Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) vs Motorola Photon 4G (MB855)
Side by side comparison between Sony Ericsson Xperia Active vs Motorola Photon 4G phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
vs
4.3"
TFT
TFT
540x960
8
MP
MP
0.3mp
1GB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
1700
mAh
mAh
(Removable)
What's the better phone? Motorola Photon 4G (MB855)
The phonemore's choice is much more technical than personal. Therefore, you shouldn't only consider this. Our goal is to help you, but what's important to us may not be important to you. You decide which one is the best! Comment!
5 Advantages 
15 Advantages | 24 Common items in both devices |
| Until 32GB microSD, microSDHC |
| 16 million |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus |
| HD (1280x720) |
| 3G HSUPA |
| Capacitive |
| +17 specs and more in the table below |
Check the comparison table below for more items that are not evaluated in comparison score above.
Highlight differences Clear highlight📱 Model features | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Model | Xperia Active (ST17a) | Photon 4G (MB855) |
| Other model names | Sony Ericsson Xperia active ST17, ST17a | Sprint Motorola Photon 4G |
| Country or region available |     (Latin America), Brazil, Canada, USA | USA |
| Brand | Sony Ericsson | Motorola |
| Release date | 10/1/2011 | 8/1/2011 |
| Depth | 16.5 millimeters (0.65 inches) | 12.2 millimeters (0.48 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 55 x 92 millimeters (2.17 x 3.62 in) | 66.9 x 126.9 millimeters (2.63 x 5 in) |
| Weight | 111 grams (3.89 ounces) | 158 grams (5.53 ounces) |
| Build, materials | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Protection against water and others | IP67 certified: dust proof and waterproof over 1 meter and 30min | Not supported |
📲 Display | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Display type | TFT LED-Backlit LCD | TFT LCD |
| Screen size | 3" inches | 4.3" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~53% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~60% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 320x480 pixels | 540x960 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch | Capacitive Multitouch |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 192 PPI | 256 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Dragontrail Glass | Gorilla Glass |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Display features | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| System version | Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread | Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread |
| Firmware update | Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich ICS | Android 2.3.4 Gingerbread |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon S2 MSM8255 (45nm) | 32bit: NVIDIA Tegra 2 250 AP20H |
| CPU | Single-core, 1 processor: 1x 1GHz Scorpion (Single-core) | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1GHz ARM Cortex-A9 (Dual-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 205 | NVIDIA GeForce |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| RAM memory | 512MB LPDDR2 | 1GB LPDDR2 |
| Internal storage | 1GB (320MB available) | 16GB (13GB available) |
| External storage | Until 32GB microSD, microSDHC (dedicated slot) | Until 32GB microSD, microSDHC (dedicated slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) Standard mini-SIM (2FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) Standard mini-SIM (2FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 7.2/5.76 Mbps | 10.2/5.76 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G | 2G, 3G |
| Frequency, bands | Expand band details Collapse details | |
| GSM MHz band | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 | Quad-Band 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | CDMA 800/1900, GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 850/1900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, UMTS 850/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA |
| Secondary 2G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | Not supported | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 5 megapixels | 8 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 2592x1944 pixels | 3264x2448 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | HD (1280x720) 30 fps | HD (1280x720) 30 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | Dual-LED flash |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | feature not registered |
| Image stabilization | EIS: Digital stabilization | feature not registered |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection |
| BSI sensor | Not supported | Not supported |
| HDR | Not supported | Not supported |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | Not supported | 0.3 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | Not supported | 640x480 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | Not supported | Not supported |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Supported |
| Active noise cancellation | Not supported | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | FM (RDS) | FM (RDS) |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.263, H.264 | MP4, H.264, H.263, WMV |
| Audio formats | MP3, eAAC+, WAV | MP3, WAV, WMA, AAC+ |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| USB | MicroUSB 2.0 | MicroUSB 2.0 |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | Not supported | Mini HDMI Type C |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 + A2DP | 2.1 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS | A-GPS, GeoTagging |
| NFC | Not supported | Not supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Compass Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Removable) HF5X |
| Battery capacity | 1200 mAh | 1700 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Talk time autonomy | 5.5 hours | 9.1 hours |
| Standby | 335 hours (14 days) | 314 hours (13.1 days) |
➕ Other features | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| Call control | Voice recorder | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (Swype), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Not supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, Flash player | HTML, XHTML, Flash player |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Orange/black, White/black • 2GB microSD included • Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine • WiFi hotspot Java framework | • Colors: Black • HDMI 1.3 connector • Dual-mode CDMA/GSM phone • Motorola MOTOBLUR UI • Docking connector • 3G/4G WiFi hotspot up to 8 devices Java framework |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Sony Ericsson Xperia Active (ST17a) | Motorola Photon 4G (MB855) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 1.12W/kg (head), 1.07W/kg (body) | 0.93W/kg (head), 0.91W/kg (body) |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |