TESTED SONY XPERIA 1 VI

Sony is known for thinking a bit differently when it comes to phones, but the Xperia 1 VI brings a more practical shape and –gasp! –simplified cameras

[ Words Tom Morgan-Freelander ]

The song run Front-facing speakers remain sacrosanct for Sony, producing a balanced stereo sound. There’s also a 3.5mm output.

When you test as many phones as I do, you can’t help noticing which ones are most popular out there in the real world. In that respect, Sony Xperias are a bit like motorbikes with sidecars: rarely spotted, a bit quirky, but always a welcome sight.

While other makers have long since abandoned their unusual features in search of mainstream appeal, Sony has kept doing its own thing in the hope that there was still an audience out there for skinny 4K screens, cameras packed with manual controls and creator-friendly apps.

But could the Xperia 1 VI be the motorcycle that lost its sidecar? Sony has opted for just a Full HD+ screen and a less unusual 19.5:9 aspect ratio, while adding more AI tricks to help casual snappers get the most from its rear lens trio. It’s a full-on flagship everywhere else, with the latest Snapdragon silicon and a beefy battery… but does that mean it’ll struggle to stand out?

Witchy thumbin’

The Xperia 1 VI largely follows Sony’s well-established norms: flat glass up front, grooved lines on all four sides for extra grip (1), and a micro-dot textured rear panel. I love how easily it slips into a pocket, and I had no trouble reaching the fingerprint-sensing power button.

One of these brights

The 6.5in screen is wonderfully crisp and detailed (2), with an adaptive refresh rate that balances motion smoothness and battery life better than before. You also get impeccable contrast, colour and clarity, even in the sunshine, courtesy of Bravia image processing.

Life in the blast lane

In daily use, the 1 VI delivers flawless performance. I could run two apps in split-screen with no slowdown, and Android felt super-smooth. It managed half an hour of 4K recording without any temperature warnings, and handled long gaming sessions without tumbling framerates (4).

Peaceful easy wheeling

Sony’s stripped-back take on Android 14 is a breeze to navigate. You get a handful of own-brand apps that won’t be of use to everyone (3), with everything else left to Google’s defaults. One thing you won’t find here: any clever AI tricks, which is arguably a good thing.

Wake it to the limit

It’s possible to get two days’ use from the 1 VI’s battery (5). I spend too much time gaming, taking photos and streaming videos to manage that, but still got through a day and night before needing to plug in. A 50% top-up takes about half an hour if you’ve got a 30W charger.

The Xperia 1 VI is certainly a more conformist take on the Sony formula, but the screen’s new aspect ratio is a better fit for most situations and there were hardly any apps that could make the most of the 4K resolution anyway. It still carves a niche for itself, though, and Sony fans should absolutely consider upgrading their older Xperia 1s. @TomMorgan3

STUFF SAYS ★★★★★

More mainstream than Sony’s previous efforts, this is a fantastic flagship that majors on battery life and entertainment

Tech specs

Screen 6.5in 2340x1080 120Hz OLED CPU Snapdragon 8 Gen 3RAM 12GB Storage 256GB OS Android 14 Cameras 48+12+12MP rear, 12MP front Battery 5000mAh (USB-C, Qi) Dimensions 162x74x8.2mm, 192g

Smart take tonight

Out goes the Pro camera app, in comes more SLR-style control. It’s more user-friendly… but is it still excellent?

▮ Processing: wow Sony has tweaked its HDR algorithms, for brighter highlights along with the brand’s distinctive shadow details. Processing in general has taken a step up in auto mode, so you don’t have to reach for the pro mode so often.

▮  Detail: miaow Daytime image quality from the lead sensor is phenomenal, and on a par with any current rival. There’s an exceptional level of detail in every frame, and next to no noise. Colour rendition remains strong as well.

▮  Telephoto: true Both the ultrawide and the telephoto are a close match to the main sensor for colour, contrast and exposure, although some shots with the latter had a little less dynamic range. ▮  

Macro mode, which kicks in automatically, is decent. 

▮  Low light: phew Automatic night mode lets the main sensor take more lifelike images when there’s still a workable amount of light. There’s great consistency across all three lenses, but the lead snapper is best with noise and detail. ▮