And here the iPhone 6 showed itself best of all. It has a better picture at ISO 1600 than the Galaxy S6 at ISO 800. But the main thing is to preserve detail. Neither Samsung, Sony, nor HTC provide the same detail as the iPhone 6.
conclusions
The conclusion was probably easily predicted as you read the article. I find it difficult to single out one leader, so there will be two of the best mobile cameras - Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6. The first has a higher resolution, more manual settings, it is possible to take pictures almost at close range. The second has no problems with shooting in the dark, very realistic color reproduction and good detail at high ISO values. In extremely bad conditions (at night, in the moonlight), Samsung performs a little better. The result is terrible, but at least something shows in the photos. It's a shame the iPhone 6 can't do that.
Well, the examples of Sony and HTC show that the number of megapixels is not the main thing in life. In terms of the efficiency of each megapixel, the iPhone 6 is second to none. And Samsung has the best combination of quality and resolution. HTC One M9 ranks third in camera testing, while Sony Xperia Z3 is fourth. But if you suddenly want to take pictures in the pouring rain, or under water, only Xperia will allow you to do this. No other participant can boast of such protection.
However, the specifications of the device itself are very difficult to call traditional, at least for Apple... In particular, the new generation smartphone has a larger 4.7-inch screen and a completely redesigned design, not to mention some exceptional features.
In contact with
Many experts compare iPhone 6 with other recent competing devices on the market. Below is a comparison of the characteristics of the new smartphone from Apple and Android gadget.
Design
Despite the larger screen size, iPhone 6 is still relatively small. Due to the fact that the Xperia does not have a thin bezel, the smartphone Sony looks bigger than iPhone 6 Plus... The Xperia diagonal is 5.2 inches, which makes it less comfortable to hold the device in your hands than when working with a gadget Apple... However, it is worth noting that Sony managed to reduce the thickness of their gadget to 7.3 mm, while iPhone 6 this figure is 7 mm. The advantage of the competitor's smartphone is also the ability to work under water at a depth of 1.5 m, and the smartphone of the Cupertinians, in turn, is simply water-resistant. Sony equipped the device with two stereo speakers located on the front panel, which is not available in iPhone 6.
Displays
Sony improved 1080p display Xperia Z3in particular, the company has increased the brightness of the screen by adding a mode with over 600 nits, which is much more than the new one iPhone... Smartphones Apple are well known for their accurate color organization, while products Sonyautomatically increase saturation and contrast while watching videos. The screen resolution is 750 x 1334 pixels and the pixel density is 326 ppi.
Interface
Sony does not try too hard to fill Android devices with special features. Moreover, the company does not equip them with such a list of features as, for example, Samsung, LG or HTC. However, rounded smartphone GUI elements Sony have become easily recognizable for a long time.
iPhone 6, in turn, received the newest platform - which looks somewhat flat. The mobile OS has many improvements in the notification area and status bar.
Processors and memory
iPhone 6 got a stunning A8 processor, 64-bit architecture with 20 nm production technology, and specialized coprocessors. Despite the fact that this is slightly worse than the 4-core Snapdragon 801 chip with a frequency of 2.5 GHz, which Xperia Z3, processor Apple able to fully ensure the perfect operation of all components iPhone/iOS... It is known that the Cupertines have improved the graphics processing ability by 50%, that is, now iPhone there will be no problem running 3D games.
Interestingly, the amount of RAM iPhone 6 is only 1 GB, while Xperia Z3 this figure is 3 GB, thanks to which the smartphone copes well with multitasking. The Z3 has 16GB of internal storage and a microSD slot for more storage; iPhone 6 available with 16/64/128 GB memory.
Cameras
Apple equipped iPhone 6 the familiar 8-megapixel sensor, however, has added several completely new sensors that support Pixel Focus technology. It allows you to shoot with faster capture and longer autofocus. The ability to shoot 1080p video has also been improved - now at 60 frames per second, and slow motion is now possible at 240 frames per second. The Z3, in turn, is equipped with a 20-megapixel camera, although the quality of the images is not always happy. Xperia Z3 has a G Lens and supports the new algorithm, and the sensitivity is 12,800 ISO. Device Sony can shoot video in 4K format and even underwater.
Expectations
If you make a table with all the characteristics Xperia Z3 and iPhone 6, then the latter is likely to look less impressive. So, smartphone Sony has a brighter screen with a higher resolution, better processor and more RAM, not to mention camera resolution and battery life.
Someone might like the fact that Xperia Z3 waterproof, but many will prefer compactness and convenience iPhone 6... In addition, thanks to various sensors, the smartphone of the Cupertino company allows you to take pictures of higher quality.
In edition gg There is such a tradition: once a year, in the spring, after meeting new flagship smartphones, we write an article about which of the manufacturers has the most flagship flagship. This time we will talk about four and a half current devices: Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge, HTC One M9, Sony Xperia Z3 and iPhone 6. LG is about to present its new product, which will hit the shelves by the summer, so the old model LG There is no point in looking at G3, and we still do not know anything about the newrumors ... Huawei and Lenovo have several fresh and powerful models, but they are lost against the background of the flagships of the A-brands. Lumia ... it's either good or nothing, so let's keep quiet. So it turns out that the arena is still the same: Samsung, HTC, Sony and Apple. Let's talk about them. And although expensive, top-end devices are usually chosen for the brand, and not for the characteristics, we will try to sort out the advantages and disadvantages of all devices on the shelves and help those who do not associate themselves with any sentiments with a certain manufacturer to make a choice.
In edition gg There is a tradition: once a year, in the spring, after meeting new flagship smartphones, we write an article about which of the manufacturers has the most flagship flagship. This time we will talk about four and a half current devices: Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge, HTC One M9, Sony Xperia Z3 and iPhone 6. LG is about to present its new product, which will hit the shelves by the summer, so the old LG model There is no point in looking at G3, and we do not know anything about the new one, except for rumors. Huawei and Lenovo have several fresh and powerful models, but they are lost against the background of the flagship A-brands. Lumia ... it's either good or nothing, so let's keep quiet. So it turns out that the arena is still the same: Samsung, HTC, Sony and Apple. Let's talk about them. And although expensive, top-end devices are usually chosen for the brand, and not for the characteristics, we will try to sort out the advantages and disadvantages of all devices on the shelves and help those who do not associate themselves with any sentiments with a certain manufacturer to make a choice.
About trends
Apple with its current models traditionally stands apart from the crowd of Android flagships. She is not in the performance race, since the very first iPhone has been concerned about the software and the quality of the case. But she still picked up something from her infectious competitors - this is the increased screen diagonal, the presence of more than one model in one generation of smartphones and the haste to update the software, which here and there leads to the appearance of jambs in the operation of the device. My feeling is that the latest Samsung flagship and several of the latest Sony flagships allow themselves to freeze and close applications with errors less often.
The trend in the design of top-end smartphones is the use of interesting body colors as part of an established tradition of appearance
In the segment of Android flagships, everything is more or less predictable. Manufacturers have stopped increasing display diagonals and have focused on software and design. If Sony and HTC were already doing great with the first and second, then Samsung, which for many years ignored the aesthetic component, looks like a revolutionary hero with its Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge (although in fact the company just did something , which was expected from her for a long time). The main trend in the design of top-end smartphones is the use of interesting body colors within the established traditions of appearance, nothing more. Sony has again a glass waterproof "brick", HTC has a metal bar with two front speakers. Samsung has a “remnant” with all the same recognizable features and body features, this time, however, without a removable cover and battery. But all these “bricks”, “bars” and “remnants” have now become such a color that one can speak more about the choice of an interesting palette by the designers of the companies than about the fact that “the control buttons remained in their places, the connectors too”.
The bright minds of the industry have been talking for a long time that in the near future we will have a software race in smartphones, and not hardware. Everything goes to this, of course. But if manufacturers completely focus on software and forget about hardware, then what is the point in buying a new flagship device if the old flagship gets an update anyway? Approximately such thoughts I have, in particular, about HTC One M9 and Sony Xperia Z3. If I had an Xperia Z2 or HTC One M8, I simply wouldn't see a worthy reason to change them for new items. Yes, the body color is prettier, yes, the camera is slightly better. But the price difference is too great. Just as I see no point in upgrading the Xperia Z3 to the Xperia Z4 with the new Snapdragon 810 processor. The current Sony flagship has enough performance for a small family of Samsung smartphones, the HTC One M9 Snapdragon 810 with raw software was more of a disadvantage than an advantage - too hot, too much to eat the battery. The changes in the software of Sony and HTC smartphones are small, they do not pull you into a reason to buy this particular device (unless you are a PlayStation fan and plan to play games lying in the pool).
If in the "hardware" manufacturers of top-end devices move in one direction, then in software they demonstrate a different vision of the segment's development
If in hardware all manufacturers of top-end devices move plus or minus in the same direction (only the display resolution and the number of megapixels of the camera differ, but neither of them makes much sense), then in the software they demonstrate a different vision of the segment's development. Samsung and Sony are seeing deeper anchoring of their flagship smartphones to their ecosystem. Sony has just begun to take intelligible steps (at least for a user from our area, where half of the company's services do not work) in this direction, then Samsung already had enough arguments for Note 4 so that the user did not leave his products. A well-selling smartwatch on Tizen (at least against the background of Android Wear) and other accessories, its own good sports and health application "for dummies" synchronized through a Samsung account, free programs useful for business users available only through GalaxyApps and only for top models, content protection programs, a virtual reality headset with games from Oculus, after all, this is all that can outshine the design of competitors and their other goodies. In this, Samsung is gradually beginning to resemble Apple. Although it is too early to compare their achievements in this area.
HTC does not yet have such heavyweight arguments as its own strong line of accessories, so the company is dancing towards personalizing its appearance and developing Blinkfeed (to be honest, I never got hooked on this service), and also plays with the photography modes. Something turns out to be really interesting, but everyone had the opportunity to adopt all the innovations since the HTC Desire Eye. So it turns out that HTC has not yet found its "main nerve" and offers to love its smartphones for the fact that they do not contain unnecessary trash - and for the geek audience, which the company is equal to, this is also an argument.
Finally, of the new common features in the software of all flagships, it is worth highlighting improved work with notifications and power saving. Oddly enough, but all this came to A-brands from China, the first to distinguish himself in the field of fine-tuning these areas of the life of a Huawei user, the rest liked the idea. Also, manufacturers are trying hard to increase the number of photography modes and at the same time simplify the camera interface. These two things go together like a swan, a crayfish and a pike in one team. Therefore, Samsung sent most of the freak photo modes to their store, Sony stuffed many modes, but even more were sent to the store, HTC retained the same interface logic.
Autonomy closes the list of trends in flagship smartphones. The new generation of devices has not brought any improvements in this regard.
Why / shouldn't buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge
Samsung Galaxy S6 is the smartphone in which the generation gap is most noticeable. The company has finally mastered the calm interface and noble materials. Samsung claims that their glass and metal are "better" than competitors (glass - Gorilla 4, aluminum at the ends is 50% stronger than competitors' aluminum). The twin brother of the Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge is generally worthy of the most technologically advanced smartphone on the market. It has a curved screen, and unlike the experimental Galaxy Note Edge, this curvature does not interfere with living with a smartphone, but rather helps. In addition to materials, Samsung has greatly increased the smoothness of the interface, and now this device can be put on a par with the iPhone and Xperia. All three are characterized by high responsiveness, minimal decor and airy design.
In the case of the Galaxy S6, all the lyrics can be thrown aside, the smartphone has technical arguments to be considered the market leader.
In the case of the Galaxy S6, all the lyrics can be thrown aside, the smartphone has technical arguments in order to be the leader when it hits the market. First, the best camera (when shooting in a dark room, the Galaxy S6 is especially cynical about all the competition). Secondly, the most compact size. Neither HTC, nor Sony, nor Apple were so much confused about the compactness of their smartphones with a fairly large diagonal. Yes, the iPhone 6 is just as good in the hand, but it has a smaller screen and therefore less usable space. Besides the frankly large size, HTC and Sony have one more nuance - the on-screen keyboard, which actually eats away the place where useful information could be located. Last but not least, Samsung has made its flagship so small by using a smaller battery and a smaller capacity. On the one hand, this did not have the best effect on the battery life, on the other hand, thanks to the use of its own Exynos 7420 processor, its main competitor - HTC One M9 - is not inferior in battery life to the Galaxy S6. But in ergonomics it surpasses it greatly. But engineers also managed to cram wireless charging into this thin case (it does not feel like buying Samsung, but it will not be superfluous either, especially if the company decides to give it as a gift when buying a flagship). Charging speed is just as important as battery life - and here Samsung also has no equal on the market today. The device needs a little over an hour to fully charge. It's insanely convenient and, perhaps, even more important than the quality of photography in the dark. And Samsung has finally made it so that the smartphone can read the fingerprint normally and is not inferior in this matter to Apple and Huawei. Finally, the last argument for choosing the Galaxy S6 is branded accessories. If you already use something from the Gear line and previous flagships of the company, saying goodbye to the Samsung brand will mean for you also giving up the accessory. If you have plans to buy a smart watch (not for sports, but for business), then again, the Gear line is the best at the moment. So again all arrows point to Samsung. Technology pioneers are likely to be interested in the $ 200 VR headset, which is vastly superior in convenience to the conventional cardboard Cardboard VR.
If you decide to opt for the Samsung flagship, then read this article, in it we lay out the differences between the regular Galaxy S6 and the Galaxy S6 Edge. It is also worth remembering that despite the energy efficient processor, this flagship does not have the best autonomy.
Sample photography Samsung Galaxy S6 (and by this link
So, it makes sense to buy the Samsung Galaxy S6 / S6 Edge if you need an uncompromising flagship smartphone, which implements all the most interesting technologies of its time, if you have no prejudices against the brand, but have a sufficient amount of money. The contraindication to buying is loyalty to the iOS platform and the need for excellent autonomy.
Why / shouldn't buy an iPhone 6/6 Plus
If you are already mired in the Apple ecosystem and it suits you completely, then we do not advise you to change it to Android for any goodies in the world. Time for getting used to, searching for the right applications, worse screen readability under the sun, lack (in most models) or poor integration into the OS capabilities of a fingerprint scanner, different system logic - all these inconveniences are not worth giving up on previous generations of iPhones and buying a smartphone which takes better pictures at night or supports more smartwatches. All in all, if you like the iPhone, take the iPhone, it's a decent device. If you have used Android before and are now thinking about changing the platform, then we do not advise you to do this either. At the moment, there is no difference in performance, autonomy, quality of applications and cases between the Android flagships and the iPhone.
An example of photographing Apple iPhone 6 (and this link provides photos in original resolution).
The takeaway from this is simple - stay true to yourself. If you love the iPhone, grab the iPhone. Don't like the iPhone, choose from the rest of the contenders.
Why / shouldn't buy the Sony Xperia Z3
It would seem that a bluish screen (the color rendition can be adjusted in the settings, but then the display will lose brightness), a slow camera compared to competitors, not Android 5.0 (Xperia Z3 is awaiting an update), a previous generation processor, huge dimensions - all this does not do the current flagship Sony a smartphone worthy of the major league today. Nevertheless, the device has its own advantages, which none of its competitors have and which led us to the idea that it should also participate in the comparison. Firstly, it is IP68 dust and moisture protection, which Samsung has abandoned in the current generation. With Xperia Z3, you can swim in the pool, shoot underwater, and climb the mountains in the rain. Secondly (and this is a more weighty argument, in my opinion), Sony has the best battery life. While all three other flagships barely overcome the barrier of one and a half days, the Xperia Z3 confidently lasts for two days, and maybe even more, depending on the communication modules used and the intensity of communication. Thirdly, this is the price - it is noticeably lower, and it will get even lower as soon as the Xperia Z4 limbs to the markets. Fourth, it is support for working with gloves, which is not in the iPhone, which has disappeared somewhere in the new flagship of Samsung. The fifth reason in favor of buying the flagship Sony is addiction to the PlayStation - if you have one and want to have access to games on your favorite console more and more often, then perhaps you should take a closer look at the smartphone of this company. Finally, the last argument is brand addiction. Sony today has not lost all of its fans, and if you are one of them and are looking for an excuse to buy another device of your favorite brand, then it is in front of you, set out in the previous five paragraphs. You can use it in arguments with friends about your choice. Oh, and don't forget about the wonderful color of the case of the model that we had on review. In my opinion, Sony and Samsung have outdone themselves in their current flagships in terms of color choice. Just do not take a black smartphone - it is boring, like a school essay.
By the way, we do not recommend waiting and buying an Xperia Z4 from the height of the present day - everything is too good with the Sony Xperia Z3 with autonomy and performance, a device with similar characteristics, but the Snadragon 810 on board and the horse price tag will definitely not be a good replacement for the current Sony flagship. Unless the company does something interesting with the software, which I highly doubt.
You can see an example of photographing Sony Xperia Z3 in the device review.
Sufficient reasons for buying Xperia Z3, we consider the need for a smartphone that will be operated in difficult conditions - outdoors, including in the rain, as well as far from the outlet, sympathy for the Sony brand and limited finances. The reason not to buy the device is its not the best screen and not as cool as the camera in other devices.
Why / shouldn't buy the HTC One M9
HTC One M9 turned out to be a good device on its own. But against the background of other devices on the market, it evokes conflicting feelings. First of all, because in the era of smartphones, most buyers (especially in poor countries) have disaccustomed to paying for beauty and are used to paying for opportunities.
Those who developed the HTC One M9 improved the model compared to its predecessor, but did not think about where to try to start their small mobile revolution
Compared to its predecessor, HTC One M9 has improved the camera, functions of the branded cover, body colors and the decorative side of the interface (we do not take into account Android 5.0 with its merits, because HTC One M8 will also receive an update to the latest OS version). Our country is unlikely to see the cover, the camera is, of course, an argument. Both main and frontal. Aesthetics are important too, but how much can you estimate? Who's willing to shell out a few hundred dollars for the ability to change menu themes? Moreover, the autonomy, smoothness of the interface and the size of the case have not improved in this model. While writing this article, I specifically re-read my own review of the HTC One M9 to understand if I missed out on anything and if I underestimated the novelty. It turns out that no. Having decomposed the advantages and disadvantages of the three previous smartphones, I was left alone with the thought that the people who were developing the HTC One M9 tried to improve the previous model a little, but they were not puzzled by raising their heads and see where else the market could be directed, where you can try to start your own little mobile revolution. Let the company make mistakes (like Samsung did last year with its Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Note Edge), but at least create the illusion of movement. And so HTC just went the beaten path to respect their zealous fans and release a device that users of the year before last HTC One and some wealthy owners of HTC One M8 or HTC One Max will look at with appetite. I would like to hope that the company will feel the need for changes and leave the comfort zone, and will show us something more unexpected in the fall that not only fans of the brand will want to buy, but also those eager for all the most technologically advanced fashionistas.
An example of taking pictures of HTC One M9 (and here you can find photos in original resolution).
As a result, among the reasons to buy HTC One M9, I would include love for the brand and the need to update the HTC model of previous generations to a more modern opportunities bestowed by manufacturers. The reason not to buy the HTC One M9 is its insufficient revolutionary character against the background of its main competitor - Samsung Galaxy S6 / Galaxy S6 Edge and, by the way, the fact that One M9 has not yet been presented in a version with support for two SIM cards.
In the dry residue
In the current generation of flagships, confusion and vacillation have finally begun to be observed. Samsung continued to bend the line of the manufacturer of the most technologically advanced smartphones, and this time it is even difficult to find a reason for routine jokes about the company's top products. Because the innovation was for users, not for show. The Koreans have released a device that is worth buying not only for the brand, but also for what it can do. In addition to being technologically advanced, Samsung decided to tie its users hand and foot with accessories that are compatible only with their flagships and software available only to them. If last year this whole epic was just beginning, and many scolded the company for narrowing the audience of its accessories, making them available only for its own devices, then it is already clear that such a decision has the right consequences. Apple - and Apple in Africa. Even six months after entering the market, its smartphones keep on par with the flagships on Android, and iOS fans have absolutely nothing to lose by remaining faithful to the company's products. Well, except that night shots and fast charging. Sony, oddly enough, again pleasantly surprises with its flagship smartphone. Yes, he may not be a photography genius or ergonomics king, but the Xperia Z3 still has a lot to offer. The best battery life, IP68 dust and moisture protection, the most attractive price, beautiful body colors and a close relationship with the PlayStation. If the company finally got the will and tackle the chronic display problem, then the perception of its smartphones would improve even more. But alas, the display in this device is the worst in terms of color rendering, the blue color problem has to be corrected manually, but then the brightness suffers. Finally, HTC has released a smartphone that will interest primarily fans of the brand. The company was so keen on improving the visual experience that it did not manage to finalize the software (the updated firmware should appear just about) and did not think about reducing the size of its large device. In terms of characteristics, the HTC One M9 turned out to be worthy of a flagship, but still at least two devices on the market surpass it in capabilities.
Which smartphone is better than Apple or Sony? The experts prepared a comparison of the best Apple and Sony smartphones, presented all the technical specifications and an overview of the design of the devices. Be the first to know all the details.
Although this iPhone model does not enjoy the same huge popularity as the seventh iPhone, according to its characteristics, it still pulls more on the flagship than others. So, what surprised us with Apple this time, and most importantly, will it be able to bypass Sony and the flagship of this company?
So, the first thing that catches your eye when you take the seventh iPhone in your hand is the screen, which has become a little larger. The creators not only extended it, but made it a little wider, which at least looks symmetrical. FullHD screen resolution. It doesn't seem like a lot, especially if you look at new products from other companies, which every now and then reach for the 2K mark or even higher. In any case, the image quality on this smartphone looks very good, so this factor does not cause any complaints.
The RAM in the device is 3 gigabytes and this amount is enough for the iOS 10 operating system. The optimization process was as successful as possible, as a result of which users can not worry about the fact that games, applications or the operating system itself will experience certain slowdowns. On the contrary, everything is very smooth, high quality and without any problems. The device itself has 256 gigabytes of internal memory, which will last you for a very long time. If you are a fan of downloading discographies of various artists, or you want to always have your serials with you, the amount of memory that the IPhone 7 Plus provides is more than enough. The Apple A10 processor is a completely new model that works on the 2 + 2 principle. What does this mean? Two processor cores work exclusively in the mode of launching heavy games or applications, while the other two are actively working to ensure that the system itself worked without restrictions, and all services performed their task. The power of this device is enough for literally any application from the AppStore.
Also a feature of the device is a powerful 13-megapixel camera and a number of additional options that make photography incredibly interesting, and the photos themselves are very picturesque and rich in colors. The maximum quality in which you can take photos is 4K! The all-metal case is purely an Apple thing, so you'll never mistake this phone for anything else.
And here is the first advantage of the model from Sony - a higher screen resolution at exactly the same resolution. The XZ Premium also has a Gorilla Glass 5 protective glass, which protects the gadget from drops, bumps and even minor scratches. Also, the user can use two SIM cards at once, so he can stay in touch for all his contacts. The amount of RAM in the device is 4 gigabytes, which is one unit more than the competitor from Apple. 64 GB of internal memory will provide you with the data you need most, as well as the ability to install any application from the Play Market with an additional cache. The powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 with eight cores is an ideal solution for the flagship model, because it is powerful enough, and when paired with the Adreno 540 it has no restrictions at all. In terms of games, you will not encounter any lags, slowdowns and poor quality in the image. Everything is as beautiful as possible, smoothly - according to flagship standards. In terms of the camera, Sony, if not lagging behind, then even ahead of its competitor from Apple, since the shots from this smartphone surprise even experienced photographers. Capturing such clear pictures with a camera from your phone is a real phenomenon. And if you discuss the design of the device, then you can be very surprised, because it has remained true to its traditions and absolutely does not follow the trends that force rounded corners on a smartphone. Good or bad - you decide, but it looks very stylish and attractive. And another advantage of the device is that it costs 20,000 rubles less.
Outcome
Is the IPhone 7 Plus worth getting if we get more performance, better camera and screen for less money? If you are a fan of Apple, then the choice was already obvious for you, but for those who are looking for more practicality in a device, the Sony Xperia XZ Premium will be the ideal solution.
