Sony Xperia Pro-I vs Xperia 1 III: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia Pro-I boasts a larger 1-inch sensor for exceptional image quality, particularly in low light. However, the Xperia 1 III offers a more versatile camera system with variable optical zoom and a slightly better overall value proposition. For serious photographers, the Pro-I is compelling; otherwise, the 1 III is the smarter choice.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia Pro-I | 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 | 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 | 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, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 | 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 |
| 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2021, October 26 | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Available. Released 2021, December 02 | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 166 x 72 x 8.9 mm (6.54 x 2.83 x 0.35 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 |
| Weight | 211 g (7.44 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) Built-in strap-hole | 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 (~82.5% 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 (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) | Qualcomm SM8350 Snapdragon 888 5G (5 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 660 | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 512GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| UFS 3.X | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, 12-bit RAW, 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 | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4", 1.12µm |
| Triple | 12 MP, f/2.0-4.0, 24mm (wide), 1.0"-type, 2.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS (315 PDAF points, 90% frame coverage) 12 MP, f/2.4, 50mm (telephoto), 1/2.9", PDAF, 2x 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 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 | 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 | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive | 5.2, A2DP, LE, 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 3.2, OTG, DisplayPort | 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 | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | Li-Po 4500 mAh | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Frosted Black | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | XQ-BE62, XQBE62-B, XQ-BE62-B, XQ-BE62/B, XQ-BE42, XQ-BE42-B, XQ-BE42/B, XQ-BE72, XQ-BE52 | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 930 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 87h | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | - | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -28.6 LUFS (Average) | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 725839 (v9) GeekBench: 3540 (v5.1) GFXBench: 51fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
Sony Xperia Pro-I
- Exceptional 1-inch camera sensor
- Excellent image quality, especially in low light
- High peak display brightness
- Professional video features
- Very high price
- Lacks wireless charging
- Snapdragon 888 (not the latest chipset)
- Bulky design
Sony Xperia 1 III
- Versatile camera system with variable optical zoom
- Excellent OLED display with infinite contrast ratio
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- More affordable than the Pro-I
- Sleek design
- Camera not as impressive as Pro-I in low light
- Snapdragon 888 (not the latest chipset)
- Battery life slightly shorter than Pro-I
Display Comparison
Both phones feature excellent OLED displays, but the Xperia Pro-I edges out the 1 III with a slightly brighter peak brightness of 644 nits versus 620 nits. The Xperia 1 III boasts an 'infinite' contrast ratio (nominal), indicating deep blacks and vibrant colors. Both offer a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations. The Pro-I's display is arguably more color-accurate, catering to professional workflows.
Camera Comparison
This is where the biggest differences lie. The Xperia Pro-I's standout feature is its 1-inch sensor, delivering exceptional image quality, especially in low light. The Xperia 1 III offers a more versatile camera system with a variable optical zoom (85mm-105mm), allowing for greater creative flexibility. Both phones record high-quality video, but the Pro-I has a slight edge in professional video features.
Performance
Both devices share the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G chipset, ensuring comparable performance in everyday tasks and demanding games. While the Snapdragon 888 is a capable processor, it's not the absolute latest, and throttling can occur under sustained load. Expect similar performance from both phones.
Battery Life
The Xperia Pro-I demonstrates a slightly better endurance rating (87h) compared to the Xperia 1 III (82h). However, real-world battery life will depend on usage patterns. Both phones support 30W wired charging, reaching 50% in 30 minutes. The Xperia 1 III also includes wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities, absent in the Pro-I.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia Pro-I is ideal for professional photographers and videographers who prioritize image quality above all else and are willing to pay a premium. The Xperia 1 III is a great choice for enthusiasts who want a flagship experience with a versatile camera, excellent display, and a more reasonable price tag.