Sony Xperia 1 II Review | PROFESSIONAL PHONE!

The Sony Xperia 1 II is a flagship phone built around a 21:9 4K OLED display and a camera system that borrows from Sony’s Alpha cameras and Zeiss optics. This review looks at its design and build, display, camera, performance and software, and battery.

Design & Build

At 7.6 mm thick and 181 grams, the Xperia 1 II is among the thinnest and lightest flagships of its year. The body carries IP68 water and dust resistance, and Sony keeps the 3.5 mm headphone jack that many rivals have dropped.

Display

The 6.5-inch OLED panel runs at 4K resolution in a 21:9 cinema aspect ratio, which fills the screen for social media, TV series, and films without heavy letterboxing. It supports 10-bit HDR and covers 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The refresh rate is 60 Hz; Sony’s X1 for Mobile engine reduces motion blur, and Sony describes the result as approaching the smoothness of a 90 Hz panel.

Camera

The rear array uses three 12 MP cameras. The 24 mm main camera pairs with a 1/1.7-inch Exmor RS sensor, alongside a 16 mm wide-angle and a 70 mm telephoto. The lenses carry a Zeiss T* coating, a treatment that reduces reflections and is found on DSLR optics, brought here to the phone. A 3D ToF sensor assists focus, and the system shoots bursts at up to 20 frames per second with continuous autofocus.

Two dedicated apps handle manual control. Photo Pro uses the interface of Sony’s Alpha cameras and mirrors the feel of shooting on an Alpha body, while Camera Pro applies the CineAlta interface for video. Together they give the phone manual controls modeled on Sony’s standalone cameras.

Video records at 4K 60 fps with combined OIS and EIS stabilization; the main and telephoto lenses use a 5-axis stabilizer with OIS. The front camera is an 8 MP unit and also includes stabilization.

Performance & Software

The Xperia 1 II runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 chipset with 8 GB of memory and 256 GB of storage, expandable by microSD. Stereo speakers sit front-facing in a handset layout, so they are not muffled by a hand during games or video, and support Hi-Res Audio and Dolby Atmos. The phone also supports DSEE Ultimate and 360 Reality Audio.

Connectivity covers Wi-Fi 6, 5G, and Bluetooth 5.1, with a USB 3.1 Type-C port and NFC. The USB port doubles as HDMI and DisplayPort output and can send 4K HDR images to another screen. The phone also pairs with the DualShock 4 controller for the PlayStation 4.

Battery

The 4,000 mAh battery comfortably lasts beyond a day of use. Charging is handled by an 18 W charger or wirelessly.

Who Is Sony Xperia 1 II For?

The Xperia 1 II suits users who want a 4K 21:9 OLED for film and content, and who value manual, Alpha-style camera controls over point-and-shoot simplicity. Photographers and videographers who work in Photo Pro and Camera Pro get the most from it, and the retained headphone jack, microSD slot, and front-facing stereo speakers make it a strong fit for media playback.