 Compact was still a notch louder.
| Speakerphone test | Voice, dB | Ringing | Overall score | |
| 61.3 | 61.1 | 65.7 | Below Average | |
| 63.4 | 65.8 | 67.8 | Below Average | |
| 64.1 | 65.1 | 69.5 | Below Average | |
| 63.6 | 68.0 | 68.0 | Below Average | |
| 66.3 | 65.0 | 70.5 | Average | |
| 68.1 | 66.3 | 73.7 | Good | |
| 69.2 | 71.9 | 80.6 | Very Good |
Messaging
The Sony Xperia X Compact has a customized messaging app with all the possible bells and whistles. If you havent transferred all you texting to other platforms, of course.
Ours came with panda stickers pre-installed, but you can download more (free and paid sticker packs are available). You can also send your own creations drawn in the Sketch (obviously, this changes the message type to MMS).
Messaging app • Stickers are available, just like in chat apps
For text entry, Sony picked the SwiftKey keyboard. Its touted as having one of the best prediction algorithms, which is fine and dandy, but means you cant remove the suggestions bar at all. Othar than that limitation, the keyboard offers multiple layouts and themes, 5 d ifferent sizes, undocking, secondary symbols upon long press, swipe input - pretty much everything.
Customizeable SwiftKey keyboard
The keyboard is highly customizable - you can change the layout, choose what characters are available (accented characters, emoji), enable a number row, resize the keyboard or even undock it. The Messa ging app also handles voice input.
Other apps
Lifelog tracks a host of daily activities, including walking, running and sleeping, but also the music you listen and the photos you take or the apps you use. It then presents the info in a split-screen view with a timeline on top and detailed numbers on the bottom.
Lifelog tracks more than just steps and calories
The News app is a news aggregator, pulling stories from sources on topics of your choice. It can also issue two daily bulletins for you at a t ime you specify, so you dont miss out on current events.
Xperia lounge is Sonys own entertainment app, feeding you exclusive content and competitions related to music, movies and games.
Xperia Lounge
Its hard to beat Sonys Album for gallery features
T he Album app is among the most comprehensive and feature-rich gallery apps weve seen, its fast and easy to use, too! Photos are organized by month, and you can use pinch-zoom to change the size of thumbnails (then they smoothly animate into the grid).
At the very top of the list is a slideshow, showing off your photos, lower down, the first photo of each month is shown at twice the size of other images.
The Album app is bea utiful and functional
You can instead browse photos on a map (you can manually add geotag info too) or by folder. This includes network storage so that you can view photos from a DLNA server (your home computer for one). Then theres integration with online albums - Facebook, Picasa, Flickr.
Image editing is handled by several apps, including Sketch and Sticker creator (so you can create your own custom stickers to send to your friends).
Sketch lets you fingerpaint over a photo or a paper-like texture, add text, stickers, photos and so on. If youre talented (the below screenshos shows whre we stand), you can share your creations on the Sketch mini-social network, and if youre not, you can just browse what others drew.
Sketch is a fun image editor with a mini social network for sharing art
Movie Creator is similar to the Assistant of Google Photos. It automatically creates short videos from the photos and videos youve shot.
You can do it manually too: pick photos and videos, change their order, add color effects and music (you get a small audio collection to start you off, bu t can use custom files too). Then tap the Share button and send out your animated slideshow.
The Movie Creator can automatically or manually make shareable slideshows
Music app
The Music app feels like a part of the same software package as the rest of the custom Sony stuff. The contextual side menu offers much of the same browsing options - by folder, network folder and online services, in this case, Spotify (its just a link to the Spotify app though). You can share music from the phone to compatible players.
Music app
The app can find the tracks video on YouTube, look up info about the artist on Wikipedia and search for lyrics on Google.
The Music app offers a variety of audio settings - ClearAudio+ d etermines the best audio quality settings depending on the track youre listening to. We liked how it changed the sound and carefully accentuated various details.
Then theres DSEE HX, which uses an almost wizardly algorithm , which is supposed to restore or rather extrapolate compressed music files, like MP3s into high-res audio. According to Sony, the result is near Hi-Res Audio Quality, but it only works with wired headphones.
Dynamic normalizer evens out the volume differences across tracks, which is great if youve mixed multiple albums from multiple sources.
Audio settings
FM Radio with TrackID
The Xperia X Compact comes with an FM radio receiver and an app to go with it - and Sonys is probably the best one weve seen. It has nice visuals, pulls the stations names over RDS and you can pick favorites, but also assign colors to group them - say blue for news, yellow for rock music, purple for house stations. FM radio only works with headphones attached to serve as antenna, but you can play the radio through the stereo speakers.
FM Radio
The FM radio app is tightly integrated with TrackID, too. TrackID is Sonys trusted song recognition software, which has since evolved way past that. It can now show you music charts by country, give you live updates on recent searches across the world, and store your search history as well.
TrackID
Video
The Movies app is gone, Video app its place. It can play your local videos and videos on your home network, plus it has e xtensive subtitle settings. Additionally you can flip a switch and have videos played in the background.
Video player
Tell the app where you are, and if the region is supported it will pull info off the internet with TV schedules, shows currently airing and highlight of what to expect.
TV schedule and highlights
Audio output has its ups and downs
The Sony Xperia X Compact did greatly in the active external amplifier part of our audio quality test. The smartphones output was clean and its loudness above average.
Plugging in a pair of headphones brings the volume down and adds some intermodulation distortion. Stereo quality worsens somewhat too but remains good, but overall the performance is only average on this occasion.
Here go the results so you can do your comparisons.
| Test | Frequency response | Noise level | Dynamic range | THD | IMD + Noise | Stereo crosstalk |
| Sony Xperia X Compact | +0.01, -0.04 | -95.1 | 92.1 | 0.0050 | 0.0088 | -90.8 |
| Sony Xperia X Compact (headphones) | +0.32, -0.11 | -91.6 | 89.7 | 0.0078 | 0.209 | -60.8 |
| Sony Xperia XA | +0.01, -0.18 | -93.6 | 90.6 | 0.0030 | 0.010 | -91.7 |
| Sony Xperia XA (headphones) | +0.85, -0.18 | -87.1 | 87.8 | 0.018 | 0.327 | -54.9 |
| +0.01, -0.06 | -93.0 | 93.0 | 0.0013 | 0.0074 | -72.9 | |
| +0.07, -0.06 | -92.5 | 92.5 | 0.0025 | 0.085 | -68.7 |
Sony Xperia X Compact frequency response
You can learn more about the tested parameters and the whole testing process here.
Tricked out 23MP camera
The 23MP primary camera of the Sony Xperia X Compact is one of the features it shares with the high-end Xperia XZ (at least partially), and one that the other Xs dont get. While in some ways its identical to those setups, it has a few additional perks.
But lets start with the similarities. Introduced on the Z5 series, Sonys multi-aspect 24.8 IMX300 sensor has been featured on some of this years Xperia X models as well. Its a custom solution and one thats exclusive to Sony smartphones, despite the fact that the company supplies imagers to a number of phone makers.
Depending on whether you shoot in 4:3 or 16:9 aspect ratio, different portions of the sensor are used and you get either 22.8MP or 20.1MP images, respectively. Hence the official 23MP designation.
Among the benefits of having such a multi-aspect sensor are the similar field of view in both modes, and higher-res 16:9 shots than what youd get by cropping from a regular 23MP sensor with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
Coverage comparison: 22.8MP 4:3 image • 20.1MP 16:9 image
The sensor is pla ced behind a 24mm ultra-wide angle lens with a 24mm-equivalent field-of-view and an f/2.0 aperture. These particular specs of the camera have not changed since the Xperia Z5.
Historically, flagship Xperias have had no optical image stabilization. Instead, lately theyve been offering what is called Active SteadyShot - an electronic image stabilization system. Its only available in 1080p video recording mode and caters to 3-axis roll/pitch/yaw just like on the Xperia X.
A certain upgrade over the Xperia X is the laser autofocus found in the X Compact. It helps speed up focusing in close ranges and is especially useful in the dark.
Sony has also installed an RGBC-IR sensor (RedGreenBlueClear-InfraRed) in the X Compact to assist the image sensor in figuring out the color temperature of the ambient lighting and adjusting the white balance accordingly. Sony cameraphones of the past have consistently produced photos with cooler hues so well be definitely on the watch-out for improvements in this department.
Theres just one LED for the flash, though - no change there.
Introduced on the Xperia X, predictive autofocus is here as well. The idea is that you can tap on your subject and the camera will track its movement, keeping the focus locked on it. This is great for subjects who would move all around the scene such as a toddler or a pet.
Camera interface
The Xperia X Compact uses Sonys latest camera UI. You change modes by swiping up and down (or left and right, if youre holding it in portrait). Superior Auto will probably be the main mode you use, but theres a Manual option too, which has gotten a few more features this time around. What was once just exposure compensation and white balance selectors, has now been expanded to include full range shutter speed selection (1/4000s - 1s) and a manual focus slider. The ISO setting is still tucked away in an extra settings menu, though.
Camera interface
The Camera App tab holds some useful features and some features, which are just there for fun. Some of the available modes are Sweep Panorama, Slow-motion video, Face in picture, Sound Photo and a few more.
There is no 4K video recording - its reserved for the high-end Xperia XZ. Just like on the other Xs, its not a chip set limitation - the S650 is fully capable in this respect - it most probably was a marketing decision.
The selfie cam has pretty much the same features as the main camera aside from minor differences (the selfie cams manual mode has no ISO selector or manual focus slider). It even reminds you to look at the camera lens when taking a photo.
Like other Xperias, the Xperia X Compacts camera lets you capture moments in the blink of an eye - from a locked phone, it takes a mere 0.6 seconds to capture the first shot. To use that feature, you need to enable taking a photo when waking the camera with the shutter key in Settings.
Image quality
Image quality on the Sony Xperia X Compact is a mixed bad. For one, the level of detail is very high - in high-intricacy subject matter (foliage, for example) its hard to rival the 23MP sensors resolution. All that detail, however, is mixed up with tons of noise and the resulting texture looks unnatural from up close, and not too pleasing. Thats nothing new though and weve been saying that for Sony smartphones ever since this sensor was introduced.
In terms of color reproduction, Sony has struck a good balance between punch and accuracy. In high-contrast scenes exposure seems geared towards shadow preservation and highlights get clipped.
On the topic of white balance. The addition of a dedicated sensor for judging light temperature sounds terrific, only that doesnt necessarily describe our experience with the smartphone. While outdoor images turn out great, its artificial light thats more challenging and thats where the Xperia X Compact should excel.
It certainly doesnt do any blunders, but still leans towards a cooler white balance than some other devices we tested side by side. That works great for cooler light sources like 6,500K LED lights, where its as true to life as it gets. Images taken in incandescent light and, for that matter, fluorescent light too, do come out colder than e xperienced in person.
Camera samples: Superior Auto mode
As usual, were providing the samples of the same scene taken in Manual mode. While there may be subtle differences in some specific sce narios, generally theres little to tell them apart from those taken in Superior Auto.
Camera samples: Manual mode
Sony smartphone cameras have historically suffered from some lens issues, the most persistent being corner softness. Unf ortunately, the X Compact is no different in this respect. On top of that, we had more than the usual amount of lens flare in scenes with a bright light source in the frame.
Lens flare
You have two options for handling HDR situations. You can either shoot in Superior Auto and let the Xperia decide whats best for you, or you can switch to manual and flip the HDR toggle yourself. The first approach will generally give you more balanced results salvaging only some of the shadows.
The Manual HDR, on the other hand, is geared towards shadow preservation and tends to brighten up the entire image. While youll definitely be able to see more in the darkest areas, the highlights get completely blown out and the effect isnt very different from pumping up the exposure compensation.
HDR scenario: Superior Auto • Manual mode, HDR off • Manual Mode, HDR on
Naturally, we shot our test posters with the Sony Xperia X Compact and heres how it fared next to the similarly equipped Xperia X and the Xiaomi Mi 5. Of course, our tool allows you to compare it against any other smartphone that weve shot with.
Sony Xperia X Compact in our photo compare tool
Panorama
Yes, theres a Sweep panorama mode, but for generations of Xperias few things have changed for the better in this respect. You still have to manually select the sweeping direction and the images are of low resolution and have stitching issues.
Panorama sample shot in portrait
5MP selfie camera
The Xperia X Compact doesnt come with the 13MP front cam of the XZ, X and X Performance, and comes with a 5MP front shooter. In fact, the X Compact is equipped with the lowest-res selfie camera of the entire range of Xs this year, with even the base model XA sporting an 8MP front cam.
Anyway, the X Compacts front cam is nothing to rave about, but does reasona bly well in good light for social media posting. The best part about it is perhaps the 22mm-equivalent wide-angle lens, which helps you fit more into your shots.
Front camera samples: Outdoor (soft skin off) • Outdoor (soft skin on) • Indoor
Video recording
The Xperia X Compact can record video up to 1080p in resolution with a choice of 30fps or 60fps frame rates. There are, naturally, lower-res modes, in case youre concerned about bandwidth.
Video is encoded with a 30Mbps bitrate for the 60fps mode and about 17.5MBps in the regular speed 30fps. In both cases audio is recorded in stereo with an average bitrate of 156kbps.
Videos are quite detailed, and certainly a step up from the Xperia X and X Performance. Even the Z5 Compacts 1080p footage pales in comparison. Dynamic range is pretty good, too. Subjectively, the Xperia X Compact probably has the best 1080p video recording quality among all Xperia smartphones.
The 60fps frame rate mode has similar properties with the added benefit of smoothness.
You can also download the untouched video samples: 1080p at 30fps (11s, 23.7MB), 1080p at 60fps (11s, 39.9MB).
Finally, you can compare the Xperia X Compact to any of the numerous phones and tablets weve tested, but weve pre-selected the Xperia Z5 Compact and the Samsung Galaxy S6.
Sony Xperia X Compact in our video compare tool
Final words
So, is this the end of the mini flagship? Based on the Xperia X Compacts spec sheet alone the answer is perhaps yes. But a full review later, we are ready to admit that the concept itself has evolved and this particular mini is trying to adapt to the new reality.
A few defining features of the once revered Xperia Compact are gone, thats clear. Say goodbye to waterproofing, 4K video recording and a cutting-edge chipse t.
Today, we meet a Loop Surface glossy polycarbonate body that changes hues to the light, improved 1080p capture, and a midrange chip that can easily pull its weight and edge ahead of last years top-dog in all but the most demanding 3D rendering - with adulthood comes the ability to compromise.
Sony Xperia X Compact key test findings
- A quintessential Compact, the handset is a joy to use single-handedly;
- The glossy polycarbonate body is tough to keep clean but we appreciate how the hue changes from black to blue and in between depending on how light hits it;
- The fingerprint reader is well positioned for access with either hand and offers a fast and accurate response;
- Excellent display with high contrast and brightness, class-leading sunlight legibility. The one downside is the bluish cast of whites and grays;
- The interface is near sto ck Marshmallow with a few useful Sony modifications, including app search, power saving modes, resource manager. The proprietary multimedia suite is hard to beat in terms of features. Oddly, theres no file manager, though;
- The use of a Snapdragon 650 is a calculated choice - very good CPU and overall performance, adequate in the GPU department;
- Clean and reasonably loud audio output with an external amp, average readings with headphones;
- Detailed but noisy images from the primary 23MP camera. Color reproduction and dynamic range are quite good;
- Video capture may be limited to 1080p, but at that resolution, its of higher quality than pretty much any Xperia flagship weve tested;
- Standard-issue 5MP selfies - not exceptional, not terrible.
Sony smartphones tend to be quite pricey at launch so it may be wise to wait a few months before committing to a purchase. For example, the Xperia X had a price of EUR 600 at launch and now, 3 months later, it goes for about EUR 450.
With prices falling over time, unsurprisingly, the X Compacts main competitor is no other than Sonys own Xperia Z5 Compact. What appears to be the last of the great flagship minis is still very much relevant today thanks to great hardware back at launch, and the inevitable price cuts. A year old Z5 Compact has two major trump cards over the current model: dust and waterproofing and 4K video recording.
Sony aficionados could also opt for the Xperia X proper. Youd be getting a larger higher-res display but therefore a larger phone to carry around. Powered by the same chipset, the X Compact actually delivers better performance due to fewer pixels, but then the Xperia X has a superior front camera.
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact • Sony Xperia X
As it stands right now, the X Compact is in the same price range as the Samsung Galaxy S6. The latter is not as compact, but has a larger, higher-res display, and can record 4K video. It runs Samsung software though, and Xperia-inclined folks may not enjoy that.
Samsung Galaxy S6
A true flagship, albeit last years model, and from an entirely different ecosystem - the iPhone 6S is also quite a lot more expensive. The iPhone SE, however, is in the same ballpark as the X Compact, though youd have to settle for the 16GB storage version for the money. Apples super-mini is perhaps the one true mini-flagship left, but youd have to ask yourself if going all the way down to 4 inches is worth the portability benefits.
< strong>Apple iPhone SE
If you want the compact version of the Xperia X Compact review, here it goes. Sony hasnt given up on the concept of high-powered minis, just toned it down a notch. A few signature features have gone missing, yes, but then again so have the rivals in this admittedly niche category. Price has been adjusted accordingly too, and for those who still find it steep a few months of patience could well be worth it.
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