The most recent tiny flagship device from Sony is the Xperia 5 Mark V. The "tock" portion of the cycle, which debuts in the second half of the year, completes the lineup with the more powerful Xperia 1 V flagship and the more affordable Xperia 10 V phone, both of which were introduced this spring.
The Xperia 5 V is the Xperia 5 Mark IV's direct successor in terms of lineage, and regrettably, despite the usual smartphone advancement, the two devices are not significantly different. Actually, if it weren't for the design change in the camera aisle, it would be difficult to distinguish between the two phones, but that's the way things are now.
What Sets the Xperia 5 V Apart?
1. 52MP (effectively 48MP) Exmor T sensor in the primary camera, 1/1.35", 120 fps, OIS/AF, and f/1.9 2. Gen 2 Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 3. Only two cameras are now housed in the new camera aisle design. 4. A fresh video maker app 5. New amplifier for the stereo speakers up front 6. LED notification is missing
Consistent Features in the Xperia 5 V: 1. 6.1" OLED FHD+ panel with a constant 120 Hz refresh rate 2. 1/2.5", 120 fps, 12MP ultrawide camera, autofocus 3. A 12MP front camera 4. Storage base: 8GB/128GB 5. 5,000 mAh of battery 6. charging at 30W wired and 10W wireless 7. capacitive fingerprint reader located on the side 8. microSD card slot and 3.5 mm audio jack 9. Water and dust resistance of IP68 10. Front and back of the Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 11. Sony's collection of professional creative apps 12. Camera shutter button with two functions
To be fair to Sony, the Xperia line already has many features, possibly more than any other smartphone on the market (3.5mm audio jack, microSD card, some professional-level software, dual-action shutter button, and more).
But with the Mark III, Sony has been deleting functionality from the Xperia 5 series, which is a little bothersome. On the latter, a variable zoom lens system from its larger sibling (70mm-105mm) was present; however, on the Xperia 5 Mark IV, it was not present. In its place, 2x cropped images taken with the main sensor's 48mm focal length have taken the role of Mark IV's dedicated 60mm portrait lens. Even worse, the notification LED—a beloved feature of many Xperia users—has also been eliminated.
The new Xperia 5 Mark V is also 11 grams and 0.4 millimeters thicker than its predecessor. How come? Let's get started and find out!
Unboxing the Xperia 5 V: What's Inside the Box?
Nothing interesting to observe (flies off). Sony eliminated the USB-C cable from the retail boxes of all Xperia phones last year, and there is no longer anything to remove. Surprisingly, the retail box itself is now composed entirely of recyclable paper and has the feel of cardboard. There is a tiny sleeve with the phone's name on it, but that is about it.
You'll need a cable and a charger of your own to operate the Xperia 5 V, which is true. I won't debate whether or not this cardboard box will save any dolphins because I'm not knowledgeable enough to understand how this stuff works.
Xperia 5 V Design and Color Variations:
Even before relaunching the Xperia brand with the Xperia 1, Sony has relied on a very distinct and unique design for its smartphones. Every Xperia enthusiast out there is happy to see that the company has resisted giving in to pressure from current industry trends.
With a few minor adjustments here and there, the Xperia 5 V maintains the same basic aesthetic. The new camera aisle is the most intriguing one. Now that it has two lenses, it is both shorter and more protruding. The metal, pill-shaped isle has distinct glass coverings for each lens. Undoubtedly, it has a new appearance, and I like it better than the previous triple camera bump with its extended length.
The phone's frame has also seen a little alteration; it now has a central portion that protrudes significantly. Although it appears to have a smaller frame and improves grip, I'm not sure if this is a cunning effort to conceal the phone's increased thickness (0.4mm thicker than the Xperia 5 IV).
The standard button layout is present, including the double-action shutter key, the volume rocker, and the side-mounted power button with a fingerprint reader. The device has a 3.5mm audio connector on the top and a removable SIM tray next to the USB-C port on the bottom. A standard Xperia situation.
Sony Xperia 5 V Color Options:
The Sony Xperia 5 V comes in three attractive colors: "Black" for a classic look, "Platinum Silver" for a modern touch, and "Blue" for a bold and vibrant choice.
Xperia 5 V Display: Visual Brilliance:
The 6.1-inch OLED screen of the Xperia 5 V has a 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2520 pixels). It's the same panel that was used in the previous model, which is good except for a conspicuous missing. Since this is not an LTPO panel, there is neither an adaptive mode nor a variable refresh rate. Only the option "High" is available. Which is a little depressing.
Apart from that, it has the same brilliant (about 1,000 nits) and color-accurate (average deltaE under 2) display as the Xperia 5 IV. There are also the customary deep corrections and several settings. You can use the wake-up key, tap-to-show, smart backlight control, nightlight, and lift-to-show features.
Normally, the biometrics section is located here due to the under-display fingerprint sensor, but with the Xperia 5 Mark V, we have a capacitive side-mounted sensor instead.
It's almost certainly the exact same component as the Xperia 5 Mark IV. Both of the phones I used for the review unlocked equally quickly. This moves rather slowly. There are times when you receive "too many attempts," which causes the scanner to lock up briefly.
Capturing Moments with Xperia 5 V Camera:
The Xperia 1 and Xperia 5 lineups are being kept apart by Sony by having the identical camera system on both devices, with the exception of the variable zoom lens technology, which is reserved for the larger flagship. The Exmor T sensor, which was first debuted with the Xperia 1 earlier this year, is used by the Xperia 5 V. It has a 52MP 1/1.35" sensor with an effective size of 48MP and 12MP photos when using pixel binning technology. The 12MP ultrawide camera has a 1/2.5" sensor size, an aperture of F/2.2, and a focal length equivalent of 16 mm. When you crop the full-resolution image to 12MP, you get the equivalent of a 2x zoom (48mm), which is handled by the primary 48MP sensor.
Video & Selfies:
The selfie camera on the Xperia 5 V is identical to that of its predecessor, and the outcomes are rather good. The colors are true to color, and the pictures are quite detailed. A slider may be used to apply software bokeh, which is actually rather realistic, but if you use it excessively, you run the risk of giving yourself a haircut. Although the Xperia 5 V can record 4K films at up to 120 frames per second, 4K at 60 frames per second will work just as well. The dynamic range is also fairly good, and the frames keep a lot of details. The smartphone handles autofocus without any issues. The image stabilization is not the finest in the industry if we must select flaws.
The image stabilization is not the finest in the industry if we must select flaws. Even in 1080p quality, the images are really pleasing despite the lack of any gimbal-like magic.
Of course, if you're into Hollywood-styled clips, there's Cinema Pro and a whole universe of options, and you can even use the Video Pro software to spice up your vlogs. Even when using the primary Photo Pro app's basic setting, the results are pleasing. These apps merit their own post, which we are working on.
Xperia 5 V Performance: Benchmarks and Beyond:
Without a doubt, the Xperia 5 Mark V is a pocket-sized powerhouse. The phone has Qualcomm's newest chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, so it's no surprise that synthetic benchmarks rank it among the top devices in the industry.
The fact that Sony hasn't been able to fully resolve the overheating concerns from the tiny Xperia 5's earlier iterations stands out like a sore thumb. In spite of Sony's claims that cooling capacity has increased by 40%, the phone continues to run hot and exhibits performance throttling in repeated heavyweight benchmarks. The problem has improved, though, as the Xperia 5 V rarely becomes uncomfortable hot in real-world situations, and you won't notice any stutter or lag caused by it.
If it weren't for the microSD card slot, we might have argued that the 8/128GB base storage capacity you receive is a little on the low side for a flagship. The capacity can be readily increased to 1TB, so you won't ever run out of room. Congratulations to Sony for preserving the microSD card slot!
Xperia 5 V Battery Life: Power That Lasts:
Another feature that has been carried over from the previous model is the battery and charging technology, which is not always a bad thing. The 5,000mAh battery of the Xperia 5 V is identical to that of its predecessor and supports both wireless charging and 30W cable fast charging.
Similar results to those from last year's battery testing were obtained this year. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is incredibly potent, and in a 120 Hz gaming environment, it quickly drains the battery. Even so, a result of approximately 8 hours of gaming at 120 Hz is commendable.
Additionally, we received slightly more than 8 hours of YouTube streaming and nearly 11 hours of nonstop surfing at 120Hz. Despite the fact that those outcomes won't break any battery records.
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