This week, the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is making its way to carriers across the U.S. The phablet is headed for some competition though, and one of the most recently released flagships is Sony's Xperia Z1, previously known as the Xperia i1 Honami.
Let's compare the two and see what might be the better bet.
Display
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED screen with 1080 x 1920p High Definition resolution, packing 386 pixels per inch on the large screen. What's additionally impressive is that Samsung increased the screen by 0.2-inches over the Note 2, while keeping the overall size of the device from getting out of control.
The Sony Xperia Z1 is not a phablet, so it has a 5-inch screen. That makes it fit into the pocket more easily, but may not be what high powered users are looking for. Still, it rocks a 1080 x 1920p resolution, which on the smaller screen gives it an eye-popping 441 pixels per inch, especially given Sony's Triluminous display technology.
Power (Processor and Battery)
The Galaxy Note 3 is just about as powerful as they come right now, with a 2.3GHz Snapdragon 800 processor with 3GB of RAM (a first for mobile devices). The Sony Xperia Z1 is no slouch, featuring the same processor with a standard 2GB of RAM, and it's clocked to an ever-so-slightly lower 2.2GHz. Still, neither of these smartphones are going to feel slow anytime soon - perhaps after three years, you'll want a faster phone.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is a big, power-hungry phablet, so it has a 3,200 mAh monster battery keeping things running throughout the day. That battery can provide 21 hours of talk time and more standby time than you'll ever need. The Sony Xperia Z1, with its smaller screen, has a 3,000 mAh battery which is rated to a respectable 15 hours of talk time and a ridiculous 850 hours of stand-by.
Size
We're comparing a phablet to a smartphone, so the Galaxy Note 3 is going to be bigger. However, it's not too big, as it comes with dimensions of 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3mm and weighs just 168 grams (less than half a pound). The Xperia Z1, meanwhile, is actually thicker than the Note 3 and weighs just a bit more, with dimensions of 144 x 74 x 8.5 mm and a weight of 170g.
Camera, Storage, and Other Features
Both devices come with a microSD card slot, so media storage is not a problem with the option of up to 64GB of extra storage. However, the Galaxy Note 3 beats the Sony Xperia Z1 right out of the box, as it comes in 32GB and 64GB internal storage options, while the Xperia Z1 only comes with 16GB of internal storage.
If you know anything about the Xperia Z1, you know it's a camera-intensive smartphone. The Galaxy Note 3 comes with a 13-megapixel main camera which can shoot HD video and even 4K video in the international model, but the Xperia Z1's camera blows that out of the water. The Xperia Z1 features a 20.7-megapixel with an Exmor RS image sensor, a top-quality G Lens, and proprietary Sony "BIONZ" intelligent camera software.
The two smartphones have other extra features that set them apart. The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has a new and improved S Pen that features several new multitasking functions baked into the operating system that makes the stylus essential to the phone. But the Xperia Z is IP58 certified for water resistance over a meter underwater for 30 minutes. The Xperia Z comes with Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, while the Galaxy Note 3 has the most up-to-date Android 4.3 out of the box.
Release Dates and Prices
The Sony Xperia Z1 has launched across the world, and is rumored to be coming to Canada soon, but right now it's not available on U.S. carrier shelves (though its LTE bands will work with the likes of T-Mobile and AT&T), and we're still waiting to find out what U.S. prices are. You can get an unlocked Xperia Z1 form U.K. online retailers for £564.98, which is a pretty hefty price - about $913 U.S.
The Samsung Galaxy Note 3 has launched across the world as well, including a current roll out in the U.S. It's available on AT&T and T-Mobile already, and is coming to Sprint on Oct. 4 and Verizon Wireless on Oct. 10. The general price point with a two-year contract is $300, but T-Mobile will give you the device for $200 up front and 24 monthly payments of $21. And, for a limited time, T-Mobile is also just giving away the Galaxy Note 3 for $0 up front and 24 monthly payments of about $29. The unlocked cost of a Samsung Galaxy Note 3 is considerably less than the Sony Xperia Z1, at about $725.
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