SPLICED Magazine Issue 04 April/May 2014 | Page 13

SPLICED TECH / REVIEW / SONY XPERIA Z1 COMPACT VS. SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 MINI ISSUE 04 TECH SPECS Did you know that the Sony Xperia range has it’s own online store? You can buy both the mobile and tablet devices as well as accessories there. Find out more here xperiastore.co.za Sony Xperia Z1 Compact XPERIA Z1 COMPACT • 137 g • 4.3 inches • 720 x 1280 resolution • 342 ppi • 20.7 MP rear facing camera • 2 MP front facing camera • 1080p HD video recording • Quad Core, 2200 MHz Krait 400 • 2048 MB RAM • 16GB Built in storage 9 SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 MINI • 107 g • 4.3 inches • 540 x 960 resolution • 256 ppi • 8 MP rear facing camera • 1.9 MP front facing camera • 1080p HD video recording • Dual Core, 1700 MHz Krait 300 • 1536 MB RAM • 8GB Built in storage The Xperia Z1 Compact wins hands down when it comes to battery life. It’s one thing reading about the 2300 mAh battery on paper, but it’s completely different experiencing it firsthand. Although it’s in my nature to charge a phone every night, if the Xperia is on 60% at the end of the day you’ve used it a lot. Contrast is slightly higher on the Samsung but low light photos are understandably better on the Xperia Z1 Compact, as is the zoom functionality. Although the Xperia Z1 Compact is more expensive than the Mini, it’s completely worth it for the added value you’ll get in the long run.  VERDICT Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini 7.5 While it’s unlikely you’ll be disappointed by either phone, the Xperia Z1 Compact has taken the lead in this battle of the “compact” smartphones. Samsung are going to have to do some serious work with the S5 Mini in order to catch up. 13