Sony Xperia 5 IV

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is typically one of those phones you can't stop talking about. Packed with Sony technology that you really won't find on any other phone. Plenty to talk about, so let's start right away. Let's see if it's worth its hefty asking price.

Screen made for video

Sony's Xperia lineup is pretty simple. You have the flagship the Xperia 1, its cheap entry-level brother the Xperia 10 and our Xperia 5 sits right in between. We have now arrived at the IV, which you should read as the Roman numeral 4. You also sometimes say "Mark 4." The Xperia 5 IV is a fairly compact device with 6.1-inch OLED screen. Sony applies a fairly narrow 21:9 aspect ratio. Ideal for watching video on but then again somewhat less suitable for typing on. The FHD resolution is sharp, the 120Hz screen refresh rate looks smooth and the OLED technology ensures colorful images. The brightness has also gone up by 50% so it is now even more readable.

Camera shoots with focus

Special attention has been paid to the camera system. That borrows many features from Sony's premium Alpha cameras. For example, Realtime Eye autofocus continuously focuses on a person's eye for always sharp portrait photos and videos. This works on all lenses. So on the 12MP main camera, the 12MP ultra-wide-angle camera and the 12MP telephoto lens with zoom. The fast autofocus also comes in handy when shooting photos in burst. The Xperia 5 IV can shoot 20 images per second. And so all 20 of those are sharp. Another Sony technique is that the autofocus area covers almost the entire sensor. Wherever your subject is, it's sharp.

Main Sony Xperia 5 IV Specifications

• 6.1 inch widescreen display with smooth 120Hz playback
• 3x 12MP camera with 124° wide angle, 180mm zoom and fast autofocus
• 4K video up to 120fps on all lenses, ideal for content creators
• 12MP selfie camera with 82° viewing angle and 4K video
• Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 8GB of RAM memory
• 128GB of built-in storage (expandable up to 1TB)
• Dual SIM thanks to the presence of built-in eSIM
• 5000mAh large battery with 30W fast charging via USB C port
• Headphone port, stereo speakers and high-res audio

Same chipset but for less

Like the high-end Xperia 1 IV model, this Xperia 5M4 features a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor. So expect the same powerful performance. However, there is slightly less RAM memory available although with 8GB you will always have plenty left over. The battery measures a neat 5000mAh which can easily cover a day. Fast charging is just like the Xperia 1M4 with a maximum of 30W, only wireless charging is not included in our 5. Sony promises two Android upgrades and three years of security updates. That's lower than the competition. So keep in mind that you can't do much longer than three years with your mobile if you want to use it safely.

Pro and cons Sony Xperia 5 IV

• Compact powerhouse
• Good, sharp camera
• Excellent audio
• Packed with Sony technologies

• Only two promised OS upgrades