Sony Xperia 1 III vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $1299 and $1500. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 77/100 vs 60/100 (a 17-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 48 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 1,232,200).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Lighter: 186g vs 200g
- Cheaper at launch: $1299 vs $1500
- Better display (90/100 vs 80/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 56/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 VIII better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 1232200
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
- Better main camera: 48MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 15W vs 11W
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 65/100)
- Better camera (69/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (53/100 vs 42/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 17 points higher (77/100 vs 60/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (97/100 vs 65/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (69/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (53/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100, 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 significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (97/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (69/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (53/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1232200 | 3842882 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.5" LTPO OLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 1080x2340 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 15W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 105 | — | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 12 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 16 | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 200 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $1500 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Sony Xperia 1 VIII, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 67.9% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $201. Sony Xperia 1 III was $201 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (97/100 vs 65/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (69/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a bit better (53/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 III — the overall rating gap is 17 points.
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 77/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on camera score (69/100 vs 46/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (97/100 vs 65/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Sony Xperia 1 VIII?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users.