On the very same day and the place, Japanese rival Sony at the MWC (Mobile World Congress) 2014 event launched the company's marquee phone Xperia Z2, kick starting the battle of flagship smartphones early on in the year.
With Sony set to release the Xperia Z2 to stores across the globe this month, the Japanese company is expected to get a head start against its competition Galaxy S5, which is scheduled for global (150 countries) release only in the second week of April.
To give a clear perspective on the devices, we compiled a list of standout features of two smartphones.
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Available as:
Samsung SM-G900F/SM-G900H - for Europe
Samsung SM-G900I - for Asia
Samsung SM-G900K/G900L/G900S - for Korea
Samsung SM-G900M - for Vodafone
Samsung SM-G900A - for AT&T
Samsung SM-G900T - for T-Mobile
Samsung SM-G900V - for Verizon
Samsung SM-G900R4 - for US Cellular
Samsung SM-G900P - for Sprint
| GENERAL | 2G Network | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
|---|---|---|
| 3G Network | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | |
| 4G Network | LTE (market dependent) | |
| SIM | Yes | |
| Announced | 2014, February | |
| Status | Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, April |
| BODY | Dimensions | 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm (5.59 x 2.85 x 0.32 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 145 g (5.11 oz) | |
| - Fingerprint sensor (PayPal certified) - IP67 certified - dust and water resistant - Water resistant up to 1 meter and 30 minutes |
| DISPLAY | Type | Super AMOLED capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.1 inches (~432 ppi pixel density) | |
| Multitouch | Yes | |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | |
| - TouchWiz UI |
| SOUND | Alert types | Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeaker | Yes | |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes |
| MEMORY | Card slot | microSD, up to 128 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 16/32 GB storage, 2 GB RAM |
| DATA | GPRS | Yes |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Yes | |
| Speed | HSDPA, 42.2 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.76 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL | |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-Fi hotspot | |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v4.0 with A2DP, EDR, LE | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| Infrared port | Yes | |
| USB | Yes, microUSB v3.0 (MHL 2), USB On-the-go, USB Host |
| CAMERA | Primary | 16 MP, 5312 x 2988 pixels, phase detection autofocus, LED flash |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 1/2.6'' sensor size, 1.12 µm pixel size, Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD video and image recording, geo-tagging, touch focus, face and smile detection, image stabilization, HDR | |
| Video | Yes, 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, HDR, video stabilization, dual-video rec. | |
| Secondary | Yes, 2 MP, 1080p@30fps, dual video call |
| FEATURES | OS | Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 | |
| CPU | Quad-core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 | |
| GPU | Adreno 330 | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, temperature, humidity, gesture, heart rate | |
| Messaging | SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM, RSS | |
| Browser | HTML5 | |
| Radio | No | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS | |
| Java | Yes, via Java MIDP emulator | |
| Colors | Black, White, Blue, Gold | |
| - Wireless charging (market dependent) - ANT+ support - S-Voice natural language commands and dictation - Smart stay, Smart pause, Smart scroll - Air gestures - Dropbox (50 GB cloud storage) - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - TV-out (via MHL 2 A/V link) - SNS integration - MP4/DivX/XviD/WMV/H.264/H.263 player - MP3/WAV/eAAC+/FLAC player - Organizer - Image/video editor - Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) - Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Calendar, Google Talk, Picasa - Voice memo/dial/commands - Predictive text input (Swype) |
| BATTERY | Li-Ion 2800 mAh battery | |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-by | Up to 390 h | |
| Talk time | Up to 21 h |
| MISC | Price group |  |
|---|
| GENERAL | 2G Network | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - D6502, D6503, D6543 |
|---|---|---|
| 3G Network | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1900 / 2100 - D6502, D6503, D6543 | |
| 4G Network | LTE 700/800/850/900/1700/1800/1900/2100/2600 - D6503 | |
| LTE 850 / 900 / 1700 / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 / 2600 - D6543 | ||
| SIM | Micro-SIM | |
| Announced | 2014, February | |
| Status | Coming soon. Exp. release 2014, March |
| BODY | Dimensions | 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm (5.78 x 2.89 x 0.32 in) |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) | |
| - IP58 certified - dust proof and water resistant over 1 meter and 30 minutes |
| DISPLAY | Type | IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 5.2 inches (~424 ppi pixel density) | |
| Multitouch | Yes, up to 10 fingers | |
| Protection | Shatter proof and scratch-resistant glass | |
| - Triluminos display - X-Reality Engine |
| SOUND | Alert types | Vibration; MP3 ringtones |
|---|---|---|
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | |
| 3.5mm jack | Yes |
| MEMORY | Card slot | microSD, up to 64 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Internal | 16 GB, 3 GB RAM |
| DATA | GPRS | Up to 107 kbps |
|---|---|---|
| EDGE | Up to 296 kbps | |
| Speed | HSDPA, 42 Mbps; HSUPA, 5.8 Mbps; LTE, Cat4, 50 Mbps UL, 150 Mbps DL | |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot | |
| Bluetooth | Yes, v4.0 with A2DP | |
| NFC | Yes | |
| USB | Yes, microUSB v2.0 (MHL 3), USB On-the-go, USB Host |
| CAMERA | Primary | 20.7 MP, autofocus, LED flash |
|---|---|---|
| Features | 1/2.3'' sensor size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, image stabilization, HDR, panorama | |
| Video | Yes, 2160p@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, video stabilization, HDR | |
| Secondary | Yes, 2.2 MP, 1080p@30fps |
| FEATURES | OS | Android OS, v4.4.2 (KitKat) |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801 | |
| CPU | Quad-core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 | |
| GPU | Adreno 330 | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | |
| Messaging | SMS (threaded view), MMS, Email, IM, Push Email | |
| Browser | HTML5 | |
| Radio | FM radio with RDS | |
| GPS | Yes, with A-GPS support and GLONASS | |
| Java | Yes, via Java MIDP emulator | |
| Colors | Black, White, Purple (D6502, D6503) / Black, White (D6543) | |
| - ANT+ support - SNS integration - TV-out (via MHL 3 A/V link) - Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic - Xvid/MP4/H.263/H.264 player - MP3/eAAC+/WAV/Flac player - Document viewer - Photo viewer/editor - Voice memo/dial - Predictive text input |
| BATTERY | Non-removable Li-Ion 3200 mAh battery | |
|---|---|---|
| Stand-by | Up to 690 h (2G) / Up to 740 h (3G) | |
| Talk time | Up to 15 h (2G) / Up to 19 h (3G) | |
| Music play | Up to 120 h |
| MISC | Price group | |
|---|
Here is brief comparison of Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2:
Design and Display:
Sony Xperia Z2 sports an identical design language seen in its predecessor, sans a slimmer body, with a little bump in the display foot-print. It flaunts an aluminum rim on the 8.2 mm thick edge and features standard IP55/58 water and dust-proof certifications, which enables the phone to survive five feet under water for close to 30 minutes.
In terms of display, the Xperia houses a full HD (1920x1080p) IPS screen with 424 ppi (pixels per inch) resolution and also boasts of 'Live Colour LED' technology and also the Sony's proprietary TRILUMINOS and X-Reality for mobile picture engine technology
On the other hand, Galaxy S5, despite featuring a polycarbonate-based body, comes with a discernible change in terms of build quality, compared to its ancestors. It features dust and water-resistant IP67 certifications (can survive only up to three feet under water for half an hour) and perforated back cover, which adds value by giving a good grip to the phone.
Galaxy S5 flaunts an energy efficient 5.1-inch Super AMOLED full HD (1920x1080p) display with rich display contrast, having pixel density of close to 432 ppi.
Processor, RAM & Storage:
Both Sony and Samsung smartphones houses same Snapdragon 801 series based SoC (System on Chip) manufactured, but differ in CPU speed.
Xperia Z2 features Snapdragon 801 MSM8974AB chipset which can top CPU speed up to 2.3GHz, whereas Galaxy S5's processor MSM8974AC has a maximum clock rate of 2.5GHz.
However, Sony compensates the smartphone's CPU speed with the sumptuous 3GB RAM and 16GB GB (expandable up 64GB) storage space enough to run power guzzling 3D motion games with less lag.
Galaxy S5 packs 2GB and comes in 16GB/32GB inbuilt memory with options for expansion up to 128GB.
Samsung is also expected to release an eight-core Galaxy S5 variant with Exynos 5422 chipset (with 2.1 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 and 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7) in select market.
Mobile Operating System and Interface:
In this aspect, Samsung and Sony smartphones stand even as both the devices run on same Android OS platform (v4.4 KitKat). But with
Camera:
Like all its high-end predecessors, Xperia Z2 comes with top-notch camera features. It boasts of Sony's proprietary G Lens and the intelligent BIONZ image-processing engine, Exmor RS sensor, LED flash, HDR (picture/video), image stabilizer and is also capable of recording 4K Ultra HD video recording (twice the vertical and horizontal resolution of 1080p full HD format).
Samsung's Galaxy S5 has seen some improvements compared to its predecessor, but if placed beside competitors like Nokia and Sony, there is still scope for improvement.
It features a 16.0-megapixel main camera with auto-focus speed of 0.3 second (world's fastest as claimed by the company), 4K resolution video recording ability and advanced HDR (High Dynamic Range) features.
Both Sony and Samsung phones house pretty decent front camera capable of snapping good quality 'Selfies' and full HD 1080p video recording.
Value added features:
Samsung Galaxy S5:
- Finger print sensor
- Inbuilt hear-rate sensor
- Kids mode, private mode, Download booster, S Health v3.0 apps
- IP67 water and dust-resistant certifications (can survive only up to three feet under water for half an hour)
- 2800 mAh battery with Ultra Power Saving Mode can run smartphone up to 390 hours under standby mode.
Sony Xperia Z2:
- Good build quality with Aluminum chassis and shatter proof and scratch resistant shield on the display.
- IP55/58 certifications (the phone can survive water jets and function five feet under water for close to 30 minutes).
- Camera comes with Sony's patented G Lens and BIONZ BIONZ image-processing engine which are usually found in expensive DSLR cameras.
- 3200 mAh battery with STAMINA mode can power the device for 740 hours in idle state.
Key specifications of Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2:
Model
|
Samsung Galaxy S5
|
Sony Xperia Z2
|
Display
|
5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with full HD (1920x1080p) resolution having pixel density of 440 plus ppi (pixels per inch)
|
5.2-inch full HD (1920x1080p) screen with TRILUMINOS, X-Reality for mobile picture engine technology and Live Color LED' technology
|
OS
|
Android v4.4.2 KitKat OS
|
Android v4.4 KitKat
|
Processor
|
2.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 series quad-core CPU
(chipset: MSM8974AC)
Second variant: Exynos 5422 chipset (with 2.1 GHz quad-core Cortex-A15 and 1.5 GHz quad-core Cortex-A7)
|
2.3GHz Qualcomm 801 series quad-core processor
(chipset: MSM8974AB)
|
GPU
|
Adreno 330/
Exynos variant: ARM MaliT628MP6
|
Adreno 330
|
RAM
|
2GB
|
3GB
|
Storage
|
16GB/32GB , expandable up to 128GB via micro SD card
|
16GB, expandable up to 64GB
|
Camera
|
Main: 16.0-megapixel camera with HDR, fast (0.3-second) auto-focus, 4K video recording
Front: 2.1-megapixel camera with full HD video recording
|
Main: 20.7- megapixel camera Exmor RS sensor, LED flash, HDR (picture/video), image stabilizer, 4K video recording
Front: 2.2-megapixel full HD camera
|
Battery
|
2800 mAh battery with Ultra Power Saving Mode;
Talk time: up to 21 hours
Standby mode: 390 hours
|
3000 mAh; wit STAMINA Mode
Talk time: up to 19 hours
Standby time: up to 740 hours
|
Network
|
LTE Cat.4 (150/50Mbps)
|
3G & 4G-LTE
|
Add-ons
|
Dust and water-resistant IP67 certification, finger print based biometric technology, in-built Heart-Rate sensor, Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac HT80, MIMO (2x2)), Bluetooth v4.0 BLE/ANT+, NFC, IR Remote, Kids mode, Private mode, Download booster, S Health v3.0,
|
Water-proof and dust-resistant (IP55/58 certifications), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth v4.0, MHL, A-GPS, USB v2.0, microSD card slot , 3D and motion gaming, 3D surround sound
|
Dimensions
|
142.5 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm
|
146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
|
Weight
|
145 g
|
163 g
|
Colours
|
Purple, Black and White
|
samsung s5 vs sony xperia z2