Review of Sony Xperia 5 II - a very successful smartphone with a triple camera

Specifications

Platform	Android 10
Display	6.1 inches, 2,520 x 1,080 pixels, OLED
CPU	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 5G
Memory	8 + 128 GB
Cameras	Main - 12 + 12 + 12 Mp; 4K video, 120 fps, slow motion video. Front - 8 MP
Battery	4000 mAh, fast charging USB Power Delivery (USB PD)
Dimensions (edit)	158 x 68 x 8 mm
The weight	163 g
Additionally	Hybrid dual SIM slot, NFC, side fingerprint reader, 3.5mm audio jack, water resistant IP65 / 68

Design and ergonomics

In early reviews, the Sony Xperia 5 II was quickly dubbed a compact smartphone, but we would argue with that. The case is really very narrow, but long, and therefore does not seem tiny at all.

The back cover is glossy. Because of it, the gadget not only collects dust and fingerprints faster, but sometimes tries to slip out, so you should immediately put on the cover. Due to its unusual shape, the model is very comfortable in the hand. The phone weighs a little too - only 163 g.

Photo: Kostya Ptichkin / Lifehacker

The new Sony looks atypical, but at the same time not pretentious and not freaky - the gadget can equally appeal to both conservatives and fans of the new one.

The model is available in two colors: black and dark blue. The first version came to the editorial office for testing. On the back panel there is only a barely noticeable Sony inscription and the main camera module, which only slightly protrudes above the body. After the 12th line of iPhones with cameras that reach the moon, this solution looks especially neat. The novelty is protected from drops by Corning Gorilla Glass 6, and the model must also survive splashes and immersion in water 1.5 m deep.

On top of the front panel there is an inconspicuous front camera. On the left side there is a SIM card slot. You don't need a paper clip to open it - just pry it off with your fingernail. Comfortable.

The control panel is focused on the right side:

Power key with built-in fingerprint sensor. Let's add right away that the latter works briskly, but there is no face unlock here.
Volume up and down button.
A traditional Sony camera shutter release, with which you can take pictures if it is inconvenient to use the touch panel.
A terribly annoying key, the only function of which is to call the voice assistant.

This arrangement takes some getting used to. In some scenarios of use, it is completely inconvenient. For example, to take a screenshot, you need to simultaneously hold down the volume down button and turn on the phone for a few seconds. Only a Cirque du Soleil artist will do it the first time with one hand.

Above is a 3.5mm headphone jack, below is a USB Type-C charging connector.

Screen

The model received a 6, 1-inch display with a 21: 9 aspect ratio, OLED matrix with FHD + resolution and HDR support. Image refresh rate - 120 Hz, sensor frequency - 240 Hz. Due to the sum of the parameters, the Sony Xperia 5 II perfectly conveys the entire palette of colors and has a decent margin of brightness, and the increased frequency provides very smooth animation - this is immediately noticeable.

Sony Xperia 5 II review: brightness adjustment

In the settings, you can manually adjust the white balance on the screen, making the shades warmer or colder. You can also tweak the image quality parameters: in addition to the standard mode, there is a creator mode with coverage of the BT.2020 color range and 10-bit HDR colors. The dark theme is in place.

Software and performance

Hidden inside the Sony Xperia 5 II is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, which is more than enough for all your daily tasks and cutting edge games. Also on board is 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal memory - the figures are not record-breaking, but quite sufficient for a flagship.

The manufacturer speaks of protection against overheating of the case, but in practice, with resource-intensive tasks, the smartphone still heats up significantly. At the same time, it can withstand the load itself in games with dignity: everything just flies even at maximum settings. By the way, Xperia is the official smartphone of the Call of Duty: Mobile championship. Thanks to the high refresh rate of the screen and sensor, the picture looks as lively as possible, and the response is just lightning fast, and in general it is a pleasure to play on it.

In short: I would like more memory, sometimes the case gets warmer, but globally iron is top. Enough for games, and for social networks, and for watching videos.

Sound and vibration

You can connect wired headphones to your smartphone using a 3.5 mm jack. For those who don't like wires, there is Hi-Res audio transmission and LDAC codec.

The model has front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. The sound is wonderful: clean, loud, the bass is heard especially clearly. Music also sounds more than decent in the headphones.

Camera

The rear camera of the Sony Xperia 5 II consists of three 12 megapixel modules: the main one, a 124-degree ultra-wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens with a 3x optical zoom. Of course, there is no pixel binning technology with this resolution, but there are Zeiss optics and Zeiss T coating. This reduces reflections and gives maximum light transmission.

Night photo with a standard camera

Night photo with ultra wide-angle camera

3x zoom at night

In the dark, the smartphone captures the maximum of colors and shades

Photo with a standard camera on a sunny morning

This is what shooting small objects looks like.

Subject photography under artificial lighting

Shooting at night through the lens of the viewing platform binoculars

Ultra wide angle lens

Standard camera

In day mode, the pictures come out bright and vivid. An ultra wide-angle lens reproduces fine details slightly worse. Macro photos come out as detailed and clear as possible. But night shots are absolutely delightful: detailed, full-color, even in poor or difficult lighting, they will clearly catch the fans of photography.

The main camera takes high quality portraits. But the front camera is a weak point of the model: against the background of the rest, selfies come out completely inexpressive.

Photo with the main camera under artificial lighting

Photo with the main camera in natural light

Photo on the front camera in natural light: skin color immediately turned gray and indistinct

Interestingly, there is a Photo Pro mode, which repeats the interface of Sony professional cameras. You can thoughtfully tweak the settings, align the white balance and ISO. In general, after digging around, the user will achieve really cool shots.

Sony Xperia 5 II review: interface in Photo Pro mode

The smartphone supports 4K video recording at 60 frames per second and 4K HDR. For the pros, there is also a separate Cinema Pro application, thanks to which you can also bring the frame to perfection. Shooting perfectly reproduces colors and sounds - we give the camera a solid five.

Autonomy

The Sony Xperia 5 II has a 4000 mAh battery with fast charging function. During the day, the phone will definitely not be discharged, but in the evening it still asks for a power outlet. No wireless charging.

The smartphone supports fast charging up to 21W, but an 18W adapter is included. With it, the recharge process stretches for about two hours, which cannot be called a flagship indicator.

Outcomes

The Sony Xperia 5 II takes some getting used to: the atypical narrow shape, the myriad camera settings and the cluster of buttons on the side panel are confusing at first. But after a couple of days of using a smartphone, you irrevocably fall in love and do not understand how you lived without it before. A decent battery, vigorous color and sound reproduction and banal usability work on a positive impression.

The novelty will especially catch those who love to photograph and want to achieve truly perfect shots with their own hands. If in the iPhone 12 the user relies on a system solution, then here he gets the opportunity to independently build the exposure in Pro-mode and fine-tune it to the smallest detail.

In Russian retail, the smartphone costs 69,990 rubles, like the iPhone 12 mini. For this money, you will get a much larger screen and no less comfort, so there is reason to think.