Sony Announces In Store Availability of the Xperia Z1

UPDATE: Celcom offers the Xperia Z1 on contract from RM1,538.

Sony Malaysia announced today that its latest flagship smartphone will be in stores from October 4 and will retail for RM2,399 and all three colours (black, white and purple will be available). For a limited time Sony will bundle the Xperia Z1 with its DK31 magnetic charging dock and throw in free music and movies downloads for users.

From October to December, Xperia Z1 users will be able to enjoy three months of free music streaming powered by social media music app Akazoo and download up to six movies for free from the Xperia Privilege app that comes preloaded with the device.

The Xperia Z1 features a fast 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm 800 processor, a gorgeous 5-inch Triluminos display and a 20.7MP camera that’s mated with a 1/2.3″ Exmor RS Sensor and Sony’s G Lens optics with a 27mm wide angle field of view and a reasonably fast F2.0 aperture. You also get LTE connectivity, a 3,000mAh battery and 16GB of on board storage that’s expandable using micro SD (up to 64GB). The 16GB on board storage is small considering the fact that you can’t expand the Z1’s memory storage because it have a micro SD card slot.

Like the Sony Xperia Z Ultra, the Xperia Z1 is IP58 rated meaning that its water and dust proof. The overall body construction of the Z1 is top notch and is also improved from the Xperia Z with a combination of polished aluminium frame and tempered glass front and back panels making the device more comfortable to hold.

At RM2,399, the Xperia Z1 is exactly the same price as the Galaxy Note 3 which also comes with 4G LTE connectivity. In terms of specs, the Galaxy Note 3 seems to be more generous with 32GB of storage, 3,200mAh battery and larger Full HD 5.7-inch display but it lacks the water and dust resistant talents of the Xperia Z1. In addition, the Note 3 feels cheaply made compared to the premium and well-built Z1. But the standout feature of the Z1 is its 20.7MP camera that packs a bigger sensor than average smartphones. For a detailed comparison of the specs and dimensions, of the Sony Xperia Z1 and Samsung Galaxy Note 3, check here.

Don’t forget to checkout our Sony Xperia Z1 hands-on video here as well.