Sony's Xperia X Compact is basically the newest version of the Z5 Compact that hit the US earlier this year. But just because it's a newer version of the (comparatively) tiny handset doesn't mean it's an upgrade in every way. Sony is pushing the camera sensors in the X Compact and the flagship-level XZ, as well as new features like five-axis image stabilization and HDR photo mode. Sony knows cameras, so we know the shooter in the X Compact will at least be competent. However, it has to be good enough to encourage photography buffs to shell out $499 for this unlocked handset while delivering solid performance across the board as well.

Look and feel

The X Compact is cut from the same cloth as the Z5 Compact. It's a little brick-like handset that measures 5.0 x 2.56 x 0.37-inches, and its diminutiveness at first struck me as cute, but then became somewhat frustrating. My daily smartphone is an iPhone 6—not even the big 6 Plus—and everything about the X Compact felt small to me. I became frustrated with things like the onscreen keyboard in particular; my fingers would often miss keys or hit the wrong ones while typing out messages at my normal texting speed. But size is a matter of taste, and the X Compact's smallness is part of the point—I like something a little bigger, but if you want a smaller Android phone, this is still one of just a few options.

Specs at a glance: Sony Xperia X Compact Screen 4.6-inch 720p IPS display OS Android 6.0.1 CPU 1.8GHz six-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 650 (2x 1.8GHz Cortex A72 cores, 4x 1.4GHz Cortex A53 cores) RAM 3GB GPU Adreno 510 Storage 32GB with up to 256GB external storage supported via microSD Networking 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, GPS Ports USB Type-C, 3.5mm headphone jack, microSD card slot Camera 23MP rear camera, 5.1MP front camera Size 5.0" x 2.56" x 0.37" (129 x 65 x 9.5mm) Weight 4.7 ounces (135g) Battery 2700 mAh Starting price $499.99 unlocked Other perks 5-axis image stabilization for video, HDR photo mode

It's still a great phone for one-handed use. I actually enjoy being able to wrap my hand around three of its four sides at once, and it's even easier to reach every part of the touchscreen on the X Compact with just my thumb than it is on my iPhone. One-handed use is a convenience that makes me a tad nostalgic for small handsets, and that's one of the major reasons why Sony makes these kinds of phones at all. Whether you crave that ease, or just have small hands, a compact device feels better to use on a regular basis.

Unlike its big brother, the new Xperia XZ, the X Compact was made of plastic and felt a little cheap in comparison to all-metal handsets. It's also not water-resistant like the XZ or Z5 Compact, so don't get too reckless with it around the sink or the pool. It has a glossy finish on both the front and the back, and thanks to this my black model proudly wore every fingerprint and smudge as if they were battle scars.

Like the Z5 Compact, this is a 720p panel protected by Gorilla Glass 4, and it produces bold colors and can get bright enough to be read well in sunlight. The bezels on the two sizes of the display are quite narrow, but like with most Android (and definitely most Sony) smartphones, the bezels are much thicker at the top and bottom of the handset.

However, that extra bezel space on the bottom does not hold a fingerprint sensor on the US models. I've gotten so used to unlocking my iPhone with my thumb that the continuous lack of fingerprint sensor on Sony phones feels like an oversight, especially since the phone has one in other countries. The Z5 Compact doesn't have a fingerprint sensor either, but Apple's smallest handset, the $399 iPhone SE, has Touch ID.

The camera, flash, and sensor are the only things interrupting the smooth black surface of the X Compact. It charges via USB Type-C port, and on the right side of the smartphone are its power button, volume rocker, and quick-start camera button. The left side just holds the card slot that houses the nanoSIM and space for an optional microSD card (you can expand the storage up to 256GB). If you've used any Sony smartphone before, it feels very familiar. The major features on both the flagship XZ and the X Compact lie in the camera, so Sony clearly didn't want to spend time fixing what wasn't broken with the handset's design.

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Valentina Palladino

Software and camera

The X Compact runs Android 6.0.1, and it hasn't changed much from when I used it on the $699 Xperia X Performance. Sony's lightly skinned version of Android is pleasant, especially for someone like me who prefers pure Android, but it's still burdened by some Sony bloatware that you'll likely never use. Many of those are duplicative of Google's generally superior apps and can usually be ignored in favor of Google's stuff or many of the other apps in the Play Store.

I still appreciate Sony's Stamina and Ultra Stamina battery saving modes as they'll come in handy when you need to preserve the life of your phone over a long day that turns into a long night. Ultra Stamina mode is still more limiting than Stamina mode since you only have access to essential apps like phone, messages, contacts, camera, settings, and clock, but it could be useful if you're trying to stop yourself from fooling around on Facebook or Instagram when you need to get work done.

In terms of security, the X Compact's security patch is from June 2016, so it's already three months out of date since Google patches every month. We've reached out to Sony to see how often and when they will patch the X Compact, but we haven't heard back yet.







Like the physical design of the X Compact, Sony's software will feel very familiar to anyone who has used a Sony phone before, not that that's necessarily a bad thing. The biggest updates lie in the X Compact's cameras: Sony put a 23-megapixel rear camera on the handset as well as a 5MP front-facing camera. The newest features include five-axis image stabilization when recording video and HDR photo mode while shooting in manual.

Sony also added a new laser autofocus system that estimates distance between the camera and the photo's subject so it can take better shots in low light, and it also has a predictive hybrid autofocus system that keeps moving objects in focus at all times. All of these new features blend into Sony's existing camera software seamlessly to the point where you almost forget that they exist, but the crisp and boldly colored photos that the rear camera takes show they're constantly working.

















Overall the photo quality is good, but low-light photos weren't brightened enough for me in superior auto mode. You can still identify most objects, but details will be lost in the shadows, especially if the objects themselves are darkly colored. In outdoor shots, the rear camera captured details in nature well but faltered a bit when faced with brick buildings and far-away trees (things that have a bunch of small details that are hard to identify when not in close range). I also really liked the preset "scene" options that adjust the camera for your subject: landscape highlighted the greens and reds of foliage and flowers; however, overcast skies often overexposed parts of those photos. "Soft skin" is basically a faux-beauty mode that smooths out your skin, but it would be more useful if you could use that when shooting with the front-facing camera (it's only available for the rear).

The camera app interface is pretty self-explanatory: swipe on the screen to switch between manual, superior auto, and video recording modes, and there's an extra option at the end where you can find external camera apps to edit photos and videos. Manual mode has been updated to include full shutter speed control (1/4000 to 1s) and a manual focus slider in addition to the white balance and exposure compensation controls it already had. It's really easy to manipulate photos before you even take them in this manual mode, and the camera adjusts to show you what the outcome will be with those chosen presets.

One thing to note that's a difference between the nearly identical rear cameras on the X Compact and the more expensive XZ is that the X Compact cannot shoot 4K video. That feature is reserved for Sony's more expensive handsets, however the iPhone SE can shoot 4K at 30fps. You'll still get that five-axis image stabilization, though, which will make it much easier to keep the moving objects that you're filming in focus.

The 5MP selfie cam isn't the 13MP shooter on the Xperia X, but it takes decent self portraits, just without the sharp details of the handset's rear camera. As mentioned before, I would have liked to have full manual mode use for the front-facing camera, purely for the "soft skin" filter. But Sony did add a cool trick to the front shooter: you can hold up your hand, palm open and facing the camera, to start the photo timer instead of tapping the display to take a photo yourself.