So far this year has gifted us with some enormous high-tech Smartphone devices and two of the top competitors are the Sony Xperia Z and the HTC One. The Xperia Z is Sony’s best Smartphone yet, and it’s one of the first major flagship devices of 2013 in the market. HTC has been the prey of financial kicking in recent times, but the Taiwanese company is no stranger to manufacturing brilliant handsets and bounce back from tough times. Both HTC and Sony have masterfully invented their two flagships offering more than just amazing line hardware. Each Smartphone represent exquisite design from all sides of the spectrum.
HTC One v Xperia Z
Here are some pointers which will point you towards the right direction in this Smartphone battle.
Build & Design
Even though the inner specifications are important when choosing a Smartphone, the exterior design is the main attraction for people in the end. No matter how technologically sound a device is on the inside, I doubt it stands a chance if it has ugly bodywork. Both the HTC One and Sony Xperia Z are attractive pieces of consumer electronics.
In the design category, Sony has a major advantage, simply because it is waterproof. But that does not mean HTC One is not a good looking device, especially the silver version. Xperia Z is two millimeters slimmer while also being two millimeters wider and two millimeters taller. And let’s not forget that Xperia Z has a diagonal length of 5-inch when HTC One has only a 4.7-inch diagonally. HTC may be crafted out of aluminum, but Sony has even slicker stuff on its front and back: glass.
Display & User Interface
Both the Xperia Z and HTC One support 1080p screens. In Sony’s case, it’s the “Full HD Reality” display and in HTC’s, it’s a SuperLCD3. In both cases the screens are crisp and sharp. Xperia boasts 440 pixels per inch, the HTC One 468. Both are about equal in brightness. But HTC overtakes its rival in viewing angles — the Xperia Z suffers from washing out colors when viewed from off-center. Bottom line is that the HTC One packs a smaller, but better-looking display.
When it comes to the user interface, the convincing winner is the HTC One. BlinkFeed, a type of Flipboard built in the home screen that is refreshed in real time, looks amazing and is both innovative and easily configurable. If someone does not like the look of it, it can be easily removed and many other advanced Sense UI options can be used. Sony’s UI modifications are insignificant, lack ideas and do not offer anything that we cannot find in third-party UIs.
Camera
HTC One has a 4-megapixel Ultra pixel camera with large pixels on the sensor to allow more light to enter. Sony went on a more traditional path with its 13-megapixel image sensor. The Xperia Z’s larger megapixel ratio means there’s potential for more detailed images in ideal conditions, but the HTC One offers better low-light performance, faster capture speeds. Colors on the HTC One had a tendency to appear washed-out and dull compared to the Xperia Z.
On the video side of the camera, we should note that both phones support 1080p HD and HDR video. The Xperia Z handles HDR video a little more competently than the HTC One. The list of differences goes on and on. Overall, they’re both very different approaches to photography on a phone, and it’s really difficult to say which one is a winner.
Battery Life
Neither the HTC One nor the Xperia Z offers a removable battery; this feature is quickly becoming a Samsung exclusive. In any case, the difference between the performance of the Xperia’s 2330mAh battery and the HTC One’s 2300mAh battery aren’t massive. Both sustains through a day of fairly intensive use without having any difficulties what so ever.
Verdict
When all is said and done, the choice ultimately comes down to each user’s specific needs. Those who find a modern user interface to be the most important criteria while selecting a Smartphone will see HTC One as the clear choice. Fans of great design and supreme multimedia options will find that no other model can hold a candle to Sony’s Xperia Z. Both devices have their pros and cons, some arguments having possibly a much heavier weight than others. It comes down to pure taste and brand loyalty, perhaps.
Author Bio: Umair Maqsood is an Online Marketing Manager at Apptellect, a mobile app development company. He loves writing about Internet Marketing, Technology and iPhone app development.
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