Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xiaomi Mi 9
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi Mi 9 (2019) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855; launch prices were $1299 and $400. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 III leads — 60/100 vs 47/100 (a 13-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 1 III has the bigger battery (4500 mAh vs 3300); the main camera is 12 MP vs 48 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 III is faster in AnTuTu (1,232,200 vs 824,513).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Xiaomi Mi 9
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 1232200 vs 824513
- Better Geekbench Single: 1500 vs 968
- Better Geekbench Multi: 3537 vs 2731
- Bigger battery: 4500 vs 3300 mAh
- Faster charging: 30W vs 27W
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Higher performance (65/100 vs 54/100)
- Better camera (46/100 vs 44/100)
- Longer battery life (42/100 vs 22/100)
- Better display (90/100 vs 56/100)
What makes Xiaomi Mi 9 better?
- Better main camera: 48MP vs 12MP
- Faster wireless charging: 20W vs 11W
- Lighter: 173g vs 186g
- Cheaper at launch: $400 vs $1299
- Better portability (79/100 vs 65/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the Xiaomi Mi 9, the Sony Xperia 1 III scores 13 points higher (60/100 vs 47/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III leads (65/100 vs 54/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III leads (42/100 vs 22/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 III — 30/100, Xiaomi Mi 9 — 22/100; 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 Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 54/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 (90/100 vs 56/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi Mi 9 are nearly equal (46/100 vs 44/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 (42/100 vs 22/100). In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 is a bit better (79/100 vs 65/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | Xiaomi Mi 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | |
| AnTuTu | 1232200 | 824513 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 968 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 2731 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.4" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 3300 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 27W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 20W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 105 | — | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 16 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 12 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 20 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 6GB / 8GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 64GB / 128GB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 9 | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 157.5×74.7×7.6 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 173 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | $400 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Xiaomi Mi 9
- Main: 48MP f/1.75
- Ultrawide: 16MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 20MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi Mi 9
- 6.4" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
Xiaomi Mi 9
- 3300 mAh
- Wired: 27W
- Wireless: 20W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and Xiaomi Mi 9, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 III leads Xiaomi Mi 9 by 49.4% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $899. Xiaomi Mi 9 was $899 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 54/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 (90/100 vs 56/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi Mi 9 are nearly equal (46/100 vs 44/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 (42/100 vs 22/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 is a bit better (79/100 vs 65/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably better than the Xiaomi Mi 9 — the overall rating gap is 13 points.
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the Xiaomi Mi 9 — 47/100.
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 1 III leads on performance (65/100 vs 54/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.