The phablets from the two big smartphone manufacturers have recently showcased themselves with the very big numbers in the specs list, and the Xperia Z Ultra has its own fans for the waterproofing which is really advantageous, but with the screen size of 6.4-inch, would that be something good to have when the Galaxy Note 3 from Samsung just came in with a 5.7-inch screen and some awesome specs to support it.
The Galaxy Note 3 has got a 1080p Full HD display, but the Xperia Z Ultra has got nothing less as it’s the same Full HD display, but its the Triluminos display that most of the recent Sony devices have got, while the Note 3 has got a Super AMOLED display, which does a better job. We were quite impressed with the display of the Xperia Z Ultra, but we haven’t got a hands-on with the Note 3 to see how good the display on it is.
You would still see less pixelation in the Note 3 with the pixel density being 386PPI when compared to the 344PPI in the Z Ultra. For the thickness and comfort of holding, the Xperia Z Ultra is quite thinner but in the end, you cannot hold a 6+ inch device that easily in the hands, when compared to a smaller one. Doesn’t mean that the Note 3 would be totally easy to handle, but we are comparing just these two devices here.
Both the devices have got the latest Snapdragon, i.e. the Snapdragon 800 processors, with the LTE version of Note 3 clocking at 2.3 GHz with 4 cores, while the International version having an octa-core chipset clocking at 1.9 GHz, while the one in the Xperia Z Ultra is a quad-core one clocking at 2.2 GHz speed. Note 3 chips ahead here with the 3GB of RAM included, as there is a 2GB RAM provided in the Xperia Z Ultra. Both the devices are powered by the same GPU, the Adreno 330 one.
The camera in the Note 3 is excellent, a lot better with the 13-megapixel lens with BSI sensor having loads of features, and the video recording is possible at 4K 2160p resolution, while the 1080p videos can be recorded at 60 fps. On the other side, the Xperia Z Ultra can capture videos at 1080p resolution, at 30 fps. The front cameras are the same in both, having a capability of capturing 1080p videos with the tiny 2MP lens. We really need to talk about the Sony Xperia Z1 Honami if we are to compare the cameras.
Talk about the special stuff that’s included, the Xperia Z Ultra would boast with the waterproofing which actually is quite a lot helpful, but for those who stay indoors and wanted to have an easier option to keep typing, drawing stuff, the S Pen is what you have to see in the Note 3, with a lot of improvement where you get to see the Air Command – which lets you do a lot.
About the pricing, we aren’t sure about the pricing of the Note 3 right away, as the device is expected to come on September 25th, while the Sony Xperia Z Ultra is priced at $650 on Amazon. Given the way Samsung has showcased the detailing of the Note 3, the pricing might be no where less than $700, but for me, it’s a device well worth the price.
The battery is not very much different given the numbers, but the 3200 mAh battery of the Note 3 is expected to give a lot higher usage time, and the 3050 mAh battery in the Z Ultra was seen draining a bit faster because of the slight heating up of the device. Let’s see where it’s headed to, from Sep 25th.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3 vs Sony Xperia Z Ultra Specs Comparison
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy Note 3 | Sony Xperia Z Ultra |
| Dimensions | 151.2 x 79.2 x 8.3 mm | 179.4 x 92.2 x 6.5 mm |
| Screen | 5.7-inch Super AMOLED | 6.4-inch IPS LCD |
| Display | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 386 PPI | 1080 x 1920 pixels, 344 PPI |
| Processor Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974 | Qualcomm MSM8274 or MSM8974 Snapdragon 800 |
| CPU | Quad-core 2.3 GHz for LTE, Octa-core 1.9 GHz for International | Quad-core 2.2 GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 330 | Adreno 330 |
| RAM | 3 GB | 2 GB |
| Camera – Rear | 13-megapixel, LED Flash, BSI, HDR, ISO Control, Digital Image Stabilization | 8-megapixel, Autofocus, LED Flash |
| Video Recording | 2160p 4K, 1080p Full HD at 60fps | 1080p at 30 fps |
| Camera – Front | 2-megapixel | 2-megapixel |
| Battery | 3200 mAh | 3050 mAh |
| OS | Android 4.3 Jelly Bean | Android 4.2 Jelly Bean |
| Storage – Internal | 32 GB | 16 GB |
| Special Features | S Pen with Air Command | Waterproof IP58 Certified |
