Sony launches its premium Xperia 1 VIII in Malaysia, featuring a larger telephoto sensor, AI camera assistance, and retro elements like a 3.5mm jack, priced at RM6,499 amidst a competitive flagship market.
Sony’s Xperia 1 VIII has arrived in Malaysia at RM6,499, placing it firmly in the ultra-premium bracket and squarely in competition with the most expensive mainstream flagships. According to Sony Malaysia, the phone is built around Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform and is pitched at users who care more about camera control, audio quality and manual operation than about foldable designs or flashy software tricks.
The biggest hardware change is in the telephoto system. Sony says the new 1/1.56-inch sensor is four times larger than the one used before, a substantial jump for a zoom camera and one that should improve low-light performance and subject detail. The device keeps its triple-camera approach, and Sony pairs the optics with an AI Camera Assistant powered by Xperia Intelligence, which analyses the scene and suggests lenses, tones and background blur settings. TechRadar reported that the design has also changed, moving to a square camera block with a metal housing that wraps around the left edge, while the phone comes in four gemstone-inspired colours.
On the hardware side, the Xperia 1 VIII uses a 6.5-inch OLED display, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a 5,000mAh battery, according to listings from PhoneArena and Notebookcheck. Both also say the handset supports microSD expansion up to 2TB, runs Android 16 and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack, IP68 resistance and a 12-megapixel front camera. Those are unusual additions at this price, especially the headphone jack and expandable storage, which Sony has kept while rivals have largely abandoned them.
Sony is also using launch incentives to soften the blow of the price tag. The company says Malaysian pre-orders include a bundle worth RM1,784, made up of the WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds and a Style Cover with a built-in stand. For buyers who value traditional camera controls, strong wired audio support and a more specialist imaging experience, the Xperia 1 VIII looks like a deliberate, if expensive, alternative to the broader flagship market.
Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only. Readers are advised to exercise their own judgement, conduct due diligence, or consult a qualified expert before acting on any information provided.
