Sony Xperia 5 III vs Xiaomi 17 Max
The Sony Xperia 5 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi 17 Max (2026) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; launch prices were $999 and $799. By overall MobileRank rating, the Xiaomi 17 Max leads — 88/100 vs 51/100 (a 37-point difference). Key differences: the Xiaomi 17 Max has the bigger battery (8000 mAh vs 4500); the main camera is 12 MP vs 200 MP; the Xiaomi 17 Max is faster in AnTuTu (3,654,776 vs 1,135,878); the Sony Xperia 5 III is noticeably lighter (168g vs 219g).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 5 III
Xiaomi 17 Max
What makes Sony Xperia 5 III better?
- Lighter: 168g vs 219g
- Better display (84/100 vs 81/100)
- Better portability (76/100 vs 40/100)
What makes Xiaomi 17 Max better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 3654776 vs 1135878
- Better Geekbench Single: 3639 vs 1500
- Better Geekbench Multi: 11047 vs 3537
- Bigger battery: 8000 vs 4500 mAh
- Faster charging: 100W vs 30W
- Better main camera: 200MP vs 12MP
- Cheaper at launch: $799 vs $999
- Higher performance (97/100 vs 64/100)
- Better camera (90/100 vs 20/100)
- Longer battery life (90/100 vs 35/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 5 III vs the Xiaomi 17 Max, the Xiaomi 17 Max scores 37 points higher (88/100 vs 51/100). In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max leads (97/100 vs 64/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max leads (90/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max leads (90/100 vs 35/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 5 III — 12/100, Xiaomi 17 Max — 90/100; 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 Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (97/100 vs 64/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi 17 Max are nearly equal (84/100 vs 81/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (90/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (90/100 vs 35/100). In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Max (76/100 vs 40/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 5 III | Xiaomi 17 Max | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 | |
| AnTuTu | 1135878 | 3654776 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 3639 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 11047 | |
| Display | 6.1" OLED | 6.9" LTPO AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1080x2520 | 2608x1200 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 8000 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 100W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 50W | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 200 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 50 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 32 MP | |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB / 16GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 256GB / 512GB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 16 | |
| Brightness (peak) | — | 3500 nits | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | IP68 | |
| Dimensions | 157.0×68.0×8.2 mm | — | |
| Weight | 168 g | 219 g | |
| Launch price | $999 | $799 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 5 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Xiaomi 17 Max
- Main: 200MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 50MP
- Telephoto: 50MP
- Front: 32MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 6.1" OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2520
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi 17 Max
- 6.9" LTPO AMOLED
- Resolution: 2608x1200
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- No wireless charging
Xiaomi 17 Max
- 8000 mAh
- Wired: 100W
- Wireless: 50W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 5 III and Xiaomi 17 Max, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Xiaomi 17 Max leads Sony Xperia 5 III by 68.9% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $200. Xiaomi 17 Max was $200 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (97/100 vs 64/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi 17 Max are nearly equal (84/100 vs 81/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (90/100 vs 20/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (90/100 vs 35/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III significantly outperforms the Xiaomi 17 Max (76/100 vs 40/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Xiaomi 17 Max significantly outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III by 37 points (88/100 vs 51/100).
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Sony Xperia 5 III has a MobileRank rating of 51/100, the Xiaomi 17 Max — 88/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Xiaomi 17 Max leads on camera score (90/100 vs 20/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Xiaomi 17 Max leads on performance (97/100 vs 64/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 5 III over the Xiaomi 17 Max?
The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users. The Xiaomi 17 Max is a better fit for gamers and power users, mobile photography enthusiasts, those who care about battery life, budget-conscious buyers.