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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for a more budget-friendly option, the OnePlus 9 is significantly less costly than the Sony Xperia 1 III. The OnePlus 9 offers a similar screen size and a higher typical brightness compared to the Xperia 1 III, which could be better for visibility in various lighting conditions. Also, the OnePlus comes with more battery life, meaning it could last longer between charges. However, the Xperia 1 III has a higher storage capacity, a telephoto camera with specific focal length capabilities, possibly enhancing your photography experience. It also features a 3.5mm headphone jack and expandable storage with an SD card, which the OnePlus 9 lacks. Both devices run on Android and have comparable performance levels, so the decision may hinge on whether you prioritize cost and battery life over camera features and expandable storage. 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 OnePlus 9
- The OnePlus 9 has no clear advantages over the Sony Xperia 1 III.
Advantages of the Sony Xperia 1 III
- Best in class display quality
- Good performance
Key differences
Overall Camera Quality
7.0
6.0
The OnePlus 9 has good overall camera quality, while the Sony Xperia 1 III has only fair overall camera quality.
The OnePlus 9 has a good software experience for photos, decent dynamic range, and low light performance, with fair camera versatility, but offers a good selfie camera, which is very important for selfie enthusiasts. The Sony Xperia 1 III boasts a very good photo software experience with a good selfie camera as well, however, it falls short in low light performance and camera versatility, both of which are important for capturing high-quality photos in various conditions and using different camera features.
Photo Quality
6.7
5.9
The OnePlus 9 takes only fair photos, while the Sony Xperia 1 III takes poor photos.
The OnePlus 9 produces fair photos due to its satisfactory performance in image resolution, dynamic range, and low light conditions, but offers better camera versatility and selfie quality. In comparison, the Sony Xperia 1 III, while providing excellent resolution and software experience for photos, falls short in dynamic range and low light performance which translates to an overall fair photo capability.
Battery
6.9 Hours
5.6 Hours
The OnePlus 9 has 6.9 hours of battery life. The Sony Xperia 1 III has 5.6 hours of battery life.
Cost
$399
$899
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The OnePlus 9 has a price of $399 and the Sony Xperia 1 III costs $899.
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Key similarities
Video Quality
5.9
6.0
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sony Xperia 1 III to have only fair videos, while the OnePlus 9 takes poor videos.
The OnePlus 9 offers the best video stabilization, which is advantageous for capturing smooth footage, but its video software experience and low light video performance are regarded poorly, likely leading to less intuitive shooting and subpar results in dim settings. On the other hand, the Sony Xperia 1 III provides a very good video software experience and better mic quality for superior audio capture, but its stabilization is only fair, possibly resulting in shakier videos especially when moving.
Screen Size
The OnePlus 9 has a screen size of 6.55 inches and the Sony Xperia 1 III is 6.5 inches.
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How the OnePlus 9 and the Sony Xperia 1 III compare to other phones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| OnePlus 9 | Sony Xperia 1 III |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$399 | $899 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | OnePlus | Sony | |
Operating System | |||
Operating System | Android | Android | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 26, 2021 | August 25, 2021 | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Screen Size | |||
Screen Size | 6.55" | 6.5" | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 2400 x 1080 | 3840 x 1644 | |
Variable refresh rate | |||
Variable refresh rate | No | No | |
Pixels Per Inch | |||
Pixels Per Inch | 402 | 643 | |
Display Type | |||
Display Type | OLED | OLED | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | SD888 | SD888 | |
Internal Storage | |||
Internal Storage | 128 GB | 256 GB | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 12 GB | |
CAMERA | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Camera Quality Score | |||
Overall Camera Quality Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Photos Score | |||
Photos Score | 6.8/10 | 5.9/10 | |
Videos Score | |||
Videos Score | 5.9/10 | 6/10 | |
Rear Cameras | |||
Rear Cameras | Main, Ultrawide | Main, Ultrawide, Telephoto | |
Main Camera | |||
Main Camera | 48 megapixels | 12 megapixels + OIS | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 6.9 Hours | 5.6 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 4500 mAh | 4500 mAh | |
Wireless Charging | |||
Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Wireless charging Speed | |||
Wireless charging Speed | 15 W | 15 W | |
Reverse wireless charging | |||
Reverse wireless charging | No | No | |
PHYSICAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Size | |||
Size | 6.29" x 2.92" | 6.5" x 2.8" | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.77 oz | 5.93 oz | |
Back Material | |||
Back Material | Glass | Glass | |
Stereo Speakers | |||
Stereo Speakers | No | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Dual SIM | |||
Dual SIM | No | Yes | |
Bluetooth Version | |||
Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 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)1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 77, 78 | (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, Fingerprint sensor: Under Display | Fingerprint sensor: Side | |
Unlockable Bootloader | |||
Unlockable Bootloader | Yes | No | |
Color | |||
Color | Astral Black, Arctic Sky, Winter Mist | Black | |
Stock Android | |||
Stock Android | No | Yes | |
SD Card | |||
SD Card | No | Yes | |
Shopping
OnePlus 9
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
David Lumb | April 2021
"If you’re hunting for the best Android camera phone at this price, and one that doesn’t skimp on specs the OnePlus 9 is worth considering. Courtesy of a partnership with Hasselblad, the cameras offer better color correction, and both regular and ultra-wide photos look great. The OnePlus 9’s battery fully charges in under 30 minutes over a cable, and in 45 minutes using wireless charging. If you hate waiting for hours to charge your phone, you'll love the OnePlus 9."
Sony Xperia 1 III
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Dig into reviews and images
TechRadar
James Peckham | August 2021
"For those who enjoy Sony’s Android phones, or who want a top-tier smartphone with a versatile camera, a beautiful screen and strong battery life, this is a great choice. If your budget can stretch to it, and you're a fan of its looks, it could be a great option."
Get a great deal on the OnePlus 9 or the Sony Xperia 1 III
About OnePlus
OnePlus, established in 2013, is a smartphone brand that first became known for providing flagship-like devices, at a fraction of the cost compared to more expensive Android competitors. OnePlus focuses on creating smartphones with powerful hardware at reasonable prices. They also bring hardware features normally not seen in other Android phones sold in the US, such as their ultra-fast “Warp Charge” and the beloved “Alert Slider”.
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
68
Phones evaluated
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Recommendations made
86,190
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About the phone team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Phones Expert
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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