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Enlarge ImageJames Martin/CNET
At the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Apple unveiled the company’s latest pair of flagship handsets, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6S and the 5.5-inch 6S Plus . In addition to a new rose gold option, the devices feature 3D Touch, an A9 chip processor and a 12-megapixel camera that can shoot ultra high-def 4K video.
But the iPhone 6S is not the only top-tier smartphone available on the market. Samsung, LG and Sony all have premium Android handsets that are powerful as well, and are decked out with premium hardware.
To see how the Galaxy S6 , the LG G4 and the Xperia Z5 Premium compare spec-by-spec to the iPhone 6S, check out the chart below.
Editors’ Note: This piece has been updated on September 10 to include the iPhone 6S’ battery capacity.
Apple iPhone 6S comparison
| Apple iPhone 6S | Samsung Galaxy S6 | LG G4 | Sony Xperia Z5 Premium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 4.7-inch with 1,334×750-pixel resolution | 5.1-inch with 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution | 5.5-inch with 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution | 5.5-inch with 3,840×2,160-pixel resolution |
| Pixel density | 326ppi | 557ppi | 534ppi | 806ppi |
| Dimensions (imperial) | 5.44×2.64×0.28 inches | 5.65×2.78×0.27 inches | 5.87×2.96×0.35 inches | 6.07×2.99×0.31 inches |
| Dimensions (metric) | 138.3×67.1x 7.1mm | 143.4×70.5×6.8mm | 149.1×75.3×8.9mm | 154.4×76.0x7.8 mm |
| Weight | 5.04 ounces (143g) | 4.8 ounces (138g) | 5.4 ounces (152g) | 6.34 ounces (180g) |
| Mobile operating system | Apple iOS 9 | Android 5.0 Lollipop | Android 5.1 Lollipop | Google Android 5.1 Lollipop |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Camera, video | 12-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K) | 16-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K) | 16-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K) | 23-megapixel, ultra HD video (4K) |
| Front-facing camera | 5-megapixel | 5-megapixel | 8-megapixel | 5-megapixel |
| Processor | 64-bit A9 chip with M9 | Octa-core Exynos 7420 | 1.8GHz hexa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 808 | Octa-core Snapdragon 810 |
| Storage | 16GB, 64GB and 128GB | 32GB, 64GB and 128GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| RAM | TBD | 3GB | 3GB | 3GB |
| Expandable storage | No | No | Up to 2TB | Up to 200GB |
| Battery | Nonremovable 1,715mAh | Nonremovable 2,550mAh | Removable 3,000mAh | Nonremovable 3,430mAh |
With this latest iteration, Apple bumped the iPhone’s already capable 8-megapixel camera to 12 megapixels and added 4K video recording. Though it still doesn’t beat out its competitors in terms of megapixel count, the device features a “live photos” software feature that incorporates animation into the images you take.
The iPhone also has 3D Touch, which adds pressure-sensitivity to the handset’s screen. While this opens up many changes to how users interact with the display, no upgrade has been made with regard to the resolution itself. Compared to its rivals, the phone still has the lowest pixel density at 326ppi. On paper, that pales in comparison to the blistering Xperia Z5 Premium, which has a 4K resolution and 806ppi.
Though Android users may find the iPhone’s updates too incremental to switch, those already in the iOS ecosystem can benefit from the device’s new camera and display functionality. The handsets are available for pre-order on September 12 and their retail launch begins September 25.
For more on the iPhone 6S, check out our First Take here , and see all of today’s Apple news.
