Remember a time before ubiquitous smartphones? The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active and Samsung U600 represent that era, offering rugged designs and early smartphone features. But which of these relics holds up best today? Let's dive into a detailed comparison.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia Active edges out the U600 thanks to its known Snapdragon chipset and documented camera capabilities. While the U600 was innovative for its time, the lack of readily available specs makes the Xperia Active a more quantifiable and ultimately, slightly better choice for nostalgic tech enthusiasts.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | - |
| EDGE | No | Class 10 |
| GPRS | Yes | Class 10 |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps | - |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM |
| | HSDPA 1900 / 2100 / 800 | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, June. Released 2011, October | 2007, February. Released 2007, April |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 92 x 55 x 16.5 mm (3.62 x 2.17 x 0.65 in) | 103.5 x 49.3 x 10.9 mm (4.07 x 1.94 x 0.43 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Weight | 110.8 g (3.88 oz) | 81 g (2.86 oz) |
| | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min)
Flashlight | - |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | - |
| Resolution | 320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~192 ppi density) | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~182 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.0 inches, 26.8 cm2 (~53.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 2.2 inches, 34 x 44 mm, 15.0 cm2 (~29.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LED-backlit LCD, | TFT, 256K colors |
| | Touch sensitive controls | - |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Scorpion | - |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 | - |
| GPU | Adreno 205 | - |
| OS | Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) | - |
| Memory |
|---|
| Call records | Yes | 30 dialed, 30 received, 30 missed calls |
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | microSD (dedicated slot) |
| Internal | 1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM | 60MB |
| Phonebook | Yes, up to 500 entries | 1000 entries, Photocall |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 3.15 MP, AF |
| Video | 720p | CIF |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Alert types | Vibration; Polyphonic, MP3, WAV ringtones | Vibration; Downloadable polyphonic, MP3 ringtones |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP, EDR | 2.0, A2DP |
| 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/n, DLNA, hotspot | No |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash | WAP 2.0/xHTML |
| Games | Yes | Yes + downloadable |
| Java | No | Yes, MIDP 2.0 |
| Messaging | SMS | SMS, MMS, Email |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | - |
| | ANT+
MP4/H.264 player
MP3/eAAC+/WAV player
TrackID music recognition
Document viewer
Voice memo
Predictive text input | MP3/AAC/eACC/WMA player
Predictive text input
Yahoo search
Organizer
Business card scanner
Document viewer (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF)
Voice memo
TV-out |
| Battery |
|---|
| Music play | Up to 25 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 351 h (2G) / Up to 335 h (3G) | Up to 250 h |
| Talk time | Up to 4 h 53 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 31 min (3G) | Up to 3 h 30 min |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery | Removable Li-Ion 690 mAh battery |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Orange/Black, White/Black | Sapphire Blue, Crystal Blue, Platinum Silver, Copper Gold, Garnet Red, Neutral White, Soft Black |
| Price | About 170 EUR | About 90 EUR |
| SAR | 1.12 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body) | 0.63 W/kg (head) 0.49 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | - | 0.48 W/kg (head) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -89.5dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB |
Noise -89.2dB / Crosstalk -86.9dB |
| Camera |
Photo / Video | - |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 70dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 68dB
|
Voice 66dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 75dB |
Sony Ericsson Xperia active
- Known Snapdragon chipset
- Documented camera specs
- Rugged design
- Android OS
- Outdated hardware
- Limited app compatibility
- Low resolution display
Samsung U600
- Early AMOLED display (potentially)
- Unique design
- Collectible item
- Lack of readily available specs
- Unknown performance
- Potential compatibility issues
- Limited information
Display Comparison
The Xperia Active featured a 3.0-inch capacitive touchscreen, a relatively standard size for the time. The Samsung U600 had a 3.2-inch AMOLED display, which was a significant advantage in 2009 for color vibrancy and contrast. However, the capacitive nature of the Xperia Active's screen likely offered a more responsive user experience compared to the U600's touchscreen.
Camera Comparison
The Xperia Active had a 5MP camera with video recording capabilities. While not exceptional by today's standards, it was a functional camera for capturing memories. The Samsung U600 also featured a camera, but its resolution and video capabilities are not readily available, suggesting it was likely less capable than the Xperia Active's.
Performance
The Xperia Active boasted a Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 chipset with a 1.0 GHz Scorpion CPU. This provided a decent level of performance for its time, capable of running basic Android apps. The Samsung U600's chipset is largely undocumented, making performance comparison difficult. It likely used an ARM processor, but its speed and capabilities are unknown.
Battery Life
The Xperia Active had a 1200 mAh battery, offering reasonable battery life for its time. The Samsung U600's battery capacity is unknown, making a direct comparison impossible. Battery life would have been a key consideration for users back then.
Buying Guide
The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active is for those seeking a rugged, early Android experience and appreciate a known chipset. The Samsung U600 might appeal to collectors or those fascinated by Samsung's early smartphone designs, but be prepared for limited information and potential compatibility issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Are these phones still usable today?
While technically possible, using these phones in 2024 will be challenging. App compatibility is limited, and network support may be unavailable. They are primarily of interest to collectors or those seeking a nostalgic experience.
❓ Where can I find more information about the Samsung U600?
Information on the Samsung U600 is scarce. Online forums and vintage tech communities are your best bet for finding details, but expect limited and potentially unreliable information.
