Sony Xperia 10 VIII Review: Same Chip, Higher Price Than Before

The Sony Xperia 10 VIII is now official, and reviewers are already questioning its price. The mid-ranger keeps most of last year's formula in place, which has left GSMArena and other outlets asking whether Sony is charging too much for too little change.

Price and availability
The Sony Xperia 10 VIII is priced at €599, roughly $698 or £549, with availability in Europe expected from mid to late September 2026.

Display
The phone carries a 6.1-inch OLED display with an FHD+ panel and a 120Hz refresh rate, giving it smooth scrolling for a phone in this price tier and a noticeable step up from lower-end midrangers that still cap out at 90Hz.

Chipset carried over
Sony is using the same Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chip as its predecessor, the Xperia 10 VII, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. That reuse is the main reason reviewers call this year's model a small update rather than a real generational jump, since day-to-day performance lands close to what last year's phone already delivered.

Cameras
A dual-camera system covers the back: a 50MP main sensor at 1/1.56 inches and a 13MP ultra-wide lens, enough for everyday shooting without matching the camera systems on Sony's flagship Xperia models. There's no telephoto lens in this tier, so anyone wanting zoom shots will need to look further up Sony's lineup.

Small but useful extras
The Xperia 10 VIII keeps a microSD card slot for expandable storage and a 3.5mm headphone jack, two features increasingly rare on phones at this price. It weighs 168g and measures 153.0 x 72.0 x 8.3mm, keeping the compact footprint Sony's smaller Xperia line is known for, and it stays easy to grip and use one-handed compared with most modern midrangers.

The review verdict
GSMArena's review notes that very little separates the Xperia 10 VIII from the outgoing Xperia 10 VII beyond a new finish, and argues the phone's value case only holds up closer to €350 than its actual €599 asking price, especially with faster midrangers available from other brands at a similar cost. For buyers already invested in Sony's ecosystem, though, the familiar design and software may still be worth the premium.

Protect the Sony Xperia 10 VIII with a Komodoty case
Whatever the Sony Xperia 10 VIII ends up costing, a phone built around a large OLED display still needs solid protection. Komodoty makes slim, fitted cases for Sony Xperia phones in aramid fiber, Kevlar-backed wood, and Alcantara, with precise cutouts for the camera and ports. See the matching options in the Komodoty Sony cases collection.