iPhone SE vs. Sony Xperia Z5 Compact: What’s the Best Smartphone?

iphone se vs sony xperia z5 compact

How does the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact measure up to the iPhone SE? (Getty)

iPhone just came out with a new 4-inch phone, the iPhone SE. This powerful phone packed in a small body is going to give other compact phones on the market a run for their money. But how does the small phone’s specs compare to what’s already on the market, the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact?

Here’s what you need to know.

The SE is smaller: The iPhone SE is a little smaller, measuring 4-inches diagonally while the Z5 is 4.6 inches. The Z5 only weighs 4.86 ounces and is .35 inches in depth. The SE weighs less, at 3.99 ounces, and a slightly smaller depth of .30 inch.

The Z5 May Have a Better Camera: The Z5 boasts an impressive 23 MP camera. The SE, in contrast, has a 12 MP camera. But the SE’s camera comes with a Live Shot feature. Both can do 4K recording. The Z5 also have a front-facing 5 MP camera for selfies, while the SE appears to have a smaller 1.2 MP FaceTime camera. Interestingly, despite the specs, CNET said that the iPhone 6s camera (upon which the SE camera is based) was “one of the best cameras found on a phone,” even compared with the Z5.

Both Are Water-Resistant: Both phones are water-resistant, not waterproof. The Sony Xperia line is sealed with adhesives, The Verge explained. Apple, meanwhile, has made its newest phones’ logic board waterproof by encasing it in a spongy black material. The iPhone 6s phones are made this way, so it’s likely the SE is too.

Sony’s Battery Is Better: Both phones have a fingerprint scanner, but the Z5 has a battery that can last up to two days on one charge. The Z5 also comes with a “quick charge” option where you can charge hours of power in just 10 minutes. The SE, in contrast, has a battery with a talk time of up to 14 hours and Apple hasn’t created a “quick charge” feature yet.

The SE May Have a Better Processor: The Z5 runs a Snapdragon 810 processor with 2 GB of RAM, CNET reported. The SE, however, runs on an A9 processor which, according to Forbes, is fairly comparable to the Snapdragon 820 processor.

iPhone SE Has a Better Design: If looks are your top concern, the SE may be a better choice. It boasts iPhone’s very stylish appearance. Meanwhile, CNET complained that the Z5 isn’t much to “write home about,” with a plain, blocky look that lacks sophistication.

Storage Differences: Which phone is better depends on your preference. CNET explains that the Z5 comes with 32GB of storage that you can expand with a microSD card. The iPhone SE doesn’t have this difference, but you can choose between 16 GB or 64 GB of storage.

Cost: The Z5 clocks in at $432.99 according to CNET. Meanwhile, the iPhone SE starts at $399, with the 64 GB option costing $499.