Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (2025) runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $1299 and $892. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads — 87/100 vs 60/100 (a 27-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) has the bigger battery (6800 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 50 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is faster in AnTuTu (3,950,082 vs 1,232,200); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 224g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Lighter: 186g vs 224g
- Better display (90/100 vs 81/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 42/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3950082 vs 1232200
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 6800 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 11W
- Cheaper at launch: $892 vs $1299
- Higher performance (98/100 vs 65/100)
- Better camera (87/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (83/100 vs 42/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China), the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) scores 27 points higher (87/100 vs 60/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (98/100 vs 65/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (87/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads (83/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100, Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) — 88/100; 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 Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (98/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 81/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (87/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (83/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (65/100 vs 42/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1232200 | 3950082 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.9" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 1200x2608 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 6800 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 90W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 50W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 105 | — | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 50 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 16 | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 162.9×77.6×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 224 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $892 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
- Main: 50MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 50MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
- 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 1200x2608
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)
- 6800 mAh
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China), covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 68.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $407. Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) was $407 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (98/100 vs 65/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 81/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (87/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (83/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) (65/100 vs 42/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III by 27 points (87/100 vs 60/100).
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) — 87/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads on camera score (87/100 vs 46/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) leads on performance (98/100 vs 65/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China)?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra (China) is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.