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Sony Xperia Z3 next to the Apple iPhone 6 (mockup)

By Andrei Girbea , updated on September 3, 2014

What’s going on everyone, Mike here and in this post I’m going to show you how the Sony Xperia Z3 is going to fare against the iPhone 6 in terms of size, looks and how both of them will fit in hand.

We have the real version of the recently launched Sony Xperia Z3 here, but only a mockup of the Apple iPhone 6, as this one hasn’t been yet launched at the time of this clip. But a mock-up that looks pretty much identical to the final release unit, from all the rumors we know so far.

Anyway, these two are the best smartphones Sony and Apple are going to offer in the next few months. The Xperia Z3 refines the Z2, while the iPhone 6 is a completely new device, larger than all the iPhones before.

It will boost a 4.7 inch screen in a case made almost entirely out of metal, with rounded metallic edges and some plastic strips on the back, hiding the wireless and cellular antennas. So in a way, this new iPhone borrows design elements from the latest iPads and the iPod Touch. The Z3 does remain the larger device of the two, with its 5.15 inch display. Its back and front faces are still covered in glass, but its sides are now completely metallic, with a coating that’s supposed to prevent them from scratches and dents.

So there’s really nothing to say wrong about the overall build quality of either of these two devices. Whether you prefer the glass finishing of the Xperia over the metallic one of the iPhone or the other way around, well, that’s completely up to you.

I was mentioning before that the iPhone 6 has a smaller footprint than the Xperia Z3 and as a result it is easier to hold and use single handedly. Both handsets are really thin though and because of their metallic edges, somewhat slippery.

Just like the other Xperia Zs before, the Z3 is waterproof and its main connectors are hidden behind protective caps. You’ll find a microUSB port on this one, the SIM tray and a microSD card-slot, while all the buttons are placed on the right edge: the power knob, the volume rocker and the shutter key.

On the iPhone there’s the Lighting port at the bottom, the volume rocker and mute/lock switch on the left edge, and a repositioned Power button on the right side, next to the Sim tray. The backs and the batteries are sealed on both these devices, and the iPhone lacks any means of expanding the storage space.

The iPhone also houses a single speaker, placed on its bottom lip, while the Z3 boosts front-facing stereo speakers flanking the screens. Speaking of the screens, it’s worth mentioning that Sony’s Android iteration make use of on-screen main controls, so there are no dedicated keys beneath like on other devices. The iPhone inherits the TouchID home button from the 5S, placed just below the display.

Both handsets will offer capable shooters on the back, with flash, as well as front facing cameras, but we can’t talk about them here, since we only have a non-functional mockup of the iPhone 6 in this clip. But a proper comparison will follow as soon as the new iPhone will actually become available in stores, so stay tuned.

For now though, it’s time to wrap this up. We can conclude that both the Sony Xperia Z3 and the iPhone 6 look and feel just like premium handsets should. The Z3 is the larger device here and is waterproof, but the iPhone 6 promises to deliver the same stellar overall quality and everyday experience of its predecessors.

Both the Sony Xperia Z3 and the Apple iPhone 6 are for sure some of the sleekest smartphones available these days

Both the Sony Xperia Z3 and the Apple iPhone 6 are for sure some of the sleekest smartphones available these days

We can’t say for sure which is going to be the better phone in the end, for now, but you should let me know which one do you like better based on what you saw in this video and the in the pictures. I’ll be waiting for your comments below.

And I will post a proper comparison between the Xperia Z3 and the iPhone 6 in the near future, so make sure to stay around for that, subscribe to the site and follow me on Twitter.

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Andrei Girbea, Editor-in-Chief at TLBHD.com. This project was born as part of my search for capable mini-laptops that I could easily lug around to work, and still provide the performance that I'd need on a daily basis. I'm primarily using such ultracompact devices and have been testing them since 2006.

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