Sony Xperia 5 II review: good hardware in a compact case

Unfortunately, compact high-end smartphones are becoming less and less common these days. While most manufacturers try to make the displays bigger year after year, Sony is taking a slightly different path with the Xperia 5 II.

Compared to the competition, it is much more manageable and still offers a very strong overall package. Unfortunately, with an MSRP of 899 euros, it is also extremely expensive. In the following lines you can find out whether this price is justified and whether it was convincing in everyday life.

Haptics, workmanship and design

The highlight of the Xperia 5 II is undoubtedly its compact size. With dimensions of 158 x 68 x 8 mm, it is relatively long but not as wide as other devices, which means that one-handed operation is possible in most cases prois possible without any problems. The shiny metal frame is perfectly rounded and ensures very comfortable handling, which the weight of 184 grams also contributes to. The front and back are made of glass, which makes the smartphone feel extremely high quality.

When it comes to colors, the buyer can choose between black, gray, blue and, more recently, also Pink. I tested the black version, which is unfortunately very susceptible to fingerprints. While almost all other manufacturers position their cameras in a huge, eye-catching rectangle, Sony installs three cameras on the top left on the back, all of which are arranged one below the other. If we turn the smartphone around, we are greeted by a 6,1-inch display, which is neither interrupted by a notch nor a punch hole. Instead, we have relatively thick bezels above and below the panel, at least by today's standards. After all, Sony makes good use of the space and installs stereo front speakers, the quality of which we will take care of towards the end of the test. Personally, I would have liked to have thinner edges, since the entire competition is much further ahead here. Nevertheless, the front looks quite consistent, as the edges above and below the panel, unlike other smartphones, are about the same thickness.

When using the Xperia 5 II, the right side of the frame is immediately noticeable, because the manufacturer has built in four buttons here. At the top is the button for regulating the volume and directly below is the on / off button, in which the fingerprint sensor is also integrated. Both keys are easy to reach, have a good pressure point and are almost perfectly made. The device also has a dedicated Google Assistant button and, last but not least, one for the camera shutter release. For example, you can simply press the shutter release button with your index finger when taking pictures in horizontal mode. It can also be pressed in standby mode to start the camera.

Display - good quality

The main reason for the compact form factor is of course the display on the front. This measures 6,1 inches and comes in the elongated 21: 9 aspect ratio. With 2.520 x 1.080 pixels, it has a significantly lower resolution than that Xperia 1 II on, but individual pixels cannot be recognized in everyday life. The panel is sharp enough. In addition, there is a smooth refresh rate of 120 Hertz, which means that animations run much more smoothly than on smartphones with 60 Hertz.

Sony remains true to itself and does not build a notch or punch hole. The front camera can be found here in a rather thick border. (Image: TechnikNews)

The color representation convinced me all along the line. Typical for OLEDs, colors are reproduced intensely, but still sufficiently realistic. In addition, there is an excellent black value and the white value is also at a very high level. The panel is still easy to read when viewed from the side. The maximum brightness is also decent, even if it is one here OnePlus 8 Pro, Vivo X51 5G and Huawei P40 Pro are a little better, but even with the Xperia 5 II I had almost never had Proproblems with readability.

Software - almost pure stock Android

Unfortunately, Android 10 with the in-house XperiaUI is still used as software. As of this writing, the security patch is from December. Here I was rather disappointed that the smartphone did not come with the latest Android version. An update will almost certainly follow, but the past has shown that Sony unfortunately always takes its time with updates. There is plenty of room for improvement here.

Apart from that, the in-house software convinced me across the board. It is very similar to stock Android and there are some useful additional functions, such as the concentration mode, with which apps can be paused and their notifications can be hidden. Furthermore, a night mode, an ingenious gesture control and a night light mode are on board. With the latter, the screen takes on a yellowish tint that is easier on the eyes. Unfortunately, there was some bloatware ex works, such as Facebook, Netflix and Call Of Duty, which unfortunately cannot be uninstalled.

Dynamic vibration

Sony also integrates a very special feature, which was introduced two years ago with the Xperia 1 was introduced. The so-called dynamic vibration improves the media experience through vibrations when playing films, videos or music. To turn this feature on, all you have to do is press the volume button to display the volume window and select an effect. I think this is a very useful feature, especially when it comes to gaming. With music, on the other hand, less so, because who holds their smartphone in their hand all the time while listening to music?

Performance - fast and fluid

Since this is a smartphone from 2020, the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 is not under the hood, but last year's Snapdragon 865. There are also 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of flash memory, which is equipped with a micro SD card. Map procan be easily expanded. In addition, there is space for two physical SIM cards, i.e. it is dual SIM capable. However, you have to decide whether you want to expand the memory or use dual SIM. Unfortunately, you can't do both at the same time.

The everyday performance is really at a very high level. Apps start and close extremely quickly and thanks to the smooth refresh rate of 120 Hertz, everything also looks nice and smooth. There were hardly any stutters or delays during my entire test phase. The Xperia 5 II isn't prepared for more complex games either Protrouble. This is exactly how a smartphone for 899 euros has to perform.

Battery - light and shadow

Sony actually installs a 4.000 mAh battery in this small case, which ensures really good runtimes. I always got through a day well with activated 120 Hertz and even 1,5 days were usually not Proproblem The screen was always on for about 9 to 10 hours. These are really strong values, especially when you consider how power-hungry the 120 Hertz refresh rate actually is. If you deactivate this and use the smartphone with the usual 60 Hertz, the device lasts a little longer.

As good as the battery life is, I was disappointed with the charging options. On the one hand, the smartphone can be fully charged in about two hours with the included 18 watt power supply and, on the other hand, there is no wireless charging on board. For the price, I would have expected more, especially when you consider that even cheaper devices have a lot more to offer in these areas.

Camera - average

With the cameras, we see a familiar image from Sony. They install three sensors on the top left on the back, each with a resolution of 12 megapixels and only protruding minimally from the housing. The ultra-wide-angle camera is at the top, the 3-fold telephoto lens directly below and the main camera at the very bottom. Except for the missing TOF sensor, this is the identical camera setup of the Xperia 1 II. The front camera on the front has a resolution of 8 megapixels.

The triple camera of the Sony Xperia 5 II. (Image: TechnikNews)

The main camera mostly takes good pictures, especially in daylight. The photos are reproduced very realistically, although I sometimes missed some saturation and contrast. The dynamic range is decent, but doesn't quite match that I live X51 5G ran. Other smartphones are sometimes a bit better in terms of sharpness, but the Xperia 5 II can also convince here. As soon as the lighting conditions become more difficult, night mode is activated automatically. Here, too, the recordings are reproduced very realistically, but they are often just too dark. For an MSRP of 899 euros, I would have expected a little more overall.

I would describe the ultra wide-angle camera as average. Daylight photos are a bit too pale for my taste and Sony can't quite keep up with the competition when it comes to dynamic range. The sharpness is okay again, even if the Huawei P40 Pro has the edge. If you try to take a picture in low light, the result is an almost black picture. OnePlus, Huawei and Vivo are visibly better here.

The triple telephoto lens also takes rather average pictures. They do convince with good color rendering and a decent dynamic range, but there is some room for improvement in terms of sharpness. Unfortunately, you can't switch between the different levels of zomming smoothly. For example, you click on the main camera, then zoom in 3 times without activating the telecamera. This is totally impractical in everyday life.

Videos with the main camera can be recorded in 4K with up to 60 FPS and look very good. Furthermore, slow motion recordings can be recorded in 4K with up to 120 FPS. Sony is currently unbeaten here. I also liked selfies very much, even if faces are sometimes drawn too softly.

Picture Pro

Already with the Xperia 1 II, the so-called Photo Proapp launched. In terms of operation and setting options, the whole thing is very reminiscent of Sony's digital cameras. Those who know a little more about it will get their money's worth and can adapt the images to their taste.

Screenshot: TechnikNews

Cinema Pro

The cinema ensures even better videos Proapp where you can manually set the resolution, frame rate, ISO value or autofocus, among other things. There are also some filters that you can use to change the look of the videos to suit your taste.

Screenshot: TechnikNews

Sony Xperia 5 II: test photos

Let's take a look at a few test photos. The following images are absolutely unprocessed, but compressed without loss in order to keep the loading times and memory consumption of the website low.

Comparison with the OnePlus 8 Pro and Vivo X51 5G

Finally, let's compare the Xperia 5 II's camera to other smartphones in this price range. Here, the OnePlus 8 Pro and the X51 5G from Vivo.

In daylight, all three cameras take very good pictures that only differ in nuances. The colors of the Sony often look a bit too pale, which is particularly noticeable with the ultra-wide-angle camera. When it comes to zoom, there are only visible differences in favor of the X5 51G from 5x magnification. As soon as the lighting conditions become more difficult, the Sony can no longer quite keep up. Even if the images come very close to reality, there is a lack of brightness and details, especially in extremely low light.

Other - really good speakers

As mentioned at the beginning, Sony makes good use of the space on the front by installing stereo front speakers. They sound really good and are loud enough. The Xperia 5 II is definitely at the forefront here. The same applies to the vibration motor, which feels very high quality and pleasant, but could be a bit quieter for my taste.

The smartphone can be unlocked using the fingerprint sensor on the side, among other things. This is easy to reach and reacts reasonably reliably, even if there was still some room for improvement. Some other smartphones are also ahead in terms of speed.

It is also worth mentioning that the smartphone is still equipped with a 3,5 mm jack connector, which can be used to connect wired headphones. Furthermore, the Sony Xperia 5 II is protected against the ingress of water and dust according to IP-68.

Conclusion

I actually really liked the Sony Xperia 5 II, starting with the compact size, the battery life, the excellent 120 Hertz display, the performance and the stereo speakers. I also really liked the countless camera functions and they were implemented extremely well. Nevertheless, my verdict on the Xperia 5 II is difficult for me, because many competitors, such as the OnePlus 8 Pro, OnePlus 8T, Vivo X51 5G or Pixel 5 are cheaper and in some disciplines even a little better. Especially when it comes to the camera or the charging functions, it can't keep up with the others, which I think is a shame for the price.

For currently 800 euros, I can only recommend it to those who are looking for a compact high-end smartphone with top equipment and like with one prowant to take pictures with a professional digital camera. Then it is also worth taking 800 euros into your hands. However, if you are looking for a smartphone for less than 800 euros and do not necessarily need a compact device, I would recommend a OnePlus 8 Pro or recommend OnePlus 8T. Otherwise, I would wait a little longer until the price of the Xperia 5 II drops to around 650 to 700 euros, because then you can buy it without hesitation and get a very good, compact high-end smartphone.

We would like to thank Sony Germany for providing the Sony Xperia 5 II.

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