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Sony's Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact stuffs full performance into an 8-inch slate

Sony had a minor hit when it unveiled the Xperia Z1 Compact, which crammed a full-power smartphone into a smaller frame; now, it's hoping to repeat that success with tablets. Its new Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact is not only one of the thinnest (6.4mm) and lightest (0.6lbs) waterproof, 8-inch tablet you'll find, but it's also actually more powerful than the full-size Z2 Tablet. It still has a 1080p display, 3GB of RAM, an 8.1-megapixel rear camera and a 2.2-megapixel front shooter, but it runs a speedier 2.5GHz Snapdragon 801 processor. The Compact should also last for a very healthy 13 hours of nonstop video playback.

There are a few hefty software upgrades, to boot. Besides the audio upscaling also seen in the new Z3 phones, this is Sony's first tablet with PlayStation 4 Remote Play -- you can not only control your game console from the tablet, but also use it as a primary screen if someone's hogging the TV. You can even buy a custom mount for your DualShock 4 controller so that you don't have to find a safe resting spot for the slate.

Sony expects the Z3 Tablet Compact to hit shelves in the fall. It's not revealing full launch details at this point, but there will be both WiFi-only and LTE models.