Before you make your final decision on a new smartphone, it’s worth reading our Sony Xperia 5 Ii Review. We’ll cover the battery life, design, features, and price. We’ll also touch on how it compares to its predecessor. Hopefully, this review will answer all of your questions. We hope you enjoy reading! Until then, enjoy your new phone! Until then, have fun browsing our hands-on gallery!
Features
The Sony Xperia 5 II is an Android smartphone manufactured and marketed by the Japanese company Sony Mobile. It is part of the company’s flagship Xperia series. First announced on September 17, 2020, the phone is a less expensive version of the Xperia 1 II. It will be available for purchase worldwide in October 2020. The phone’s price will depend on the type of storage it contains.
As with its predecessor, the Xperia 5 II ships with Android 10. It has since been upgraded to Android 11. Unlike Samsung, Sony provides two years of major updates for its flagship phones. As such, by the time Android 12 is released, the phone will be outdated. This is a disadvantage in the eyes of users who are used to receiving three years of updates from their flagships. Nonetheless, Sony’s two-year update policy still stands out from competitors, which generally provide free software updates for at least a year after the phone is released.
The camera hardware on the Xperia 5 II is similar to that of the Xperia 1 III, except that the latter lacks a 3D iToF sensor. However, the optical zoom has been increased to 3x, the ultrawide lens has gained autofocus, and the lenses are coated with ZEISS T-Star anti-reflective coating. Another notable change is the addition of USB Power Delivery 3.0 at 21 W over USB-C. Compared to the Xperia 5, the camera app supports RAW DNG format.
As for the camera, Sony has borrowed the technology of the Alpha professional camera series to enhance the Xperia 5 II’s camera capabilities. Its lens is capable of producing sharp images and perfect exposure. Not every portrait can be posed perfectly, but Real-time Eye AF is a great option for fast-moving subjects. It also offers continuous burst shooting at up to 20fps with autofocus.
Price
The Sony Xperia 5 II is an Android smartphone manufactured and marketed by the Japanese electronics company, and part of Sony’s flagship Xperia series. The Xperia 5 II was announced on September 17, 2020, and released to the general public in October 2020. Like the Xperia 1 II, the Xperia 5 II is less expensive than its predecessor. As such, it is likely to be priced at around $1000.
The Sony Xperia 5 II sports the usual Sony aesthetic. Its dimensions are 6.2 by 2.7 inches, and it weighs a relatively lightweight 5.8 ounces. Its screen offers a 2,520 by 1,080 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, giving it excellent color accuracy. While the Xperia 5 II isn’t the best phone for low-light photography, it still manages to capture a lot of light in a photo taken in a mostly dark room.
As for the video, the Sony Xperia 5 II offers high-resolution recording capabilities. It can also record 4K videos at 120 frames per second and features a redesigned Game Enhancer app. However, it lacks wireless charging. In short, it’s a solid choice for people who appreciate their music and videos. However, you should keep in mind that it’s not a cheap smartphone. It is a great choice for people who want a smartphone that is compact but offers good quality video.
The Sony Xperia 5 II will cost PS799 (US$949), which is approximately US$949. There are only a few variants in each configuration, but it offers 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It will be available in the US and the UK on T-Mobile and AT&T. The price of the Sony Xperia 5 II is not as high as its predecessor, but it still offers good value.
Design
When it comes to design, Sony tends to follow the trends of its two main competitors, Apple and Samsung. The difference is generally minimal, and OEMs often follow the same style. The design of Sony’s newest flagship is no different, and it’s a step in the right direction. However, it is important to note that Sony’s design language has changed a little since its predecessor. This new handset features a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio, which is rare for smartphones. While this aspect ratio may not be for everyone, the design is still very compact and easy to use. The screen also features letterboxed technology, which means you can watch movies and TV shows that are too big to fit in your hand.
The side-mounted fingerprint sensor and volume controls are a welcome change, as is the camera shutter button. The Xperia 5 II maintains the dimensions of its predecessor but has a slimmer frame assembly and a larger battery. It still features a headphone jack, but it’s in a somewhat awkward position. The phone also retains a 3.5mm headphone jack and a stereo speaker configuration.
The Xperia 5 II follows the lead of its predecessor by being nearly identical to the aforementioned device. Its slim design makes it an excellent choice for those looking for a compact flagship with a full Xperia 1 experience. The phone also utilizes Gorilla Glass 6 on its screen, and an aluminum frame to keep it together. The smartphone also includes a 3.5mm audio jack and front-facing stereo speakers.
Battery life
The battery life on Sony’s newest flagship smartphone is rated at a very impressive 12 hours. That’s pretty impressive, especially when you consider its $950 price tag. This phone has a fast, 30W charger that will get it to 50% in 30 minutes. However, it doesn’t have wireless charging. If you are looking for an affordable mid-range smartphone, there are many other options to consider, including a smaller model.
The battery on the Sony Xperia 5 II is excellent for everyday use, thanks to its four thousand-milliamp-hour capacity. The battery lasted eighteen hours and six minutes in a battery life test performed by PCMark for Android Work 2.0. The battery drained only a little over fifteen percent after three hours of watching a YouTube video. That means this smartphone is ideal for gaming and watching videos. However, it may not be the best choice for mainstream users. The Xperia 5 II does support fast charging, which improves the battery life significantly.
The Xperia 5 II’s dual-core Snapdragon 865 processor and eight gigs of RAM make it a powerful smartphone. It’s capable of multitasking and playing games, and can even go head to head with many of the most expensive smartphones released in the last year. Its performance is on par with Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra and OnePlus 8 Pro. With these specs, it’s no wonder the Xperia 5 II is rated so highly.
While the Sony Xperia 5 II ships with Android 10, its owners can expect Android 11 updates in December 2020. Neither Google nor Samsung has announced a date for the update. Sony is also not as transparent with updates, so it’s impossible to be sure when they’ll roll out an update for their handsets. However, this doesn’t mean you should worry. There are a few things to keep in mind when assessing the battery life of the Sony Xperia 5 II.
Performance
In our tests, we found that the display of the Sony Xperia 5 II displayed good color reproduction, but exhibited a pronounced blue tint. The contrast ratio was acceptable, and the colors were a touch too vibrant. Even in a shaded room, the display tended to fade a bit. In direct sunlight, it struggled to improve color reproduction. Fortunately, there are options to adjust the brightness and contrast.
The Xperia five II displays fast response times, which should be suitable for gaming. The response time of all tested devices ranged from 0.25 ms to 636 ms. However, 10% of devices scored higher than the Xperia 5 II. The display of the Xperia 5 II is also suitable for reading in ambient light. Reflections and glare were moderate.
The Sony Xperia 5 II also comes with a 120Hz panel, which makes scrolling content much smoother. This makes the phone very useful for gaming, but it can also prolong the battery life by reducing the amount of time the display is on. The Xperia 5 II has flagship-grade hardware on its back, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. This chip also supports 5G connectivity and delivers a silky smooth Android experience.
In our tests, we were able to compare the performance of the new and updated Xperia 5 II with flagships from other manufacturers. We were impressed by the phone’s camera software and overall build quality, as well as its screen size. It’s worth noting that the price of the phone is also significantly lower than the Samsung Galaxy S21 series. Amid all this, the Sony Xperia 5 II is a great smartphone.