Sony is not a dominant player in the Android smartphone ecosystem. This is despite the company’s imaging division supplying camera sensors and other components for thebest Android phones. Nonetheless, Sony has not given up on its smartphone division, as it keeps releasing a new Xperia flagship yearly. Even with high-end specs and a headphone jack, 2022’sXperia 5 IVfelt a few years late. For 2023, the company is back with its new flagship phone, the Xperia 5 V, packing a next-gen Exmor T camera sensor and an FHD+ 120Hz OLED display.
The 52MP Exmor T primary camera with an effective resolution of 48MP is not new, though. Sony first used the sensor on theXperia 1 V. The only significant change here is that the Japanese company now uses the primary shooter to offer 2x zoom and has ditched the telephoto camera altogether. Paired with this is a 12MP ultra-wide shooter with a 16mm lens. While theGalaxy S23 Ultraand theGoogle Pixel 7 Prowill trump Sony’s offering in the zoom range, the phone should still hold its own in other scenarios.
Alongside the impressive camera hardware, the Xperia 5 V ships with a new Video Creator app. It can automatically create a short clip worthy of sharing on social media based on your selected photos and videos. To attract vloggers, the Xperia 5 V has a dedicated video recording mic, enabling it to capture your voice in crystal clear quality.
Sony Xperia 5 V
The Sony Xperia 5 V packs all the features you want from a flagship Android phone: an impressive camera array consisting of a 52MP primary shooter and a 12MP ultra-wide, a big 5,000mAh battery, front-facing stereo speakers, and more. What’s impressive is that it has a compact form factor, thanks to its 6.1-inch display.
Powering the Xperia 5 V is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, and you get 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and a microSD card slot for further expansion. And like other Sony flagships, this one, too, has a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone also retains its compact dimensions, with a 6.1-inch FHD+ HDR OLED screen. But unlike the best Android phones, the panel does not appear to support variable refresh rates, which is a shame.
The Xperia 5 V is heavier and thicker than its predecessor, but given its compact dimensions, this should not be too big of a concern.
Impressively, Sony has managed to fit a 5,000mAh battery inside the Xperia 5 V. Charging speed is relatively uninspiring at 30W, with a 50% top-up coming in 30 minutes. Thanks to reduced power consumption, the Japanese company says its newest phone should last longer than its previous flagship phone. There’s also wireless charging for added convenience.
The Sony Xperia 5 V will go on sale in late September for €999 in Europe and £849 in the UK.
