Comparing the Xperia Z1 with the Note 3

[soulreaver99]

I have both and love both.

Xperia Z1 - I think this phone is really under-rated. Very premium build and beautiful phone. Wish it got more attention out here in the US.

• Excellent build quality - it makes the HTC One and iPhone 5s look cheap
• Takes really good photos. I don't know what the critics are complaining about. They suck at taking photos
• Screen is kind of dark out of the box, just increase the brightness and it looks fantastic
• Screen looks washed out at a different angle. It's not a big a deal as some people make it. Rare situations you are going to use the phone crooked!
• Fast performance thanks to the Snapdragon 800 - no lag
• 3000mah battery life with good power management. It can go all day and then some
• As close to stock Android as it gets - Sony doesn't butcher the OS like Samsung does
• Still on Android 4.2.2, but KitKat should be coming within a month
• Magnetic charging is really cool. Think MagSafe
• Water resistant! If your phone gets dirty, just wash it in the sink!

Galaxy Note 3 - "Infinite" storage, replaceable battery and fast USB charging. this phone is a monster and a great travel companion or a great tool for the road warrior.

• Gorgeous screen, really bright and easy to read on
• It's not heavy and is lighter than the Z1
• The weight is distributed very well so it feels light
• S-Pen is very well executed
• Excellent performance thanks to Snapdragon 800 AND 3GB RAM
• Apps2SD works really well. Feels like you have infinite storage and never have to worry about space on top of the 32GB Internal Memory!
• Camera could be better. Not as good as the S4 but it still takes good photos
• TouchWiz isn't THAT bad but can be a dealbreaker. Just install Nova Launcher
• Thin design - have no problem fitting this in my pocket. I wear men's pant size 33W, 30L
• Combined with the iPad Air, i can get anything done ANYWHERE. Who cares about the Retina iPad Mini?
• Rapid USB 3.0 charging, backwards compatible with micro USB
• Replaceable battery is always a plus

 

[Tsuchiya]

I have both and love both.

Xperia Z1 - I think this phone is really under-rated. Very premium build and beautiful phone. Wish it got more attention out here in the US.

• Excellent build quality - it makes the HTC One and iPhone 5s look cheap
• Takes really good photos. I don't know what the critics are complaining about. They suck at taking photos
• Screen is kind of dark out of the box, just increase the brightness and it looks fantastic
• Screen looks washed out at a different angle. It's not a big a deal as some people make it. Rare situations you are going to use the phone crooked!
• Fast performance thanks to the Snapdragon 800 - no lag
• 3000mah battery life with good power management. It can go all day and then some
• As close to stock Android as it gets - Sony doesn't butcher the OS like Samsung does
• Still on Android 4.2.2, but KitKat should be coming within a month
• Magnetic charging is really cool. Think MagSafe
• Water resistant! If your phone gets dirty, just wash it in the sink!

Galaxy Note 3 - "Infinite" storage, replaceable battery and fast USB charging. this phone is a monster and a great travel companion or a great tool for the road warrior.

• Gorgeous screen, really bright and easy to read on
• It's not heavy and is lighter than the Z1
• The weight is distributed very well so it feels light
• S-Pen is very well executed
• Excellent performance thanks to Snapdragon 800 AND 3GB RAM
• Apps2SD works really well. Feels like you have infinite storage and never have to worry about space on top of the 32GB Internal Memory!
• Camera could be better. Not as good as the S4 but it still takes good photos
• TouchWiz isn't THAT bad but can be a dealbreaker. Just install Nova Launcher
• Thin design - have no problem fitting this in my pocket. I wear men's pant size 33W, 30L
• Combined with the iPad Air, i can get anything done ANYWHERE. Who cares about the Retina iPad Mini?
• Rapid USB 3.0 charging, backwards compatible with micro USB
• Replaceable battery is always a plus

The Z1 deserves more of an audience, it just ticks so many boxes. It's not perfect but it's pretty damn close. At the very least, it gives the Note 3 a run for its money at the top of the heap.

If I wasn't so disillusioned with the major networks I would have been happy to choose that despite it's size. Unlocked though, Sony were asking a fair bit at launch. :/

 

[JaySoul]

Yeah if the price of the Sony Z1 was more affordable, I would have tried it for sure.

I'd love to have seen the Nexus 5 made by Sony. Google on the Z1 at a great price would have been interesting!