The Xperia Z is Sony’s latest flagship phone, a device it says will offer a “superphone experience.” Sony doesn’t have the greatest track record with smartphones, not necessarily pumping out horrible hardware, but not quite reaching number one either. With the Z, Sony hopes to change all that and place itself amongst the stars.
But if Sony means business about competing in the Android ecosystem, it will have to go head-to-head with the established kings of Google’s castle. Right now, that would be the best-selling Galaxy S3 and the super-sized, high-definition Droid DNA. So how does Sony’s latest flagship Android device compare to its peers? Take a gander at our spec sheet and see for yourself.
|
Xperia Z  |
Galaxy S3  |
Droid DNA  |
|
| Size | 139 x 71 x 7.9 (mm) | 136.6 x 70.6 x 8.6 (mm) | 140.9 x 70.6 x 9.7 (mm) |
| Weight | 146g | 133g | 140g |
| Screen | 5-inch HD Reality Display | 4.8-inch Super AMOLED | 5-inch Super LCD 3 |
| Resolution | 1920×1080 pixels | 1280×720 pixels | 1920×1080 pixels |
| OS | Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) | Android 4.0 with TouchWiz UI | Android 4.1 with HTC Sense 4+ |
| Storage | Up to 16GB | 16/32GB | 16GB |
| SD Card Slot | Yes | Yes | No |
| Processor | 1.5GHz, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro | Dual-core Snapdragon S4 (US) | 1.5GHz, quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro |
| RAM | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ | Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, HSPA+ | Wi-Fi, 4G LTE, EV-DO Rev.A |
| Camera | Front 2.1MP, Rear 13MP | Front 1.9MP, Rear 8MP | Front 2.1MP, Rear 8MP |
| Bluetooth | Yes, version 4.0 | Yes, version 4.0 | Yes, version 4.0 |
| Battery | 2330mAh | 2100mAh | 2020mAh |
| Charger | Micro USB | Micro USB | Micro USB |
| Marketplace | Google Play Store | Google Play Store | Google Play Store |
| Price | TBA | $200+ | $200 |
| Availability | TBA | AT&T, Sprint, T-Mob, Verizon | Verizon |
Once all is said and done, the Xperia Z actually stacks up quite well against the competition. It pulls ahead of the Galaxy S3 in quite a few categories – understandable as the S3 is getting a bit old by now (at least by tech standards). As far as the Droid DNA, the Xperia Z matches the HTC device’s high-resolution display and quad-core processor. In terms of camera and battery life, however, the Xperia Z takes the lead. The camera is to be expected, especially with Sony’s intense focus on photography. Nevertheless, a slightly better camera and improved battery life doesn’t exactly blow the competition out of the water. As usual, only time will tell whether or not Sony can pull off the impossible and take the lead on the Android front.
