Sony Xperia Z2 vs LG G2

Introduction

The Sony Xperia Z2 is the new kid on the flagship block: a device of cutting-edge style and top-notch internals, it will end up on store shelves along with the rest of the flagship smartphones, and today we compare it with one such phone - the LG G2.

The Xperia Z2 has got time on its side - as the newest device it has the newest of everything, but most notable is its Snapdragon 801 engine running alongside 3GB of RAM. The LG G2, on the other hand, has just the slightly slower, yesteryear Snapdragon 800, but it has aged nicely as LG has cut the price of the G2 hugely.

In terms of design, the difference between the two is huge: the glass body of the Z2 gives it a decidedly premium appearance, while the G2 looks much more utilitarian with its glossy plastic shell.

Despite all these differences, though, the two handsets share a similarly sized window to the world: a 5.2-inch 1080p IPS LCD display is on both. You might be wondering: are the differences between the two worth the big price difference? We’re here to answer that, so read on.

Design

The Xperia Z2 features a stylish design with a body made out of glass, while the G2’s plastic build is much less inspiring. The Z2 has also got protection from elements on its side.

The Sony Xperia Z2 features an elegant evergreen design with glass on both the back and front, and it’s all constructed admirably well, while the LG G2 is made out of utilitarian glossy plastic, and it just does not feel well put together with that occasional creaking sound from the back of the phone.

In terms of size, the Xperia Z2 is noticeably taller and also slightly wider than the G2. This is due to the larger bezels surrounding the 5.2” display on the Sony handset. Neither is super slim: the Xperia Z2 measures 0.32 inches thick, while the G2 is a bit thicker at 0.35 inches.

Even though the Xperia Z2 impresses more with its stylish appearance, the LG G2 also has one eye-catchy element that is truly unique. This element is the peculiar positioning of all its physical buttons on the back, in a place where your fingers naturally lie when you hold the phone in portrait orientation. Right below the main camera, LG has positioned a power/lock key, gracefully encircled by an LED light that blinks in different colors to notify you about missed notification. The volume buttons are located around the lock key, but while clicky, they also feel wobbly and overall not particularly well made.

The Xperia Z2, on the other hand, can brag with its meticulous attention to detail as it sports beautifully crafted metal buttons. The round lock key on the right is particularly eye-catchy, but it can also be just a bit too small and shallow. The other buttons are also on the right: there’s a volume rocker with a curved shape (but it also has a muted response), and a dedicated two-way camera shutter key that is actually nice to press.

It’s also worth mentioning that Sony introduces stereo speakers in the Z2. They are located inconspicuously on the front in the form of tiny strips right next to the top and bottom borders. The top one hides a colorful secret - an LED notification strip that will blink in different colors whenever you get a new message or an update. The G2, in contrast, has just a single speaker on the bottom.

Moreover, the Z2 has one clear advantage over the G2, and that is its resistance to the elements. The Z2 is protected from dust and water (IP58-certified), and it can withstand submersion in up to 5-feet (1.5-meter) deep fresh water for up to 30 minutes.

Display

Xperia Z2 and G2 both feature 5.2” 1080p displays that have vivid colors. Neither is perfectly color-accurate, but the Z2 is a bit more likable with its better balanced and less cold tones.

Both the Sony Xperia Z2 and LG G2 feature 5.2-inch displays with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels, and both use IPS LCD technology. The two are very sharp with pixel density of 424ppi on both, enough to not notice any pixelization and read even tinier fonts with ease.

Despite all the similarity in screen size and sharpness, there’s also one thing that differs on the two and it’s the colors. Sony’s IPS LCD display boasts vivid colors with whites that do not look too cold, but it’s also true that the Z2 has a much wider color gamut than standard, and this makes colors a bit unnatural. LG’s G2 colors also look rather overblown, but on the other hand it has a very noticeable blueish tint.

We ought to say that this new Xperia Z2 display is a huge step up for Sony on its own, as the company has had sub-par displays in its last couple of its top-shelf offerings, and now finally offers a display that has good viewing angles. The Z2 is also the first Sony smartphone to come with the new Live Color LED tech, that is all about having red and green phosphor lights in addition to the traditional blue LEDs on the screen. These lights along with custom color filters are what makes possible to have a brighter display with more uniform light. Outdoors, both do a decent job as they get sufficiently bright and reflections are reduced, so it’s possible to use them under the bright sun with too huge of an effort.

The Xperia Z2 has also gotten two new display options: you can now choose to enable or disable glove mode, as well as adjust the color temperature to your liking. The G2 does not allow you such fine control over the colors.