Sony Xperia 5 at your fingertips: smaller device and more palatable



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Sony decided we needed a smaller and cheaper alternative to Xperia 1, a less popular system. So they brought us the Sony Xperia 5, a little nicer to buy.

While the Xperia 1 was a strange smartphone in many ways. This definitely attracted the fans of Sony waiting for a new start for the Xperia brand. That said, he still has not managed to ignite the world, despite its interesting 21: 9 format and 4K display. This makes the decision to release the Xperia 5 a little more confusing.

While the company seems to be losing momentum in the mobile division, it's interesting to see Sony stick with a form factor but reduce its size to be much more enjoyable for those with smaller hands.

The bank in the market for reduced form factors could be a bold strategy on the part of a struggling company in the mobile phone market. Since the phone is not particularly small, you may wonder why it exists. That said, we spent time with the Sony Xperia 5 to better understand what it offers.


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Hardware and Design

Xperia 5 Design

Given the supposedly smaller form factor, it's rather strange to use the Xperia 5 in person. It does not seem that much more compact than most other flagship brands on the market, but is actually aided by the 21: 9 format. This means that you get a thinner side profile, which makes the Xperia 5 a lot more easy to grasp than almost any other phones with a screen extending over the 6-inch barrier.

Switching from 4K mode to FHD + mode is a difficult task, but it is essential when Sony is looking to reduce the costs of this phone. I will say that it is a beautiful, bright and clean AMOLED panel. The viewing angles are good and this should not be a problem unless you are a true pixel observer. Not having a notch of display is also refreshing to see in a phone made in 2019.

Although this is not a sequel to Xperia 1, it shares many similarities and design features, but with some small changes here and there. Of course, there is a difference in size, but moving the camera module from the center up to the left is the most noticeable change.

For me, the placement of the buttons of Sony has always been a little confusing. As a person with relatively large hands, this is clearly not a phone that was meant for me – which is good. If you have delicate hands, the capacitive fingerprint reader will probably be much easier to reach.

This phone feels very safe in most areas. The soft and chamfered edges are an integral part of a generally solid construction. The Xperia 5 really excels in the color options offered. You can choose the camera in four colors, all of which look amazing from near and far. In developing the Xperia 1 options, the background glass looks much more striking in the new red version than in the gray option.

Software and performance

Sony likes to keep its operating system slim and we almost feel like Android One without the slogan. You get some extra additions, such as the complete Cinema Pro app, which allows you to get incredibly detailed information with the camera controls. I must admit that having a "real" camera is a bit tedious to find apps for cameras in Pro mode.

I'm pretty sure interns will be more than enough for a few years. I have not seen any slowing down, even on a muddled test device with demo software and a lot of use and misuse on an exhibit. Although the phone was designed to take advantage of hardware for gaming purposes, there was unfortunately no real way to test it with titles such as Fortnite because the game was not installed on a computer. demonstration unit.

The fact that the Xperia 5 uses Android Pie is a bit worrying because Sony has not said anything about an Android 10 update. This silence makes me think that an Android update 10 could be a little behind. That said, we can expect the phone to be upgraded at some point in its life cycle – what time is the Sony Mobile division waiting for.

Camera

The camera offers no noticeable improvement over the three-lens configuration you will encounter on the back of the Xperia 1. This means three 12-megapixel lenses with a 25mm main lens, an ultra wide angle 16mm and a 2x telephoto lens in the form of 58mm lens.

Unless the software is updated, expect the same experience as on the Xperia 1. This means that if the quality of the camera can be exceptional, you will really have to work to get the most out of the triple setup camera.

Having access to an integrated Cinema Pro app can be essential for true image enthusiasts. My personal opinion is that it is capricious, less intuitive and more difficult to use for an average person. However, it is useful if you want to fully control your photos and videos. I applaud the inclusion, but I would like to know how many people are immersing themselves in the features and using them regularly.

Xperia 5: the initial verdict

At the MWC, the Xperia 1 caught my attention because it did not look like anything else thanks to the interesting 21: 9 format and the impressive video camera system. After a delay, he launched with almost unanimous disappointment.

The Xperia 5 looks like a tribute to the Xperia Compact line that has delighted fans for years and still has a dedicated audience. I say tribute because it is by no means a "small" phone. It is rather a flagship product slightly smaller than the average in almost every respect – and at least the Xperia 5 offers something of interest to people desiring something different. a little less massive.

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