Saw from a thread a couple of months ago a few people were recommending the Z3 Compact and I’m looking at getting one too. However, after some googling I have discovered there seems to be a fault with the glass front and back cracking either randomly or from really low drops.

Now, I am aware that forums cover users worldwide, and people like to complain when something is wrong but not cheer when it’s good, so….

How many of you use a Z3 Compact and how many of you have it still in one piece?

I’m also interested to know how, errr…rough you are with it too? My current HTC Desire X scratched really easily and feels pretty flimsy (on number 3 due to software faults) but I don’t carry it in a pocket, just a bag or jacket pocket. It had been dropped a couple of times but only really got damaged when it fell onto the road the other morning. Broken screen still works and is covered now by a screen protector until I can upgrade! It does go mountain biking with me but it’s safe in my pack.

Advice gratefully received.

Cheers

I’ve had one for about 3months. Not had any issues with it. I have heard of people cracking their Xperia screens, not just Z3 compact. I have a case on it, with a flip front cover and have avoided dropping it from any height!
I also have phone insurance with my bank account, so hopefully that would cover a screen breakage.

I’ve had mine 3 to 4 months. No case or screen protector.

I’m not very rough with it although it has fallen to the floor a few times from the height of a table or kitchen worktop and is fine. There are a few very small scratches on the back but nothing on the front.

For something that’s in use throughout the day most days I would expect some wear and tear.

I will get insurance through Virgin as that is my provider, but it’s a pain in the arse to have to do that if it breaks.

I like the idea of a small phone and feel a case, especially a flip cover one, makes it bigger than I’d like. The whole waterproof thing I feel is great, but not so much if the rest of the phone isn’t robust. I don’t tend to throw my phone about so a drop is usually rare, and the smashed screen isn’t unexpected when you drop it onto a road, landing at an angle.

There is some history of the whole Xperia range cracking, but that also seems to be limited to those manufactured 2014 Week 36-38.

I’m just after some actual UK users who might use their phone like me.

One a slightly different note, how does the whole phone feel like to touch? Slippy due to the glass back?

Just had to pay to have my S4 screen replaced, wish I’d picked an account with phone insurance now!

Also really irritated that depite Timpson being the exact same price as sending it back to Samsung (just more comvenient), the replacement screen is clearly a cheap 3rd party one, the colours are really muted, button isn’t sprung properly, phone speeker isn’t flush, and it’s scratching really easily so clearly isn’t the same gorilla glass or whatever the genuine part is.

Timpson are usually pretty good, I’d return and ask for it to be done again, or a partial refund.

How much was the cost for the screen at Timpson?

Z3 Compact and the Xperia T before that, GF now has Z3 Compact too. No issues with robustness, I have a lightweight gel case on mine, have managed to drop it several times with no adverse effect. My previous Xperia T put up with a shed load of abuse/neglect and kept on working till about 2 weeks before I got an upgrade, at which point the microphone died.

The whole waterproof thing I feel is great

My Z1 Compact wasn’t as waterproof as Sony made out – it died after a dunk in the swimming pool but fortunately was replaced under warranty by O2. It’s a handy feature to have but should definitely be considered splashproof or water resistant rather than waterproof!

The Z3C is waterproof up to 30mins and some depth or other but they say that using it whilst diving in or vigorous underwater activities may cause the small covers to loosen and let in water.

The Z3C is also dust-proof not dust-resistant so a bit of an upgrade on the Z1.

Just wondering if any late evening forumites have anything to offer on this subject?

Cheers, I’ll not boost this again if I get no replies.

My Z1 compact is bust now due to two hairline cracks in the screen that happened … well I don’t know how actually. It wasn’t a drop (or at least not dropped for a while). I can’t see why it would have cracked. You can barely see the cracks and can’t feel them, but its nuked the touch screen so its a paper weight now. Anyway I am not that fussed, it was crap anyway and drove me nuts. Ive gone back to my old iPhone 4 and yes its slower, and the battery life sucks, but I don’t miss my Xperia one bit, well other than the battery life 🙂

I have a Z3 compact thats about 2 months old and has a crack on the back. Not dropped it and it lives in one of the flip cases thats ‘made for Sony’. Its actually quite irritating as I look after the phone. Whats infuriating though is the Sony response of – ‘you can send it to us but if we decide its your fault it’ll cost £30 to get the phone back or we’ll bin it’. That and the observation from the O2 shop manager that they’ve not yet sent one in thats come back repaired under warranty.

Its really no better than the iphone it replaced and I wish I’d not swapped.

My 2p.

Tempered glass screen protector is your friend. As it’s waterproof you can apply it under a running tap so there’s no dust. My Z1 compact is almost a year old and has been dropped, soaked and mistreated and is still ok.

I put two tempered glass screens on mine – to give me some of that retro resistive touch screen feel 🙂

They were quite thin and one is cracking – so I will see what the Z3 screen is like under it when I take it off at the weekend and replace with a thicker one.

Best way to put them on is to clean the screen with a decent antistatic cloth – I have a good Eizo one, and then lie the tempered glass on top of it without removing the backing and then put masking tape across the glass and one side of the phone – making a couple of hinges.

Then hold the phone up vertically with the ‘hinges’ at the top and tilt it ‘open’ a bit so you can peel the backing off the tempered screen. The tilt it back so it adheres to the phone, maybe having one last blow/wipe to make sure there is no dust on the phone screen.

Z3 compact here in use in builder land. Been fine too the last 2 months.
I wouldn’t ever say it was waterproof though after reading many stories of failures and the disclaimers that come with them. Such as it must only be fresh water, so you can really only use it underwater underwater in a river etc.