VOTE: Sony Xperia Z1 vs LG G2

Who will win this battle of the most powerful smartphone? If you have the money which phone will you buy? Take our poll once you read through the hottest features of these flagship phones from Sony and LG.

While features and value for money are important, no one denies that overwhelming power and the latest technology fuels the demand for premium smartphones. Even devices like the Samsung Galaxy S4 that emphasise a range of features aimed at aiding you in your daily routine -- like S Translate and LifeCare -- have overwhelming CPUs under the hood. It’s easy to dismiss the demand for power but if the continued success of Apple’s iPhone, especially with the new iPhone 5S bringing about a 64-bit architecture, proves anything it’s that power is of paramount importance.

We thus decided to take a look at two of the most powerful smartphones currently available in the Indian market, namely the Sony Xperia Z1 and the LG G2.

While the former represents Sony’s continued push for dominance in the smartphone space, the latter is LG’s evolution of a formula that helped mould the successful Nexus 4 (with the G2 rumoured to be the blueprint for the Nexus 5).

Which one wins out over the other though? Find out within.

Read about their features on the next slide and register your votes on the last page of the slideshow.

Design

The Sony Xperia Z1, like other devices in the Z range, boasts of a dust-resistant and waterproof shell. It improves over the Xperia Z Ultra by allowing for deeper and longer submersions in water thanks to IP55 and IP58 certified protection.

This also helps keep the Z1 shatter-proof. The device itself is sleek enough otherwise with the same catchy looks and premium aluminium construction. It weighs 170 grams and measures 0.335 inches thick.

Read about more features on the next slide and register your votes on the last page of the slideshow.

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The LG G2 on the other hand tries to do something different with its design. The volume rockers and power button are on the back of the device, right below the camera. This means you’ll need to effectively relearn how to hold and handle your phone. However, you now only need to double-tap to unlock your phone and it’s hard to go back to pressing the power button for unlocking a device after that.

Other features such as the on-screen capacitative buttons and curvaceous design are typical of the LG design philosophy and work well. The construction is strong, with a plastic body that nonetheless feels comfortable to hold (aside from the patterned back panel which attracts far too many fingerprints for our liking).

The G2 weighs 143 grams and measures 0.35 inches thick, coming in at a little thicker than the Xperia Z but comparatively lighter. It is most assuredly NOT dust or water-proof however, though Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is present across the display.

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Specs

This is where it becomes a little trickier to judge both devices as they have nearly identical chipsets. However, their display and camera technology is different enough.

The Xperia Z1 and G2 both feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core CPU, with the former being clocked at 2.2 GHz and the latter at 2.26 GHz.

They both feature an Adreno 330 GPU along with 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal storage. However, the Xperia Z1 has the advantage with its microSD slot which allows for up to 64 GB more space. The G2 lacks any such slot, meaning you’ll have to make do with the storage on hand.

In terms of display technology, the Xperia Z1 boasts TRILUMINOS Display with X-Reality, powered by Sony’s BRAVIA technology. It measures 5 inches and has a 1920x1080 resolution. The LG G2 has a slightly bigger 5.2-inch display with a 1920x1080 resolution cover with an IPS panel. 

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For optics, the Xperia Z1 has a 20.7 megapixel lens with an Exmor RS Sony Image Sensor. This allows for full HD video recording, 8X digital zoom and HDR which adds an extra oomph to images and video. However, optical image stabilisation is decidedly absent which makes for less than smooth video.

Sony’s claim to fame with its mobile cameras is Superior Auto, which allows the camera to analyse the surroundings and decide on the best settings for a shot, thus making it easier for casual photographers.

The LG G2 uses a 13 megapixel lens with support for full HD recording, 8X digital zoom and 9 point autofocus. It features optical image stabilisation and Audio Zoom, which allows you to focus on a particular portion of a shot by way of the audio it is emitting.

Honestly speaking, both devices pale in comparison to the Nokia Lumia 1020’s 41 megapixel sensor but they function competently enough.

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Battery Life

The Xperia Z1has a 3050 mAh battery, while the G2 uses a 3000 mAh cell. The difference lies in how both devices go about saving on energy life. While the Xperia Z1 can take advantage of STAMINA mode and disabling the X-Reality technology for saving on battery life, the G2 uses Graphic RAM or GRAM which disables the connection between the CPU and GPU when the screen is static.

This means less power is consumed since both portions aren’t continuously interacting and working with each other. 

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Both devices boast excellent battery life, and even if you use them heavily, you’ll be able to get a good day of usage out of each device before they even show signs of dying. If we’re going to nit-pick however, it’s the G2’s GRAM technology that allows it go the distance for a bit longer, beating out the Xperia Z1 by a few hours.

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Features

The LG G2 uses Android 4.2.2 Jellybean. While LG has always been a fan of light customisation, it is still insistent on introducing its fair share of new features with each new generation. The G2’s more useful features include Audio Zoom, with a new Slide Aside function that allows for three apps to run at once.

You can essentially swipe them aside using three fingers where they stay until you access them. Is it more practical than going to the Home Screen and accessing apps from there? Not by much, but its there for those who need. The usual Q Slide and Dual Camera, which allows for dual recording, are also present.

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The Xperia Z1 uses Android 4.2 Jellybean and does things a little differently. You won’t find much aside from the STAMINA mode and the absence of TimeScape on the Z1. However, Sony has bundled a ton of free media streaming through Sony Music, Sony Pictures and BIGFlix. Though other devices offer some of the services like BIGFlix, Sony is giving away a free 3 month subscription.  Suffice to say that its Music and WALKMAN Apps draw on significantly larger libraries than most other interfaces.

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Verdict

Both devices are extremely powerful with nary a price difference.

The Sony Xperia Z1 retails for Rs. 42,999 while the LG G2 retails for Rs. 40490.

While both devices offer a lot, we’ll have to give the nod to the LG G2 for its overall performance, battery life and display. If you’re a big fan of media streaming and insist on taking photos underwater -- or you just want a sleek and sexy design -- the Xperia Z1 functions great. But our money is on the G2.