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Like the iPhone 4 and the Nexus 4, the Xperia Z has a glass panel covering its entire back, which together with the buttonless front makes for a highly symmetrical look and feel. The best tactile indication of which side of the phone youâre holding is probably the side-mounted power button, which protrudes from the middle of the right side, has a satisfying amount of travel, and is flanked by the phoneâs volume rocker and Micro SIM card slot. Thereâs some curvature to soften the edges, but the Xperia Z is otherwise a diligent study in flat surfaces. Sony has clearly put an emphasis on not interrupting the all-glass aesthetic, which has led to the earpiece being tucked right into the top of the handset, with its opening being mirrored at the deviceâs bottom for the microphone.

Glass inserts can also be found on each side section of the Z, ensuring a consistent texture all around the phone. The trouble is that, although cohesive, the feel of this phone in the hand isnât actually very good. The biggest culprit is, of course, the 5-inch form factor â it may well be impossible to design an ergonomically pleasing handset at that size â but Sony doesnât help matters with its ultra-angular design. Whereas Nokia and HTC might start their phone sketches by drawing the hand into which they must fit, Sonyâs design philosophy seems to prioritize the look over the feel.

You can submerge the entire phone in water without causing it any harm

Though it makes few concessions to ergonomics, the Xperia Z deserves credit for its thinness and minimal bezel â you get the sense that every superfluous millimeter has been shaven off this phone so as to make its size more palatable. Additionally, Sonyâs endowed the Xperia Z with a quality that most other mobile manufacturers consider an extravagant extra: water resistance. You can submerge the entire phone in water without doing damage to its precious internals. That necessitates flaps covering every port on the Z, including the headphone jack, but on the balance itâs a trade-off worth making. In fact, if you buy the additional charging dock and make use of Sonyâs launch promotion of bundling the Xperia Z with a set of MDR-1 Bluetooth headphones, you might never need to open the phoneâs covers after slipping your SIM card in.

Adding to the Zâs ruggedness is a very rigid construction and all-around excellent build quality. It survived a pair of meter-high drops during my review and doesnât convey the same sense of vulnerability that you might get when handling the aforementioned iPhone 4 / 4S or Nexus 4. Making an all-glass device thatâs as durable as its plastic- or metal-shielded competitors is a design feat Sony should be commended for.





Thereâs a subtle ostentatiousness about the Xperia Z. While its lines are clean and mostly spartan, the high reflectivity from its glass surfaces and the vividness of its white and purple versions make it a difficult device to use discreetly. Itâs also not easy to operate with just one hand, but at least its power button is easily accessible and its dimensions are minimal for the screen size. Keep in mind that those measurements have been tightly packed with components, so the Zâs weight is concomitantly greater as well â you wonât be mistaking it for the dainty Xperia SX any time soon.