OnePlus 8 5G vs Sony Xperia 5 III: A Detailed Comparison of Two 5G Flagships
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing value, the OnePlus 8 5G offers a strong performance-to-price ratio. While the Sony Xperia 5 III boasts a newer Snapdragon 888 and a brighter display, the OnePlus 8 5G’s lower cost and still-capable hardware make it the more sensible choice for most.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | OnePlus 8 5G (T-Mobile) | Sony Xperia 5 III |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1800 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 34, 38, 39, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA |
| 5G bands | 2, 5, 41, 66, 71 SA/NSA | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - USA |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G 7.5 Gbps DL | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| CDMA2000 1xEV-DO | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, April 14 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, April 29 | Available. Released 2021, October 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 160.2 x 72.9 x 8 mm (6.31 x 2.87 x 0.31 in) | 157 x 68 x 8.2 mm (6.18 x 2.68 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 180 g (6.35 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| IP68 dust/water resistant (not for use underwater, liquid damage is not covered under warranty) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density) | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~88.7% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~81.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Fluid AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10, OxygenOS 10.0 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0, 2-LANE | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Dual-LED flash, HDR, panorama | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Single | - | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 48 MP, f/1.8, 25mm (wide), 1/2.0", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 14mm, 116˚ (ultrawide) 2 MP (macro) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 70mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 105mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", dual pixel PDAF, 3x/4.4x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.6", dual pixel PDAF |
| Video | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, Auto HDR, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 16 MP, f/2.0, (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| 35mm jack | No | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, LE, aptX HD | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1), GALILEO (E1+E5a) | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, 50% in 22 min | Wired, PD, 50% in 30 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4300 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Onyx Black, Interstellar Glow | Black, Green, Pink |
| Models | - | XQBQ62/G, XQBQ52G.UKCX, XQBQ52B.UKCX, XQ-BQ52, XQ-BQ72, XQ-BQ42, XQ-BQ62, SO-53B |
| Price | About 650 EUR | € 431.90 / £ 199.99 |
| SAR | 1.10 W/kg (head) 1.10 W/kg (body) | - |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | - | Endurance rating 100h |
| Camera | - | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | - | -26.7 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | - | AnTuTu: 708394 (v9) GeekBench: 3549 (v5.1) GFXBench: 53fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
OnePlus 8 5G (T-Mobile)
- Faster charging speed (30W vs PD)
- Lower price point offers excellent value
- Reliable Snapdragon 865 performance
- Older Snapdragon 865 chipset
- Display brightness likely lower than Xperia 5 III
Sony Xperia 5 III
- Newer Snapdragon 888 offers superior performance
- Brighter display for better outdoor visibility
- Compact form factor for comfortable one-handed use
- Slower charging speed (PD)
- Higher price point
- Battery life is similar to the OnePlus 8 5G despite newer chipset
Display Comparison
The Sony Xperia 5 III features a brighter display, reaching a measured 590 nits, compared to the OnePlus 8 5G’s unspecified peak brightness. This difference is significant for outdoor use, where the Xperia 5 III will remain more readable. Both displays boast an infinite (nominal) contrast ratio, suggesting excellent black levels. However, the OnePlus 8 5G’s display technology isn’t specified, while the Xperia 5 III’s compact 6.1-inch size caters to users who prefer a more pocketable device.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are marketed for their photo and video capabilities, but specifics are limited. The Xperia 5 III likely benefits from Sony’s advanced image processing algorithms and potentially larger sensor sizes, typical of their flagship devices. The OnePlus 8 5G’s camera system, while capable, is likely to be less sophisticated. Without detailed sensor information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Sony’s history suggests a stronger emphasis on image quality and professional features. The absence of details on OIS or lens apertures for either phone hinders a precise comparison.
Performance
The Xperia 5 III’s Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm) represents a generational leap over the OnePlus 8 5G’s Snapdragon 865 5G (7nm+). The 888’s Cortex-X1 prime core offers improved single-core performance, while its more efficient 5nm process should result in better thermal management. Both phones share the same Cortex-A55 efficiency cores, but the Xperia 5 III’s Cortex-A78 performance cores are a step up from the OnePlus 8 5G’s A77 cores. While both utilize Octa-core CPUs with similar configurations, the Xperia 5 III will deliver noticeably faster performance in demanding tasks and games.
Battery Life
Both the OnePlus 8 5G and Sony Xperia 5 III share an endurance rating of 100 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite unspecified mAh capacities. However, charging speeds differ: the OnePlus 8 5G reaches 50% charge in 22 minutes with 30W wired charging, while the Xperia 5 III takes 30 minutes to reach 50% with wired PD charging. This suggests the OnePlus 8 5G charges slightly faster, potentially offsetting any minor battery capacity differences.
Buying Guide
Buy the OnePlus 8 5G (T-Mobile) if you need a fast, reliable 5G phone without breaking the bank, and prioritize overall value. Buy the Sony Xperia 5 III if you prefer a more compact device, demand a brighter display for outdoor visibility, and value Sony’s focus on camera and audio quality for content creation.