Sony Xperia 1 II vs Xperia 5 III: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia 5 III edges out the 1 II thanks to its newer Snapdragon 888 chipset, slightly better battery life, and more compact size. However, the 1 II boasts a larger, brighter display and a more premium build, making it a strong contender for those prioritizing screen real estate and a luxurious feel.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 1 II | 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) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 | 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 | 1, 3, 28, 77, 78 NSA/Sub6 | 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 (6CA) Cat19 1600/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | 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 | 2020, February 24 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, May 22 | Available. Released 2021, October 08 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165.1 x 71.1 x 7.6 mm (6.5 x 2.80 x 0.30 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 + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 181.4 g (6.38 oz) | 168 g (5.93 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~81.4% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, HDR BT.2020 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | - | |
| 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, upgradable to Android 12 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | 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 | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | 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@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | 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 (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD 11W wireless | Wired, PD, 50% in 30 min |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Purple, Mirror Lake Green | Black, Green, Pink |
| Models | XQ-AT51, XQ-AT52, SOG01, XQ-AT42 | XQBQ62/G, XQBQ52G.UKCX, XQBQ52B.UKCX, XQ-BQ52, XQ-BQ72, XQ-BQ42, XQ-BQ62, SO-53B |
| Price | About 700 EUR | € 431.90 / £ 199.99 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 83h | Endurance rating 100h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.3 LUFS (Good) | -26.7 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 534701 (v8) GeekBench: 3295 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 708394 (v9) GeekBench: 3549 (v5.1) GFXBench: 53fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia 1 II
- Stunning 4K OLED display
- Premium design and build quality
- Excellent manual camera controls
- High peak brightness
- Shorter battery life
- Older Snapdragon 865 chipset
- Larger and heavier than the 5 III
Sony Xperia 5 III
- Improved Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Longer battery life
- More compact and pocketable
- Faster charging
- Slightly less bright display
- Less premium design compared to 1 II
- Fewer manual camera controls compared to 1 II
Display Comparison
The Xperia 1 II features a 6.5-inch 4K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering exceptional sharpness and vibrant colors. While the Xperia 5 III has a slightly smaller 6.1-inch OLED display, both offer excellent contrast and color accuracy. The 1 II's peak brightness is marginally higher at 611 nits compared to the 5 III's 590 nits, making it slightly better for outdoor visibility. Both have an infinite contrast ratio.
Camera Comparison
Both phones share a similar camera system with a 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto lens. However, the Xperia 5 III benefits from Sony's latest image processing algorithms and the Snapdragon 888's improved ISP, resulting in slightly better image quality, especially in low light. The Xperia 1 II offers more manual control options for photography enthusiasts.
Performance
The Xperia 5 III holds a clear advantage here. It's powered by the Snapdragon 888, built on a 5nm process, offering improved efficiency and performance compared to the Xperia 1 II's Snapdragon 865 (7nm+). This translates to smoother multitasking, faster app loading times, and better gaming performance. Both phones have ample RAM and storage, but the 888's raw power is noticeable.
Battery Life
The Xperia 5 III demonstrates superior battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 100 hours compared to the Xperia 1 II's 83 hours. This difference is likely due to the more efficient Snapdragon 888 chipset. The Xperia 5 III also supports faster charging, reaching 50% in just 30 minutes.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia 1 II is ideal for users who prioritize a large, high-quality display for media consumption and creative work, and appreciate a more premium design. The Xperia 5 III is a better choice for those seeking a more compact and pocketable phone with a slightly faster processor and improved battery efficiency, without sacrificing Sony's signature camera features.