Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today – the new Sony Xperia Z4 goes up against the new HTC One M9.  It is the tale of the beautiful metal and glass Xperia Z4 versus the equally stunning all-metal One M9.  Did either one of these devices upgrade enough from their predecessors to win this latest battle of specifications?  Let us take a look at what these two devices have in common.

Despite their different heritages, both the Sony Xperia Z4 and HTC One M9 share several important features in common with one another.  Both of these devices still use the Full HD (FHD) displays with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, both use the LCD technology and they are very similar in size – 5.2-inches for the Xperia Z4 and 5-inches for the One M9.  The also use the identical Qualcomm 64-bit Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four cores clocked at 2.0GHz.  They both include 3GB of RAM and both include a 32GB internal storage option – the Xperia also has a 64GB option – and they both include a microSD card slot to expand the internal memory by 128GB.

Even the camera areas are very similar on each device – the Xperia Z4 uses a 20.7 MP main camera and the One M9 uses a 20MP lens and in addition, neither device has yet to include OIS.  The front-facing cameras (FFC) are also very close in size – the Xperia Z4 uses a 5.1MP lens and the One M9 uses a 4MP with UltraPixels.  Both devices even have dual front-facing stereo speakers.  Of course, they both have all of the usual suspects – Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, NFC capable, FM radio, non-removable batteries and microUSB port for charging and data transfer.  Because the Xperia Z4 and One M9 share their Qualcomm processor, they both can make use of Quick Connect 2.0.

Please take a deliberate look at the detailed Specifications Comparison chart below and here you will see just how these two great devices stack up against one another – click on the “View Full Comparison” link at the end of the chart to expand the details.  After that, we will look at each individual device in greater detail and point out some of its pros and cons.  From all of this information we will try to determine the winner based on specs and execution of design and functions.

There were many leaks about the new Sony Xperia Z4 before it was officially announced but what we ended up with is mostly a carbon copy of its predecessor, the Xperia Z3.  The basic structure retains the beautiful metal and glass construction with minor changes in colors.  The charging port was moved from the side to the bottom of the device, and even though it is still waterproof, it no longer needs a sealed cover – a nice convenience.  The magnetic charging pins on the side are gone and the SIM card and microSD card slots are consolidated into one port – another nice convenience.

The Xperia Z4 sports the same 5.2-inch IPS LCD FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 424 pixels-per-inch (PPI) as its predecessor.  It is using the same type FHD display as the One M9 with 441 PPI…while Samsung and LG have been selling the QHD displays for over a year.  They both have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal memory with an expandable storage via a microSD card just like the One M9.  Sony made a good choice and went with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 64-bit 810 octa-core processor to power the smartphone and an Adreno 430 GPU for graphics – the same one in the One M9.  The 20.7MP main camera has remained the same, which is a fine choice, but Sony  still has not added OIS.  The FFC went from a 2.2MP to a robust 5.1MP with a 25mm wide-angle lens for better group selfies and video chatting and this pairs up nicely with the 4MP in the One M9.

The new Xperia Z4 will come in Black, White, Copper and Aqua Green and will be running the latest Lollipop. It is going to be released in May or June, most likely at Sony’s usual flagship pricing.

HTC One M9

The new HTC One M9 is certainly a member of the HTC One ‘family,’ but there are many subtle changes if you look closely.  It retains its all-metal body, is well-built, beautiful to look at and a joy to hold, however, HTC did a redesign of the body on the sides so now there is a small lip to help give the user a better grip.  The back is also a sure giveaway, as the camera area now looks more like the older M7 because the duo camera is gone.

The One M9 has a 5-inch Full HD Super LCD3 display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 441 PPI – the same display found on the One M8 and about the same as the 424 PPI on the Xperia Z4 (only because it has a 5.2-inch display).  It uses the same 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 used in the Xperia Z4.  It is packing 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, although it also has a microSD card for additional storage up to 128GB – again, just like the Xperia Z4.

HTC completely changed up the camera area, but it still has no OIS.  They replaced the 4MP UltraPixel main camera with a 20MP sensor with autofocus and dual-tone LED flash…close to the 20.7MP Xperia Z4 except for a single LED flash.  HTC moved their 4MP UltraPixel camera to the front for great selfies and video chatting.  It uses a non-removable 2840mAh battery…slightly smaller than the 2930mAh non-removable battery in the Xperia Z4.  It also supports Quick Charge 2.0, as does the Xperia Z4, thanks to the Qualcomm processor.

The HTC One M9 has a couple features over the Xperia Z4 – the dual front-facing stereo speakers with BoomSound are certainly better than the dual front-facing speakers on the Xperia Z4.  The One M9 also includes an IR Blaster and comes in Gunmetal Gray, Amber Gold, Silver/Rose Gold and Gold/Pink.  It is running Android 5.0 Lollipop and pricing is $200 on a two-year contract and about $600 off contract.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

This was very tough decision, especially since the HTC One M9 is available everywhere, and the Sony Xperia Z4 may play ‘hard-to-get.’  However, since this is a comparison based on specifications, I have to pick the Xperia Z4 as the winner in this comparison.  I know the One M9 has the legendary BoomSound speakers, but that is not enough to convince me it is the winner.

Both devices are well designed, built with premium materials and are definitely flagships to be proud of, however, they still lack the QHD displays and the OIS of their competition…but one-on-one they are very close.  The Sony Xperia Z4 has a slightly larger display, using Sony’s TRILUMINOS technology, it is IP68 certified dustproof and waterproof, uses Sony optics for the camera area, and has a slightly larger battery and gets much better battery life than the One M9.  It is a very close contest, but in the end, the Sony Xperia Z4 wins this contest.

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