Sony Xperia 5 V Review: A Compact Powerhouse for Content Creators
Continuing its tradition, Sony has released the Sony Xperia 5 V as a more compact version of its flagship Xperia 1 V for 2023. As with previous years, the Xperia 5 V shares many similarities to the top-of-the-line 1 V but with some downgrades to make it more affordable.
From a design standpoint, there has been little change since 2022, or even 2020. Similar to its predecessor, the Sony Xperia 5 V has a metal body and an angular display; however, this model adds Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to the front and rear. It has the same tall 21:9 aspect ratio 6.1-inch OLED display and angular metal-and-glass construction that Sony has favoured for years now. The screen is sharp at FHD+ resolution and includes many of Sony's video and colour enhancing technologies like Creator Mode. Three colour options are available: black, blue and platinum silver.While the Xperia 5 V sticks closely to its predecessors' formula, one downside is its design now looks quite dated compared to the sleeker offerings from others
Under the hood, the Xperia 5 V is powered by the top-of-the-line Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor paired with 8GB of RAM, ensuring silky smooth performance. Its 5,000mAh battery provides excellent endurance as well thanks to the power efficient chip. 30W fast charging is supported for quicker top-ups. Storage is a modest 128GB but microSD expansion is included.
The Xperia 5 V retains the dedicated camera button on the side for quick photo snapping. It has decided to do away with a zoom lens, and only include one wide 24 mm f/1.9, OIS+ lens paired with a 48MP sensor, and another ultra wide 16 mm f/2.2 lens with 12MP Pixel. With the 48MP sensor on the main camera, the pictures will only be usable for up to 2x digital zoom before it gets pixelated. Low-light performance has also been improved with its fast f1.9 aperture lens and enhanced through computational photography. Additionally, an extra layer of light-detecting photo-sensors also improves the sensor's ability to gather available light information in darker environments, to help with computing the images . As a result, night mode shots taken on the Xperia 5 V do exhibit less noise and better detail retention compared to earlier Xperia phones, which struggled in low-light conditions. Videography features remain a strength as well with 4K recording up to 120fps for slowmo. For audiophiles, there's a 3.5mm headphone jack and high-res audio support through LDAC and DSEE Ultimate.
Previous Xperia 5 models struggled with excessive heat generation, particularly when subjected to intensive tasks like prolonged gaming. The handsets would get so warm that they were nearly impossible to hold comfortably. During our test with the Xperia 5 V, we noticed it getting warm quite quickly when recording at 4K/120fps but the heat was less intense than the previous model and manageable. Hopefully Sony can fully address this issue in their next generation of Xperia. Pricing and Availability
Sony Xperia 5V | $1,594.00 |
Conclusion
The Sony Xperia 5 V continues Sony's tradition of offering a compact flagship experience for power users. While it sticks closely to the formula of previous Xperia 5 models with its angular design, 21:9 display and capable camera system, the Xperia 5 V improves the experience in key areas. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 delivers lightning-fast performance for gaming, multitasking and content creation. The dual rear camera system is capable of capturing sharp photos and video, with low-light performance enhanced through computational photography. Heat management has also been optimised but remains an aspect to monitor under heavy loads. Overall, the Xperia 5 V proves itself a strong option for those seeking top-tier specs and features in a compact body well-suited for photography and videography on the go.