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).

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.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
Performance 58
Display 88
Camera 73
Battery 56
Portability 37
Value for money 34
Sony Xperia 1 III
Performance 65
Display 90
Camera 46
Battery 42
Portability 65
Value for money 28
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: 1488 vs 1222
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 3373 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 — 34/100, Sony Xperia 1 III — 28/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. 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).

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra: The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a better fit for everyday use.
Sony Xperia 1 III: The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Sony Xperia 1 III
Processor Samsung Exynos 990 Snapdragon 888
AnTuTu 901346 1232200
Geekbench Single 1222 1488
Geekbench Multi 3060 3373
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/f/1.8
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 48MP
  • Front: 40MP
73
camera
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • Main: 12MP f/f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 8MP
46
camera
Display comparison
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
  • 6.9" Dynamic AMOLED 2X
  • Resolution: 3200x1440
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
88
display
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 6.5" OLED
  • Resolution: 1644x3840
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
90
display
Battery and charging
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
  • 5000 mAh
  • Wired: 45W
  • Wireless: 15W
56
battery
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • Wireless: 11W
42
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and Sony Xperia 1 III, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Samsung Exynos 990
64/100
901346 AnTuTu
Sony Xperia 1 III Snapdragon 888
60/100 +26.9%
1232200 AnTuTu

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
Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra
$1399
Sony Xperia 1 III
$1299

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 Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is a better fit for everyday use. The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.