2026 is seeing a pattern of new tech that sees the RAMageddon-affected price hikes without the requisite tech upgrades to help them feel better about paying more. As such, we have a more expensive Sony Xperia 10 VIII mid-range phone to tell you about that doesn’t push the envelope.
In fact, unless you look quite closely at the spec sheet, you won’t spot much difference for the extra £150. The display remains 6.1-inch 2340 x 1080 OLED display, but it does get 50% brighter. Behind the screen you’ll find a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 / 8GB of RAM pairing, powered by the same admittedly long-lasting two-day 5,000mAh battery, and 128GB to store all your stuff on.
Cameras offer a familiar story. It doesn’t appear as if there’s any change to the 50-megapixel main and 13-megapixel ultra-wide pairing on the back of the device, nor the 8-megapixel selfie camera.
Any other improvements? Well, if you count 15% louder speakers, I suppose? What about a feature that has been pretty common on phones for a while but not this one – quick access to Android Pay via the power button. The value proposition is rounded out by Frozen White, Frosted Grey and Misty Lilac translucent rear panels.
This now costs £549 rather than the previous generation’s £399 in the UK. Sony doesn’t sell Xperia phones in the US anymore (there are very few Android phone makers still going in the US, but that’s a different story for a different time). However, if it did, you might see this very mid-range phone cost seven hundred and fifty precious American dollars – an equivalent increase of $205 over the last-gen.
Regardless, Sony enthuses: “Key product features include a screen that is approximately 50% brighter than the previous model for improved visibility even outdoors, enhanced stereo speakers that deliver clearer and more powerful sound with improved overall volume and stronger bass, and quick access to payment and rewards services with “Rewards & Pay” menu”, which enables quick access to frequently used payment and rewards apps by a quick double press of the power button.”
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