Sony Xperia 5 review

Build Quality

CinemaWide display

The Sony Xperia 5 a 6.1-inch display with a resolution of 1080 x 2520 pixels. The aspect ratio of 21:9 gives you room to see more and makes multitasking a breeze. When using the split-screen mode, this elongated design really comes into its own.

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This Sony smartphone has been designed to fit perfectly in your palm. The phone has a symmetry and slim design that makes it very easy to use one-handed. Corning Gorilla Glass 6 protects the front and back of the phone and it is water and dust-resistant making this a durable phone.

The Sony Xperia 5 is on offer in a choice of colours: Black, Grey, Blue or and Red. The phone weighs 164g and measuring 8.2mm thick, the phone is slim and compact.

The phone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 7nm processor. The 6GB RAM works with the processor to deliver the incredible speed and superb multitasking.

Phone Set Up

Fingerprint sensor 

The Sony Xperia 5 uses the traditional fingerprint sensor. However, rather than placing it on the back cover, Sony Has opted for a side-mounted sensor. It is still a naturally easy placement to use as your finger goes here whenyou pick up the phone. 

The on board memory is expandable if you need more room for your music, photos or videos. The microSD card slot can be used with cards up to 1TB giving you all the space your could need for your files.

Features

Android 9

The Sony Xperia 5 is an Android Pie device that comes with plenty of familiar apps such as Chrome, Maps, and YouTube. As Sony has chosen an elongated display, the split-screen working on this device is better than ever. You can do more with easy multitasking in just 3 steps. Split-screen works particularly well with:

• Presentations - you can have an email app open at the same time to follow notes from colleagues and add these into the presentation at the same time.
• Navigation - the longer display lets you see more of the map and you can have a messaging window open at the same time to see what others have sent or let them know when you are getting close.
• Social media - the split-screen mode is particularly great for browsing across social media. You can watch videos while scrolling through your feeds and share instantly.
• Cinema experience

You get amazing viewing on the Sony Xperia 5 with a CinemaWide display that delivers impressive colour accuracy. See the visuals and characters as the creator intended, in amazing colour and clarity. 

The X1 for mobile engine is powered by BRAVIA TV technology. You get the incredible pedigree of a Sony TV in your palm with HDR remastering. It works on everything you are watching so even if you are streaming you get better contrast, clarity, and colour.

Dolby Atmos

Using the Dolby Atmos technology, the Sony Xperia 5 creates an amazing atmosphere of sound that flows around you. The tuning has been done in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment. It means you get audio on a whole new level whether you are watching a movie or listening to your favourite music.

A whole new level of gaming

The 21:9 screen is an absolutely perfect design for gaming. A wider, unrestricted view takes you into the gameplay in a new way. A Game enhancer add-on is included so both gaming and sharing are richer than ever. Gaming features include:

Settings - with the Game enhancer you can turn off notifications o you can stay in the game or tweak phone setting for better performance and seamless gameplay.

Record - you can record the gaming action and your face as you are playing so you can share game commentary on your favourite site. You can play with the voice changer feature to have more fun with your gaming videos.

Capture - this feature will take a burst of screenshots so you can share them on social media.

Camera & Video

Sony triple camera

The rear triple camera uses Sony Alpha camera technology so you capture the shot perfectly. The camera is made up of:

• 16mm super wide-angle lens
• 26mm versatile lens
• 52mm portrait and tele lens

You can switch between the lenses depending on what you are capturing. Choose the super wide-angle to get everything in. The versatile lens is great for most shots as it has optical image stabilisation it also works well in low-light. The 52mm lens is the perfect camera for getting closer to a subject or taking a beautiful portrait shot.

Some of the best features of the Sony Xperia 5 camera include:

Eye AF - this groundbreaking feature automatically focuses on the eyes and comes from the Sony Alpha camera technology used on advanced Sony cameras. 

Fast continuous shot - you can capture images that are focused and balanced at 10fps. It uses AF/AE (Autofocus/Auto Exposure) to make sure everything is crisp and clear, even if a subject is moving.

Cinema Pro - Sony's digital motion picture camera enginers have created this feature. You get features based on those used by real creators and have access to pre-set professional colour management, 4K HDR and 24fps settings.

Alpha Pro camera - if you have a Sony Alpha Pro camera you can use the Xperia 5 as the viewfinder. It can also work as a remote display and control the Alpha camera from the smartphone.

The front camera is an 8-megapixel 24mm wide lens. There are various beauty modes, stickers, and filters you can use to add a unique flourish. The camera includes HDR capture for great results in various lighting conditions.

Battery Life

Efficient power management

The Sony Xperia 5 has a 3,140mAh battery with a fast charger included in the box. You get an impressive 50% charge in just 30 minutes with this charger.

Sony has incorporated charging and power management features to keep the battery healthy for longer. It stops the phone from overcharging while plugged in and Adaptive Charging monitors the phone while it charges. It will monitor power usage and make sure the phone battery is not overworked.

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Written by: Carmel Brown