Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xiaomi 12

The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi 12 (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1; launch prices were $1299 and $750. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 12 leads — 64/100 vs 60/100 (a 4-point difference). Key differences: the main camera is 12 MP vs 50 MP; the Xiaomi 12 is faster in AnTuTu (1,322,176 vs 1,232,200); per DXOMark lab testing, the Xiaomi 12 has the stronger camera (113 vs 105).

The Xiaomi 12 edges out the Sony Xperia 1 III by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Performance 65
Display 90
Camera 46
Battery 42
Portability 65
Value for money 28
Xiaomi 12
Performance 69
Display 82
Camera 52
Battery 57
Portability 69
Value for money 40
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?

  • Better display (90/100 vs 82/100)
What makes Xiaomi 12 better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 1322176 vs 1232200
  • Better Geekbench Single: 1675 vs 1488
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 4453 vs 3373
  • Faster charging: 67W vs 30W
  • Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
  • Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 11W
  • Lighter: 180g vs 186g
  • Cheaper at launch: $750 vs $1299

  • Higher performance (69/100 vs 65/100)
  • Better camera (52/100 vs 46/100)
  • Longer battery life (57/100 vs 42/100)
  • Better portability (69/100 vs 65/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Xiaomi 12, the Xiaomi 12 scores 4 points higher (64/100 vs 60/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 12 leads (57/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 28/100, Xiaomi 12 — 40/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 12 and the Sony Xperia 1 III are nearly equal (69/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 82/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 12 is a bit better (52/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 12 notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (57/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi 12 and the Sony Xperia 1 III are nearly equal (69/100 vs 65/100).

Sony Xperia 1 III: The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.
Xiaomi 12: The Xiaomi 12 is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Sony Xperia 1 III Xiaomi 12
Processor Snapdragon 888 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
AnTuTu 1232200 1322176
Geekbench Single 1488 1675
Geekbench Multi 3373 4453
Display 6.5" OLED 6.3" AMOLED
Resolution 1644x3840 2400x1080
Refresh rate 120 Hz 120 Hz
Battery 4500 mAh 4500 mAh
Charging 30W 67W
Wireless charging 11W 50W
DXOMark (camera) 105 113
Main camera 12 MP 50 MP
Ultrawide 12 MP 13 MP
Telephoto 12 MP 0 MP
Front camera 8 MP 32 MP
RAM 12GB 8GB / 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB 128GB / 256GB
OS Android 11 Android 12
Brightness (peak) 1100 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP65/IP68
Dimensions 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm 152.7×69.9×8.2 mm
Weight 186 g 180 g
Launch price $1299 $750
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • Main: 12MP f/f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 8MP
46
camera
Xiaomi 12
  • Main: 50MP f/1.88
  • Ultrawide: 13MP
  • Front: 32MP
52
camera
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 6.5" OLED
  • Resolution: 1644x3840
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
90
display
Xiaomi 12
  • 6.3" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 2400x1080
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
82
display
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • Wireless: 11W
42
battery
Xiaomi 12
  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 67W
  • Wireless: 50W
57
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Xiaomi 12, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Sony Xperia 1 III Snapdragon 888
60/100
1232200 AnTuTu
Xiaomi 12 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
64/100 +6.8%
1322176 AnTuTu

Xiaomi 12 leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 6.8% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Sony Xperia 1 III
$1299
Xiaomi 12
$750

Launch price difference: $549. Xiaomi 12 was $549 cheaper at launch.

Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 12 and the Sony Xperia 1 III are nearly equal (69/100 vs 65/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 82/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 12 is a bit better (52/100 vs 46/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 12 notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (57/100 vs 42/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi 12 and the Sony Xperia 1 III are nearly equal (69/100 vs 65/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 12?

The Xiaomi 12 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 Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi 12?

The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the Xiaomi 12 — 64/100.

Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 12?

The Xiaomi 12 leads on camera score (52/100 vs 46/100).

Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Xiaomi 12?

The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 12 is a better fit for active users.