Microsoft Lumia 950 XL vs. Sony Xperia Z5 Premium: Price, Specs, Release Date, Features Faceoff

Microsoft recently launched the Lumia 950, Lumia 950 XL, Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and the Band. Not long ago, Sony also unveiled a slew of handsets namely the Xperia Z5, Xperia Z5 Compact and the jumbo Xperia Z5 Premium. Here is a comparison of specifications, features and price pertaining to the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium and the Microsoft Lumia 950 XL.

Lumia 950 XL vs. Xperia Z5 Premium: Display

The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL features a 5.7-inch display, aided by 1,440 x 2,560 pixels screen resolution, whereas the Xperia Z5 Premium comes with a 5.5-inch display and a killer 4K resolution of 2,160 x 3,840 pixels. Microsoft has made use of OLED display technology, while Sony has utilized the tried and tested IPS LCD screen. These display combinations translate to a good-enough pixel density of 518 ppi on the Lumia handset and a whopping 806 ppi on the Sony device. It is worth noting that the higher the pixel density, the brighter will be the screen.

Lumia 950 XL vs. Xperia Z5 Premium: Processor, Software, Memory

Under the hood, both the handsets come powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 810 SoC, in combination with an octa-core processor and backed by a good 3 GB of RAM. Speaking of software configuration, the Microsoft handset runs the latest Windows 10 OS, packed with futuristic features like Continuum. The Xperia Z5 Premium, on the other hand, runs the Android 5.1.1 Lollipop OS, and is upgradable to Android 6.0 Marshmallow OS.

Furthermore, both Lumia and Xperia devices come equipped with 32 GB of internal storage space with microSD card support for further expansion of up to 200 GB.

Lumia 950 XL vs. Xperia Z5 Premium: Camera, Battery

The Lumia 950 XL features a cool 20-megapixel PureView rear-facing camera. In comparison, the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium sports an improved 23-megapixel primary camera with LED flash. However, the Lumia device beats the Sony handset by offering a triple-LED flash to capture killer shots. Speaking of front-facing shooter, the Microsoft and Sony handsets settle for 5-megapixel and 5.1-megapixel camera units, respectively.

When it comes to battery specification, the Xperia Z5 Premium comes equipped with 3,430 mAh (non-removable) cell, while the Lumia 950 XL is nearly there with a 3,340 mAh (removable) unit. Plus, both the devices support fast battery charging option.

Lumia 950 XL vs. Xperia Z5 Premium: Misc

While the Microsoft handset comes packed with an "iris scanner" for authentication, the Xperia device settles for the now-ubiquitous "fingerprint scanner."

The IP 68 rating of the Xperia Z5 Premium guarantees dust and water-proofing while the Lumia 950 XL, on the other hand, does not come with one. In addition, the Lumia 950 XL comes with an USB Type-C port, whereas the Xperia Z5 Premium doesn’t.

Lumia 950 XL vs. Xperia Z5 Premium: Price, Release Date

The Microsoft Lumia 950 XL price has reportedly been set at $649, according to Engadget. The Sony Xperia Z5 Premium, meanwhile, will apparently be made available for £629 (about $965), Sony Mobile reported. However, at this point, the U.S. specific price details are unknown. Both the handsets will reportedly be released in November.