Of all the smartphones we’ve had a chance to learn about today, Sony’s Xperia Z is arguably the most highly anticipated. Does it measure-up to all the hype? We went hands-on with the Xperia Z to find out.

Despite the 1080p display, we were less than completely blown away, finding the screen’s viewing angles to be just a bit lacking. We’re also a little concerned about the heavy use of glass around the phone’s edges, making us fear for its durability. For those of you who aren’t big fans of OEM UIs, Sony’s skinning, while still present, is at least a bit lighter than we might have expected in the past.

The Xperia Z, with its waterproof construction, speedy quad-core SoC, and 2400mAh battery, will be available in black, white, and purple.