Sony has just unveiled its new flagship Xperia 1 V, bringing the first-of-its-kind Exmor T for mobile stacked sensor that promises to elevate low-light smartphone photography to a new level. We also get the trademark for the series’ 4K 21:9 OLED display and the latest and greatest Snapdragon chipset.
The Sony Xperia 1 V’s screen measures 6.5 inches and refreshes at up to 120Hz. It retains the X1 for mobile engine from the Xperia 1 IV which aims to improve the quality of videos with some clever software enhancements. It’s covered in a sheet of Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and features a classic full frame on top for the 1/2.9-inch sensor 12MP selfie camera.
The back is also covered in Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and features a unique grippy finish that is unlike any other phone out there. Combined with the ridged sides, it really increases the handling of the Xperia 1 V. IP65 and IP68 certifications mean you don’t have to worry about dust and water either.
Inside the Xperia V is a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Unlike almost all other premium smartphones out there, the Sony flagship comes with a microSD card slot that allows for easy memory expansion. Sony wishes not to repeat the overheating fiasco of the Xperia 1 IV and therefore the Xperia 1 V features a 60% larger heat diffusion sheet volume. The company has also worked hard to reduce the power consumption of the camera, which is a major heat producer inside a modern smartphone.
Thankfully, the lower power draw was not achieved by reducing the sensor size. Rather, behind the F/1.9 lens is a 1/1.35″ imager that’s 70% larger than what the Xperia 1 IV had. It’s a 52MP multi-aspect sensor, meaning it has a 4.3:3 aspect ratio that is somewhere between the 4:3 that photos typically use and the 16:9 that most videos use.So, while you can’t use full resolution in either scenario, you get a little clipping in each rather than a lot in either case.You may recall the Nokia 808 PureView pulling off a similar trick back in the day.
But the Sony Xperia 1 V doesn’t have the ancient FSI sensor of the 808, instead it features a modern BSI Quad-Bayer imager with individual 1.12μm pixels that combine 4 to 1 to produce pixelated 12MP still images from 2.24 μm. But what makes it truly unique is the pixel structure that sees the photodiode and transistor split into two separate layers, which helps maximize the amount of light captured and reduce noise.
Sony says the new sensor will allow the Xperia 1 V to perform twice as fast as its predecessor in low-light environments. The company has also finally enabled night mode to assist in those super dark environments.
Looking beyond the main camera, the new Sony flagship offers the same 85-125mm F/2.3-F/2.8 12MP telephoto camera with continuous zoom as the old one. Another 12MP sensor sits behind the 16mm ultrawide autofocus camera. The TOF sensor is gone, as Sony claims its AI algorithms are so advanced at this point that it has made it redundant.
Sony has updated its Photo Pro and Video Pro apps with vertical UI and focus peaking, while streamers now have the ability to monitor live chat right from their phone screen.
As far as audio is concerned, the Sony Xperia 1 V offers enhanced stereo speakers with more volume and richer bass. The 3.5mm audio jack is here to stay for those who still prefer to use wired headphones.
The Sony Xperia 1 V is powered by a 5,000mAh battery that supports 30W wired charging to recover 50% charge in 30 minutes. The phone also features wireless and reverse wireless charging, and Sony promises that it will retain at least 80 percent battery capacity after three years of use.
The Sony Xperia 1 V will be available in black, platinum silver and khaki green color options from late June with specific market availability to be detailed later. It will cost €1,399 in mainland Europe and £1,299 in the UK. Pricing in the US will be confirmed shortly.
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