Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026) runs on the Apple A20 Pro, while the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $1299 and $1500. By overall MobileRank rating, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max leads — 80/100 vs 77/100 (a 3-point difference). Key differences: the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max has the bigger battery (5567 mAh vs 5000); the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 3,551,073); the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is noticeably lighter (200g vs 249g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
What makes Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max better?
- Better Geekbench Single: 4612 vs 3639
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11819 vs 11047
- Bigger battery: 5567 vs 5000 mAh
- Faster charging: 60W vs 30W
- Faster wireless charging: 25W vs 15W
- Cheaper at launch: $1299 vs $1500
- Better camera (71/100 vs 69/100)
- Longer battery life (67/100 vs 53/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 80/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 VIII better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 3551073
- Lighter: 200g vs 249g
- Better portability (56/100 vs 27/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max scores 3 points higher (80/100 vs 77/100). In the "battery" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max leads (67/100 vs 53/100). Value score: Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max — 70/100, Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 62/100; it shows how far a model sits above or below the usual level for its price, and is not part of the overall rating. In the "performance" category, both devices are on the same level — 97/100. In the "display" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is a bit better (85/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII are nearly equal (71/100 vs 69/100). In the "battery" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is a bit better (67/100 vs 53/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max (56/100 vs 27/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A20 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 3551073 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 4612 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11819 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.9" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.5" LTPO OLED | |
| Resolution | 1320x2868 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5567 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 60W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 25W | 15W | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 48 MP | 48 MP | |
| Front camera | 18 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB / 2TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | iOS 27 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 3000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.4×78.0×8.8 mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 249 g | 200 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $1500 |
Camera comparison
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
- Main: 48MP f/1.48
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 18MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
- 6.9" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
- Resolution: 1320x2868
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
- 5567 mAh
- Wired: 60W
- Wireless: 25W
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and Sony Xperia 1 VIII, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max by 7.6% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $201. Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max was $201 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, both devices are on the same level — 97/100.
display
In the "display" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is a bit better (85/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII are nearly equal (71/100 vs 69/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is a bit better (67/100 vs 53/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max (56/100 vs 27/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max edges out the Sony Xperia 1 VIII by just 3 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max has a MobileRank rating of 80/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 77/100.
Should you choose the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max is a better fit for gamers and power users. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.