Sony Xperia 5 III vs Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra

The Sony Xperia 5 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $999 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads — 89/100 vs 51/100 (a 38-point difference). Key differences: the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra has the bigger battery (7400 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 50 MP; the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is faster in AnTuTu (4,602,290 vs 1,135,878); the Sony Xperia 5 III is noticeably lighter (168g vs 227g).

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III by 38 points (89/100 vs 51/100).

Profile comparison

Category scores

Sony Xperia 5 III

Performance 64
Display 84
Camera 20
Battery 35
Portability 76
Value for money 12

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra

Performance 99
Display 99
Camera 78
Battery 92
Portability 35
Value for money 92

What makes Sony Xperia 5 III better?

  • Lighter: 168g vs 227g

  • Better portability (76/100 vs 35/100)

What makes Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra better?

  • Higher AnTuTu: 4602290 vs 1135878
  • Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1500
  • Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3537
  • Bigger battery: 7400 vs 4500 mAh
  • Faster charging: 120W vs 30W
  • Better main camera: 50MP vs 12MP
  • Higher refresh rate: 144Hz vs 120Hz
  • Cheaper at launch: $799 vs $999

  • Higher performance (99/100 vs 64/100)
  • Better camera (78/100 vs 20/100)
  • Longer battery life (92/100 vs 35/100)
  • Better display (99/100 vs 84/100)

Comparison verdict

Comparing the Sony Xperia 5 III vs the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra scores 38 points higher (89/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (99/100 vs 64/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (78/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads (92/100 vs 35/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 5 III — 12/100, Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra — 92/100; 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 Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (99/100 vs 64/100). In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (99/100 vs 84/100). In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (78/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (92/100 vs 35/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (76/100 vs 35/100).

Sony Xperia 5 III: The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users.
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra: The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.

Specs comparison

Specification Sony Xperia 5 III Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra
Processor Snapdragon 888 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
AnTuTu 1135878 4602290
Geekbench Single 1500 3639
Geekbench Multi 3537 11047
Display 6.1" OLED 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
Resolution 1080x2520 1440x3168
Refresh rate 120 Hz 144 Hz
Battery 4500 mAh 7400 mAh
Charging 30W 120W
Wireless charging 0W 50W
Main camera 12 MP 50 MP
Ultrawide 12 MP 50 MP
Telephoto 12 MP 50 MP
Front camera 8 MP 32 MP
RAM 8GB 12GB / 16GB / 24GB
Storage 128GB / 256GB 256GB / 512GB / 1TB
OS Android 11 Android 16
Brightness (peak) — 8000 nits
NFC yes yes
Protection IP65/IP68 IP68
Dimensions 157.0×68.0×8.2 mm 163.7×76.8×8.7 mm
Weight 168 g 227 g
Launch price $999 $799

Camera comparison

Sony Xperia 5 III

  • Main: 12MP f/1.7
  • Ultrawide: 12MP
  • Telephoto: 12MP
  • Front: 8MP
20
camera

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra

  • Main: 50MP f/1.9
  • Ultrawide: 50MP
  • Telephoto: 50MP
  • Front: 32MP
78
camera

Display comparison

Sony Xperia 5 III

  • 6.1" OLED
  • Resolution: 1080x2520
  • Refresh rate: 120 Hz
84
display

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra

  • 6.8" LTPO AMOLED
  • Resolution: 1440x3168
  • Refresh rate: 144 Hz
99
display

Battery and charging

Sony Xperia 5 III

  • 4500 mAh
  • Wired: 30W
  • No wireless charging
35
battery

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra

  • 7400 mAh
  • Wired: 120W
  • Wireless: 50W
92
battery

Overall performance score

We compared Sony Xperia 5 III and Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.

Sony Xperia 5 III Snapdragon 888
51/100
1135878 AnTuTu
Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
89/100 +75.3%
4602290 AnTuTu

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads Sony Xperia 5 III by 75.3% in our overall performance rating.

Benchmarks

Launch prices and where to check today's

Sony Xperia 5 III

$999

Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra

$799

Launch price difference: $200. Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra was $200 cheaper at launch.

Detailed category analysis

performance

In the "performance" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (99/100 vs 64/100).

display

In the "display" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (99/100 vs 84/100).

camera

In the "camera" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (78/100 vs 20/100).

battery

In the "battery" category, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (92/100 vs 35/100).

portability

In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra (76/100 vs 35/100).

Frequently asked questions

Which is better: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III by 38 points (89/100 vs 51/100).

What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?

The Sony Xperia 5 III has a MobileRank rating of 51/100, the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra — 89/100.

Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads on camera score (78/100 vs 20/100).

Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?

The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra leads on performance (99/100 vs 64/100).

Should you choose the Sony Xperia 5 III over the Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra?

The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users. The Vivo iQOO 15 Ultra is a better fit for gamers and power users, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.