Sony Xperia 1 III vs ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
The Sony Xperia 1 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra (2022) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. By overall MobileRank rating, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads — 70/100 vs 60/100 (a 10-point difference). Key differences: the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 64 MP; the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (1,294,871 vs 1,232,200); the Sony Xperia 1 III is noticeably lighter (186g vs 204g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 III
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
What makes Sony Xperia 1 III better?
- Lighter: 186g vs 204g
- Better display (90/100 vs 80/100)
- Better portability (65/100 vs 52/100)
What makes ZTE Axon 40 Ultra better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 1294871 vs 1232200
- Better Geekbench Single: 1662 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 4188 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 65W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 64MP vs 12MP
- Higher performance (68/100 vs 65/100)
- Better camera (86/100 vs 46/100)
- Longer battery life (52/100 vs 42/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 III vs the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra scores 10 points higher (70/100 vs 60/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads (86/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads (52/100 vs 42/100). In the "performance" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 III are nearly equal (68/100 vs 65/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (86/100 vs 46/100). In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra 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).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 III | ZTE Axon 40 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | |
| AnTuTu | 1232200 | 1294871 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 1662 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 4188 | |
| Display | 6.5" OLED | 6.8" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1644x3840 | 1116x2480 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 5000 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 65W | |
| Wireless charging | 11W | 0W | |
| DXOMark (camera) | 105 | — | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 64 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 64 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 64 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 16 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB | 8GB / 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB | 128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 12, MyOS 12 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 1500 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 165.0×71.0×8.2 mm | 163.3×73.6×8.4 mm | |
| Weight | 186 g | 204 g | |
| Launch price | $1299 | — |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
- Main: 64MP f/1.6
- Ultrawide: 64MP
- Telephoto: 64MP
- Front: 16MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 6.5" OLED
- Resolution: 1644x3840
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
- 6.8" AMOLED
- Resolution: 1116x2480
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 11W
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 65W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 III and ZTE Axon 40 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 1 III by 4.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
ZTE Axon 40 Ultra
Price unknownDetailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra and the Sony Xperia 1 III are nearly equal (68/100 vs 65/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 1 III is a bit better (90/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 III (86/100 vs 46/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra 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 Ultra?
The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is noticeably better than the Sony Xperia 1 III — the overall rating gap is 10 points.
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 III and the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra?
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a MobileRank rating of 60/100, the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra — 70/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 III or the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra?
The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra leads on camera score (86/100 vs 46/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 III over the ZTE Axon 40 Ultra?
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a better fit for active users. The ZTE Axon 40 Ultra is a better fit for active users, mobile photography enthusiasts.