Sony’s smartphones have a specialised focus on photo and video, but this causes them to lack in mainstream appeal. On top of that, these phones are more costly than even the highest-end iPhones. The latest Xperia 1 V still follows this trend, being priced at $1,399, which is $200 less than the previous model, but it is still costly. In the UK and Europe, the price remains the same, sitting at £1,299 and €1,399 respectively.

The Xperia 1 V has plenty of desirable qualities and some extraordinary characteristics that are not always available on top-of-the-line smartphones, however it may not be the best fit for everyone.

Design and Display

The Xperia 1 V has a distinctively tall and slender profile that is easily identifiable as a Sony phone. When I first picked it up, I was impressed by how well it fit in my hand and how lightweight it was. The back is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus but it does not feel or look like glass. Together with the textured pattern on the aluminium frame, the phone has a robust and sophisticated look that is unlikely to slip from the user’s grip. Additionally, the finish is resistant to fingerprints.

At the top of the phone, there is a 3.5-mm headphone jack, which is not common among today’s flagships. All the buttons are found on the right side, with the power button serving double duty as a fingerprint sensor and a camera shutter button. You can open a flap at the bottom to access the SIM tray and a microSD card slot, which is another rarity in modern top-end phones. This allows for expansion of the 256 GB of internal storage. The Xperia 1 V also has an IP65/IP68 rating, meaning it is able to withstand water submersion and rain.

The side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the Xperia 1 V is prone to being accidentally triggered when placing the phone in and out of one’s pocket. Additionally, the phone’s height can make it difficult to pull down the notification shade with a single hand. To counteract these issues, Sony has implemented Side Sense, a customisable feature that allows users to access all their apps and settings with just their thumb.

The 6.5-inch OLED screen is the star of the show, featuring a 4K resolution, HDR10 support, and a 120-Hz refresh rate. Sony has maintained the 21:9 aspect ratio and installed slim bezels around the top and bottom to make space for the front-facing stereo speakers and the selfie camera. Topping it off, Sony’s Creator Mode picture setting provides true-to-life colours “as the directors intended,” resulting in a top-notch movie-watching experience on a smartphone. When not watching a movie, it’s recommended to switch off Creator Mode and opt for the brighter, more vibrant Standard Mode, as the picture can appear a bit washed out otherwise. Although the brightness isn’t the highest, the display is still visible when exposed to direct sunlight.

Processor and Battery

I experienced a worrying moment while setting up the Xperia 1 V, as it suddenly became extremely hot and froze; however, during my two weeks of testing, performance was smooth. It was a relief to discover that the new model did not inherit the overheating issues of its predecessor, the Xperia IV. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, supported by 12 GB of RAM. Although the phone became somewhat warm while shooting video, it never became uncomfortably hot. I tested various games such as Mega Mall Story 2, Real Racing 3, and Kingdom Rush Frontiers for a few hours, and the device stayed cool throughout.

The battery on the Xperia 1 V, boasting a capacity of 5,000 mAh, performed better than expected. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that after a typical day of web browsing, messaging, a few calls, and a few hours of playing games, the battery still had around 50% remaining. This device will undoubtedly last through a hectic day, and you might just get two out of it if you’re lucky. You can get 50% charge in just half an hour, but if you’re starting from zero, it’ll take a full 93 minutes to reach 100%. Plus, it’s compatible with wireless charging.

Camera

Sony is renowned for manufacturing superior camera sensors, but its own phones don’t always live up to the standard. The Xperia 1 V boasts a triple-camera setup that is capable of capturing great images, however, it requires a little bit of know-how when it comes to using the app. It features a 52-MP primary camera, a 12-MP telephoto and a 12-MP ultrawide, while a 12-MP selfie camera is located on the front.

The shots taken from the primary lens are sharp and captivatingly detailed. Sony has opted for a realistic appearance with color accuracy that is truly remarkable. I find the physical shutter button to be rather convenient. By simply squeezing it, it will focus and by pressing it all the way, you can take a photo. It can also be used as a quick way to start the camera application. Although the wide-angle and telephoto lenses are not as detailed as the main lens, they can still be utilized to take photographs of expansive scenes or to focus on subjects that are far away.

By default, the camera app is set to Basic mode; however, there is an additional row of icons that are not explicitly described. If you switch to Auto mode, the app will be able to recognize the scene and choose the necessary settings. If you are experienced, you may opt for Program mode to manage the settings, except for shutter speed. Additionally, you can also choose “shutter speed priority” to capture fast-moving objects or “manual exposure” to control shutter speed and ISO sensitivity.

Experienced photographers or those who have used a Sony camera will find this camera relatively straightforward; however, everyone else should anticipate a period of adaptation. I frequently found myself struggling with the settings, which caused me to miss certain shots. Thankfully, the camera has a convenient recall feature that allows one to save three configurations of settings. Nevertheless, this camera is not very user-friendly. People who just want to point and shoot should look for an alternative.

Sony’s Xperia 1 V offers a Night mode, their first, and it does a reasonable job, yet still needs you to remain still to dodge any blurring. When it is totally dark, you can anticipate lights to be overly bright, and it does not appear to match the top abilities of Samsung and Google. The Portrait mode also appears to be unreliable.

The Photo Pro, Video Pro, and Cinema Pro apps provide granular controls for those who need to livestream or shoot high-quality video. For the majority of users, the Xperia 1 V’s regular video recording capability is sufficient; it can capture up to 4K at 120fps, and the videos I took were of good quality. Videographers may appreciate the option of using the phone as an external monitor, eliminating the need to lug around additional equipment.

The only thing that comes in the box is the phone itself, not even a charging cable. Sony has yet to make any comment about software support (I’ve asked, but haven’t received a response). Most likely, you can expect two Android OS upgrades and three years of security patches. This is not satisfactory for such an expensive phone.

Both Samsung and Google offer five years of security patches, with four and three OS upgrades respectively. This allows users to keep their phones for an extended period. Sony’s software approach is relatively minimal with little bloatware.

The Xperia 1 V’s price tag is a major downside. Most of the devices suggested in our Best Android Phones guide are more affordable. If you watch a lot of films with your phone, enjoy manual camera adjustments, shoot videos frequently, and really need a headphone jack, this device could be a good option. Nevertheless, it is too expensive for the majority of people.