Faisal Ghaffar 
Consistency is undoubtedly Sony’s strong suit, as it proves with the Xperia 1 V, the fourth flagship device that looks identical. It is not just the design that has remained the same; the four phones have similar ethos fundamentally, which means their strengths and weaknesses are same. The heart of the phone boasts a powerful chipset, an extensive display and a slender build, but it is held back by the high price, a complicated camera and slow charging.
Design and build
As mentioned earlier, the Xperia 1 V looks exactly the same as its predecessor. It is the same shape, size and weight, which means it is slim, unusually tall and comfortable to hold. The only change you will find is at the back where the phone has a textured effect rather than the matt finish used previously.
The Gorilla Glass Victusis used to toughen the phone, with the screen using the Victus 2. However, the glass is now dimpled and it sounds strange, but it makes the phone feel textured and easier to grip instead of slick and slippery.
In fact, it does not feel like glass at all and is unique and subtle. You can get the Xperia 1 V in black, green or silver. It is also a waterproof phone and that’s a plus.
Screen and speakers
The Xperia 1 V comes with an OLED panel of 6.5inch, which boasts 4K resolution and a refresh rate of 120Hz. The aspect ratio is also 21:9, which makes the phone great for watching movies. It also has stereo speakers that are not too bad, as their sound profile is balanced nicely, but they do have limited maximum volume. The phone comes with a 3.5mm audio jack and this makes it different from the pack.
Specs and performance
One of the major upgrades in the Sony Xperia 1 V is the addition of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, which makes it one of the most powerful Android phones in the market. It comes with 12GB of RAM and storage options are 256GB and 512GB, depending on the market. The phone is fluid and fast, which allows it to handle day-to-day tasks easily.
Whether you are a committed gamer, everyday user or even productivity focused, the Xperia 1 V is a good choice. The connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6E, 5G support, Bluetooth 5.3 and also NFC support. One physical SIM and one digital eSIM can be used and there is also a slot for a microSD card. The power button comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner, or you can also use face unlock.
Camera
Even though Sony makes the world’s best smartphone camera sensor, it is not included in the Xperia 1 V. The main camera in the phone uses a custom Exmor T sensor, which crops a 52Mp sensor to 48Mp. It is an upgrade from last year and while it does offer a boost in performance, it is not that impressive. The telephoto, ultrawide and selfie camera are all 12Mp, similar to last year’s model.
The Verdict
At a price of $1,399, there is no denying that the Xperia 1 V is expensive, but it is a decent device, especially for those who already have Sony gear.
