Sony’s Xperia flagships have always been a bit different from the usual Android crowd, and the new Sony Xperia 1 VIII continues that very Sony energy. This is not the phone chasing the loudest design or fastest charging spec. Instead, Sony is going hard on camera hardware, creator-friendly controls, expandable storage, wired audio, and a proper camera shutter button.
The biggest change is at the back. Sony has redesigned the camera island and swapped its older telephoto approach for a new 48MP telephoto camera with a 1/1.56-inch sensor. That sensor is four times larger than the one in the Xperia 1 VII, with four times the resolution too.
But there is a trade-off. Previous Xperia 1 models offered continuous optical zoom, which made them feel more like compact cameras. The Xperia 1 VIII drops that and fixes the telephoto lens at 70mm, or around 2.9x zoom compared to the 24mm main camera. For longer zoom shots, it leans on the higher-resolution sensor instead.
On paper, this should help with detail and low-light telephoto shots, thanks to the bigger sensor and f/2.8 aperture. Still, Xperia fans who loved the older variable zoom system may feel Sony has taken one step forward and one step sideways.
The rest of the camera setup remains familiar: a 48MP main camera with a 1/1.35-inch sensor, 24mm f/1.9 lens and OIS; a 48MP ultra-wide with a 16mm f/2.0 lens; and a 12MP selfie camera. Sony is also applying RAW multi-frame processing across all cameras, which is meant to improve dynamic range and clean up noise in darker scenes.
Inside, the Xperia 1 VIII moves to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Sony says this brings a 20% CPU performance boost, 23% faster GPU, and up to 20% lower power usage compared to last year’s chip. For mobile gamers in Malaysia, that GPU bump is the part to watch, especially for heavier titles like Genshin Impact, Wuthering Waves, Honkai: Star Rail and high-refresh shooters.
Sony is offering a base 12GB RAM + 256GB storage model, with higher versions going up to 16GB RAM and 1TB storage. The real win, though, is the continued support for microSD cards. In 2026, seeing expandable storage on a flagship is rare gila, especially when most brands are pushing people into expensive storage upgrades.
The Xperia identity is still here too. You get a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a big deal if you use wired IEMs for gaming, editing or just proper lossless listening without Bluetooth latency. There are also symmetrical stereo speakers, which Sony says now deliver deeper bass, clearer highs and a wider soundstage.
The display is a 6.5-inch LTPO panel with up to 120Hz refresh rate. It is flat, has no camera cutout, and keeps the selfie camera in the top bezel. That is clean, but the 1080p+ resolution will probably divide fans, especially since Xperia 1 used to be known for pushing super sharp screens.
Battery specs are unchanged: 5,000mAh, 30W wired charging, and 15W wireless charging. Honestly, that charging speed already felt conservative before, and in a SEA market full of fast-charging Chinese flagships, it looks even slower now.
Colours include Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red and Native Gold. Sony is also selling an official translucent case with a built-in stand that works in both portrait and landscape.
Pricing is very flagship Sony: the base model starts at €1,500 / £1,400, while the Sony-exclusive 1TB Native Gold version costs €2,000 / £1,850. For Malaysia, that roughly converts to around RM7,600 to RM10,100 before taxes, duties or importer markup. In other words, this is not competing with value flagships. This is for Xperia loyalists, creators, camera nerds, and people who still care about features other brands have abandoned.
Pre-orders have started, with shipping expected in June. During the pre-order period, the base model comes bundled with Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones in selected markets.
For Malaysian buyers, the Xperia 1 VIII is exciting but niche. The camera hardware looks serious, the headphone jack is genuinely useful, and microSD support is a rare flex. But unless local pricing lands softer than expected, this will remain a premium import-style phone for hardcore Sony fans, not a mainstream Android pick.
Source: GSMArena