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The PerfectRec phone team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If camera quality is a top priority for you, and you don't mind spending more, the Apple iPhone 15 would be a better choice as it offers superior still photo and video quality. However, if you're looking for value and don't want to stretch your budget, the Sony Xperia 5 III, while older and with a modest camera performance, comes at a midrange price. Both phones have a similar screen size and neither have a high refresh rate. The iPhone's operating system is iOS, and Sony's is Android; this may influence your decision based on your preferred ecosystem. If battery life is critical, both phones offer reasonable battery performance, but the iPhone slightly edges out. Lastly, if you enjoy having a headphone jack and expandable storage, the Sony Xperia 5 III has these features, while the iPhone does not. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple iPhone 15
- Very good for taking photos
- Excellent for recording videos
- Very good battery life
- Very good display quality
- Best in class performance
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 5 III
- The Sony Xperia 5 III has no clear advantages over the Apple iPhone 15.
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
8.6
6.0
The Apple iPhone 15 has very good overall camera quality, while the Sony Xperia 5 III has only fair overall camera quality.
The Apple iPhone 15 outshines the Sony Xperia 5 III in camera capability with its superior selfie camera and overall camera performance including resolution, software experience, dynamic range, low light performance, and camera versatility. While the iPhone 15 has an exceptional camera setup, the Xperia 5 III offers a competent camera system but isn't on par particularly in terms of selfie quality and some of the mentioned features.
Photo Quality
8.5
5.9
The Apple iPhone 15 takes very good photos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes poor photos.
The Apple iPhone 15 takes the best photos due to the higher selfie quality, and it outperforms in software experience, dynamic range, and low light performance. In contrast, the Sony Xperia 5 III offers fair photo quality, with limitations evident in dynamic range and low light performance, affecting overall photo quality.
Video Quality
9.1
6.0
The Apple iPhone 15 takes excellent videos, while the Sony Xperia 5 III takes only fair videos.
The Apple iPhone 15 delivers exceptional video quality with top-tier video stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and microphone quality, making it ideal for producing high-quality videos. In comparison, the Sony Xperia 5 III provides very good video resolution and framerate, but it has limitations in stabilization, dynamic range, low light performance, and mic quality, resulting in fair overall video capability.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.3 Hours
The Apple iPhone 15 has 8 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 5 III has 7.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$729
$450
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
The Apple iPhone 15 has a price of $729 and the Sony Xperia 5 III costs $450.
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Key similarities
Screen Size
The Apple iPhone 15 has a screen size of 6.1 inches and the Sony Xperia 5 III is 6.1 inches.
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How the Apple iPhone 15 and the Sony Xperia 5 III compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Apple iPhone 15 | Sony Xperia 5 III |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$729 | $450 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Apple | Sony | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | iOS | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | September 22, 2023 | October 8, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.1" | 6.1" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2556 x 1179 | 2520 x 1080 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 461 | 449 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | A16 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 128 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 6 GB | 8 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 8.7/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 8.5/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 9.2/10 | 6/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels + OIS | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7.3 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 3349 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | No | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 0 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 5.81" x 2.82" | 6.18" x 2.68" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.03 oz | 5.93 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | Yes | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 | |
A2DP | |||
A2DP | Yes | Yes | |
WiFi Version | |||
WiFi Version | 6 | 6 | |
NFC | |||
NFC | Yes | Yes | |
US 5G Bands | |||
US 5G Bands | (SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 77, 78, 79, 258, 260, 261 (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 53, 66, 70, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79 | (SA/NSA/Sub6)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 | |
OTHER FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Biometric unlock | |||
Biometric unlock | Face unlock | Face unlock, Fingerprint sensor: Side | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | No | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Yellow, Pink, Blue, Green, Black | Black, Green | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | N/A | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
Apple iPhone 15
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
Lance Ulanoff | September 2023
"Apple finally waves goodbye to the notch in favor of the Dynamic Island on all phones in its new lineup, and on the iPhone 15 that versatile screen technology is paired with new materials, lovely contoured edges, a powerful A16 Bionic CPU, and, yes, the new USB-C port. Even the photography has been leveled up, with a 48MP camera and new portrait processing capabilities."
Sony Xperia 5 III
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Dig into reviews and images
Android Authority
Robert Triggs | October 2022
"The Sony Xperia 5 III excels when it comes to rear camera photography, its display and multi-media features, and all-day battery life. Buy the Xperia 5 III if you’re looking for a fun but imperfect camera setup, customizable gaming features, all-day battery life, and all the best multimedia capabilities that Sony has to offer"
Get a great deal on the Apple iPhone 15 or the Sony Xperia 5 III
About Apple
The tech giant called Apple is synonymous with the most popular smartphone in the world: the iPhone. Known for their build quality and aesthetics, as well as for their excellent integration between hardware and software, iPhones have defined the smartphone industry ever since their conception and they continue to do so by setting new industry standards. Apple's own operating system, called iOS, is known for its simplicity and ease of use, and the company tends to complement it well by creating devices with some of the most powerful processing hardware available in the mobile world. The iPhone is also known for its robust ecosystem of accessories, as it facilitates a very seamless experience when interacting with other Apple products, more so than most of its competitors.
About Sony
Sony has had a long history in the mobile market, entering the scene all the way back in 1993 with its first commercially available phone, the CM-H333. Nowadays, their Xperia line of phones provide well-rounded and sometimes expensive devices with a focus on camera software that includes extensive support for manual tweaking of settings. Sony's dedication to audio quality is also evident in its smartphones, which often feature high-resolution audio support while also being one of the few remaining manufacturers that consistently provide headphone jacks in their phones. The company's version of Android is also considered to be close to stock, enabling a bloatware-free experience for its users.
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Why trust us
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec phones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest phone information and makes it digestible for you.
By the numbers
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Recommendations made
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Phones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Efthimis is a Greece-based product expert focusing on smartphones. He has been recommending phones for 4 years and his recommendations on Reddit have earned him over 35k karma.
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