This week’s spec comparison is all about Samsung vs. Sony, and no, we aren’t talking about TVs. It’s another battle of the smartphones. So which phone is worth your money? Samsung’s everything-but-the-kitchen-sink Galaxy S 4 or Sony’s kitchen-sink-proof Xperia Z? We compare specs to help you decide.

Let’s start with design. Size-wise, these phones are pretty evenly matched. The Galaxy S 4 rings in at 5.38 by 2.75 by 0.31 inches (HWD) and 4.59 ounces, while the Xperia Z is just a smidge larger, at 5.47 by 2.79 by 0.31 inches and 5.15 ounces. One thing’s for sure: neither of these are small phones. Each has a 5-inch screen, which means they actually meet our minimum requirement for being considered a phablet (phone + tablet, see what we did there?).

But while these phones are fairly similar in size, design is a completely different story. The Galaxy S 4 has been rightly dinged for its cheap-feeling, plastic build, while the Xperia Z is on a completely different level. Covered in scratch-resistant, tempered glass on all sides, and protected by a shatterproof film, the Xperia Z is one of the sleekest Android devices we’ve ever seen. It also meets military specifications IP55 and IP57, which means that it’s dust resistant and submersible in up to three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. So overall, I’d say this category belongs to Sony.

Both phones feature a 5-inch, 1,920-by-1,080-pixel display. The Galaxy S 4 uses a Super AMOLED panel, while the Xperia Z is powered by Sony’s Mobile Bravia Engine 2. Which screen you’ll prefer is a matter of taste. The Galaxy S 4 looks richer and more saturated, but the Xperia Z looks sharper, because it doesn’t employ a PenTile pixel layout.  

Both phones feature 13-megapixel cameras. We’ve already snapped some great photos with the Galaxy S 4, but the Xperia Z is packing HDR for photos and video, and you can even record video underwater. We’ll have to wait to see how well it works, but that can give it a leg up on the Galaxy S 4 if you’re the outdoorsy type.

Two places Samsung has Sony beat: Processor and software. The Galaxy S 4 uses a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 processor, while the Xperia Z is using an older quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro chip. And the Galaxy S 4 ships with Android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean) out of the box, while the Xperia Z is still running Android 4.1.2 (Jelly Bean). Sony promises an update, but for now, Samsung takes this round.

One final thing to consider is carrier. The Galaxy S 4 is available practically everywhere, while the Xperia Z is coming exclusively to T-Mobile. If you’re not on T-Mobile or planning to switch carriers, then I guess that makes your decision easy. But for everyone else, it’ll be interesting to see how these phones stack up when we get a chance to test the Xperia Z out for a full review.

For more, see PCMag’s hands on with the Xperia Z and read our review of the Galaxy S 4 on T-Mobile.