Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium vs Google Pixel 3 XL: A Flagship Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel 3 XL wins overall due to its superior camera software, cleaner Android experience, and consistently excellent software updates. While the XZ2 Premium has a brighter display and slightly better raw performance, the Pixel's strengths outweigh its weaknesses for most users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium | Google Pixel 3 XL |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 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, 46, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 66, 71 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat16 1024/75 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE |
| - | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, April. Released 2018, July | 2018, October 09. Released 2018, October 18 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 158 x 80 x 11.9 mm (6.22 x 3.15 x 0.47 in) | 158 x 76.7 x 7.9 mm (6.22 x 3.02 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 236 g (8.32 oz) | 184 g (6.49 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 3840 x 2160 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~765 ppi density) | 1440 x 2960 pixels, 18.5:9 ratio (~523 ppi density) |
| Size | 5.8 inches, 91.5 cm2 (~72.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.3 inches, 100.3 cm2 (~82.8% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | IPS LCD, HDR10 | P-OLED, HDR |
| Runs at 1080 x 1920 pixels except for select use cases Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) | Octa-core (4x2.5 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.6 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 630 | Adreno 630 |
| OS | Android 8.0 (Oreo), upgradable to Android 10 | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only | No |
| Internal | 64GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | 19 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", 1.22µm, predictive PDAF 12 MP B/W, f/1.6, 1/2.3", 1.55µm, predictive PDAF | - |
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Single | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps (5-axis gyro-EIS), 1080p@960fps, HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS) |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 8 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF 8 MP, f/2.2, 19mm (ultrawide), no AF |
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 13 MP, f/2.0, 22mm (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | - |
| Video | 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | No |
| 35mm jack | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, QC3 Wireless (Qi) | 18W wired, PD2.0 Wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 3540 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 3430 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Chrome Black, Chrome Silver | Clearly White, Just Black, Not Pink |
| Models | H8166, H8116, SOV38 | G013C |
| Price | About 460 EUR | About 260 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -91.0dB / Crosstalk -87.6dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 77h | - |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: 1411:1 (nominal), 2.867 (sunlight) | - |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 68dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 73dB | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 264734 (v7), 288101 (v8) GeekBench: 8509 (v4.4), 2099 (v5.1) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 258244 (v7), 341814 (v8) GeekBench: 8088 (v4.4), 2092 (v5.1) GFXBench: 12fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
- Brighter display with excellent sunlight readability
- Potentially slightly faster raw performance
- Customizable Android experience
- Impressive battery life (rated)
- Camera image processing not as refined as Pixel
- Software updates less frequent
- Design can feel dated
Google Pixel 3 XL
- Exceptional camera with Google's computational photography
- Clean and intuitive Android experience
- Guaranteed timely software updates
- Excellent call quality
- Battery life not as impressive as XZ2 Premium (rated)
- Design is polarizing
- Display not as bright as XZ2 Premium
Display Comparison
The Xperia XZ2 Premium features a 6.0-inch OLED display with a remarkable 1411:1 contrast ratio and exceptional sunlight readability (2.867). The Pixel 3 XL has a 6.3-inch OLED display, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks, but doesn't quite match the XZ2 Premium's peak brightness. Both displays are excellent, but the XZ2 Premium edges out in outdoor visibility.
Camera Comparison
This is where the Pixel 3 XL truly shines. Google's computational photography is unmatched, delivering consistently excellent photos in various lighting conditions. The XZ2 Premium has a capable camera with a dedicated motion eye sensor, but its image processing often falls short of the Pixel's. The Pixel's Night Sight mode is a game-changer.
Performance
Both phones are powered by the Snapdragon 845, ensuring smooth performance for everyday tasks and demanding games. The XZ2 Premium's CPU clocks are slightly higher (2.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz), potentially giving it a marginal edge in raw processing power, though real-world differences are minimal. Software optimization on the Pixel 3 XL contributes to a consistently fluid experience.
Battery Life
The Xperia XZ2 Premium boasts an impressive endurance rating of 77 hours, suggesting excellent battery life. The Pixel 3 XL's battery life is good, but not as exceptional as the XZ2 Premium's reported endurance. However, real-world usage can vary significantly.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium is ideal for users who prioritize a vibrant, high-brightness display, appreciate a more customizable Android experience, and value raw processing power. The Google Pixel 3 XL is best suited for those who want a fantastic camera, a clean and intuitive Android experience, and guaranteed timely software updates.