Sony Ericsson Aspen vs. P1: A Blast from the Past

The early 2000s and late 2000s were a wild time for mobile phones, with Sony Ericsson leading the charge. Today, we're revisiting two of their devices: the Aspen and the P1. Let's see how these relics of the past stack up against each other.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Sony Ericsson Aspen decisively wins this comparison. Its Snapdragon chipset and faster CPU offer significantly better performance than the P1's older technology. While both are dated, the Aspen provides a slightly more usable experience for those curious about retro smartphones.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Aspen	Sony Ericsson P1

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100	UMTS 2100
Speed	HSPA 7.2/2 Mbps	Yes, 384 kbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / UMTS
	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100	-

Launch
Announced	2010, February. Released 2010, July	2007, May. Released 2007, July
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	117 x 60 x 12.5 mm (4.61 x 2.36 x 0.49 in)	106 x 55 x 17 mm (4.17 x 2.17 x 0.67 in)
Keyboard	QWERTY	QWERTY
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	130 g (4.59 oz)	124 g (4.37 oz)

Display
Resolution	320 x 240 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~167 ppi density)	240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~154 ppi density)
Size	2.4 inches, 17.8 cm2 (~25.4% screen-to-body ratio)	2.6 inches, 20.9 cm2 (~35.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	TFT resistive touchscreen, 65K colors	TFT resistive touchscreen, 256K colors
	XPERIA Panels	Handwriting recognition

Platform
CPU	600 MHz ARM 11	32-bit Philips Nexperia PNX4008 208 MHz
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM7227 Snapdragon S1	-
GPU	Adreno 200	-
OS	Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional	Symbian 9.1, UIQ 3.0

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 4 GB included	Memory Stick Micro (M2), up to 4 GB, 512 MB included
Internal	256MB RAM, 256MB ROM, 100MB	160MB 128MB RAM 256MB ROM

Main Camera
Features	-	LED flash
Single	3.15 MP	3.15 MP, AF
Video	480p@15fps	Yes

Selfie camera
Single	-	VGA videocall camera
	No	-

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	No
35mm jack	Yes	No
Alert types	-	Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3, AAC ringtones
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP	2.0, A2DP
Infrared port	-	Yes
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS	No
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	Stereo FM radio, RDS
USB	microUSB 2.0	2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g	Wi-Fi 802.11b

Features
Browser	WAP 2.0/HTML (IE), RSS feeds	HTML (Opera), RSS reader
	MP3/eAAC+/WAV/WMA player MP4/H.264/WMV player Pocket Office Organizer Eco friendly materials Voice memo/dial Predictive text input	Media Player (MP3, AAC, video) SyncML Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF) Business card scanner Organizer Voice memo

Battery
Music play	Up to 12 h	-
Stand-by	Up to 560 h (2G) / Up to 500 h (3G)	-
Talk time	Up to 6 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 7 h 30 min (3G)	-
Type	Removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery	Removable Li-Po 950 mAh battery

Misc
Colors	Iconic Black, White Silver	Silver Black
Price	About 70 EUR	About 170 EUR
SAR	-	0.98 W/kg (head) 1.10 W/kg (body)
SAR EU	1.05 W/kg (head)	0.56 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -79.5dB / Crosstalk -79.8dB	-
Camera	Photo	-
Loudspeaker	Voice 71dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 75dB	-

Sony Ericsson Aspen

Faster Processor
Touchscreen Display
Early Android Experience
Slightly Better Camera

Outdated Software
Low Resolution Screen
Limited App Support
Bulky Design

Sony Ericsson P1

Classic Sony Ericsson Design
Compact Size
Nostalgic Appeal
Decent Battery Life (for its time)

Slow Performance
Non-Touchscreen Display
Limited Functionality
Outdated Technology

Display Comparison

The Aspen featured a 3.0-inch touchscreen display, a significant upgrade over the P1's smaller, non-touchscreen display. The Aspen's screen offered better visibility and a more modern user interface, though resolution was limited by the era's technology. The P1's display was functional but lacked the interactivity of the Aspen.

Camera Comparison

Both phones had basic cameras. The Aspen's 'Photo' camera likely offered a slightly higher resolution and potentially better image quality than the P1's, but both were limited by the technology of the time. Don't expect stunning photos from either device.

Performance

This is where the Aspen truly shines. Its Qualcomm MSM7227 Snapdragon S1 chipset with a 600 MHz ARM 11 CPU blows the P1's 32-bit Philips Nexperia PNX4008 208 MHz processor out of the water. The Aspen offered a noticeably smoother experience, even with early Android, while the P1 felt sluggish by comparison.

Battery Life

Battery life was generally good on both devices for their time. The Aspen, with its more efficient Snapdragon chipset, likely had a slight edge in battery endurance compared to the P1.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Sony Ericsson Aspen? Collectors of vintage Sony Ericsson phones, those interested in experiencing early Android, or anyone wanting a simple, basic smartphone. Who should buy the Sony Ericsson P1? Primarily collectors interested in a very early Sony Ericsson feature phone, or those seeking a purely nostalgic experience.