Nio Phone vs. Sony Xperia 1 VII: A Head-to-Head Comparison of Snapdragon Power and Endurance

The Nio Phone arrives as a compelling value proposition leveraging last year’s flagship silicon, while the Sony Xperia 1 VII represents the pinnacle of Sony’s smartphone engineering with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite. This comparison dissects the trade-offs between raw performance, battery longevity, and charging capabilities to determine which device best suits your needs.

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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing sustained performance and exceptional battery life, the Sony Xperia 1 VII emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and impressive 43:30h endurance outweigh the Nio Phone’s faster wired charging and lower price point, offering a more refined and long-lasting experience.

PHONES
Phone Names	Nio Phone	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, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41	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, 3, 5, 8, 28, 41, 77, 78, 79 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 / CDMA / HSPA / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5G	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G

Launch
Announced	2023, September 21	2025, May 13
Status	Available. Released 2023, September 21	Available. Released 2025, June 04

Body
Build	-	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions	165.2 x 75.5 x 8.9 mm (6.50 x 2.97 x 0.35 in)	162 x 74 x 8.2 mm (6.38 x 2.91 x 0.32 in)
SIM	Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight	212 g or 216 g (7.48 oz)	197 g (6.95 oz)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, Mohs level 5
Resolution	1440 x 3200 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~515 ppi density)	1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~396 ppi density)
Size	6.81 inches, 112.0 cm2 (~89.8% screen-to-body ratio)	6.5 inches, 103.7 cm2 (~86.5% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	LTPO AMOLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1800 nits (peak)	LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x3.36 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)	Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6x3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)	Qualcomm SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm)
GPU	Adreno 740	Adreno 830
OS	SkyUI	Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades

Memory
Card slot	No	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal	512GB 12GB RAM, 1TB 12GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM	256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM

Main Camera
Features	Ring-LED flash, HDR, panorama	Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking
Triple	50 MP, f/1.9, 23mm (wide), 1/1.28", 1.22µm, PDAF, OIS 50 MP, f/2.6, 65mm (periscope telephoto), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, PDAF, OIS, 2.8x optical zoom 50 MP, f/2.4, 15mm, 110˚ (ultrawide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm	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@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS	4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS

Selfie camera
Features	-	HDR
Single	12 MP, f/2.5, (wide)	12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.22µm
Video	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS

Sound
35mm jack	No	Yes
Loudspeaker	Yes	Yes, with stereo speakers

Comms
Bluetooth	5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Lossless	6.0, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
Infrared port	Yes	-
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS (L1+L5), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5), GLONASS	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C, OTG	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output
WLAN	Yes	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e/7, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, proximity, gyro, compass	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass

Battery
Charging	66W wired, PD3.0, QC4 50W wireless 10W reverse wireless	30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min 15W wireless Reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 5200 mAh	5000 mAh

Misc
Colors	Black, Gray, Pink, Gold, Green, Blue, Dark Blue	Moss Green, Orchid Purple, Slate Black
Models	N2301	XQ-FS54, XQFS54EUKCG.GC, XQFS54EUKCV.GC, XQFS54EUKCB.GC, PDX256
Price	About 820 EUR	€ 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

Nio Phone

Faster 66W wired charging
Potentially lower price point
50W wireless charging

Older Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
Likely shorter battery life
Display likely less bright

Sony Xperia 1 VII

Cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset
Exceptional 43:30h battery endurance
Brighter 1475 nit display

Slower 30W wired charging
Higher price point
Slower 15W wireless charging

Display Comparison

The Sony Xperia 1 VII boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching a measured 1475 nits, ensuring excellent visibility even in direct sunlight. While the Nio Phone’s display specs are not provided, Sony’s panel technology is known for its color accuracy and natural tones. The Xperia 1 VII’s brightness advantage is particularly beneficial for outdoor photography and video consumption. The absence of LTPO information for the Nio Phone suggests a potentially less adaptive refresh rate, impacting battery life during static content viewing compared to the Xperia 1 VII’s likely implementation.

Camera Comparison

Without detailed camera specifications for the Nio Phone, a direct comparison is limited. However, Sony’s Xperia line is renowned for its camera prowess, and the 1 VII likely builds upon this legacy with advanced image processing and potentially larger sensor sizes. The Xperia 1 VII’s focus on computational photography and real-time tracking will likely provide superior image quality and video stabilization. The Nio Phone’s camera system will likely be competent, but may not match the Xperia 1 VII’s sophistication and low-light performance.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Nio Phone utilizes the Qualcomm SM8550-AC Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm), while the Xperia 1 VII features the SM8750-AB Snapdragon 8 Elite (3nm). The 3nm process of the 8 Elite offers superior transistor density and power efficiency, translating to higher sustained performance and reduced thermal throttling. The Xperia 1 VII’s custom Oryon V2 Phoenix CPU cores (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) are architecturally more advanced than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2’s Cortex-X3 and Cortex-A715/A710 configuration (1x3.36 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 2x2.8 GHz + 3x2.0 GHz), promising a noticeable performance uplift in CPU-intensive tasks. The Nio Phone’s LPDDR5x RAM is standard, but the Xperia 1 VII’s RAM speed is unspecified, potentially further enhancing its performance edge.

Battery Life

The Sony Xperia 1 VII’s battery endurance of 43:30h and active use score of 15:32h are exceptional, indicating a highly optimized power management system. While the Nio Phone’s battery capacity is unknown, its 66W wired charging (with PD3.0 and QC4) is faster than the Xperia 1 VII’s 30W charging (with PD3.0 and PPS). However, the Xperia 1 VII’s superior efficiency and larger battery likely offset the charging speed difference in real-world usage. The Nio Phone’s 50W wireless charging is also faster than the Xperia 1 VII’s 15W wireless charging, offering convenience for wireless charging users.

Buying Guide

Buy the Nio Phone if you need a powerful smartphone experience at a more accessible price point and prioritize rapid 66W wired charging. It’s ideal for users who frequently game or use demanding apps but aren’t willing to pay a premium for the absolute latest technology. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 VII if you prefer a flagship device with class-leading battery endurance, a brighter display, and the cutting-edge Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, justifying the higher cost with a superior overall experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Xperia 1 VII get noticeably warmer than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Nio Phone during extended gaming sessions?

While the Snapdragon 8 Elite is more powerful, its 3nm process and improved thermal design in the Xperia 1 VII should result in better heat management. The Nio Phone’s 4nm process is efficient, but the 8 Elite’s architectural advantages and potentially larger vapor chamber cooling system in the Xperia 1 VII will likely lead to lower sustained temperatures and less throttling during prolonged gaming.

❓ How much of a real-world difference will the faster charging speed of the Nio Phone make compared to the Xperia 1 VII?

The Nio Phone’s 66W charging is faster on paper, but the Xperia 1 VII’s exceptional battery life means you’ll likely need to charge less frequently. The 30W charging on the Xperia 1 VII can still reach 50% in 30 minutes, and the overall time to full charge isn’t drastically different, especially considering the Xperia 1 VII’s larger battery capacity.

❓ Is the reverse wireless charging on either phone useful for more than just emergencies?

Reverse wireless charging on both phones is primarily for convenience in emergencies, like topping up earbuds or a smartwatch. The 10W output of the Nio Phone and the unspecified output of the Xperia 1 VII are relatively slow, making them impractical for significantly charging larger devices. They are best considered a niche feature rather than a primary charging method.