"The Sony Xperia 5 II is just the right size and specification, but the best of features are yet to be exploited and some frustrating omissions make it difficult to recommend."
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Compact, lightweight design
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Nice OLED screen
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Powerful processor
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Long battery life
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No wireless charging
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No. 5G in the US
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Camera quirks are frustrating
The Sony Xperia 5 II is the compact flagship smartphone that many yearn for. However, to get the most out of this desirable combination of high quality and small packages, you have to work hard and pay a significant price. I've been living with the phone for a few weeks now and it really is.
design
Shiny, glassy and slippery like a well-oiled fish. This is the best way to describe the Xperia 5 II outside of its modest dimensions and light weight. Because of the 8mm thickness and the larger, not wider shape that the 21: 9 aspect ratio screen allows, it's really compact. It weighs only 163 grams and thanks to its slim design, people with small hands can reach the other side of the screen with their thumbs. It slips easily into pockets and pouches, and unfortunately almost any surface it touches.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The Xperia 5 II is made of glass with an aluminum frame and glides around with its own mind on anything that is not a perfectly flat surface. For this reason, you also need to hold on because the body does not offer much support. This brings me to the one thing I really don't like about the phone's design – a mass of buttons on the right side.
From top to bottom there's a small volume rocker, then the on / off switch with a built-in fingerprint sensor, then a Google Assistant button and finally a physical camera shutter button. Pick up the Xperia 5 II and it is almost certain that you will press a button. Usually it is the useless Google Assistant that cannot be remapped or simply disabled. A frustrating design decision that gets worse when I don't have the option to use the feature or not.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable, but located a little too centrally on the side in my opinion, and I like the physical camera trigger that is placed on the bottom of the frame so as not to intrude. Finding a 3.5mm headphone jack on the top of the frame is great, despite the phone's slimness. I like the pull-out SIM card tray that doesn't require a SIM removal tool, but it doesn't compromise the phone's IP68 waterproof rating.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The Sony Xperia 5 II is easy to use, compact enough for everyone, made of high quality materials and is almost the perfect size for a smartphone. You just have to deal with all of the smoothness.
screen
The 21: 9 aspect ratio is great for watching super widescreen movies and contributes to the phone's small size. While there are 21: 9 movies, the reality is that they're a little rarer than 16: 9 videos. This means you are still watching the most with black bars on either side, although there are plenty of games that take advantage of the super widescreen view, including Minecraft, Asphalt 9, and Fortnite.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
However, this is the specification we want for 2020. The OLED screen offers a resolution of 2520 x 1080, a refresh rate of 120 Hz and 10-bit HDR support. It's not the 4K monster adapted for the Xperia 1 II, but under normal circumstances you won't really notice the lower number of pixels. Plus, it has the same creator mode and image enhancement technology as the more expensive phone. I like the look of it and I doubt many would wish they could get the Xperia 1 II instead.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The display is very nice. Dreamy indeed. Carfection's Audi e-Tron Sportback review is sharp and colorful, while Mnet's live version of WJSN Chocomes Hmph! pops off the screen with its electrified, ultra-vibrant colors. Music videos are great on the Xperia 5 II because of its stereo speakers that have loads of volume and a sweet, controlled sound. Sony's dynamic vibration feature adds vibration that matches what is displayed on the screen. It works well because you can adjust the intensity. Keep it low and it's a pleasing added effect.
And if you use the phone vertically, as you do most of the time, that extra screen real estate gives you more content in feeds and messaging apps without scrolling.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
No, the Xperia 5 II doesn't quite match the Xperia 1 II in terms of sheer, astounding visual appeal of a mobile device, but it's arguably all that anyone needs.
camera
There are three 12-megapixel cameras on the back of the Xperia 5 II: a f / 1.7 standard camera, a f / 2.4 telephoto camera, and a f / 2.2 ultrawide camera. Sony worked with Zeiss Optics on the lenses. Features include optical and electronic image stabilization, HDR, 4K video recording, eye tracking, 3x optical zoom and dual-pixel autofocus. It's almost the same setup as the back of the Xperia 1 II, but with a few changes.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Because it's so similar to the Xperia 1 II, it has the same problems. The photos it takes are often beautiful, with excellent balance and dynamics, but it finds it difficult to focus up close and the results can be inconsistent. There is no night mode for super bright night pictures, so pictures in low light are not as noticeable as some other phones, but there is a lot of realism and detail. The 8-megapixel selfie camera washes out skin tone to death in the default settings. So it is advisable to turn off any enhancements before starting there.
Overall, I edit my pictures a lot. It uses the Google Photos editing suite to make them look just right. It's worth it because the Sony camera captures a lot of delicious detail. I didn't get a chance to play with the Xperia 5 II's eye tracking feature due to the lack of living things (thank you 2020) but I've used it in the past and was very impressed. Proper focus of the eye is critical to accurately capturing portraits. Only a few other telephones have this feature.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Sony sells the Xperia cameras because of their Photo Pro and Cinema Pro apps, which have been tweaked by Sony's experienced camera and cinema teams and are essentially pimped-up manual modes. If you regularly use manual mode for your smartphone's camera, you will appreciate the depth and versatility of each one, and be able to use it to create stunning stills and videos. However, if you've never touched manual mode and are unfamiliar with the principles of shutter speed, white balance, ISO, and manual focus, the learning curve is very steep.
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The Cinema Pro app from Sony - 2.
Sony's Photo Pro app
It sounds like I'm on the Xperia 5 II's camera, but I'm not really. It's just frustrating. Some wonderfully atmospheric photos with beautiful colors can be taken. I like the combination of ultrawide and telephoto, and the physical camera shutter is a great tactile, ergonomic addition. But it's inconsistent, sometimes outperformed by other cameras on phones that cost less, and places too much emphasis on features beyond many potential owners.
The Sony camera of the Xperia 5 II and Xperia 1 II has everything you need to take wonderful photos. Unlike the Pixel 5 or iPhone 12 Pro, however, this doesn't just happen by pressing the shutter button. If this sounds like something you like and you want to learn more about the mechanics of photography, you will appreciate the Sony phone more.
Software and performance
No performance issues were found when using the Xperia 5 II as a daily phone. It's as fast as you'd expect from a phone with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Asphalt 9 Legends plays great and also makes use of the screen with an aspect ratio of 21: 9. The lightness of the phone makes it great for long games and movie sessions.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
Sony's user interface with Android 10 is unobtrusive and the software is fast and reliable. Various non-Sony apps are preinstalled, including LinkedIn, which annoy you with annoying notifications and make manual uninstallation difficult. The large screen takes a bit of getting used to once you've viewed a screen with a wider aspect ratio. Icons can appear tightly grouped, and scrolling apps like Twitter and Instagram feel limited at first, but the ergonomic benefits that the shape brings will soon be felt.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
I experienced some problems with the WiFi range and cellular connection. The Xperia 5 II dropped its signal more often than other phones I tested, and it lacks the Wi-Fi range of other models, including the Pixel 5 and iPhone 12 Pro. Calls are good, but it's easy to cover the microphone on the bottom of the phone with your finger, and the front camera retains the faded look that can be seen in their selfies on video calls.
The phone supports 5G in the UK but not in the US. While 5G isn't a reason to buy a phone right now, it does matter later and should be considered when purchasing an expensive device. It is also unfortunate that the phone still has Android 10 instead of Android 11 and there is also no confirmed date for the software update.
Andy Boxall / Digital Trends
The 4,000 mAh battery has proven to be very powerful and easily lasts me a full day, with average screen time per day being between two and four hours. The battery performance of the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE that I had used before was very similar. Long days ended up about 30%. Without video calls, the battery should last two days without any problems.
Unfortunately, there is no wireless charging, and while it supports fast wired charging at 21 watts, you get an 18 W charger in the box. If you already have the higher powered charger, it will be reduced to 50% in 30 minutes. If not, allow at least 45 minutes. However, I like the adaptive charge mode that manages overnight charge cycles to help extend battery life.
Price and availability
The The Sony Xperia 5 II can be pre-ordered in the US. before a December 3 release for $ 949 (it's already discounted to $ 900). It is available now in the UK for £ 799.
Our opinion
If you like Sony's 21: 9 aspect ratio and design, and really should, the Xperia 5 II is the model to buy compared to the Xperia 1 II. It does almost everything for $ 250 less. The screen, battery life, build, and compact size are impressive, although you will have to put some effort into making the most of the camera's talents.
I like the quirky Xperia 5 II, but realize that there are better purchases for the same price or less. It's definitely part of an extinct breed: a really high quality flagship compact phone.
Are there any better alternatives?
Yes. At $ 949, the Xperia 5 II has a lot of competition despite its high specification. The $ 900 OnePlus 8 Pro is our pick of Android alternatives because of the great software and screen, while the $ 1,000 iPhone 12 Pro is a great alternative and has great software, camera, and design. The Galaxy S20 Plus is now available for roughly the same price. If you're happy with the plastic back, the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is great value for money at $ 699.
All of these phones are bigger than the Xperia 5 II, however. If you're looking for a brilliant point-and-shoot camera in a compact smartphone, the $ 699 Google Pixel 5 is our pick.
How long it will take?
The technology ensures that the Xperia 5 II has at least a two-year contract or financing plan on before it can possibly feel old. The lack of 5G can lead you to update around this time anyway. The phone is made of glass, but has an IP68 rating and should therefore prove to be relatively durable in a housing.
Sony has been frustratingly dull about its Android software update schedule. It told Digital Trends that it committed to providing regular and timely updates when we asked about Android 11 on the Xperia 1 II, but without providing any specific dates. It's similarly unclear for the Xperia 5 II. Then expect an update, but just be patient.
Should you buy it?
No, there are better phones with a generally accessible camera for the same price. And the lack of 5G in the US hurts its longevity. However, in the UK this is a better option due to the slightly better price and 5G support.
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