Sony Xperia 1 VIII vs Sony Xperia 5 III
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, while the Sony Xperia 5 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888; launch prices were $1500 and $999. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads — 77/100 vs 51/100 (a 26-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII has the bigger battery (5000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 48 MP vs 12 MP; the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is faster in AnTuTu (3,842,882 vs 1,135,878); the Sony Xperia 5 III is noticeably lighter (168g vs 200g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
Sony Xperia 5 III
What makes Sony Xperia 1 VIII better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3842882 vs 1135878
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 5000 vs 4500 mAh
- Better main camera: 48MP vs 12MP
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 64/100)
- Better camera (69/100 vs 20/100)
- Longer battery life (53/100 vs 35/100)
What makes Sony Xperia 5 III better?
- Lighter: 168g vs 200g
- Cheaper at launch: $999 vs $1500
- Better display (84/100 vs 80/100)
- Better portability (76/100 vs 56/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 1 VIII vs the Sony Xperia 5 III, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII scores 26 points higher (77/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (97/100 vs 64/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (69/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads (53/100 vs 35/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 1 VIII — 62/100, Sony Xperia 5 III — 12/100; 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 VIII significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (97/100 vs 64/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII are nearly equal (84/100 vs 80/100). In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (69/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (53/100 vs 35/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (76/100 vs 56/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 1 VIII | Sony Xperia 5 III | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | Snapdragon 888 | |
| AnTuTu | 3842882 | 1135878 | |
| Geekbench Single | 3639 | 1500 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 11047 | 3537 | |
| Display | 6.5" LTPO OLED | 6.1" OLED | |
| Resolution | 1080x2340 | 1080x2520 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 5000 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 30W | |
| Wireless charging | 15W | 0W | |
| Main camera | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Telephoto | 48 MP | 12 MP | |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 8 MP | |
| RAM | 12GB / 16GB | 8GB | |
| Storage | 256GB / 512GB / 1TB | 128GB / 256GB | |
| OS | Android 16 | Android 11 | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP65/IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 162.0×74.0×8.3 mm | 157.0×68.0×8.2 mm | |
| Weight | 200 g | 168 g | |
| Launch price | $1500 | $999 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- Main: 48MP f/1.9
- Ultrawide: 48MP
- Telephoto: 48MP
- Front: 12MP
Sony Xperia 5 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 6.5" LTPO OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2340
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 6.1" OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2520
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
- 5000 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- Wireless: 15W
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- No wireless charging
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 1 VIII and Sony Xperia 5 III, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads Sony Xperia 5 III by 238.3% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $501. Sony Xperia 5 III was $501 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (97/100 vs 64/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Sony Xperia 1 VIII are nearly equal (84/100 vs 80/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (69/100 vs 20/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (53/100 vs 35/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 1 VIII (76/100 vs 56/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII or the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III by 26 points (77/100 vs 51/100).
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII and the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII has a MobileRank rating of 77/100, the Sony Xperia 5 III — 51/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII or the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on camera score (69/100 vs 20/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 1 VIII or the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII leads on performance (97/100 vs 64/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 1 VIII over the Sony Xperia 5 III?
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a better fit for gamers and power users. The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users.