Sony-Xperia-Z3Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact at a glance:

  • 8.1-million-pixel camera with Exmor RS lens
  • Waterproof and dustproof
  • Large 4,500mAh battery for long-lasting performance
  • Price: From £329
  • Website: www.sony.co.uk

The Sony Xperia Z3 measures just 213.3 x 6.4 x 123.6mm and weighs 270g, slipping easily into a jacket or back pocket. The rear, 8.1-million-pixel camera has an Exmor RS lens and is decent for taking pictures. Its wide, 1920 x 1200-pixel-resolution screen, with its pixel density of 283ppi, is one of the brightest and most attractive displays I’ve seen on a tablet this year, despite not following the current trend for super-high-definition screens.

The tablet’s rounded aluminium frame and tough matt plastic back achieve an IP65/IP68 rating for water and dust-resistance, so it can be used confidently whether at the beach or out in the rain. In use, the Z3 is highly responsive and fast, powered by a 2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 Quad-core processor and a relatively bloat-free version of Android 4.4.

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact – key features

Screen

8in Triluminos display delivers clean whites and bright, crisp images – good for showing off portfolios as well as enjoying entertainment on the go.

Tough

Water and dust-resistant, and with flaps closed it can be submerged in 1.5m of fresh water for up to 30mins.

Connectivity

As well as Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity, it’s possible to buy a 4G/LTE version of the Z3 for £429, which will take a sim card.

Remote

Download camera manufacturer applications to use the Z3 for wirelessly accessing and controlling compatible cameras.

Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact  – verdict

With up to 128GB of expandable Micro SD storage, and compatibility with all the major camera manufacturer applications, it can be used to control and communicate with many newly released cameras, as well as pairing seamlessly with wireless image transfer solutions such as Eye-Fi. Battery life is good, delivering over a day’s use. A tough, high-performance tablet that you can take anywhere.

SCORE: 4.5 out of 5

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