Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6; launch prices were $1299 and $986. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads — 92/100 vs 60/100 (a 32-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max has the bigger battery (8500 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 200 MP; the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is faster in AnTuTu (5,001,234 vs 1,232,200); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 235g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Lighter: 186g vs 235g
- Better display (90/100 vs 82/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 33/100)
What makes Xiaomi 18 Pro Max better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 5001234 vs 1232200
- Better Geekbench Single: 4327 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 12873 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 8500 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 100W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 50W vs 11W
- Cheaper at launch: $986 vs $1299
- Higher performance (100/100 vs 65/100)
- Better camera (100/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (92/100 vs 42/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max scores 32 points higher (92/100 vs 60/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (100/100 vs 65/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (100/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads (92/100 vs 42/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100, Xiaomi 18 Pro Max — 96/100; 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 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (100/100 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 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (100/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (92/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (65/100 vs 33/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | Xiaomi 18 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 | |
| AnTuTu | 1232200 | 5001234 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 4327 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 12873 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.9" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 1208x2624 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 8500 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 50W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 105 | — | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 200 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 50 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 17 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 4000 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP68/IP69 | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 163.4×77.6×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 235 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $986 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- Main: 200MP 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 18 Pro Max
- 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 1208x2624
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max
- 8500 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 75.4% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $313. Xiaomi 18 Pro Max was $313 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (100/100 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 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (100/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max 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 Xiaomi 18 Pro Max (65/100 vs 33/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III by 32 points (92/100 vs 60/100).
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max — 92/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on camera score (100/100 vs 46/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max leads on performance (100/100 vs 65/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Xiaomi 18 Pro Max?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 18 Pro Max is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.