Sony Xperia ion vs Samsung Galaxy S III
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Right off the bat, there are going to be some people turned off by the fact that the Xperia ion is running Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box – whereas the Galaxy S III benefits with Ice Cream Sandwich. Sure, the two are running completely different Android experiences (TouchWiz Nature UX with the Galaxy S III and the UXP NXT interface for the Xperia ion), but they still provide all of the comforts we’re accustomed to having with Android as a whole – like its deep personalization. However, we have to admit that Samsung’s TouchWiz Nature UX is complete from top to bottom and more comprehensive versus Sony’s offering. Specifically, Samsung has managed to captivate us with its array of software innovations with things like S Beam, SmartStay, S Voice, and GroupCast.
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Sony Xperia ion is running the UXP NXT interface on top of Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread | |||
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The Samsung Galaxy S III comes with TouchWiz Nature UX on top of Android 4 ICS | |||
However, when it comes to the core set of organizer apps, like the calendar, calculator, email, and Gmail apps, they provide the same functionality and experience.
Thanks to their large displays, we find the two more than ample for typing up long messages. In addition to the spacious confines of their respective keyboards, their responsiveness in keeping up with our rate enables us to make minimal mistakes along the way.
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The on-screen keyboard options of Sony Xperia ion | |||
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The on-screen keyboard of the Samsung Galaxy S III | |
Processor and Memory:
Already, the Xperia ion is behind the times with Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but we can say the same with its processor as well. Rather than using the newer 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S4 processor, which is what powers the Galaxy S III, Sony’s pride and joy relies instead on the older 1.5GHz dual-core S3 processor. In addition, the Galaxy S III is blessed with double the RAM at 2GB, while the Xperia ion sticks with the usual 1GB. Visually, we like the real world performance of the two, as they’re responsive with most operations, but we’re able to meticulously notice that the Galaxy S III exhibits the more fluid tones with its operation.
| Quadrant Standard | AnTuTu | NenaMark 2 | |
| Sony Xperia ion | 2833 | 6044 | 36,4 |
| Samsung Galaxy S III | 4520 | 6111 | 59,4 |
Out of the box, the Sony Xperia ion and Samsung Galaxy S III have free storage capacities of 11.24GB and 12.05GB respectively. Thankfully, they can be expanded seeing that they offer microSD card slots.
Internet and Connectivity:
Almost instantly, we can see that the Galaxy S III is the better handset to go with if you’re invested heavily in web browsing. Not only does it exhibit the better response with navigational controls, like pinch zooming and kinetic scrolling, but it’s also better able to handle pages that are rich with Adobe Flash content. Conversely, the Xperia ion is still a good device for web browsing, but its prowess is diminished by some noticeable jerkiness with its performance.
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Browsing the web with Sony Xperia ion | |||
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The web browser of the Samsung Galaxy S III | |||
Never something that we’ll get tired of seeing, these two top-shelf smartphones take full advantage of their 4G LTE connections – and actually, they both obtain similar data speeds in our experience. Furthermore, they’re packing all the usual set of connectivity options, such as aGPS, Bluetooth, mobile hotspot functionality, NFC, and Wi-Fi.
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27 Comments
1. XiphiasGladius posted on 25 Jun 2012, 05:39 4 0
Good comparative review, but I believe it would be fare to compare the ION to the SGS3 once it has ICS in it. I won't say the ION would be better by then but I believe it can atleast close the gap by then. . .
13. ajac09 posted on 25 Jun 2012, 07:27 4 0
well yeah ICS changes the weight the screen size the camera and the buttons magically change into working awesome buttons!
3. RORYREVOLUTION posted on 25 Jun 2012, 06:04 6 0
The SGS3 is an amazing phone. The Sony one isn't bad if you are on a budget but if you want the best, look no further.
4. wendygarett posted on 25 Jun 2012, 06:20 3 0
IDK... For some reason i prefer ion... Probably because of attractive price...
5. santaclaus posted on 25 Jun 2012, 06:25 0 0
Proven: same camera sensor for SGS3, Ion, Iphone from the camera comparison
21. Atlas posted on 25 Jun 2012, 11:20 0 0
That's because the i4S and the ion both use Sony cameras, plus they also helped with the GS3s camera as well
6. imran_khan0786 posted on 25 Jun 2012, 06:37 6 10
S3 made by a cheap plastic and we heared s3 is exploding and heating problem. My three friends lost there money on s3. Never ever go for s3 better to take oneX or ION. Samsung just making craze in the public. Here no one ready to go with s3.
Best of luck.
8. SleepingOz posted on 25 Jun 2012, 06:59 7 4
Another ignorant retard who comes up with his invalid "cheap plastic" argument.
Lost their money? How? And how is the ION or the One X better? Have you even read their comparison articles?
10. RORYREVOLUTION posted on 25 Jun 2012, 07:00 7 2
No no no and no. Please shut up dude.
One story about some guys phone exploding when he was probably using a cheap unsafe charger and to avoid paying for it he lied. There's been several cases of Iphones exploding. Another is the plastics that the sgs3 is the most durable there is. It's the same plastic found on the one x, just glossy. Get a phone cover like you should anyway.
Heating problem? My phone is the coolest cell phone I have used and I mean that literally. Not once has it felt hot or even warm to the touch and I use it constantly. You are just going by stupid little reports you read about that happened to a couple people. Faulty devices are in every product there is.
17. droly23hp posted on 25 Jun 2012, 09:04 2 0
im liking just the blue one though, it looks less plastic because of the brushed design.. the back of the white looks pure plastic..
19. Galen20K posted on 25 Jun 2012, 10:50 3 0
Polycarbonate, 100 times stronger than regular plastic and heck of a lot more durable. I don't see this as a bad thing. Haters just love to embelish facts.
9. ryq24 posted on 25 Jun 2012, 07:00 0 0
after giving the ion a low score what hope does Ion have against s3. nada! zero! none! but in fairness, the verge also give a very low score for ion. i hope sony is reading all the reviews so they could learn something out of it!
12. BabyWade posted on 25 Jun 2012, 07:17 5 0
Personally I wouldn't compare the Xperia Ion (mid-range) to the SGS3 (high-end), but still a good comparison.
14. OpTiMuS_BlAcK posted on 25 Jun 2012, 08:05 2 2
They've been comparing the SGSIII to every new phone, when will it end? -_-
16. parkwaydr posted on 25 Jun 2012, 08:14 2 2
When some beats it, which won't happen anytime soon.
20. PhoneArenaUser posted on 25 Jun 2012, 10:58 2 0
Ray S. also comparing Samsung Galaxy S III with iPhone 4S...
15. parkwaydr posted on 25 Jun 2012, 08:13 2 0
Honestly, the ion is a good release for Sony, while it may not compare to the gs111, its a quality stepping stone for Sony to work off of, let's face it, Sammy knows how to build monsters, give it time, and soon Sony will unleash high shelf monsters, that being said, the ion is still a great phone for those who want good quality on a small budget.
22. Martine posted on 25 Jun 2012, 16:53 0 0
Title is very misleading. It is more like Sony Xperia Ion vs Samsung Galaxy SIII (US version)
24. grkumar4phonearena posted on 27 Jun 2012, 02:30 1 0
Very nice comarasion review on both phones. But, personally I prefer Sony phones only.
27. win.legacy posted on 02 Oct 2012, 02:26 2 0
I have a samsung galaxy s3 and xperia ion...
but in some ways i like my xperia ion better.... i mean in many ways
28. X55526622233 posted on 16 Apr 2013, 00:21 0 0
I have a samsung galaxy s3, htc one X+, xperia ion, and xperia Z
what I can say is... s3 is better when it comes to games, xperia ion and Z are better in terms of camera, htc one X+ uhhhhmmmm... yeah...I don't know why I bought this s**t.
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