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This year was quite good when it comes to compact phone offerings. We’ve seen rather compelling high-end compact devices out there. In this article, we’ll compare two of them, the Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V. Both of these are flagship-grade phones, and yet they’re quite compact. They may not be small, but if you hate navigating huge devices, these two will be a great change, that’s for sure.
The two of them arrived in October and September this year, respectively. They do look entirely different, and feel different in the hand as well. Their specs are also not that similar, so this should be a fairly interesting comparison. We’ll kick things off with the specs, and move to a number of other categories after that. Let’s get this party on the road, shall we?
Specs
Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V, respectively
– Screen size:
6.2-inch Actua AMOLED display (120Hz LTPS, HDR10+, 2,000 nits max)
6.1-inch OLED display (120Hz, 1B colors, HDR10)
– Display resolution:
2400 x 1080
2520 x 1080
– SoC:
Google Tensor G3
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
– RAM:
8GB (LPDDR5X)
8GB
– Storage:
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
128GB/256GB (UFS 3.1)
– Rear cameras:
50MP (f/1.68 aperture, 82-degree FoV, 1.2um pixel size), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, 1.25um pixel size, 125.8-degree FoV)
48MP (wide, f/1.9 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS), 12MP (ultrawide, f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF)
– Front cameras:
10.5MP (f/2.2 aperture, 1.22um pixel size)
12MP (f/2.0 aperture, 1.25um pixel size)
– Battery:
4,575mAh
5,000mAh
– Charging:
27W wired, 18W wireless, 5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
30W wired, 15W wireless, 5W reverse wireless (charger not included)
– Dimensions:
150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9mm
154 x 68 x 8.6mm
– Weight:
187 grams
182 grams
– Connectivity:
5G, LTE, NFC, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C, Bluetooth 5.3
– Security:
In-display fingerprint scanner (optical) & facial scanning
Side-facing fingerprint scanner
– OS:
Android 14
Android 13
– Price:
$699+
$849.99+
– Buy:
Best Buy
Amazon
Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Design
The moment you look at these two devices, you’ll realize how different they are. The Xperia 5 V is taller and narrower, due to a different display aspect ratio. Its bezels are also slightly thicker at the top and bottom, for a good reason though. The Sony Xperia 5 V doesn’t include a display camera hole or notch, unlike the Google Pixel 8. Google’s handset has a centered display camera hole up top.
Both smartphones have two cameras on the back, but those setups look entirely different. The Pixel 8 has an entire camera visor on the back, a horizontal one, of course. That visor is covered by metal. The Xperia 5 V has a more regular-looking camera island in the top-left corner, and its cameras are vertically aligned. The sides of the Xperia 5 V are also flat, which is not the case on the Pixel 8, not at all.
The Google Pixel 8 is slightly heavier in comparison, at 187 grams, compared to 182 grams. Both smartphones are IP68 certified for water and dust resistance, which is always nice to see. They are also quite slippery, which is not surprising considering the metal and glass built. In comparison, though, the Pixel 8 is definitely more slippery. The Xperia 5 V also has a dedicated camera shutter button on the right-hand side. Both smartphones do feel premium in the hand, but very different too.
Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Display
The Google Pixel 8 includes a 6.2-inch fullHD+ (2400 x 1080) OLED panel. That display is flat, and it supports a 120Hz refresh rate. HDR10+ content is also supported, and the peak brightness of this panel is 2,000 nits. The display aspect ratio here is 20:9, and the Gorilla Glass Victus protects the display. We’re looking at an 85.5-percent screen-to-body ratio on the Pixel 8.
The Sony Xperia 5 V, on the flip side, has a 6.1-inch fullHD+ (2520 x 1080) OLED panel. That display can project up to 1 billion colors, and it’s a 120Hz panel. HDR10 content is supported here, and the display aspect ratio is 21:9. The screen-to-body ratio on the Xperia 5 V is 83 percent. This display is also flat, and it’s protected by the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
Both of these displays are more than sharp enough, and offer great viewing angles. They also have vivid colors, and deep blacks. The Pixel 8 does have one advantage, though, its brightness. It does get a bit brighter than the Xperia 5 V’s panel, which is something you can notice if you hold them side-by-side in direct sunlight. The Xperia 5 V’s display is not dim at all, though, so… chances are you’ll be happy with either panel.
Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Performance
There is the Google Tensor G3 processor included inside the Pixel 8. In addition to that, Google also included 8GB of LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 fuels the Xperia 5 V, while Sony included 8GB of RAM and UFS 3.1 flash storage. We’re not sure what RAM was used inside the Xperia 5 V, but it was hopefully LPDDR5X as well, just like in the Pixel 8.
Both phones are well-equipped from the performance hardware standpoint, but neither offers the most powerful hardware at this point in time. The Tensor G3 SoC has proven to be great for AI, but it’s nowhere near as powerful as some offerings from Qualcomm. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is still a great chip, but it has been succeeded by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The thing is, none of that matters, as both of these phones perform admirably.
Google arguably has some of the best-designed UIs, and Sony didn’t stray far from it. Sony sticks close to stock Android while adding some of its own features. Both phones are buttery smooth when it comes to performance. That goes for basically anything you throw at them. There are faster phones out there, for sure, but the difference is not that big. Even when it comes to gaming, they both perform well, though the Xperia 5 V is the better choice for graphically-demanding games, that’s for sure. And yes, they both do get quite warm during longer gaming sessions, though not too hot to handle.
Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Battery
A 4,575mAh battery sits inside the Google Pixel 8, while a 5,000mAh battery is used inside the Sony Xperia 5 V. A bigger battery pack doesn’t necessarily mean better battery life, but in this case, it does. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is also a more power efficient SoC, not to mention that the Xperia 5 V has a slightly smaller display. All that plays a part in the actual battery life, along with software optimization, of course.
Having said that, getting over the 8-hour screen-on-time mark doesn’t seem to be a problem with the Xperia 5 V. Well, if you don’t push the phone too much with games, and you actually have a decent signal quality, that is. Under those same circumstances, the Google Pixel 8 provides around 6.5-7 hours of screen-on-time. Your mileage may vary, of course, as is always the case with battery life. This should give you a general idea of what to expect, though.
When it comes to charging, they’re quite similar… in terms of charging speed, that is. The Pixel 8 supports 27W wired charging, 18W wireless charging, and 5W reverse charging. Both wireless charging and reverse wireless charging are the same on the Xperia 5 V, while 30W wired charging is supported. One thing to note is that neither of these two phones comes with a charger.
Google Pixel 8 vs Sony Xperia 5 V: Cameras
There is a 50-megapixel main camera on the Pixel 8, in addition to a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera (126-degree FoV). The Sony Xperia 5 V also has two cameras on the back. A 48-megapixel main camera is backed by a 12-megapixel ultrawide unit. The main camera setups are quite different in comparison. Google is using one of Samsung’s best camera sensors, while Sony went with its own stacked design.
The good news is, despite the differences in the camera hardware, and considerable differences in processing, both smartphones capture outstanding photos. Those photos tend to be different due to different styles, but they’re great nonetheless, in basically all scenarios. Both smartphones capture sharp and detailed images during the day, and handle HDR conditions with grace. The Pixel 8 images do tend to look a bit more contrasty and processed, but in a good way. It’s all a matter of preference. Pictures from both smartphones pop, though, which is good. Even their ultrawide cameras do a great job in daytime conditions.
In low light, not many things change, as neither phone fails this test. They both tend to brighten up scenes in low light, of course, though Pixel 8 pushes things a bit further in that regard. They do manage to keep plenty of detail, and expose the scenes properly. Even their ultrawide cameras do a good job, even though they’re a step below the main shooters. We don’t really have complaints here, both smartphones do the job well in the camera department. The same goes for video, actually.
Audio
What about the audio? Well, both of them do have stereo speakers included. When it comes to loudness, they’re basically on par. We did prefer the output from the Xperia 5 V, as the speakers seem to be a bit better balanced. Both phones do offer good sound output, though.
If you need an audio jack on your phone, the Xperia 5 V is the phone for you, as the Pixel 8 doesn’t have it. You can always utilize its Type-C port, though. As far as wireless audio goes, both smartphones are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3.