Apple iPhone 14vsSony Xperia 5 IV

Apple iPhone 14

Sony Xperia 5 IV

Apple iPhone 14

The iPhone 14 is the latest vanilla model from Apple, marking a year of incremental upgrades rather than significant changes. The phone features a 6.1-inch OLED display with a pixel density of 460 PPI and ceramic Shield protection, producing sharp, contrasty, and colorful content with excellent color accuracy. Performance-wise, the iPhone 14 is powered by last year's A15 Bionic chipset with 5-core GPU, which provides excellent benchmark performance on par with the iPhone 13 Pro. However, CPU performance is similar to the regular iPhone 13, and thermal management throttles performance in a gradual manner. The camera department sees an update with the 12-megapixel main cam featuring a brighter aperture and larger pixels compared to the vanilla 13. The ultra-wide camera remains identical to its predecessor. Apple's HDR image stacking technology has been rebranded as Photonic Engine, and while it produces excellent results in daylight, dynamic range is not too wide. Portrait shots from the main cam are very competent, with subject detection and separation nearly perfect. The ultrawide camera also produces solid photos with good contrast and accurate colors. Low-light conditions see an automatic night mode kicking in, which generally does a great job producing clean-looking and detailed images. The 12-megapixel selfie cam features phase detection autofocus, resulting in excellent detail levels, low noise, and natural skin texture and colors. The camera can record video in up to 4K at 60fps with any of its three cameras, featuring expanded dynamic range thanks to Smart HDR. Overall, the iPhone 14 is a solid refresh rather than an actual upgrade, offering a compact form factor and high-quality performance. Those looking for significant changes may be disappointed, but those who value incremental upgrades will find this phone suitable.

Sony Xperia 5 IV

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is a significant improvement over its predecessor, boasting a brighter screen, better battery life, an upgraded chipset, and a more compact form factor. The device's design has been refined to fit comfortably in the hand, making it a great option for those seeking a flagship with a pocketable size. The camera performance on the Xperia 5 IV is one of its standout features. The main camera captures excellent photos during the day, with a natural look and plenty of detail. The ultra-wide camera also impresses, producing rich and detailed shots with good contrast and balanced colors. While the telephoto camera doesn't quite match the quality of the main camera, it still delivers nice results. One of the major downsides to the Xperia 5 IV is its thermal management. Heavy gaming can cause the device to heat up noticeably, which may be a concern for those who plan on using their phone extensively for gaming. Additionally, there's no charger included in the box, which might require additional purchases. Despite these minor drawbacks, the Sony Xperia 5 IV is an excellent choice for those seeking a flagship with great cameras and a compact design. The device's performance is solid, and its camera capabilities are among the best on the market. Overall, it's a well-rounded smartphone that deserves consideration from anyone in the market for a new Android device.