Sony Xperia Acro S VS Samsung Galaxy Note 2!

Sony Xperia Acro S VS Samsung Galaxy Note 2!

The Comparison of Dreams

THE VIDEO:

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After the acquisition of both my Dream Phones Sony Xperia Acro S, an ex-dream phone after my review, and Samsung Galaxy Note 2  still arguably the best phone today, I decided to pit them both together. Before you judge and flame and hate me, let me tell you I know these two phones are in no way similar, and it is pretty obvious which will win, the point of this blog is a confirmation that about a month ago, I decided to pick the better one and after acquiring Acro S, my happiness was amplified as I made another right choice in my life. 

               

DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE MY PREFERENCE, I’M NOT SAYING WHAT I PICKED IS BETTER, WHAT I PICK IS WHAT I PREFER.

1.       BOX CONTENTS

Both phones have a USB Cable, Charger, Headset, and Manuals. But the list goes on for the Acro S at it also packs a dock. I have to point out that Samsung has the better headset as it has volume control and it actually has better audio output. Acro S’ headset , sadly, is the same as what can be found in Arc S. the quality is not bad, but considering Arc S was out 2011 and Acro s is out 2012, you would expect some improvements or change.

Winner: TIE – I liked the dock, but I also like music playing, it’s a choice between a useful freebie or better audio.

2. PHONE SUPERFICIALITY

                This part is by an individual’s preference; Acro S comes in different colors as well as the Note 2. Cases for both phones are also numerous as both of them are branded. Acro S is smaller with 4.3 Inch Screen housing everything on its sides and top and bottom, the back feels smooth and it does not attract much fingerprints. Acro S has a non-user replaceable battery which maybe the reason as to why its side is filled with so much. Note 2, on the other hand, sports a 5.5 Inch screen with a simple design, it’s basically a bigger S3, it has no camera shutter and the only buttons on the sides are the power button and the volume rocker. Sim card slots and SD Card slots can be found under the battery. Note 2 feels plasticky and its back attracts a lot of fingerprints. Acro S feels at home with one hand operation. Using Note 2 with one hand is a chore.

                Winner: TIE – Personal preference!

                

3. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

3.1 Speakers

                On loudspeaker, Note 2 skyrockets itself away from Acro S, at half the volume on the Note 2, it sounds as loud as Acro S’ max volume. YES I KNOW NOTE 2 HAS THE BIGGER SPEAKER. Check the video for comparison of loudspeaker. Headsets attached, Note 2 still triumphs, but not that much. Both offer clear and crisp experience as one would enjoy listening, watching, and gaming when headsets are attached to the phones.

                Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 – Loudspeaker or not, it gives better audio experience

                

3.2 Display

                Both phones offer almost the same goodness one would expect from a Branded phone, display is crisp and clear on both phones. Looking at images, Acro S has its advantage due to Sony’s Bravia engine. Of course, Note 2 is not a slouch, its display is very good for a 5.5 Inch screen, and its display is also very amazing! I have to point out that Samsung’s display is more saturated than that of the Acro S so I have to pick Note 2.

                Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 – It actually depends on your preference but I find it more vibrant with Note 2’s saturation

3.3 Gaming

                This is a no-brainer. Both phones play mainstream games well and smoothly, but if you like playing HD Games, definitely go with the Note 2. Emulators, NBA 2k13, NOVA 3, these aforementioned titles play better on Note 2. If you have seen the Acro S unboxing and review, NBA 2k13 plays laggy and colors tend to separate. In short, Acro S is not recommended for HD Gaming.

                Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 2 - More Games more fun, HD Gaming is awesome

3.4 Camera

            The one aspect where Acro S packs a punch. Both devices carry different modules but I think I have to give this to the Acro S. I have always preferred Sony’s camera over Samsung’s. Note 2 images are definitely not bad, Acro S is just better. I took a ton of pictures when I was in Caleruega, Batangas, so enjoy the pictures! 1^st images shown are from Note 2, 2^nd is Acro S. For more details about Camera options, read HERE.

                Winner: Sony Xperia Acro S

                

3.5 Need for Speed

                                     

RAM and Clockspeed Review

  Many of you might wonder, what is RAM and the Clockspeed for? Should I go for higher RAM, less clock or vice versa? The answer depends on how you use the phone. Random Access Memory (RAM) is used to determine how many apps your unit can run simultaneously. So bigger RAM means you can multi-task much more applications without worrying about lagging on the system.

                Clockspeed is used to determine how fast your system will run a certain application. Simply put, higher Clockspeed means faster phone. THIS IS THE GENERAL IDEA ON RAM AND CLOCKSPEED. Factors on speed are also determined by the chipset architecture, GPU, etc.

                Samsung Galaxy Note 2 kills Acro S in this division. Note 2 offer 2GB Ram whereas Acro S only has 1GB. Note 2 is 1.6 GHz Quad core and Acro S is 1.5 GHz Dual Core. In a nutshell, Note 2 is significantly faster than the Acro S.

                Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 2

               

3.6 User-Friendliness

                Acro S comes out Ice Cream Sandwich pre-installed whereas Note 2 released Note 2 with Jellybean. In terms of user-friendliness, both are very easy to use, the initial and somewhat significant difference between the two is their stock launchers, Note 2 has its Touch Wiz Acro S has Xperia Launcher. Since both carry Android, you will be happy with tons of apps, games and customization apps available. Flashing custom roms is also a delight as both phones have support from developers so you can optimize and maximize your phones prowess.

                Winner: TIE

3.7 Battery

                This is definitely a No-Brainer. Acro S suffers Android’s bad battery life problem, on light use and texting, it will definitely last a day or two, but with heavy usage, it barely lasts a day. Note 2 has an amazing battery life as it can definitely last a week on light usage, and definitely last a day with heavy usage, yes that includes HD Gaming.

                Winner: Samsung Galaxy Note 2

BONUS:

            I want to share this with you guys, both phones support USB OTG. Both were able to read a mouse and a USB. Unfortunately for the Acro S, it was not able to power up a USB Joystick. (See the Video)

CONCLUSION

  

OBVIOUSLY…

           After I have used both phones, I can happily say I made the right choice last Christmas. Acro S is definitely not bad as it is one of the best and fastest Dual-Cores out there. It is just sad that it Sony did not deliver up to the hype that their Krait Dual Cores will perform as well as quad cores. This has been a lesson for me to try a different something every now and then. Before you start hating for comparing phones with hardly any similarities, I say to you again, I made this to confirm that my decision to try something new was right. You can even say this is a comparison if Sony really did deliver its promise that its Dual core will perform as well as quad core, for me, they did not.      

AGAIN, THESE ARE BASED ON MY PREFERENCE; I DON’T THINK ANY S A BAD CHOICE.

Sony Xperia Acro S! Ex Dream Phone

SONY XPERIA ACRO S!

EX-DREAM PHONE!

UNBOXING TIME:

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Sony Xperia Acro S vs Samsung Galaxy Note 2 HERE
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Cry For Help: Hi Guys! Baka pwede manghingi donations para funds for review, para pati branded phones ma-tackle ko na din, Click donate sa side sa mga bukal sa loob magdonate, salamat ulit sa views guys! :) 

            It has been a long while since I did a review. For this one, I will review to you, one of my ex-dream phone. This was what I originally intented to ask for Santa last Christmas, but I went with Samsung Galaxy Note 2, after almost a month of love with Note 2, I got a brandnew Xperia Acro S. I was very excited to unbox and review this one as another dream came true.

            A little something I wanted to share is why I wanted this phone but then decided to pick a Note two. Almost a year ago, I had Xperia Mini Pro, Blackberry 8520 and Nokia N86. I was pleased with the three but I did not want to exhaust my sim card so I decided to buy a phone that packs their three features: Xperia Mini Pro had Bravia Engine and it was Android, Nokia N86 had an amazing camera and Blackberry had good audio output earphones attached. Instead of going with a second hand mainstreamed Samsung Galaxy S2, I decided to buy a Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S. I was extremely satisfied with the phone but the lack of internal memory and front camera made me want more. From then on I had continuously changed and swapped cellphones to find the one. I had luck with Samsung Galaxy S2 SkyRocket but it was stolen L After the Skyrocket, I purchased another S2 but it was a Gangnam S2 and it brought me nothing but headaches and troubles. As I walked pass a Sony store I fell in love with the Acro S, I had wanted it as my main phone since October, as it had been the improved version of my beloved Xperia Arc S, and my decision was dead-locked to get one for Christmas. As I continuously reviewed rebranded phones, Cherry Mobile Titan, Cherry Mobile Flare, Cherry Mobile SkyFire, MyPhone A919 Duo and CloudfoneThrill 430x, I came to the conclusion that Dual-Cores was out of date. Yes I know Sony’s phone will trump any other rebranded phone out there, but still, if I wanted something it better be full worth the money spent. Two of my classmates had Note 2 and I was extremely impressed so I decided to choose it since it catered my requirements for a cellphone.

            Well that’s the story of my Note Two, for this review, I like to look back if what the decision I made to move on with Xperia was a great move or I could have had the one with the cheaper price tag.

1. THE PACKAGE (9.7 out of 10)

1.1 The BOX

            The box looks very nice, looks simple and elegant and it feels expensive, it’s a relatively huge box as compared to all my other phones as it was almost double in length but half the height. The box speaks for itself: I’m not a mainstream phone! Try Me!

1.2 What’s in the Box?

                Since my Xperia Arc S, Sony had always had the best package, as it offered nearly everything you need. Opening the box you see your magnificent looking phone and yYou get an amazing in-ear headset, a charger, your micro usb cable, manuals and a dock. Since these came from Sony you can be assured that they are durable, strong and reliable. (It has been a year and I still use my Sony Xperia Arc S Green Heart Charger). The package did not include an HDMI Cable but the dock is a nice addition.

2. PHONE SUPERFICIALITY (9.5 out of 10)

                Not Skinny But Still Sexy! Nothing best describes this phone but these words. It is thicker than your average phone but it fits your hand nicely and it has that feel that this is not a mainstream phone, it also has a nice touch that when you hold it for the first time, its as if you’re going to have the time of your life. The front houses the front camera with three capacitive buttons, the back houses the 12MP Camera, Flash and speaker, the bottom houses the mic, the top houses the 3.5mm jack, microUSB port, and the HDMI port, and the sides houses the camera shutter, power button, volume rocker, the sim card slot, NFC and the microSD slot. WOW THAT IS SOME SERIOUS NUMBERS OF BUTTONS ON A PHONE. The reason for this is its non-user replaceable battery. With all those buttons, I still think this is one of the sexiest phone out there.

3. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

3.1 Speakers (8.9 out of 10)

                Acro S became my dream phone because I knew it would be an improved and better version of my Arc S, to my delight, earphones attached, this phone offered great audio output, the sound quality is simply amazing. Though I have to point out that its loudspeaker is not as loud as you would expect even if its xLoud is on. Though I highly doubt anyone would use its loudspeaker frequqntly, as long as it offered great audio output headset attached, it was ok for me.

3.2 Display / Video Playback (9.2 out of 10)

                The screen looks bright crisp and vibrant, a definite improvement over Arc S and a definite skyrocket compared to rebranded phones. The greatness of the display is further amplified with Sony’s own Bravia Engine. For media playback, it was able to play almost any video and it was able to play a 1080p video, unfortunately, I used MX Player Pro to play the movies as the stock video player had limitations on filetypes.

3.3 Gaming (7.9 out of 10)

                Obviously, Acro S will never compare well if compared to the Note 2 so I decided to compare it with respect to the former Gaming King, Motorola Photon 4G. If you had been a follower and a reader of my blog you would know that the only HD Game I play before my Note 2 was NBA 2k13, unfortunately for this phone, and it saddens me to say this but it showed significant lags and the players looked messed up. Now that HD Gaming is out, for mainstream gaming, it was a delightful experience as games such as Fruit Ninja, Temple Run2 and 1 and Jetpack Joyride played as smooth as Anne Curtis’ skin. For gaming on Dual Core processor, Motorola Photon 4G is still the undisputed Champion.

           

3.4 Camera (9.8 out of 10)

These Images are from Xperia Acro S.

Arc S had the best camera of all the phones I had before my Note 2, ever since Arc S days, I had become a fan of Sony in imaging department as they delivered best bunch of photos, give it their Bravia Engine and it was miles beyond rebranded phones and definitely amongst the top. The Acro S was no disappointment as it continues Sony’s legacy as one of the best camera phones on the market, there are a bunch of options to choose from. For neophytes and newbies with camera options better read THIS. The 12Mp camera of the Acro S is definitely one of the best to date. The Auto-Focus does not disappoint and it takes pictures quickly.

3.5 Need for Speed (9.1 out of 10)

RAM and Clockspeed Review

                Many of you might wonder, what are RAM and the Clockspeed for? Should I go for higher RAM, fewer clocks or vice versa? The answer depends on how you use the phone. Random Access Memory (RAM) is used to determine how many apps your unit can run simultaneously. So bigger RAM means you can multi-task much more applications without worrying about lagging on the system.

                Clockspeed is used to determine how fast your system will run a certain application. Simply put, higher Clockspeed means faster phone. THIS IS THE GENERAL IDEA ON RAM AND CLOCKSPEED. Factors on speed are also determined by the chipset architecture, GPU, etc.

Coming across a bunch of Dual-core phones, Motorola Photon, S2 i9100, S2 SkyRocket, S2 SHV E110s, Cherry Mobile Titan and Galaxy S Advance, Cherry Mobile Flare, Myphone A919, Cloudfone Thrill 430x, Acro S performed significantly better than Rebranded phones and SLIGHTLY better than that of  the S2 and Galaxy Advance. The new Krait Architecture really worked well as it is nearly as fast as the Samsung Galaxy S3. The 1GB RAM has become a standard for today’s high end phone. Multi-tasking on Acro S rarely shows lag.

3.6 User-Friendliness (9 out of 10)

                Out of the box, you get a slightly out-dated Ice Cream Sandwich. Jellybean has been planned for this device so don’t worry! If you can’t wait, tons of Custom Roms are available on xda-developers to suit your taste. If you are the phone geek, you would know that custom roms will be the life of your phone and installing one will significantly improve your phone’s performance! Hooray for branded phones! As for those who does not care for custom roms, sporting Android, Acro S gives you a veru user friendly interface, coming from another OS will not be aproblem as Android is pretty easy to learn and you will be customizing until its unique. The Playstore will keep you preoccupied for quite some time.

3.7 Battery (7.2 out of 10)

                For the past few months I have slowly disregarded this equation:

ANDROID= BAD BATTERY LIFE

This equation was slowly disregarded as even rebranded phones tend to manufacture phones with actually impressive battery life. Unfortunately for the Acro S, it does not have a bad battery life its good but far from great. If you will use this for gaming battery will drain quickly, it can definitely last a day on light usage but why did you get an expensive phone for texting?  Also this phone has a non-user replaceable battery so be careful not to drain and kill its battery (commonly termed as Dead Batt). Its real sad that seeing Sony is siginificantly behind in sales for smartphones, they still do not manufacture phones which has a factor to turn heads back around to their favour. Undeniably, Samsung holds the title in Smartphone section, if Sony won’t make a comeback, we might live in a world controlled by Samsung and Apple. For the Company’s sake I surely hope Xperia Z will turn things around.

Miscellaneous:

            I forgot to mention, this phone is said to be water and dust resistant.

CONCLUSION

THE RIGHT CHOICE (8.99 out of 10) 

* Performance is 70%, Package and Looks are both 15% for the total of 100% YEHEY I KNOW MATH :))

                After all this time, holding and using the Acro S felt like a dream come true, it was a nice looking phone packing a lot of features with an almighty camera, though the battery life and unimpressive HD gaming prowess can surely make or break the deal. After spending some time with this phone, I can safely  and proudly say I made the right choice last Christmas. Don’t get me wrong Acro S is not bad, but I’m pretty sure you can get more with its price. Compare it to other dual cores, it shows slight advantage, compare it to quad cores, it fails to deliver at the same level. Of course, it will always boil down to you, the consumer. If I did not have any friend with a Note 2 I would definitely choose this over other phones, yes including S3 and One X. I don’t care if they are the superior ones, I’m the one who will use it and I prefer Sony over Samsung or HTC. Finally, the Acro S offers the same Android experience with other dual cores but with a slightly better camera. As for today’s standard’s I don’t think it fares well in the market. It up to you, guys if you want it or not :D