Let's get one thing out of the way. The Galaxy Note 2 did not launch last August. Samsung only completed its domestic rollout of the device on November 29th, meaning the U.S. version is just a few months old.
So despite the fact that Sony's Xperia Z will be a bit fresher when it launches this year in the States, there should really be no murmurs about the two handsets coming from two different generations of smartphone.
In fact, the Galaxy Note 2 trounces the Xperia Z. Here's why:
Storage Capacity
This one's pretty clear cut. The Xperia Z has 16GB of flash storage and an expandable microSD slot.
The Galaxy Note 2 also offers an expandable slot, as well as up to 64GB of internal storage.
Battery Life
This one's even more clear cut. The Xperia Z has a soldered lithium-ion 2,330 mAh battery that delivers up to 11 hours talk time, or about a day.
Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 has a removable 3,100 mAh battery that gets you 35 hours of talk time - nearly two days' worth. The larger battery makes for a larger device, though, affording Sony a saving grace in the form of slimmer dimensions.
OS
Both smartphones run versions of Android Jelly Bean. They differentiate mainly in terms of functionality optimized for Samsung's S-Pen stylus and a few features that the Xperia Z simply doesn't have, like MultiView, which lets you run two apps simultaneously in split-screen.
The OS battle goes to Samsung as well.
LTE
The Sony Xperia Z packs a 4G LTE radio, but in a cruel twist of fate, it's incompatible with U.S. 4G bands. But hey, it's waterproof, so enjoy that 2G EDGE connection in your bathtub.
Samsung's handset does not suffer from any such oversight.
Screen Size
Sony's is 5-inches. Samsung's is 5.5. That's all.
