Between the iPhone 16 and Xperia 1 VII, the iPhone 16 comes out ahead in weight / promised os updates, while the Xperia 1 VII wins on refresh rate / ram. Overall, the iPhone 16 scores 57.4 and the Xperia 1 VII scores 67.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Xperia 1 VII is the clear pick on raw spec strength, leading by 10.3 points on the Mars Score. The margin is wide enough that the underdog only makes sense if its individual strengths line up with what you specifically need.
Pick the iPhone 16 if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. The biggest gaps in its favor are weight, promised os updates.
Pick the Xperia 1 VII if the display is what you stare at all day — refresh rate, brightness, or sharpness is where the difference will be most visible. Its strongest claims are refresh rate, ram, wired charging, among others.
Both ship with comparable main camera, 5g support, water resistance, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: the Xperia 1 VII is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Why Apple - iPhone 16 wins
- ▲Weight — 22.00 g less. 170 vs 192.
- ▲Promised OS updates: 5 (vs 4).
Why Sony - Xperia 1 VII wins
- ▲Refresh rate — 100.00% more. 120 Hz vs 60 Hz.
- ▲RAM — 50.00% more. 12 GB vs 8 GB.
- ▲Wired charging — 50.00% more. 30 W vs 20 W.
- ▲Battery capacity — 40.41% more. 5000 mAh vs 3561 mAh.
- ▲Pixel density — 39.78% more. 643 ppi vs 460 ppi.
- ▲AnTuTu — 28.40% more. 2080000 vs 1620000.
- ▲Screen size — 6.56% more. 6.5 " vs 6.1 ".
- ▲Has Headphone jack.
Spec comparison
Design
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 170 glead | 192 g |
| Thickness | 7.8 mmlead | 8.2 mm |
| Water resistanceⓘ | IP68 | IP68 |
| Form factor | bar | bar |
Display
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Screen sizeⓘ | 6.1 " | 6.5 "lead |
| Pixel densityⓘ | 460 ppi | 643 ppilead |
| Refresh rateⓘ | 60 Hz | 120 Hzlead |
| Peak brightnessⓘ | 2000 nitslead | 1800 nits |
Performance
Cameras
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Main cameraⓘ | 48 MP | 48 MP |
| Front camera | 12 MP | 12 MP |
| Optical image stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| Battery capacity | 3561 mAh | 5000 mAhlead |
| Wired chargingⓘ | 20 W | 30 Wlead |
| Wireless chargingⓘ | 15 W | 15 W |
Connectivity
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| 5G supportⓘ | true | true |
| Headphone jack | false | truelead |
| microSD slot | false | truelead |
Operating System
| Spec | Apple - iPhone 16 | Sony - Xperia 1 VII |
|---|---|---|
| OS | iOSlead | Android |
| Promised OS updates | 5 yearslead | 4 years |
Frequently asked
Which has better battery, iPhone 16 or Xperia 1 VII?+
Xperia 1 VII has 40.4% more battery — 3561 mAh vs 5000 mAh.
Which is lighter, iPhone 16 or Xperia 1 VII?+
iPhone 16 is 22g lighter — 170g vs 192g.
Is iPhone 16 waterproof?+
iPhone 16 has an IP68 rating.
Does Xperia 1 VII support 5G?+
Yes, Xperia 1 VII supports 5G.
Which has more RAM, iPhone 16 or Xperia 1 VII?+
Xperia 1 VII offers 12GB of RAM.
Which has a better camera, iPhone 16 or Xperia 1 VII?+
Xperia 1 VII has a 48 MP main camera vs 48 MP.
Spec-level deep dives
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