Nostalgia is a powerful force, and both the Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V and the Apple iPhone 8 evoke it in different ways. The neo V represents a bygone era of Android experimentation, while the iPhone 8 embodies Apple's refined design and ecosystem. Let's dive into a head-to-head comparison to see which phone holds up best today.
🏆 Quick Verdict
The iPhone 8 decisively wins this comparison. While the Xperia neo V boasts impressive battery life for its time, the iPhone 8's superior performance, camera, display visibility, and modern features make it the clear choice for most users. It's a testament to Apple's enduring quality.
| Network |
|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 900 / 2100 - MT11i | HSDPA 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, 40, 41, 66 |
| EDGE | No | - |
| GPRS | Class 10 | - |
| Speed | HSPA 7.2/5.76 Mbps | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (3CA) Cat12 600/150 Mbps, EV-DO Rev.A 3.1 Mbps |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA | GSM / HSPA / LTE |
| | HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100 - MT11a | - |
| Launch |
|---|
| Announced | 2011, August. Released 2011, October | 2017, September 12. Released 2017, September 22 |
| Status | Discontinued | Discontinued |
| Body |
|---|
| Build | - | Glass front (Corning-made glass), glass back (Corning-made glass), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 116 x 57 x 13 mm (4.57 x 2.24 x 0.51 in) | 138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3 mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 in) |
| Keyboard | QWERTY | - |
| SIM | Mini-SIM | Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 126 g (4.44 oz) | 148 g (5.22 oz) |
| | - | IP67 dust/water resistant (up to 1m for 30 mins)
Apple Pay (Visa, MasterCard, AMEX certified) |
| Display |
|---|
| Protection | Scratch-resistant glass | Ion-strengthened glass |
| Resolution | 480 x 854 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~265 ppi density) | 750 x 1334 pixels, 16:9 ratio (~326 ppi density) |
| Size | 3.7 inches, 37.7 cm2 (~57.1% screen-to-body ratio) | 4.7 inches, 60.9 cm2 (~65.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | LED-backlit LCD, | Retina IPS LCD, 625 nits (typ) |
| | - | 3D Touch display & home button |
| Platform |
|---|
| CPU | 1.0 GHz Scorpion | Hexa-core (2x Monsoon + 4x Mistral) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm MSM8255 Snapdragon S2 | Apple A11 Bionic (10 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 205 | Apple GPU (three-core graphics) |
| OS | Android 2.3.4 (Gingerbread), upgradable to 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) | iOS 11, up to iOS 16.7.12 |
| Memory |
|---|
| Call records | Yes | - |
| Card slot | microSDHC (dedicated slot), 2 GB included | No |
| Internal | 1GB (320MB user available), 512MB RAM | 64GB 2GB RAM, 128GB 2GB RAM, 256GB 2GB RAM |
| Phonebook | Yes, Photocall | - |
| | - | NVMe |
| Main Camera |
|---|
| Features | LED flash, panorama | Quad-LED dual-tone flash, HDR |
| Single | 5 MP, AF | 12 MP, f/1.8, 28mm (wide), PDAF, OIS |
| Video | 720p@30fps | 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps |
| Selfie camera |
|---|
| Features | - | Face detection, HDR, panorama |
| Single | VGA | 7 MP, f/2.2 |
| Video | - | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound |
|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| Comms |
|---|
| Bluetooth | 2.1, A2DP, EDR | 5.0, A2DP, LE |
| NFC | - | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, A-GPS | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | Stereo FM radio, RDS | No |
| USB | microUSB 2.0, OTG | Lightning, USB 2.0 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n, DLNA, hotspot | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, hotspot |
| Features |
|---|
| Browser | No | - |
| Games | Yes | - |
| Java | No | - |
| Messaging | SMS, MMS | - |
| Sensors | Accelerometer, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (front-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| | ANT+
HDMI port
MP4/H.264/WMV player
MP3/WMA/WAV/eAAC+ player
TrackID music recognition
Organizer
Document viewer
Voice memo/dial/commands
Predictive text input (T9 Trace) | - |
| Battery |
|---|
| Charging | - | 15W wired, PD2.0, 50% in 30 min
Wireless (Qi) |
| Music play | Up to 31 h | - |
| Stand-by | Up to 430 h (2G) / Up to 400 h (3G) | - |
| Talk time | Up to 6 h 55 min (2G) / Up to 7 h (3G) | Up to 14 h (3G) |
| Type | Removable Li-Po 1500 mAh battery | Li-Ion 1821 mAh, non-removable (6.96 Wh) |
| Misc |
|---|
| Colors | White, Blue Gradient, Silver | Silver, Space Gray, Gold, Red |
| Models | - | A1863, A1905, A1906, A1907, iPhone10,1, iPhone10,4 |
| Price | About 150 EUR | About 210 EUR |
| SAR | - | 1.32 W/kg (head) 1.36 W/kg (body) |
| SAR EU | 1.10 W/kg (head) | 1.19 W/kg (head) 1.17 W/kg (body) |
| Tests |
|---|
| Audio quality |
Noise -89.6dB / Crosstalk -80.9dB |
Noise -93.5dB / Crosstalk -80.4dB |
| Battery life |
Endurance rating 42h
| Endurance rating 66h |
| Camera |
Photo / Video |
Photo / Video |
| Display |
Contrast ratio: 1578:1 (nominal) |
Contrast ratio: 1395:1 (nominal), 3.957 (sunlight) |
| Loudspeaker |
Voice 68dB / Noise 65dB / Ring 71dB
|
Voice 71dB / Noise 77dB / Ring 80dB |
| Performance | - |
AnTuTu: 237594 (v7)
GeekBench: 10214 (v4.4)
GFXBench: 20fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V
- Impressive battery life (for its time)
- Compact size
- Nostalgic Android experience
- Outdated processor
- Low-resolution display
- Poor camera quality compared to modern phones
- Limited app support
Apple iPhone 8
- Powerful A11 Bionic chip
- Excellent camera
- Bright and readable display
- Access to the Apple ecosystem
- Fast charging (wired and wireless)
- Older design
- Limited storage options
- No headphone jack
Display Comparison
The iPhone 8's display shines brighter. While the Xperia neo V's 1578:1 contrast ratio is respectable, the iPhone 8's 1395:1 contrast combined with a remarkable 3.957 sunlight readability rating gives it a significant advantage in outdoor visibility. The iPhone 8 also likely has better color accuracy and overall image quality due to advancements in display technology.
Camera Comparison
The iPhone 8's camera is a significant upgrade. While both offer photo and video capabilities, the iPhone 8 benefits from Apple's image processing algorithms and hardware advancements. Expect better image quality, dynamic range, and low-light performance from the iPhone 8. The neo V's camera, while functional, is dated by today's standards.
Performance
The iPhone 8's A11 Bionic chip utterly dominates the Xperia neo V's Snapdragon S2. The A11 Bionic's hexa-core architecture and 10nm process provide vastly superior processing power, enabling smoother multitasking, faster app loading, and better gaming performance. The Xperia neo V's 1.0 GHz Scorpion CPU simply can't compete.
Battery Life
The Xperia neo V and iPhone 8 share the same endurance rating of 66h. However, considering the iPhone 8's more power-hungry processor and display, its actual battery life in daily use is likely to be more efficient due to software optimization.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Sony Ericsson Xperia neo V? Primarily collectors or those seeking a nostalgic Android experience. Who should buy the Apple iPhone 8? Anyone needing a reliable, capable smartphone with a good camera and access to the Apple ecosystem, especially at a budget price point.
Frequently Asked Questions
❓ Is the Xperia neo V worth buying in 2024?
Only for collectors or those seeking a specific nostalgic Android experience. It's not a practical daily driver.
❓ Can the iPhone 8 still handle modern apps?
Yes, the iPhone 8's A11 Bionic chip is still capable of running most modern apps, although performance may be slightly reduced compared to newer iPhones.
