Sony Xperia 1 II 5G: The Best Camera & 4K Screen
Sony's new top model, the Xperia 1 II, looks only slightly different from its predecessor but under the hood, it's a new device.
The Sony Xperia 1 II has a handy, timelessly elegant design. The fast Snapdragon processor ensures a very high pace. The elongated display is super sharp and crisp, but too dark outdoors. The battery life could be better. Videographers and photographers are given an above-average number of professional settings and the extra features with wireless charging and jack socket are also a welcomed addition.
| Pros | Cons |
| Super sharp display | Dark display |
| Very fast pace | Poor endurance |
| Good photo quality | Slippery back with camera nub |
| Slim and handy | No dual SIM |
| Enormous photo and video equipment | No face recognition |
| 5G and jack socket | |
| Waterproof | |
| Wireless charging |
Latest Sony Xperia 1 II Deals
Sony Xperia 1 v Xperia 1 II 5G
With the Xperia 1, Sony opened a new chapter in size in 2019: the luxury mobile phone came with a particularly long display in a super-wide 21:9 ratio. Another special feature was the extremely high resolution of the OLED display. Visually and technically, the new Sony Xperia 1 II ties in with this, but a lot has happened inside. Among other things, the Xperia 1 II is the first 5G smartphone from the Japanese brand.
The manufacturer remains true to its angular design: The Xperia 1 II fits seamlessly into the family. The fingerprint sensor sits on the side and is also the power button; that was already handy in the Xperia 1.
The outer case consists of Gorilla Glass 6 and aluminium. Nice to look at but naturally smooth and slippery. At 72mm, the smartphone is as narrow as its predecessor. It is an impressive 166mm long, 7.9mm thin and weighs 181 grams.
A thin, non-slip protective cover would do the Xperia 1 II good. Then it no longer slips, the width remains okay, and the device no longer tilts because of the protruding camera when lying on the table.
Sony Xperia 1 II: 4K Display
The new top model has a 6.5 inch (16.5cm) 21:9 display. With vertically scrollable web pages you see more content, and in multi-window mode, the windows have more space.
The 4K OLED screen is one of the sharpest that the mobile phone market has to offer. The resolution is a full 3840x1644 pixel. The Xperia 1 ll also has 643ppi. Anything over 400ppi is more than the average eye sees. The OLED is also not lacking in contrast.
However, at just 573 cd / m², the brightness is well below the values of other smartphones, which are sometimes over 1,000 cd / m² and are noticeably easier to read in direct sunlight. Without the blunder in terms of brightness, the Xperia 1 ll 5G would have been a real highlight on the display. With high-resolution movies, however, it is in the top form provided the sun is not shining.
For comparison: a high-resolution Samsung Galaxy S20 comes to 3200x1440 pixels (563ppi).
Sony Xperia 1 II: Top Speed
The super-fast Snapdragon 865 from Qualcomm and the X55 modem are used as the processor. The Xperia 1 II, therefore, has the fresh 5G cellular connection onboard.
As expected, the working and operating speed are at the highest level. In benchmark tests, the Xperia 1 mark 2 even beats the top scores of OnePlus 8 and Xiaomi Poco F2 Pro.
In a test, Call of Duty runs very smoothly, but the Xperia warms up quickly, fingers sweat, and the back becomes even more slippery. Then it's better to pair the PS4 controller and be happy that you can still see opponents and play through the widescreen.
Sony Xperia 1 II: Equipped with 5G and jack
The Xperia 1 II comes with "High Res Audio" and "360 Reality Audio" and Sony has given the Xperia a headphone jack socket at the request of the user meaning you can plug in your favourite headphones without further expense of buying Bluetooth buds. Without headphones, you benefit from the stereo speakers on the edge.
There is 8 gigabytes (GB) of RAM and 256 GB of device storage on board and if that's not enough, a microSD card can be added. Dual SIM is no longer available on the Xperia 1 II due to the 5G modem.
Sony's flagship smartphone comes with Android 10. The Japanese promise two years of updates for their top models. So Android 11 will be available on the Xperia 1 II in a matter of time.
Xperia 1 II with Zeiss triple camera
The Xperia 1 II has three lenses that Sony has optimized in cooperation with the German optics specialist Zeiss. They have focal lengths of 16mm (super wide-angle; f / 2.2), 24mm (standard wide-angle; f / 1.7) and 70mm (telephoto zoom; f / 2.4).
All sensors have a resolution of 12 megapixels. The comparatively low resolution has the advantage that reading out only takes 10ms and fast-moving subjects are less distorted.
A so-called 3D ToF depth sensor ("Time of Flight") determines distances using a transit time method and helps to determine effects such as bokeh.
In automatic mode, the AI decides whether the flower in the foreground or the road in the background should be in focus.
The camera could produce better photos in low light. Compared to the Xperia 1, the sensor grows from 1 / 2.6" to 1 / 1.7" and the pixel size from 1.4 µm to 1.8 µm. The Xperia proved good in the test: Photos were good in daylight and still decent even in poor lighting conditions. Only flash shots completely failed the tests.
The front camera has a resolution of 8 megapixels. However, flash shots completely failed the tests on the front camera also.
Sony Xperia 1 II: the perfect cat camera
Sony is particularly proud that the Eye AF now also recognises animals. Eye-tracking works on humans, dogs and cats. All three cameras have automatic eye focus.
The technology comes from the manufacturer's Alpha series for digital system cameras and calculates the autofocus and exposure around 60 times per second, while the camera takes up to 20 photos per second in burst mode.
The Xperia 1 II has its own release button, which opens the camera with a long press and, like a real camera, focuses with light pressure. For ambitious photographers, the "Photo Pro" app offers a user interface similar to Sony's Alpha cameras.
The video equal is called the "Cinema Pro" app, already known from its predecessor and opens up extensive setting options for the ambitious filmmaker - who record 4K HDR videos with up to 60 frames per second. Videos were sharp and stabilized well.
Xperia 1 II Image Quality in the Practical Test
The Sony Xperia 1 II was able to safely pass the Huawei P30 Pro (Handy-Camera-Champ 2019), Samsung Galaxy Note 10 and the LG Velvet.
When the lighting was poor, the results dropped a bit. Photos looked fine up to three times magnification. Sony does not allow more in the app.
Battery Life in the Sony Xperia 1 II
The battery capacity increases from 3,330 to 4,000mAh - so Sony is stepping up at a crucial point. Unfortunately, this has more of an effect on paper than in reality. The Sony Xperia 1 II only has an estimated battery life of 7 hours and 5 minutes with intensive use. The duration for a full charge is not particularly quick either, taking around 2 hours and 16 minutes.
But there is good news - there is finally an Xperia that can be charged wirelessly, it uses the Qi standard for wireless energy transfer.
Our Conclusion: Sony Xperia 1 II
The Japanese surprised us again with the name. But they stay true to the spirit of the Xperia 1 - a good thing. The grand display doesn't need to be sharpened, but it lacks brightness.
Sony has worked on speed, endurance and photo quality, but there is still room for improvement with the battery. With 5G, headphone jack and Qi-Laden there are new qualities without neglecting the old virtues such as handiness or water protection.
The Xperia 1 II is without a doubt the most modern and best Sony smartphone to date. With more brightness and better endurance, a lot more would have been possible.
- Latest Sony Xperia 1 II Deals
- Sony Xperia 1 v Xperia 1 II 5G
- Sony Xperia 1 II: Equipped with 5G and jack
- Xperia 1 II with Zeiss triple camera
- Sony Xperia 1 II: the perfect cat camera
- Xperia 1 II Image Quality in the Practical Test
- Battery Life in the Sony Xperia 1 II
- Our Conclusion: Sony Xperia 1 II
Xperia 1 II 5G Information Breakdown
Xperia 1 II 5G FAQs
How long will a Sony Xperia phone last?
Sony phones used to be amazing handset with a long life expectancy. However, since the Android software takeover all new models from Sony will struggle past 2 years as Sony has confirmed they will only receive the latest updates for this duration.
How much is the Xperia 1 II 5G?
You can pick up the Sony Xperia smartphone unlocked from any network for around £1099.99
Does the Xperia 1 II have a good camera?
This smartphone comes in the top 10 phones of 2020 for the best camera for photography. The Xperia 1 II 5G comes above the Xiaomi Mi Note 10 and OnePlus 8 Pro.
