Sony Xperia 1 III review

The Sony Xperia 1 III isn’t for everyone, but 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. It’s expensive, and its design means it isn’t for everybody, but if your budget can stretch to it, and you're a fan of its looks, it could be a great option.

Great battery life; Incredible display; 3.5mm headphone jack;

Tricky to handle, for some; No in-screen fingerprint sensor; Expensive

Sony Xperia 1 III review

Do you hate the idea of compromise? Buy an Xperia 1 III. It doesn't know the meaning of the word. By once again pooling the efforts of its different divisions, Sony has delivered a truly flagship handset. It has a sublime display, a set of cameras on par with more fine-grain control than most DSLRs, and a feature list longer than a post-Brexit passport queue. A bigger battery and 120Hz screen refresh rate even fix its predecessor's few missteps. As before, though, some might say screen specs like these are overkill in a phone. Not everyone knows the difference between aperture priority and exposure compensation, either. Apple and Samsung are arguably more novice-friendly, despite commanding the same hefty price premium for their top-spec handsets. Android fans who like their top-end tech to be easy to use might be better served by a Galaxy S21 Ultra. Still, if specs matter most, the Xperia 1 III has undeniable appeal.

Astonishing display ; Ultra-speedy camera ; No-compromise feature list;

Pro camera modes may be lost on novice snappers; Seriously premium price;

Sony Xperia 1 III review: In a world of its own

This could be all the phone that many will need, with a great display, plenty of power and useful features like the headphone socket and expandable storage. But the camera is complicated by Sony's attempt to make it more 'pro', missing the mark hit by many others when it comes to basic performance.

Great design; Good display; 3.5mm headphone socket and microSD card slot; Plenty of power; Good battery life;

Camera substitutes complexity for performance; Fingerprint scanner prone to accidental detections; Display brightness could be better; High price;

Sony Xperia 1 III review

The Xperia 1 III is an oddball flagship, sporting a host of genuinely impressive world-firsts, but missteps in the fundamentals mean only Sony die-hards should pick this up over more mainstream alternatives.

Superb performance; Best-in-class audio; Versatile cameras; Gorgeous display;

Underwhelming longevity; Display could be brighter; Prone to heat build-up; Price;

Sony Xperia 1 III review review

Astonishing display ; Ultra-speedy camera ; No-compromise feature list;

Pro camera modes may be lost on novice snappers; Seriously premium price;

Sony Xperia 1 III smartphone review - Camera phone with variable telephoto focal length

The smartphone for photo professionals? The third generation of Sony's flagship smartphone is also supposed to convince mainly with features for professional photographers. But the Sony-typical design and the high-resolution screen could also make it attractive for other users.

As with the last generations of Sony's flagship, you get the feeling that Sony really delivers a gre...

great camera shutter release; good image quality; variable telephoto lens; 3.5mm port; a lot of power; high-quality, unique design; lightweight;

moderate charging performance; bloatware; moderately accurate display ex works; screen could be brighter;