Is the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact Still Worth Buying in 2023?

[skandi8877]

I'm contemplating purchasing the Sony Xperia XZ1 Compact in 2023, but I have some concerns about its outdated Android 9 OS and the inability to install custom ROMs on the DOCOMO SO-02K VARIANT due to the locked bootloader. I would greatly appreciate your insights and advice on whether this device is still worth considering. Here are a few factors I'm considering:

1. Performance: Despite being released a few years ago, the Xperia XZ1 Compact boasts a powerful Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM. Can it still handle everyday tasks smoothly, or does it struggle with more demanding apps and games?
2. Software Support: Android 9 seems outdated, especially with newer versions available. Is it still receiving security updates, and is there any indication of an official update to a more recent Android version? Additionally, are there any reliable custom ROMs that can breathe new life into this device, despite the locked bootloader?
3. Camera Quality: The Xperia XZ1 Compact's 19 MP rear camera was highly praised at its release. However, with the rapid advancements in smartphone photography, does it still hold up? Are there any notable limitations or issues I should be aware of?
4. Battery Life: How does the battery hold up in 2023? Does it still provide a decent day of usage, or does it drain quickly?
5. Alternative Options: Considering the limitations of the Xperia XZ1 Compact, are there any other compact-sized smartphones with better software support and customization options that you would recommend?

I understand that technology moves quickly, and the Xperia XZ1 Compact may not be the latest and greatest. However, I'm particularly drawn to its compact size, robust build, and Sony's reputation for durability. I value the opinions and experiences of the XDA community, so any insights you can provide would be immensely helpful.
Thanks in advance for your input, and I look forward to your responses!
Best regards.

 

[tonsofquestions]

Hi and welcome! That's a lot of questions - and a lot of very subjective information. I'll try my best to answer where I can. For context, I still use mine as my daily driver.

• Performance: That all depends on what you want to do. Can it handle the most demanding modern games? Probably not, but what do you really want to play? It's a compact phone that's 5 years old. It wasn't the strongest for games at the time. Can it run most apps just fine? Yes. I've not run into much that have a problem, but I'm also not doing anything too intense, and I know that. Of course, phone processors have largely been commoditized by now, despite what manufacturers would like you to believe.
• Battery: Again, it's all about what you do with it. What are you running? It of course won't last the whole day playing video with the screen on full brightness. But no phone will. Battery is more tied to screen size than anything else. Your particular mileage may vary depending on whether your device is used, and how well the previous owner treated it in terms of charge cycles and limiting. Mine easily lasts a day, but I don't tend to use it super heavily. Draining quickly is usually a sign of greedy apps or a busted battery.
• Camera: I don't personally have strong opinions on cameras, so can't really comment on whether you like the quality - people have very different requirements. It's perfectly adequate for my needs. Will it be as good as modern phone cameras? Certainly not. Most modern phones have multiple sensors with different kinds of lenses - which drastically changes what's possible. Do you care about that? Only you can answer.
• Stock Software. I can say with 99.999% certainty that Sony is never going to release an official update. Don't hold your breath. It's 5 years old, and very outdated. I don't believe there are any more security updates, and again do not expect any.
• Custom Software: Let's be 100% clear. There's a locked bootloader, that you have the ability to unlock - but not re-lock. If you don't unlock it, you cannot install a custom rom. Full stop. That's the case for every phone. If you unlock it ... then you can do whatever you want. There are many custom roms available (check out that subforum here), including to the most recent version of Android 13 (via Lineage OS 20). But you'll have to do a little bit of work. If you do unlock it, I recommend doing the pre-work to back up your TA partition, since it will help a little with the camera should you decide to go back to stock.
• Alternatives: Again, lots of opinion here. What do you define as "compact"? I'd argue that there are no comparable modern phones that are anywhere near this size, other than the iPhone mini ... and I don't like Apple/iOS. Maybe you don't mind that. Maybe you're willing to go up an inch in screen size, and that's still small enough for you. It also depends on what other features you need/want - like a SD card slot, headphone jack, 5G, etc. To me, there's nothing better, which is why I still use my XZ1c. I know other people that swear by some of the Pixels, Zenphones, or even a few of the smaller Samsung phones.

Finally, you mention the DOCOMO SO-02K version. I don't know where you live, but it runs different firmware (Japanese) and a different set of apps. I think the OS version is even older, and has fewer updates. It's missing NFC (and I think some other sensor), and some of the wireless bands. And as you say cannot be unlocked - though I vaguely recall a post of someone saying they were able to.
Unless you know what you're doing, I would not advise getting that version. The standard G8441 version is a better and more flexible buy unless you live in Japan (and are OK with the lock) or know what you're doing. If you're serious about the phone, it's worth paying a little extra to be sure about what you're getting.


I hope that helps! And remember that this is all just the opinion of one member, but I've at least tired to be as impartial as I can.

 

[skandi8877]

Hi and welcome! That's a lot of questions - and a lot of very subjective information. I'll try my best to answer where I can. For context, I still use mine as my daily driver.

• Performance: That all depends on what you want to do. Can it handle the most demanding modern games? Probably not, but what do you really want to play? It's a compact phone that's 5 years old. It wasn't the strongest for games at the time. Can it run most apps just fine? Yes. I've not run into much that have a problem, but I'm also not doing anything too intense, and I know that. Of course, phone processors have largely been commoditized by now, despite what manufacturers would like you to believe.
• Battery: Again, it's all about what you do with it. What are you running? It of course won't last the whole day playing video with the screen on full brightness. But no phone will. Battery is more tied to screen size than anything else. Your particular mileage may vary depending on whether your device is used, and how well the previous owner treated it in terms of charge cycles and limiting. Mine easily lasts a day, but I don't tend to use it super heavily. Draining quickly is usually a sign of greedy apps or a busted battery.
• Camera: I don't personally have strong opinions on cameras, so can't really comment on whether you like the quality - people have very different requirements. It's perfectly adequate for my needs. Will it be as good as modern phone cameras? Certainly not. Most modern phones have multiple sensors with different kinds of lenses - which drastically changes what's possible. Do you care about that? Only you can answer.
• Stock Software. I can say with 99.999% certainty that Sony is never going to release an official update. Don't hold your breath. It's 5 years old, and very outdated. I don't believe there are any more security updates, and again do not expect any.
• Custom Software: Let's be 100% clear. There's a locked bootloader, that you have the ability to unlock - but not re-lock. If you don't unlock it, you cannot install a custom rom. Full stop. That's the case for every phone. If you unlock it ... then you can do whatever you want. There are many custom roms available (check out that subforum here), including to the most recent version of Android 13 (via Lineage OS 20). But you'll have to do a little bit of work. If you do unlock it, I recommend doing the pre-work to back up your TA partition, since it will help a little with the camera should you decide to go back to stock.
• Alternatives: Again, lots of opinion here. What do you define as "compact"? I'd argue that there are no comparable modern phones that are anywhere near this size, other than the iPhone mini ... and I don't like Apple/iOS. Maybe you don't mind that. Maybe you're willing to go up an inch in screen size, and that's still small enough for you. It also depends on what other features you need/want - like a SD card slot, headphone jack, 5G, etc. To me, there's nothing better, which is why I still use my XZ1c. I know other people that swear by some of the Pixels, Zenphones, or even a few of the smaller Samsung phones.

Finally, you mention the DOCOMO SO-02K version. I don't know where you live, but it runs different firmware (Japanese) and a different set of apps. I think the OS version is even older, and has fewer updates. It's missing NFC (and I think some other sensor), and some of the wireless bands. And as you say cannot be unlocked - though I vaguely recall a post of someone saying they were able to.
Unless you know what you're doing, I would not advise getting that version. The standard G8441 version is a better and more flexible buy unless you live in Japan (and are OK with the lock) or know what you're doing. If you're serious about the phone, it's worth paying a little extra to be sure about what you're getting.


I hope that helps! And remember that this is all just the opinion of one member, but I've at least tired to be as impartial as I can.

I am in India and only the Japanese Docomo version is available here, the XZ1 Compact was never officially launched here but now many refurbished phone sellers are selling the Japanese imported variant.

 

[tonsofquestions]

As I said, the answer is different based on where you are and what's available.
I don't know the quality of the refurbishers there, which means (in particular) the battery life of the phones is less certain.
I'm sure it's possible to order from places online, but I can't tell you the difference in price, or whether that's worth the extra expense to you.

The Docomo version has slightly different hardware and cell bands. I don't know if you care about the NFC chip, and you're on your own to figure out if it will work with your local service providers.

A quick search on XDA shows that it's possible to still unlock the SO-02k model:

Can XZ1 Compact SO-02K run Custom ROMs?

I have successfully unlocked the bootloader for my SO-02K. Can I flash Lineage OS on it or are those only meant for G8441? Are there Custom ROMs for SO-02K? Thank you in advance.

forum.xda-developers.com

Xz1 compact Docomo unlock status

I have an xz1 compact Docomo. The bootloader status is No. however I can use my operator's sim. Is there any way to change bootloader status to YES? Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

forum.xda-developers.com

Guide to "using" Docomo XZ1C?

I have a Japanese/SO-02K XZ1C, What is the process to get TWRP/custom ROM/root onto here? Is it worthwhile? (I understand it will lose NFC, will the battery still be usable?) Or should I just use ADB to debloat the phone and be content with...

forum.xda-developers.com

But you will have to pay extra in order to do it - probably around 2000 INR (give or take). Is that worth it over another phone? Again, I cannot make that decision for you. Only you can decide how "compact" is compact enough for you.

And this thread about battery drain might be worth keeping in mind in case you run into it:

[SOLVED] Battery drain on custom ROMs running on SO-02K(Japanese docomo model)

I'm using Xperia XZ1 Compact SO-02K (Japanese docomo model) unlocked bootloader via qUnlockTool. I installed some custom ROMs like LineageOS 18.1, Havoc OS 4.8, 3.11. Any ROMs doesn't go to deep sleep so the battery drain is so bad. I installed...

forum.xda-developers.com

 

[skandi8877]

As I said, the answer is different based on where you are and what's available.
I don't know the quality of the refurbishers there, which means (in particular) the battery life of the phones is less certain.
I'm sure it's possible to order from places online, but I can't tell you the difference in price, or whether that's worth the extra expense to you.

The Docomo version has slightly different hardware and cell bands. I don't know if you care about the NFC chip, and you're on your own to figure out if it will work with your local service providers.

A quick search on XDA shows that it's possible to still unlock the SO-02k model:

Can XZ1 Compact SO-02K run Custom ROMs?

I have successfully unlocked the bootloader for my SO-02K. Can I flash Lineage OS on it or are those only meant for G8441? Are there Custom ROMs for SO-02K? Thank you in advance.

forum.xda-developers.com

Xz1 compact Docomo unlock status

I have an xz1 compact Docomo. The bootloader status is No. however I can use my operator's sim. Is there any way to change bootloader status to YES? Sent from my [device_name] using XDA-Developers Legacy app

forum.xda-developers.com

Guide to "using" Docomo XZ1C?

I have a Japanese/SO-02K XZ1C, What is the process to get TWRP/custom ROM/root onto here? Is it worthwhile? (I understand it will lose NFC, will the battery still be usable?) Or should I just use ADB to debloat the phone and be content with...

forum.xda-developers.com

But you will have to pay extra in order to do it - probably around 2000 INR (give or take). Is that worth it over another phone? Again, I cannot make that decision for you. Only you can decide how "compact" is compact enough for you.

And this thread about battery drain might be worth keeping in mind in case you run into it:

[SOLVED] Battery drain on custom ROMs running on SO-02K(Japanese docomo model)

I'm using Xperia XZ1 Compact SO-02K (Japanese docomo model) unlocked bootloader via qUnlockTool. I installed some custom ROMs like LineageOS 18.1, Havoc OS 4.8, 3.11. Any ROMs doesn't go to deep sleep so the battery drain is so bad. I installed...

forum.xda-developers.com

Yeah, I don't think it's worth spending an extra 2000 rupees just to unlock the bootloader of a now 6-year-old phone, to be honest. I believe it would be better for me to get a phone like the Redmi Note 9, which is 3 years old, to use as a secondary device. It's easier to unlock the bootloader and install custom ROMs on it, which was my initial motive that led me to consider the XZ1C. Of course, I won't have the small form factor or the premium metallic build of the XZ1C, but it seems like there's simply no other alternative in this price range.

 

[tonsofquestions]

It's possible I did the currency conversion wrong. I don't know how much the phone would cost refurbished - I would have guessed somewhere around 10,000 rupees, if not more.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the price range for you.
How important is the compact to you? I would happily pay a 10-15% premium for that if it were an option.
But price might be more important factor for you than size, and there's no shame in that.

Or you could try the Stock version and re-sell it if you don't like it. I know it has a bunch of bloatware you can disable via ADB, but I'm not sure if the camera software is as good as the Sony one - which also impacts part of your question.

As I said in my first post, there just simply any other alternatives at this size anymore, and you're going to have to compromise somewhere. You either have to go Apple - and iOS, the XZ1c - with it's older hardware and potentially higher price, or a different Android phone - and compromise on the size. Only you can decide which option is the right one for you.

 

[skandi8877]

It's possible I did the currency conversion wrong. I don't know how much the phone would cost refurbished - I would have guessed somewhere around 10,000 rupees, if not more.
Maybe I'm misunderstanding the price range for you.
How important is the compact to you? I would happily pay a 10-15% premium for that if it were an option.
But price might be more important factor for you than size, and there's no shame in that.

Or you could try the Stock version and re-sell it if you don't like it. I know it has a bunch of bloatware you can disable via ADB, but I'm not sure if the camera software is as good as the Sony one - which also impacts part of your question.

As I said in my first post, there just simply any other alternatives at this size anymore, and you're going to have to compromise somewhere. You either have to go Apple - and iOS, the XZ1c - with it's older hardware and potentially higher price, or a different Android phone - and compromise on the size. Only you can decide which option is the right one for you.

Can't afford to spend more than 8000 rupees; yeah, you guessed it right. For me, price is greater than size in this context. The XZ1C Docomo variant is going for 6000-7900 here right now.

 

[tonsofquestions]

Well, at 6000, plus an unlock for 2000, you're just inside your budget. But I realize that's pushing it.
But you should do some looking around and price-checking yourself. I only followed the first link in one of the threads. There might be cheaper options, and you could see if they'd give a discount to you in another country, or for a significantly older phone. It never hurts to ask.
Or maybe you can find a refurbished one that's already unlocked - though that's probably not too likely.

If it's just a secondary device, then perhaps the compact-ness is less crucial to you. But the Redmi Note 9 is a good cm wider, not to mention a lot taller and more than 25% heavier. But I have heard good things.
I suspect once they're unlocked, they're equally easy to install custom ROMs on.