Sony XPERIA Z (C6603)

Full Specs: here
Manufacturer's website: here

Price: EGP 3,900 (new), EGP 2,900 (used, as tested)

So the whole point here is that this phone was on my wishlist for 2013 along with other things. BUT, while coming close to making the buying decision after a lot of back & forth, it pops into my mind that I do have a Nexus 7, so I'm guaranteed to be in on Android for the coming year (at least), so how about giving Windows Phone 8 a try?

I checked Windows Phone marketplace to find WhatsApp, Viber, Skype among the other social apps all present. SWEET! At its worst, I still won't be disconnected from the world. Looked at many video comparisons between Nokia Lumia 920 and many other sets, old & new, I found it to be an excellent choice. However, when I went to try and fix/cell an old Nokia N900 in the mobile shop complex nearby, nobody wanted to buy it and I came across this phone here. At the time I bought it, it came for EGP 4,500 if you get it new. So that was a nice bargain. The whole deal with it was that it's back was not glossy-shiny like a just-unboxed set. But this is what you will get if you stuff the new set in your jeans pocket for 2 weeks, so, a free discount!

After using it for about a month now, here's my verdict:

1. The build is solid & premium, definitely nothing like the cheap-ish Samsung plastic stuff. Feels bigger than I expected it to feel, so thank god I didn't go for the Z Ultra.
2. I didn't buy it to test its limits by taking it into the pool or feats like that, but with my history of splashes, spills & dips, I am better off with a safe(r) phone.
3. It is fast. Currently, currently runs on Jellybean 4.2.2.
4. Screen brightness is amazing! When I turn the brightness all the way up, I can easily see through my shades and the matte screen protector, in the sunny outdoors.
5. Sound is definitely better. I could use big headsets with it without the need for a pre-amp in between, although that is definitely not a best-case scenario
6. Camera is definitely worse than the old Sony Ericsson phones, and Samsung Galaxy S3/S4 phones. Such a disappointment.
7. The phone is otherwise great. Sony's pre-installed bloatware is actually a bit useful here. And with the announced Kitkat upgrade coming to it, the outlook is very good.

All that said, the frustration because of the camera was huge. Then the Nexus 5 was announced. Immediately, I thought to myself I should sell it right away and just do with anything till I can get my hands on a Nexus 5, so that my losses are not substantial.

Stupid note: The model number printed on the phone and its box is C6602, which is the HDSPA only version, while the C6603 is the LTE/4G version. About screen, Google Play & Sony PC Companion recognize it as a C6603. Can't complain.

TL/DR: amazing phone; awful camera; if you're going to get a phone soon, definitely hold back till you can get the Nexus 5, unless you're a goof like me who drops his phone in pools and rivers.