Sony Xperia 1 III vs Xperia 1 V: The Ultimate Showdown

Sony's Xperia line consistently delivers a unique blend of premium hardware and a focus on photography. The Xperia 1 III and 1 V represent the pinnacle of this approach, but with distinct upgrades. This comparison dives deep into their features to help you decide which flagship best suits your needs.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xperia 1 V is the clear winner, offering a significantly brighter display, a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and improved battery efficiency. While the 1 III remains a capable device, the 1 V’s advancements in camera processing and overall performance justify its higher price point.

PHONES
Phone Names Sony Xperia 1 III Sony Xperia 1 V
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, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 - Europe1, 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, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe
SpeedHSPA, LTE, 5GHSPA, LTE, 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTE / 5GGSM / 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
Announced2021, April 142023, May 11
StatusAvailable. Released 2021, August 25Available. Released 2023, July 28
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions165 x 71 x 8.2 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.32 in)165 x 71 x 8.3 mm (6.50 x 2.80 x 0.33 in)
SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz)187 g (6.60 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
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass VictusCorning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Resolution1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density)
Size6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio)6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020
 Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases-
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)Octa-core (1x3.2 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm)Qualcomm SM8550-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 660Adreno 740
OSAndroid 11, upgradable to Android 13Android 13, upgradable to Android 15
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM
 UFS 3.XUFS
Main Camera
FeaturesZeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye trackingZeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking
Single8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm-
Triple12 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)48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35", 1.12µm, 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, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", dual pixel PDAF
Video4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm
Video1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS
Sound
3.5mm jack YesYes
35mm jackYesYes
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system
Comms
Bluetooth5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive5.3, A2DP, LE Audio, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSSGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video outputUSB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass
 Native Sony Alpha camera supportNative Sony Alpha camera support
Battery
Charging30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless
TypeLi-Po 4500 mAhLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsFrosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted PurpleBlack, Khaki Green, Platinum Silver
ModelsXQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72XQDQ62/B, XQ-DQ72, XQ-DQ54
Price€ 505.26 / $ 903.43€ 684.00 / $ 1,409.99 / £ 519.99
Tests
Battery life Endurance rating 82h Endurance rating 115h
Camera Photo / Video Photo / Video
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker -26.5 LUFS (Good) -25.4 LUFS (Very good)
Performance AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) AnTuTu: 1127931 (v9) GeekBench: 4916 (v6) GFXBench: 96fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Sony Xperia 1 III

  • Excellent camera system
  • Unique 21:9 aspect ratio display
  • Good value for money (now)
  • Wireless and Reverse Wireless Charging

  • Older chipset
  • Lower display brightness
  • Shorter battery life
  • No significant camera upgrades over previous generations

Sony Xperia 1 V

  • Significantly brighter display
  • Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset
  • Improved camera performance (especially low-light)
  • Enhanced battery efficiency
  • PD3.0 and PPS charging support

  • Higher price
  • Design largely unchanged from previous models
  • 30W charging speed remains the same

Display Comparison

The Xperia 1 V boasts a substantial upgrade in display brightness, reaching 936 nits compared to the 1 III's 620 nits. Both feature excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal), and the 6.5-inch 120Hz OLED panels offer vibrant colors and smooth scrolling. The 1 V's brighter screen makes it significantly more usable outdoors.

Camera Comparison

Both phones feature a versatile triple-lens camera system. The 1 V introduces an Exmor T sensor for improved low-light performance and enhanced image processing. While the 1 III's camera is still excellent, the 1 V delivers noticeably better results, particularly in challenging lighting conditions, with improved dynamic range and detail.

Performance

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in the Xperia 1 V provides a considerable performance leap over the Snapdragon 888 in the 1 III. Expect faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance on the 1 V. The 1 V's more efficient chipset also contributes to better battery life.

Battery Life

The Xperia 1 V demonstrates improved battery efficiency, achieving an active use score of 12:24h and an endurance rating of 115h, compared to the 1 III's 82h endurance rating. While both support 30W wired charging, the 1 V's more efficient chipset allows it to last longer on a single charge.

Buying Guide

The Xperia 1 III is a great choice for users seeking a high-quality, albeit slightly older, flagship with a fantastic camera system and a unique 21:9 aspect ratio display, especially if budget is a primary concern. The Xperia 1 V is ideal for photography enthusiasts, power users, and those who demand the latest technology and a noticeably improved user experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Is the Xperia 1 V worth the upgrade from the Xperia 1 III?
If you prioritize display brightness, performance, and camera improvements, then yes. The 1 V offers a noticeable upgrade in all key areas. However, if you're happy with your 1 III and budget is a concern, it remains a capable device.
❓ Does the Xperia 1 V have a better camera than the Xperia 1 III?
Yes, the Xperia 1 V features an improved Exmor T sensor and enhanced image processing, resulting in better low-light performance, dynamic range, and overall image quality compared to the 1 III.