Remember the days of Sony Ericsson? These two compact smartphones, the Xperia Active and the X10 mini, represent different eras of their mobile journey. Both aimed for portability, but with varying levels of power and features. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see which one holds up best today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia Active edges out the X10 mini thanks to its significantly faster processor, better chipset, and video recording capabilities. While both are relics of the past, the Active offers a more responsive and versatile experience, making it the slightly better choice for those seeking a nostalgic compact phone.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 | HSDPA 900 / 2100 - E10i |
| EDGE | No | - |
| GPRS | Yes | - |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps | HSPA 7.2/2 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA |
| | HSDPA 1900 / 2100 / 800 | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - E10a |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, June. Released 2011, October | 2010, February. Released 2010, May |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Dimensions | 92 x 55 x 16.5 mm (3.62 x 2.17 x 0.65 in) | 83 x 50 x 16 mm (3.27 x 1.97 x 0.63 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Mini-SIM |
| Weight | 110.8 g (3.88 oz) | 88 g (3.10 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) | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~157 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.0 inches, 26.8 cm2 (~53.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 2.55 inches, 20.1 cm2 (~48.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LED-backlit LCD, | TFT (65K effective) |
| | Touch sensitive controls | Timescape UI |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Scorpion | 600 MHz ARM 11 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 | Qualcomm MSM7227 Snapdragon S1 |
| GPU | Adreno 205 | Adreno 200 |
| OS | Android 2.3 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) | Android 1.6 (Donut), upgradable to 2.1 (Eclair) |
| Memory |
|---|
| Call records | Yes | - |
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included |
| Internal | 1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM | 128MB |
| Phonebook | Yes, up to 500 entries | - |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | LED flash |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 5 MP, AF |
| Video | 720p | 480p@30fps |
| 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 | 2.0, 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 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, hotspot (v2.2 or higher) |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | HTML, Adobe Flash | HTML |
| 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 | ANT+
MP4/H.264/WMV player
MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player
TrackID music recognition
Document viewer
Voice memo
Predictive text input |
| Battery |
|---|
| Music play | Up to 25 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 351 h (2G) / Up to 335 h (3G) | Up to 285 h (2G) / Up to 360 h (3G) |
| Talk time | Up to 4 h 53 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 31 min (3G) | Up to 4 h (2G) / Up to 3 h 30 min (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1200 mAh battery | Non-removable Li-Po 950 mAh battery |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Orange/Black, White/Black | Gold, Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red, Silver |
| Price | About 170 EUR | About 70 EUR |
| SAR | 1.12 W/kg (head) 1.07 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | - | 1.17 W/kg (head) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -89.5dB / Crosstalk -91.4dB |
Noise -86.5dB / Crosstalk -83.8dB |
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 70dB / Noise 64dB / Ring 68dB
|
Voice 65dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 67dB |
Sony Ericsson Xperia active
- Faster Processor
- Video Recording Capability
- Slightly Larger Screen
- More Modern Chipset
- Limited App Support (due to age)
- Basic Display Technology
- Outdated Software
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini
- Extremely Compact
- Simple and Easy to Use
- Nostalgic Design
- Slower Processor
- No Video Recording
- Smaller Screen
- Limited Functionality
- Outdated Software
Display Comparison
The Xperia Active boasts a 3.0-inch capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 320x480 pixels. The X10 mini features a smaller 2.2-inch display, also with a 320x480 resolution. While both are adequate for their time, the Active's larger screen provides a slightly better viewing experience. Both displays lack advanced features like OLED or high pixel density.
Camera Comparison
The Xperia Active has a photo/video camera, while the X10 mini has a photo camera only. While specific megapixel counts are difficult to confirm definitively, the Active's video recording capability is a significant advantage. Image quality on both is expected to be basic by modern standards, but the Active might offer slightly better results due to its more advanced chipset.
Performance
Here's where the Active shines. Its 1.0 GHz Scorpion processor paired with the Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 chipset offers a noticeable performance boost over the X10 mini's 600 MHz ARM 11 processor and MSM7227 Snapdragon S1. Expect smoother multitasking and faster app loading on the Active.
Battery Life
Battery life was a crucial factor in older phones. The Xperia Active likely had a slightly larger battery capacity (estimated around 1200 mAh) compared to the X10 mini (estimated around 800 mAh), potentially offering longer usage times, though this is heavily dependent on usage patterns.
Buying Guide
The Xperia Active is for those who want a slightly more modern experience in a compact form factor and appreciate the ability to record video. The Xperia X10 mini is best suited for users prioritizing extreme portability and a very basic smartphone experience, or those seeking a truly vintage device for collecting.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Are these phones still usable with modern SIM cards?
Likely not without adapters. These phones used older SIM card sizes. You'll need to research compatible adapters or consider using them as offline media players.
❓ Can I install apps on these phones?
Yes, but app availability is extremely limited. They run older versions of Android, and most modern apps won't be compatible. You're restricted to apps available for those specific Android versions.
