Sony Xperia 1 III vs ZTE Axon 40 pro

The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the ZTE Axon 40 pro (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G. By overall MobileRank rating, the ZTE Axon 40 pro leads — 58/100 vs 52/100 (a 6-point difference). Key differences: the ZTE Axon 40 pro has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 108 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 III is faster in AnTuTu (1,119,714 vs 1,010,069).

The ZTE Axon 40 pro edges out the Sony Xperia 1 III by just 6 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
Performance 63
Display 90
Camera 20
Battery 42
Portability 65
Value for money 12
ZTE Axon 40 pro
Performance 61
Display 89
Camera 44
Battery 52
Portability 52
Value for money
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
  • Higher AnTuTu: 1119714 vs 1010069
  • Better Geekbench Single: 1488 vs 1298
  • Lighter: 186g vs 199g

  • Higher performance (63/100 vs 61/100)
  • Better display (90/100 vs 89/100)
  • Better portability (65/100 vs 52/100)
What makes ZTE Axon 40 pro better?
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 3520 vs 3373
  • Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
  • Faster charging: 65W vs 30W
  • Better main camera: 108MP vs 12MP
  • Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz

  • Better camera (44/100 vs 20/100)
  • Longer battery life (52/100 vs 42/100)
Comparison verdict

Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the ZTE Axon 40 pro, the ZTE Axon 40 pro scores 6 points higher (58/100 vs 52/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 pro leads (44/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 pro leads (52/100 vs 42/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the ZTE Axon 40 pro are nearly equal (63/100 vs 61/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the ZTE Axon 40 pro are nearly equal (90/100 vs 89/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 pro notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (44/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 pro is a bit better (52/100 vs 42/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 52/100).

Sony Xperia 1 III: The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users.
ZTE Axon 40 pro: The ZTE Axon 40 pro is a better fit for active users.
Specs comparison
Specification Sony Xperia 1 III ZTE Axon 40 pro
Processor Snapdragon 888 Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G
AnTuTu 1119714 1010069
Geekbench Single 1488 1298
Geekbench Multi 3373 3520
Display 6.5" OLED 6.7" AMOLED
Resolution 1644x3840 1080x2400
Refresh rate 120 Hz 144 Hz
Battery 4500 mAh 5000 mAh
Charging 30W 65W
Wireless charging 11W 0W
Main camera 12 MP 108 MP
Ultrawide 12 MP 8 MP
Telephoto 12 MP 0 MP
Front camera 8 MP 16 MP
RAM 12GB 8GB / 12GB
Storage 256GB / 512GB 128GB / 256GB / 512GB
OS Android 11 Android 12, MyOS 12
Brightness (peak) 1000 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP65/IP68
Dimensions 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm 162.9×72.9×8.7 mm
Weight 186 g 199 g
Launch price $1299
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • Main: 12MP f/f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 8MP
20
camera
ZTE Axon 40 pro
  • Main: 108MP f/f/1.9
  • Ultrawide: 8MP
  • Front: 16MP
44
camera
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 6.5" OLED
  • Resolution: 1644x3840
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
90
display
ZTE Axon 40 pro
  • 6.7" AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1080x2400
  • Refresh rate: 144 Hz
89
display
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • Wireless: 11W
42
battery
ZTE Axon 40 pro
  • 5000 mAh
  • Wired: 65W
  • No wireless charging
52
battery
Overall performance score

We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and ZTE Axon 40 pro, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Sony Xperia 1 III Snapdragon 888
52/100
1119714 AnTuTu
ZTE Axon 40 pro Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G
58/100 -10.9%
1010069 AnTuTu

Sony Xperia 1 III leads ZTE Axon 40 pro by 10.9% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Sony Xperia 1 III
$1299
ZTE Axon 40 pro
Price unknown
Detailed category analysis
performance

In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the ZTE Axon 40 pro are nearly equal (63/100 vs 61/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III and the ZTE Axon 40 pro are nearly equal (90/100 vs 89/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 pro notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (44/100 vs 20/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 pro is a bit better (52/100 vs 42/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (65/100 vs 52/100).

Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the ZTE Axon 40 pro?

The ZTE Axon 40 pro edges out the Sony Xperia 1 III by just 6 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.

What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the ZTE Axon 40 pro?

The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 52/100, the ZTE Axon 40 pro — 58/100.

Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the ZTE Axon 40 pro?

The ZTE Axon 40 pro leads on camera score (44/100 vs 20/100).

Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the ZTE Axon 40 pro?

The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The ZTE Axon 40 pro is a better fit for active users.