Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs Sony Xperia 1 III
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (2020) runs on the Samsung Exynos 990, while the Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888; launch prices were $1399 and $1299. By overall MobileRank rating, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra leads — 64/100 vs 60/100 (a 4-point difference). Key differences: the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 108 MP vs 12 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 III is faster in AnTuTu (1,232,200 vs 901,346); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 222g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Sony Xperia 1 III
What makes Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra better?
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 45W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 108MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 15W vs 11W
- Better camera (73/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (56/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 1232200 vs 901346
- Better Geekbench Single: 1500 vs 1222
- Better Geekbench Multi: 3537 vs 3060
- Lighter: 186g vs 222g
- Cheaper at launch: $1299 vs $1399
- Higher performance (65/100 vs 58/100)
- Better display (90/100 vs 88/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 37/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra vs the Sony Xperia 1 III, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra scores 4 points higher (64/100 vs 60/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra leads (73/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra leads (56/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra — 38/100, Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100; 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 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 58/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 88/100). In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (73/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a bit better (56/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (65/100 vs 37/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra | Sony Xperia 1 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 990 | Snapdragon 888 | |
| AnTuTu | 901346 | 1232200 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1222 | 1500 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3060 | 3537 | |
| Display | 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X | 6.5" OLED | |
| Resolution | 3200x1440 | 1644x3840 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
| Charging | 45W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 15W | 11W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 105 | |
| Main camera | 108 MP | 12 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Front camera | 40 MP | 8 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB | |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 11 | |
| NFC | — | yes | |
| Protection | — | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | — | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | |
| Weight | 222 g | 186 g | |
| Launch price | $1399 | $1299 |
Camera comparison
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- Main: 108MP f/1.8
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 40MP
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Display comparison
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
- Resolution: 3200x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 45W
- Wireless: 15W
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Overall performance score
We compared Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 III, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 III leads Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra by 26.9% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $100. Sony Xperia 1 III was $100 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 58/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 88/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (73/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a bit better (56/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra (65/100 vs 37/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra edges out the Sony Xperia 1 III by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra has a MobileRank rating of 64/100, the Sony Xperia 1 III — 60/100.
Which has the better camera: the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra leads on camera score (73/100 vs 46/100).
Which is more powerful: the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra or the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 III leads on performance (65/100 vs 58/100).
Should you choose the Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra over the Sony Xperia 1 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.