Sony Xperia 1 VIII launched: Breakthrough telephoto camera and Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 performance.
Sony has officially unveiled its flagship Xperia 1 VIII, featuring a telephoto sensor four times larger than its predecessor, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, and retaining traditional features like the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Sony has officially launched its top-of-the-line smartphone for this year, the Xperia 1 VIII. This new flagship not only impresses with its performance from a next-generation processor but also marks a significant shift in camera design philosophy, while maintaining unique features that competitors in the same segment have long since abandoned.
Significant upgrade to the telephoto camera system.
The most significant improvement on the Sony Xperia 1 VIII lies in its telephoto camera system. Instead of continuing to use the continuous optical zoom mechanism of previous generations, Sony has switched to a solution using a larger sensor with higher resolution. The device is equipped with a 1/1.56-inch telephoto sensor, four times larger than that of the Xperia 1 VII.
The new telephoto lens is fixed at a focal length of 70mm (equivalent to 2.9x optical zoom). Thanks to its 48MP resolution, the device is capable of performing digital zoom steps by cropping the sensor while still ensuring superior detail. The f/2.8 aperture on this camera also significantly improves light gathering capabilities when shooting in low-light environments.
Other camera specifications include a 48MP main sensor (24mm, f/1.9) with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a 48MP ultra-wide-angle camera (16mm, f/2.0). A new software feature is multi-frame RAW processing technology, which optimizes dynamic range and more effectively controls noise.
Superior performance with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is one of the first smartphones to feature Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. According to the announcement, this processor delivers a 20% increase in CPU performance, a 23% stronger GPU, and significantly improved power efficiency compared to its predecessor.
The phone comes with a standard configuration of 12GB RAM and 256GB internal storage, with support for up to 16GB RAM and 1TB of storage. Notably, Sony still maintains the microSD card slot and 3.5mm headphone jack – two features that have almost completely disappeared from current high-end phones.
Detailed specifications of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII
| Ingredient | Detailed specifications |
|---|---|
| Microprocessors | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Screen | 6.5 inch LTPO OLED, Full-HD+, 1-120Hz |
| RAM/Internal Memory | 12GB-16GB / 256GB-1TB (Supports microSD memory cards) |
| Main camera | 48MP (Main) + 48MP (Ultrawide) + 48MP (2.9x Telephoto) |
| Battery/Charger | 5,000 mAh, 30W Fast Charging, 15W Wireless Charging |
| Other features | 3.5mm jack, Symmetrical stereo speakers, Physical camera shutter button. |
Entertainment and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Experience
Sony has also joined the artificial intelligence race with its Xperia Intelligence AI Camera Assistant. This system can analyze the context, subject, and weather conditions to automatically suggest optimal settings for color tone and lens effects for the user.
In terms of display capabilities, the Xperia 1 VIII uses a 6.5-inch LTPO OLED screen with an adaptive refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz. The stereo speaker system has been retuned to provide a wider soundstage and deeper bass, maximizing multimedia entertainment needs.
Price and color options
In the European market, the Sony Xperia 1 VIII starts at €1,500 (approximately VND 46.32 million) for the 12GB RAM/256GB ROM version. The device comes in four color options: Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Natural Gold.
Although prices in Europe are considered quite high due to taxes and fees, tech experts predict that official prices in Vietnam and other regions will likely be more accessible once the product is officially distributed.
