Android phablets are seeing a surge in popularity, so it's time we compare and contrast three of the most recently announced Android smartphones.
We pit the Sony Xperia XA Ultra against the Xiaomi Mi Max and the ZTE Zmax Pro against one another so you can decide which one fits your needs and budget best.
Design And Build
The Mi Max takes the cake in the design department due to its main body made of metal. The device comes in color options Gold and Gray, while the Xperia XA Ultra takes the classy options of Black and White, combining them with a glamorous Gold. No information exists on Zmax Pro's color options, except that it appears to sport only a black finish for now.
Display
When screen size is involved, the Zmax Pro and Xperia XA Ultra are on par, with 6.0-inch displays that render resolutions of 1,080 x 1,920p. The Mi Max sports the same resolution, albeit on the largest display of the three, a 6.4-inch one. This makes its 342 ppi rate slightly lower than the other two devices, which score 367 ppi.
A notable mention goes to Mi Max, which Xiaomi gifted with Corning Gorilla Glass 4, which is scratch-resistant.
Camera
Comparing the cameras of the three phablets, a clear winner emerges.
Xperia XA Ultra boasts the most powerful combo, with a 21.5-megapixel sensor for the main camera and a 16-megapixel camera for the selfie snapper. Next in line come the Mi Max, with a 16-megapixel rear sensor and a 5-megapixel selfie camera, and the Zmax Pro, which packs a 13-megapixel main sensor and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
Sony's cam rules when looking at the features of its cameras, which come with optical image stabilization.
However, the Mi Max does have dual LED flash, while the other two devices rely on simple flash. Xiaomi's phablet also has the widest variety of shooting modes, namely burst mode, HDR, Panorama and Effects. Sony also allows you to capture Panoramas, while not much is known about the shooting modes on ZTE's device.
Processing Power, Storage, Battery
All three devices sport eight-core CPUs.
Zmax Pro has a Snapdragon 617, Mi Max a Snapdragon 652 and Xperia XA Ultra a MediaTek Helio P10. The Mi Max is loaded with most RAM, a hefty 4 GB, followed by the Xperia XA Ultra with 3 GB and Zmax Pro with only 2 GB of RAM.
Mi Max wins the storage and battery capacity round again, holding a beastly 128 GB as default storage space and a no-less-intimidating 4,850 mAh battery.
Next in line are the Zmax Pro with 32 GB and undisclosed battery capacity and Xperia XA Ultra, with 16 GB of default space and a medium-sized 2,700 mAh capacity in the power source. All devices sport microSD support.
Features And Connectivity
While the Zmax Pro and Mi Max both come with a fingerprint sensor, no information about such a security feature exists about the Xperia XA Ultra. Light and proximity sensors are equipping all three phablets.
All devices come with Bluetooth and WiFi, but the Mi Max is the only one that can act as a mobile hotspot. LTE is live for the Mi Max and Xperia XA Ultra, which also support nano-SIM cards.
While tethering and computer and OTA sync are widespread across the board, only Sony's phablet comes with NFC support.
Software
All three smartphones come with Android 6.0 pre-installed. A special mention goes to Xiaomi, which packed its new MIUI 8 UI over the Google OS.
Availability
While the Xperia XA Ultra is expected to officially roll out in July 2016, the Mi Max starts shipping preorders on June 21. Zmax Pro was also rumored to be in T-Mobile's courtyard this summer.
Conclusion
Mi Max wins the design and build award due to solid materials and scratch resistance. It also sports the most RAM and standard storage capacity and comes with the largest display and power source. The fact that it can act as a mobile hotspot gives it an additional advantage.
Xperia XA Ultra boasts the best photography tools for mobile snappers and is the only device that has a clear launch timetable.
Meanwhile, the Zmax Pro is so mysterious that it wins the "keep users guessing" award, but there is also a chance for it to be the most affordable of the three.
