We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. The Sony Xperia Z3 has arguably the most underrated designs around! Being good looking is one thing, but the designers over at Sony’s camp delivered an impressive offering in the Xperia Z3 – one that adds a higher degree of water-resistance protection, which isn’t something we tend to see too much of nowadays in flagships.
On the flip side, the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge bears one eye-catching aesthetics with is unique dual-curved screen. Add to that, Sammy’s transformation is realized with the unveiling of its latest flagship smartphones, mainly because the designs now feature that premium quality that was non-existent with its previous efforts. Between them, we know the advantages that come along with being the newer product, especially from a specifications point, but the Xperia Z3 can’t be neglected either.
With every new Galaxy S release, Samsung has historically built upon the base by refining what's already there and adding some extra on top. With the Galaxy S6, however, the electronics giant has focused far more on the latter than on the former. To that end, instead of the plasticky shell of the Galaxy S5, Samsung has adopted a metal frame that hugs the device all over and nestles within two sheets of Corning Gorilla Glass 4 – one placed in front of the display, and the other to protect the rear.
Samsung didn't stop there, instead opting to carve several 'nano layers' into the shell. The result is a front and back that reflect light in different hues depending on your viewing angle. Also, we can’t forget about some of the handset’s key features – like its improved fingerprint sensor, built-in wireless charging, heart rate sensor, and IR blaster. In achieving a higher degree of craftsmanship and premium design, the Galaxy S6 edge, however, is stripped of some key design features that were once notable qualities with its predecessor.
What really sets the S6 edge apart from everything else is its unique dual-curved display, where both edges feature a subtle curve. We’ll admit that it supplements its aesthetic appeal, but it comes with some precautions as well – as in the way we hold it, just because it feels rather sharp in the hand. In doing this, it certainly does not make it the most comfortable thing, though, some folks will gladly still take it primarily for the aesthetics. However, we have to point out that this design isn’t water-resistant.
And with that, we have to look at the Sony Xperia Z3 longingly and admire the fact that it’s one of the few, remaining flagships to qualify being regarded as water-resistant with its design. That’s a testament to say the least, since it doesn’t make that many sacrifices whatsoever with its aesthetics and construction – it’s relatively slim and premium. Surprisingly enough, it shares some of the same design characteristics as its rival, such as its premium glass surfaces and metal unibody.
At the same time, too, it’s able to accommodate a handy, and always useful microSD card slot and dedicated shutter key. Not surprisingly, the Galaxy S6 edge earns adulation and commendation for its stark redesign, one that’s undoubtedly now deemed as premium, but we can’t neglect to forget about the Xperia Z3’s design either.
5.59 x 2.76 x 0.28 inches
142.1 x 70.1 x 7 mm
4.66 oz (132 g)
5.75 x 2.83 x 0.29 inches
146 x 72 x 7.3 mm
5.36 oz (152 g)
Being almost a year newer has its advantages, especially knowing Samsung’s insatiable appetite for pushing the boundaries. Clearly within the flagship range, the Xperia Z3’s 5.2-inch 1080 x 1920 LCD display has several good qualities about it, but it looks daunting on paper in comparison to the Galaxy S6 edge’s dazzling 5.1-inch 1440 x 2560 Super AMOLED dual-curved display.
In all fairness, it’s quite difficult in deciphering the detail superiority of the Galaxy S6’s display over the Xperia Z3 when looking at the two from a normal distance – they’re both sharp and pleasing to the eye. Moving ever so closer, however, that’s when we begin to visualize the astounding level of detail produced by the quad-HD resolution of the Galaxy S6 edge’s screen. For practical usage, though, there’s no denying that they’re both on equal ground.Now, let's talk about color calibration. With the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge set in the non-default Basic display mode, we're looking at a spot-on color temperature of 6800K (6500K being the desired optimal value), while the Xperia Z3 offers the very unsatisfactory 10324K. In real terms, this means that the Xperia Z3’s display is cold (or bluish) and that's especially visible with whites and various shades of gray. In comparison, Samsung's device offers realistic whites that are... well, white!
Were we to draw the line right here, the Xperia Z3 would only suffer a relatively small defeat, instead of being steamrolled as it is in reality. Indeed, the Galaxy S6 edge's display also proves far better in terms of color accuracy, with essentially every shade hitting its desired target at every intensity level, while the Z3 falters significantly in comparison – the hue presentation is all over the place when referenced to the standard, as you can see in the color charts below. In reality, the S6 edge’s panel replicates colors with accuracy, while the Z3’s screen tries to be more saturated and punchy, which, however, backfires significantly, resulting in a severely inaccurate screen.
Details and colors aside, the Z3’s LCD-based display shines strongly at 713 nits, making it especially easy to view outdoors with the sun present. Once known to be the among the worst display technologies when it came to maximum brightness, Super AMOLED has taken a great leap forward in recent memory, as the S6 edge’s Super AMOLED display musters up a respectable 553 nits.
And lastly, we can’t forget to mention the added functionality brought on by the dual-curved display of the S6 edge. From being able to access some of our favorite contacts from the lock and home screen, to the cool visualizing pattern when we receive incoming calls from our favorite contacts, and the notification tickers that bring info to one of its edges, the dual-curved display adds to the phone’s arsenal, but as we’ve detailed already, it’s most profound for the aesthetics.
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