Apple iPhone Air vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Apple iPhone Air (2025) runs on the Apple A19 Pro, while the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $999 and $1500. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 77/100 vs 75/100 (a 2-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 3149); the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 2,538,751); the Apple iPhone Air is noticeably lighter (165g vs 200g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Apple iPhone Air
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
What makes Apple iPhone Air better?
- Better Geekbench Single: 3850 vs 3639
- Faster charging: 40W vs 30W
- Faster wireless charging: 25W vs 15W
- Lighter: 165g vs 200g
- Cheaper at launch: $999 vs $1500
- Better camera (73/100 vs 69/100)
- Better display (85/100 vs 80/100)
- Better portability (96/100 vs 56/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 VIII better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 2538751
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 9800
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 3149 mAh
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 92/100)
- Longer battery life (53/100 vs 26/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Apple iPhone Air vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 2 points higher (77/100 vs 75/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (53/100 vs 26/100). Value score: Apple iPhone Air — 60/100, 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, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (97/100 vs 92/100). In the "display" category, the Apple iPhone Air is a bit better (85/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone Air and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII are nearly equal (73/100 vs 69/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (53/100 vs 26/100). In the "portability" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (96/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Apple iPhone Air | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A19 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 2538751 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3850 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9800 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.5" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED | 6.5" LTPO OLED | |
| Resolution | 2736x1260 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 3149 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 40W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 25W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 141 | — | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 0 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 48 MP | |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | iOS 26 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 3000 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 6.0×74.7×5.6 mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 165 g | 200 g | |
| Launch price | $999 | $1500 |
Camera comparison
Apple iPhone Air
- Main: 48MP f/1.6
- Front: 12MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Apple iPhone Air
- 6.5" LTPO Super Retina XDR OLED
- Resolution: 2736x1260
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Apple iPhone Air
- 3149 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 7:48 hrs, total 22:15 hrs
- Wired: 40W
- Wireless: 25W
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Apple iPhone Air and Sony Xperia 1 VIII, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Apple iPhone Air by 33.9% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $501. Apple iPhone Air was $501 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (97/100 vs 92/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Apple iPhone Air is a bit better (85/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone Air and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII are nearly equal (73/100 vs 69/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (53/100 vs 26/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (96/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Apple iPhone Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII edges out the Apple iPhone Air by just 2 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Apple iPhone Air and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone Air has a MobileRank rating of 75/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 77/100.
Which is more powerful: the Apple iPhone Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (97/100 vs 92/100).
Should you choose the Apple iPhone Air over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone Air is a better fit for gamers and power users. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.