Just over three months ago we slammed Sony's latest flagship phone, the Xperia X Performance , for being one of the most disappointing products that Sony had made in years. It was such a mediocre effort (at a premium price) that even Sony's own previous range outclassed it.

Great video camera; HD wireless audio; Waterproof

Last-gen phone; Still too many blurry camera shots; Battery struggles for one day; Chunky-looking

Available from Telstra on a plans or outright from Sony for $999, the Xperia XZ is the company's latest flagship device and continues the tradition of the company pouring its best technology into one product.

Nice design; brilliant camera; Hi-Res audio; PS4 Remote Play; water resistant; expandable memory

No Quad HD screen; older version of Android; expensive

The only reason you will buy this phone is if you are a Sony fan boy. When it comes to audio, camera and overall performance, there are better phones available for the same price point. The OnePlus 3 is a cheaper option, which feels more fluid, but has a simpler camera.

Beautiful display; Elegant build; Good gaming performance; The camera clicks good images under ideal conditions

Lackluster speakers; Inconsistent camera performance; No more than 7 min of continuous 4K recording; Placement of the volume rocker is inconvenient

The Xperia XZ is the latest in a long line of Sony flagships that look, feel and perform very similar to each other. Yes, there is a certain refinement to the hardware and the specs have been suitably upgraded but is it enough to cater to a very demanding audience?

Good display; Audio playback; Competitive performance

Disappointing camera; Tendency to heat up

Sony has not exactly been hitting sixes with every flagship smartphone launch. The Xperia Z3+ was plagued with heating issues, while the Xperia Z5 just managed to keep its head up with last year's flagships.

Sony has been facing a reducing market share with its Android smartphone business for the past few years, especially after the growth of Chinese rivals such as LeEco, Xiaomi and OnePlus. Earlier this year, Sony killed its Xperia Z line and replaced it with the new X-series smartphones.

Back in February this year, Sony had launched the Xperia X and Xperia X Performance at MWC 2016 but were quick to bring in their successor and hence we have the Xperia XZ! In fact, we thought that the Xperia XZ is what the Xperia X Performance should have been.

Sony knows how to make a solid smartphone. Their latest effort, the Xperia XZ is clear evidence of this. The 5.2" (1080x1920; 424 ppi pixel density) device features a well-made aluminium body, top-end camera and high-powered specifications with Android taking care of the operating system.

Well constructed body; Great all-round camera; Solid processor performance

Design a bit bland; No distinguishable extras

"What do you want to do with your smartphone?" This is the question I pose to anybody who asks me, "what phone should I get?" Usually this retort comes because there are so many options on the market, picking one is often rather difficult.

I brought this phone from jb maybe 5 months ago and it is horrible. Constantly freezing and crashing havent owned a worse phone in my life.