Sony Xperia Z3 vs LG G3: first look

Design

Sony did a great job with the looks, but LG G3 wins the ergonomic challenge.

Different as they are, the Sony Xperia Z3 and LG G3 share a common design trait – efficiency! Sony's engineers strive for symmetry and precision, which is why the company's flagship phones keep to simple shapes and always feel so remarkably balanced in the hand. LG's concept for efficiency led to remarkably thin bezels and a terrifically sculpted back panel, all to make the 5.5-inch behemoth fit as best as it possibly could inside your hand. Build quality is another matter, however. The Xperia Z3 is all about aluminum and tempered glass, while the LG G3 is an interesting exercise in giving plastic an expensive look. Both phones are quite sturdy, but the Xperia Z3 has the metal edge.

It's very interesting to note how the two phones size up to each other. Sony's new flagship measures an imposing 5.75 x 2.83 x 0.29 inches (146 x 72 x 7.3 mm), 5.36 oz (152 g), while the LG G3, with its bigger 5.5-inch display, is a close 5.76 x 2.94 x 0.35 inches (146.3 x 74.6 x 8.9 mm), 5.26 oz (149 g). Hands down, Sony did an excellent job with slimming the Xperia Z3's sides from the Z2's 0.32 inches (8.2mm) down to just 0.28 inches (7.3mm). But with its reasonable dimensions and well thought-out back panel button placement, the LG G3 wins the ergonomics challenge.

The Sony Xperia Z3 comes in Black, White, Copper, and Silver Green, while the LG G3 is available in Black, White, and Gold. But which phone is the one to take a shower with? The Xperia Z3 is tightly sealed against water and dust, and should be able to survive half-hour underwater dips of 1.5 meters. The LG G3 has no ingress protection, but water torture tests have shown that the phone survives water accidents. Sensors-wise, the Xperia Z3 is notable for its step counter and detector to aid your walking consciousness, while the LG G3 doesn't have any sensors beyond the usual set – light, gyro, GPS, and the like.