Sony Xperia 1 VIII
Width: 74mm (2.91in) Released: Jun 18, 2026
13+10+10+12+12+4+4+5+5+0 = 75
OH Rank & Score
Sony Xperia 1 VIII is #33 on OH Rank with a score of 75, independently rated across ten fixed categories.
Key Facts
ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Battery5000 mAh
Charging30W charging
Screen brightness1500 nits
Screen resolution400 ppi
IP ratingIP68
Main camera52MP main camera
* TOP Memory Expansion* TOP SoftwareSUPERIOR
Score Breakdown
Editorial
Sony is back with it's top-dog 1 Series phone but the alarming lack of software effort remains. As usual, the hardware is amazing: premium build, great battery life, bright screen, good front-facing stereo speakers, two-stage camera button and now exclusive in the flagship world: SD memory expansion and a headphone jack. The phone is still one of the narrowest flagships and the only one to hide the selfie in a bazel to let you view content on a full screen.
Pros & Cons
PROs
relatively narrow, updated design, good SD 8 Elite Gen 5 performance (tho it will heavily throttle under heavy load), 36hr long endurance from a (still just) 5000mAh lithium battery, selfie-free >1500nits bright (and sub-1nit capable) LTPO OLED screen with options like Creator Mode and HDR support, IP68 protection, excellent 52MP 24mm OIS main + 50MP 70mm OIS telephoto + 50MP 16mm ultrawide (all with dual-pixel PDAF) setup, very good 12MP 24mm selfie, good video recording, fast and tool-free expandable memory slot, 4 years of stock-like Android OS with some proprietary tricks, very fast USB-C 3.2 port with OTG and Video Out, headphone/microphone jack, very good front-facing stereo speakers, two-step camera button
CONs
85min slow 30W (15W wireless) charging, sub-400ppi LTPO screen doesn't drop refresh below 30Hz, flagship-grade camera hardware should produce better images, no AF on a selfie, minimal AI integration and general lack of effort on the software side, no desktop replacement functionality despite having Video Out port and marketing 1 VIII as a "content creator's tool", a premium price for a non-premium package
Compare to Similar Phones
Every phone on OH Phones is scored by me on the same ten categories, with no ads, sponsorships, or manufacturer relationships — objectively and honestly.