The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini represents a bygone era of feature phones transitioning to early smartphones. The Xperia XZ2 Compact, on the other hand, embodies modern Android design and performance. This comparison explores how these two devices stack up against each other, highlighting the incredible advancements in mobile technology.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia XZ2 Compact is the clear winner. While the X10 mini holds nostalgic charm, the XZ2 Compact’s vastly superior performance, camera, display, and battery life make it the practical choice for modern users. It’s a generational leap in every meaningful way.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 - E10i | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | - | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/2 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (4CA) Cat15 800/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - E10a | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2010, February. Released 2010, May | 2018, February. Released 2018, April |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 83 x 50 x 16 mm (3.27 x 1.97 x 0.63 in) | 135 x 65 x 12.1 mm (5.31 x 2.56 x 0.48 in) |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 88 g (3.10 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| | - | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 240 x 320 pixels, 4:3 ratio (~157 ppi density) | 1080 x 2160 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~483 ppi density) |
| Size | 2.55 inches, 20.1 cm2 (~48.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.0 inches, 64.5 cm2 (~73.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | TFT (65K effective) | IPS LCD, HDR BT.2020 |
| | Timescape UI | Triluminos display
X-Reality Engine |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 600 MHz ARM 11 | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM7227 Snapdragon S1 | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 200 | Adreno 630 |
| OS | Android 1.6 (Donut), upgradable to 2.1 (Eclair) | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 128MB | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| | - | UFS 2.1 |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 19 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", 1.22µm, predictive PDAF |
| Video | 480p@30fps | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 1080p@960fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Single | - | 5 MP, f/2.2, 23mm (wide), 1/5.0" |
| Video | - | 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS) |
| | No | - |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| | - | 24-bit/192kHz audio
|
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.0, A2DP, EDR | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE |
| NFC | - | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, hotspot (v2.2 or higher) | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | HTML | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| | ANT+
MP4/H.264/WMV player
MP3/eAAC+/WMA/WAV player
TrackID music recognition
Document viewer
Voice memo
Predictive text input | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 18W wired, QC3 |
| Stand-by | Up to 285 h (2G) / Up to 360 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 4 h (2G) / Up to 3 h 30 min (3G) | - |
| Type | Non-removable Li-Po 950 mAh battery | Li-Ion 2870 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | Gold, Pearl White, Black, Pink, Lime, Red, Silver | Black, White Silver, Moss Green, Coral Pink |
| Models | - | H8324, H8314, SO-05K |
| Price | About 70 EUR | About 430 EUR |
| SAR EU | 1.17 W/kg (head) | - |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -86.5dB / Crosstalk -83.8dB |
Noise -93.4dB / Crosstalk -92.7dB |
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 88h |
| Camera |
Photo |
Photo / Video |
| Display | - |
Contrast ratio: 1315:1 (nominal), 3.765 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 65dB / Noise 66dB / Ring 67dB |
Voice 66dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 83dB |
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 265326 (v7), 308651 (v8)
GeekBench: 8487 (v4.4), 2174 (v5.1)
GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini
- Compact size
- Nostalgic design
- Lightweight
- Outdated processor
- Poor camera
- Low resolution display
- Limited storage
- Slow performance
Sony Xperia XZ2 Compact
- Powerful processor
- Excellent camera
- Vibrant OLED display
- Long battery life
- Water resistance
- Fast charging
- Older design (by today's standards)
- Can be difficult to find new
Display Comparison
The XZ2 Compact boasts a significantly better display. Its OLED panel offers vibrant colors, deep blacks, and excellent contrast (1315:1 nominal, 3.765 in sunlight). The X10 mini's LCD screen is noticeably less impressive, with lower resolution and poorer viewing angles. Sunlight readability is also a major advantage for the XZ2 Compact.
Camera Comparison
The XZ2 Compact’s camera is a massive upgrade. It offers both photo and video capabilities, with significantly better image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The X10 mini’s camera is limited to still photos and produces noticeably inferior results. The XZ2 Compact also benefits from modern camera features like HDR and image stabilization.
Performance
The XZ2 Compact's Snapdragon 845 chipset and Octa-core CPU (4x2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) utterly dominates the X10 mini's 600 MHz ARM 11 processor. Apps launch instantly on the XZ2 Compact, while the X10 mini struggles with even basic tasks. Gaming is a world apart – the XZ2 Compact handles modern games with ease, while the X10 mini is simply not capable.
Battery Life
Both devices are reported to have an endurance rating of 88h, but this is likely a theoretical maximum for the XZ2 Compact. In reality, the XZ2 Compact’s larger battery capacity and more efficient processor contribute to significantly longer real-world battery life compared to the X10 mini. The XZ2 Compact also supports 18W fast charging (QC3), a feature absent in the X10 mini.
Buying Guide
The Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 mini is for collectors or those seeking a retro mobile experience. The Xperia XZ2 Compact is ideal for users wanting a compact, powerful Android phone with a great camera and long battery life, especially those prioritizing portability.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Xperia X10 mini worth buying in 2024?
Only for collectors or those seeking a very specific retro mobile experience. It's not a practical choice for everyday use.
❓ What are the key differences between the two phones?
The XZ2 Compact offers vastly superior performance, camera quality, display technology, and battery life compared to the X10 mini. It represents a significant leap in mobile technology.
