Sony's Xperia Z is its flagship smartphone for 2013, but how does it stack up against Google's own Nexus 4? We take an in-depth look at these two Android smartphones in our Sony Xperia Z vs Google Nexus 4 comparison review.
Although these smartphones are pretty similar, there are areas which they are quite different and might cause you to sway to one particular handset.
After using both the Xperia Z and Nexus 4 for a while we've broken this down into different sections to you can home in on what's important to you.
Sony Xperia Z vs Google Nexus 4: Price
Choosing between the Nexus 4 and Xperia is difficult for a number of reasons. However, the price could be the best way of deciding. We're talking SIM-free prices since there are many, ever changing, contracts on offer. See also: Group test: What's the best Android smartphone?
The Sony Xperia Z will set you back the same amount as an iPhone 5, £529 putting it at the top end of the smartphone market. Google's Nexus 4 in stark contrast costs just £239 for the cheapest model meaning you could escape the shackles of a contract for a more flexible SIM-only deal.
It's less than half the price but you certainly don’t get half the specifications. If you're on a budget then the Nexus 4 is clearly the best option for you, but if you have a bit more cash to flash then the Xperia Z might have a few features you think are worth paying for.
Read on as we look into the specifications and features on offer from each smartphone.
Sony Xperia Z vs Google Nexus 4: Design and build
From our point of view, the Xperia Z and Nexus 4 both offer premium design and build. They are quite similar devices in a number of ways. See also: Google LG Nexus 4 vs Apple iPhone 5 comparison review.
Both of these phones look the part with glass used on the front and back, each has a rubbery plastic frame but we found the Nexus 4 the more slippery customer. You can choose which you like the look of more with the distinct square shape of the Xperia Z or more rounded contours of the Nexus 4.
While the Xperia Z is plain glass the Nexus 4 has a rear cover which is covered in tiny silver squares. The somewhat glittery finish might not be to everyone's taste.
Both of these phones are thin and light devices – the Xperia Z at 7.9mm and 145g and the Nexus 4 at 9.1mm and 139g.
With a bigger screen the Xperia Z is slightly bigger than the Nexus 4 at 71 x 139mm compared to 69 x 134mm. Both are large handsets and our advice is to try and get your hands on them before parting with your hard earned cash.
Build quality of each of these smartphones is exceptional; we scored them both nine out of 10 in our individual reviews. Neither has a removable rear cover and as we've mentioned both use mainly glass.
The biggest difference to point out is that the Xperia Z is dust and water proof (to an IP57 certification) whereas the Nexus 4 is not. The flaps covering the Xperia Z's ports might get annoying sometimes but if you want a more durable and rugged phone, the Sony has one up on the Nexus 4.
Sony Xperia Z vs Google Nexus 4: Screen
As we've already mentioned, the Xperia Z has a larger screen than the Nexus 4. But at 5in and 4.7in respectively they aren't too different; both are big screens and good for web browsing, games and media consumption.
While both screens are decent quality, the Xperia Z does outperform the Nexus 4 thanks to its Full HD resolution of 1080 x 1920. This means it has a whopping pixel density of 441ppi compared to the Nexus 4's 320ppi with its still respectable resolution of 768 x 1280.
Sony Xperia Z vs Google Nexus 4: Processor and memory
Google's Nexus 4 shares the same internal core specifications as the Sony Xperia Z. Each has a 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 Pro coupled with 2GB of RAM.
The Nexus 4 scored marginally better in the GeekBench 2 test with a score of 2009 compared to the Xperia Z's 1986. Neither did especially well in the SunSpider JavaScript test with scores of 1906ms and 1791ms. And in the GLBenchmark graphics tests both managed impressive results of 30fps and 39fps.
There's barely any difference in performance between the two phones so we can call it a draw on this front. Either device will deliver solidly good performance for a smartphone. They are two of the best we've seen to date.
Comments
Matt Egan said: What he said Dont buy any Nexus device from anyone other than Google
Allen said: check it out here httpsplaygooglecomNexus4 you can Nexus 8 gb for 239
Rejestracjamoja said: Where did you get the239 price tag from Its rather293 just check eBay
Mant5 said: If you have both Nexus 4 and Xperia Z try to compare the low quality video from browser You can see it looks very much better in Nexus 4 than Xperia Z
Ashely Kennedy said: Yet another article that doesnt even acknowledge brightnessLUXRes is nice but LUX can make a screenWhy is it never mentionedTasteLESS geek reviews
Florian said: Hey there I hope you dont interpret this as spamI recently bought a Nexus 4 but broke it very fast I will break it again so I wont repair itIf you want you can win my broken Nexus 4 by checking outwinmynexuscom
blue mike said: Simon the Xperia surely have better screen and camera as well as the IP classification but the big drawback Software updatesThere is a big chance that you will be stuck soon just as Sony did for the X10 X8 and the whole 2011 line-upif you dont care about any OS updates or bugfixes you are probably right to pick the Sony if however you do care about SW updates I would easily pick the Nexus
Simon Tompkins said: Id say there is quite a lot of difference It depends on how much you love your phone really If you want a good phone for a good price then get the nexus If you want a high quality phone with all the added tweets which make it borderline perfect then get the Xperia z The Xperia z might be double the price but it offers all Sonys little touches which makes it an incredible experience unrivaled by anyone else Bravia2 Exmor RS and the PSX store Id also like to say that with its super durability this might end up saving you money If your good at never losing your phone but often damage it then it might save you 10 a month on insurance Which over a 24 month contract saves you enough to buy a whole nexus lol Also the micro sd card is a big deal for me As is the HDR camera