Which smartphone is the ideal purchase for consumers? We compare the Sony Xperia Z2 against the iPhone 5S to see which is better?

For the design and display, the Sony Xperia Z2 has a glass and metal design, and a screen size of 5.2 inches with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and 424ppi, while the iPhone 5S has a screen resolution of 640 x 1136 pixels. The Sony device weighs 163 grams, while the Apple smartphone weighs 112 grams.

In terms of hardware and design, the iPhone 5S has a 64 bit processor (dual core 1.3GHz and 1GB RAM memory), while the Sony Xperia Z2 has a Snapdragon 801 quad core processor at 2.3GHz and 3GB RAM memory. Both smartphones offer top end performance in terms of speed. The iPhone 5S comes with 16/32/64 GB versions, while the Sony Xperia Z2 can offer only a 16 GB version, but the memory can be increased with a microSD slot for additional 64 GB.

The Apple device comes with iOS7, an operating system that is a bit different than the previous one. Multitasking is improved, and the application store (iTunes) has high quality apps. iOS7 has the advantage of simplicity. Sony on the other hand, runs on the 4.4 KitKat, and has its own user interface. The interface is clean, easy to use and comes with decent wallpapers and widgets.

For battery and camera specs, the Sony Xperia Z2 has a battery capacity of 3200 mAh, while iPhone 5S is equipped with Li-Po 1570 mAh battery. The difference looks enormous at first glance, but Apple has managed to make handsets durable for several days. And Z2 has a larger screen to power up, requiring more battery capacity.

The Z2 boasts a 20.7 MP rear camera which can shoot in slow motion and HDR, and record videos with 4k resolution (2160p). Apple's smartphone has only 8 MP rear camera, but it still can compete, and takes great photos and videos in different conditions.

The iPhone 5S (16GB) costs around $900, while the Sony Xperia Z2 is around $800.

Which smartphone is the better purchase? Sound off in the comments section below.