Sony Xperia 5 V: A Compact Flagship with a Huge Camera Upgrade
Sony has announced its latest compact flagship smartphone, the Xperia 5 V, which features a new camera system with a larger main sensor and a powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset.
The Xperia 5 V is the successor to the Xperia 5 IV, which was launched a year ago. The new phone has a similar design and display, but with some notable improvements in the camera and performance departments.
A New Camera System
The most significant change in the Xperia 5 V is the camera system. Sony has dropped the triple camera setup in favor of a dual one, but with a much more capable main sensor than before.
The Xperia 5 V has the same 1/1.35-inch 52MP main sensor as the Xperia 1 V, which is Sony’s flagship phone for this year. This sensor is larger and brighter than the one on the Xperia 5 IV, which means it can capture more light and detail in low-light conditions.
The main camera can output 12MP photos by default, with a 24mm focal length. However, thanks to the increase in sensor size and bright optics, it can also offer a 2x zoom option (effectively 48mm) without losing much quality. This makes up for the lack of a dedicated telephoto camera, which was present on the Xperia 5 IV.
The second camera is a 12MP ultrawide one, with a 16mm focal length. It seems to be the same camera as on the Xperia 1 V and the Xperia 5 IV, and it can also perform dual-pixel autofocus.
The front-facing camera is an 8MP one, which is unchanged from the previous generation.
A Powerful Performance
The Xperia 5 V is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, which is Qualcomm’s latest and most advanced processor for smartphones. It offers faster performance and better efficiency than the Snapdragon 855 that was used in the Xperia 5 IV.
The phone also has 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which can be expanded via a microSD card slot. The battery capacity is the same as before, at 5,000mAh, but Sony claims that it can last longer thanks to the improved chipset. The phone supports 18W wired charging, but not wireless charging.
A Familiar Design and Display
The Xperia 5 V retains the same design and display as its predecessor, with some minor tweaks. The phone has a glass front and back, with an aluminum frame. It has an IP65/IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, and it also has a side-mounted fingerprint scanner.
The display is a 6.1-inch OLED one, with a resolution of 1080 x 2520 pixels and a 21:9 aspect ratio. It supports HDR10+ and has a refresh rate of 120Hz, which makes it smooth and responsive. The display is also flanked by front-firing stereo speakers, which offer immersive sound quality.
One feature that has not changed is the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is rare among flagship phones these days. The phone also supports high-resolution audio and has a dynamic vibration system for haptic feedback.
Availability and Price
The Xperia 5 V will be available in four colors: blue, red, black, and grey. The phone will launch on September 1 in select markets, Sony Xperia 5 V will be available from late September, priced €999/£849.
The Xperia 5 V is Sony’s attempt to offer a compact flagship phone that does not compromise on camera quality or performance. It will compete with other small-sized premium phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 and the upcoming iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro.
