Normally, the launch of a new smartphone is not particularly noteworthy—but the new Sony Xperia 1 VIII is a different story.
What makes it stand out is actually a feature that many major smartphone manufacturers abandoned long ago in their flagship devices: a simple 3.5 mm headphone jack. And yes—the new Sony Xperia 1 VIII still includes one. It may seem slightly absurd that this qualifies as news in 2026, but here we are.
For AV enthusiasts, the smartphone has plenty more to offer. In addition to the physical headphone connection, there is a more-than-Full-HD OLED display (1080 x 2340 pixels), tuned by Sony’s Bravia division. The panel supports refresh rates up to 120 Hz, making it suitable for gaming as well.
Like most modern smartphones, AI also plays a role here, including features such as a smart camera assistant. Fortunately, if you would rather not have AI offering creative advice on your photography, those functions can be disabled.
The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, paired with 12 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage in the standard €1,499 model. There is also a Gold edition—although not available in all countries—offering 1 TB of storage and 16 GB of RAM for €1,999.