SONY

Sony Xperia 10 VIII: More expensive, barely better

The Sony Xperia 10 VIII remains a lightweight and compact mid-range smartphone with increasingly rare features such as a headphone jack and microSD support. The most important upgrade over its predecessor is the significantly brighter OLED display. However, given the higher price, mediocre performance, and numerous unchanged components, the overall progress is limited.

The Sony Xperia 10 VIII is one of the more compact smartphones, but it’s a bit on the thicker side at 8.3 mm. We measured 8.5 mm at the outer edges, and up to 10.1 mm including the camera. Weighing 168 g, it’s relatively light and fits comfortably in the hand.

With its rather thick screen bezels, the Sony smartphone looks a bit dated. On the other hand, the display isn’t interrupted by a camera, and the two speakers face forward. The build quality impresses in our test with even and tight gaps. During torsion tests, the Xperia 10 Mk 8 remains rigid and silent. 

The phone is both dust- and water-resistant according to IP65/IP68 standards. Access to the SIM card and microSD slot is also tool-free. 

The Xperia 10 VIII is available in Misty Lilac, Matte Gray, and Frozen White color options.

The Sony Xperia 10 VIII is once again available only with 128 GB of storage, though this can still be expanded using a microSD card. Another rarity is the built-in headphone jack. But that’s about it for the special features. 

For a €600 smartphone, USB 2.0 feels rather meager. Additionally, connected storage devices formatted with NTFS cannot be read. Bluetooth 5.4 and NFC are also on board.

Although the microSD card reader is slightly faster in testing than its predecessor, it still isn’t exactly setting the world on fire. On the plus side, the card can be swapped out without any additional tools.

Software: Only four years of Android version updates...The Sony Xperia 10 VIII ships with Google Android 16 and receives four years of version updates as well as two additional years of security patches.

Sony preinstalls a few of its own apps but is sparing with third-party apps. Only Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn come preinstalled. 

However, these apps cannot be completely uninstalled but only disabled.

Sony remains rather vague regarding the Xperia 10 VIII when it comes to sustainability aspects. The housing contains recycled plastic, but the manufacturer does not specify the exact percentage of recycled material. 

The packaging consists of paper and Sony’s original blended material made from bamboo, sugarcane fibers, and recycled paper. Sony also does not provide a product-specific carbon footprint.

Sony does not offer a self-repair program for the Xperia 10 VIII. For hardware defects, the manufacturer refers users to its repair service and authorized service centers.

Sony isn’t exactly generous when it comes to supporting a wide range of mobile frequencies, and this applies to both 4G and 5G. Within Europe, however, this isn’t a problem; it’s only during intercontinental travel that one or two bands may be missing.

Although Wi-Fi 7 isn’t built in, at least 6 GHz Wi-Fi is supported. In testing, this not only delivers high data transfer rates but also ensures stable performance.

The Xperia 10 VIII's satfix is fast and accurate outdoors, even though the smartphone only supports single-band GNSS. It doesn’t take much longer indoors, but it is significantly less precise and also fluctuates considerably.

On a bike ride, we compare the smartphone’s positioning capabilities with those of a Garmin Venu 2. The two devices largely agree on the recorded total distance, differing by only 10 m. 

While the smartwatch tracks the distance traveled more accurately by the lake, the Xperia phone is more precise in the city center.

The call quality of the Sony Xperia 10 VIII felt quite natural when held to the ear, though the suppression of background noise could be better.

Only a nano-SIM card and/or an eSIM can be used.

Cameras: Slow dual-lens system in the Xperia 10 VIII...As for the cameras, everything remains the same — they’re identical to those on the Xperia 10 VII. Despite the small front-facing sensor, it takes pretty good selfies in daylight. However, the camera only records video in HD or full HD at 30 fps. 

The main rear sensor is complemented by an ultra-wide-angle lens. The former features natural white balance and could benefit from a bit more dynamic range, depending on the subject. 

In low light, the camera still produces decent shots, though these require a long exposure time. The ultra-wide-angle lens offers a balanced overall composition, but the image becomes slightly blurry at the edges. Zooming is exclusively digital, and the maximum magnification possible is 6x.

The main camera records videos in ultra HD (30 fps) at best. However, this resolution — as well as full HD at 60 fps — is only available to the main sensor. 

At 168 grams, the Sony Xperia 10 VIII is one of the lighter and more manageable smartphones around. Build quality is convincing, and the chassis carries an IP68 rating. While the wide display bezels look somewhat dated, the screen remains free of notches and punch-hole cutouts. The tool-free microSD slot and increasingly rare 3.5 mm headphone jack are also practical additions. However, with just 128 GB of internal storage and USB 2.0, the feature set feels rather unambitious considering the price. The 6.1-inch OLED display represents the biggest improvement over the Xperia 10 VII. Sony has increased brightness by around 50%, which makes a noticeable difference outdoors. Color reproduction is good, although HDR is not supported. The PWM frequency of 480 Hz could also cause discomfort for sensitive users.

Performance is another area where little has changed: Sony once again uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. It is fast enough for everyday tasks, but occasional stutters are noticeable. Demanding games quickly push the Adreno 710 to its limits. Under sustained load, the Xperia also gets noticeably warm and throttles somewhat. Sony has carried over the cameras from the previous model as well. The main camera delivers natural white balance and still produces decent images in low light, although its dynamic range could be better. The ultrawide camera loses noticeable sharpness toward the edges. The main camera can record video at up to Ultra HD resolution at 30 fps.

On the positive side, the Xperia offers accurate positioning, fast 6 GHz Wi-Fi, and decent call quality. The stereo speakers also sound respectable, although they tend to distort slightly at maximum volume. The 5,000 mAh battery delivers almost 20 hours of runtime in our testing and takes 69 minutes to fully recharge. The Xperia 10 VIII therefore remains an unusual smartphone thanks to its headphone jack, microSD support, good battery life, and bright OLED display. However, there is very little progress over the Xperia 10 VII. Considering the substantial price increase, the aging SoC, USB 2.0, 128 GB of storage, and unchanged cameras are difficult to overlook.

The Sony Xperia 10 VIII stands out with its bright OLED display, good battery life, precise location tracking, and rare extras like a headphone jack and microSD slot. The smartphone's build quality, light weight, and compact design are also appealing. 

However, the high price is offset by a slow Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor, only 128 GB of storage, USB 2.0, and unchanged cameras from the previous generation.

The lack of HDR support and occasional stuttering also detract from the overall impression. That being said, compared to the Xperia 10 VII, the significantly brighter display in particular stands out as a real improvement. 

Other new features are relatively minor. Given the substantial price increase, Sony offers too little added value overall compared to its predecessor.

mundophone