Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) vs Apple iPhone Air (256GB)
Side by side comparison between Sony Xperia XZ3 vs Apple iPhone Air phones, differences, pros, cons and full specifications. What's the better?
,
6"
POLED
POLED
1440x2880
19.2
MP
MP
13mp
6GB
RAM
RAM
Octa-core
3300
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
vs
6.5"
OLED
OLED
1260x2736
48
MP
MP
18mp
12GB
RAM
RAM
Hexa-core
3149
mAh
mAh
(Non removable)
What's the better phone? Apple iPhone Air (256GB)
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!
8 Advantages 
24 Advantages | 24 Common items in both devices |
| Only digital zoom |
| LDAF/PDAF: laser/phase detection autofocus / PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Capacitive |
| Multitouch |
| Accelerometer |
| +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 Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Model | Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) |
| Other model names | Sony Xperia XZ3 6GB RAM H9436, Sony Akatsuki | iPhone 17 Air (A3260, A3517, A3518) |
| Country or region available |  Taiwan |  (Global, International) |
| Brand | Sony | Apple |
| Release date | 10/5/2018 | 9/19/2025, Announced: 9/9/2025 |
| Depth | 9.9 millimeters (0.39 inches) | 5.6 millimeters (0.22 inches) |
| Size (width x height) | 73 x 158 millimeters (2.87 x 6.22 in) | 74.7 x 156.2 millimeters (2.94 x 6.15 in) |
| Weight | 193 grams (6.76 ounces) | 165 grams (5.78 ounces) |
| Build, materials | Aluminum frame, glass front/back | Titanium frame, glass front and back Back: Ceramic Shield |
| Protection against water and others | Waterproof (IP?) | IP68 certified: water-resistant up to 1.5 meters for 30min and dust-resistant |
📲 Display | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Display type | P-OLED | LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED |
| Screen size | 6" inches | 6.5" inches |
| Screen-to-body ratio | ~80.5% (screen-to-body ratio) | ~88.8% (screen-to-body ratio) |
| Display resolution | 1440x2880 pixels | 1260x2736 pixels (19.5:9) |
| Touchscreen | Capacitive Multitouch 10-points | Capacitive Multitouch |
| Pixel density (dot pitch) | 537 PPI | 463 PPI |
| Colors | 16 million | 1 billion |
| Scratch-resistant glass | Gorilla Glass 5 | Ceramic Shield 2 |
| Refresh rate | feature not registered | 120Hz |
| Display features | feature not registered | 1000nits[typ], 3000nits[peak] Dolby Vision/HDR10 Always-On Display Oleophobic coating screen True-tone Wide color gamut |
🤖 Operating System | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| System version | Android 9.0 Pie | iOS 26 |
| Firmware update | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| User Interface | feature not registered | feature not registered |
⚙️ Processor | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Chipset | 64bit: Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 MSM8998 (10nm) | 64bit: Apple A19 Pro (3nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core, 2 processors: 4x 2.7GHz Kryo 385 Gold (Quad-core) 4x 1.7GHz Kryo 385 Silver (Quad-core) | Hexa-core, 2 processors: 2x 4.26GHz P-Core (Dual-core) 4x 2.2GHz E-Core (Quad-core) |
| GPU graphical controller | Qualcomm Adreno 630 710Mhz | A19 Pro GPU (5-core) |
| Performance (benchmark) | feature not registered | AnTuTu: 2000993 (v10) Geekbench: 9682 (v6.5) |
💽 Memory and storage | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| RAM memory | 6GB LPDDR4 | 12GB LPDDR5X |
| Internal storage | 64GB (50GB available) | 256GB (230GB available) NVMe (SSD) |
| External storage | Until 1TB microSD, microSDXC (hybrid slot/shares the same SIM-2 slot) | Not supported |
📶 Mobile networks | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Dual-SIM | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card (hybrid slot/shares the same microSD slot) | Dual-SIM Standby - Call active on one sim card |
| SIM card | 2 slots (Dual-SIM) nano-SIM (4FF) | e-SIM (Eletronic) |
| Maximum Download / Upload | 1200/200 Mbps | 5000/1024 Mbps |
| Network technology | 2G, 3G, 4G | 2G, 3G, 4G, 5G |
| 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 | TD-SCDMA 1900/2000 UMTS 800/850/900/1700/1900/2100 | CDMA2000 1xEV-DO UMTS 850/900/1700/1900/2100 |
| Primary 4G network | LTE Cat18 (Bands 1,2,3,4,5,7,8,12,13,17,19,20,25,26,28,66) TD-LTE (Bands 38,39,40,41) VoLTE | LTE Cat20 VoLTE A3517 (International): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 32, 53, 66) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) A3260 (USA): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 53, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) A3518 (Canada, Mexico, EMEA): LTE (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 53, 66, 71) TD-LTE (34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48) |
| Primary 5G network | Not supported | A3517 (International): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20, 25, 26, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 75, 77, 78, 79) A3260 (USA): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79) A3518 (Canada, Mexico, EMEA): SA/NSA/Sub6 (1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 77, 78, 79) |
| Primary data network | GPRS, EDGE, TD-SCDMA, UMTS, TD-HSDPA, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A | GPRS, EDGE, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev 0, CDMA2000 EV-DO Rev A, UMTS, HSDPA, HSUPA, HSPA+, TD-LTE, LTE, LTE-A, SA/NSA, Sub6, mmWave |
| Secondary 2G network | GSM 850/900/1800/1900 | Not supported |
| Secondary 3G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary 4G network | Not supported | Not supported |
| Secondary data network | GPRS, EDGE | Not supported |
📷 Camera | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Back camera (main camera) | 19.2 megapixels | 48 megapixels |
| Main camera resolution | 5056x3792 pixels | 8000x6000 pixels |
| Video recording (primary) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 30 fps | 4K UHD (3840x2160) 60 fps |
| Flash | LED flash | Dual-LED flash |
| Focal aperture | f/2.0 (aperture) | f/1.6 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 25mm (lens) | 26mm (lens) |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" inches | 1/1.56" inches |
| Pixel size | 1.22µm pixel | 1µm pixel |
| Autofocus | LDAF/PDAF: laser/phase detection autofocus | PDAF: phase detection autofocus on both cameras |
| Touch focus | Supported | Supported |
| Image stabilization | EIS: Digital stabilization | OIS: Optical stabilization on both cameras |
| Zoom | Only digital zoom | Only digital zoom |
| Face/smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection | Face detection, Smile detection |
| BSI sensor | Not supported | Supported |
| HDR | HDR photo/video on both cameras | HDR photo/video on both cameras |
| Camera extras | feature not registered | 4K@24/25/30/60fps 1080p@25/30/60/120/240fps Dolby Vision (60fps) |
📸 Front camera | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Front camera (secondary) | 13 megapixels | (dual front camera) 18 megapixels 0.3MP SL 3D |
| Front camera resolution | 4128x3096 pixels | 5184x3456 pixels |
| Video recording (secondary) | Full HD (1920x1080) | 4K UHD (3840x2160) |
| Front flash | Not supported | Not supported |
| Focal aperture | f/1.9 (aperture) | f/1.9 (aperture) |
| Focal length | 23mm (lens) | feature not registered |
| Sensor size | 1/3" inches | feature not registered |
| Pixel size | 1.12µm pixel | feature not registered |
🔉 Sound and multimedia | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Loudspeaker | Supported | Mono sound (not stereo) Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio 3D |
| Active noise cancellation | 2 microphones or more | 2 microphones |
| Radio | Not supported | Not supported |
| TV | Not supported | Not supported |
| Video formats | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, DivX, XviD | MP4, H.265, H.264, H.263, XviD, MKV |
| Audio formats | MP3, OGG, eAAC+, FLAC | MP3, WAV, WMA, eAAC+, FLAC |
🔌 Connectivity | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| USB | USB 3.1 Type-C, USB OTG On-The-Go | USB 2.0 Type-C reversible connector |
| Audio output | Type-C jack with 3.5mm jack adapter | Type-C reversible connector |
| TV output | Not supported | USB Type-C (reversible) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 + A2DP/LE | 6.0 + A2DP/LE |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac [wifi5] (2.4GHz, 5GHz) + MIMO WiFi Direct, hotspot | 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax/be [wifi7/6E/6] (2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz) + MIMO WiFi hotspot |
| DLNA | Supported | Not supported |
| GPS | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou | A-GPS, GeoTagging, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, QZSS, NavIC |
| NFC | Supported | Supported |
| Infrared port | Not supported | Not supported |
🧭 Sensors | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Sensors | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock 2D Fingerprint sensor (rear-mounted) Gyroscope Proximity sensor | Accelerometer Ambient light sensor Barometer Compass Face unlock 3D Gyroscope Proximity sensor UWB (Ultra Wideband) |
| Vibrating alert | Supported | Supported |
🔋 Battery | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Battery type | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) | Li-Ion: lithium-ion (Non removable) |
| Battery capacity | 3300 mAh | 3149 mAh |
| Charger, watts | Wired charging | 30W Wired fast charging 4.5W Reverse charging by cable USB Power Delivery 2.0 |
| Inductive / wireless charging | Qi wireless charging | 25W Qi2 wireless charging |
| Talk time autonomy | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| Standby | feature not registered | feature not registered |
➕ Other features | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| Call control | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands | Voice dialing, Voice recorder, Voice commands |
| 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, HTML5 | HTML, XHTML, HTML5 |
| Antenna | Internal antenna | Internal antenna |
| Qwerty physical keyboard | Not supported | Not supported |
| Miscellaneous | • Colors: Black, Silver, Green, Red • HDR display • Triluminos display • X-Reality Engine • Power delivery • 24-bit/192kHz audio • WiFi miracast • IP68 certified: dust/water proof up to 1.5m for 30min | • Colors: Space Black, Cloud White, Light Gold, Sky Blue Apple Intelligence • Apple Pay • Face ID • MagSafe |
☢️ Radiation rate | ||
| Sony Xperia XZ3 (H9436) | iPhone Air (256GB) | |
| SAR 1.6W/kg (USA, Mexico, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |
| SAR 2W/kg (Europe, UK, etc.) | feature not registered | feature not registered |