Sony Launches Xperia 1 VIII in Malaysia at RM6,499 with AI Camera Assistant and Larger Telephoto Sensor

Sony has finally launched the Xperia 1 VIII in Malaysia, priced at RM6,499 and available for order now. Early bird purchases come with a complimentary WF-1000XM6 and Style Cover with Stand, together worth RM1,784.

The design moves away from the previous generation’s aesthetic with a new ORE design approach, inspired by natural textures and raw gemstone colour references. Four options are available: Graphite Black, Iolite Silver, Garnet Red and Native Gold.

The sides, back and overall body have been treated with a newly developed processing for a unified look, with surface textures that improve grip. The dedicated physical camera shutter button and 3.5mm headphone jack of previous Xperia phones make a return here as well.

Performance is handled by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which Sony says delivers a 20% improvement in processing speed over the previous generation. Battery life is rated at up to two days of use and Sony promises four years of battery retention. Processing Optimization has also been extended to map applications, which are among the more power-hungry everyday use cases.

The speaker system has been redesigned for improved stereo symmetry, producing deeper bass and more extended high frequencies alongside a wider soundstage.

The headline camera upgrade is a new 1/1.56-inch telephoto sensor, approximately four times larger than the one used in the Xperia 1 VII, covering the 70mm equivalent focal length. All three cameras, spanning 16mm, 24mm and 70mm equivalents, now apply RAW multi-frame processing across every lens, expanding dynamic range and reducing noise simultaneously in low-light conditions. Sony claims low-light performance across all three focal lengths is comparable to a full-frame sensor in terms of noise and dynamic range.

New to this generation is the AI Camera Assistant, powered by what Sony calls Xperia Intelligence. Pointing the camera at a subject triggers automatic scene recognition that combines subject type, weather conditions and other factors to suggest colour tones, lens options and bokeh expressions in real time.

The suggestions draw from Sony’s Creative Look profiles, the same imaging philosophy behind the Alpha camera lineup, and can be applied with a single tap.

An optional translucent case designed to complement the ORE aesthetic is available separately, featuring a built-in stand for both vertical and horizontal viewing and yellowing-resistant material.

The Sony Xperia 1 VIII is now available at RM6,499 with early bird purchases receiving a complimentary WF-1000XM6 and Style Cover with Stand worth a total of RM1,784.