Sony Xperia 1 VIII price

Friends, if you are among those users who find modern smartphones almost the same these days – the same punch-hole camera, unnecessarily super-fast charging, curved screen, and excessively shiny colors – then Sony’s new smartphone can captivate your mind. The Sony Xperia 1 VIII finally launched in Japan on May 13, 2026. It will soon be available for users in the Indian market. This time, the company has made some new changes to the phone’s look, but some classic features that have become its identity are still visible in it. I am sharing this experience from Shaktinagar, and my friend has been using it in his daily life for the past few days. I received the review unit from my Japanese friend, so this opinion is entirely based on my real experience. Now, let’s find out how powerful this phone proves to be in actual use. Highlight key Naya Square Camera Design with premium ORE finish 6.5″ LTPO OLED 120Hz display – bright & natural 48MP Triple Camera + powerful Telephoto (best upgrade) Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 + up to 16GB RAM 5000mAh battery – lasts 1.5 to 2 days 3.5mm Headphone Jack + microSD slot (up to 1TB) Dedicated shutter button & clean Android 16 IP68 rating + solid premium build Price and Availability – How Expensive Is It? Starting price €1,499 / £1,399 (12GB + 256GB), which can cost around ₹1.4 to1.6 lakh in the grey market in India. 16GB + 1TB version approx €1,999 / £1,849. Free WH-1000XM6 headphones are available for pre-order. The official launch in India will have to wait a bit, coming first in Europe and Japan. Not coming to the US. Sony Xperia 1 VIII Design and Build Quality – Old Sony + Fresh Look Earlier, the Xperia 1 series had that long vertical camera strip, which became a signature. Now, the Xperia 1 VIII has a square camera island, which feels a bit like the Google Pixel but with Sony’s own twist. The back has an “ORE” texture finish – it is matte and grippy and looks very premium in the light. Fingerprints don’t stick, which is a big relief in daily life. Phone dimensions are approximately 162 x 74 x 8.3mm, and the weight is around 200g. It feels solid in the hand, not slippery. Symmetrical bezels are still there – top and bottom are a bit larger to accommodate the front-firing stereo speakers. No notch or punch hole; the whole screen is clean. There is also a dedicated camera shutter button on the side, which is a godsend for real photographers. I tried the Garnet Red color – people in the office kept asking, “Bro, what new thing have you brought?” Colors available are Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and Native Gold (1TB version). Build quality is top class – IP65/IP68 rating, Gorilla Glass protection. This phone feels like the company thought, “We don’t want to be like everyone else.” If you are searching for ‘Sony Xperia 1 VIII design review India,’ let me tell you, this is perfect for those who like compact, tall phones that can be handled well with one hand. Also Read: iQOO Z11 Review: Shocking Features You Can’t Ignore in 2026 Display – Bright, Smooth, and Practical 6.5-inch LTPO OLED display, 120Hz refresh rate, HDR support, 1 billion colours. Resolution is FHD+ (1080×2340). Many people ask for 4K, but in real life, this resolution saves battery, and the difference is not that noticeable in normal usage.   Brightness is good – readable even in direct Varanasi sunlight. Colores appear natural, watching movies is fun. The refresh rate adjusts dynamically due to LTPO technology, hence saving battery. It is a flat screen, not curved, which I personally like, as accidental touches are reduced. Camera System – This is the Real Star! Sony has focused the most on the camera this time. Triple 48MP setup: Main sensor (f/1.9) Ultrawide (f/2.0) Telephoto – this is a game changer! New 1/1.56-inch sensor which is almost 4 times larger than the previous one, 70mm focal length (roughly 2.9x optical zoom). All rear cameras support RAW multi-frame processing. Details and colours are much better in low light. The AI Camera Assistant feature is new – like a personal photography guru. It recognizes scenes, gives suggestions about settings, and suggests bokeh effects. It’s helpful for beginners and an extra tool for pros. I shot at the Ganga ghat – lights, reflections, people’s faces. Even zooming with the telephoto, the clarity was good. Colores are not over-processed; it’s a natural Sony signature. Video recording is also solid with good stabilization. If you search for “best camera phone for photography lovers 2026” or “Sony Xperia 1 VIII telephoto review,” this phone will appear in the list. Performance, Software, and Battery Life Under the hood, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, 12GB/16GB RAM options, and storage from 256GB to 1TB (expandable via microSD – yes, still!). Multitasking, gaming (Genshin, COD), video editing – all smooth. Heat management is good; it gets a little hot during heavy use, but it’s manageable.   Android 16 out of the box, clean experience with minimal bloatware. Sony is promising 4 major OS updates + 6 years of security. Features like Side Sense and Game Enhancer are there.   5000mAh battery – Sony claims it lasts up to 2 days. With my heavy use (camera + streaming + social), it comfortably lasted one day. With normal use, 1.5-2 days is possible. 30W wired charging feels a bit slow by today’s standards, but 15W wireless is also available. Unique Features That Make Sony Different   3.5mm headphone jack – Even in 2026! A blessing for music lovers. microSD card slot – You can expand more than 1TB. Front-firing stereo speakers with good bass. Dedicated shutter key and pro camera controls. USB video output support. These features are becoming extinct these days, but Sony still provides them. Sony Xperia 1 VIII Pros and Cons      Pros: Unique design and premium build Excellent natural camera, … Read more