Sony Xperia 1 IV Review: Stellar Camera Performance, Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1

On May 11th, Sony unveiled its latest smartphone packed with impressive features called Sony Xperia 1 IV. You must be curious about the performance of Sony Xperia 1 IV, how long Sony Xperia 1 IV battery lasts, and how much Sony Xperia 1 IV costs. Let's review Sony Xperia 1 IV to see what Sony has equipped the device with!

Note: This article is translated and referenced from GSMArena.

Read more:

• What's New in Xperia 1 IV: Price of 36.8 million, Snap 8 Gen 1, 240 Hz display
• First Impressions of Sony Xperia 1 IV: Upgrades in Performance and Camera

Design of Sony Xperia 1 IV - Legendary Omnibalance, Timeless Elegance

The Xperia line has long been known for its Omnibalance design, considered a hallmark across many previous generations. This design provides balance from every angle, ensuring comfort during use. The Sony Xperia 1 IV continues this tradition, boasting a luxurious appearance.

The device boasts a fairly simple yet eye-catching design, with both the front and back equipped with Gorilla Glass Victus, enhancing durability. Additionally, the Sony Xperia 1 IV comes in three color options: White, Black, and Purple, allowing you to choose a color that suits your personality.

The back of the Sony Xperia 1 IV is designed quite simply but still exudes elegance and sophistication. The rear panel is made of frosted Gorilla Glass, reducing fingerprint smudges and sweat stains to maintain the device's sleek appearance. The rear camera module is vertically aligned, housed in an oval-shaped frame at the top left corner, and the back panel also features the familiar 'SONY' logo. Indeed, this is a distinctive and impressive characteristic of the Xperia line's design.

Looking at the front of the Sony Xperia 1 IV, you'll find a 6.5-inch screen with relatively thick top and bottom bezels, sticking to the traditional design without any notches or punch holes. The device's screen features a cinematic 21:9 aspect ratio, 4K resolution, and a 120Hz refresh rate. With years of experience in developing and manufacturing TV screens, Sony has applied its advanced technologies to smartphones. Therefore, users don't have to worry about the image quality provided by this flagship. With what Sony has equipped, the Sony Xperia 1 IV has the capability to satisfy you visually with vibrant and captivating visuals!

Moreover, if you want to know more about the device's appearance, you can read our hands-on article about the Sony Xperia 1 IV to get a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of its design!

The Sony Xperia 1 IV screen is sharp with an OLED panel and 4K resolution

Regarding the display, the Sony Xperia 1 IV features a 6.5-inch OLED panel with a 4K resolution (3,840 x 1,644 pixels) and the brand's characteristic 21:9 aspect ratio. Additionally, the Sony Xperia 1 IV boasts a pixel density of 643 PPI, ensuring extremely sharp images. However, the 4K resolution is only applied to specific applications such as video playback or photo galleries. For other regular tasks, the device displays Full HD+ resolution to conserve battery power.

Furthermore, the display of the Sony Xperia 1 IV supports HDR10 format along with good color balance and the ability to reproduce over 1 billion different colors. The device also features a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz, which is utilized in most applications. However, when using apps that do not support high refresh rates like Photos or Google Maps, the device's screen automatically switches to a 60 Hz refresh rate.

Benefiting from its experience and advanced technology in TV manufacturing, Sony has incorporated these into the production of smartphones. The display of the Sony Xperia 1 IV can reach a maximum brightness of up to 600 nits regardless of whether you use the Standard or Creator mode, or automatic or custom settings.

Moreover, this is also an improvement over the screen of its predecessor smartphone (Sony Xperia 1 III, which had a maximum brightness of 350 nits in custom mode, 570 nits in auto mode, or 650 nits in Creator mode). This means the device will have a default brightness of 600 nits, regardless of whether you use the Standard or Creator mode with the preset White Balance setting.

Furthermore, when using the Medium option on the slider, GSMArena recorded a maximum brightness of up to 680 nits. For the Cool option, it was 600 nits, while the Warm setting reached a maximum brightness of 620 nits. Additionally, GSMArena measured the minimum brightness at the white point to be only 1.9 nits.

• Color Accuracy

The Xperia 1 IV offers color settings similar to its predecessor, the Xperia 1 III, and like most other premium products in the Xperia lineup manufactured by Sony in recent years. It includes Image quality settings that allow you to choose between Creator and Standard modes. Additionally, you can fine-tune the color temperature through the Warm, Medium, and Cool buttons. This enables you to adjust the screen colors to suit your viewing preferences.

The Creator mode can adjust the screen color based on the content and applications being used. Therefore, it automatically switches between two color spaces, sRGB and DCI-P3, if necessary. Particularly in the sRGB color gamut, GSMArena achieved very accurate results with the White point set at D65. Meanwhile, the Standard mode produces more appealing results without focusing too much on accuracy. Although this mode still provides fairly accurate results, whites and grays tend to have a slight greenish tint, while blues appear somewhat muted. If this seems too complicated, the device still offers an option to switch between the Standard and Creator modes depending on the displayed content!

• HDR Mode

The OLED display of Sony Xperia 1 IV supports HDR10 and operates in most live streaming apps such as YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, ... However, only Dolby Vision is not supported in this mode. Additionally, although the device is equipped with a 4K resolution screen, Netflix streaming app will not support streaming at that resolution. On the other hand, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube can stream directly and recognize content with 4K resolution.

Finally, in the Image Quality Setting, there will be an option for Video Image Enhancement (X1 for mobile). This option is preset and helps enhance video quality through Sony's exclusive X1 engine. Moreover, this feature also supports HDR when using streaming apps, analyzing HDR videos frame by frame and adjusting colors to fit the best.

Sony Xperia 1 IV with a 5,000 mAh battery, offering a total operating time of up to 100 hours

Sony Xperia 1 IV is powered by a 5,000 mAh battery, which is more than 10% larger than Xperia 1 III and Xperia PRO-I. The author is delighted with the battery capacity upgrade in Xperia 1 IV compared to its predecessor. This battery capacity also allows Xperia 1 IV to achieve a total battery life of 100 hours across three battery life tests conducted by GSMArena, an improvement over the Xperia 1 III and Xperia PRO-I.

With its 5,000 mAh capacity, Sony Xperia 1 IV can continuously operate for 27 hours of voice calls, 11 hours and 30 minutes of web browsing, and 15 hours of video playback on a single charge. The author notes that in standby mode, the device performs better with extended standby time (100 hours). Furthermore, Sony Xperia 1 IV also supports fast wired charging up to 30 W via USB Power Delivery (USB-PD), enabling the device to charge 50% in half an hour. Additionally, Sony equips Xperia 1 IV with wireless charging support up to 15 W.

However, Sony does not include basic accessories such as a charger, charging cable, etc. in the box. If you want to fully utilize this fast charging support, you will need to purchase an additional Sony XQZ-UC1 30W PD charger. Alternatively, you can also purchase any third-party charger that supports USB Power Delivery, but the minimum charging power must be 30W. In the battery charging speed test, the author noted that the Xperia 1 IV used a USB-PD charger and was able to charge 47% of the battery capacity in the first 30 minutes, as previously announced by the manufacturer.

Moreover, with this power, it only takes 1 hour and 42 minutes to fully charge the device's battery. Compared to devices in the same price range such as the iPhone 13 Pro Max (1 hour 46 minutes) and its predecessor (Xperia 1 III with a full charge time of 1 hour 50 minutes), the Sony Xperia 1 IV performs slightly better with faster charging time.

Sony Xperia 1 IV runs on the familiar Xperia UI interface based on Android 12

Sony Xperia 1 IV will run the customizable Xperia UI interface on Android 12 right out of the box. Starting with some basics, the device supports the Always-on Display feature, also known as Google Ambient display, with a few limited customization options. The lock screen functions normally, allowing you to choose a clock and two shortcuts, one for quick access to the camera and another for Google Assistant.

The main home screen interface of Xperia 1 IV is designed similarly to the lock screen. The Google search app is placed in a quick access menu on the far left. With the Android 12 version used alongside Xperia UI, you'll be able to easily access notifications with a single swipe down along with Bubbles shortcuts. Both features are available on the Xperia 1 IV, unlike some other interfaces.

Not stopping there, Sony Xperia 1 IV also features a multi-window switch. You can access and use two apps simultaneously, with the apps stacked on top of each other, displayed in a split-screen mode with one app on the top half and one for the bottom half of the screen. You can also adjust the size between the two displayed apps by moving the horizontal cut line between the two windows to fine-tune them to your usage needs.

One-handed mode is also one of Sony's exclusive features. When using this mode, there will be a button on the side of the phone to open a shortcut menu for apps and features, most of which will be user-customizable.

Xperia UI on Sony Xperia 1 IV offers many features and functionalities, but due to the limitations of this article, I can't list them all. If you're interested, leave a comment below, and who knows, we might have another detailed review of Xperia UI on Sony Xperia 1 IV in the future!

Sony Xperia 1 IV delivers incredible performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset

The specific specifications of Sony Xperia 1 IV are as follows:

• Display: 6.5-inch OLED panel, 4K resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate.
• Operating System: Android 12.
• Rear Camera: 12 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP + 0.3 MP.
• Front Camera: 12 MP.
• Chipset: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1.
• RAM: 12 GB.
• Internal Storage: 256 GB and 512 GB (supports MicroSDXC card).
• Battery: 5,000 mAh, supports 30 W fast charging.

Sony Xperia 1 IV is equipped with the powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset from Qualcomm, the most powerful to date. This processor is manufactured on a 4nm process and offers significantly upgraded performance compared to the previous generation. It's the most anticipated aspect of the device's specifications since Sony introduced the Xperia 1 III and Xperia PRO-I.

Sony Xperia 1 IV performed exceptionally well in the GeekBench performance test. It scored 1,160 in single-core and 3,403 in multi-core, slightly behind its competitor Xiaomi 12 Pro. These high scores are attributed to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset and Adreno 730 GPU, one of the best mobile GPUs available. The device also excelled in thermal management. It achieved an impressive Antutu score of 838,832, surpassing both Xperia 1 III and Xperia PRO-I.

Sony Xperia 1 IV excelled in the 3DMark Wild Life Wild Life Vulkan test, scoring an impressive 9,794 points. It outperformed competitors like Xiaomi 12 Pro (9,664) and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (7,437). These results place Xperia 1 IV among the top-performing phones equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset.

Sony Xperia 1 IV's CPU can reach a maximum performance of 63% in the CPU stress test. Source: GSMArena.

Sony Xperia 1 IV boasts an impressive camera with a zoom sensor

Sony Xperia 1 IV features a triple rear camera setup similar to its predecessor, the Sony Xperia 1 III. However, the telephoto lens has been upgraded with seamless zoom capabilities ranging from 85mm to 125mm. Additionally, it includes a ToF sensor for depth sensing with added Bokeh effects, along with an RGB IR sensor for precise light balancing.

The highlight of the camera system on Sony Xperia 1 IV is the telephoto camera. This sensor provides optical stabilization and two default zoom levels. However, the difference from the previous generation is the enhanced zoom capabilities, offering 85mm (3.5x) with f/2.3 aperture and 125mm (5.2x) with f/2.8 aperture, instead of the previous 70mm (2.9x) with f/2.3 aperture and 105mm (4.4x) with f/2.8 aperture.

The standout feature here is the smooth zooming experience between two levels, akin to a traditional camera with a physical lens. The sensor has been upgraded to support continuous zooming, allowing you to select any level between 85mm and 125mm (such as 105mm, f/2.7 aperture) without manual adjustment. Continuous zoom is a new digital mode, a technology unprecedented in recent years. Previously, OPPO also developed a similar camera system, but it was never implemented in any device, and in terms of technology, it cannot match Sony's lens expansion capabilities.

The telephoto camera on Xperia 1 IV utilizes a 12 MP 1/3.5 sensor with 1.0 µm pixel size and PDAF. Hardware inspections indicate this is the Sony IMX 650 sensor, though its accuracy is uncertain as the IMX 650 sensor should be a 40 MP resolution camera. Additionally, the main camera of Sony Xperia 1 IV will feature a 12 MP Sony IMX 563 1/2.55 sensor with 1.4 µm pixel size and a 16 mm f/2.2 aperture. Moreover, this camera system also supports Dual Pixel AF, enhancing close-up shots.

Moreover, Sony has replaced the 8 MP selfie camera found on the previous generation with an entirely new 12 MP selfie sensor. This lens utilizes the Sony IMX 663 1/2.9 sensor, boasting a resolution of 12 MP with 1.0 µm pixels and a 20 mm f/2.0 aperture, capable of fixed focus infinity. Additionally, the Xperia 1 IV's selfie sensor supports 4K video recording just like the other sensors.

This camera also inherits some algorithms from its predecessor, the Sony Xperia 1 III. On the new Xperia 1 IV, all cameras are supported by the SteadyShot feature with FlawlessEye. This helps improve camera stability in low-light conditions. Eye AF and Real-Time Object Tracking are also available on all cameras of the device and come with the ability to record 4K video at 120 FPS via the Cinema Pro app.

Xperia 1 IV comes equipped with the ability to detect wind noise, aiming to separate and eliminate noise caused by wind while recording videos. Moreover, the Shooting Grip and Vlog Monitor (a filming stick and small monitor support for vlogging) are also introduced alongside the Sony Xperia Pro. These are very suitable accessories for those who want to use Xperia 1 IV for creative content creation!

Above are the highlights that the camera system of Sony Xperia 1 IV possesses, and there are many other extremely attractive features as well. But due to the length of the article, I'll see you in the detailed review of the Sony Xperia 1 IV camera in the near future! Below are the most beautiful photos taken from the camera system of Sony Xperia 1 IV in various modes, please enjoy.

• Normal mode captured in good lighting conditions

• Normal mode captured in low light conditions

• Photo taken with telephoto camera in good lighting conditions

• Portrait mode

• Photo taken with selfie camera

• 4K video recorded with main camera in good lighting conditions

• 4K video recorded with main camera in low light conditions

How much is the Sony Xperia 1 IV? Is it worth buying?

According to Sony's announcement, the current price of the Sony Xperia 1 IV is 1,599 USD (approximately 36.9 million VND) for the standard version. Overall, the Sony Xperia 1 IV is a smartphone equipped with many high-end features such as impressive familiar design, powerful configuration, and a 4K resolution display,... With these advantages, we believe that this is the device you shouldn't overlook in the premium segment!

Above is the detailed review of Sony Xperia 1 IV conducted by GSMArena. How about you, what's your assessment of the Sony Xperia 1 IV? Feel free to leave your thoughts below! Thank you for reading through our article.

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