Sony Xperia 10 VIII – Is it Worth the Price Increase?

The Xperia 10 VIII is Sony’s first victim of the ongoing RAMpocalypse and AI boom. The new model seems more like a slight update rather than a completely new model. There are some changes from the Xperia 10 VII, but the SoC, cameras, and battery, are the identical. So what exactly is different on the new model?

Improved Display

Sony claims the new 10 VIII display is approximately 50% brighter than the outgoing VII. This should help with outdoor visibility. Below is a comparison from Business Insider Japan.

The difference may not be obvious, but the 10 VIII does appear to be a bit brighter in the photo, if only slightly. In the GSMArena review, the 10 VIII’s display is rated at 1509 nits (75%), and the 10 VII is rated at 1064 nits (75%), so an almost 50% increase in the GSMArena measurements. I have looked at a few hands on reviews from Japanese sites/blogs, and most seem to confirm the screen is brighter.

Improved Speakers

The 10 VIII front speakers have been upgraded, providing 15% more volume and 30% more bass when compared to the previous model. According to Sony, the lower speaker has been revamped, improving its low frequency output. The top speaker was upgraded when the 10 VII debuted last year. The upgraded lower speaker is now comparable to the Xperia 5 Series according to the AV-Watch article. I am assuming they mean the Xperia 5 V.

I know people like to watch shows and movies on their phones, so the improved speakers will be a plus.

Quick Launch

A quick launch function has been added, activated by pressing the power button twice. This launches a menu with frequently used apps, such as payment and loyalty cards. I am not sure if shortcuts to other non-payment apps can be added to the quick launch, but I would think not.

Virtual RAM

The RAM is the same as the old model. but Sony has added virtual RAM, up to 6GB to supplement the built in 8GB. This feature uses a portion of the internal storage to act as additional RAM.

Samsung has something called RAM Plus, so this is not something unique to Sony. I am not sure how effective or useful the virtual RAM will be, but it is not as fast as the built in RAM, and it will increase power consumption and heat when in use. Not to mention possibly degrading the internal flash storage.

I would recommend turning it off. I do not know if it is enabled by default, but one can check the status using the guide.

Design

The exterior design remains the same, but Sony has changed the main body from matte plastic to translucent plastic. The effect in photos does make it look glass like, but I am not sure how it will be in person.

There will be 3 colours, Frosted Gray, Frozen White, and Misty Lilac.

The 3.5mm port and SD card slot carry over from the previous model. The weight and dimensions have not changed from the 10 VII either.

Internal storage will be 128GB. The SoC is the same Snapdragon 6 Gen 3. The camera is also the same, with 16mm, 24mm, and 48mm lenses. I would assume the sensors are carried over as well. ITmedia Japan reports that the camera uses “RAW multi-frame processing technology that performs advanced superimposed processing”. resulting in photos close to the Xperi5 V from 2023.

For comparison, the sensor on the 10 VIII is 1/1.56″ and the 5 V 1/1.35″, meaning the 5 V sensor is about 33% larger than the 10 VIII sensor. The 5 V sensor is the same one that is found in the Xperia 1 VIII main camera.

There is a photo comparison in this article, about half way down the page. The 10 VIII does seem to perform well against the 5 V, but I would like to see a more photos for comparison, like outdoor and close up.

The battery capacity is still the same 5000 mAh. There is no wireless charging.

Kickstand Returns

The official style cover (XQZ-CBGH) now includes a kickstand that was removed in the official 10 VII cover. Not sure why Sony removed it in the 10 VII.

The design of the case is similar to the Xperia 1 VIII case, including a similar attachment point for a lanyard.

Higher Price

I would accept the minimal technical changes if the price stayed the same, but Sony decided to increase the price to €599/£549 this year. This is an increase of €150/£150, or around 33%. In Poland for example the price increase is 800 PLN for the new model, which is actually more than the €150 increase. Pretty outrageous. The lack of LE Audio support is also a letdown.

The Sony Asia press release has no mention of the price, and states to check your local site for the price. In Thailand the price is THB 20,490, which is a price increase of 20%, so less than Europe but still pretty significant. No price for Japan is listed, but I would expect a price increase of more than 20%, due to the lower value of the Japanese Yen.

Availability in Europe is slated for mid to late September 2026, select Asian countries in October 2026, and Japan in mid September 2026.

So is the new model worth the price increase? No, not the higher price. If anyone is still eager to pick up the new 10 VIII, wait for sales or look for discount codes for the Sony website. Sony will be offering a pre-order bonus most likely, but depending on what they offer, it may still not offset the higher price.