Sony Xperia Z1 and Nokia Lumia 1020 are both great gadgets and may be ranked with the best smartphones of 2013. But, which exactly is the better buy for Christmas?

Design and Chassis

In terms of design, Xperia Z1 is thinner at 8.55 mm compared to Lumia 1020 at 10.4 mm. Xperia Z1 has a slicker more sophisticated look to it. Lumia 1020, on the other hand, looked more like a thin digital camera rather than a phone due to the black round camera unit on its back.

Screen and Display

Xperia Z1 has a 5-inch screen with 441 pixels per inch resolution. It has a better contrast and color reproduction compared to Lumia 1020's 4.5-inch screen with only 334 pixels per inch resolution.

Performance

In terms of performance, Xperia Z1 is in front of the race with a 2.3GHz quad-core processor along with 2GB of RAM. Lumia 1020 is left behind with only a 1.5GHz dual-core processor.

If you're into gaming, heavy duty apps, and multi-tasking, Xperia Z1 is the phone for you.

Camera

Sony Xperia Z1 has a 20.7 megapixel camera. As compared to other phones in the market, it has a better photo imaging. But, as compared to Lumia 1020, it is definitely lagging behind.

Lumia 1020 sweeps the camera category with its 41 megapixel-sensors. It has 2 camera apps: Windows Phone 8 camera app for casual shooting and Nokia Pro Cam app with manual control over shutter speed, ISO, white balance and focus.

Battery Life

Which has a better battery life?

Lumia 1020 has 2,000mAh battery which is standard for most phones. But, standard is not enough to win when Xperia Z1 has a 3, 000mAh battery. In terms of battery life, it's pretty obvious who wins.

The Ultimate Decree

In terms of design, performance and battery life, Xperia Z1 is the better choice. But, if you're not interested in all those specs and all you care about is to get a good snapshot, then Lumia 1020 is the phone for you.