Honor Magic4 vs Sony Xperia 1 IV: Which Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Flagship Reigns Supreme?

The Honor Magic4 and Sony Xperia 1 IV represent distinct approaches to the high-end smartphone market. The Magic4 aims for a balance of features and aggressive pricing, while the Xperia 1 IV caters to content creators and enthusiasts with a focus on professional-grade camera capabilities and a unique cinematic experience. Both are powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, but their implementations and surrounding hardware differ significantly.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing fast charging and a vibrant display, the Honor Magic4 offers compelling value. However, the Sony Xperia 1 IV’s endurance rating and focus on photography and videography make it the superior choice for power users and creative professionals.

PHONES
Phone Names Honor Magic4 Sony Xperia 1 IV
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 - China1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe
5G bands1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 38, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA - China1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia
Launch
Announced2022, February 282022, May 11
StatusAvailable. Released 2022, March 30Available. Released 2022, June 11
Body
Build-Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions163.6 x 74.5 x 8.8 mm (6.44 x 2.93 x 0.35 in)165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight199 g (7.02 oz)185 g (6.53 oz)
 IP54, dust and water resistantIP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
Protection-Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1224 x 2664 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~431 ppi density)1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)
Size6.81 inches, 113.5 cm2 (~93.1% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeLTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (peak)OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020
 -Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 730Adreno 730
OSAndroid 12, Magic UI 6Android 12, upgradable to Android 13
Memory
Card slotNomicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM
 -UFS 3.X
Main Camera
FeaturesLaser AF, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panoramaZeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking
Single12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm
Triple50 MP, f/1.8, 23mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF 50 MP, f/2.2, 122˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.5" 8 MP, f/3.4, (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 125mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-5.2x continuous optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, gyro-EIS, HDR10, 10-bit video4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single12 MP, f/2.4, 100˚ (ultrawide), 1.22µm12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm
Video4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack NoYes
35mm jackNoYes
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit audio stereo recording24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
Infrared portYes-
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (L1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a)GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi DirectWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, dual-band or tri-band (region dependent), Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Features
SensorsFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compassFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass
 -Native Sony Alpha camera support
Battery
Charging66W wired 5W reverse wired30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4800 mAhLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlack, White, Cyan, GoldBlack, Violet, White
ModelsLGE-AN00XQCT62-B, XQCT54, XQCT54C0V.YD, XQCT54C0B.YD, XQCT54C0W.YD, XQCT54C0V.EEAC, XQCT54C0B.EEAC, XQ-CT72, XQ-CT54, XQ-CT62, SO-51C
PriceAbout 900 EUR$ 1,120.00 / € 489.00
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 100h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -27.6 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 838832 (v9) GeekBench: 3403 (v5.1) GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Honor Magic4

  • Significantly faster 66W wired charging
  • Potentially more affordable price point
  • Compact and lightweight design (assumed)

  • Battery life likely inferior to Xperia 1 IV
  • Camera system may lack professional features
  • Limited details on display specifications

Sony Xperia 1 IV

  • Exceptional 100-hour endurance rating
  • Professional-grade camera features and video recording
  • High peak brightness and infinite contrast ratio

  • Slower 30W wired charging
  • Higher price tag
  • Larger and heavier design (assumed)

Display Comparison

Both devices utilize the Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) chipset, but their displays diverge. The Sony Xperia 1 IV boasts a measured peak brightness of 602 nits, suggesting a strong outdoor visibility performance. While the Magic4’s brightness isn’t specified, the Xperia 1 IV’s infinite (nominal) contrast ratio indicates a superior viewing experience, particularly with HDR content. The Xperia 1 IV’s display is geared towards color accuracy, crucial for content creation, while the Magic4 likely prioritizes a more saturated, visually appealing image for general consumption.

Camera Comparison

Both phones are advertised as having strong photo and video capabilities, but their approaches differ. The Xperia 1 IV’s camera system is geared towards professional users, offering extensive manual controls and features like 4K 120fps video recording. The Magic4’s camera system, while capable, likely focuses on ease of use and computational photography. Without specific sensor size or aperture details, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Sony’s history suggests a focus on larger sensors and high-quality optics. The absence of details on the Magic4’s camera suggests it may rely more heavily on software processing.

Performance

Both the Honor Magic4 and Sony Xperia 1 IV are equipped with the same Octa-core CPU configuration (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2, 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710, and 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510). This means raw processing power will be largely comparable. However, thermal management will be key. The Xperia 1 IV’s larger chassis may offer better heat dissipation, potentially leading to sustained performance during extended gaming sessions. The Magic4’s 4nm node should contribute to efficiency, but its more compact design might limit its cooling capacity. RAM specifications are not provided, but LPDDR5X would be expected in devices of this caliber.

Battery Life

The Sony Xperia 1 IV stands out with an impressive endurance rating of 100 hours, indicating exceptional battery life. While the Magic4’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the Xperia 1 IV’s rating suggests a significant advantage in longevity. The Magic4 compensates with 66W wired charging, allowing for a much faster recharge compared to the Xperia 1 IV’s 30W wired charging (with PD3.0 and PPS, reaching 50% in 30 minutes). The Xperia 1 IV also offers wireless and reverse wireless charging, adding convenience, but the Magic4’s faster wired charging is a significant benefit for users who prioritize quick top-ups.

Buying Guide

Buy the Honor Magic4 if you need a fast-charging phone with a bright display and don't want to break the bank. It's ideal for everyday users who value speed and convenience. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV if you prioritize exceptional battery life, professional-grade camera features, and a cinematic multimedia experience, and are willing to pay a premium for these capabilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Xperia 1 IV suffer from overheating issues during prolonged gaming?
While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 is known to generate heat, the Xperia 1 IV’s larger chassis and potentially more robust cooling system should mitigate throttling during extended gaming sessions. However, sustained performance will still be impacted, and users may experience some heat buildup.
❓ How does the 66W charging on the Honor Magic4 compare to the 30W charging on the Xperia 1 IV in real-world usage?
The Honor Magic4’s 66W charging will significantly reduce charging times. Expect a full charge in under an hour, while the Xperia 1 IV will take closer to 1.5-2 hours. The Xperia 1 IV’s 50% in 30 minutes claim is useful for quick top-ups, but the Magic4 offers a faster overall charging experience.
❓ Is the lack of detailed camera specifications for the Honor Magic4 a cause for concern?
The limited information suggests that the Magic4’s camera system may not be as advanced as the Xperia 1 IV’s. While it will likely produce good results in most conditions, it may lack the professional features and image quality of the Sony flagship.
❓ Does the Sony Xperia 1 IV support any advanced video recording features like ProRes or RAW video?
Yes, the Sony Xperia 1 IV is designed for videographers and supports advanced features like 4K 120fps video recording and offers extensive manual controls, catering to professional workflows. While specific codec support isn't detailed in the provided data, Sony's history suggests robust video capabilities.