Sony’s Compact Xperia 10 VIII Returns With a Brighter Screen and a Higher Price

Sony announced the Xperia 10 VIII today, describing it as a practical everyday smartphone intended for ease of use. The handset, available in Frozen White, Frosted Gray, and Misty Lilac, retains the compact 6.1-inch form factor that longstanding Xperia buyers expect while adding a few targeted tweaks and a somewhat higher asking price.

It measures 153 by 72 by 8.3 millimeters and weighs only 168 grams, making it easy to carry with one hand. Under that, you’ll find a plastic frame and back slapped up against a glass front covered in some of the hardest glass available, specifically Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Oh, and it is water and dust proof, having IP65 and IP68 classifications. Stereo speakers sit proudly at the top and bottom of the bezel, the power button has been tucked neatly into the side of the phone rather than on the back, and there’s a camera shutter button on the right hand side (which is useful for when you need it), as well as a 3.5 mm headphone jack. You can also use a microSD card to enhance your storage, but keep in mind that it shares a tray with one of the SIM cards. This all adds up to the kind of practical touches that distinguish the Xperia 10 series from some of the newer midrange phones on the market, which have been scaling back on these features.

The screen remains a fairly comfortable 6.1 inches, and the panel is a gorgeous Full HD+ OLED at 120 Hz. Sony claims that the new panel produces around 50% more peak brightness than the old one, with auto color correction based on the light around you. This, in theory, implies improved visibility in the great outdoors for things like maps, videos, and texting, and the glass is again protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Under the hood, you’ll find the same old Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 CPU that has been keeping things running for the past year or so, paired with 8 GB of RAM that can also cherry pick from your storage to offer you some more virtual RAM. You’ll start with 128 GB of storage, but you can expand it as needed. Android 16 is available out of the box, with the promise of four major OS upgrades and six years of security fixes to keep things secure for years to come. Unless you’re doing something particularly demanding, it should feel similar to the previous version, albeit slightly faster.

The camera hardware is identical to the last one, which means a 50-megapixel main sensor with optical image stabilization and a 13-megapixel ultra-wide. There’s also a 48 mm equivalent ‘tele’ lens for added zoom, as well as an 8-megapixel selfie camera on the front. Sony also claims that some software upgrades will help with dynamic range and noise reduction, however the camera hardware remains similar. All of this should come as a breath of fresh air for when you need to turn up the quality a notch, and don’t forget that video on the phone’s back can reach 4K at 30 frames per second.

A 5,000 mAh battery powers this phone, and Sony claims it may last up to two days on the road, thanks to the typical everyday mix of activity and sitting around waiting for something to happen. The phone can then be charged with up to 30 watts using an old-fashioned cable charger. Another aspect Sony emphasizes is that this battery is built to endure a beating; after four years of normal use, it should still fly. Those charging cycles won’t catch up with it anytime soon. The 3.5mm jack stays unchanged, so you’re able to continue using your wired headphones without the need for a complicated adapter.

A new shortcut on the power button, a double push, opens the Rewards & Pay menu, allowing you to quickly find the payment and reward apps you use the most. The goal is to make day-to-day transactions easier. If you live in the United Kingdom or Europe, you may expect to pay £549 and €599, respectively. Unfortunately, that is a bit more than the previous model; we’re talking a £150-£150 price increase here. Anyway, you can expect to get your hands on this phone between mid and late September 2026. One small drawback is that there will be no official US release.