Sony Xperia 1 III review: Still good and unique
If you’re tempted by the potential of unrivaled smartphone camera control. Love the beauty of Sony’s hardware, Sony Xperia 1 III is a smartphone for you.
| Operating System | Android 11 Updates to Android 12 and 13 |
| Display | 6.5-inch 4K HDR OLED 120Hz 21:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Storage | 256GB |
| Battery | 4,500mAh |
| Main rear lens | 24mm F1.7 12MP sensor |
| Ultra-wide lens | 16mm F2.2 12MP sensor |
| Telephoto lens | 70mm F2.3 12MP or 105mm F2.8 12MP sensor |
| Front lens | 1.4-inch F2.0 8MP sensor |
| Charging | 30W fast charging Wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
| Connectivity | 5G (sub-6, possibly mmWave) 2.4GHz/5GHz Wi-Fi |
| Protection | Gorilla Glass Victus | IP65/68 water resistance |
| Dimensions | 6.5 x 2.8 x 0.3 in |
| Weight | 6.6 oz |
The technical characteristics of the screen are as follows - 6.5 inches, 1644x3840 pixels (in most menus and programs the resolution is 1096x2560 pixels), 643 ppi (21: 9), OLED, automatic brightness control, AlwaysOn Display, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, HDR, 120 Hz. This isn’t Sony’s first screen with 4K resolution (the first is with the 2015 Xperia Z5 Premium), but for marketing experts, it’s a clear advantage. For users, 4K resolution is only available when watching the video. In all other modes, the resolution is automatically included at 1096 × 2560 pixels. The device has AoD, it works simply and clearly. It’s a gray font, bright enough to see everything you need to see. The disadvantage of the device is that the maximum brightness in the manual mode reaches about 340-350 nits, which is quite small for modern devices. In the adaptive backlight mode, everything is a little better, up to 600 nits. You can use the screen indoors, but it can be almost invisible on the street.
Also, low brightness affects the way you experience photos taken with the Xperia 1 III. They look calmer, if not muted, compared to the same photos on Samsung or Apple smartphones. In short, the colors are obviously missing here, just as the HDR mode in video or other content is not so good, it just lacks screen brightness, this is a hardware limitation. The screen settings are typical, you can choose the color temperature, adjust everything in manual mode. The 120Hz screen frequency can be turned on customizable or you can set it to the default, the interface will be smoother. Camera
We have Quad: 12 MP, OIS 12 MP, f / 2.3, OIS 12 MP, Dual Pixel PDAF 0.3 MP. Video 4K @ 24/25/30/60 / 120fps HDR, 1080p @ 30/60/120 / 240fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS. The single 8 MP with HDR and for video1080p @ 30fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS.
The quality of the photos is at the level of the leading models. In the basic mode, standard shots are created. There are already several settings and options in Pro mode. You can save photos in RAW format, there is eye tracking and many other details. Software
The device runs on Android 11, it makes no sense to describe the standard features. The device has a game mode, screen capture and other functions. These applications do not change the perception of the device. Connection options
There are no restrictions, it’s about maximum capabilities in every sense - support for frequency aggregation, maximum frequency set in 4G / 5G, the device is ideal for traveling around the world. Dual band Wi-Fi also works great. There is NFC that functions normally. For Bluetooth 5.2 there is support for various codecs, including LDAC. Memory, chipset, performance
This model is available in two versions 12/256 GB and 12/512 GB. Supports memory cards up to 1 TB. No problem when it comes to performance, the device works well with the usual Snapdragon 888 is installed here. Battery
The 4500mAh Li-Ion battery is installed. In thirty minutes you can charge the device up to 50%, in an hour you will get a 100% charge. It supports 15W wireless charging, and the smartphone can charge other devices as well.
