HTC U23 Pro vs. Sony Xperia 1 V: A Detailed Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Sony Xperia 1 V emerges as the clear winner, boasting a significantly more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, a brighter display, and a superior camera system. While the HTC U23 Pro offers decent value, the Xperia 1 V's premium features and performance justify its higher price point.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | HTC U23 Pro | Sony Xperia 1 V |
| 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, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 1, 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 bands | 1, 3, 7, 20, 28, 41, 78 SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2023, May 18 | 2023, May 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2023, May 18 | Available. Released 2023, July 28 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), plastic frame, plastic back | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 166.6 x 77.1 x 8.9 mm (6.56 x 3.04 x 0.35 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.3 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.33 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 205 g (7.23 oz) | 187 g (6.60 oz) |
| IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 min) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~393 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.7 inches, 108.4 cm2 (~84.4% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 120Hz | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.36 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM7450-AB Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 (4 nm) | Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 644 | Adreno 740 |
| OS | Android 13 | Android 13, upgradable to Android 15 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Quad | 108 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/1.67", 0.64μm, PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.4, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 5 MP (macro) Auxiliary lens | - |
| Triple | - | 48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35", 1.12µm, 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, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 32 MP, f/2.5, (wide), 1/3.2", 0.7µm | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.2, A2DP, LE | 5.3, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.0 | USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired 15W wireless 5W reverse wireless Reverse wired | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4600 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Snow White, Coffee Black | Black, Khaki Green, Platinum Silver |
| Models | 2QC9200, 2QC9100, 2QCB100 | XQDQ62/B, XQ-DQ72, XQ-DQ54 |
| Price | About 220 EUR | € 684.00 / $ 1,409.99 / £ 519.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 115h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -25.4 LUFS (Very good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 1127931 (v9) GeekBench: 4916 (v6) GFXBench: 96fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
HTC U23 Pro
- Excellent battery life (83h endurance)
- Competitive price
- Decent display brightness (727 nits)
- Reverse wireless charging
- Less powerful chipset (Snapdragon 7 Gen 1)
- Camera likely inferior to Xperia 1 V
- Slower charging speeds compared to Xperia 1 V
- Less premium build quality
Sony Xperia 1 V
- Top-tier performance (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
- Brighter and higher contrast display (936 nits, infinite contrast)
- Superior camera system
- Fast charging (30W PD3.0, PPS)
- Premium design and build quality
- Higher price
- Battery life slightly less impressive than U23 Pro (115h endurance)
- May not appeal to users prioritizing compact size
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 1 V takes the display crown with a measured peak brightness of 936 nits compared to the HTC U23 Pro's 727 nits. The Xperia 1 V also boasts an 'infinite' contrast ratio, suggesting exceptional image quality. Both phones likely utilize OLED panels, but the Xperia 1 V's superior brightness and contrast provide a more immersive viewing experience. The Xperia 1 V also features a 120Hz refresh rate, offering smoother scrolling and animations.
Camera Comparison
While both phones are marketed as having 'Photo / Video' capabilities, the Xperia 1 V's camera system is expected to be considerably more advanced. Sony's expertise in camera technology, combined with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2's image signal processor, should result in superior image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance. The Xperia 1 V likely offers more advanced features like 4K 120fps video recording and more sophisticated computational photography algorithms.
Performance
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xperia 1 V is a powerhouse, significantly outperforming the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 in the HTC U23 Pro. Expect noticeably faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and better gaming performance on the Xperia 1 V. The Cortex-X3 prime core in the 8 Gen 2 provides a substantial boost for demanding tasks.
Battery Life
The HTC U23 Pro boasts an impressive endurance rating of 83 hours, suggesting excellent battery life. However, the Xperia 1 V's active use score of 12:24h translates to a respectable endurance rating of 115 hours, indicating it can also hold its own. The Xperia 1 V's 30W wired charging with PD3.0 and PPS support offers faster charging speeds than the U23 Pro's 30W wired charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the HTC U23 Pro? Users seeking a budget-friendly option with a respectable feature set and a long-lasting battery. Who should buy the Sony Xperia 1 V? Photography enthusiasts, power users, and those who prioritize a premium display and top-tier performance.