Sony Xperia 5 Review

The Sony Xperia 5 is the latest flagship smartphone from the company. It has a notch-free display and 120Hz support. This means you can scroll through apps without any lag. In addition, the Xperia UI supports X1 upscaling for videos, even low-resolution ones.

Battery size

The Sony Xperia 5 features a 3,140mAh battery, smaller than the Xperia 1. This is a 6% reduction in capacity. In addition, the phone’s display is also smaller, reducing the battery’s capacity. The battery size is comparable to that of the Samsung Galaxy S10e, which has a bigger battery but a smaller display.

While the Sony Xperia 5 II ships with Android 10, the phone was updated to Android 11. Sony typically provides two years of major updates to its flagship phones, meaning that if Android 12 comes out in two years, you will be done with updates. This policy is less than ideal, especially for Samsung, which offers three years of major updates.

Display quality

The display quality of the Sony Xperia 5 is not quite as impressive as that of the flagship Xperia 1. The Xperia 5’s display is just a bit below Full HD+, but the phone’s CinemaWide OLED screen makes up for that. The resolution is a reasonable 2,520 x 1,080, but it still doesn’t measure up to the 4K resolution of the Xperia 1. Sony’s Bravia X1 enhancement technology makes the screen support HDR content. Despite this, the display still does not reach the ultra-brightness of the iPhone 11 Pro.

Overall, the Sony Xperia 5 is an excellent phone. Its camera is better than the Xperia 1, and the hardware is more advanced. However, the phone’s price – $799 in the US – is not the best value for money. You’ll likely get better value with a phone like the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro. However, if you’re a Sony fan or a video enthusiast, you should give the Xperia 5 a try. Its overall performance and imaging expertise are solid, and the screen is a huge plus.

Camera system

The camera system on the Sony Xperia 5 is impressive, thanks to a triple camera setup. In addition to a regular wide-angle camera, the Xperia 5 has an ultra-wide angle module and a short telephoto camera with a 2x zoom. Furthermore, both cameras have a large sensor to capture details in various situations.

The camera system on the Sony Xperia 5 is based on Sony’s professional film camera series, so it is designed to mimic the tools of a Hollywood director. It offers a host of manual controls, settings, and individual adjustments. It can also record video in 21:9 aspect ratio and 4K HDR.

Dynamic Vibration

Dynamic Vibration is a unique feature on Sony phones, which is essentially a vibrating system that reacts to the media you’re listening to. It works through haptic motors to make the audio more immersive. However, it can sometimes be a bit strange to use, especially for people who aren’t used to such a feature. Other features of the phone include water protection and an IP65/68 level.

The display on Sony Xperia 5 is very sharp, which is impressive for a small phone. The resolution is good enough for watching movies and TV shows, and the dynamic refresh rate is 120 Hertz, which keeps the movement smooth and crisp. Of course, you can disable dynamic refresh rate switching if you’re not a big fan of LTPO technology.

Design

The Xperia 5 is the fourth generation of Sony’s flagship smartphone. It was developed with the engineers behind its Alpha 9 series cameras. The cameras are known for their fast autofocus, and the designers consulted with professional photographers to ensure the camera is up to par. The camera includes fast AF on all three lenses and object tracking technology.

The Xperia 5 sports a large camera array on the back. It also has a SIM tray on the phone’s left side and a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top. Its physical buttons include the volume rocker, fingerprint scanner, power button, and a dedicated camera. The smartphone’s design is surprisingly thin compared to some of its rivals.