Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, while the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $499 and $1500. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 77/100 vs 73/100 (a 4-point difference). Key differences: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has the bigger battery (7000 mAh vs 5000); the main camera is 50 MP vs 48 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 3,265,219); the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is noticeably lighter (200g vs 215g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
What makes Nubia Red Magic 11 Air better?
- Bigger battery: 7000 vs 5000 mAh
- Faster charging: 120W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 48MP
- Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
- Cheaper at launch: $499 vs $1500
- Longer battery life (76/100 vs 53/100)
- Better display (93/100 vs 80/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 VIII better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 3265219
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 3013
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 9287
- Lighter: 200g vs 215g
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 92/100)
- Better camera (69/100 vs 35/100)
- Better portability (56/100 vs 50/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 4 points higher (77/100 vs 73/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (69/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air leads (76/100 vs 53/100). Value score: Nubia Red Magic 11 Air — 68/100, 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 Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (69/100 vs 35/100). In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (76/100 vs 53/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (56/100 vs 50/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Nubia Red Magic 11 Air | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 3265219 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3013 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 9287 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.8" AMOLED | 6.5" LTPO OLED | |
| Resolution | 2688x1216 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 144 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 7000 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 120W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 15W | |
| Main camera | 50 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 8 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 0 MP | 48 MP | |
| Front camera | 16 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | 1800 nits | — | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP54 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 163.8×76.5×8.0 mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 215 g | 200 g | |
| Launch price | $499 | $1500 |
Camera comparison
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 8MP
- Front: 16MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2688x1216
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Nubia Red Magic 11 Air
- 7000 mAh
- Wired: 120W
- No wireless charging
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and Sony Xperia 1 VIII, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Nubia Red Magic 11 Air by 15.0% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $1001. Nubia Red Magic 11 Air was $1001 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 Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a bit better (93/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air (69/100 vs 35/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (76/100 vs 53/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (56/100 vs 50/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII edges out the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air has a MobileRank rating of 73/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 77/100.
Which has the better camera: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on camera score (69/100 vs 35/100).
Which is more powerful: the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (97/100 vs 92/100).
Should you choose the Nubia Red Magic 11 Air over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Nubia Red Magic 11 Air is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.