Sony Xperia 1 VIII launched with a bold redesign and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 3

Sony has officially introduced its Xperia 1 VIII as the successor to last year’s VII, moving away from its long-standing vertical camera layout for a refreshed chassis. The new model comes with a triple 48MP setup and the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. So, in this article, I will discuss everything you need to know about the Sony Xperia 1 VIII, including specs, features, availability, and expected price in Nepal.

Sony Xperia 1 VIII Overview

Design and Display

Starting with the design, as said above, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII comes with a complete makeover compared to its predecessor. Moving away from its signature vertical camera stripe, it now features a square-shaped camera module, as you see in most phones nowadays. 

Additionally, the back has a tactile “ORE design” texture inspired by rough stone, which is said to offer an improved gripping experience. On the front, the phone features the same top and bottom bezels to house the selfie camera and dual speakers. The device is available in Graphite Black, Lolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Native Gold. 

Moving on to the display, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII features a similar aesthetic to the older models. It features a flat 6.5-inch LTPO OLED panel with 100% DCI-P3 and HDR support, offering vibrant visuals. The screen supports up to a 120Hz refresh rate for a snappy experience. It has Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 certification for the front glass and Victus for the rear glass.

Camera 

For optics, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII features a triple-camera setup consisting of a 48MP primary camera based on a larger 52MP main sensor with an f/1.9 aperture for improved stabilization and image quality, alongside 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP telephoto cameras, with f/2.8 and f/2.0 apertures, respectively. 

Moreover, Sony has replaced its moving optical zoom lens system, which is found on the older Xperia 1 VII model, with a new telephoto setup featuring a larger sensor to deliver improved low-light performance. These features result in delivering natural-looking photos, strong zoom capability, and excellent camera control, making it suitable for photography enthusiasts. The camera also supports 4K video recording at up to 120 fps.

On the front, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII remains the same as the previous model, featuring a 12MP sensor with an f/2.0 aperture. Additionally, it includes various creator features like AI subject tracking, auto framing for video, manual color controls, and more. 

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Performance and Battery

Under the hood, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, built on a 3nm node, delivering fast and smooth performance for multitasking. It is configured with 12GB RAM and up to 1TB of storage, which is expandable up to 2TB via a microSD card. 

On the software side, the phone runs on Android 16, where Sony promises four years of major upgrades and six years of security patches. The phone, as usual, avoids flashy AI gimmicks and maintains a cleaner interface. This means that if you want advanced AI features like image generation or AI editing tools, you will need to rely on third-party apps. 

In terms of battery, the Xperia 1 VIII packs a 5000mAh battery paired with 30W wired and 15W wireless charging, which is a little disappointing given the bigger capacity and faster charging speeds offered by many competing flagship smartphones. 

Sony Xperia 1 VIII Specifications:

• Dimensions and Weight: 162 x 74 x 8.3 mm, 200 g, IP65/IP68 rating
• Color options: Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, Native Gold
• Display: 6.5-inch LTPO OLED panel, HDR, 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 certification, 100% DCI-P3
• Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm)
• Memory: 12GB RAM, up to 1TB UFS storage (expandable)
• Software & UI: Android 16
• Rear Camera: Triple camera setup
  • 52 MP (Full aspect) / 48 MP (Effective) / f 1.9
  • 50 MP (Full aspect) / 48 MP (Effective) / f 2.8
  • 50 MP (Full aspect) / 48 MP (Effective) / f 2.0
• Front Camera: 12MP sensor, f 2.0
• Security: Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
• Connectivity: Dual-SIM (Nano), eSIM, WiFi 7 (dual-band), Bluetooth 6, A-GPS, A-GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, NFS, USB-C
• Sensors: Accelerometer, compass, barometer, Native Sony Alpha camera support
• Battery: 5000 mAh with 30W wired and 15W wireless charging

Sony Xperia 1 VIII Availability and Price in Nepal

The Sony Xperia 1 VIII has been launched in Europe with a starting price of EUR 1500 for the base model 12/256GB. If it gets introduced in the local market, one can expect the Sony Xperia 1 VIII price in Nepal to be around NPR 268,899 for 12/256GB.