Sony Xperia 1 VII Flexes Snapdragon In Benchmark Leak Ahead Of Rumored Launch Date
Sony is looking to chase its top-of-the-line Xperia 1 VI smartphone with a successor, just in time for summer. The new phone will contain upgrades such as a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor and improved cameras. However, if the following Geekbench leak is anything to go by, Sony could either be seriously nerfing its upcoming flagship performance-wise OR, more troublingly, that the phone is not properly optimized.
Rumors and factual proof (such as the recent FCC certification) are pointing to Sony announcing the Xperia 1 VII as soon as this month, yet that hasn't stopped some folks from revealing early Geekbench 6 performance scores. So far, two versions of the phone—XQ-FS54 (for the Europe and UK markets) and XQ-FS72 (China and Hong Kong markets)—both sporting Snapdragon 8 Elite processors have been scored, and honestly, the results are somewhat concerning.
Second Xperia 1 VII benchmark, this time XQ-FS72. Rather low multi-core score. #sony #xperia #xperiaviihttps://t.co/FWqPxhrjIY pic.twitter.com/Hi1wahZvro
— The Walkman Blog (@przemyslis) May 1, 2025
Vigilant readers familiar with Snapdragon 8 Elite performance would notice immediately how low the 2,360 single-core and 5,842 multi-scores (assuming they're real) are compared to other phones with the same chipset. For instance, the OnePlus 13 averages 2,995 (SC) and 9,143 (MC), while the Poco F7 Ultra comes in at 2,841 (SC) and 8,373 (MC). Sure, raw numbers only tell part of the whole picture, but the huge variance, especially for multi-core, truly stands out. Does this mean that the Sony will struggle with multi-tasking or sustained performance like gaming? Perhaps, but this could also just the be the result of early testing and not indicative of final performance.
Superficially, the Xperia 1 VII is expected to be a near clone of the VI. Same 6.5-inch AMOLED display, 12GB RAM, 5,000mAh battery, and nearly the same dimensions at. 162 x 74.5 x 8.5 mm (0.3mm thicker). The camera array should be getting some upgrades, although the specifics elude us so far. It's believed that the main cam will be a 48-megapixel unit with OIS, paired with a 12MP ultra-wide, 12MP periscope (with 70-200 mm equivalent focal length), and a 12MP front shooter.
Sony is planning to launch the phone on May 17 with global availability possibly in July. Pricing ought to be typical Sony: high and somewhat out of touch with the rest of the competition. With its mobile division constantly struggling to stay relevant, we can only hope that Sony alters its strategy to bring MSRPs more inline with other flagships.
Photo credit: OnLeaks via Xpertpick.com
