Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xiaomi 17 Ultra
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $1299 and $999. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads — 88/100 vs 52/100 (a 36-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has the bigger battery (6000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 50 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (3,593,401 vs 1,119,714); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 226g).
Sony Xperia 1 III
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- Lighter: 186g vs 226g
- Better display (90/100 vs 89/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 40/100)
- Higher AnTuTu: 3593401 vs 1119714
- Better Geekbench Single: 3640 vs 1488
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11033 vs 3373
- Bigger battery: 6000 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 90W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 11W
- Cheaper at launch: $999 vs $1299
- Higher performance (96/100 vs 63/100)
- Better camera (93/100 vs 20/100)
- Longer battery life (80/100 vs 42/100)
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra scores 36 points higher (88/100 vs 52/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (96/100 vs 63/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (93/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads (80/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 12/100, Xiaomi 17 Ultra — 88/100; it is biased by price level, so it should not be compared directly between devices at different prices. In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (96/100 vs 63/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 89/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (93/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (80/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (65/100 vs 40/100).
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | Xiaomi 17 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1119714 | 3593401 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1488 | 3640 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3373 | 11033 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.8" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 3200x1440 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 6000 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 90W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 50W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | — | 166 | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 3500 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 162.9×77.6×8.3 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 226 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $999 |
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- Main: 50MP f/1.63
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 200MP
- Front: 32MP
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 3200x1440
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Xiaomi 17 Ultra
- 6000 mAh
- NanoReview test: web browsing 16:09 hrs, total 33:23 hrs
- Wired: 90W
- Wireless: 50W
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Xiaomi 17 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 68.8% in our overall performance rating.
Launch price difference: $300. Xiaomi 17 Ultra was $300 cheaper at launch.
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (96/100 vs 63/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra are nearly equal (90/100 vs 89/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (93/100 vs 20/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (80/100 vs 42/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Ultra (65/100 vs 40/100).
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III by 36 points (88/100 vs 52/100).
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 52/100, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra — 88/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads on camera score (93/100 vs 20/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra leads on performance (96/100 vs 63/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Xiaomi 17 Ultra?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.