With its slim, full metal build, Sony Xperia XZ is definitely a looker. However, is the phone's appeal only strictly limited to what appears on the surface level?

Sony Xperia XZ saw the company shifting from its glass build to a matte metallic one, giving it a classier, more refined look compared to its predecessors. The phone is slightly smaller compared to its contemporaries, and its build also slightly affects its screen size, which comes in at 5.2 inches instead of the more common 5.5 inches. Nonetheless, it boasts of a good display, thanks to its full HD 1,920 x 1,080 resolution, albeit at a slightly lower level compared to its predecessors. The screen is protected by Gorilla Glass 4, which protects it from normal scratches.

For some reason, Sony chose to disable the fingerprint scanner for their US releases, with the button only serving to power the phone on or off. Like other smartphones in the Sony Xperia line, this gadget is promoted as dust-proof and water-resistant.

Also similar to other Sony Xperia phones is its focus on its camera. It comes with a 23 MP rear camera. Its front camera, on the other hand, boasts 13 MP for those clear selfies. It performs slightly better compared to other mobile devices, especially when taking night shots, although some photos can still turn out grainy when these are taken in poorly-lighted areas.

Under the shell is a 1.6 GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor. It comes with 32 GB of internal storage, which can be expanded to up to 200 GB using a microSD card. The said device also runs with 3 GB of RAM, and it comes bundled with Android 6.01 Marshmallow.

The main downside of this phone is its price. It may have decent specs, but its $687 price tag makes this a little less attractive, especially when compared to the other Android units within that price range, such as the Samsung Galaxy S7 and Google Pixel. Sony Xperia phones tend to be pricey, and XZ is no exception to the rule.