Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G vs Sony Xperia 1 III: A Deep Dive into Flagship Performance and Photography

The Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G and Sony Xperia 1 III represent distinct approaches to the flagship smartphone experience. The Reno6 Pro+ aimed for a compelling price-to-performance ratio with its Snapdragon 870, while the Xperia 1 III doubled down on a premium, creator-focused experience with the Snapdragon 888 and a professional-grade camera system. This comparison dissects their strengths and weaknesses to determine which device best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For the average user prioritizing value and consistent performance, the Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G emerges as the winner. Its Snapdragon 870 offers excellent efficiency, paired with blazing-fast 65W charging. While the Xperia 1 III boasts a more powerful chipset and a refined camera, its higher price and potential for thermal throttling make it a niche choice.

PHONES
Phone Names Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G Sony Xperia 1 III
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, 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, 28, 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 / CDMA2000 / LTE / 5GGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 - SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific)
Launch
Announced2021, May 272021, April 14
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, June 05Available. Released 2021, August 25
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 5), glass backGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame
Dimensions160.8 x 72.5 x 8 mm (6.33 x 2.85 x 0.31 in)165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight188 g (6.63 oz)186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz)
 -IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 5Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~402 ppi density)1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)
Size6.55 inches, 103.6 cm2 (~88.8% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeAMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 500 nits (typ), 800 nits (HDR), 1100 nits (peak)OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020
 -Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x3.2 GHz Kryo 585 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 585 & 4x1.80 GHz Kryo 585)Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8250-AC Snapdragon 870 5G (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)
GPUAdreno 650Adreno 660
OSAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 12, ColorOS 12Android 11, upgradable to Android 13
Memory
Card slotNomicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 -UFS 3.X
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, Dual-LED flash, HDR, panoramaZeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking
Quad50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 13 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 2x optical zoom 16 MP, f/2.2, 123˚ (ultrawide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm 2 MP (macro)-
Single-8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm
Triple-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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
Video4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; gyro-EIS, HDR4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesPanoramaHDR
Single32 MP, f/2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.8", 0.8µm8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Video1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack -Yes
35mm jackNoYes
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 -24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 2.0, OTGUSB Type-C 3.1, 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/6, dual-band, 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
Charging65W wired30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Po 4500 mAh
Misc
ColorsArctic Blue, Lunar GreyFrosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple
ModelsPENM00XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72
PriceAbout 520 EUR€ 505.26 / $ 903.43
Tests
Battery life- Endurance rating 82h
Camera- Photo / Video
Display- Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker- -26.5 LUFS (Good)
Performance- AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G

  • Significantly faster 65W charging
  • Excellent price-to-performance ratio with Snapdragon 870
  • Potentially better thermal management due to 7nm process

  • Camera system likely less advanced than Xperia 1 III
  • Display specs less detailed, potentially lacking features like high refresh rate

Sony Xperia 1 III

  • More powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset
  • Professional-grade camera system with advanced features
  • High peak display brightness and excellent color accuracy

  • Higher price point
  • Potential for thermal throttling under sustained load
  • Slower 30W charging compared to Reno6 Pro+

Display Comparison

The Sony Xperia 1 III features a 6.5-inch display capable of reaching 620 nits of peak brightness, ensuring visibility even in bright sunlight. While the Reno6 Pro+’s display specs aren’t explicitly stated, Oppo typically employs AMOLED panels with excellent color accuracy. The Xperia 1 III’s ‘infinite’ contrast ratio, typical of OLED technology, provides deep blacks and vibrant colors. However, the Reno6 Pro+ may offer a higher refresh rate, a feature not mentioned for the Xperia 1 III, potentially leading to smoother scrolling and animations. The Xperia 1 III’s focus on color accuracy, geared towards content creators, is a key differentiator.

Camera Comparison

Both devices are marketed for their camera capabilities, but approach it differently. The Xperia 1 III’s camera system is geared towards professional photographers and videographers, offering extensive manual controls and features like 4K 120fps video recording. While specific sensor details are missing for both, the Xperia 1 III’s emphasis on image processing and color science is a key selling point. The Reno6 Pro+ likely focuses on computational photography and AI enhancements for more accessible, point-and-shoot results. The absence of detailed camera specs for the Reno6 Pro+ suggests a focus on versatility rather than outright sensor size or lens quality. The Xperia 1 III’s variable telephoto lens is a significant advantage for zoom photography.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G utilizes the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 5G (7nm), while the Sony Xperia 1 III packs the Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm). The 5nm process of the Snapdragon 888 theoretically offers better power efficiency, but also generates more heat under sustained load. The Xperia 1 III’s CPU configuration, with a Cortex-X1 prime core clocked at 2.84 GHz, provides a performance edge in single-core tasks. However, the Snapdragon 870’s optimized architecture in the Reno6 Pro+ often delivers comparable real-world performance, especially in gaming, with less thermal throttling. Both phones feature octa-core CPUs, but the Xperia 1 III’s architecture is more focused on peak performance, while the Reno6 Pro+ prioritizes sustained performance.

Battery Life

Both phones achieve an endurance rating of 82 hours, suggesting similar overall battery life despite differing battery capacities (not specified for the Reno6 Pro+). However, the charging speeds are drastically different. The Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G boasts 65W wired charging, capable of rapidly replenishing the battery. The Sony Xperia 1 III offers 30W wired charging with PD, reaching 50% in 30 minutes, alongside wireless and reverse wireless charging options. The Reno6 Pro+’s significantly faster charging speed provides a substantial convenience advantage, especially for users who frequently need to top up their battery.

Buying Guide

Buy the Oppo Reno6 Pro+ 5G if you need a phone that delivers flagship-level performance without breaking the bank, and if fast charging is a priority. It’s ideal for gamers and power users who want a smooth experience without worrying about overheating. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you are a content creator who demands a professional-grade camera system with extensive manual controls, and if you value a unique, cinematic display experience, and are willing to pay a premium.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Does the Snapdragon 888 in the Xperia 1 III suffer from noticeable throttling during extended gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 888 is known to generate more heat than the Snapdragon 870. While Sony implemented cooling solutions, prolonged gaming at high settings can lead to thermal throttling, reducing sustained performance. The Reno6 Pro+ 5G, with its Snapdragon 870, is less prone to this issue due to its more efficient 7nm process.
❓ How does the camera processing differ between the Reno6 Pro+ and the Xperia 1 III?
The Xperia 1 III prioritizes natural color reproduction and offers extensive manual control, appealing to photographers who prefer to edit their images themselves. The Reno6 Pro+ likely employs more aggressive computational photography, enhancing images with AI algorithms for instantly shareable results. This means the Xperia 1 III offers more flexibility, while the Reno6 Pro+ aims for convenience.
❓ Is the 30W charging on the Xperia 1 III sufficient for daily use, or is the Reno6 Pro+'s 65W a significant advantage?
While 30W charging is respectable, the Reno6 Pro+'s 65W charging is a game-changer. It can significantly reduce downtime, allowing you to quickly top up your battery during short breaks. For users who frequently find themselves with low battery, the Reno6 Pro+ offers a substantial convenience advantage.