Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY vs Vivaz Pro: A Retro Smartphone Showdown

Remember the days of Sony Ericsson's dominance in the smartphone market? Two contenders from that era, the Xperia PLAY and the Vivaz Pro, offer unique experiences. This comparison dives deep into their strengths and weaknesses to help you decide which one deserves your attention.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xperia PLAY wins for gamers thanks to its dedicated gaming controls and more powerful processor. The Vivaz Pro, however, offers a slightly better multimedia experience and a more refined design. Ultimately, it depends on your priorities: gaming or productivity.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY	Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro

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	-
Speed	HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps	HSPA 10.2/2 Mbps
Technology	GSM / HSPA	GSM / HSPA
	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 / 800	HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100

Launch
Announced	2011, February. Released 2011, March	2010, February. Released 2010, May
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	119 x 62 x 16 mm (4.69 x 2.44 x 0.63 in)	109 x 52 x 15 mm (4.29 x 2.05 x 0.59 in)
Keyboard	-	QWERTY
SIM	Mini-SIM	Mini-SIM
Weight	175 g (6.17 oz)	117 g (4.13 oz)

Display
Protection	-	Scratch-resistant glass
Resolution	480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~245 ppi density)	360 x 640 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~229 ppi density)
Size	4.0 inches, 44.1 cm2 (~59.8% screen-to-body ratio)	3.2 inches, 28.2 cm2 (~49.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	LED-backlit LCD,	TFT resistive touchscreen, 16M colors
	Touch-sensitive gaming controls PSP like gaming buttons Timescape UI	Handwriting recognition

Platform
CPU	1.0 GHz Scorpion	720 MHz, PowerVR SGX GPU
Chipset	Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2	-
GPU	Adreno 205	-
OS	Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread)	Symbian Series 60, 5th edition

Memory
Card slot	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included	microSDHC (dedicated slot), 8 GB included
Internal	400MB 512MB RAM	75MB

Main Camera
Features	LED flash	LED flash
Single	5 MP, AF	5 MP, AF
Video	720p	720p@24fps

Selfie camera
Features	LED flash	-
Single	VGA	-
	-	No

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes, with stereo speakers	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	2.1, A2DP, EDR	2.1, A2DP
NFC	No	-
Positioning	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS	GPS, A-GPS; Wisepilot navigation
Radio	No	Stereo FM radio, RDS
USB	microUSB 2.0, OTG	microUSB 2.0
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, DLNA

Features
Browser	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML5, Adobe Flash	WAP 2.0/xHTML, HTML (NetFront)
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass	Accelerometer
	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)	Facebook and Twitter apps WMV/RV/MP4/3GP player MP3/WMA/WAV/RA/AAC/M4A player TrackID music recognition TV out (VGA resolution) Organizer Document viewer Voice memo Predictive text input

Battery
Charging	10W wired	-
Music play	Up to 31 h	-
Stand-by	Up to 425 h (2G) / Up to 413 h (3G)	Up to 430 h (2G) / Up to 440 h (3G)
Talk time	Up to 8 h 25 min (2G) / Up to 6 h 25 min (3G)	Up to 12 h 30 min (2G) / Up to 5 h 10 min (3G)
Type	Removable Li-Ion 1500 mAh battery	Removable Li-Po 1200 mAh battery

Misc
Colors	Black, White, Stealth Blue (for Play 4G), Orange	Black, White
Price	About 140 EUR	About 150 EUR
SAR EU	0.36 W/kg (head)	1.03 W/kg (head)

Tests
Audio quality	Noise -89.6dB / Crosstalk -91.0dB	Noise -88.0dB / Crosstalk -88.7dB
Camera	Photo	Photo
Loudspeaker	Voice 66dB / Noise 62dB / Ring 79dB	Voice 69dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 72dB

Sony Ericsson Xperia PLAY

Dedicated gaming controls (physical buttons)
More powerful processor
Larger display
Slightly better image processing

Bulky design
Lower resolution display compared to modern phones
Limited app availability

Sony Ericsson Vivaz pro

Sleeker design
Vibrant OLED display
Better multimedia features (e.g., DivX codec support)
More conventional smartphone experience

Less powerful processor
Smaller display
Limited app availability
Slower performance

Display Comparison

The Xperia PLAY features a 4.0-inch Reality Display with a resolution of 480x854 pixels. The Vivaz Pro boasts a 3.2-inch OLED display with a resolution of 320x480 pixels. While the Vivaz Pro's OLED offers vibrant colors, the Xperia PLAY's larger size and higher resolution provide a more immersive viewing experience, especially for gaming.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature a 8.1MP camera. Image quality is comparable, though the Xperia PLAY's processing might be slightly better. Low-light performance is generally poor on both devices, typical for their era. Video recording capabilities are also similar, offering 20fps recording.

Performance

The Xperia PLAY's Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 chipset with a 1.0 GHz Scorpion CPU provides a noticeable performance boost over the Vivaz Pro's 720 MHz CPU and PowerVR SGX GPU. This translates to smoother gameplay and faster app loading times on the Xperia PLAY. The Vivaz Pro is adequate for basic tasks but struggles with more demanding applications.

Battery Life

The Xperia PLAY has a 1500 mAh battery, while the Vivaz Pro has a 1500 mAh battery. Real-world battery life is similar, offering around 8-10 hours of moderate usage. Heavy gaming on the Xperia PLAY will drain the battery faster due to the increased processing demands.

Buying Guide

Buy the Xperia PLAY if you're a retro gaming enthusiast seeking a dedicated gaming experience. Buy the Vivaz Pro if you prioritize a more polished design, slightly better multimedia capabilities, and a more conventional smartphone experience.