HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 Price Plans Comparison

HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 Price Plans Comparison 

The first half of April marks the battle of the three Android flagship smartphones - the HTC One (M8), Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2 - for the hearts, minds and wallets of the consumers. For the first time in years, the launch dates of the three phones are very close to one another. 

The One (M8) and Xperia Z2 are available in stores from today while the Galaxy S5 is available a week later on April 12. As usual, we have compiled the contract pricing across the board for your easy reference. We first start off comparing the specs of the One (M8), Galaxy S5 and Xperia Z2 below:

HTC One (M8) vs Samsung Galaxy S5 vs Sony Xperia Z2

	HTC One (M8)	Samsung Galaxy S5	Sony Xperia Z2
Launch SRP	From S$998	From S$1068	From S$998
Operating system	Android 4.4 KitKat with HTC Sense 6	Android 4.4 KitKat	Android 4.4 KitKat
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.5GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.5GHz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core 2.3GHz
Built-in Memory	2GB RAM	2GB RAM	3GB RAM
Display	5-inch / 1,920 x 1,080 pixels / Super LCD 3	5.1-inch / 1,920 x 1,080 pixels / Super AMOLED	5.2-inch / 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (423 ppi) / IPS
Camera	Rear: Duo Camera (Primary 4-megapixel UltraPixel with BSI sensor, pixel size 2um, sensor size 1/3-inch, f/2.0 aperture, 28mm wide angle lens and HTC ImageChip 2; Secondary camera for capturing depth information) Front: 5-megapixel with BSI sensor, F2.0 aperture, wide angle lens and HDR	Rear: 16MP f/2.2, 0.3 second autofocus, LED flash Front: 2.0MP	Rear: 20.7-megapixel / autofocus / F2.0 / 27mm wide angle / 1/2.3 -type Exmor RS for mobile CMOS image sensor Front: 2.2-megapixel
Connectivity	Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX enabled, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz), NFC, DLNA, Micro-USB 2.0,	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO, GPS/GLONASS, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, NFC, IR LED, micro-USB 2.0 (MHL 2.0), 3.5mm headphone jack	Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, DLNA, Bluetooth v4.0, NFC, micro-USB 2.0 (MHL), 3.5mm headphone jack
Storage Type	16GB internal storage microSD support up to 128GB	16GB/32GB internal storage microSD support up to 128GB	16GB internal storage microSD support up to 128GB
Battery	2,600mAh	2,800mAh	3,200mAh
Dimensions	146.36 x 70.6 x 9.35mm	142.0 x 72.5 x 8.1mm	146.8 x 73.3 x 8.2 mm
Weight	160g	145g	163g

1. Do note that the contract pricing is based on this week's promo which is valid from April 5 to April 12. Prices may change thereafter.

2. Other miscellaneous costs such as early re-contract fees, SIM card charges and registration fees are not included in this table.

3. These comparisons are solely based on the contract pricing of the respective phones.

4. With a two-year contract tied to each phone, we have compiled a table comparing the total amount you have to fork out (at minimum) over the two-year span for each plan category. For this calculation, we took into account the monthly subscriptions for two years and the contract pricing as listed for the respective telcos. 

5. The Galaxy S5 is the only phone in this comparison to come with 32GB internal storage capacity at launch. Do take this into consideration when looking through the price comparison below.

Telco Basic Plans Comparison
 

Total Costs Incurred over Two Years

Telco Mid-Tier Plans Comparison
 

Total Costs Incurred over Two Years

Telco High-Tier Plans Comparison
 

Total Costs Incurred over Two Years

Telco Premium Plans Comparison
 

Total Costs Incurred over Two Years

Our Inputs 

*Updated on April 11: We have a dedicated article on helping you decide which smartphone suit you best.

There is without a doubt that all three Android flagship smartphones are very strong contenders. Here's our recommendations: 

• If the design, build quality and handling of a phone matter to you, there is no better choice than the HTC One (M8). Its all-metal (90%) chassis provides a premium, solid and comfortable feel in the hands. 
   
• Want a phone that is durable and protected from the weather elements? Go for the Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z2. The Galaxy S5 is rated IP67 for water and dust resistance while the Xperia Z2 is rated IP55 / IP58. Against dust, the Galaxy S5 has a higher level of protection than the Xperia Z2. However, the Xperia Z2 can survive deeper waters (1.5m compared to 1m on the Galaxy S5) and is protected against low pressure jets of water from all directions. On a side note, fitness-orientated consumers should consider the Galaxy S5 for its suite of health-related features such as S Health fitness app and a heart rate sensor.
   
• Should you want to consider your next flagship device based on the best user interface, both HTC Sense 6 and Samsung TouchWiz should be on your shopping list as there are moderate changes done to their interfaces. While Sense 6 may not offer as much features as the Galaxy S5, it has a simpler, lighter user interface. Nevertheless, you should head down to the shops to try out the phones and see which interface appeal to you.
   
• Shutter bugs and photography enthusiasts can choose either the Samsung Galaxy S5 or Sony Xperia Z2. While we haven't compared the image quality from the three phones, it is likely that the odds are stacked against the UltraPixel rear camera of the One (M8). As highlighted in our review of the One (M8), HTC has added in some nifty imaging effects, but there is no improvement in image quality. Since the Xperia Z2 uses the same camera module as the Z1, you can check out our dedicated articles on Shooting with the New 20.7MP Sony Xperia Z1 and Cameras Compared: The Apple iPhone 5S vs. the Sony Xperia Z1.
   
• As we have yet to review the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Sony Xperia Z2, we reserve our comments on which phone provide the best overall performance. Based on our review of the One (M8), the HTC phone fared quite well in our benchmark tests and has a remarkable improvement in battery performance. 

For more information on the different phones, hit the links below to the respective reviews:

• HTC One (M8)
   
• Samsung Galaxy S5
   
• Sony Xperia Z2