again for a specific target group

If you stay ordinary long enough, you will automatically become special. This certainly applies to the Sony Xperia 5 IV. This device has ‘old’ features that we would like to see on every smartphone. Is the device directly a buying tip? You can read it in this review.

Sony Xperia 5 IV

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is a new high-end device from Sony and is the smaller brother of the Xperia 1 IV. With its 6.1 inch screen, the smartphone is nice and compact and with its long stretched screen, the phone can also be used with one hand. Summarizing that the Xperia 5 IV has a physical camera button, a 3.5 mm audio jack and a nice functional design and you would recommend the device to everyone. Yes right? We answer this question in this review and we list the pluses and minuses of the Sony Xperia 5 IV for you.

In this review we therefore discuss some characteristic pluses and minuses of the Sony Xperia 5 IV. In many respects, however, this device resembles the Sony Xperia 1 IV about which our AW Beta tester Mathieu wrote a review earlier. If you want to know more about, for example, the apps that Sony provides, you can read this in his review.

Specifications

	Sony Xperia 5 IV
Housing:	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus (front and back)
Dimensions and weight:	156mm × 67mm ×8.2mm, 172 grams
Screen:	6.1″ FHD OLED (Full HD+ 2400 x 1080 pixels), 21:9, 120 Hz
Processor:	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Random access memory:	8GB
Storage Memory:	128 GB, expandable via microSD
Rear cameras:	12 MP main camera (f/1.7 and OIS), 12 MP wide-angle camera (f/2.2), 12 MP telephoto camera (f/2.4, OIS)
Cameras for:	12 MP selfie camera
Battery:	5,000 mAh, 30 watts fast charging
Android version:	android 12
Extras:	IP65/IP68 waterproof, Dual speakers with 360 Reality Audio, Dolby Atmos, 3.5mm jack, fingerprint scanner in the power button, 5G
Colors:	Black, Green, Ecru White
Recommended retail price:	1049 euros

What’s in the box?

• Sony Xperia 5 IV
• Manual + warranty

Sony Xperia 5 IV unboxing

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Sony Xperia 5 IV: the pros

1. Compact and super functional design

The Sony Xperia 5 IV has a 6.1-inch Full HD+ OLED panel with a refresh rate of 120 Hz. The screen has an aspect ratio of 21:9 and with this the device has a much more stretched size compared to most other smartphones. This has the advantage that the Xpera 5 IV is wonderfully compact and can be used with one hand. In addition, you can watch movies without black bars. The disadvantage, however, is that you do get black bars with ‘normal’ videos, since they are often filmed in a 16:9 ratio. Compactness is of course subjective. I really like it, but I know plenty of people who would rather use a larger smartphone.

What can appeal to almost everyone is the functionality of the design. For example, the Xperia 5 IV has a double IP rating of IP65 and IP68. This means that the device is protected against water immersion deeper than one meter, as well as against spraying such as rain. Almost every other smartphone has only one IP rating, which means that it is only protected against one of the things mentioned above. In addition, the Xperia 5 IV has a 3.5 mm audio jack, a physical camera button, front-facing stereo speakers, a notification light and a microSD card slot that you can simply remove with your fingers. So no hassle with a small pin.

2. Fast performance and great battery

The Xperia 5 IV also does well in terms of speed. The phone has the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. This is one of the fastest processors you can currently find in an Android smartphone. In combination with the clean Android shell, about which more below, the device runs like a charm. Although the Xperia 5 IV sometimes takes the latter a bit literally, the smartphone quickly becomes hot with heavier tasks. The latter does not benefit the battery so much, although you can easily reach the end of the day with the device and a day and a half should also be feasible. You can charge the phone with a power of 30 watts. A full charge takes longer than an hour.

3. Clean Android Shell

The Xperia 5 IV runs Android 12 out of the box, and Android 13 is already on the way. Sony makes little adjustments to its software shell. So the company stays close to the clean Android and this results in a smooth-feeling smartphone that has little fuss.

Sony does supply its own apps, including no fewer than three apps for the camera. Unfortunately, the phone also comes with some third-party apps that are installed by default on the smartphone. Tidal is included and LinkedIn is also preinstalled on the Xperia 5 IV. You cannot remove these apps, but luckily you can turn them off.

Sony Xperia 5 IV: the downsides

Camera software

First of all, the Sony Xperia 5 IV’s cameras aren’t bad. The main camera in particular knows how to shoot pictures that are very realistic in terms of color. The contrast in the photos is also good, and the main camera also scores well in terms of dynamic range.

In addition to this main camera, the Xperia 5 IV has a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens with 2.5x optical zoom. The latter is a downgrade compared to its predecessor, which had a periscope camera that could zoom further and better. The telephoto lens on the Xperia 5 IV also has a fairly small and not very good quality sensor, so that photos taken with the telephoto lens are not very good.

• 12 MP main camera. f/1.7, OIS, sensor size 1/1.7”
• 12 MP wide-angle camera, f/2.2
• 12 MP telephoto camera, f/2.4 + OIS

Not a nice software

However, where it goes wrong is the software surrounding the cameras. Sony has designed the camera app in such a way that it looks like you are using a compact camera. All nice, but it feels like a giant step back in time. And yes, you can customize a lot. Think of the shutter speed, the ISO value, the focus, you name it. But if I could do this in an Android smartphone interface instead of a compact camera, I’d be happy. I would immediately exchange the complicated interface of a compact camera for that of an Android smartphone. However, there is no such possibility. You can put the camera in basic mode or automatic mode, but these don’t work nearly as well as other Android smartphones. The latter does not even rotate if you hold the device vertically. Sony has been doing this for years and for the intended target group – photographers – I understand it too. However, it will be nice if Sony manages to lift this to a higher level and also provides a good ‘standard’ alternative.

Photo taken with the main camera at the top. At the bottom left to right wide-angle lens, 2.5x optical zoom, 5x digital zoom and 7.5x digital zoom (maximum).

Missing good night mode

In addition, a good night mode is missing, so that photos in the dark are downright bad and cannot be made well. The device often does not know how to find the focus and the flash or flashlight must therefore always be used. This also feels like a step back in time.

Left photo taken in automatic ‘night mode’, right with the flashlight function.

2. Update policy way too scanty for the price

Apart from the fact that Sony uses a fine and clean Android shell, the manufacturer’s update policy is still substandard. The Sony Xperia 5 IV, a device of 1049 euros, will receive only two Android upgrades and three years of security updates. At least one additional upgrade and one year should be added to this.

Conclusion

If Sony did just two things differently, I’d recommend the Xperia 5 IV to just about anyone. The first point is the camera, especially the software. It’s all nice and nice that Sony has designed the camera app to look like you’re using a compact camera, but it feels like a big step back in time. In addition, a good night mode is missing, which makes it difficult to take pictures in the dark. The focus is often not right and the flash almost always has to be involved, speaking of going back in time.

Point two is the price in combination with the update policy. Asking more than 1000 euros for a phone, and then only giving it two Android upgrades and three years of security updates is simply too little. This requires at least one upgrade and one extra year. If these two things were to be adjusted, then with the Xperia 5 IV you get a very good smartphone that contains elements that every smartphone should have (again). Think of a physical camera button, a double IP rating, a 3.5 mm audio jack and a nice clean Android experience. Hope Sony listens and integrates it into the Sony Xperia 5 V.

This is yet another conclusion of a Sony smartphone in which we say that it is not suitable for the general public, but for a specific target group. However, this will not save you. As mentioned in the intro: if you stay normal long enough, you will automatically become special. However, we live in a society in which being special is (unfortunately) not always widely accepted. And the smartphone world is tough too. Misfits are mercilessly kicked out by the large generally mainstream but good smartphone brands. And this also happens at Sony. We see this in the current figures. Sony has less than one percent market share in the smartphone world. Don’t get me wrong, the company should definitely keep the specific features that Sony gives its smartphones. On a number of (small) points, however, make sure that you go with the crowd. Because Sony can do this longer.

Alternatives

For 1049 euros, the Xperia 5 IV has many (cheaper) competitors. Think of the Google Pixel 7 Pro, the entire Samsung Galaxy S22 series (S22, S22+ and the S22 Ultra), the OnePlus 10 Pro and the OPPO Find X5 Pro. For the compact phone enthusiasts, there is also the ASUS Zenfone 9. These are all devices that are cheaper and also on many points just as good or better than the Xperia 5 IV.

Buy Sony Xperia 5 IV

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is for sale from 1049 euros in the colors Black, Green and Ecru White.

Buy Sony Xperia 5 IV

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is a new smaller premium phone that focuses on creating and editing content. The phone takes many of the features of the Xperia 1 IV, but in a smaller size. It is for sale from 1049 euros.

1049 euros

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