Nothing Phone (3a) vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII
Compare Nothing Phone (3a) vs Sony Xperia 1 VIII side by side: MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro vs Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2, 50MP vs 50MP camera, 5200mAh…
Nothing
Phone (3a)
$349
2categories won
Sony
Xperia 1 VIII
$1,449
11categories won
5 categories tied · 18 scored in total · add a third phone
Which one wins?
Sony Xperia 1 VIII takes the overall win
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII proves superior overall against the Nothing Phone (3a), outperforming on gaming and photography. In camera testing, the Xperia 1 VIII leads with superior optics, while battery endurance leans towards the Xperia 1 VIII. Choose the Xperia 1 VIII if you want the highest performance ceiling, or opt for the Phone (3a) if its lower retail price better fit your budget.
Xperia 1 VIII takes battery honors offering 5,500 mAh alongside 45W charging.
Xperia 1 VIII provides greater sustained gaming output with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 and 16GB RAM.
Xperia 1 VIII takes photography with 50MP optics and 7.1x optical telephoto capabilities.
Phone (3a) provides a sharper value proposition, coming in at $349 vs $1449.
Category verdicts are computed algorithmically from verified technical specifications and hardware benchmarks. Rows where neither figure is objectively better — screen size preference, operating system choice, aesthetic build materials — are displayed for direct reference without scoring bias.
Phone (3a) vs Xperia 1 VIII: specifications compared
Display
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| Screen size | 6.7" | 6.5" |
| Resolution | 1084 x 2412Winner | 1080 x 2340 |
| Pixel density | 395 ppi | — |
| Refresh rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz |
| Peak brightness | 1800 nits | 2800 nitsWinner |
Performance
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| Chipset | MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2 |
| Process node | 4 nm | 3 nmWinner |
| AnTuTu score | 2,400,000 | — |
| Geekbench multi | 8900 | — |
| Maximum RAM | 12 GB | 16 GBWinner |
| Maximum storage | 256GB | 512GBWinner |
Camera
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| Main sensor | 50 MP | 50 MP |
| Rear cameras | 2 | 3Winner |
| Optical zoom | — | 7.1x |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP | 48 MPWinner |
| Selfie camera | 16 MP | 24 MPWinner |
| Max video | 8K at 30fps / 4K at 120fps | — |
Battery and charging
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5,200 mAh | 5,500 mAhWinner |
| Wired charging | 45 W | 45 W |
| Wireless charging | 15 W | 20 WWinner |
Design
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 189 g | 192 g |
| Thickness | 8.4 mm | 8.2 mm |
| Water resistance | IP54 | IP68 |
| Build | 100% recycled aluminum midframe, translucent polycarbonate rear panel with Glyph LEDs | — |
Software and support
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Android 15 | Android 16 |
| OS updates | 3 years | 4 yearsWinner |
| Security updates | 3 years | 5 yearsWinner |
Connectivity and value
| Specification | Phone (3a) | Xperia 1 VIII |
|---|---|---|
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be, tri-band 2.4/5/6GHz, 320MHz bandwidth) | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Storage expansion | None | None |
| 3.5mm jack | No | Yes |
| Launch price | $349Winner | $1,449 |
Nothing Phone (3a)
Nothing continues its mission to make smartphones fun again with the Phone (3a), pairing its translucent Glyph LED aesthetic with custom Dimensity 7350 Pro power and a bloatware-free Android 15 experience.
- Display
- 6.7"
- Chipset
- MediaTek Dimensity 7350 Pro
- Main camera
- 50MP
- Battery
- 5,200mAh
Sony Xperia 1 VIII
The Xperia 1 VIII builds on Sony cinematic heritage with continuous physical optical zoom from 85mm to 170mm, 4K LTPO OLED panel with Bravia AI remastering, and zero AI overprocessing.
- Display
- 6.5"
- Chipset
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2
- Main camera
- 50MP
- Battery
- 5,500mAh