Sony Xperia XZ3 vs Xperia XZ Premium: A Clash of Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia XZ3 edges out the XZ Premium thanks to its Snapdragon 845 chipset, brighter display, and significantly longer battery life. While the XZ Premium boasts a slightly more refined design and excellent audio, the XZ3's performance and endurance make it the more compelling option overall.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia XZ3 | Sony Xperia XZ Premium |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 - SIM 1 & SIM 2 - G8142 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - H8416, H9436, H9493 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 - G8141, G8142 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - H8416, H9436, H9493 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 29, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41 - G8141, G8142 |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/200 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (2CA) Cat16 1024/150 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2018, August 30. Released 2018, October 05 | 2017, February 27. Released 2017, June 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/plastic frame |
| Dimensions | 158 x 73 x 9.9 mm (6.22 x 2.87 x 0.39 in) | 156 x 77 x 7.9 mm (6.14 x 3.03 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM (G8141)· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM (G8142) |
| Weight | 193 g (6.81 oz) | 195 g (6.88 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | Corning Gorilla Glass 5 |
| Resolution | 1440 x 2880 pixels, 18:9 ratio (~537 ppi density) | 3840 x 2160 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~807 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.0 inches, 92.9 cm2 (~80.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 5.46 inches, 82.2 cm2 (~68.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, HDR BT.2020 | IPS LCD, HDR10 |
| Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | Runs at 1080 x 1920 pixels except for select use cases Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Kryo 385 Gold & 4x1.7 GHz Kryo 385 Silver) | Octa-core (4x2.45 GHz Kryo & 4x1.9 GHz Kryo) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SDM845 Snapdragon 845 (10 nm) | Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 630 | Adreno 540 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10 | Android 7.1 (Nougat), upgradable to Android 9.0 (Pie) |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only |
| Internal | 64GB 4GB RAM, 64GB 6GB RAM | 64GB 4GB RAM |
| UFS 2.1 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR | Laser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR |
| Single | 19 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", 1.22µm, predictive PDAF | 19 MP, f/2.0, 25mm (wide), 1/2.3", predictive PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS), 1080p@960fps, HDR | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps (gyro-EIS), 720p@960fps, HDR |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | - |
| Single | 13 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/3.1", 1.12µm | 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 | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | 24-bit/192kHz audio | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
| 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 (side-mounted, region dependent), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 18W wired, PD2.0 Wireless (Qi) | 18W wired, QC3 |
| Type | Li-Ion 3300 mAh, non-removable | Li-Ion 3230 mAh, non-removable |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Silver White, Forest Green, Bordeaux Red | Luminous Chrome, Deepsea Black, Bronze Pink, Rosso |
| Models | H9436, H8416, H9493 | G8142, G8141, SO-04K, SO-04J |
| Price | About 510 EUR | About 320 EUR |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -91.2dB / Crosstalk -88.7dB | Noise -90.6dB / Crosstalk -92.6dB |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 90h | Endurance rating 72h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal), 4.502 (sunlight) | Contrast ratio: 1238:1 (nominal), 2.877 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 71dB / Noise 75dB / Ring 82dB | Voice 62dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 71dB |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 284555 (v7), 295468 (v8) GeekBench: 8607 (v4.4), 2137 (v5.1) GFXBench: 19fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | GeekBench: 5460 (v4.4), 1603 (v5.1) GFXBench: 25fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia XZ3
- Superior Performance (Snapdragon 845)
- Exceptional Battery Life (90h Endurance)
- Vibrant OLED Display
- Modern 18:9 Aspect Ratio
- Wireless Charging (Qi)
- Design may not appeal to everyone
- No headphone jack (adapter included)
Sony Xperia XZ Premium
- Premium Design and Build Quality
- Excellent Audio Quality
- Compact Size
- 4K HDR Recording
- Shorter Battery Life (72h Endurance)
- Older Snapdragon 835 Chipset
- LCD Display (less vibrant than OLED)
- Lower Sunlight Contrast
Display Comparison
The XZ3 features a 6.0-inch OLED display with a 18:9 aspect ratio, offering vibrant colors and deep blacks. Its contrast ratio, while listed as 'infinite' nominally, performs exceptionally well in sunlight with a measured 4.502. The XZ Premium has a 5.5-inch LCD display with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a contrast ratio of 1238:1 and a sunlight rating of 2.877. The XZ3's OLED technology and brighter display provide a noticeably superior viewing experience.
Camera Comparison
Both phones feature excellent camera systems capable of capturing high-quality photos and videos. The XZ Premium was known for its slow-motion capabilities, while the XZ3 improved upon the overall image processing. Both offer 4K video recording. While subjective, the XZ3's image processing tends to produce more natural-looking results.
Performance
The XZ3's Snapdragon 845 chipset provides a significant performance boost over the XZ Premium's Snapdragon 835. This translates to faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance. Both phones have 6GB of RAM, but the newer chipset in the XZ3 makes a tangible difference.
Battery Life
This is where the XZ3 truly shines. Its endurance rating of 90 hours significantly surpasses the XZ Premium's 72 hours. This means the XZ3 can easily last a full two days on a single charge, making it a much more practical choice for heavy users.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia XZ3 is ideal for users prioritizing performance, battery life, and a vibrant display. It's a great choice for those who want a modern Android experience. The Xperia XZ Premium is best suited for users who value a premium design, excellent audio quality, and a slightly more compact form factor, even if it means sacrificing some battery life and processing power.