Sony Xperia 1 III vs. Xperia 5 Plus: A Detailed Comparison for Power Users
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For most users, the Sony Xperia 1 III is the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 888 chipset, faster 30W charging, and brighter display deliver a noticeably smoother and more immersive experience. However, the Xperia 5 Plus remains a compelling option for those prioritizing a smaller size and seeking value.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 5 Plus | Sony Xperia 1 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 | LTE | 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 | SA/NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA, LTE, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | Not announced yet | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Cancelled | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 168.2 x 71.6 x 8.1 mm (6.62 x 2.82 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 | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM |
| Weight | - | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 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 Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~415 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.6 inches, 101.8 cm2 (~84.5% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, HDR BT.2020 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485) | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 640 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 10 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) - dual SIM model only | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 128GB 6GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking |
| Quad | 12 MP, (wide), 1/1.5", predictive dual pixel PDAF, 5-axis OIS 8 MP, (periscope telephoto), PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom 64 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS 12 MP, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm 2 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | - |
| 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) |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60fps HDR, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) | 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 | 5.0, 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, 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 | 18W wired, PD2.0 | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Blue, Red, Black, Grey | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | - | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | - | € 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) |
Sony Xperia 5 Plus
- Compact and pocketable design
- Excellent value for money
- Capable Snapdragon 855 performance
- Slower charging speed (18W)
- Less powerful chipset than the 1 III
- Likely less vibrant display
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Flagship Snapdragon 888 performance
- Faster 30W charging with wireless options
- Brighter and more color-accurate display
- Larger and heavier than the 5 Plus
- Higher price point
- May be overkill for basic users
Display Comparison
The Xperia 1 III boasts a significantly brighter display, reaching 620 nits measured, compared to an unspecified brightness for the 5 Plus. While both likely utilize OLED technology (consistent with Sony's flagship strategy), the 1 III’s higher peak brightness translates to better visibility in direct sunlight. The 1 III’s infinite contrast ratio (nominal) is standard for OLED, ensuring deep blacks and vibrant colors. The 5 Plus, lacking specific display specs, likely offers a good, but less impactful, viewing experience. The absence of LTPO information for either device suggests neither offers adaptive refresh rate technology for power savings.
Camera Comparison
Both devices are described as having Photo/Video capabilities, but detailed sensor information is missing. However, the 1 III’s position as the flagship suggests a more advanced camera system. The Snapdragon 888’s image signal processor (ISP) is significantly more capable than the 855’s, enabling faster image processing, improved noise reduction, and enhanced dynamic range. While both likely feature optical image stabilization (OIS), the 1 III likely benefits from a larger sensor and more sophisticated algorithms. The lack of detail on the 5 Plus’s camera system suggests it’s a capable performer, but unlikely to match the 1 III’s potential.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets: the Xperia 1 III features the Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), while the 5 Plus uses the older SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7nm). The 888’s 5nm process offers superior power efficiency and transistor density, resulting in a more powerful and thermally efficient CPU and GPU. The 1 III’s CPU configuration – a Cortex-X1 prime core alongside Cortex-A78 and A55 cores – provides a performance advantage over the 855’s Kryo 485 cores. While both phones share an octa-core configuration, the architectural improvements in the 888 translate to faster application loading, smoother multitasking, and improved gaming performance. The 1 III’s 5G modem is also a significant advantage for future-proofing.
Battery Life
Both phones share an endurance rating of 82 hours, suggesting similar real-world battery life despite the 1 III’s more powerful chipset. This is likely due to the 1 III’s more efficient 5nm process offsetting the increased power draw. However, the 1 III offers significantly faster charging at 30W wired with PD support and 50% charge in 30 minutes, compared to the 5 Plus’s 18W wired charging with PD2.0. The 1 III also adds wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities, providing greater convenience. The faster charging speed of the 1 III is a substantial advantage for users who frequently need to top up their battery quickly.
Buying Guide
Buy the Sony Xperia 5 Plus if you need a genuinely compact flagship phone that still offers excellent performance for everyday tasks and casual gaming, and you're comfortable with slightly slower charging and a less vibrant display. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prioritize top-tier performance for demanding applications like video editing or gaming, require the fastest possible charging speeds, and value a brighter, more color-accurate display for content consumption.