Sony's Xperia Z was launched in Las Vegas at the start of the year, and we were instantly taken with its glossy design and beautiful five-inch full HD display. It might not have the prestige of being James Bond's smartphone of choice, like its predecessor the Sony Xperia T , but with an impressive...

Smart and feature-packed 13MP camera; Beautifully crisp and vibrant 1080p screen; 4G LTE compatible; Waterproof; Wireless connectivity (with other Sony products

Below average battery life in use; Bulky dust-lovin' design isn't for everyone; Sony bloatware and half-baked Socialife app

The Xperia Z is quite possibly the only Sony smartphone that has ever stirred up a genuine buzz before its release. Boasting a 5in, full HD 1080p display, a 13-megapixel camera and water and dust-resistance, the glass-clad Xperia Z is easily the best smartphone Sony has ever produced.

Dust and water resistant; Excellent performance & UI; Good battery life

Lacklusture viewing angles; Poor quality loudspeaker; Camera app slow to open

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The Sony Xperia Z is a coming of age for Sony Mobile. For the first time, the company's proved it can truly kick it with the big boys, with top notch specs and a top quality camera.

The Xperia Z proves that Sony has what it takes to make a compelling phone in an increasingly competitive market, but issues like battery life need to be confronted, even at the expense of the design.

The most beautiful Sony phone yet; Water resistance on a flagship device; Strong performance

Disappointing battery life; Poor viewing angles

In true Sony fashion CES 2013's biggest mobile announcement came in the form of the company's new flagship - the Sony Xperia Z. We were a little underwhelmed with the previous flag bearer, the Sony Xperia T which followed on a mere six months from the still wholly capable Sony Xperia S .

Incredible 1080p screen; Strong design; HDR video; Top notch hardware

Sony is back in the cutting-edge smartphone business with the Xperia Z. Its 5-inch screen has an amazing resolution, and it just might be the fastest phone available.

Excellent and convincing design and device craftsmanship; Very high display resolution; Outstanding performance; especially while playing games and reproducing multimedia; Dust and water proof

Display has poor contrast and viewing angles; Slow camera start; Imprecise scrolling of heavier web sites

The Sony Xperia Z is hefty and attracts dust like nobody's business. It also has a disappointing battery life, but still manages to be a very desirable superphone that had loads of great features and plenty of power.

Smart, feature-filled 13-megapixel snapper; sharp, vibrant 1080p display; 4G LTE support; Waterproof; Wireless connections (with other Sony devices)

Disappointing battery life; Hefty dust-loving body won't suit everyone; Sony bloatware; disappointing Socialife app

Sony's desire was to portray the best Sony experience in a smartphone with its two latest Xperia models. The Xperia Z and its next of kin have certainly turned heads since the initial unveiling at CES.

Top notch build quality; Water-resistant and and dust-proof; Great camera; Near-stock Android experience; Stamina mode fights battery drain in exchange for background data; Includes premium headphones

The Xperia Z launched globally at the end of February and the beginning of March on a wide range of carriers; Individual pricing, as well as terms, vary, but the no-contract pricing begins at around £415 (or roughly $618 USD)

Sony Mobile's John Featherstone told an audience of Sydney journalists last week that Sony would ‘bring the wow back' with the Xperia Z, after a string of less-than-inspiring mobile products over the last couple of years.

Big; bright display – 5 inches of 1080p goodness; Solid; yet slim; design that can withstand being dropped or drowned; A close-to-stock Android experience; with a few Sony tweaks; Big; beautiful battery – 2330 mAh that lasts for hours and hours; Sony is developer-friendly.

Inexplicable lag when typing, whether using Sony's keyboard or the stock Android 4.2 keyboard, Colours on screen wash out unless you're looking at the display straight-on, Some of the built-in apps, modified by Sony, are ugly; Calendar is a good example, The edges of the handset feel a little rough.