TechPhonesSony Xperia 5 V review: small phone, big camera vibesIf you’re looking for a small Android flagship, Sony’s fifth-gen Xperia 5 is mini in size but major in the camera departmentWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)T3 VerdictThe Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that won’t be for everyone on account of its elongated design. For those who love this specific scale, however, it’s the stellar main camera, top-tier hardware, and decent battery life that make it a niche beast.Reasons to buy+It’s really small – exactly what some will want!+True flagship power & decent battery life+Super-snappy & detailed camera operationReasons to avoid-It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!-Still pricey for a small phone-No telephoto zoom cameraWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechPhonesSony Xperia 5 V review: small phone, big camera vibesIf you’re looking for a small Android flagship, Sony’s fifth-gen Xperia 5 is mini in size but major in the camera departmentWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)T3 VerdictThe Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that won’t be for everyone on account of its elongated design. For those who love this specific scale, however, it’s the stellar main camera, top-tier hardware, and decent battery life that make it a niche beast.Reasons to buy+It’s really small – exactly what some will want!+True flagship power & decent battery life+Super-snappy & detailed camera operationReasons to avoid-It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!-Still pricey for a small phone-No telephoto zoom cameraWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
If you’re looking for a small Android flagship, Sony’s fifth-gen Xperia 5 is mini in size but major in the camera department
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)T3 VerdictThe Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that won’t be for everyone on account of its elongated design. For those who love this specific scale, however, it’s the stellar main camera, top-tier hardware, and decent battery life that make it a niche beast.Reasons to buy+It’s really small – exactly what some will want!+True flagship power & decent battery life+Super-snappy & detailed camera operationReasons to avoid-It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!-Still pricey for a small phone-No telephoto zoom camera
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
T3 VerdictThe Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that won’t be for everyone on account of its elongated design. For those who love this specific scale, however, it’s the stellar main camera, top-tier hardware, and decent battery life that make it a niche beast.Reasons to buy+It’s really small – exactly what some will want!+True flagship power & decent battery life+Super-snappy & detailed camera operationReasons to avoid-It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!-Still pricey for a small phone-No telephoto zoom camera
T3 VerdictThe Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that won’t be for everyone on account of its elongated design. For those who love this specific scale, however, it’s the stellar main camera, top-tier hardware, and decent battery life that make it a niche beast.
T3 Verdict
The Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that won’t be for everyone on account of its elongated design. For those who love this specific scale, however, it’s the stellar main camera, top-tier hardware, and decent battery life that make it a niche beast.
Reasons to buy+It’s really small – exactly what some will want!+True flagship power & decent battery life+Super-snappy & detailed camera operationReasons to avoid-It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!-Still pricey for a small phone-No telephoto zoom camera
Reasons to buy+It’s really small – exactly what some will want!+True flagship power & decent battery life+Super-snappy & detailed camera operation
It’s really small – exactly what some will want!
True flagship power & decent battery life
Super-snappy & detailed camera operation
Reasons to avoid-It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!-Still pricey for a small phone-No telephoto zoom camera
It’s really small – some will find it hard to use!
Still pricey for a small phone
No telephoto zoom camera
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
When it comes tothe best phones,Sonymight not hold much market share, but it does hold a share in many people’s hearts. It’s a brand that does things a little differently from the norm, at the top-end opting for a no-holds-barred approach – with itsXperia 1 V flagshipa great example of that.
That handset a bit too big and too pricey for your needs? That’s where the smaller-scale Sony Xperia 5 V, on review here, enters the picture. I’ve been testing out the compact handset for a week, which isfarsmaller than many ofthe best Android phonesowed to its 21:9 aspect ratio and 6.1-inch display, meaning it’s a shoo-in as one ofthe best small phonesyou can buy.
The Xperia 5 V is also a phone that I think isverylikely to split opinion: too small for some, just right for others; with a chocolate-bar-like design that’s chunky despite its smaller scale. But with a camera system that’s more akin to Sony’s professional cameras in terms of functionality can this small phone find its perfect niche?
Sony Xperia 5 V review: What’s new?
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
As I wrote when theSony Xperia 5 V was first announced, the handset is largely similar to itsXperia 5 IV predecessor– a handset that T3 called “small yet mighty”, so no bad thing there – except the fifth-generation model goes bigger on power and cameras (well, sort of in the case of the latter, it’s a very different setup).
Sony is a key player when it comes to photography, largely because it produces camera sensors that later appear in many other makers' devices. In the Xperia 5 V the phone embodies the company’s latest Exmor T sensor type, meaning it features stacked layers for a better quality signal. Sony is leveraging a new 24mm 48-megapixel main sensor (up from 12MP last time around), which is the big push forward in this department.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
In the same breath, the previous Xperia 5 IV featured a 2x optical zoom lens – something that’s been done away with in the newer Xperia 5 IV. Yep, progress apparently means fewer lenses on this occasion. There’s no advancement to the 12-megapixel ultra-wide sensor either. However, new modes, such as Creative Looks, Portrait Bokeh control, and a separate Video Creator app with Auto Edit feature look to further push the ‘pro’ angle to photography.
When it comes to raw power the Xperia series never shies away from top-tier chipsets: the Xperia 5 V utilises the latestQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2platform, paired with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. There’s even a rare microSD card slot so you can expand that storage – I said Sony likes to do things different to the norm, and with features like this (and its 3.5mm headphone jack) that’s most welcome.
Sony Xperia 5 V: Price & Availability
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 IV and Sony Xperia 5 V dealsSony Xperia 5 IV$684.99$499.99ViewSee all pricesSony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 IV and Sony Xperia 5 V dealsSony Xperia 5 IV$684.99$499.99ViewSee all pricesSony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 IV and Sony Xperia 5 V dealsSony Xperia 5 IV$684.99$499.99ViewSee all pricesSony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
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The Xperia 5 V will is available now in Blue, Black or Platinum Silver finishes. It’s priced at £849/€999 (it’s not available in the USA, so no dollar price).
That asking price is fairly high, but with these kind of no-compromise specs it’s no surprise. That said, even the Xperia 5 IV predecessor was more expensive at launch and even now remains a similar price – I suspect the fifth-gen model dropping that zoom lens ought to mean a more favourable price over time.
Sony Xperia 5 V review: Design & Display
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
For me the Xperia 5 V is too small. I switch between phones week in, week out as part of my job and, sure, I’m probably more used to wider phones – but I’m also adaptable to this constant changing too. Still, I found typing on the smaller-scale screen here just felt too ‘squashed’. After tweaking Gboard keyboard to its tallest, however, I was able to overcome most of my typing woes. That’s my personal take, mind, some people will immediately prefer the Xperia 5 V’s narrower design.
As for the display itself, it’s ample enough, although less bright than the punchiest of current flagship handsets available. You may also wish to tweak the settings, as Sony has gone big with the faithful reproduction (including BT.2020 colour gamut and 10-bit HDR) that often looks a little ‘delicate’. There’s also Standard Mode and Auto Creator Mode which add some extra oomph, plus it’s 120Hz so on par with most leading flagships today.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Sony’s software is built overAndroidand largely similar, except for some minor interventions: display and audio appear in the swipe-down shade with their own settings shortcuts, for example, while the small real-estate isn’t affected in terms of arrangement capacity – I’ve been able to get a 5x7 grid for some ultra-small Android icons that, daresay, look kind of cute. Sony also has its own apps, such as Photo Pro, Music Pro, Video Pro and Cinema Pro to leverage its cameras' abilities.
Otherwise the Xperia 5 V’s design is a fairly functional affair: it’s a dark-coloured block of well-machined material, a little sharp around the screen’s flat edges, and features larger-than-average top and bottom bezel around the screen, an easy-to-use sunken fingerprint scanner on the side, and a camera unit that protrudes only marginally from the rear. Solid engineering, sure, but in a vanilla form. Sometimes vanilla is best, though, so I’m not complaining.
Sony Xperia 5 V review: Performance & Battery
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
Housed inside this little phone is a 5,000mAh battery, which is frankly massive considering this handset’s small size. I was able to stream a YouTube video for 12 hours (yes, a really boring video) which ran the battery right down, but that’s great innings. With ‘normal’ use I’ve been getting through a full day no dramas, so a strong 17+ hours.
That’s especially good to discover considering that the chipset inside is also one of the most powerful going: Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. Plenty of other flagship devices house the same platform, of course, but I’ve sometimes found those to overheat and dissipate battery life excessively – something from which the Xperia 5 V does not suffer.
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
That power is great to have in a smaller-scale handset, too, as there’s no corner-cutting taking place here. I’ve been able to play the latest game at the highest of settings no problems, from Mighty Doom and beyond, all whilst multiple apps are running in the background. The 8GB RAM will pose some limitations compared to handsets with more, potentially, but I’ve not encountered any ‘walls’ during use.
Another area worth discussing around this handset is audio. Sony has really gone to town in this regard. If you’re a user of any of the best wireless headphones, for example, then the 3.5mm headphone jack will be a huge plus point for you. Especially as that can transmit at the best possible qualities. Wireless does very well too, mind, as the Xperia 5 V can handle high-resolution audio (24-bit/192kHz) too.
Sony Xperia 5 V review: Cameras
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
I’ll say it up front: the main camera of the Xperia 5 V is its best feature. But I’ll also say: not everyone is going to like it. Why? Because it’s just very different to your typical point-and-shoot camera style, as per most manufacturers' camera apps. That’s not a bad thing, it’s just another one of those Sony points of difference.
It’s different sometimes for the worse – auto-exposure adjustment is slow; dynamic range is (purposefully, I think) limited to look more like classic photography – but sometimes for the considerable better – such as the fastest shutter response I can recall using on a smartphone camera in recent years – and wrapped into an app that delivers more ‘proper cameras’ settings, from Auto to the P/S/A/M settings those who shoot onthe best mirrorless cameraswill know about.
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(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
But outside of the settings it’s the results that the camera is capable of producing that leave me impressed. Sure, they have a more classic look compared to most smartphone cameras, there’s not an immediate dialling down of all shadow and highlight information, but that stops images looking flat or unrealistic.
That shutter capability remains strong even in lower-light conditions, another area where this Sony can excel, thanks to a wide f/1.9 aperture, which also means easier capture in darker conditions. I was shooting in a pub late one evening whilst working and the on-table candles and salt/pepper captured nicely even when handheld.
Video features are strong, too, with the ability to shoot 4K at up to 120fps. Use Video Pro and you can capture in 16:9, select slow-mo options with ease, and go for cinematic ‘S Cinetone’ looks. Flip over to Cinema Pro and this is for the 21:9 aspect ratio shooting, leveraging the Xperia 5 V’s screen ratio.
Sony Xperia 5 V review: Verdict
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
(Image credit: Future / Mike Lowe)
As I suggested up top, the Sony Xperia 5 V is a small phone that has a big likelihood of splitting opinion: some will love its small stature and big power, while others will find its tall-and-narrow design tricky to use and some features too adjacent to the norm. Personally I find it too small, but I can appreciate there will be some who will love this phone for all its points of difference.
The Xperia 5 V fills a niche that few others cater for in the market, which I massively respect. There’s tonnes of power, so nothing foregone there, the battery life is impressive too, and the updated camera system – despite losing the zoom lens of its predecessor – now has a really strong main that delivers realistic and distinct pictures from an app that super-snappy in operation.
That’s the sum of it: the Sony Xperia 5 V is an accomplished little phone, but one that will have little appeal for most people. If you’re not most people, however, and are looking for a small, powerful and photography-focused Android phone then this could be your ideal new handset. It’s a niche beast.
Also consider
If you’re looking for a small phone, but one that’s less narrow, then theSamsung Galaxy S23is a decent option that’ll cost you less. Its 19.5:9 aspect ratio screen is in line with the current market norm. If you want something even smaller than the Sony thenAsus' 5.9-inchZenfone 10is a strong pick too – and a mite cheaper, too.
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 V, Asus Zenfone 10 and Samsung Galaxy S23 dealsSony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesSamsung Galaxy S23$699.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 V, Asus Zenfone 10 and Samsung Galaxy S23 dealsSony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesSamsung Galaxy S23$699.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 V, Asus Zenfone 10 and Samsung Galaxy S23 dealsSony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesSamsung Galaxy S23$699.99ViewSee all pricesWe check over 250 million products every day for the best prices
Today’s best Sony Xperia 5 V, Asus Zenfone 10 and Samsung Galaxy S23 deals
Sony Xperia 5 V$758ViewSee all pricesSamsung Galaxy S23$699.99ViewSee all prices
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Sony Xperia 5 V
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$758
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