Sony Xperia 1 III vs Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $1299 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads — 89/100 vs 60/100 (a 29-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra has the bigger battery (7400 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 50 MP; the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (4,602,290 vs 1,232,200); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 227g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Lighter: 186g vs 227g
- Better portability (65/100 vs 35/100)
What makes Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 4602290 vs 1232200
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 7400 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 120W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
- Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 11W
- Cheaper at launch: $799 vs $1299
- Higher performance (99/100 vs 65/100)
- Better camera (78/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (92/100 vs 42/100)
- Better display (99/100 vs 90/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra scores 29 points higher (89/100 vs 60/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (99/100 vs 65/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (78/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (92/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100, Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra — 92/100; 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 Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (99/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a bit better (99/100 vs 90/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (78/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (92/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (65/100 vs 35/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1232200 | 4602290 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.8" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 1440x3168 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 144 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 7400 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 120W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 50W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 105 | — | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB / 24GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 8000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 163.7×76.8×8.7 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 227 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $799 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 1440x3168
- Refresh rate: 144 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
- 7400 mAh
- Wired: 120W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 73.2% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $500. Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra was $500 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (99/100 vs 65/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a bit better (99/100 vs 90/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (78/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (92/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (65/100 vs 35/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?
The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III by 29 points (89/100 vs 60/100).
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra — 89/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?
The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads on camera score (78/100 vs 46/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?
The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads on performance (99/100 vs 65/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.