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; estimated prices are $999 and $1499. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 70/100 vs 64/100 (a 6-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 2,550,000); the Apple iPhone Air is noticeably lighter (165g vs 200g).
Apple iPhone Air
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Better Geekbench Single: 3850 vs 3640
- Faster charging: 40W vs 30W
- Faster wireless charging: 25W vs 15W
- Lighter: 165g vs 200g
- Cheaper: $999 vs $1499
- Better camera (73/100 vs 63/100)
- Better design/ergonomics (93/100 vs 50/100)
- Better value for money (41/100 vs 6/100)
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 2550000
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11033 vs 9800
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 3149 mAh
- Higher performance (90/100 vs 70/100)
- Longer battery life (41/100 vs 9/100)
Comparing the Apple iPhone Air vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 6 points higher (70/100 vs 64/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (90/100 vs 70/100). In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone Air leads (73/100 vs 63/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (41/100 vs 9/100). In the "value for money" category, the Apple iPhone Air leads (41/100 vs 6/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (90/100 vs 70/100). In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 100/100. In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone Air is a bit better (73/100 vs 63/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (41/100 vs 9/100). In the "design" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (93/100 vs 50/100). In the "value for money" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (41/100 vs 6/100).
| Specification | Apple iPhone Air | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Apple A19 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 2550000 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3850 | 3640 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9800 | 11033 | |
| 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, up to 5 major Android upgrades | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP68 | IP65 | |
| Dimensions | 6.0×None×None mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 165 g | 200 g | |
| Price | $999 | $1499 |
Apple iPhone Air
- Main: 48MP f/f/1.6
- Front: 12MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
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
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
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 33.6% in our overall performance rating.
Price difference: $500. Apple iPhone Air is cheaper by $500.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (90/100 vs 70/100).
display
In the "display" category, both devices are on the same level — 100/100.
camera
In the "camera" category, the Apple iPhone Air is a bit better (73/100 vs 63/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Apple iPhone Air (41/100 vs 9/100).
design
In the "design" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (93/100 vs 50/100).
value for money
In the "value for money" category, the Apple iPhone Air significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (41/100 vs 6/100).
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 6 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 64/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 70/100.
Which has the better camera: the Apple iPhone Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone Air leads on camera score (73/100 vs 63/100).
Which is more powerful: the Apple iPhone Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (90/100 vs 70/100).
Should you choose the Apple iPhone Air over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Apple iPhone Air is a better fit for active users. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.