New Sony Xperia smartphone makes its debut later this month

Sony Xperia 5 IV smartphone in all black, green and ecru white

(Image credit: Sony)

Sony has unveiled the newest addition to the Xperia line-up in the form of the Xperia 5 IV. It joins the Xperia 1 and 10 in getting its Mark IV iteration.

Sony is pitching this handset as an upper-midrange device centred around creating and consuming content alike, with many features trickling down from the flagship Xperia 1 IV. The 5 IV features a 6.1-inch 1080p HDR OLED display, reminiscent of the 1 IV’s but with a resolution bump down to Full HD+ instead of 4K. Sony claims the new Xperia 5’s display will be 50 per cent brighter than the previous iteration. It will support IMAX Enhanced formats on the 21:9 display – the perfect cinematic aspect ratio for watching films.

Sony has upgraded the sound of the Xperia 5 too, with Dolby Atmos support via either headphones or the full-stage stereo speakers. Headphone users can also rejoice as an increasingly rare 3.5mm headphone jack is proudly punched into the frame of the 5 IV. Wireless audio users can also benefit from “DSEE Ultimate” (Sony’s AI based music quality enhancer) and LDAC, as well as Bluetooth LE for high quality audio. Both wired and wireless headphone users will be able to take advantage of Sony’s 360 Reality Audio through native support in some streaming apps, as well as via upmix processing.

The specification of the Xperia 5 IV seems solid too. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip lies at the heart of the device, and a 5000mAh battery matches that of its more expensive sibling. The Xperia 1 IV already has admirable battery life, and without the need to keep a 4K screen running constantly, the Xperia 5 IV should be a battery champ.

The Xperia 5 IV also shares the Xperia 1 IV's live streaming capabilities, its comprehensive camera system and the Music Pro application that Sony claims will provide studio-quality audio recording via the phone's microphones. It has IP68 water and dust resistance and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on both the front and rear for protection against both the elements and accidental drops.

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is shaping up, then, to be a slightly more affordable Xperia 1 IV, although it's still by no means a budget phone. The Xperia 5 IV will retail for £949 (around $1101 / AU$1609), putting it in stiff competition from the likes of the iPhone 13 Pro. It comes in three colours – Black, Green or Ecru White – and will be available in late September. Sony will also be offering a bonus incentive of a free pair of LinkBuds S if you pre-order.

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Lewis Empson is a Senior Staff Writer on What Hi-Fi?. He was previously Gaming and Digital editor for Cardiff University's 'Quench Magazine', Lewis graduated in 2021 and has since worked on a selection of lifestyle magazines and regional newspapers. Outside of work, he enjoys gaming, gigs and regular cinema trips.