Sony has always presented its Xperia 1 smartphone lineup differently to consumers. This lineup is perfect for those who want a near-stock Android experience and pro-level camera tools in the same device. Currently there are speculations about the upcoming Sony Xperia 1 VIII phone online. It is expected to come with Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset. Let us know about this in detail.
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII device will be powered by Qualcomm’s latest flagship processor
The new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip launched at Qualcomm’s recent Summit brings significant upgrades over the previous 8 Elite. It offers up to 20% faster CPU performance, 23% faster GPU performance and 35% better power efficiency. It is already used in flagship models like Xiaomi 17 series and Honor Magic 8 Pro. Gaming-focused phones like the iQOO 15 and RedMagic 11 Pro, along with the flagship Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, are said to launch with the chip soon.
The inclusion of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII in this list today again indicates that it is not a gaming device, but does not compromise on performance at all. And the specialty of Xperia phone i.e. presence of advanced camera unit will make it popular.
Sony Xperia 1 VIII appears on the certification site with three model numbers
Notably, Sony Xperia 1 VIII model numbers like PM-1502-BV, PM-1503-BV, and now PM-1521-BV have recently been spotted in the eSIM database. These model numbers are reserved for global and regional markets.
Although Sony has not confirmed anything yet, the appearance of the Sony Xperia 1 VIII in various databases indicates that it is currently in the testing phase. In terms of performance, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor competes directly with Apple’s own A19 Pro chip, which indicates that the next Xperia phone is going to be powerful in terms of performance.
However, nothing is known about Sony Xperia 1 VIII’s camera specifications and design changes. It is also unclear whether Sony will bring it back to the North American market. Sony Xperia 1 VII debuted in June this year, so if the normal schedule is followed then Sony Xperia 1 VIII could hit the market in the first half of next year.
