Sony Xperia C4 vs Huawei Y9a: A Budget Showdown

The budget smartphone market is fiercely competitive, offering incredible value for your money. Today, we're pitting two contenders against each other: the Sony Xperia C4 and the Huawei Y9a. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to see which phone emerges as the winner.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Huawei Y9a decisively wins this comparison. Its significantly more powerful processor, modern design, and faster charging capabilities outweigh the Xperia C4's strengths. While the C4 might be cheaper, the Y9a offers a much better overall experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Xperia C4	Huawei Y9a

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 - E5303, E5353	HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20 - E5303	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41 - FRL-L22
Speed	HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat4 150/50 Mbps	HSPA, LTE
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE	GSM / HSPA / LTE
	2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 17 - E5306	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66 - FRL-L23

Launch
Announced	2015, May. Released 2015, June	2020, September 07. Released 2020, September 12
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued

Body
Dimensions	150.3 x 77.4 x 7.9 mm (5.92 x 3.05 x 0.31 in)	163.5 x 76.5 x 9 mm (6.44 x 3.01 x 0.35 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	147 g (5.19 oz)	197 g (6.95 oz)

Display
Protection	Scratch-resistant	-
Resolution	1080 x 1920 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~401 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~397 ppi density)
Size	5.5 inches, 83.4 cm2 (~71.7% screen-to-body ratio)	6.63 inches, 106.1 cm2 (~84.8% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	IPS LCD	IPS LCD

Platform
CPU	Octa-core 1.7 GHz Cortex-A53	Octa-core (2x2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Mediatek MT6752 (28 nm)	Mediatek MT6769V/CU Helio G80 (12 nm)
GPU	Mali-T760MP2	Mali-G52 MC2
OS	Android 5.0 (Lollipop), upgradable to 6.0 (Marshmallow)	Android 10, EMUI 10.1, no Google Play Services

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (dedicated slot)	Nano Memory (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	16GB 2GB RAM	128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM
	-	UFS 2.1

Main Camera
Features	LED flash, panorama, HDR	Quad-LED flash, HDR, panorama
Quad	-	64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.73", 0.8µm, PDAF 8 MP, f/2.4, 120˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens
Single	13 MP, f/2.0, AF	-
Video	1080p, HDR	4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS

Selfie camera
Features	LED flash	HDR
Single	5 MP, f/2.2	Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.1", 1.0µm
Video	720p	1080p@30fps

Sound
3.5mm jack	Yes	Yes
35mm jack	Yes	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes

Comms
Bluetooth	4.1, A2DP, aptX	5.1, A2DP, LE
NFC	Yes	No
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS
Radio	FM radio, RDS	No
USB	microUSB 2.0	USB Type-C 2.0, OTG
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Accelerometer, proximity, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
	ANT+	-

Battery
Charging	-	22.5W / 40W wired (region dependent)
Music play	Up to 53 h 22 min	-
Stand-by	Up to 634 h (2G) / Up to 682 h (3G)	-
Talk time	Up to 13 h (2G) / Up to 11 h 30 min (3G)	-
Type	Li-Ion 2600 mAh, non-removable	Li-Po 4200 mAh or 4300 mAh (region dependent)

Misc
Colors	Black, White, Mint	Space Silver, Sakura Pink, Midnight Black
Models	E5303, E53063E5353, E5353, E5306	FRL-22, FRL-23, FRL-L22, FRL-L23
Price	About 220 EUR	About 200 EUR
SAR	0.95 W/kg (head) 1.18 W/kg (body)	-
SAR EU	0.52 W/kg (head) 0.47 W/kg (body)	-

Sony Xperia C4

Very affordable
Compact size (for some)

Outdated chipset
Lower resolution display
Slower charging
Limited camera capabilities
Older software

Huawei Y9a

Powerful processor (Helio G80)
Larger, higher resolution display
Versatile camera system
Fast charging
Modern design

Potentially limited Google services (due to Huawei restrictions)
May lack some premium features

Display Comparison

The Xperia C4 features a 5.5-inch IPS LCD display, likely with standard resolution. The Huawei Y9a boasts a 6.63-inch IPS LCD with a Full HD+ resolution, offering a larger and sharper viewing experience. The Y9a's higher resolution and larger size give it a clear advantage for media consumption and general use.

Camera Comparison

The Huawei Y9a typically features a versatile quad-camera setup (48MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth sensor) and a 16MP front camera. The Xperia C4 usually has a 13MP main camera and a 5MP front camera. The Y9a's higher resolution sensors and additional lenses offer greater flexibility and image quality, especially in low light.

Performance

Here's where the Y9a truly shines. The Mediatek Helio G80 chipset with its Cortex-A75 cores provides a substantial performance boost over the Xperia C4's older MT6752 and Cortex-A53 cores. Expect smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and better gaming performance on the Y9a. The C4 will likely struggle with more demanding tasks.

Battery Life

The Huawei Y9a generally has a 4300mAh battery with 22.5W/40W fast charging (region dependent), providing longer battery life and quicker charging times compared to the Xperia C4's likely smaller battery and slower charging.

Buying Guide

Who should buy the Sony Xperia C4? Primarily those seeking an extremely budget-friendly option and are not concerned with performance or modern features. Who should buy the Huawei Y9a? Anyone looking for a well-rounded budget phone with a good camera, decent performance, and a stylish design.