Samsung Galaxy S5 vs. Sony Xperia Z2 Specs Comparison, Design, IP Certification, and Features Check, You Decide!
I've just received information from a reliable source that Sony Mobile Philippines is already set to release their 2014 flagship smartphone - Sony Xperia Z2 - next month, April 2014, with official price tag of Php 33,990.
On the other hand, during Samsung Galaxy S5's announcement at Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona, the Korean Giant disclosed that the handset will be hitting store shelves across the globe come April 2014. And since the Philippines is always one of the first countries to receive fresh releases from Samsung, I bet the company's local headquarters, partner retailers, and carriers are now busy preparing to bring it to the market.
From the looks of it, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 will arrive in the Philippines almost at the same time. And this means that a lot of Pinoy gadget lovers will again be at wits' end trying to decide which of the two flagship handsets they should spend their hard-earned money on. So I thought, "Why not make a comparison post to help users with their decision?"
Design Language
Needless to say, for a lot of consumers, the way a phone looks is a major consideration when making a purchase. Beauty is subjective so I can only describe how each handset looks and which materials went into its construction. Let me know which one you prefer via our poll below.
Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a design identity that's largely similar to its predecessor, the SGS4. Their front panels look identical with SGS5 having a larger display and footprint. Nonetheless, SGS5 has a few distinguishing physical characteristics including the "ridged" faux metal side frame and the perforated, dot matrix pattern on the soft-textured back cover creating a supposedly "modern and glamorous" look. Its new sleek, contoured shape comes in an array of vivid colors, including Electric Blue, Charcoal Black, Shimmery White, and Copper Gold, to complement the style of the individual consumer.
Also, SGS5 is IP67 Certified Dust and Water Proof (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes), which explains the flap covering its microUSB v3.0 port at the rear of the device.
Obviously, Sony Xperia Z2 looks almost identical to the smartphone it superseded - the SXZ1 - having the same ultra-gorgeous and very sleek glass-metal-glass sandwich Omnibalance design identity and Dust-and-Water-Proof construction. Compared to Samsung Galaxy S5, I would say SXZ2 looks and feels more luxurious in the hand as the Japanese company made use of more high-end materials (i.e., glass and aluminum) in crafting its shell. Also, I've always felt more at ease and comfortable placing recent high-end IPX5 and IPX8 Certified Sony handsets in water because of their "confidently air-tight" build versus that of water-resistant handsets by Samsung, mainly the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, which has more or less the same water-proofing technology as Samsung Galaxy S5.
But that's just my opinion as an owner of both Sony Xperia Z1 and SGS5's co-flagship Samsung Galaxy Note3. So let me ask you, which handset do you think is more visually arresting, Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z2? Kindly answer our poll.
IP Certification Explained!
Samsung Galaxy S5 is IP67 Certified, which means that "ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 meter of submersion for 30 minutes)."
Sony Xperia Z2 is IPX5 and IPX8 Certified meaning that it is "protected against water jets - Water projected at all angles through a 6.3mm nozzle at a flow rate of 12.5 liters/min at a pressure of 30kN/m2 for 3 minutes from a distance of 3 meters. It is also protected against water submersion - The equipment is suitable for continual submersion in water under conditions which are identified by the manufacturer."
Technical Specifications and Value-Added Features Comparison
Again, here in TechPinas, we always stick to facts and figures in our efforts to avoid making unfair or one-sided comparisons. And so, I've decided to create this meticulous side-by-side technical specifications comparison table between Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2. The data is very straight-forward so I hope you can check it out.
Clearly, it's a mixed bag when it comes to the technical specifications of these two flagship devices. There are some areas where Samsung Galaxy S5 edges out Sony Xperia Z2 but SXZ2 is also better than its main competitor in other departments.
Looking at the specs comparison table, Samsung Galaxy S5 is slimmer, thinner (albeit not by much), and lighter than Sony Xperia Z2. The former also has more sensors - specifically the fingerprint scanner and the heart rate monitor, has an additional Infrared connectivity option, features a more updated microUSB 3.0 port, and has bigger internal storage. But most importantly, SGS5 is powered by the slightly more powerful Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 SoC with faster CPU and GPU clock speeds. To be specific, you get 2.5 GHz for the Quad Core Krait 400 CPU and 578 MHz for the Adreno 330 GPU on MSM8974AC versus 2.3 GHz for the Quad Core Krait 400 CPU and 550 MHz for the Adreno 330 GPU on the MSM8974AB chipset running Sony Xperia Z2. Both SoCs, though, have the same LPDDR3-1866 memory controller.
On the other hand, Sony Xperia Z2 is superior to Samsung Galaxy S5 when it comes to display size, RAM, imaging capabilities, and battery size. Users will get a larger - if a bit - 5.2-inch Full HD IPS LCD, 3 GB of RAM for more efficient multitasking as opposed to just 2 GB on SGS5, 20.7 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash and incorporating the 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor, Sony’s award-winning G Lens, and intelligent BIONZ, and a larger, non-removable 3,200 mAh Li-Ion battery pack versus the removable 2,800 mAh Li-Ion pack on Samsung Galaxy S5.
Side Note: Although Sony Xperia Z2 has a more powerful imaging sensor, the SGS5 actually offers the world’s fastest autofocus speed up to 0.3 seconds. Also, Samsung Galaxy Galaxy S5 has a new Selective Focus feature allowing users to focus on a specific area of an object while simultaneously blurring out the background. With this capability, consumers no longer need a special lens kit to create a Bokeh or shallow depth of field (DOF) effect.
As for the value-added features, most of SGS5's much-talked about "additional capabilities" - highlighted by the fingerprint unlock support and S Health application package - are made possible by the additional Finger Scanner and Heart Rate Monitor sensors that come with the device. As for Sony Xperia Z2, most "extra features" - including WalkMan, PlayStation, xLoud, and X-Reality for Mobile - reinforce the legendary Japanese company's expertise and superiority when it comes to providing users with an excellent multimedia and gaming experience.
After carefully studying the table above and considering your needs as a smartphone user, I hope you can answer our poll below on which of these two handsets has more features that will be useful to you as a consumer.
So there you go, TP Friends. I hope you find this comparison post useful. Kindly share with me your thoughts and insights about Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 via our comments section below. Which of the two are you most likely to purchase this year? Which 2014 flagship is better?
On the other hand, during Samsung Galaxy S5's announcement at Mobile World Congress 2014 in Barcelona, the Korean Giant disclosed that the handset will be hitting store shelves across the globe come April 2014. And since the Philippines is always one of the first countries to receive fresh releases from Samsung, I bet the company's local headquarters, partner retailers, and carriers are now busy preparing to bring it to the market.
From the looks of it, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 will arrive in the Philippines almost at the same time. And this means that a lot of Pinoy gadget lovers will again be at wits' end trying to decide which of the two flagship handsets they should spend their hard-earned money on. So I thought, "Why not make a comparison post to help users with their decision?"
Design Language
Needless to say, for a lot of consumers, the way a phone looks is a major consideration when making a purchase. Beauty is subjective so I can only describe how each handset looks and which materials went into its construction. Let me know which one you prefer via our poll below.
Samsung Galaxy S5 comes with a design identity that's largely similar to its predecessor, the SGS4. Their front panels look identical with SGS5 having a larger display and footprint. Nonetheless, SGS5 has a few distinguishing physical characteristics including the "ridged" faux metal side frame and the perforated, dot matrix pattern on the soft-textured back cover creating a supposedly "modern and glamorous" look. Its new sleek, contoured shape comes in an array of vivid colors, including Electric Blue, Charcoal Black, Shimmery White, and Copper Gold, to complement the style of the individual consumer.
Also, SGS5 is IP67 Certified Dust and Water Proof (up to 1 meter for 30 minutes), which explains the flap covering its microUSB v3.0 port at the rear of the device.
Obviously, Sony Xperia Z2 looks almost identical to the smartphone it superseded - the SXZ1 - having the same ultra-gorgeous and very sleek glass-metal-glass sandwich Omnibalance design identity and Dust-and-Water-Proof construction. Compared to Samsung Galaxy S5, I would say SXZ2 looks and feels more luxurious in the hand as the Japanese company made use of more high-end materials (i.e., glass and aluminum) in crafting its shell. Also, I've always felt more at ease and comfortable placing recent high-end IPX5 and IPX8 Certified Sony handsets in water because of their "confidently air-tight" build versus that of water-resistant handsets by Samsung, mainly the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active, which has more or less the same water-proofing technology as Samsung Galaxy S5.
But that's just my opinion as an owner of both Sony Xperia Z1 and SGS5's co-flagship Samsung Galaxy Note3. So let me ask you, which handset do you think is more visually arresting, Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z2? Kindly answer our poll.
IP Certification Explained!
Samsung Galaxy S5 is IP67 Certified, which means that "ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 meter of submersion for 30 minutes)."
Sony Xperia Z2 is IPX5 and IPX8 Certified meaning that it is "protected against water jets - Water projected at all angles through a 6.3mm nozzle at a flow rate of 12.5 liters/min at a pressure of 30kN/m2 for 3 minutes from a distance of 3 meters. It is also protected against water submersion - The equipment is suitable for continual submersion in water under conditions which are identified by the manufacturer."
Technical Specifications and Value-Added Features Comparison
Again, here in TechPinas, we always stick to facts and figures in our efforts to avoid making unfair or one-sided comparisons. And so, I've decided to create this meticulous side-by-side technical specifications comparison table between Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2. The data is very straight-forward so I hope you can check it out.
| Name | Samsung Galaxy S5 | Sony Xperia Z2 |
| Type | Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen) | Slate Form Factor (Full Touchscreen) |
| Price Category | High End (Flagship Level) | High-End (Flagship Level) |
| Dimensions | 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm | 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm |
| Weight | 145 grams | 163 grams |
| Available Colors | Electric Blue, Charcoal Black, Shimmery White, and Copper Gold | Purple, White, Black |
| Operating System upon launch | Android OS 4.4.2 KitKat skinned by TouchWiz | Android 4.4.2 KitKat skinned by Sony Xperia UI |
| Display | 5.1 inches (~432 ppi pixel density), 1080 x 1920 pixels, Full HD Super AMOLED, Gorilla Glass 3, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors | 5.2 inches (~424 ppi pixel density), 1080 x 1920 pixels, Triluminos, IPS LCD, capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors, X-Reality for mobile, Shatter-proof and scratch-resistant glass |
| Processor | Quad Core 2.5 GHz Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 SoC | Quad Core 2.3 GHz Krait 400 CPU, Adreno 330 GPU, Qualcomm MSM8974AB Snapdragon 801 chipset |
| RAM | 2 GB RAM | 3 GB RAM |
| Internal Storage | 32, 64 GB options, expandable via microSD, supports up to 128 GB | 16 GB, expandable via microSD, supports up to 64 GB |
| Camera | 16 MegaPixels, 5312 x 2988 pixels, Autofocus, LED flash, Features: World's Fastest Autofocus Speed of just 0.3 seconds, Dual Shot, Simultaneous HD Video and Image Recording, Geo-tagging, Touch Focus, Face and Smile Detection, Image Stabilization, HDR (Rich Tone), Selective Focus, Virtual Tour Shot, Shot&More, Front: 2 MegaPixels | 20.7 MegaPixels, autofocus, LED flash, BSI Sensor, 1/2.3'' sensor size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, image stabilization, HDR, panorama, Front: 2.2 MegaPixels, BSI Sensor |
| Video Capture | 4K UHD 2160p 30 frames per second (non-LTE model), Full HD 1080p 60 frames per second, video stabilization, dual video recording, Front: Full HD 1080p 30 frames per second | 4K UHD 2160p 30 frames per second, 1080p @ 60fps, 720p @ 120fps frames per second for main camera, video stabilization, Full HD 1080p for front camera |
| Audio and Video Playback | MP4/DivX/Xvid/FLV/MKV/H.264/ H.263/MP3/WAV/eAAC+/Flac | MP4/H.263/H.264/WMV/MP3 /eAAC+/WMA/WAV/Flac player |
| Ports | microUSB v3.0, TV-out (via MHL A/V link), 3.5 mm audio jack | microUSB v2.0, TV-out (via MHL A/V link), 3.5mm Audio Jack |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, Infrared, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 100 Mbps; HSUPA, 50 Mbps, HSPA+; LTE (for the Quad Core variant): Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL, NFC | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Wi-Fi hotspot, Bluetooth v4.0 with A2DP, Infrared, EDR, 3G HSDPA, 100 Mbps; HSUPA, 50 Mbps, HSPA+; LTE: Cat3, 50 Mbps UL, 100 Mbps DL, NFC |
| GPS | Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS | Yes, with GLONASS and A-GPS |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Gyroscope, Barometer, Proximity, Finger Scanner, Heart Rate Monitor | Accelerometer, Digital Compass, Gyroscope, Proximity |
| Network | 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G Network LTE | 2G Network GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900, 3G Network HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100, 4G Network LTE |
| SIM Card Type | microSIM | microSIM |
| Battery | Removable 2,800 mAh Li-Ion battery | Non-Removable 3,200 mAh Li-Ion battery |
| Uptime | Standby Time of 390 hours and Talk Time of 21 hours | Up to 740 Hours of Standby, 120 hours of Music Play, 19 Hours of Talk Time |
| Value-Added Features | IP 67 Certified Dust and Water Proof up to 1 meter and 30 minutes, Fingerprint Scanner, Heart Rate Monitor, Floating Touch, Eye-tracking features, Latest Version of TouchWiz, Group Play, Story Album, S Translator, Optical Reader, Samsung Smart Scroll, Samsung Smart Pause, Air Gesture, Air View, Samsung Hub, ChatON (Voice/Video Call, Share screen, 3-way calling), Samsung WatchON, S Travel (Trip Advisor), S Voice Drive, S Health, Samsung Adapt Display, Samsung Adapt Sound, Auto adjust touch sensitivity (Glove friendly), Safety Assistance, Samsung Link, Screen Mirroring, Samsung KNOX (B2B only) | Glass-Metal-Glass Sandwich Omnibalance Design, Shatter Proof and Scratch-Resistant glass touchscreen, IPX5 and IPX8 Certified Dust and Water Proof, Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 2, OptiContrast, Direct Touch Display, xLoud, Exmor RS, PlayMemories Online, Walkman, PlayStation Mobile, OmniBalance Design, One-touch Sharing, One-touch Mirroring, One-touch Listening, One-touch Back-up, Smart Connect, MirrorLink for Safe Driving, SmartTags, HD Voice, Battery STAMINA mode |
| Announcement | Worldwide: February 24, 2014 at MWC 2014 Barcelona | Worldwide: February 24, 2014 at MWC 2014 Barcelona |
| Availability | TP Guesstimate: Philippines - April 2014 | Official: Philippines - April 2014 |
| Price | Philippines: TP Guesstimate, Php 33,000 to Php 34,000 | Official: Php 33,990 |
Clearly, it's a mixed bag when it comes to the technical specifications of these two flagship devices. There are some areas where Samsung Galaxy S5 edges out Sony Xperia Z2 but SXZ2 is also better than its main competitor in other departments.
Looking at the specs comparison table, Samsung Galaxy S5 is slimmer, thinner (albeit not by much), and lighter than Sony Xperia Z2. The former also has more sensors - specifically the fingerprint scanner and the heart rate monitor, has an additional Infrared connectivity option, features a more updated microUSB 3.0 port, and has bigger internal storage. But most importantly, SGS5 is powered by the slightly more powerful Qualcomm MSM8974AC Snapdragon 801 SoC with faster CPU and GPU clock speeds. To be specific, you get 2.5 GHz for the Quad Core Krait 400 CPU and 578 MHz for the Adreno 330 GPU on MSM8974AC versus 2.3 GHz for the Quad Core Krait 400 CPU and 550 MHz for the Adreno 330 GPU on the MSM8974AB chipset running Sony Xperia Z2. Both SoCs, though, have the same LPDDR3-1866 memory controller.
On the other hand, Sony Xperia Z2 is superior to Samsung Galaxy S5 when it comes to display size, RAM, imaging capabilities, and battery size. Users will get a larger - if a bit - 5.2-inch Full HD IPS LCD, 3 GB of RAM for more efficient multitasking as opposed to just 2 GB on SGS5, 20.7 MegaPixel autofocus camera with LED flash and incorporating the 1/2.3-type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor, Sony’s award-winning G Lens, and intelligent BIONZ, and a larger, non-removable 3,200 mAh Li-Ion battery pack versus the removable 2,800 mAh Li-Ion pack on Samsung Galaxy S5.
Side Note: Although Sony Xperia Z2 has a more powerful imaging sensor, the SGS5 actually offers the world’s fastest autofocus speed up to 0.3 seconds. Also, Samsung Galaxy Galaxy S5 has a new Selective Focus feature allowing users to focus on a specific area of an object while simultaneously blurring out the background. With this capability, consumers no longer need a special lens kit to create a Bokeh or shallow depth of field (DOF) effect.
As for the value-added features, most of SGS5's much-talked about "additional capabilities" - highlighted by the fingerprint unlock support and S Health application package - are made possible by the additional Finger Scanner and Heart Rate Monitor sensors that come with the device. As for Sony Xperia Z2, most "extra features" - including WalkMan, PlayStation, xLoud, and X-Reality for Mobile - reinforce the legendary Japanese company's expertise and superiority when it comes to providing users with an excellent multimedia and gaming experience.
After carefully studying the table above and considering your needs as a smartphone user, I hope you can answer our poll below on which of these two handsets has more features that will be useful to you as a consumer.
So there you go, TP Friends. I hope you find this comparison post useful. Kindly share with me your thoughts and insights about Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 via our comments section below. Which of the two are you most likely to purchase this year? Which 2014 flagship is better?
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