vivo NEX 3 5G vs Sony Xperia 1 III: A Detailed Comparison of Flagship Power
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🏆 Quick Verdict
For the average user prioritizing value and a unique display, the vivo NEX 3 5G remains a compelling option. However, the Sony Xperia 1 III’s newer Snapdragon 888 chipset and more versatile charging options (including wireless) make it the superior choice for power users and content creators, despite its higher price and lower endurance rating.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | vivo NEX 3 5G | Sony Xperia 1 III |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41 | 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 | 41, 78 NSA | 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (5CA) Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| - | SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - USA (specific) | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2019, September. Released 2019, September | 2021, April 14 |
| Status | Discontinued | Available. Released 2021, August 25 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front, glass back, aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 167.4 x 76.1 x 9.4 mm (6.59 x 3.00 x 0.37 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 | 218.5 g (7.72 oz) | 186 g / 187.1 g (mmWave) (6.56 oz) |
| - | IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | - | Corning Gorilla Glass Victus |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2256 pixels (~363 ppi density) | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.89 inches, 119.3 cm2 (~93.6% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.2% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | Super AMOLED, HDR10 | OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| - | Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.96 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.8 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 (700 MHz) | Adreno 660 |
| OS | Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 10, Funtouch 10 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 13 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | No | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM |
| - | UFS 3.X | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR, panorama | 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 | 64 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/1.72", 0.8µm, PDAF 13 MP, f/2.5, 52mm (telephoto), PDAF, 2x optical zoom 13 MP, f/2.2, 13mm (ultrawide), PDAF | 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@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, 720p@960fps, gyro-EIS | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | LED flash, HDR | HDR |
| Single | Motorized pop-up 16 MP, f/2.1, 26mm (wide), 1/3.06", 1.0µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps | 1080p@30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| 35mm jack | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| - | 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.0, A2DP, LE | 5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive |
| NFC | No | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 2.0, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass |
| - | Native Sony Alpha camera support | |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 44W wired | 30W wired, PD, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless |
| Type | 4500 mAh, non-removable | Li-Po 4500 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Blue | Frosted Black, Frosted Gray, Frosted Purple |
| Models | V1924A, V1924T, 1913 | XQBC62/V, XQBC52V.UKCX, SO-51B, SOG03, A101SO, XQ-BC62, XQ-BC72, XQ-BC52, XQ-BC01, XQ-BC11, XQ-BC21, XQ-BC72 |
| Price | About 730 EUR | € 505.26 / $ 903.43 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audio quality | Noise -93.7dB / Crosstalk -93.1dB | - |
| Battery life | Endurance rating 110h | Endurance rating 82h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | Photo / Video |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | Voice 70dB / Noise 73dB / Ring 72dB | -26.5 LUFS (Good) |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 388878 (v7), 497858 (v8) GeekBench: 11060 (v4.4) GFXBench: 37fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | AnTuTu: 607423 (v8) GeekBench: 3515 (v5.1) GFXBench: 54fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) |
vivo NEX 3 5G
- Immersive waterfall display
- Higher battery endurance rating
- More affordable price point
- Older Snapdragon 855+ chipset
- No wireless charging
Sony Xperia 1 III
- More powerful Snapdragon 888 chipset
- Wireless and reverse wireless charging
- Faster charging speeds
- Lower battery endurance rating
- Higher price
Display Comparison
Both the vivo NEX 3 5G and Sony Xperia 1 III feature 'Infinite' contrast ratio displays, typical of OLED panels. However, the Xperia 1 III edges out the NEX 3 5G with a slightly higher peak brightness of 620 nits compared to the NEX 3 5G’s 610 nits. While the difference is minimal, it could be noticeable in direct sunlight. The NEX 3 5G’s defining feature is its waterfall display, offering an incredibly immersive experience with minimal bezels, but potentially introducing accidental touch issues. The Xperia 1 III opts for a more traditional, albeit high-quality, flat display with a focus on color accuracy, catering to content creators.
Camera Comparison
Both devices offer photo and video capabilities, but details beyond that are limited. The Xperia 1 III benefits from Sony’s expertise in camera sensors and image processing, likely offering more advanced features and better low-light performance. The Snapdragon 888’s image signal processor (ISP) is also more capable than the 855+'s. Without specific sensor size or aperture information, it’s difficult to make a definitive judgment, but Sony’s history suggests a focus on image quality and manual controls, appealing to photography enthusiasts. The NEX 3 5G likely prioritizes computational photography and AI-powered scene optimization.
Performance
The core difference lies in the chipsets. The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts the Snapdragon 888 5G (5nm), a significant upgrade over the vivo NEX 3 5G’s Snapdragon 855+ (7nm). The 5nm process node of the 888 translates to improved power efficiency and thermal performance, potentially reducing throttling during sustained workloads. The Xperia 1 III’s CPU configuration, featuring a Cortex-X1 prime core, offers a performance advantage over the Kryo 485-based CPU in the NEX 3 5G. While both phones are capable of handling demanding tasks, the Xperia 1 III will deliver a smoother experience in graphically intensive games and applications.
Battery Life
The vivo NEX 3 5G claims an endurance rating of 110 hours, significantly higher than the Xperia 1 III’s 82 hours. However, endurance ratings are based on a standardized test and don’t always reflect real-world usage. The Xperia 1 III compensates with faster charging – 30W wired with 50% charge in 30 minutes, plus wireless and reverse wireless charging capabilities, features absent on the NEX 3 5G. The NEX 3 5G’s 44W wired charging is still respectable, but the Xperia 1 III’s versatility and faster partial charging offer greater convenience.
Buying Guide
Buy the vivo NEX 3 5G if you need a visually striking phone with a truly immersive waterfall display and don't mind a slightly older chipset. It's ideal for media consumption and users who want a head-turning device without breaking the bank. Buy the Sony Xperia 1 III if you prioritize camera versatility, the latest processing power for demanding tasks, and features like wireless charging and a more refined software experience. It’s geared towards professionals and enthusiasts.