iPhone 6s vs. Galaxy S6 vs. Xperia Z5: Monster Brawl

Hardware

We have a mix of metal and glass for the exterior of the three. The Apple iPhone 6s is mostly metal (the sides and the whole back), using glass only for the front. Apple dropped Gorilla Glass (even though the Cupertino company is responsible for popularizing it) and went with Ion-strengthened glass.

The metal is 7000-series aluminum and has smooth, round sides and corners. The new material is slightly denser though the majority of the added weight seems to come from the 3D Touch display. Its glass has beveled edges, creating one smooth curve that goes from glass to metal.

The Apple iPhone 6s is shrouded entirely in aluminum and glass

The Samsung Galaxy S6 has a metal frame, which is exposed on the sides, and Gorilla Glass 4 on the front and back. The two glass panels have a slight bevel on their side, but the transition isn't as smooth as on the iPhone. The metal sides are squared off too so that the side buttons do not sink into the body of the phone.

The Galaxy S6 is the thinnest and lightest of the bunch - 6.9mm and 138g. The camera module sticks out the back though. It doesn't affect handling and it's centered, so it doesn't cause the phone to wobble like the iPhone's camera.

The Galaxy S6 is more glass than metal

The Sony Xperia Z5 is all 90°. The metal frame makes up the sides of the handset while scratch-resistant glass covers the front and a unique matte glass covers the back. Both panes of glass sink into the metal frame, so you feel a sharp metal edge as you swipe from the side. This will keep the glass a hair off the surface the phone is lying on though, which will reduce the scratches a bit.

The Xperia Z5 is the thickest and heaviest of the three - 7.3mm and 154g. It has the biggest battery and features waterproofing, which is more than a fair trade off for the bigger digits. Also, the camera is flush with the back.

The Xperia Z5 also has glass on the back, but the frosting effect is unique

The three phones project a different image. The iPhone 6s is smooth and inviting, the Xperia Z5 has an aggressive, angular look, while the Galaxy S6 sits somewhere in between.

Angles aside, the Sony Xperia Z5 has the most extensive tooling. It starts with the stereo speakers on the front (the other two have just one speaker), an easily accessible card slot, then there's a dedicated shutter key and a lanyard eyelet (which most other phones have abandoned).

It's subtle but you can feel Xperia's adventurous nature. You can secure the phone with a strap, take photos even when the screen is wet, store plenty of photos and videos on the microSD card, even the battery will last a long, long while. And if you're starting a campfire party, you have a couple of good speakers available.

The Galaxy S6, Xperia Z5 and iPhone 6s side by side

The Samsung Galaxy S6 is a jetsetter. Gone is the rugged exterior of the S5, the S6 is all business on the outside. It matches your office building with a metal and glass exterior, the glass requires upkeep (wiping the fingerprints) like your tie requires straightening. The heart rate and blood oxygen sensors give you a read on your health, since diet and exercise is such a hot topic. If only the IR blaster could advance the slides of your PowerPoint presentation.

The Apple iPhone 6s is more solitary. It has a hardware Mute switch, so you can always make sure you're not disturbed. It's also the only one of the three that doesn't have a dual-SIM version. It lives up to its household name with a masterful build, without being flashy.

The iPhone and the Galaxy share a number of design decisions like putting both the USB port and the audio jack on the bottom, the loudspeaker too. The Xperia stands apart and puts its speakers up front, the audio jack on top.

Winner: Sony Xperia Z5. We can't judge aesthetics since those are purely subjective. In objective terms, the Xperia Z5 is the most practical with a waterproof body and expandable storage (we'll look at the screen and battery separately). A camera that doesn't protrude helps too.

Runner-up: Apple iPhone 6s. The only phone with an all-metal unibody here, indeed one of the few such smartphones in general.

While it may be one of Samsung's most beautiful devices, the Galaxy S6 has a couple of rough edges - the glass on the back gets smudgy quickly (Xperia's frosted glass handles it better) and the camera sticks out a good deal out the back. The Galaxy S6 edge has a lot more wow factor and would have topped the iPhone.

Screen

There's been plenty of debate about the ideal screen size and resolution and even Apple changed its mind, despite having the strongest convictions on the matter. The iPhone 6s is below the average size for an Android at 4.7" and the resolution is a result of a fixed pixel density (Retina's 326ppi).

Samsung and Sony settled on almost the same screen size, 5.1" and 5.2" respectively, but you need to keep in mind that the Xperia uses part of its screen for on-screen buttons. Android is a lot more flexible about resolution than iOS, so each maker has their own considerations about the resolution they picked.

Samsung uses its in-house Super AMOLED, which was perfected over several generations. It has market-leading color accuracy and perfect black levels for a high-contrast image that pops. These displays use a different matrix arrangement though, which benefits from a higher pixel density. Then there are the bragging rights, of course.

Both Apple and Sony use IPS LCDs, the standard if you want good viewing angles, though both have additional features to improve the image quality.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 screen is both the dimmest and brightest of the three here. The difference comes from the setting - manual control gives you a maximum of around 470 nits, but if you leave the phone to manage the brightness it can go as high as 750 nits when needed.

The Sony Xperia Z5 and Apple iPhone 6s have roughly similar max brightness (the Z5 is mildly brighter on auto, 600nits). The Xperia, however, disappoints with its poor contrast, under 1,000:1, which is common among mid-range phones but not okay for a flagship. Sony's improved Contrast filter that's part of the display assembly is responsible for deeper blacks than before but it didn't improve much about the contrast ratio.

The Apple iPhone 6 goes up to nearly 1,500:1. You need to be in a dark room to really see the higher contrast (theoretically infinite, but limited by reflections) of the Galaxy S6.

The Galaxy S6 brightness slider is fairly honest, but the other two do not affect brightness linearly. The Xperia is the worst offender here, giving you just 90nits out of a maximum of close to 600nits at mid position. This may sound like nitpicking, but it means you don't have fine control over brightness - the first half of the slider handles a 90nit range, the second half handles nearly a 500nit range.

Samsung's Super AMOLED displays are built to keep reflectivity low. Even on a bright sunny day the Galaxy S6 screen remains legible, it's one of the very best we've seen in this category. And that's on manual! The Apple iPhone 6s also is a great performer, but Xperia Z5's poor contrast makes it pretty average.

Sunlight contrast ratio

• Nokia 808 PureView
  4.698
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge+
  4.615
• Samsung Galaxy E7
  4.485
• Samsung Galaxy A3
  4.241
• Samsung Galaxy S6
  4.124
• Samsung Galaxy S6 edge
  4.124
• Samsung Galaxy Note5
  4.09
• Samsung Galaxy Note 4
  4.033
• Apple iPhone 5
  3.997
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3
  3.997
• Samsung Galaxy A5
  3.895
• Samsung Galaxy J7 outdoor
  3.879
• Samsung Galaxy A8
  3.859
• Apple iPhone 6
  3.838
• Motorola Moto X (2014)
  3.816
• Samsung Galaxy Note Edge
  3.799
• Apple iPhone 6s
  3.783
• Vivo X5Pro
  3.706
• Samsung Galaxy A7
  3.679
• Oppo R5
  3.678
• Samsung Galaxy K zoom
  3.675
• Nokia Lumia 930
  3.567
• Apple iPhone 5s
  3.565
• Samsung Galaxy S5
  3.549
• Nokia Lumia 735
  3.547
• Motorola Nexus 6
  3.543
• Apple iPhone 6s Plus
  3.53
• Alcatel Idol X+
  3.527
• Apple iPhone 5c
  3.512
• Samsung Galaxy Alpha
  3.509
• Oppo R7 Plus
  3.499
• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 Neo
  3.487
• vivo X5Max
  3.472
• LG G Flex2
  3.465
• YotaPhone 2
  3.453
• Samsung Galaxy J7
  3.422
• Motorola RAZR MAXX
  3.42
• Samsung I9300 Galaxy S III
  3.419
• Meizu MX5
  3.416
• Samsung Galaxy S5 Active
  3.406
• Nokia Lumia 925
  3.402
• Gionee Elife S5.5
  3.386
• Samsung I9505 Galaxy S4
  3.352
• Oppo R7
  3.32
• Samsung Omnia W
  3.301
• Motorola Moto X Play
  3.222
• Samsung Galaxy S5 mini
  3.174
• Samsung I9000 Galaxy S
  3.155
• Samsung Ativ S
  3.129
• Samsung I9190 Galaxy S4 mini
  3.127
• Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom
  3.118
• Nokia N9
  3.069
• Microsoft Lumia 640 XL
  3.065
• Apple iPhone 6 Plus
  3.023
• Samsung Galaxy Note
  2.97
• Samsung Galaxy Premier
  2.958
• Sony Xperia Z1
  2.95
• HTC One S
  2.901
• Lenovo S90 Sisley
  2.892
• Sony Xperia Z5
  2.876
• Samsung I8730 Galaxy Express
  2.861
• BlackBerry Q10
  2.856
• Samsung I9100 Galaxy S II
  2.832
• Sony Xperia Z3+
  2.824
• HTC Desire Eye
  2.815
• Gionee Elife S5.1
  2.812
• Samsung Galaxy S II Plus
  2.801
• BlackBerry Z30
  2.79
• Sony Xperia Z5 compact
  2.784
• Meizu MX4 Pro
  2.765
• Sony Xperia M5
  2.69
• Sony Xperia ZR
  2.672
• Huawei Ascend P1
  2.655
• Xiaomi Mi 4i
  2.641
• Sony Xperia Z3
  2.618
• Sony Xperia Z3 Compact
  2.616
• Sony Xperia T3
  2.609
• BlackBerry Passport
  2.595
• Microsoft Lumia 640
  2.563
• Nokia Lumia 900
  2.562
• Motorola Moto G 4G
  2.546
• HTC One Max
  2.537
• Nokia Lumia 720
  2.512
• HTC One
  2.504
• Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
  2.503
• Motorola Moto G
  2.477
• vivo Xshot
  2.465
• Sony Xperia Z
  2.462
• Xiaomi Mi 4
  2.424
• Samsung Galaxy S III mini
  2.422
• Lenovo Vibe Z2 Pro
  2.416
• LG G Flex
  2.407
• Huawei Honor 7
  2.406
• ZUK Z1 by Lenovo
  2.382
• HTC Desire 820
  2.372
• HTC One (M8)
  2.371
• Motorola RAZR i
  2.366
• Meizu MX4
  2.366
• Meizu m1 note
  2.362
• Sony Xperia ZL
  2.352
• HTC One M9
  2.334
• LG G4
  2.317
• Samsung Galaxy Note II
  2.307
• HTC One E9+
  2.305
• HTC One (M8) for Windows
  2.291
• Oppo R1x
  2.281
• Oppo Find 7a
  2.279
• Alcatel One Touch Hero
  2.272
• Apple iPhone 4S
  2.269
• HTC Desire 600 dual sim
  2.262
• Sony Xperia C5 Ultra
  2.253
• Nokia Asha 311
  2.25
• Sony Xperia C4 Dual
  2.235
• Xiaomi Mi Note
  2.234
• Motorola Moto G (2014)
  2.233
• LG Nexus 5
  2.228
• Huawei P8
  2.196
• Nokia Lumia 820
  2.193
• HTC One (E8)
  2.185
• Oppo N3
  2.181
• Nokia Lumia 920
  2.17
• Huawei Honor 6
  2.169
• Xiaomi Redmi Note 2
  2.166
• OnePlus Two
  2.165
• HTC One X
  2.158
• Asus Zenfone 2 ZE551ML
  2.149
• LG Aka
  2.145
• Nokia N8
  2.144
• Nokia Lumia 620
  2.142
• Archos 50 Diamond
  2.134
• Nokia 515
  2.134
• HTC Desire 500
  2.129
• Sony Xperia C3 Dual
  2.12
• Xiaomi Redmi Note
  2.119
• Sony Xperia acro S
  2.119
• Nokia Lumia 1020
  2.103
• Oppo Find 5
  2.088
• Huawei P8lite
  2.078
• Sony Xperia SL
  2.078
• Nokia Lumia 630
  2.056
• BlackBerry Z10
  2.051
• Moto G 3rd gen max manual
  2.026
• Huawei Ascend Mate7
  2.024
• Samsung I9295 Galaxy S4 Active
  2.022
• Apple iPhone 4
  2.016
• HTC One mini
  2.003
• Xiaomi Mi 3
  2.001
• Huawei Ascend P7
  1.992
• LG G2
  1.976
• Sony Xperia E4g
  1.972
• OnePlus One
  1.961
• Oppo R819
  1.957
• Sony Ericsson Xperia ray
  1.955
• Lenovo Vibe X2
  1.952
• Sony Xperia Z2
  1.944
• Sony Xperia E3
  1.943
• Nokia Lumia 1320
  1.941
• HTC One mini 2
  1.94
• Samsung Galaxy Camera
  1.938
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Prime
  1.935
• Sony Xperia J
  1.932
• Acer CloudMobile S500
  1.931
• ZTE Blade S6
  1.927
• LG Nexus 4
  1.926
• LG G Pro 2
  1.922
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 6.3
  1.913
• Nokia Asha 308
  1.911
• HTC Butterfly 2
  1.905
• Sony Xperia T
  1.894
• Meizu m2 note
  1.892
• BlackBerry Leap
  1.892
• Nokia Lumia 830
  1.887
• HTC Desire X
  1.878
• HTC Windows Phone 8X
  1.873
• HTC Butterfly
  1.873
• HTC Butterfly S
  1.867
• Huawei Ascend P6
  1.865
• Huawei Ascend Mate
  1.845
• LG G2 mini
  1.838
• LG G3
  1.82
• Nokia Lumia 1520
  1.813
• HTC Desire 616 dual sim
  1.797
• Sony Xperia V
  1.792
• HTC Desire 816
  1.783
• Sony Xperia Z1 Compact
  1.772
• HTC Desire 700 dual sim
  1.769
• ZTE Nubia Z9 mini
  1.759
• Sony Xperia U
  1.758
• Meizu MX3
  1.754
• LG Optimus G
  1.753
• Sony Xperia T2 Ultra
  1.74
• Sony Xperia Z3 Tablet Compact
  1.735
• Acer Liquid Jade S
  1.734
• Sony Xperia SP
  1.733
• Oppo Find 7
  1.691
• LG Optimus 4X HD
  1.691
• HTC One V
  1.685
• BlackBerry Q5
  1.682
• LG Optimus Vu
  1.68
• Motorola Moto E (2nd Gen)
  1.675
• Xiaomi Mi Pad 7.9
  1.672
• LG Optimus GJ
  1.666
• ZTE Nubia Z9
  1.659
• LG Optimus 3D Max
  1.658
• HTC Desire V
  1.646
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover 2
  1.632
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 3
  1.622
• Microsoft Lumia 532
  1.615
• Jolla Jolla
  1.605
• Microsoft Lumia 435
  1.598
• Sony Xperia Z Ultra
  1.578
• Sony Xperia go
  1.577
• Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 I8160
  1.566
• Samsung Galaxy Core
  1.563
• LG Optimus G Pro
  1.552
• Motorola Moto E
  1.545
• LG Optimus 3D
  1.542
• Nokia Asha 302
  1.537
• Samsung Galaxy Core Prime
  1.507
• BlackBerry Curve 9320
  1.488
• Sony Xperia M
  1.473
• Oppo N1
  1.47
• Sony Xperia E4
  1.467
• Meizu MX 4-core
  1.462
• Nokia Lumia 610
  1.432
• Samsung Galaxy S Duos
  1.4
• Sony Xperia M2
  1.393
• Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo
  1.393
• Microsoft Lumia 535
  1.393
• Samsung Galaxy Grand 2
  1.38
• Sony Xperia E1
  1.372
• Nokia Lumia 625
  1.371
• Gigabyte GSmart G1355
  1.361
• Sony Xperia L
  1.351
• Xiaomi Redmi 1S
  1.35
• Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8
  1.35
• HTC Desire 510
  1.34
• Sony Xperia M2 Aqua
  1.331
• Sony Xperia miro
  1.324
• Samsung I9082 Galaxy Grand
  1.321
• Samsung I8530 Galaxy Beam
  1.315
• Xiaomi Redmi 2
  1.311
• HTC Desire C
  1.3
• Nokia X
  1.291
• Sony Xperia C
  1.283
• Nokia Asha 503
  1.281
• Nokia Asha 501
  1.27
• LG Optimus L7
  1.269
• Nokia Lumia 510
  1.268
• Samsung Galaxy Fame
  1.245
• LG Optimus L9
  1.227
• Meizu MX
  1.221
• Samsung Galaxy Young
  1.22
• Sony Xperia E
  1.215
• Nokia XL
  1.204
• Sony Xperia E dual
  1.203
• Asus Memo Pad 7 ME176C
  1.198
• Samsung Galaxy Pocket
  1.18
• Nokia Asha 305
  1.178
• Nokia Asha 306
  1.175
• Sony Xperia neo L
  1.169
• Sony Xperia tipo
  1.166
• Nokia Lumia 520
  1.161
• Samsung S6802 Galaxy Ace Duos
  1.148
• Samsung Galaxy mini 2
  1.114

The Samsung Galaxy S6 has several screen modes - one that aims for perfect accuracy and others that create a punchier image to various degrees. They boost saturation and contrast, which can look great for photos and in the general UI, but can annoy purists. Luckily, everyone can pick the mode they like best.

The Xperia Z5 screen scores above average in color accuracy, however the white balance is off with a purplish tint. Turning on X Reality and other image enhancement options makes the color accuracy a bit worse and reduces the max brightness slightly. You can fine tune the color rendering using the Red, Green and Blue sliders, but it's not an easy thing to do and the UI does little to help.

The Apple iPhone 6s has more accurate colors than the Z5, average deltaE of 3.6 compared to 6.6. The white has a slight blue tint, also the red channel deviates more notably, but either way, it's one impressively tuned screen out of the gate.

Winner: Samsung Galaxy S6. It's the sharpest screen with the best contrast and sunlight legibility on the market, it's got perfect color rendering as well. And in Auto mode it can be brighter than the other two when needed.

Runner-up: Apple iPhone 6s. We wish Apple would offer more screen size variety than just 4.7" and 5.5", but in terms of image quality the iPhone 6s display is more accurate and with better contrast than the Xperia. Outside it's almost as legible as the Galaxy too.

Sony actually took a step back in contrast, the Z3+ did better than the Xperia Z5. Sure, the 5.2" 1080p screen is bigger and sharper than the iPhone, but it's not on par with it in the other tested areas.