There’s a lot to love about Sony Xperia phones—except for the 1,399-quid price tag. Thankfully, there’s a slightly more affordable way to enjoy the Xperia experience, and it is called the Sony Xperia 10 VIII. That’s right, my friends. As expected, Sony has revealed the latest Xperia 10.
Unlike the flagship Xperia 1 VIII we saw in May, it does not bring much visual change—it already had a little nip and tuck when it moved from the Xperia 10 VI to last year’s Xperia 10 VII. To be fair, it does have a subtle design change, which Sony calls a “lightweight look, translucent design.”
It is not transparent in a way that shows what’s under the hood; instead, it has a transparent rear panel with a matte clear coating that allows the color underneath to be seen. This creates kind of a frosted look, though only one color is named “Frosted.” Speaking of colors, the new device is rocking three colorways: Frozen White, Frosted Grey, and Misty Lilac.
As far as improvements and highlights go, the phone boasts a brighter display, enhanced stereo speakers, and a feature I never expected any phone maker to proudly claim: quick access to payment and rewards services with the “Rewards & Pay” menu, which enables quick access to frequently used payment and rewards apps with a quick double-press of the power button. How this became a priority for selling a phone, I have no idea.
TBH, after running through the specs, it does feel like a half-hearted product. Why? Because the most important hardware did not get an upgrade. I am talking about the SoC, which is the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, a two-year-old budget-to-lower-mid-range chip that powered last year’s Xperia 10.
But let’s not put it down, because this phone still has a few things that are already extinct in mainstream smartphones, including microSDXC support of up to 2 TB, dual-SIM support (nanoSIM + eSIM), and the good ol’ 3.5 mm audio jack. Those have become the standard for Xperia phones.
The new Sony Xperia 10 VIII rocks a 6.1-inch FHD+ (2,340 × 1,080 pixels) OLED display with a 120 Hz refresh rate and the usual, non-industry-standard 19.5:9 aspect ratio. This display is said to be 50% brighter than the previous model for improved viewing outdoors. The device also automatically adjusts colors according to ambient brightness.
Meanwhile, the upgraded speaker system and revised tuning of the front stereo speakers promise improved volume and sound quality. All told, the overall volume is around 15% higher, with bass more than 30% stronger than on the previous model. So bassheads, rejoice. Maybe?
The aforementioned quick access to payment basically launches frequently used apps, such as payment and retail rewards apps, by pressing the power button twice. As I said, I don’t know how this is a selling point. A similar feature has been available on many Android phones.
In the battery department, the phone packs a 5,000 mAh battery that offers up to two days of use, with support for USB Power Delivery fast charging. This battery boasts a “long-life battery design” that should help maintain performance even after four years. This is likely made possible through Xperia Adaptive Charging, Battery Care, and STAMINA Mode.
Interestingly, Sony did mention imaging in the press release. The phone has a dual-camera setup featuring a 50 MP 1/1.56-inch Exmor R5 for mobile sensor and a 13 MP 1/3-inch sensor. OIS and EIS for video recording come as standard, as does Optical SteadyShot hybrid OIS/EIS video stabilization.
The dedicated physical shutter button has been carried over, allowing you to quickly launch the camera—even when the screen is turned off—and serving as a physical shutter button for that point-and-shoot camera feel.
Other notable features include 8 GB of RAM bolstered by 6 GB of virtual RAM, 128 GB of UFS storage, support for 2G to 5G networks, Wi-Fi 6E, dual-band Wi-Fi, positioning (A-GPS, A-GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, and OZSS), Bluetooth 5.4, USB Type-C (USB 2.0), a fingerprint sensor, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, IPX5/IPX8-rated water resistance, and IP6X-rated dust resistance.
Sony officially unveiled the Xperia 10 VIII in late August 2026, but the release is strictly targeted at Europe, the UK, and select global and Asian markets, where it goes on sale in mid-to-late September. It will sell for £549 in the UK and €599 in Europe. Pricing and launch dates for global and Asian markets vary from region to region. As before, Sony continues its trend of bypassing the North American market with its mid-range 10-series lineup.
Images: Sony [UK].
