what you should Know
- Sony introduced its new flagship smartphone Xperia 5 IV.
- The Xperia 5 IV has a similar design to the Xperia 1 IV with many of the same specifications and features.
- The 12-megapixel rear and front-facing cameras are capable of 4K HDR, with the rear cameras capable of 120fps for super-slow motion.
- The Xperia 5 IV is available for pre-order starting today for $1,000 and will ship in late October.
It’s been a while since Sony introduced the Xperia 1 IV and Xperia 10 IV, although we’ve been left without a successor to the Xperia 5 for months – ie. so far.
Sony’s new flagship Xperia 5 IV was unveiled on Thursday, giving us many of the same features we saw announced alongside the Xperia 1 IV, but in a smaller package and ever so slightly watered down. Still, that doesn’t make it sound any less impressive in itself.
The Xperia 5 IV features a 6.1-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It’s the same size as other “small” flagships like the Galaxy S22, though it sticks to Sony’s cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio for proper movie enjoyment. It also helps that the display is now 50% brighter than its predecessor, making it easier to see the action.
Sony’s signature bezels also remain at both the top and bottom of the display, housing the front-facing camera (more on that later) and the stereo speakers. They are capable of impressive audio, including 360 Reality Audio, DSEE Ultimate and LDAC support. The phone is also equipped with Bluetooth LE Audio support. Sony says users can expect high-quality sound from the speakers, a 35mm headphone jack and wireless headphones.
The phone also supports high-quality audio recording, which Sony touts can create studio samples for musicians.
But since this is an Xperia phone, the big focus is the camera. The Xperia 5 IV has three 12MP cameras on the back that are capable of 4K HDR at 120fps, meaning you can slow-mo the action in high resolution. The main sensor is also larger than its predecessor, which can help gather more light for video and imaging.
Of course, you can access all of Sony’s various camera apps aimed at creatives. To demonstrate this, Sony shot Cat Burns’ “People Pleaser” music video using the device and the Videography Pro app.
The front camera also gets an upgrade, bumped up to 12MP and can also shoot 4K HDR. Although, if you prefer to use the main sensor to record yourself, the Xperia 5 IV is compatible with the Vlog Monitor announced alongside the Xperia Pro-I. Sony fans can also use the phone as a monitor for the company’s Alpha line of cameras.
Powering it all is the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset, although it’s curious that Sony didn’t opt for the newer 8+ Gen 1. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of expandable storage. The phone is also packed with a 5000mAh battery with support for fast charging, wireless charging and wireless battery sharing. There’s also IP68 water and dust resistance, plus Gorilla Glass Victus for added durability. The phone runs Android 12 out of the box, but is likely to get Android 13 sooner rather than later.
Unlike the Xperia 1 IV, which is still in pre-order and won’t ship until later this month, anyone looking to buy the Xperia 5 IV won’t have to wait too long. The phone is now available for pre-order in black or green and will ship at the end of October, which will unfortunately give the Pixel 7 plenty of time to steal the limelight when it launches in the fall.
The Xperia 5 IV retails for $1,000, but Sony is sweetening the deal for anyone who pre-orders by including a free pair of the spectacular WF-1000XM4 wireless headphones.
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The Sony Xperia 5 IV is a powerful phone. Thanks to its triple camera setup, 21:9 OLED display and superb audio playback and recording features, it’s the perfect phone for creators to launch their content.