Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini vs Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
A spec-by-spec comparison of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini and the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact, taken from their full specification sheets. Green marks the better value in each measured row.
Head to head
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Price | $59 | $64 |
| Our rating | 6/10 | 8/10 |
| Battery | 1,900 mAh | 2,300 mAh |
| Storage (max) | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| Screen size | 4.3 in | 4.3 in |
| Main camera | 8 MP | 20.7 MP |
| Weight (lower is lighter) | 107 g | 137 g |
| Released | Jul 2013 | Jan 2014 |
Summary: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is ahead on weight (lower is lighter). Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is ahead on our rating, battery, main camera.
★ Which should you buy? Sony Xperia Z1 Compact is the stronger overall pick on the measured specs. If budget matters more than the extra capability, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini is the cheaper option.
Reviewed by the infozme.com Editorial Team — see how we research & rate phones.
Display
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Type | Super AMOLED | IPS LCD, Triluminos display, X-Reality Engine |
| Size | 4.3 inches | 4.3 inches |
| Resolution | 540 x 960 pixels (qHD) | 720 x 1280 pixels |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 2 | Shatter-proof sheet on scratch-resistant glass |
| Pixel Density | — | 342 ppi |
Platform
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| OS | Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), upgradable to 4.4.2 (KitKat) | Android 4.3 Jelly Bean, upgradable to Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8930AB Snapdragon 400 (28 nm) | Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 (MSM8974) |
| CPU | Dual-core 1.7 GHz Krait 300 | Quad-core 2.2 GHz Krait 400 |
| GPU | Adreno 305 | Adreno 330 |
Memory
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (dedicated slot), up to 64GB | microSDXC, up to 64GB |
| Internal | 8GB (approximately 5GB user available) | 16GB |
| RAM | 1.5GB | 2GB |
Main Camera
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.6, AF | — |
| Features | LED flash | 1/2.3" sensor size, f/2.0 aperture, G-Lens, autofocus, LED flash, HDR, panorama, face detection, smile shutter, geotagging |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps |
| Megapixels | — | 20.7 MP |
Selfie Camera
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Single | 1.9 MP | — |
| Megapixels | — | 2 MP |
| Video | — | 1080p@30fps |
Battery
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Type | Removable Li-Ion 1900 mAh | Non-removable Li-Ion |
| Capacity | — | 2300 mAh |
Body
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Dimensions | 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm (4.91 x 2.41 x 0.35 in) | 127 x 64.9 x 9.4 mm |
| Weight | 107 g (3.77 oz) | 137 g |
| Build | Polycarbonate body | Glass front, plastic back, aluminum frame |
| SIM | Micro-SIM (Single SIM or Dual SIM variants) | Micro-SIM |
| Durability | — | IP58 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
Comms
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, hotspot |
| Bluetooth | 4.0, A2DP, LE, EDR | 4.0, A2DP, aptX |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS | — |
| NFC | Yes (LTE variant GT-I9195) | Yes |
| Radio | FM Radio | FM radio with RDS |
| USB | microUSB 2.0 | microUSB 2.0 (MHL TV-out) |
| GPS | — | Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS |
Launch
| Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini | Sony Xperia Z1 Compact |
|---|
| Announced | 2013, May 31 | January 6, 2014 |
| Status | Released 2013, July | — |
| Released | — | January 2014 (Sweden: January 24, 2014) |
Frequently asked questions
Which has the better battery, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini or Sony Xperia Z1 Compact?
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact — 1,900 mAh for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini versus 2,300 mAh for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.
Which is lighter, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini or Sony Xperia Z1 Compact?
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini — 107 g for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini versus 137 g for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.
Which is newer, Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini or Sony Xperia Z1 Compact?
Sony Xperia Z1 Compact — Jul 2013 for the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini versus Jan 2014 for the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini or the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact rated higher?
We rate the Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini 6/10 and the Sony Xperia Z1 Compact 8/10.
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