Introduction

Do we have a good one for you today – the new Sony Xperia Z4 goes up against the new LG G4.  It is Japan versus South Korea, glass and metal construction versus glass and metallic plastic or extra cost leather and sealed versus opened back as two great devices vie to win this specifications comparison.  Both devices have loyal followings, so it will be interesting to see if anybody will jump ship and side with the opposite device of their liking.

These two flagship devices have very little in common, although they are close in dimensions with the LG G4 coming in a shade larger, thicker and heavier.  Displays are close with the Xperia Z4 at 5.2-inches and the LG G4 at 5.5-inches and both use the LCD technology.  They both use newer Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, but different models.  The both use 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage and they both offer expansion via a microSD card slot.  Both have excellent camera areas, and although the Sony uses a larger sensor for the main camera – 20.7MP versus 16MP – the other attributes on the LG G4 certainly make up for the difference in the sensor size.  Their front-facing cameras (FFC) are also both excellent with the Xperia Z4 using a 5.1MP and the LG G4 using a 4MP shooter with UltraPixels.  They both offer the usual Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, GPS, are NFC capable, a FM Radio and both have a microUSB port for charging and data transfer.

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.

Specifications

 Sony Xperia Z4

The Sony Xperia Z4 is an evolutionary update from the previous Xperia Z3 – only a few cosmetic changes were made on the outside, such as the microUSB port was moved from the side of the device to the bottom and no longer requires a sealed door.  The magnetic charging pins were removed from the sides and the SIM card and microUSB slots are now consolidated into one port.  With the RAM and storage staying about the same, the big news inside is the upgraded processor.

The Sony Xperia Z4 has a 5.2-inch Full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels and 424 pixels-per-inch (PPI) and uses the IPS LCD technology – a beautiful display, but not as good as the LG G4 with 538 PPI.  The Xperia Z4 uses the newest 64-bit Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 quad-core processor with four cores clocked at 1.5GHz and four cores clocked at 2.0GHz.  The LG G4 also uses a 64-bit Snapdragon 808 hexa-core processor…not quite as good as the 810, but uses less power.  Both devices have 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage.  The Xperia Z4 does offer the expandable internal storage of up to 128GB via a microSD card, as does the LG G4.

The camera area is important today when buying a smartphone, and Sony Xperia models never disappoint.  The Xperia Z4 has a 20.7MP with LED Flash and auto focus…but they went a step further and made it a 25mm wide-angle lens, although no OIS.  They upped the front-facing camera (FFC) to a full 5.1MP for excellent selfies and video chatting…this compares to a 4MP FFC on the LG G4 and an excellent 16MP main camera.

As far as extra features, it does offer an optional holder that allows you to turn your Xperia Z4 into a screen for PS4 Remote Play and it is IP68 certified making it dust and waterproof  The Xperia Z4 can go underwater for 30 minutes and take pictures or a video.  A firm release date was not set but it should be out in May or April.  We are not sure if the Xperia Z4 will make it out of Japan, but it comes in White, Black, Copper and Aqua Green.  No pricing is available, but it should be about $630 off contract.

LG G4

The LG G4 is an update of last year’s popular device, the LG G3.  The G3 already had a QHD display, but LG improved it greatly and added more brightness.  The device is slightly larger and they added a slight curve to the display.  Along with the metallic plastic backing, you can special order a real leather one in several colors.  It looks about the same as last year’s model, but at the same time, it does look even more premium.

The LG G4 sports a 5.5-inch QHD LCD Quantum display with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels and 538 PPI…a vast improvement over the Xperia Z4’s 424 PPI.  The panel is much brighter than last year’s and the colors really pop out – it is covered by Gorilla Glass 4.  LG decided to bypass the Snapdragon 810 (found in the Z4) and instead used the 64-bit 808 hexa-core processor…slightly below the 810, but it is optimized for the LG G4 and should be kinder to its battery.  It is packing 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage and also has room for expansion via a microUSB card – identical specs of the Xperia Z4.

The camera is first rate with a 16MP sensor, laser autofocus, dual-tone LED Flash and OIS and a huge 8MP camera is used for the FFC and should take excellent selfies and provide great video chatting.  The Xperia Z4 does have a larger sensor for the main camera area – 20.7MP…and a smaller 5.1MP for the FFC – but the features and software on the LG G4 should yield excellent results.  It uses a 3000mAh battery, compared to the 2930mAh on the Xperia Z4, although the LG G4’s battery is removable.

The LG G4 does offer optional wireless charging and its controls are easily accessible on the back of the device and includes a built-in IR Blaster.  It also incorporates some great software features like knock-knock and split screen multitasking.  It comes in a variety of colors and will cost about $200 on a two-year contract.

…And The Winner Is…

Summary

I had to pick the LG G4 as the winner of this comparison…the Sony Xperia Z4 does have the Snapdragon 810 octa-core processor, dual front mounted speakers and the IP68 certification for dust-proofing and waterproofing.

However, it just cannot overcome the more impressive QHD display, the laser autofocus, OIS and camera software, the built-in IR Blaster, the optional wireless charging and personalization via themes and optional backs the LG G4.

Both devices are excellent representations of the respective company’s flagship devices, but it just seems as though you get more for your money and a better overall user experience with the LG G4, so we are crowning it the winner of this Phone Comparison.

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