Sony just announced their newest XZ flagship at IFA 208 dubbed the Xperia XZ3. With the Snapdragon 845 high-end market filling up real quick this year, we compare Sony’s latest frontrunner to the recently released Samsung Galaxy Note 9. Is the XZ3 something to look forward to? Let’s find out in this specs comparison!
| Specs | Sony Xperia XZ3 | Samsung Galaxy Note9 |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.0-inch 18:9 QHD+ HDR OLED display @ 2880 x 1440 px, Corning Gorilla Glass 5 | 6.34-inch Super AMOLED WQHD+ (2960 x 1440), 514ppi |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (8 x 2.8GHz Kryo 385 CPU) | Exynos 9810 octa-core (4x2.7 GHz Mongoose M3 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55) CPU |
| GPU | Adreno 630 GPU | Mali-G72 MP18 |
| RAM | 4GB | 6GB/8GB |
| Storage | 64GB UFS | 128GB/512GB internal storage |
| Expandable Storage | expandable via microSD up to 512GB | expandable via microSD up to 512GB (uses SIM2 slot) |
| Rear Camera | 19MP f/2.0 1.22um 25mm Exmor AI Motion Eye rear camera with LED Flash | 12MP f/1.5-f/2.4 dual pixel, OIS, 2x optical zoom, telephoto 12MP f/2.4 dual pixel, OIS, wide-angle Dual-tone, dual-LED flash |
| Front Camera | 13MP 23mm wide-angle front camera | 8MP f/1.7 front-facing camera |
| Connectivity | LTE Cat18, up to 1.2 Gbps download speed | 4G LTE Cat. 18 6CA 1.2Gbps 256QAM 4x4 MIMO |
| SIM | Single SIM, Dual SIM variants | Dual SIM (nano, hybrid) |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi | WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX |
| NFC | With | With |
| GPS | A-GNSS (GPS+GLONASS) | GPS with aGPS, GLONASS, BeiDou |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1 | USB Type-C |
| Sensors | - Fingerprint scanner - Side Sense | -Fingerprint Scanner -Iris Scanner -Heart-Rate Sensor -Face Recognition Scanner |
| Features | - IP65/IP68 dust and water resistance - Hi-res audio: DSEE HX, LDAC, ClearAudio+ - Stereo speakers with S-Force Front Surround | -Bixby Vision 2.0 -Heatpipe cooling -IP68 dust and water-resistance -S-Pen with Bluetooth remote control capabilities |
| OS | Android 9 Pie | Samsung Experience v9.5 (Android 8.1 Oreo) |
| Battery | 3,330mAh battery with Quick Charge, Qnovo adaptive charging, wireless charging | 4,000mAh battery w/ Fast Charge, Wireless Charging |
Summary of advantages
Xperia XZ3
- Higher front camera resolution
- Android 9 Pie out of the box
- Qnovo Adaptive Charging
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
- Slightly larger display
- Higher RAM options
- Bigger storage options
- Dual rear cameras
- Heatpipe cooling
- Larger battery capacity
There isn’t much of a major difference between the two flagships as seen above. Although let’s take a closer look at their advantages. Starting with the display. Both phones feature OLED panels with QHD+ resolutions, though the Note 9 has a slightly taller aspect ratio and size. This makes it the better choice for those who want more real estate when watching videos or even just in normal operations.
The XZ3 though will have denser pixels thanks to the smaller display and aspect ratio. Albeit only slightly and it won’t really be that noticeable in real-world instances.
Performance is a mixed bag. In terms of overall CPU raw power, the 845 on the XZ3 wins by a slightly wide margin. GPU-wise is a close battle as both the Adreno 630 and Mali-G72 have almost the same overall performance. Either way, both phones are more than enough for intensive tasks and gaming. So, it’s a win-win situation.
RAM and storage-wise the clear winner is the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with 6 or 8GB RAM options and 128 or 512GB storage options.
On paper, the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 has more features on the rear camera side thanks to its dual setup. However, Sony still has a reputable 19MP shooter and a higher front camera resolution. Again, camera performance isn’t always about pixels and number of shooters. Sadly, we’ve yet to have an idea of the XZ3’s shooting capabilities as we haven’t tested it yet. As for the Note 9, you can see our sample shots here.
The battery is another on-the-paper battle for now since we’ve yet to test the XZ3’s longevity. Although, theoretically, the Note 9 will last longer thanks to it’s larger 4,000mAh compared to the 3,330mAh of the Sony flagship. Yet, in terms of charging gimmick, Sony takes the bag with support for Qnovo adaptive charging.
Feature-wise is yet another hot battle. The Note 9 flaunts its upgraded S-Pen, heat pipe cooling, Bixby 2.0, and highly regarded facial recognition sensors. The XZ3, on the other hand, fronts its Hi-res Audio, Stereo speakers with S-Force front surround sound, and Side Sense gesture system. These are different gimmicks which may or may not make or break your choice.
Lastly, on the software side, the newly announced XZ3 will come with Android 9.0 Pie out of the box while the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 is still running Android 8.1 Oreo. Although being a fresh flagship, it’ll only be a matter of time before Samsung updates the Note’s OS.
It really is a very tight battle indeed. On one hand, you have a refined 2018 flagship with more RAM, Storage, and battery while on the other you have a new fresh flagship with a ton of exciting new features.
The Galaxy Note 9 is priced at Php55,990 for the 6GB RAM + 128GB storage model, and Php75,990 for the 8GB RAM + 512GB storage while the Sony Xperia XZ3 is priced at $900 (¬Php 48,204).
Where’s your money at in this specs comparison? Is it with the Sony Xperia XZ3 or Samsung Galaxy Note 9? Let us know in the comments section below.
I’d also prefer Note 9, sorry Sony Xperia xz3?
Why no mention of the AKG stereo speakers of Note9? You only mention the one in Sony? My goodness
I’d go for the Note 9. No ifs and buts.