Brand Sony

Compare Sony Tablets

Last updated: January 2021

This page features a Sony tablet comparison chart and tracks the evolution of the Xperia range via a timeline and a brief summary of each model.

Sony Tablets Compared

Beginning as a small electronics shop in post-war Tokyo, Sony has grown to become one of the largest and most influential electronics corporations in the world.

From the Betamax to the Walkman to the Playstation, Sony has been involved in the electronics and entertainment business. Although its products don’t always hit, they very often have interesting designs and frequently capture the public’s imagination. It was inevitable that they would try their hands in the tablet PC sector.

Although they were among the last of the major manufacturers to enter the tablet market, Sony has produced a number of innovative devices with the typically high construction quality exhibited by many of the company’s other products.

Here are their main entries in the tablet wars, in reverse chronological order:

Sony Xperia Z4

Also known as the Z3+, this was an upgraded version of the Z3. It won best European Multimedia Smartphone after its release in March 2015. While it has an open micro-USB port, it remains waterproof and dustproof.

Sony Xperia Z3 Compact

September 2014 saw the launch of the slimmer, more rounded, better performing Z3 Compact.  Shipping with Android ‘KitKat’ and Sony’s custom software, it was praised for its top screen,  battery longevity, and rugged beauty.

Sony Xperia Z2

Released in Feb 2014, the Xperia Z2 was a premium offering in the Android sector. It’s Snapdragon 801 processor clocked in at 2.3 GHz. It was praised for its screen, camera, and  design, which included being waterproof.

Sony Xperia Tablet Z

No products found.

The Sony Xperia Tablet Z was released in May of 2013, based in large measure on Sony’s Xperia Z phone. It was powered by a quad-core 1.5-gigahertz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and ran a slightly modified version of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean.

The design broke from the book-like shape of the previous line of tablets in favor of a fully flat and extremely thin profile.

Sony Vaio Duo 11

Sony expanded past pure tablets in October 2012 with the release of the Vaio Duo 11. Featuring a slider design, the Vaio Duo functioned as both an ultrabook and a tablet. Powered by a 1.7-gigahertz Core i5-3317U processor, it was Sony’s first tablet to feature Windows 8.

It also featured a Gorilla Glass-coated 1,920-by-1,080 pixel display as well as an optical pointer and stylus.

Sony Xperia Tablet S

In September 2012, Sony released the Xperia Tablet S. Powered by a 1.3-gigahertz quad-core Tegra 3 processor and running Android 4.0.3 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Xperia Tablet S improved upon the unique Tablet S design by reducing the overall thickness of the device.

It also featured a slightly smaller frame compared to most competing tablets, making it easy to use with one hand. Reviews were on the right side of average.

Sony Tablet P

The Tablet P was released shortly after the Tablet S. The device featured an extremely unique clamshell design in which the device was divided into two halves connected by hinges, allowing for the tablet to be folded and carried easily in a pocket.

Each half featured a 5.5-inch display. Like the Tablet S, the device was powered by a dual-core Tegra 2 processor. Due to a negative response to the design, the Tablet P was eventually removed not only from sale but also from the company’s website.

Sony Tablet S

No products found.

Debuting in September of 2011, the Sony Tablet S was the company’s first foray into the tablet marketplace. Its most distinguishing feature was its innovative “wedge” design, tapering in thickness from top to bottom in landscape mode.

This feature was intended to convey the sense of holding a folded book or magazine. The Tablet S was powered by a one-gigahertz Tegra 2 processor.

Its reception was mixed, with some rave reviews offset by fierce criticism.