Sony Xperia 5 III vs Xiaomi Mi 9
The Sony Xperia 5 III (2021) runs on the Snapdragon 888, while the Xiaomi Mi 9 (2019) runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 855; launch prices were $999 and $400. By overall MobileRank rating, the Sony Xperia 5 III leads — 51/100 vs 47/100 (a 4-point difference). Key differences: the Sony Xperia 5 III has the bigger battery (4500 mAh vs 3300); the main camera is 12 MP vs 48 MP; the Sony Xperia 5 III is faster in AnTuTu (1,135,878 vs 824,513).
Profile comparison
Category scores
Sony Xperia 5 III
Xiaomi Mi 9
What makes Sony Xperia 5 III better?
- Higher AnTuTu: 1135878 vs 824513
- Better Geekbench Single: 1500 vs 968
- Better Geekbench Multi: 3537 vs 2731
- Bigger battery: 4500 vs 3300 mAh
- Faster charging: 30W vs 27W
- Higher refresh rate: 120Hz vs 60Hz
- Lighter: 168g vs 173g
- Higher performance (64/100 vs 54/100)
- Longer battery life (35/100 vs 22/100)
- Better display (84/100 vs 56/100)
What makes Xiaomi Mi 9 better?
- Better main camera: 48MP vs 12MP
- Cheaper at launch: $400 vs $999
- Better camera (44/100 vs 20/100)
- Better portability (79/100 vs 76/100)
Comparison verdict
Comparing the Sony Xperia 5 III vs the Xiaomi Mi 9, the Sony Xperia 5 III scores 4 points higher (51/100 vs 47/100). In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III leads (64/100 vs 54/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 leads (44/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III leads (35/100 vs 22/100). Value score: Sony Xperia 5 III — 12/100, Xiaomi Mi 9 — 22/100; 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 5 III is a bit better (64/100 vs 54/100). In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 (84/100 vs 56/100). In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (44/100 vs 20/100). In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III is a bit better (35/100 vs 22/100). In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 and the Sony Xperia 5 III are nearly equal (79/100 vs 76/100).
Specs comparison
| Specification | Sony Xperia 5 III | Xiaomi Mi 9 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 | |
| AnTuTu | 1135878 | 824513 | |
| Geekbench Single | 1500 | 968 | |
| Geekbench Multi | 3537 | 2731 | |
| Display | 6.1" OLED | 6.4" AMOLED | |
| Resolution | 1080x2520 | 2340x1080 | |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 60 Hz | |
| Battery | 4500 mAh | 3300 mAh | |
| Charging | 30W | 27W | |
| Wireless charging | 0W | 20W | |
| Main camera | 12 MP | 48 MP | |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 16 MP | |
| Telephoto | 12 MP | 12 MP | |
| Front camera | 8 MP | 20 MP | |
| RAM | 8GB | 6GB / 8GB | |
| Storage | 128GB / 256GB | 64GB / 128GB | |
| OS | Android 11 | Android 9 | |
| NFC | yes | yes | |
| Protection | IP65/IP68 | — | |
| Dimensions | 157.0×68.0×8.2 mm | 157.5×74.7×7.6 mm | |
| Weight | 168 g | 173 g | |
| Launch price | $999 | $400 |
Camera comparison
Sony Xperia 5 III
- Main: 12MP f/1.7
- Ultrawide: 12MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 8MP
Xiaomi Mi 9
- Main: 48MP f/1.75
- Ultrawide: 16MP
- Telephoto: 12MP
- Front: 20MP
Display comparison
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 6.1" OLED
- Resolution: 1080x2520
- Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Xiaomi Mi 9
- 6.4" AMOLED
- Resolution: 2340x1080
- Refresh rate: 60 Hz
Battery and charging
Sony Xperia 5 III
- 4500 mAh
- Wired: 30W
- No wireless charging
Xiaomi Mi 9
- 3300 mAh
- Wired: 27W
- Wireless: 20W
Overall performance score
We compared Sony Xperia 5 III and Xiaomi Mi 9, covering their specs and all relevant benchmarks.
Sony Xperia 5 III leads Xiaomi Mi 9 by 37.8% in our overall performance rating.
Benchmarks
Launch prices and where to check today's
Launch price difference: $599. Xiaomi Mi 9 was $599 cheaper at launch.
Detailed category analysis
performance
In the "performance" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III is a bit better (64/100 vs 54/100).
display
In the "display" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III notably outperforms the Xiaomi Mi 9 (84/100 vs 56/100).
camera
In the "camera" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 notably outperforms the Sony Xperia 5 III (44/100 vs 20/100).
battery
In the "battery" category, the Sony Xperia 5 III is a bit better (35/100 vs 22/100).
portability
In the "portability" category, the Xiaomi Mi 9 and the Sony Xperia 5 III are nearly equal (79/100 vs 76/100).
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 5 III edges out the Xiaomi Mi 9 by just 4 points — the two devices are very close in overall level.
What is the rating of the Sony Xperia 5 III and the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 5 III has a MobileRank rating of 51/100, the Xiaomi Mi 9 — 47/100.
Which has the better camera: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Xiaomi Mi 9 leads on camera score (44/100 vs 20/100).
Which is more powerful: the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 5 III leads on performance (64/100 vs 54/100).
Should you choose the Sony Xperia 5 III over the Xiaomi Mi 9?
The Sony Xperia 5 III is a better fit for active users.