The Sony Xperia Z Ultra Vs. the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active A Head to Head Comparison

  • Added:
    Oct 16, 2013
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my iPhone family pile
my iPhone family pile
Photo by blakespot

You might think that getting a new top of the line phone would be easy. However, you actually have a lot of choices at the top end of the market, and if you buy into the advertising and marketing then every phone is the best mobile around. This can't be true though, and in fact not all top of the range phones are created equal, so you'll want to be quite careful about which model you choose.


A flagship phone is going to cost you around five hundred pounds, maybe more, and in today's troubled economy that's a big investment for a new phone. It is an investment though, since most people only buy a new phone around once every two years or so, so you will be hanging onto your model for a while. You still want to make sure that you're buying a good phone and that you're satisfied with your purchase, however.
Many of us are dependent on our mobile phones. A lot of jobs nowadays require the kind of constant contact that's associated with a mobile number, and some people are also giving up the cost of running a home land line phone that they barely use. This means that getting a mobile that performs well is essential; you'll want lots of features and good specs for your money.


Comparing mobile phones is really the only way that you're going to know that you're getting a good mobile for your cash. The process of comparing phone might be more complicated than you think though. Mobile descriptions these days are often packed with technological terminology and big numbers, which can make them difficult for the average person to decipher, which is why we want to help you.


We've looked at some of the biggest and best new phones on the market and put them to the test. We've then matched models up in head to head comparisons so that you can easily see which phone is the best buy. If you're looking for a great new mobile, then read on to find out what today's two models have to offer.


Introducing the Two Phones
Sony's latest big release is the Xperia Z Ultra, part of the best-selling Xperia range of phones. The Z Ultra is actually a phablet device, which means that it combines the function of a mobile phone with the larger screen of a tablet computer. It's certainly a powerful phone, but it is the more expensive of today's two phones, so we're wondering if it's worth paying extra for.


Samsung's current flagship phone is the Galaxy S4 model. However, the manufacturer has actually released several different version of the S4, and today we're looking at the Galaxy S4 Active. The Active is a good looking phone and it has some nice features, but the Xperia is some hefty competition, so can the Galaxy stand up to it?


What You'll be Paying
If you're looking for a pay as you go phone or if you simply want to buy your phone outright rather than in instalments, you'll need a SIM free hand set. In this case, the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is going to cost you around five hundred and fifty pounds, whilst the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active is around five hundred pounds.
If you want to sign an incentive contract to get your phone without paying full price up front, then you'll be looking for the best operator for each model. The best deal on the Xperia at the moment is with T-Mobile, and you'll get the phone for no money down on a £42 a month contract. For the Galaxy the best deal is with Vodafone, and again you'll pay nothing up front, this time on a £33 a month contract.


The Similarities
Both of these are Android phones, running Android 4.2 Jelly Bean. They also both have the same 8 MP camera and a 16 GB internal memory. Rather than being traditional 3G phones, these are both 4G devices. The difference is that 4G phones get faster mobile internet speeds than 3G phones, though you will need a 4G data plan from your operator.


The Sony Xperia Z Ultra
Going for the Sony Xperia Z Ultra over the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active will give you several advantages. The Sony has the faster processor, running a 2300 MHz model over the Galaxy's 1900 MHz model, so it's more powerful and more responsive as well.


Being a phablet, the Xperia obviously gets a bigger screen, measuring in at 6.4 inches versus the five inch screen on the Samsung. This does give you a better viewing experience for videos, web pages and documents, but it also means that typing on the touch screen is easier and more comfortable. Whilst both phones have the same camera resolution, the camera on the Xperia does shoot higher resolutions full HD video.


Finally, the Sony has the better battery life. It gets around two and a half times more standby time per battery charge cycle than the Samsung does, averaging around thirty four days versus just thirteen days, meaning that you'll need to charge your phone less often.


The Samsung Galaxy S4 Active...
The Galaxy Active, as the name might imply, is a rugged model, which means that it is both water and dust proof, other than that though it doesn't have many advantages over the Xperia model. The screen on the Galaxy does have around thirty per cent more PPI (pixels per inch), so it is a little better defined and sharper than that on the Xperia though.


The Galaxy is also the more portable phone. It's around twenty per cent smaller than the Sony, and lighter too, weighing just 151 grams versus the 212 gram Sony model. This means that the Samsung is just easier to carry around with you all day.


Which is Better?
For us there's no contest today. The Sony Xperia Z Ultra has a much faster processor and a larger screen as well, and we think that these two things make it a better phone and therefore a better investment than the Samsung Galaxy S4 Active.

Author's Profile

Sam Jones planned to buy himself and his partner new 3g phones and he wanted a good deal. He searched all the comparison sites like uSwitch and found two phones for a reasonable price.


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