Sony Xperia ZL has been reviewed by mobile tech experts, following Sony's unveiling of its new flagship smartphones during the 2013 CES (Consumer Electronics Show) event Monday.

Like the more popular Xperia Z, the Xperia ZL features 1080p TFT Reality Display powered by Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2. It is powered by 1.5GHz quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and it also has a 13-megapixel rear camera with Exmor RS sensor. However, the Xperia ZL is not water-resistant like its Z sibling. Sony also announced Xperia ZL will be released to "select regions" only.

Also read: Sony Xperia Z Price, Release Date, Specs Leaked Anew with Images from Upcoming Promo Video [PHOTOS]

"Both of Sony's new topflight Xperia handsets are impressively constructed, though the ZL misses out on the Z's "omni-balance" design (read: hard angles and reflective symmetry)," according to Engadget.

Xperia ZL Specs Almost Similar to Z Sibling (Image: GSMArena.com)

"The Xperia ZL is actually .08 inches thicker than the Xperia Z, but its overall footprint is ever-so-slightly smaller, at 5.19 by 2.75 inches to the Xperia Z's 5.47 by 2.8 inches," observes Tech Radar.

CNet notes Xperia ZL has "slightly less design flair" compared to Xperia Z. The same review noted the ZL device has "a more mundane back panel, plastic as opposed to fancy glass."

"Besides the shape and size, there is a slight difference in battery capacity between the two - the ZL has a sealed 2,370 mAh unit, which is a tad bigger than the one in the Z," notes Phone Arena. (The Xperia Z uses a 2330 mAh battery pack.)

Xperia ZL specs and features also include 16GB built-in storage. It also has NFC support, LTE, HSPA+, GPS, FM radio, and a microSD slot, among others. Sony has yet to announce the Xperia Z and Xperia ZL prices, but both devices will be released in March. The two Sony flagship smartphones will both run on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

Also read: Samsung Galaxy S3 vs Sony Xperia Z: Which Android smartphone should you choose?

Sony Xperia Z price rumoured to be around AU$590 (Image: GSMArena.com)

To sum up, phablet users who reckon they won't need a water-resistant Sony Xperia would not miss much should they choose the Xperia ZL over the Z device. What remains to be announced is where exactly would the Xperia ZL be sold. Sony did not elaborate on its "select regions" announcement.

Android users await further updates, especially on the Sony mobile's pricing. Some rumours suggested Xperia Z (formerly known as C660X Yuga) will sell for US$620 (AU$590) upon release.

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