Now that the Samsung Galaxy S5 has been revealed fans cannot wait to get their hands on the handset. However there is another handset that looks set to take on the S5 and this is the Sony Xperia Z2. So which of these two handsets will come out on top?
While both handsets are very similar to each other there are some differences, with some of these being small and others not so small. Bear in mind that you will perhaps be stuck with the handset for two years once you get it on contract, so it can pay to choose wisely.
The Sony Xperia Z2 has the iconic power button on the side as always and this does feel like a device that is top quality even though the look is somewhat industrial. Every port is covered to make sure the handset is waterproof and it does feel strong.
The Xperia Z2 offers two front facing speakers, something which Sony didn’t make a big deal out of when they launched the device.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 has been criticised for its design, which hasn’t changed all that much from other Samsung handsets. It does happen to feel more solid that other S devices have and the back of the handset has dimples, which does make it easy to hold.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is also waterproof along with dust proof, however the only cover on it is at the bottom, and this hides the microSD and microSIM slots. This means that it offers less protection against water than the Sony handset as it is IP67 rating in comparison to IP58 of the Sony Xperia Z2.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is the smaller of the two handsets by just a bit as it comes in at 142 x 72.5 x 8.1 mm compared to the Sony Xperia Z2 which is 146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm. the Sony Xperia Z2 weighs 163grams and the Samsung Galaxy S5 is 145 grams.
There is not a lot of difference between the displays of the two devices as the Samsung Galaxy S5 has a full HD display of 5.1 inches and the Sony Xperia Z2 comes in at 5.2 inches with the same resolution of 1920 x 1080p.
Samsung have once again gone for the Super AMOLED display and the display is one of the best that they have ever produced. It does look brighter and sharper than on the predecessor.
For ppi the Samsung Galaxy S5 comes out ahead as this is 432ppi while on the Sony Xperia Z2 this is 424ppi. However you cannot see much difference between the two.
Sony offer Live Colour LED which alters the output of the LED so that they produce a wider gamut of colour. The Sony Xperia Z2 will be perfect for watching movies on.
The two handsets run on the Android 4.4.2 OS and both are close to stock Android in a couple of areas, but the devices are also heavily skinned. Sony the least but this isn’t by a great deal. The notification bar is better than before, allowing the owner to change such as the location in a better way. Samsung have done things better as they make it easier to change settings along with interact with the device with just a single swipe.
Sony has the simplified UI while Samsung went for the more you can do, the more you will love the handset approach.
There isn’t such a great deal to choose from with the processor on both devices. Both have the Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 with the Adreno 330 processor, this offers fast speed, superb battery life and strong pixels power.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is clocked at 2.5GHz and the Sony Xperia Z2 is 2.3GHz. The Samsung Galaxy S5 offers 2GB of RAM while the Sony Xperia Z2 has 3GB.
The Sony Xperia Z2 comes with the 3200mAh battery and the Samsung Galaxy S5 offers the 2800mAh battery. Both of the handsets have pushed tech to the limit so you can get the most from the battery.
Sony offers the Stamina mode so that when the display is turned off data along with other connections are closed down. However you can white list apps to get info, such as email.
Samsung offers much the same with their handset and they say you can get 24 hours use from the device when it has just 10% battery left. The display turns to black and white and only six apps are on the home screen, including Gmail and internet browser.
Sony is known for offering one of the best cameras around, but Samsung have made strides in this area too.
Samsung have bragged about the fact that the owner can take a photo with autofocus in just a fraction of a second with the 16MP camera. Users can also take a photo and then blur the background with selective focus mode.
The autofocus offers clear photos and it shows that Samsung are heading in the right direction.
However Sony has done better with upgrades for the camera and the Xperia Z2 offers a camera of 20.7MP with G Lens and Bionz image processing along with Exmor RS technology.
It offers the de-focus option for the background and it works great. However it is let down somewhat when it comes to low light.
Both of the handsets can take video at 4k and Sony have highlighted the fact that you can zoom into footage while at the same time having the full HD sharpness.
The Samsung Galaxy S5 is packed with new features; these include health apps to go with the heart rate sensor which is located beneath the camera. The S Health app can track your activity and provide the owner with information about their eating habits.
Samsung have also included a fingerprint scanner, this needs a swipe and press to enable it and you can use it for PayPal.
Sony has focused on designing a phone with a body that is well polished along with offering 4k video recording and waterproofing. It runs MHL 3.0, which support 4k video and 7.1 surround sound.
Both handsets come in with a similar price tag for the SIM free version, which is at the top of the spectrum of course. This can be expected of course as they are both flagship devices.
Which is the best for you will be down to personal choice as they are both packed with features.
