5-Inch Smartphones Price Plan Comparison
5-inch smartphones are the next big thing in the mobile space this year. If you are planning to get the a 5-inch smartphone, the HTC Butterfly and Sony Xperia Z are the two available options today. Here's a quick look at the specs of both phones and current contract prices across all three telcos for your easy reference: -
1. Do note that the contract pricing is based on this week's promo which is valid from 2nd to 6th March 2013. Prices may change thereafter.
2. Other miscellaneous costs and promotions such as early re-contract fees, SIM card charges and registration fees are not included in this table.
3. The HTC Butterfly is not available at SingTel Shops. However, some authorized SingTel retailers are selling the phone.
Telco Basic Plans Comparison
Data Plan | M1 | SingTel | StarHub |
Name | ValueSurf+ | Flexi Lite | Smartsurf Lite |
Monthly Subscription | $39 | $39.90 | $38 |
Local Outgoing Mins | 100 / 120 | 100 | 100 |
Local SMS | 600 | 800 | 800 |
Local Data Bundle | 2GB | 2GB | 2GB |
Phone Contract Prices | |||
HTC Butterfly | $498 | N.A | $398 |
Sony Xperia Z | $398 | $388 | $398 |
Telco Mid-Tier Plans Comparison
Data Plan | M1 | SingTel | StarHub |
Name | LiteSurf+ | Flexi Value | SmartSurf Value |
Monthly Subscription | $59 | $59.90 | $58 |
Local Outgoing Mins | 300 | 200 | 300 |
Local SMS | 800 | 900 | 900 |
Local Data Bundle | 3GB | 3GB | 4GB |
Phone Contract Prices | |||
HTC Butterfly | $398 | N.A | $268 |
Sony Xperia Z | $268 | $218 | $218 |
Telco High-Tier Plans Comparison
Data Plan | M1 | SingTel | StarHub |
Name | ExtremeSurf+ | Flexi Plus | SmartSurf Premium |
Monthly Subscription | $98 | $99.90 | $98 |
Local Outgoing Mins | 700 | 500 | 700 |
Local SMS | 1,000 | 1,000 | 1,000 |
Local Data Bundle | 5GB | 4GB | 6GB |
Phone Contract Prices | |||
HTC Butterfly | $268 | N.A | $198 |
Sony Xperia Z | $168 | $98 | $148 |
Telco Premium Plans Comparison
Data Plan | M1 | SingTel | StarHub |
Name | MaxSurf+ | Flexi Premium | SmartSurf Elite |
Monthly Subscription | $198 | $205 | $205 |
Local Outgoing Mins | Unlimited | 2,000 | 2,000 |
Local SMS | 2,000 | 2,500 | 2,500 |
Local Data Bundle | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB |
Phone Contract Prices | |||
HTC Butterfly | $268 | N.A | $198 |
Sony Xperia Z | $168 | $98 | $148 |
Price Comparison Analysis
If you are planning to purchase the HTC Butterfly, StarHub offers the best deals from the basic to high-tier price plans over a two-year contract. However, M1 turns the table in the premium plan category as it offers a lower monthly subscription over 24 months ($168 savings), hence outweighing the extra $70 you have to fork out when signing up for the phone.
As for the Sony Xperia Z, you can get it from StarHub in the basic and mid-tier price plans while SingTel offers the better deal in the high-tier plans. However, the tide changes in the premium price plan where M1 offers a better deal over a two-year contract.
Our Inputs
If the display and viewing experience are your top concerns, the HTC Butterfly is our recommended choice as it has the best mobile screen in the market. The Sony Xperia Z has a great display too, but the Butterfly offers better color saturation and viewing angles.
Both phones have great design qualities; the HTC Butterfly has a slightly tapered back that offers better handling while the Sony Xperia Z offers a classy design with its two glass panels on the front and back.
We prefer the Power button placement on the Xperia Z but it ultimately boils down to individual preferences. In addition, the Xperia Z boasts water and dust resistance features, which makes it a more hardy phone than the Butterfly.
Planning to jump on the 4G LTE bandwagon? The HTC Butterfly will be out of your consideration as it does not support 4G LTE. However, the Xperia Z suffers from below average battery life and 4G LTE connection is more than likely to affect it further. Again, we feel that it depends on how each individual uses the phone so battery performance can differ.
For more information on the different phones, hit the links below to the respective reviews and video:
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