Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xperia 1 IV: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia 1 IV edges out the 1 III thanks to its improved Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, enhanced camera capabilities (particularly video), and a noticeable boost in battery endurance. While the 1 III remains a strong contender, the 1 IV represents a worthwhile upgrade for serious photographers and power users.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 1 III | Sony Xperia 1 IV |
| 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 - Europe | 1, 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 bands | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, April 14 | 2022, May 11 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, August 25 | Available. Released 2022, June 11 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) | 165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | · Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) | 185 g (6.53 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 730 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 | Android 12, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, 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 | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| 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) | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 125mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-5.2x continuous optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", dual pixel PDAF 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) |
| 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 | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS | 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output | USB Type-C 3.2, 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/6e, dual-band or tri-band (region dependent), 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 | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless | 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple | Black, Violet, White |
| Models | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 | XQCT62-B, XQCT54, XQCT54C0V.YD, XQCT54C0B.YD, XQCT54C0W.YD, XQCT54C0V.EEAC, XQCT54C0B.EEAC, XQ-CT72, XQ-CT54, XQ-CT62, SO-51C |
| Price | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 | $ 1,120.00 / € 489.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 82h | Endurance rating 100h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -26.5 LUFS (Good) | -27.6 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 838832 (v9) GeekBench: 3403 (v5.1) GFXBench: 74fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Excellent 4K OLED display
- Versatile triple-lens camera system
- Premium design and build quality
- Unique 21:9 aspect ratio
- Battery life could be better
- Charging speed is relatively slow
- Software updates can be slow
Sony Xperia 1 IV
- Improved performance with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
- Enhanced camera features (variable zoom, video)
- Longer battery life
- Variable refresh rate display
- Higher price point
- Software updates can be slow
- Design is largely unchanged from the 1 III
Display Comparison
Both phones feature stunning 6.5-inch 120Hz OLED displays with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a 4K resolution. The Xperia 1 IV maintains a similar peak brightness of 602 nits compared to the 1 III's 620 nits, making them virtually indistinguishable in real-world usage. Both offer exceptional color accuracy and contrast, thanks to their infinite contrast ratio. The 1 IV does introduce a variable refresh rate, which can slightly improve battery efficiency.
Camera Comparison
The camera systems are a key differentiator. Both offer a versatile triple-lens setup (12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto). However, the 1 IV introduces a new telephoto lens with a variable optical zoom (85mm-135mm), offering greater flexibility. The 1 IV also features improved video recording capabilities, including a dedicated 'Cinematic Vlog' mode and enhanced stabilization. Both phones excel in still photography, delivering excellent detail and dynamic range, but the 1 IV's video features give it a clear advantage.
Performance
The Xperia 1 IV boasts a significant performance upgrade with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, compared to the 1 III's Snapdragon 888. This translates to faster app loading times, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance. While both phones have ample RAM, the newer chipset in the 1 IV provides a noticeable edge in demanding tasks. The Cortex-X2 core in the 1 IV is a substantial improvement over the Cortex-X1 in the 1 III.
Battery Life
The Xperia 1 IV demonstrates a marked improvement in battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 100 hours compared to the 1 III's 82 hours. This is likely due to a combination of the more efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and software optimizations. Both phones support 30W wired charging, wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging, but the 1 IV's improved battery life makes it the winner in this category.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia 1 III is a great choice for users who prioritize a slightly lower price point and don't need the absolute latest camera technology. It's ideal for those already familiar with Sony's ecosystem. The Xperia 1 IV is best suited for content creators, photography enthusiasts, and anyone seeking the best possible performance and battery life within the Xperia lineup.