Sony’s latest flagship, the Xperia 1 VI, has finally arrived, marking a significant shift in the company’s product strategy. To appeal to a wider audience, Sony has made notable design and feature changes while retaining the core characteristics that cater to creators and smartphone power users.
One of the most significant changes is the departure from the extra-long 21:9 4K display, replaced by a more conventional 19.5:9 FHD+ LTPO panel. This shift is not a loss, as the previous 4K display was often used in FHD resolution. The new panel promises higher brightness, improved HDR video, and better power efficiency, making it a positive upgrade.
The camera hardware remains unchanged, but the telephoto lens now offers a greater reach. It still features variable optical zoom, but the zoom range has increased from 5.2x to 7.1x. Sony has streamlined the camera experience by integrating all necessary features, including Photo and Video Pro modes, into the default camera app, simplifying the user experience.
Sony Xperia 1 VI Specs at a Glance:
Body: 162.0 x 74.0 x 8.2 mm, 192g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame; IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min).
Display: 6.50″ LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020, 1080 x 2340 px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 396 ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8650-AB Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (1×3.3 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3×3.2 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×3.0 GHz Cortex-A720 & 2×2.3 GHz Cortex-A520); Adreno 750.
Memory: 256GB 12GB RAM, 512GB 12GB RAM; UFS; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
OS/Software: Android 14.
Rear Camera:
- Wide (main): 48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm, 1/1.35″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS
- Telephoto: 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm, f/3.5, 170mm, 1/3.5″, PDAF, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, OIS, 4cm macro @ 120mm
- Ultra-wide angle: 12 MP, f/2.2, 16mm, 1/2.5″, dual pixel PDAF
Front Camera: 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9″, 1.25µm.
Video Capture:
- Rear Camera: 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS
- Front Camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS
Battery: 5000mAh; 30W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 50% in 30 min (advertised), Wireless charging, Reverse wireless charging.
Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Dual SIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.3, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive; NFC; 3.5mm jack.
Miscellaneous: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); stereo speakers; Native Sony Alpha camera support.
In the audio department, the Xperia 1 VI includes a revamped 3.5mm audio jack with new premium circuitry and louder, cleaner speakers.
Powered by Qualcomm‘s latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, the Xperia 1 VI features Sony’s optimizations, including an FPS optimizer that balances frame rate, graphics quality, and power consumption.
There’s much more to explore, so let’s investigate if Sony’s polished, high-end Xperia can reclaim its place in the competitive market.
Unboxing the Sony Xperia 1 VI
The Xperia 1 VI comes in a minimalist box made of recycled paper. It contains only the handset; no charger or data transfer cable is included.
To get a compatible charger, purchase one of Sony’s 30W PD-enabled chargers or a third-party charger with similar specifications.
