Sony Xperia 5 V In-depth Review – Why it's Better than the 5 IV Despite its Compromises!

"Why don't we sell more phones?"

Puts out a phone at 200% the cost per specs, ignores the biggest high end market and blows their marketing money 18 months early on every single release.

The couldn't do this worse if they tried.

Also removed themselves as the only player in the "compact" phone segment

I was a sony compact model user only for many years. Now, the smallest possible phone you can buy is samsung galaxy
- Yeah I LOVED the Z5 compact. If they still made compacts I'd still have an Xperia now, but their current phones are way too long for my hands.
- Why not the Asus Zenfone series? They're pretty compact.
If feels like 200$ too expensive more than anything else.
Yea, for the price of the 256GB 5 V, I can get a Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 256GB, and possibly even save a few bucks in the process.

As usual these tech reviewers completely miss the point when it comes to Sony.

If you were to go see this in a store and pick it up so you know what the first thing you'd notice is?

The 21:9 form factor and narrowness of the device. For alot of people this is a big change, which for me was a great change from the normal wide phones we typically see on the market. In fact I wouldn't have realised my previous phones were too wide if I hadn't used an Xperia.

It's a gene changer for using your device. One handed use is suddenly a reality, putting it in a pocket is way easier, it almost disappears. Typing is easier because you aren't reaching across a super wide screen. It just feels perfect in the hand.

Yet none of these guys ever mention this. They just junk straight into cameras.

I only have the budget Xperia 10iii but this is a great phone. Perfect size, great high quality display, good cameras, 2 day battery life, headphone jack, SD card slot, easily removable sim tray and beautiful design.

That's another thing they glance over: the gorgeous design of Xperia phones. These things are really beautiful. No iPhone clones here. Sony has it's own design language which no one else has. And without a case, this phone is sublime in the hand. The sides are gently curved and smooth with no sharp edges. The glass is 2d curved on the edges so when you swipe back it's incredibly smooth with no sharp edge. Such a pleasure!

This reviewer says the screen is poor because on the extreme angle it colour shifts. That's pure BS! Until you've done some objective scientific tests to determine the display quality, you can't say it's poor quality.

I promise you this is no poor quality display. Sony have the best TV displays in the world and have used their Triluminos tech on their phone displays for years. To my eyes they look incredible.

I had a Z2 many years ago, moving from iPhone, and was blown away by how good the display was compared to apple. Light years ahead. The entire phone was light years ahead.

And even my budget 10iii has a fantastic display. Sony makes great phones for those who appreciate them. Sadly only the fans appreciate them..

Who knows? Maybe the 5v will win over some regular consumers?

If you were to go see this in a store and pick it up so you know what the first thing you'd notice is? The 21:9 form factor [...] Yet bone of these guys ever mention this.

I can't recall a video from MKBHD of Mr Mobile etc about an Xperia phone where there wasn't mention of this unique aspect ratio. Maybe you watch the wrong videos?

This reviewer says the screen is poor because on the extreme angle it colour shifts. That's pure BS! Until you've done some objective scientific tests to determine the display quality, you can't say it's poor quality.

Have YOU done "some objective scientific tests to determine the display quality"? Because if not, how can you be so sure this person's claims are bullshit? At least they have the phone in their hand.

No iPhone clones here. Sony has it's own design language which no one else has.

Really, no one else has their own design language? Have you seen Pixels? Nothing Phones? ASUS ROG?
- You're missing the point.
  
  I have a Sony in my hands and the display is amazing. And this is a budget model. The 5v should be even better.
  
  Yes they mention the form factor but in passing. It's actually it's main freaking feature! So much so they have stuck with this design for years now. It's obvious important to Sony. The reviewers could take the time to look into this more.
  
  I didn't say other products don't have their own design language, but I promise you they are all wider than this phone and styled with the iPhone in mind in terms of dimensions
The other comment rebutted a lot of your points, but I'll add:

Typing is easier

Not if you want to type fast with two hands; the narrower screen means the keys are smaller and squashed together more.

The glass is 2d curved on the edges so when you swipe back it’s incredibly smooth with no sharp edge.

This is hardly new. The Chinese have them on phones 1/4th the price of a 5 V.
- Not really. The keys are perfectly large still. Plus there's this new crazy feature in gboard (only about 17 years old now) called Swipe to type. On a narrow phone like this you can actually do it one hand without nearly dropping the phone. You should try it.
  
  I didn't say curved glass was new. I just mentioned it a really nice feature. Try swipe from the edge of an iPhone with its square screen edge and see if you like it....
This reviewer says the screen is poor because on the extreme angle it colour shifts. That's pure BS! Until you've done some objective scientific tests to determine the display quality, you can't say it's poor quality.

Have YOU done "some objective scientific tests to determine the display quality"? Because if not, how can you be so sure this person's claims are bullshit? At least they have the phone in their hand.
putting it in a pocket is way easier, it almost disappears

Most peoples pockets have depth problems, not width. Having a tall 21:9 phone makes that problem worse.

I only have the budget Xperia 10iii

Oh ok.

good cameras,

Nope. Garbage cameras.

These things are really beautiful. No iPhone clones here. Sony has it’s own design language which no one else has.

They're the typical glass and metal slab. What's so different about their design?

I promise you this is no poor quality display.

Says the person who doesn't have one and hasn't used one.

Sony have the best TV displays in the world

No they don't.

I used to love my Sony phones, then they stopped selling them in Australia and probably alot of other places, and are probably getting think tanks together wondering why they're not selling.

I mean Sony probably knows why they didn't sell well in Australia. Hell the 5v isn't even coming to the American market.

Is this Sony really named Xperia 5 "5"?

This Ain't even the worst name Sony has ever given to a product.
- I live going to the store to buy the new Sony WH1000XM5s, the name just rolls off the tongue.
yes
I think we are supposed to pronounce it Xperia 5 mark 5
It’s supposed to be pronounced Xperia 5 “Mark 5”, but for some reason they didn’t use the actual universally agreed notation for “mark” of either “mk V” or straight up “mark V”.

I really want an Xperia. I'm just too cheap to buy one.

I'd pay a small premium for its no-nonsense design. They are perhaps the only company still bucking the trend of removing features (headphone jack, SD slot) and cutting out parts of the screen. But the premium is just too high, particularly with lackluster software support.

Also bucking the trend of being well supported, having a LTPO screen, and not being 2x overpriced.

Unless you're in the US, then you don't get a choice.

Sony really went: no Xperia for you.
I was actually seriously considering this as my next phone... Ugh
- As someone in Canada with a 1 IV (global). I hate how this is the perfect phone crippled by the partly incompatible Canadian network.
  
  I want my jack and expendable storage dang it!
- Zenfone 10 is still an option