Today marks the official unveiling of the Xperia 1 VIII by Sony, which has commenced pre-orders at the price of £1,399.
To entice enthusiasts, the company is offering a complimentary pair of WH-1000XM6 noise-cancelling headphones—valued at £349—to every customer who places a pre-order before May 31.
Shipping is scheduled for June 19. Notably, there will be no launch in the United States, and significant alterations have been made to the camera configuration from its predecessor.
For those unfamiliar with the Xperia series, Sony has meticulously crafted devices tailored for photography aficionados and audiophiles, steadfastly retaining hardware features that many mainstream flagships have neglected. The Xperia 1 VIII exemplifies the pinnacle of this evolution. Below are the confirmed details released today.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII Price: Two Confirmed Options, No US Launch
The model with 256GB storage and 12GB RAM is priced at £1,399 in the UK and €1,499 in Europe. For those opting for the 1TB variant with 16GB RAM, the price ascends to £1,849 and €1,999, available exclusively in the Native Gold hue through Sony’s online retail platform.
Sony has refrained from announcing a price in US dollars and has not introduced an Xperia 1 flagship in the US market since 2023.
Pre-Order Before May 31, Receive Complimentary Headphones Valued at £349
Pre-orders are currently open on Sony’s websites for the UK and Europe. Each qualifying pre-order made by May 31 will include a complimentary pair of Sony WH-1000XM6 wireless noise-cancelling headphones, valued at £349. Units are set to ship on June 19.
The Most Significant Design Transformation by Sony in Six Years
The Xperia 1 VIII exhibits the most noticeable aesthetic alteration since the series’ inception. The prior vertical camera strip has been supplanted by a square camera island located in the upper-left corner, accompanied by a sloping edge toward the device’s frame.
Sony refers to the new surface texture as “ORE,” inspired by rugged stone, and it is applied across the aluminum chassis and frosted glass back.
This handset measures 162 x 74 x 8.3mm, weighs 200g, and boasts an IP65/IP68 water resistance rating. At the time of launch, it will be available in four colors: Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red, and the exclusive Native Gold option reserved for the 1TB model.
Return of the Headphone Jack, MicroSD Slot, and a Total of 3TB Local Storage
Both the 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD slot reappear, with the latter accommodating up to 2TB of supplementary storage. When coupled with the 1TB internal storage, users can effortlessly carry a remarkable 3TB of local storage within a single device.
Camera Transformation: What’s Been Altered and What You Gain
The most consequential modification in the Xperia 1 VIII lies within its camera system, a decision that has both advantages and disadvantages.
The continuous optical zoom telephoto lens from the Xperia 1 VII, which spanned 85mm to 170mm, has been replaced with a fixed 70mm prime lens paired with a 1/1.56-inch sensor—substantially larger than its predecessor.
Although the extended zoom range and 4cm super-macro capabilities are forfeited, users will benefit from a telephoto lens that excels in low-light conditions and background differentiation at its inherent focal length.
All three rear cameras achieve an effective resolution of 48MP and feature a Zeiss T* anti-reflective coating.
The primary camera utilizes Sony’s larger 1/1.35-inch Exmor T sensor, a distinct upgrade from the two 1/1.56-inch Exmor RS sensors found in the telephoto and ultra-wide lenses.
Notably, RAW multi-frame processing is now applicable to all three lenses, a feature that was previously exclusive to the main camera. The front-facing camera is 12MP with an f/2.0 aperture.
An innovative AI Camera Assistant analyzes scenes and offers recommendations regarding lens choice, color balance, and bokeh settings. This functionality operates on-device and can be entirely disabled if desired.
Display, Processor, Battery, and Technical Specifications
- Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- Battery: 5,000mAh with USB Power Delivery fast charging, Qi wireless charging, and reverse wireless charging capabilities
- Software: Android 16, with four major Android updates and six years of security patches
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, USB-C 3.2, NFC, and 5G support
- Audio: Front-firing stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, Walkman audio tuning, aptX Adaptive, Hi-Res Audio, and Dolby Atmos
- Biometrics: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button
- Display: 6.5-inch LTPO OLED, resolution of 1080 x 2340, featuring a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Source link: Techloy.com.
