In a world in which phablets are dominating the scene, it is becoming every day harder to find valid smartphones with compact dimensions. In 2019, mobile phones even passed the 7-inch display diagonal and, with foldable phones, they are becoming even bigger. But there are still a few compact phones out there and we decided to write a specs comparison between three of them. We are talking about the Sony Xperia Ace which is the successor of the XZ Compact line-up, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE that is an affordable variant of the Mi 9 and the Pixel 3a which is currently the most affordable Google phone. All of them are compact and lightweight, but which one is worth your money? Here you should find it out.
Sony Xperia Ace vs Xiaomi Mi 9 SE vs Google Pixel 3a
| Sony Xperia Ace | Google Pixel 3a | Xiaomi Mi 9 SE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 140 x 67 x 9.3 mm, 154 grams | 151.3 x 70.1 x 8.2 mm, 147 grams | 147.5 x 70.5 x 7.5 mm, 155 grams |
| DISPLAY | 5 inches, 1080 x 2160p (Full HD+), 483 ppi, IPS LCD | 5.6 inches, 1080 x 2220p (Full HD+), 441 ppi, 18.5:9 ratio, OLED | 5.97 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, 432 ppi, 19.5:9 ratio, Super AMOLED |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 630, octa-core 2.2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 670, octa-core 2 GHz | Qualcomm Snapdragon 712, octa-core 2.3 GHz |
| MEMORY | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB – micro SD slot | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB | 6 GB RAM, 64 GB – 6 GB RAM, 128 GB |
| SOFTWARE | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie | Android 9 Pie, MIUI |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS |
| CAMERA | 12 MP 8 MP front camera |
12.2 MP f/1.8 8 MP f/2.0 front camera |
Triple 48 + 13 + 8 MP f/1.8, f/2.4 and f/2.4 20 MP f/2.0 front camera |
| BATTERY | 2700 mAh | 3000 mAh Fast charging 18W |
3070 mAh, Fast Charging 18W |
| ADDITIONAL FEATURES | Hybrid Dual SIM slot | / | Dual SIM slot |
Design
When it comes to compact phones, dimensions are more important than design, especially in a comparison like this. Sony Xperia Ace is the most compact phone here and it measures only 140 x 67 mm. That is amazing if you want a phone that is easy to use with one hand or to keep in a pocket all the time. While the Xperia Ace is the most compact one, the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is definitely the most beautiful due to its suggestive glass back and the narrow bezels around its waterdrop display. Unlike its rivals, it has a real premium design just like flagship phones. But it is much bigger than Xperia Ace.
Display
The best display experience is provided by the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE as it is the only to be HDR-compliant, so it is able to reproduce colors better, especially in multimedia content. The Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is also the only to have a Super AMOLED panel by Samsung and an in-display fingerprint reader. At the second place, we got the Google Pixel 3a which still got an OLED display but no HDR technology. On the other hand, it has louder stereo speakers and a 3.5 mm audio jack which are not present on the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE. Sony Xperia Ace has the smallest display with a diagonal of just 5 inches, but it is just an average IPS panel. Stereo speakers and 3.5 mm jack are present on the Xperia Ace as well.
Specs & Software
The hardware comparison leaves no doubts: Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is stronger thanks to its better Snapdragon 712 chipset. Further, unlike its two opponents, it features 6 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of internal storage. Google Pixel 3a and Sony Xperia Ace are only available in the 4/64 GB configuration. On the other hand, the Google Pixel 3a comes with stock Android and, given that it is a Google phone, it is more secure and it will be updated faster and in a more constant way with the latest major Android versions and security patches. That is why Pixel 3a is the perfect phone for developers.
Camera
Google Pixel 3a borrows its rear camera sensor from the vanilla Pixel 3 and this means that it provides a flagship-class camera experience. Despite it has just a single camera on its rear side, it wins the camera comparison thanks to a higher-end sensor and a more advanced algorithm, as well as optical stabilization and astonishing performances in low-light conditions. Right after, we got the Xiaomi Mi 9 SE with its versatile triple camera including a 48 MP high-end sensor, a telephoto lens, and an ultrawide sensor.
Battery
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE is not so incredible when it comes to battery life, while Google Pixel 3a and Sony Xperia Ace are much better thanks to their better software optimization, with just marginal differences in most of the scenarios. Overall, Google Pixel 3a is the most convincing one and it also features a very fast charging technology.
Price
While Google Pixel 3a starts from €400/$443 and Sony Xperia Ace costs €396/$440, Xiaomi Mi 9 SE carries a starting price of just €280/$310. At the end of the day, I would personally go for the Google Pixel 3a because of its flagship-class camera, better Android experience, but Xiaomi Mi 9 SE has a higher value for money. You should choose the Sony Xperia Ace only if you want a real compact phone with a very small size, otherwise, its rivals are better devices in terms of specifications and potentialities.
Sony Xperia Ace vs Xiaomi Mi 9 SE vs Google Pixel 3a: PROs and CONS
Sony Xperia Ace
PROs
- The most compact
- Stereo speakers
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner
CONS
- Bezels
Xiaomi Mi 9 SE
PROs
- Great design
- Higher performance
- Good display
- Thinner
- UD fingerprint scanner
CONS
- Nothing particular
Google Pixel 3a
PROs
- Amazing camera
- Stock and updated Android
- Stereo speakers
- The most affordable Google phone
CONS
- Bezels
