As promised, Sony has launched its latest compact flagship called the Sony Xperia 5 V. Unlike previous Sony phones infamous for their late availability, this one is set to go for sale later this month.
It is somewhat of a compact phone with a 6.1-inch 1080p OLED panel with support for a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and Sony’s iconic 21:9 narrow aspect ratio. We say “somewhat of a compact phone” because it is still noticeably bigger than some other small phones like the Asus Zenfone or the late iPhone Mini.
As always, it has conventional bezels at the top and bottom and a duo of front-firing speakers. Although the phone has gained 11 grams and a slightly increased thickness, it remains marginally shorter than its predecessor. Transitioning from the Xperia 1 V, the Xperia 5 V offers a pleasantly compact feel.
On the inside, it is powered by Qualcomm’s current most powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC paired with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB storage, which is expandable through a microSD card.
For software, the phone will boot Android 13 out of the box.
Sony has opted for a dual-camera setup instead of the previous triple-camera arrangement, but the new configuration features a significantly more capable sensor. The Xperia 5 V shares the same impressive 1/1.35-inch 52MP main sensor as the top-end Xperia 1 V.
The enhanced sensor size and bright optics translate to improved light capture, particularly when opting for the 2x zoom setting (equivalent to 48mm focal length). This yields better light-gathering capabilities compared to the telephoto camera on the Xperia 5 IV.
The second camera in the setup is a 12MP 1/2.5-inch ultrawide lens with a focal length of 16mm, resembling the camera used in both the Xperia 1 V and the previous year’s Xperia 5 IV. This camera boasts dual-pixel autofocus technology.
On the front, a 12MP 1/2.9-inch camera continues to handle selfies for another year.
The battery capacity remains unchanged at 5,000 mAh, yet we anticipate improved battery life from the Xperia 5 V, courtesy of the upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC. Sony asserts that you can achieve a 50% charge in just 30 minutes using their 30W charger (available separately).
Sony Xperia 5 V is set to hit the stores in late September at a starting price of €999.