Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) vs Sony Xperia Z5 Compact
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) and the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Price | $45 | $5,645 |
| Our rating | 5/10 | 7/10 |
| Battery | 1,624 mAh | 2,700 mAh |
| Wired charging | — | 18W |
| RAM (max) | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Storage (max) | 128 GB | 200 GB |
| Screen size | 4 in | 4.6 in |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 23 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 113 g | 138 g |
| Released | Mar 2016 | Oct 2015 |
Summary: Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) is ahead on weight (lower is lighter). Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is ahead on our rating, battery, storage (max), screen size.
★ Which should you buy? Sony Xperia Z5 Compact is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) is the cheaper option.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Type | Retina IPS LCD, LED-backlit | IPS LCD |
| Size | 4.0 inches (diagonal) | 4.6 inches |
| Resolution | 1136 x 640 pixels, 326 ppi | 720 x 1280 pixels (~323 ppi density) |
| Features | 800:1 contrast ratio (typical), 500 cd/m2 max brightness (typical), Fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating, Full sRGB standard | Triluminos display, X-Reality Engine |
| Protection | — | Scratch-resistant glass, oleophobic coating |
Platform
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| OS | iOS 9.3.1, upgradable to iOS 15.8.8 (as of May 2026) | — |
| Chipset | Apple A9 (14 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 (20 nm) |
| CPU | Dual-core 1.84 GHz Twister | Octa-core (4x1.5 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4x2.0 GHz Cortex-A57) |
| GPU | PowerVR GT7600 (six-core graphics) | Adreno 430 |
Memory
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (dedicated slot), up to 200GB |
| Internal | 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB (2GB RAM) | 32GB 2GB RAM |
Main Camera
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Single | 12 MP, f/2.2, 29mm (standard), 1/3", 1.22µm, PDAF | — |
| Features | Dual-tone LED flash, HDR, Live Photos, Autofocus, IR filter, Burst mode, Face detection, True Tone flash | LED flash, HDR, panorama |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 1080p@120fps (slow-motion), 720p@240fps (slow-motion) | 4K@30fps, 1080p@60fps, 720p@120fps, HDR |
| Modules | — | 23 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.3", PDAF |
Selfie Camera
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Single | 1.2 MP, f/2.4, 31mm (standard) | — |
| Features | Face detection, HDR, Retina Flash | HDR |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Modules | — | 5.1 MP, f/2.4 |
Battery
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Type | Li-Po 1624 mAh, non-removable (6.21 Wh) | Non-removable Li-Ion 2700 mAh |
| Charging | Standard charging | Fast charging 18W (Quick Charge 2.0) |
Body
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm (4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 in) | 127 x 65 x 8.9 mm (5.0 x 2.56 x 0.35 in) |
| Weight | 113 g (4.0 oz) | 138 g (4.87 oz) |
| Build | Glass front, aluminum back, aluminum frame | Glass front, glass back, plastic frame |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Colors | Space Gray, Silver, Gold, Rose Gold | — |
| Durability | — | IP65/IP68 dust and water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.2, A2DP, LE | 4.1, A2DP, aptX |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS | — |
| NFC | Yes (Apple Pay only) | Yes |
| Radio | No | FM radio, RDS |
| USB | Lightning, USB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 (MHL 3 TV-out), OTG |
| Positioning | — | GPS, GLONASS/BDS |
Launch
| Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) | Sony Xperia Z5 Compact |
|---|
| Announced | March 21, 2016 | September 2015 |
| Status | Released March 31, 2016 | — |
| Released | — | October 2015 |
| OS | — | Android 5.1.1 (Lollipop), upgradable to 7.1.1 (Nougat) |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) or Sony Xperia Z5 Compact?
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact — 1,624 mAh for the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) versus 2,700 mAh for the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact.
Which is lighter, Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) or Sony Xperia Z5 Compact?
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) — 113 g for the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) versus 138 g for the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact.
Which is newer, Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) or Sony Xperia Z5 Compact?
Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) — Mar 2016 for the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) versus Oct 2015 for the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact.
Is the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) or the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact rated higher?
We rate the Apple iPhone SE (1st generation) 5/10 and the Sony Xperia Z5 Compact 7/10.
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