Sony Xperia 1 VIII 5G launched— Sony has expanded its premium smartphone series by launching *Sony Xperia 1 VIII 5G* globally. The handset is now available for pre-order in select markets. This time the company has left the old design and introduced a new *square shape camera module* on the rear panel. The device has Qualcomm’s most powerful *Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5* processor and massive RAM up to 16GB.

Sony Xperia 1 VIII 5G launched: Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 48MP telephoto camera, know price and features

Price and availability: Knocking into the premium segment

Sony Xperia 1 VIII has been launched in four attractive colors – *Garnet Red, Graphite Black, Iolite Silver and Native Gold*. Its starting price in Europe has been kept at *€1,499 (approximately Rs 1,68,300)*. At the same time, its most premium ‘Navit Gold’ edition with 16GB RAM and 1TB storage has been introduced for *€1,999 (approximately Rs 2,24,440)*.

Changed design and powerful camera setup

This time Sony has removed its signature vertical camera strip and replaced it with a square module. The Xperia 1 VIII gets a triple 48MP rear camera setup, which includes the main sensor, an ultra-wide, and an upgraded telephoto lens. The new telephoto sensor is *4 times larger (1/1.56-inch)* than the previous model, ensuring stunning zoom photography even in low light. A *12MP* camera is provided in the front for selfie.

Display and performance: What’s special?

The phone has a *6.5-inch FHD+ OLED* display, which supports 120Hz refresh rate. This time too, Sony has retained the *3.5mm headphone jack* and microSD card slot, which is rare in flagship phones these days. To power the device, a *5,000mAh* battery is provided, which supports 30W wired charging and wireless charging. This phone comes with *IP68 rating*, which makes it safe from dust and water.