After comparing the Sony Xperia M4 Aqua against the Intel-powered Lenovo K80 and Asus Zenfone 2, it is time for the Lenovo K3 Note to take the spot and have some comparison treatment.
The Xperia M4 Aqua has a steep pricing, around P12,900 from online, and we really don’t know what is the reasoning of Sony for this. The only way to find out if the Xperia M4 is worth of every penny it offers is comparing it to Lenovo K3 Note which is much cheaper (P7,900).
Table of Contents
Design
The Xperia M4 Aqua is a better looking device than the plastic-made Lenovo K3 Note. It has metal accent as frame and glass body. However, it lacks the flexibility of user-replaceable battery that the K3 Note offers through its removable back cover.
The size is also far different with Sony Xperia M4 Aqua being easier to hold and use in one hand at the price of having 5-inch screen instead of the 5.5-inch of the K3 Note.
Added features in the design of the K3 Note is the IP68 certification. Both Xperia Z3+ and Xperia M4 Aqua are water and dust proof up to 1.5m deep. This feature is still quiet rare in the mid-range category of smartphones.
Lenovo needs to improve by leaps in making a decent, more premium design to their smartphones.
Winner: Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
Display
One of the key feature of the K3 Note is the FHD or 1080p resolution on its IPS LCD display. This produces a sharper viewing experience over the Xperia M4 Aqua.
By calculation, the K3 Note has 107 more pixels per inch (401 vs 294) over M4 Aqua. However, with closer inspection, it is really hard to see the difference.
But it is worth noting that the Xperia M4 project brighter display which could help in giving clearer pictures especially during day light.
Winner: Tie
Camera
Lenovo K3 Note edges out the Xperia M4 Aqua in most of the shots. The only problem with the K3 Note is that it takes over and under exposed images. It doesn’t perform well too in night scenarios.
On the Xperia M4 Aqua, night and low light shots are visibly better even the rest of the shots, including the day light, are too soft and exhibits overcast red tint.
The Xperia M4 Aqua also performed better in video shooting. The image is brighter and clearer than the moving image taken from the K3 Note.
The audio recording does’t differ much in both phones.
Winner: Still image at day – Lenovo K3 Note, Still image at night – Xperia M4 Aqua, Video – Xperia M4 Aqua
Benchmark and performance
We witnessed that the Lenovo K3 Note is doing pretty well in benchmark category. It tops the chart and came close with the high-end devices like the LG G4. Not only in numbers that the K3 Note performed well, it managed to handle apps faster too.
Sony is having problem in providing decent benchmark scores with their Snapdragon-powered smartphones. The Xperia M4 Aqua lags by several margins in benchmark test. Fortunately though, its actual performance is acceptable and reliable.
Winner: Benchmark, boot up and actual performance check – Lenovo K3 Note
Speaker
Xperia M4 Aqua outperformed the Lenovo K3 Note in terms of clarity and power in speaker test.
The problem with the K3 Note is that its speaker is positioned behind its flat back. The sound doesn’t channel well because it is blocked by the surface. Placing the K3 Note with it back upwards doesn’t improve much of its speaker output. Overall sound is low and underpowered.
Winner: Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
Verdict
The sits close in our comparison with Lenovo K3 Note having few points ahead. It is really hard to choose if I am buyer and I am picking either the K3 Note or the Xperia M4 Aqua.
If you preferred a better looking device, then the Xperia M4 Aqua is a good choice. Its added IP68 certification and Z3+-like design are justifiable for the steep pricing in my opinion.
For those who are inclined more on speed and large display, the K3 Note is already a bargain phone. You will only need to opt for case and other accessories to enhance the look and hide the ugly side of your device.
Sony Xperia M4 Aqua Dual specs |
Lenovo K3 Note specs |
| 5-inch HD IPS display, 294ppi | 5.5-inch FHD IPS, 401 ppi |
| 7.3mm thick, 135g | 8mm thick, 150g |
| Water & dust proof up 1.5m and 30min, metal frame, all glass | Scratch resistant glass |
| Snapdragon 615 1-1.5GHz octacore chipset | MediaTek MT6572 octacore |
| 2GB RAM | 2GB RAM |
| 8/16GB internal, microSD card | 16GB internal storage, microSD card slot up to 32GB |
| 13MP camera, 1080p video, HDR, LED flash | 13MP autofocus, 1080p or FHD video, dual-LED flash, HDR |
| 5MP selfie camera, 720p video | 5MP selfie camera, 720p video |
| 4G LTE Dual SIM, WiFi n Bt 4.1, FM Radio, GPS | Dual SIM, 4G LTE, WiFi n, Bt 4.0, FM Radio, GPS |
| Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 5.0 Lollipop |
| 2400mAh | 3000mAh battery |
| Black, White, Silver, Coral/Pink | White, Yellow |
| P12,900 as of July 6 | P7,990 price as of July 6 |
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