Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) vs Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903)
Side by side comparison between Sony Xperia ion vs Sony Xperia Z1 phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
4.6"
LED
LED
720x1280
12
MP
MP
1.3mp
1GB
RAM
RAM
Dual-core
1900
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
5"
TFT
TFT
1080x1920
20.7
MP
MP
2.1mp
2GB
RAM
RAM
Quad-core
3000
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903)
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!
2 Advantages 
19 Advantages | 28 Common items in both devices |
| 16GB (11.49GB available) / 16GB (12GB available) |
| 16 million |
| LED flash |
| Only digital zoom |
| Autofocus |
| BSI sensor |
| Full HD (1920x1080) |
| +21 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 Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Model | Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) |
| Other model names | AT&T Sony Xperia ion 4G LTE, Xperia ion LT28at, Sony Aoba | Sony Xperia Z1 C6903 (4G LTE), Sony Honami |
| Country or region available |  USA |  (Global, International) |
| Brand | Sony | Sony |
| Release date | 6/4/2012 | 9/6/2013 |
| Depth | 10.6 millimeters (0.42 inches) | 8.5 millimeters (0.33 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 68 x 133 millimeters (2.68 x 5.24 in) | 74 x 144 millimeters (2.91 x 5.67 in) |
| Weight | 144 grams (5.04 ounces) | 170 grams (5.95 ounces) |
| Build, materials | feature not registered | Aluminum frame, glass front/back |
| Protection against water and others | Not supported | IP58 certified: dust/water resistant up to 1 meter and 30min |
📲 Display | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Display type | TFT LED-Backlit LCD | TFT LCD |
| Screen size | 4.6" inches | 5" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~64.5% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~64.7% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 720x1280 pixels | 1080x1920 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 4-points | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 319 PPI | 441 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 16 million |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Scratch-resistant glass | Scratch-resistant glass |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Display features | feature not registered | feature not registered |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| System version | Android 2.3.7 Gingerbread | Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean |
| Firmware update | Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean | Android 5.1.1 Lollipop |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Chipset | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon S3 MSM8260 | 32bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 MSM8974 (28nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core, 1 processor: 2x 1.5GHz Scorpion (Dual-core) | Quad-core, 1 processor: 4x 2.2GHz Krait 400 (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 220 | Qualcomm Adreno 330 |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| RAM memory | 1GB LPDDR2 | 2GB LPDDR3 |
| Internal storage | 16GB (11.49GB available) | 16GB (12GB available) eMMC 4.5 |
| External storage | Until 32GB microSD, microSDHC (dedicated slot) | Until 64GB microSD, microSDXC (dedicated slot) |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Dual-SIM | Not supported | Not supported |
| SIM card | 1 slot (Single-SIM) Standard mini-SIM (2FF) | 1 slot (Single-SIM) micro-SIM (3FF) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 100/50 Mbps | 150/50 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G |
| 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 | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 |
| Primary 3G network | UMTS 850/1700/1900/2100 | UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat3 700/1700/2100 (Bands 4,17) | LTE Cat4 (Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20) |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE | GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, LTE |
| 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 Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 12 megapixels | 20.7 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 4000x3000 pixels | 5248x3936 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps | Full HD (1920x1080) 30 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | LED flash |
| Focal aperture | feature not registered | f/2.0 (aperture) |
| Focal length | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | feature not registered | 1/2.3" inches |
| Pixel size | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Autofocus | Autofocus | Autofocus |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | feature not registered | EIS: Digital stabilization |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Supported | Supported |
| HDR | Not supported | HDR photo/video only main camera |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | feature not registered |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 1.3 megapixels | 2.1 megapixels |
| Front camera resolution | 1280x1024 pixels | 1920x1080 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | HD (1280x720) | Full HD (1920x1080) |
| 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 Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Supported |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones or more |
| Radio | FM (RDS) | FM (RDS) |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.263, H.264, WMV | MP4, H.264, H.263 |
| Audio formats | MP3, eAAC+, WMA, WAV | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, AC3, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| USB | MicroUSB 2.0 | MicroUSB 2.0, USB OTG On-The-Go |
| Audio output | 3.5mm jack | 3.5mm jack |
| TV output | Micro HDMI Type D | Micro-B USB MHL |
| Bluetooth | 2.1 + A2DP | 4.0 + A2DP |
| WiFi | 802.11 b/g/n [wifi4] (2.4GHz) WiFi Direct, hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Compass Gyroscope Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor ANT+ Compass Gyroscope Proximity sensor |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 1900 mAh | 3000 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | Wired charging |
| Inductive / wireless charging | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Talk time autonomy | 4 hours | 15 hours |
| Standby | 350 hours (14.6 days) | 850 hours (35.4 days) |
➕ Other features | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder |
| Messaging | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail | SMS (T9), MMS, E-mail, Push mail |
| Hands-free calling | Supported | Supported |
| Video calling | Supported | Supported |
| Ringtones | Polyphonic and customized | Polyphonic and customized |
| Web browser | HTML, XHTML, Flash player | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Black, White • Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine • Sony Reality Display • Video stabiliser • PlayNow • 3D sweep panorama • SE Timescape • Java framework | • Colors: Black, White, Purple • Sony Mobile BRAVIA Engine 3 • Sony TRILUMINOS display • 3D Surround Sound |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Sony Xperia ion (LTE LT28at) | Sony Xperia Z1 (4G C6903) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | 1.05W/kg (head), 0.57W/kg (body) | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | 0.87W/kg (head) | feature not registered |