Google Pixel 10 Pro vs Sony Xperia 1 VII: A Deep Dive into Android Flagship Rivalry
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-around performance and intelligent features, the Sony Xperia 1 VII emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset delivers superior processing power and sustained performance, complemented by a stunningly bright display and longer battery cycle life. However, Pixel 10 Pro's AI capabilities remain compelling for photography enthusiasts.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Google Pixel 10 Pro | Sony Xperia 1 VII |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 25, 26, 29, 30, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 48, 66, 71, 75 - GEHN3 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66 - Europe |
| 5G bands | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 30, 38, 40, 46, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GEHN3 | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 75, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2025, August 20 | 2025, May 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2025, August 28 | Available. Released 2025, June 04 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 152.8 x 72 x 8.5 mm (6.02 x 2.83 x 0.33 in) | 162 x 74 x 8.2 mm (6.38 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· eSIM + eSIM (8 or more, max 2 at a time; USA) | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 207 g (7.30 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 4 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5 |
| Resolution | 1280 x 2856 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~495 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~396 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.3 inches, 96.3 cm2 (~87.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 103.7 cm2 (~86.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2200 nits (HBM), 3300 nits (peak) | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.78 GHz Cortex-X4 & 5x3.05 GHz Cortex-A725 & 2x2.25 GHz Cortex-A520) | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) |
| Chipset | Google Tensor G5 (3 nm) | Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| GPU | PowerVR DXT-48-1536 | Adreno 830 |
| OS | Android 16, up to 7 major Android upgrades | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 16GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Multi-zone Laser AF, LED flash, Pixel Shift, Ultra-HDR, panorama, Best Take, Zoom Enhance | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Triple | 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm (periscope telephoto), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 48 MP, f/1.7, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF | 48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35", 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/3.5, 170mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, OIS, 4cm macro @ 120mm, no AF 48 MP, f/2.0, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF |
| Video | 8K@30fps (via cloud-based upscaling), 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR | 4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR, panorama | HDR |
| Single | 42 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), PDAF | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.22µm |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 6.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 6.0, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS, QZSS, NavIC | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.2 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, ultrasonic), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer, thermometer (skin temperature) | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 55% in 30 min 15W wireless (magnetic), Qi2 Reverse wired Bypass charging | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4870 mAh | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Moonstone, Jade, Porcelain, Obsidian | Moss Green, Orchid Purple, Slate Black |
| Models | GEHN3, G4QUR, GN4F5 | XQ-FS54, XQFS54EUKCG.GC, XQFS54EUKCV.GC, XQFS54EUKCB.GC, PDX256 |
| Price | $ 659.95 / C$ 1,099.99 / £ 899.00 / € 880.00 / ₹ 100,950 | € 1,338.99 / $ 1,394.99 / £ 1,149.94 |
| SAR | 0.99 W/kg (head) 0.99 W/kg (body) | - |
| SAR EU | 0.99 W/kg (head) 1.39 W/kg (body) | - |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 51:09h endurance, 1000 cycles | 43:30h endurance, 1400 cycles |
| Energy | Class A | Class B |
| Free fall | Class A (270 falls) | Class B (181 falls) |
| Repairability | Class B | Class D |
Google Pixel 10 Pro
- Exceptional computational photography
- Seamless Google ecosystem integration
- Advanced AI-powered features
- Potentially lower sustained performance
- Battery endurance lags behind Xperia 1 VII
Sony Xperia 1 VII
- Superior processing power with Snapdragon 8 Elite
- Brilliant and color-accurate display
- Longer battery cycle life and endurance
- Less emphasis on computational photography
- Manual camera controls may intimidate some users
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 VII immediately stands out with its measured peak brightness of 1475 nits, significantly exceeding what we anticipate from the Pixel 10 Pro. This translates to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While the Pixel 10 Pro likely employs an LTPO panel for variable refresh rates, Sony’s display technology is geared towards color accuracy and a more immersive viewing experience. The Xperia 1 VII’s focus on display quality caters to content creators and media consumers who demand the best possible visual fidelity.
Camera Comparison
Both phones are expected to feature advanced camera systems, but their approaches differ. The Pixel 10 Pro will likely lean heavily on Google’s computational photography algorithms, enhancing image quality through software processing. The Xperia 1 VII, however, emphasizes manual control and sensor quality. While specific sensor details are missing, Sony’s expertise in image sensors suggests a focus on larger sensors and wider apertures. The Xperia 1 VII’s camera system is geared towards experienced photographers who want to fine-tune their shots, while the Pixel 10 Pro aims for consistently excellent results with minimal user input.
Performance
The core of the performance difference lies in the chipsets. The Sony Xperia 1 VII’s Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite, featuring Oryon V2 Phoenix cores, boasts a peak clock speed of 4.32 GHz, exceeding the Google Tensor G5’s 3.78 GHz Cortex-X4. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s architecture, with its split core configuration (2x Phoenix L + 6x Phoenix M), is optimized for both peak performance and sustained efficiency. While the Tensor G5 benefits from Google’s AI acceleration, the Snapdragon 8 Elite offers a more robust and consistent performance profile, particularly in graphically intensive tasks. The Xperia 1 VII also benefits from a likely faster LPDDR5x RAM configuration, further enhancing responsiveness.
Battery Life
The Sony Xperia 1 VII boasts a significantly higher battery endurance rating of 43:30h compared to the Pixel 10 Pro’s 51:09h. This is despite the Pixel 10 Pro having a longer active use score of 12:06h versus the Xperia 1 VII’s 15:32h. This discrepancy suggests the Xperia 1 VII’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is more power-efficient under sustained load, and the 1400 cycle lifespan indicates superior battery health management. Both phones support 30W wired charging, but the Xperia 1 VII reaches 50% charge in 30 minutes, slightly faster than the Pixel 10 Pro’s 55%. Both also offer 15W wireless charging and reverse wireless charging capabilities.
Buying Guide
Buy the Google Pixel 10 Pro if you need a smartphone that excels in computational photography, leverages advanced AI features for everyday tasks, and offers a seamless Google ecosystem experience. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 VII if you prefer a device with a superior display for media consumption, prioritize raw processing power for demanding applications and gaming, and appreciate a more customizable and manual approach to photography and audio.