Sony Xperia 1 VII vs. HMD Skyline: A Deep Dive into Battery, Performance, and Value
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing all-day battery life and top-tier performance, the Sony Xperia 1 VII is the clear winner. However, the HMD Skyline provides a remarkably capable experience, particularly for those seeking a balance between features and affordability, making it a strong contender in the mid-range.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | HMD Skyline | Sony Xperia 1 VII |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 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, 17, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71 | 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, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 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 | 2024, July 18 | 2025, May 13 |
| Status | Available. Released 2024, July 19 | Available. Released 2025, June 04 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 3), aluminum frame, glass back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 159.8 x 76 x 8.9 mm (6.29 x 2.99 x 0.35 in) | 162 x 74 x 8.2 mm (6.38 x 2.91 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 209.5 g (7.41 oz) | 197 g (6.95 oz) |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~396 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~85.3% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 103.7 cm2 (~86.5% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | P-OLED, 144Hz, 1000 nits (peak), HDR10 | LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (4x2.40 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.95 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7435-AB Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 710 | Adreno 830 |
| OS | Android 14, upgradable to Android 15, up to 2 major Android upgrades | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Triple | 108 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/1.67", 0.64µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.0, (telephoto), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.5, (ultrawide), 1/3", 1.12µm | 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 | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | - | HDR |
| Single | 50 MP, f/2.5, (wide), AF | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.22µm |
| Video | 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 6.0, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GALILEO, GLONASS, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | Unspecified | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 33W wired, PD3.0 PPS, QC4 15W wireless (magnetic), Qi2 5W reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4600 mAh, user replaceable | 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Neon Pink, Twisted Black, Blue Topaz | Moss Green, Orchid Purple, Slate Black |
| Models | TA-1600 | XQ-FS54, XQFS54EUKCG.GC, XQFS54EUKCV.GC, XQFS54EUKCB.GC, PDX256 |
| Price | $ 330.00 / £ 249.95 / € 279.00 | € 1,338.99 / $ 1,394.99 / £ 1,149.94 |
| EU LABEL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery | - | 43:30h endurance, 1400 cycles |
| Energy | - | Class B |
| Free fall | - | Class B (181 falls) |
| Repairability | - | Class D |
HMD Skyline
- Faster charging speeds with PD3.0 PPS and QC4.
- More affordable price point.
- Competent Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 performance for everyday tasks.
- Significantly shorter battery life compared to the Xperia 1 VII.
- Less powerful processor for demanding applications.
- Lower peak display brightness.
Sony Xperia 1 VII
- Exceptional battery life and endurance.
- Flagship-level performance with the Snapdragon 8 Elite and Oryon cores.
- Brighter and potentially more color-accurate display.
- Higher price tag.
- Wired charging is only slightly faster than the HMD Skyline.
- May be overkill for casual smartphone users.
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 VII’s display boasts a significantly higher peak brightness of 1475 nits compared to the HMD Skyline’s 1060 nits, translating to superior visibility in direct sunlight. While both support PD3.0 PPS, the Xperia 1 VII’s panel likely benefits from Sony’s image processing expertise, potentially offering more accurate color reproduction. The absence of LTPO specification for either device suggests both are likely 60/120Hz panels, but the Xperia 1 VII’s higher brightness and potentially superior calibration give it an edge for media consumption.
Camera Comparison
Context data lacks specific camera details, but given Sony’s expertise, the Xperia 1 VII likely features a more sophisticated camera system with larger sensors and advanced image processing algorithms. The Snapdragon 8 Elite’s ISP (Image Signal Processor) is also more capable than the 7s Gen 2’s, enabling faster processing and better low-light performance. While the HMD Skyline will likely offer a competent camera experience, the Xperia 1 VII is expected to deliver professional-grade image and video quality.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Sony Xperia 1 VII utilizes the Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite with Oryon V2 Phoenix CPU cores (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz), while the HMD Skyline features the SM7435-AB Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 (4x2.40 GHz + 4x1.95 GHz). The Snapdragon 8 Elite, built on a 3nm process, offers a substantial performance advantage, particularly in sustained workloads, due to its more efficient architecture and higher clock speeds. The Oryon cores are designed for peak performance, while the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 in the Skyline prioritizes efficiency. This means the Xperia 1 VII will handle demanding games and applications with greater ease and less throttling.
Battery Life
The Sony Xperia 1 VII dominates in battery endurance, achieving an active use score of 15:32h and a remarkable 43:30h of overall endurance with 1400 cycles. This is a massive leap over the HMD Skyline’s 10:47h active use score. While the Skyline offers 33W wired charging (with PD3.0 PPS and QC4) and 15W wireless charging (Qi2 and magnetic), the Xperia 1 VII’s superior battery capacity and optimized power management provide a significantly longer-lasting experience. The Xperia 1 VII also claims 50% charge in 30 minutes, a slight edge over the Skyline’s unspecified 0-100% time.
Buying Guide
Buy the HMD Skyline if you need a solid all-rounder with fast charging and a bright display, and are comfortable making some compromises on peak performance and battery longevity. It’s ideal for users who prioritize value and don’t require the absolute best in every category. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 VII if you demand exceptional battery life, a cutting-edge processor for demanding tasks, and are willing to invest in a premium smartphone experience. This phone is geared towards power users, content creators, and those who value longevity.