Sony Ericsson Xperia Active vs. Xperia PLAY: A Throwback Showdown

The Sony Ericsson Xperia Active and Xperia PLAY represent a fascinating period in smartphone history – a time before ubiquitous app stores and dominant operating systems. Both devices aimed for niche audiences, but with different approaches. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see which one holds up best today.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xperia PLAY edges out the Active thanks to its dedicated gaming controls and slightly better overall feature set. While both are dated, the PLAY offers a more unique and arguably more compelling experience for retro enthusiasts and mobile gamers.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Xperia active	Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 900 / 2100	HSDPA 900 / 2100
4G bands	-	2, 4, 5, 7, 12, 38, 66, 71
EDGE	No	-
GPRS	Yes	-
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 / 800

Launch
Announced	2011, June. Released 2011, October	2011, February. Released 2011, March
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	92 x 55 x 16.5 mm (3.62 x 2.17 x 0.65 in)	119 x 62 x 16 mm (4.69 x 2.44 x 0.63 in)
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	110.8 g (3.88 oz)	175 g (6.17 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)	480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~245 ppi density)
Size	3.0 inches, 26.8 cm2 (~53.0% screen-to-body ratio)	4.0 inches, 44.1 cm2 (~59.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	LED-backlit LCD,	LED-backlit LCD,
	Touch sensitive controls	Touch-sensitive gaming controls PSP like gaming buttons Timescape UI

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)

Memory
Call records	Yes	-
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included
Internal	1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM	400MB 512MB RAM
Phonebook	Yes, up to 500 entries	-

Main Camera
Features	LED flash	LED flash
Single	5 MP, AF	5 MP, AF
Video	720p	720p

Selfie camera
Features	-	LED flash
Single	-	VGA
	No	-

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

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP, EDR	2.1, A2DP, EDR
NFC	-	No
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Radio	Stereo FM radio, RDS	No
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	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML5, Adobe Flash
Games	Yes	-
Java	No	-
Messaging	SMS	-
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	Dedicated game store MP4/H.264/WMV player MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player Organizer Document viewer/editor Voice memo/dial/commands Predictive text input (Swype)

Battery
Charging	-	10W wired
Music play	Up to 25 h	Up to 31 h
Stand-by	Up to 351 h (2G) / Up to 335 h (3G)	Up to 425 h (2G) / Up to 413 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 4 h 53 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 31 min (3G)	Up to 8 h 25 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 25 min (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery	Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery

Misc
Colors	Orange/Black, White/Black	Black, White, Stealth Blue (for Play 4G), Orange
Price	About 170 EUR	About 140 EUR
SAR	1.12 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body)	-
SAR EU	-	0.36 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -89.5dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB	Noise -89.6dB / Crosstalk -91.0dB
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo
Loudspeaker	Voice 70dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 68dB	Voice 66dB / Noise 62dB / Ring 79dB

Sony Ericsson Xperia active

Rugged design
Compact size
Photo & Video Recording
Water and dust resistant

Limited performance
Low-resolution display
Outdated software
Basic camera

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

Dedicated gaming controls
PlayStation certification
Slightly larger screen
Unique design

Limited performance
Photo-only camera
Outdated software
Bulky design

Display Comparison

The Xperia Active boasts a slightly larger 3.5-inch display compared to the PLAY's 4.0-inch screen. Both utilize a typical LCD panel of the era, offering decent but not exceptional viewing angles and color reproduction. The Active's smaller size might be preferable for one-handed use.

Camera Comparison

The Xperia Active has a notable advantage here, featuring both photo and video recording capabilities. The Xperia PLAY is limited to photo capture only. Image quality on both is expected to be low by today's standards, with limited dynamic range and noise in low light.

Performance

Both phones share the same Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 chipset and 1.0 GHz Scorpion CPU. Performance will be sluggish by modern standards, suitable for basic tasks but struggling with demanding apps. Expect noticeable lag and limited multitasking capabilities on both.

Battery Life

The Xperia Active likely has a slightly larger battery capacity (around 1200mAh) compared to the Xperia PLAY (around 1500mAh, though charging is 10W wired on the PLAY). Battery life on both will be limited, requiring daily charging even with minimal usage.

Buying Guide

The Xperia Active is for those prioritizing ruggedness and a compact form factor. The Xperia PLAY is for gamers and collectors seeking a unique, PlayStation-inspired smartphone experience. Neither is recommended for primary daily use in 2024.