Sony Xperia Z3 vs. Xiaomi Mi4 – Specifications, Features, Release Date And Price

The Sony Xperia Z3 has recently been launched at the IFA 2014, whereas the Xiaomi Mi4 was released in August. Also, the Xperia Z3 will hit the store shelves sometime in September. Readers who are interested in the latest Sony Xperia Z3 or the Xiaomi Mi4 should check out this specifications, features and price comparison.

Display, Exterior And Size

The Xiaomi Mi4 features a 5.0-inch Sharp/JDI OGS full lamination display complemented by 1,080 x 1,920 pixels resolution and 441 ppi pixel density. The Sony Xperia Z3, on the other hand, comes with a relatively bigger 5.2-inch IPS LCD display but the screen resolution is same as the Xiaomi device. And the pixel density of the Sony device stands at 424 ppi.

Thanks to TRILUMINOS display technology and X-Reality, the Sony device offers clear and vivid display. Similar to the predecessor, the thick bezels on the top is maintained in the Xperia Z3. However the bezels on the sides are almost nil and hence the device looks sleeker. Also, the corners of the device are slightly rounded unlike the Z2. The metal used in the corners of the handset also comes with a hard nylon coating. Apparently, this coating protects the device from accidental fall, says Trusted Reviews. The Xiaomi Mi 4, meanwhile, brings the iPhone design philosophy back into memory with the same stainless steel frame surrounding the corners of the device. In specific, the white plastic fixers on the metallic band along the sides are very much Apple-like. In spite of the glossy plastic rear, the metal band provides the much-loved premium look to the handset, opines CNet.

Speaking of size, the thickness and the weight of Xiaomi Mi4 are 0.35-inch and 149 g respectively, whereas the Sony Xperia Z3 is 0.29-inch thick and weighs 152 g.

Hardware, Software And Memory

Interestingly, both the devices are powered by the same quad-core (Qualcomm Snapdragon 801) Krait 400 processor clocked at 2.5 GHz and 3 GB of RAM.

The Sony device runs on Android OS v4.4.4 KitKat OS, while the Xiaomi handset runs on Android v4.4.3 KitKat OS with MIUI 6 UI. When it comes to memory, the Mi4 offers 16 GB and 64 GB of internal storage, whereas the Xperia Z3 offers 16 GB and 32 GB of in-built storage. While the Sony Xperia Z3 comes with microSD card support for expansion up to 128 GB, the Xiaomi device doesn't.

Camera And Battery

The Xiaomi Mi4 sports a 13 MP rear-facing camera unit, whereas the Sony Xperia Z3 features a killer 20.7 MP primary camera. While the Xiaomi handset comes with dual-LED flash, the Sony handset houses LED flash. When it comes to secondary camera, the Xiaomi phone trumps the Sony device with a surprisingly good 8 MP camera for selfies, while the Xperia Z3 houses a 2.2 MP front-facing shooter. Also, both the phones can shoot 4K videos. In addition, the Sony handset comes equipped with 8x digital zoom and 3x Clear Image zoom options.

Furthermore, the Xiaomi Mi4 houses a killer Li-Ion 3080 mAh battery unit, whereas the Sony Xperia Z3 comes with a similar Li-Ion 3100 mAh battery unit. However, both the batteries are not user-replaceable.

Connectivity, SIM And Colour

Both the phones come equipped with Bluetooth v4.0, Wi-Fi and microUSB port. While the Sony device supports NFC, the Xiaomi handset doesn't. It turns out, only 1% of users are utilising NFC, hence the company dropped the support in Mi4, says GizChina. However, the Xiaomi Mi4 supports Infrared port. While the Xiaomi handset supports micro-SIM, the Sony handset supports nano-SIM. It is worth noting that Xiaomi supports WCDMA at this point, but a new variant is expected to hit the markets later this year with LTE support.

As far as the colour goes, the Xperia Z3 comes in black, white, silver green and copper shades, whereas the Xiaomi Mi4 comes in the standard black and white shades.

Misc

1. The Xiaomi Mi4's back panel is alterable with wood and marble shells, says CNet.

2. The Sony Xperia Z3 comes with dust and water resistant exterior, while the Xiaomi Mi4 doesn't.

Price

The Xiaomi Mi4 is priced at US$399 (roughly translates to AU$429) in Oppomart. In addition, interested readers can buy the Xiaomi handset from Xiaomi World for US$429.99.

Moreover PC Advisor opines that, the Sony Xperia Z3 will be priced between £550 and £600 in the UK. However, Clove will reportedly be offering SIM-free Xperia Z3 for £525. Nonetheless, the price details have not been confirmed by Sony thus far.

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