Sony Xperia 5 III Deals - August 2026
1 refurbished deal available - SIM-free from £499.00.
Sony Xperia 5 III 256GB deals
The Sony Xperia 5 III is in our catalog but no UK retailer currently stocks it.
Expert reviews
3.9
(5)
Color
All
Black
Storage
All
256GB
Camera enthusiasts and one-handed-phone holdouts who want manual controls, real optical zoom flexibility, a headphone jack and expandable storage, and who accept that the guaranteed software support window has ended.
Sony Xperia 5 III SIM Free (1 deals)
Filters
Grade B
5G
Xperia 5 III 256GB (Black)
Cost breakdown
Cashback:
£0.00
Upfront Cost:
£499.00
About the Sony Xperia 5 III
The Xperia 5 III was Sony's answer to a question almost nobody else was asking in 2021: what if a flagship stayed genuinely narrow and one-handed? The 21:9 shape means it is far easier to grip than the 6.1-inch screen size suggests, and Sony packed in the things enthusiasts kept asking rivals for, including a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD slot and front-facing stereo speakers. The real party trick is the variable telephoto lens, which physically shifts between 70mm and 105mm rather than cropping, so both portrait and longer reach look natural. Photo Pro and Cinema Pro give you manual control that feels borrowed from Sony's Alpha cameras, though the trade-off is that the point-and-shoot experience is less polished than a Pixel or iPhone of the same era. Battery life from the 4,500mAh cell is solid rather than remarkable and there is no wireless charging. Being a 2021 flagship, it stopped at Android 13 and its guaranteed update window has passed, so treat it as a specialist buy rather than a long-term one.
Expert Rating
3.9
(5 reviews)
Price History
Tracking the best prices since 11 May 2026.
SIM-Free (Refurb)
Lowest price in 30 days (£499)
Sony Xperia 5 III vs Xperia 5 IV - Key Differences
| Feature | Sony Xperia 5 III | Sony Xperia 5 IV |
|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.1-inch OLED, 2520x1080, 120Hz | 6.1-inch OLED, 2520x1080, 120Hz |
| Chipset | Snapdragon 888, 8GB RAM | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, 8GB RAM |
| Battery | 4,500mAh, 30W wired, no wireless charging | 5,000mAh, 30W wired, Qi wireless charging |
| Telephoto camera | 12.2MP variable 70-105mm (3x / 4.4x optical) | 12.2MP fixed 60mm (2.5x optical) |
| Weight | 168 g | 172 g |
| Dimensions | 157 x 68 x 8.2 mm | 156 x 67 x 8.2 mm |
| Software | Launched on Android 11, ended on Android 13 | Launched on Android 12, ended on Android 14 |
| SIM-free price | Not available | From £399.00 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Sony Xperia 5 III worth buying?
It is worth buying if you specifically want a narrow, one-handed flagship with a headphone jack, microSD expansion and manual camera controls, because almost nothing on sale today combines all four. The Snapdragon 888 is still quick enough for everyday use and gaming. The catch is software: it ended on Android 13 and is no longer receiving guaranteed updates, so it suits a secondary or short-term handset better than a five-year phone.
Does the Sony Xperia 5 III have a headphone jack and microSD slot?
Yes to both. It keeps a 3.5mm headphone jack alongside front-facing stereo speakers, and the SIM tray takes a microSDXC card of up to 1TB. That combination is one of the main reasons people still seek this model out.
How good is the Sony Xperia 5 III camera?
It uses three 12.2MP Zeiss-branded lenses at 16mm ultra-wide, 24mm wide and a variable 70-105mm telephoto that gives true 3x and 4.4x optical zoom rather than a digital crop. Detail and colour are excellent when you use the Photo Pro app and set exposure yourself. Straight-out-of-the-box auto shots, especially at night, are less consistent than Google or Apple phones from the same year.
Does the Sony Xperia 5 III support wireless charging?
No. Wireless charging was reserved for the larger Xperia 1 III that year. The Xperia 5 III charges over USB-C at up to 30W using USB Power Delivery, and Sony's adaptive charging settings are designed to limit long-term battery wear.
Is the Sony Xperia 5 III waterproof?
It carries IP65 and IP68 ratings, so it is protected against dust, low-pressure water jets and immersion in fresh water. Rain, spills and a brief accidental dunk are not a problem, but Sony does not cover water damage under warranty.
Should I get the Sony Xperia 5 III or the Xperia 5 IV?
Both are 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED compacts with a headphone jack and microSD, so the shape and feel are near identical. The Xperia 5 IV moves to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, adds a larger 5,000mAh battery and Qi wireless charging, and reached Android 14, but it swaps the variable 70-105mm telephoto for a fixed 60mm 2.5x lens. Pick the III for the more flexible zoom, or the IV for better endurance and a longer software life.
Sony Xperia 5 III Specifications
General
Dimensions
157 x 68 x 8.2
Weight
168 g
SIM
· Nano-SIM
Operating System
Android 11, up to Android 13
Colours
Radio
No
Body
Black, Green, Pink
Camera
Primary Camera Megapixels
12
Primary Camera
12 , f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Primary Camera Video
4K@24/25/30/60/120fs HDR, 1080@30/60/120fs; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS
Second Camera
12 , f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Third Camera
12 , f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
Selfie Camera Features
HDR
Primary Selfie Camera
8 , f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm
Video Resolution
2160
Selfie Video Resolution
1080@30fs, 5-axis gyro-EIS
Display
Type
OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020
Display Size
6.1
Display Resolution
1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density)
Display Protection
Corning Gorilla Glass 6
CPU & Memory
Chipset
Snapdragon 888 5G
GPU
Adreno 660
CPU
Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-X1 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Memory Card Slot
microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)
Internal Storage
Sound
Loudspeaker
Yes, with stereo speakers
3.5mm Jack
Yes
Connectivity & Data
2G
GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G
HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100
4G
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71 - USA
5G
1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - USA
Network Speed
HSPA, LTE, 5G
Network Technology
GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA
Bluetooth
5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive
USB
USB Type-C 3.1, OTG, video output
NFC
Yes
GPS
GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS
Battery
Battery
4500
Charging
Wired, PD, 50% in 30 min
Other
Sensors
Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass