The Sony Xperia 10 III is a mid-range smartphone that looks almost identical to its predecessor, the X10 Mark II. The device features a 6-inch OLED screen with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio and a 1080p resolution, protected by Gorilla Glass 6. However, the display's brightness is on the lower side, making it less ideal for use in sunny conditions. The phone has a single front-facing speaker, which, although decent, lacks presence and is best paired with a second speaker for a stereo setup. The audio quality is average, with some noticeable low-end and mids that lack definition. One of the notable upgrades of the Xperia 10 III is its larger battery, which provides excellent battery life, scoring 137 hours in our tests. However, charging speed is slow, taking half an hour to reach just 20% with the provided 7.5W charger. The camera setup on the Xperia 10 III consists of a 12MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and an 8MP telephoto camera. While daytime shots from the main camera are adequate for the class, they often come out underexposed. The ultra-wide lens produces good-quality shots with excellent detail and dynamic range. However, low-light performance is lacking, with shots from the main camera being underexposed and soft. The phone's selfie camera is unremarkable, producing muted colors and limited fine detail. Video recording capabilities are decent, but 4K footage can be soft and has an average dynamic range. Overall, the Sony Xperia 10 III offers a compact and lightweight design with IP-rated water resistance, as well as a versatile camera setup. However, its display is not the brightest, charging speed is slow, and it faces competition from other mid-range smartphones that offer better features at similar prices.
The Sony Xperia 10 III is a phone that wears its heart on its sleeve – or rather, its design. The device bears an uncanny resemblance to last year's model, with only minor tweaks to set it apart. This could be seen as a cop-out by some, but in reality, it speaks to the tried-and-true formula that has worked for Sony thus far. The build quality of the Xperia 10 III is top-notch, with a premium feel that justifies its mid-range price tag. The phone's polycarbonate frame is both sturdy and lightweight, making it a joy to hold and use. The addition of Gorilla Glass 6 protection on the front screen adds an extra layer of durability, ensuring that accidental drops won't leave you with a cracked display. The design itself is a classic example of Sony's "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach. The familiar shape and layout of the phone are both comforting and intuitive, making it easy to navigate for those who have grown accustomed to Sony's interface. The device's compact size and lightweight design make it an excellent choice for those seeking a hassle-free mobile experience. While some may bemoan the lack of innovation in the Xperia 10 III's design, it's hard to argue with the results. This phone is built to last, with a focus on functionality over flash. If you're in the market for a reliable and user-friendly device that won't break the bank, then the Sony Xperia 10 III is definitely worth considering. Overall, the build quality and design of the Sony Xperia 10 III are solid, if unremarkable. While it may not win any awards for originality, this phone's tried-and-true formula is a testament to the fact that sometimes, less can be more.
The Sony Xperia 10 Mark III boasts a larger milliampere-hour battery compared to its predecessor, and it does an excellent job in terms of battery life. In our proprietary tests, the phone achieved a score of 137 hours, making it one of the longest-lasting devices in its class. However, what's disappointing is the charging speed. Our unit came with just a 7.5-watt charger in the box, which is woefully inadequate for a device that's supposed to offer all-day battery life. Even using a fast 65-watt power delivery charger, we were only able to charge the phone from zero to 37 percent in half an hour. This slow charging speed is particularly frustrating considering the phone's impressive battery life. It feels like Sony has sacrificed one of the most important aspects of a smartphone - convenience - for the sake of keeping costs low. In an era where fast charging is becoming increasingly common, it's surprising that Sony hasn't taken steps to improve this aspect of their device. As a result, users will have to plan ahead and make sure they charge their phone regularly if they don't want it to run out of juice mid-day. Overall, while the Xperia 10 Mark III's battery life is a highlight, its slow charging speed is a major drawback that can't be ignored.
The Sony Xperia 10 III's display is a mixed bag. On the plus side, it features a 6-inch OLED screen with a tall 21:9 aspect ratio and 1080p resolution. The bezels are slightly thinner than last year's model, but that's about where the improvements end. One of the main drawbacks of this display is its relatively low brightness. In manual mode, it peaks at just 350 nits, which can make it difficult to see in bright conditions. Auto mode bumps this up to 560 nits, but even then, the screen struggles to compete with some of its competitors. Color accuracy is another area where the Xperia 10 III falls short. While colors are generally accurate, there's a quirky interaction with the video image optimization setting that can cause the screen to switch color schemes when playing back video content. This can be distracting and may not appeal to all users. Sunlight legibility is also an issue, as the screen doesn't do much to combat glare and reflections. This makes it difficult to see the screen outdoors or in very bright environments. The display's refresh rate of 60Hz is another disappointment, especially considering some other smartphones at this price point offer higher refresh rates for smoother performance. Overall, while the Xperia 10 III's display has its moments, it ultimately feels like a compromise. It's not bad by any means, but it doesn't quite live up to the standards set by some of its competitors in terms of brightness, color accuracy, and overall quality.
The camera department of the Sony Xperia 10 Mark III is quite impressive for its class. The triple-camera setup features a 12-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle lens, and another 8-megapixel telephoto camera with two times zoom capabilities. During the day, the 12-megapixel primary camera captures decent photos with good detail levels, well-controlled noise, and likable colors. However, shots tend to come out underexposed, and if HDR doesn't kick in, you'll end up with harsh highlights. Portrait shots taken with the main camera have nice-looking skin tones and competent subject separation, but since the phone prioritizes exposure for the subject, you can end up with a blown-out background in some scenes. The ultra-wide-angle lens takes good photos with excellent sharpness and detail, despite its 8-megapixel resolution. Dynamic range is wide for this class, and we prefer the exposure here better than on the main camera. Two times zoomed photos from the telephoto camera have respectable sharpness and detail, but the color rendition doesn't match the other cameras. However, as soon as the sun goes down, the camera struggles to produce good shots. Photos taken with the main camera are underexposed and soft, with limited dynamic range. Turning on Night mode helps a lot in salvaging blown highlights and opening up the shadows, but these photos are still softer than expected. The ultra-wide-angle lens struggles even more at night, producing heavily underexposed and soft shots. Night mode improves things significantly for both the main camera and the ultra-wide-angle lens, bringing out better development in the highlights and shadows. However, sharpness seems unaffected here, and textures and details might get smoothed out a bit. Two times zoomed photos from the telephoto camera are taken by cropping from the main camera when it manages to acquire focus, and these capture passable images but with very narrow dynamic range. Lastly, selfies taken with the 8-megapixel front-facing camera are unremarkable, with overall muted colors and limited fine detail. Dynamic range is okay, though, and you get good exposure on your face even in relatively challenging light.
The Sony Xperia 10 III is an interesting device that boasts some impressive features, but its price and value are worth scrutinizing. On the one hand, the phone's compact design, lightweight form factor, and IP68-rated water resistance make it a solid choice for those who want a durable phone without breaking the bank. The camera setup is also quite versatile for the class, with a 12MP main cam, an 8MP ultra-wide, and an 8MP telephoto cam. The phone's battery life is excellent, with a score of 137 hours in our tests, and the larger milliamp hour battery is a significant upgrade over last year's model. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset, while not the fastest at this price point, still provides enough power for everyday tasks and less demanding games. However, the phone's charger, which came with just a 7.5W charger, is somewhat of a joke. Even with a larger charger, charging speed is still slow, making it feel like an inconvenience. The display, while not bad, is only 60Hz and not the brightest, which might be a disappointment for some users. Additionally, competitors at this price point offer faster chipsets, stereo speakers, and better low-light photos and selfies. Considering its features and performance, we would say that the Sony Xperia 10 III offers decent value for those who want a compact phone with good battery life and a versatile camera setup. However, if you're looking for a phone with more bells and whistles, such as faster charging or better cameras, it might be worth shopping around. Overall, the price of the Sony Xperia 10 III is around $500-600, which is an okay value considering its features and performance.
The Sony Xperia 10 III boasts a Qualcomm Snapdragon 690 chipset built on an 8 nanometer process. While this is a significant upgrade from last year's model, it still falls behind the majority of mid-range competitors at this price point that run on Snapdragon 700 series chips. In CPU benchmarks, the phone performs solidly, with scores that are just slightly behind the competition. However, in graphics tests, there is a noticeable gap between the Xperia 10 III and its peers. Despite this, the phone still has enough power to handle everyday tasks and less demanding games without any issues or excessive heating. One of the major upgrades of the Xperia 10 III is its larger milliamp hour battery, which does an excellent job in providing long-lasting battery life, scoring 137 hours in our proprietary tests. However, the charging speed leaves much to be desired, with our unit coming with just a 7.5 watt charger in the box. While it's appreciated that we got a charger at all, it's disappointing that it's not more powerful. Even with a larger charger, the phone still charges relatively slowly. This is a shame, as the rest of the phone performs well and would benefit from faster charging speeds. Overall, the performance of the Sony Xperia 10 III is good, but not exceptional. It gets the job done for most users, but those looking for more power or faster charging speeds may want to consider other options. Despite this, the phone's compact design, versatile cameras, and great battery life make it a solid choice for those who value these features over raw performance. The phone's processor handles everyday tasks with ease, but pushes its limits when faced with more demanding applications or games. While it's not the fastest phone on the market, it still offers a smooth user experience and is capable of handling multitasking without any issues.
1. The Sony Xperia 10 III has a compact and lightweight design with IP68-rated water resistance, making it perfect for everyday use.
2. The camera setup is quite versatile for its class, with a 12MP main cam, an 8MP ultra-wide cam, and an 8MP two-time telephoto cam, allowing for great flexibility in taking photos.
3. Battery life is excellent, with a score of 137 hours in our proprietary tests, making it perfect for long days or travel.
4. The phone has a more powerful chipset with 5G support, making it ready for the future of mobile connectivity.
1. The charger that comes with the phone is subpar and charging speed is still slow even with a larger charger, which might be frustrating for some users.
2. The display is only 60Hz, which might not be ideal for gamers or those who want a smoother experience.
3. Competitors at this price point have faster chipsets, stereo speakers, and better low-light photos and selfies, making the Sony Xperia 10 III not the best option for those who prioritize these features.