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What we think
The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
The Sony Xperia 1 III offers a larger screen and more RAM, which may provide a smoother experience, especially for multitasking and gaming, but it's at a premium price. Its camera system is very similar to the Sony Xperia 5 III's, meaning you'll get comparable photo and video quality from both devices despite the price difference. If a large screen and more RAM are not critical for you, the Xperia 5 III has a similar camera quality, and its battery life is actually better, all for a lower price. Both have the 3.5mm headphone jack and similar design and build, but the Xperia 5 III may provide more value for money if the larger screen and additional RAM are not your priorities. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 1 III
- Best in class display quality
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 5 III
- Good battery life
Key differences
Battery
5.6 Hours
7.3 Hours
The Sony Xperia 1 III has 5.6 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.
Screen Size
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a screen size of 6.5 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
Cost
$1,298
$600
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Sony Xperia 1 III has a price of $1,298 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $600.
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Key similarities
Overall Camera Quality
6.0
6.0
The Sony Xperia 1 III and Sony Xperia 5 III both have only fair overall cameras quality.
The Sony Xperia 1 III and Sony Xperia 5 III have similar camera capabilities, both presenting fair selfie camera performance. While both share modest photos resolution, dynamic range, and low light performance, with good camera versatility, the Xperia 1 III offers slightly more refined video and audio features, which may be more appealing if video recording is a priority.
Photo Quality
5.9
5.9
The Sony Xperia 1 III and Sony Xperia 5 III both have poor photos.
The Sony Xperia 1 III and Sony Xperia 5 III both take fair photos due to their respective camera qualities. While they offer very good photos software experiences, their dynamic range and low light performance are rated poor, and their selfie quality is just fair, which impacts the overall photo-taking experience.
Video Quality
6.0
6.0
The Sony Xperia 1 III and Sony Xperia 5 III both have only fair videos.
The Sony Xperia 1 III and the Sony Xperia 5 III both take fair videos because they share similar video capabilities; they have very good video resolution and framerate, and also very good video software experience, but they are marked down for fair scores in video stabilization, dynamic range, and microphone quality, as well as low light performance which influences the overall video quality negatively.
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How the Sony Xperia 1 III and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sony Xperia 1 III | Sony Xperia 5 III |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,298 | $600 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sony | Sony | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 25, 2021 | October 8, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.5" | 6.1" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 1644 | 2520 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 643 | 449 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD888 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 256 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 12 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 5.9/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 6/10 | 6/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 12 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 5.6 Hours | 7.3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4500 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.5" x 2.8" | 6.18" x 2.68" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 5.93 oz | 5.93 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.2 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Fingerprint sensor: Side | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Side | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Black | Black, Green | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | Yes | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | Yes | Yes | |
Shopping
Sony Xperia 1 III
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
James Peckham | August 2021
"For those who enjoy Sony’s Android phones, or who want a top-tier smartphone with a versatile camera, a beautiful screen and strong battery life, this is a great choice. If your budget can stretch to it, and you're a fan of its looks, it could be a great option."
Sony Xperia 5 III
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Robert Triggs | October 2022
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Sony Xperia 1 III or the Sony Xperia 5 III
About Sony
Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
68
Phones evaluated
7,820
Phones stats compiled
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Proprietary Phones ratings developed
87,600
Recommendations made
49,640
Consumer hours saved
About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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