Sony · Xperia

Xperia 1 III

Released August 2021

The third Xperia 1 adds a 120 Hz 4K OLED screen and a telephoto camera with two optical focal lengths.

Model history · 3 models, 2019–2021

2019Xperia 1 Compare
2020Xperia 1 II Compare
2021Xperia 1 III

Screen: 6.5″
Display: OLED, 120 Hz
Chip: Snapdragon 888 5G
Memory: 12 GB
Storage: 256 GB
Main camera: 12 MP
Zoom: 4.4×
Battery: 4,500 mAh
Weight: 186 g

What reviewers say

TechRadar and Expert Reviews praise the 120 Hz 4K display, fast performance and detailed camera images, while both object to the price. Their battery findings differ; TechRadar found it lasted a full working day, whereas Expert Reviews measured endurance behind several rivals in its video test.

From techradar.com and expertreviews.co.uk

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Display

Screen size: 6.5″
Resolution: 3840 × 1644
Sharpness: 643 pixels per inch
Panel: OLED
Refresh rate: 120 Hz
Display type: 4K HDR OLED, 21:9 CinemaWide
Screen protection: Corning Gorilla Glass Victus front; Gorilla Glass 6 rear
Display features: 120 Hz native refresh; 240 Hz motion blur reduction and touch scanning; Creator mode powered by CineAlta

Performance

Chip: Snapdragon 888 5G
Memory: 12 GB
Storage: 256 GB
Storage type: 256 GB UFS in UK specification; microSDXC slot supports up to 1 TB

Cameras

Main camera: 12 MP
Ultra wide camera: 12 MP
Telephoto camera: 12 MP
Optical zoom: 4.4×
Front camera: 8 MP
Main camera: 12 MP, 24 mm, ƒ/1.7, 1/1.7-inch Exmor RS sensor
Ultra wide camera: 12 MP, 16 mm, ƒ/2.2, 1/2.5-inch Exmor RS sensor
Telephoto camera: 12 MP, selectable 70 mm ƒ/2.3 or 105 mm ƒ/2.8, 1/2.9-inch Exmor RS sensor
Front camera: 8 MP, ƒ/2.0, 1/4-inch sensor
Zoom: Two telephoto focal lengths, 70 mm and 105 mm (about 2.9× and 4.4× relative to 24 mm main); 12.5× hybrid zoom
Video recording: 4K HDR at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps; 4K 120 fps slow motion; Optical SteadyShot with FlawlessEye
Camera features: Photography Pro; ZEISS T* coating; up to 20 fps AF/AE burst; Real-time Eye AF and subject tracking; 3D iToF sensor

Battery and charging

Battery: 4,500 mAh
Wired charging: Up to 30 W
Wireless charging: Yes (wattage not published)
Wired charging: USB Power Delivery; Sony claims up to 50% charge in 30 minutes with the included 30 W charger
Wireless charging: Qi wireless charging
Charges other devices: Battery Share charges other Qi devices

Design

Type: Standard
Weight: 186 g
Thickness: 8.2 mm
Height × width: 165 × 71 mm
Water and dust resistance: IP68
Colours: Frosted Black, Frosted Purple in the UK
Buttons: Power, volume and dedicated camera shutter
Water resistance detail: IPX5/IPX8 water resistance and IP6X dust resistance
Biometrics: Fingerprint sensor
Speakers: Front-facing full-stage stereo speakers; Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio

Software

Operating system: Android
Software at launch: Android 11

Connectivity

Mobile network: Sub-6 GHz 5G and 4G LTE
SIM: Hybrid dual nano-SIM
Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6
Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2
NFC: Yes
USB: USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 with DisplayPort 4K/60 output; separate 3.5 mm headphone socket

Storage options

Storage
256 GB

Pros and cons

Pros

6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED display with 120 Hz refresh
Telephoto lens switches between 70 mm and 105 mm focal lengths
3.5 mm headphone socket, microSDXC slot and wireless charging

Cons

Telephoto switches between two focal lengths rather than zooming continuously
21:9 body is tall for pockets and one-handed reach

Closest rivals

Model	Screen	Display	Chip	Memory	Storage	Main camera	Zoom	Battery	Weight	Released
vivoX60 Pro+	6.56″	OLED, 120 Hz	Qualcomm Snapdragon 888	12 GB	256 GB	50 MP	5×	4,200 mAh	191 g	Jan 2021
vivoX70 Pro	6.56″	OLED, 120 Hz	MediaTek Dimensity 1200-vivo	8 GB – 12 GB	128 GB – 256 GB	50 MP	5×	4,450 mAh	183 g	Sept 2021
GooglePixel 6 Pro	6.7″	LTPO OLED, 120 Hz	Tensor	12 GB	128 GB – 256 GB	50 MP	4×	5,003 mAh	210 g	Oct 2021

Previous model: Xperia 1 II. Newer model: Xperia 1 IV.

Sources

Photo: store.sony.com.tw

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