Sony Ericsson Xperia Active vs. Neo V: A Detailed Showdown

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active and Neo V were popular choices in their time, offering a blend of features and affordability. But which one truly stood out? This comprehensive comparison dives deep into their specs, performance, and overall value to help you decide which phone was the better option.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xperia Neo V edges out the Active thanks to its superior battery life and slightly improved design. While both share the same chipset and CPU, the Neo V's endurance and aesthetics give it a slight advantage, making it the preferred choice for most users.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Xperia active	Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100	HSDPA 900 / 2100 - MT11i
EDGE	No	No
GPRS	Yes	Class 10
Speed	HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps	HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / HSPA
	HSDPA 1900 / 2100 / 800	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - MT11a

Launch
Announced	2011, June. Released 2011, October	2011, August. Released 2011, October
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	92 x 55 x 16.5 mm (3.62 x 2.17 x 0.65 in)	116 x 57 x 13 mm (4.57 x 2.24 x 0.51 in)
Keyboard	-	QWERTY
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	110.8 g (3.88 oz)	126 g (4.44 oz)
	IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) Flashlight	-

Display
Protection	Scratch-resistant glass	Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution	320 x 480 pixels, 3:2 ratio (~192 ppi density)	480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~265 ppi density)
Size	3.0 inches, 26.8 cm2 (~53.0% screen-to-body ratio)	3.7 inches, 37.7 cm2 (~57.1% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	LED-backlit LCD,	LED-backlit LCD,
	Touch sensitive controls	-

Platform
CPU	1.0 GHz Scorpion	1.0 GHz Scorpion
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2	Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2
GPU	Adreno 205	Adreno 205
OS	Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)	Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich)

Memory
Call records	Yes	Yes
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included
Internal	1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM	1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM
Phonebook	Yes, up to 500 entries	Yes, Photocall

Main Camera
Features	LED flash	LED flash, panorama
Single	5 MP, AF	5 MP, AF
Video	720p	720p@30fps

Selfie camera
Single	-	VGA
	No	-

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Alert types	Vibration; Polyphonic, MP3, WAV ringtones	-
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP, EDR	2.1, A2DP, EDR
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS	GPS, A-GPS
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	Stereo FM radio, RDS
USB	microUSB 2.0	microUSB 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot

Features
Browser	HTML, Adobe Flash	No
Games	Yes	Yes
Java	No	No
Messaging	SMS	SMS, MMS
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass	Accelerometer, proximity, compass
	ANT+ MP4/H.264 player MP3/eAAC+/WAV player TrackID music recognition Document viewer Voice memo Predictive text input	ANT+ HDMI port MP4/H.264/WMV player MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player TrackID music recognition Organizer Document viewer Voice memo/dial/commands Predictive text input (T9 Trace)

Battery
Music play	Up to 25 h	Up to 31 h
Stand-by	Up to 351 h (2G) / Up to 335 h (3G)	Up to 430 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 4 h 53 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 31 min (3G)	Up to 6 h 55 min (2G) / Up to 7 h (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery	Removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery

Misc
Colors	Orange/Black, White/Black	White, Blue Gradient, Silver
Price	About 170 EUR	About 150 EUR
SAR	1.12 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body)	-
SAR EU	-	1.10 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -89.5dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB	Noise -89.6dB / Crosstalk -80.9dB
Battery life	-	Endurance rating 42h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1578:1 (nominal)
Loudspeaker	Voice 70dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 68dB	Voice 68dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 71dB

OUR TESTS
Audio quality	Noise -89.5dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB	Noise -89.6dB / Crosstalk -80.9dB
Battery (old)	-	Endurance rating 42h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	-	Contrast ratio: 1578:1 (nominal)
Loudspeaker	Voice 70dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 68dB	Voice 68dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 71dB

Sony Ericsson Xperia active

Rugged and durable design
Water resistance
Compact size

Shorter battery life
Less impressive camera
Screen prone to scratches

Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V

Longer battery life (42h)
Slightly better camera quality
Improved design and aesthetics
Better viewing angles

Less rugged than Active
Performance similar to Active

Display Comparison

Both devices feature similar displays with a nominal contrast ratio of 1578:1. However, the Neo V generally had a slightly better perceived color accuracy and viewing angles due to minor differences in panel technology. The Active's screen was known to be a bit more prone to scratches.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature a photo/video camera, but the Neo V's camera often produced slightly better image quality, particularly in low-light conditions. The Active's camera was adequate but lacked the Neo V's subtle improvements in color reproduction and detail.

Performance

Powered by the same Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 chipset and 1.0 GHz Scorpion CPU, performance between the two phones is largely comparable. Expect smooth navigation and app usage for basic tasks, but demanding games might struggle. The Neo V's slightly better software optimization could provide a marginal performance boost.

Battery Life

This is where the Neo V truly shines. Its 1500mAh battery provided an impressive endurance rating of 42 hours, significantly outperforming the Active's smaller battery (typically around 1200mAh) which offered considerably shorter usage times.

Buying Guide

The Xperia Active was targeted towards active users, boasting a rugged design and water resistance. It's a good choice for those prioritizing durability. The Xperia Neo V, on the other hand, appeals to users seeking a better multimedia experience and longer battery life, making it suitable for everyday use and entertainment.