Sony Xperia 10 III Full Review and Features

The Sony Xperia 10 III is a sleek and powerful smartphone that's sure to impress. It features a 6-inch OLED display with a 21:9 aspect ratio, making it perfect for watching movies and browsing the web.

One of the standout features of this phone is its camera system, which includes a 12-megapixel primary sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and a 2-megapixel depth sensor. This setup allows for high-quality photos and videos in a variety of lighting conditions.

The Xperia 10 III also boasts a long-lasting battery, with a capacity of 4500mAh. This means you can use your phone all day without needing to recharge.

The Sony Xperia 10 III has a unique design that's both compact and premium. The phone's tall, narrow body and 21:9 aspect ratio make it stand out from other devices.

The Xperia 10 III's slim bezels and lack of notch are a refreshing change from other smartphones. The phone's 80.3% screen-to-body ratio is impressive, leaving enough room for front-facing speakers.

The phone's build quality is top-notch, with Gorilla Glass 6 on both the front and back. This makes the phone more durable and resistant to scratches.

The Xperia 10 III's fingerprint sensor is built into the power button and is impressively reliable. However, it's not the fastest option.

A 3.5mm headphone jack is a rare feature in modern smartphones, but the Xperia 10 III still includes one. This is a great option for those who prefer wired audio.

Here are some key design features of the Xperia 10 III:

The phone's IP65/IP68 dust and water-proof rating means it can withstand exposure to water and dust. The Xperia 10 III is also resistant to fingerprint smudges, making it easy to handle.

The display on the Sony Xperia 10 III is a 6in OLED panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio, which is a unique feature that takes some getting used to, but offers an immersive viewing experience, especially when watching widescreen content.

The display resolution is 1080×2560, which is perfectly serviceable, but might not be enough for some users who would prefer a higher resolution like 1440p or higher.

However, the display does support HDR for extra clarity and detail, making it a joy to watch videos and films on the phone.

The maximum brightness of the display is about average for a modern smartphone, at 386 nits, but visibility in direct sunlight was still very difficult during testing.

The display on the Sony Xperia 10 III is a 6-inch OLED panel with a 21:9 aspect ratio, which is great for social media feeds and reading articles, but may be on the small side for gaming and watching 16:9 aspect video.

It's worth noting that the display is an ultra-tall 21:9 display with no notch or punch-hole, making the phone relatively long.

The OLED panel delivers unbeatable contrast and good color, but it doesn't have the obscene brightness levels of a top-end phone.

In direct sunlight, visibility can be difficult, but it's okay for sunny days.

Here are the key specs of the display:

The lack of a high refresh rate, stuck at 60Hz, can make scrolling through apps look less smooth than it would otherwise.

However, the display does support HDR video, which can provide extra clarity and detail when watching movies and other content.

The camera is a crucial component of a device, and it's amazing how far it's come in recent years.

The resolution of a camera can range from a few megapixels to over 100 megapixels, with some devices offering even higher resolutions.

A higher resolution camera can capture more detail and produce sharper images, making it ideal for photography enthusiasts.

Some devices have multiple cameras, including wide-angle, telephoto, and ultra-wide-angle lenses, which can be used for different types of shots.

The camera's aperture can also affect the quality of the image, with a larger aperture allowing more light to enter the lens.

The camera's software can also play a significant role in image quality, with features like noise reduction and image stabilization helping to produce better results.

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The Sony Xperia 10 III runs on Android 11 at launch and has an update to Android 13 available by OTA. It also supports Sailfish OS and is officially supported by Jolla.

The Xperia 10 III has a Snapdragon 690 chipset, one of Qualcomm's mid-tier budget 5G CPUs, which is relatively weak and slightly dated. This chipset is worse than the Snapdragon 750G of the OnePlus Nord CE 5G or the Snapdragon 765G of the Realme X50 5G.

The phone's general performance is good enough for most tasks, but it's not ideal for gaming. A tough game like Fortnite runs just-about-passably, but there are quite frequent drops from the target 30fps into the teens, which you will notice.

The phone's 21:9 aspect ratio screen is great for virtual gamepad controls, offering plenty of room for virtual controls without the sense your thumbs are getting in the way of the action. However, the phone's performance is not comparable to more expensive options like the Xiaomi Poco F3, which has a Snapdragon 870 chipset.

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The Xperia 10 III's software is based around Android 11, and the Sony interface layer pasted on top does not do anything too ambitious or off-putting. The app menu is the most obvious point of departure from vanilla Android, with a vertical scroll that you can arrange the app icons in your own order and create folders.

Here are some key points about the phone's performance:

The phone's battery life is good, particularly for a smaller phone, but its charging speed is awful. The phone's software experience is clean and intuitive, similar to the so-called 'stock' Android you'll find on Pixel phones, with a simple user interface and limited bloatware.

The Sony Xperia 10 III has a 4,500mAh battery, which is good capacity for a small phone. This is 500mAh more than the Samsung Galaxy S21, which helps the Xperia 10 III last significantly longer.

The phone's stamina is indeed better than the Samsung Galaxy S21, beating it in our experience. However, it didn't quite make it to two days of moderate to heavy use.

The battery life is good, but not eye-opening, especially when compared to larger Androids in the same price range.

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The battery life of the Sony Xperia 10 III is a highlight of the phone. It features a 4,500mAh battery, which is a significant improvement from last year's model.

The larger battery capacity means the phone can last longer, especially when used moderately to heavily. In our experience, the Xperia 10 III outlasts the Samsung Galaxy S21, and even beats the Pixel 4a and iPhone SE (2020) in terms of stamina.

However, it's worth noting that the phone didn't quite make it to two days of use, even with moderate to heavy use. The Moto G50, for example, lasts significantly longer.

The battery is also slow to charge, with a 7.5W charger that takes over an hour to get to 50%. This is a disappointment, especially considering the phone's price.

Here are some key battery life facts about the Sony Xperia 10 III:

The Sony Xperia 10 III is available in the UK for £399.

It's worth noting that this price point puts it in a competitive market with other mid-range phones. The Xperia 10 III is available to import in the US for around $470.

You can also find the international version on Amazon for $388.14, which is a significant discount.

The Xperia 10 III is not officially available in the US, but you can import it.

In Australia, it's hard to find an international import of the phone.

The Sony Xperia 10 III is a surprisingly tough little phone, but it's hard to recommend due to poor cameras and slow charging.

This phone is a clear upgrade on its predecessor, but it still has some familiar shortcomings that hold it back.

If you want a relatively long-lasting small phone, the Xperia 10 III is a great choice, lasting well above average between charges.

You'll also appreciate its water-resistant design, which can withstand a dunk in water, accidental splashes, and even rain.

The phone's design is refreshingly understated, with a simple 'monolith' style that's a welcome respite from the bright colors and flashy finishes found on other phones.

The Sony Xperia 10 III is a solid mid-range smartphone with a price tag of £399 in the UK, which translates to around $470 or AU$740.

In most countries, there's only one model available, featuring 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

You can import the international version of the Xperia 10 III via Amazon, where it's priced at $388.14.

The phone operates in the same price point as many other mid-range devices, including the Pixel 5a, Poco F3, and OnePlus' Nord 2.

The Xperia 10 III is not priced competitively enough to be picked up over these other devices, unless you're a die-hard Sony fan.

Here are the key specifications of the Xperia 10 III:

The Sony Xperia 10 III has a very poor camera, making it a less desirable choice for those who like taking photos and videos.

It's a small phone, but it does have a zero-filler camera array, which is a plus. However, the camera's performance is disappointing.

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The phone has a sharp OLED screen, which is a nice feature. But it doesn't have a high refresh rate screen, which might be a drawback for some users.

The Xperia 10 III uses a decent enough budget 5G chipset, but not the best one available. This might impact its performance.

Its speaker sounds relatively thin and doesn't go as loud as many competing phones. This is something to consider if you plan on using it for music or video playback.

The phone has solid battery life, which is a plus. However, the pricing is not particularly competitive, making it a less attractive option.

The Xperia 10 III is more expensive than its predecessor, the Xperia 10 II. This might make it harder to justify the purchase for some users.

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