Sony Xperia 1 VI is here – SD 8 Gen 3, better zoom and more conventional screen

The Sony Xperia 1 VI is official and it’s looking like a welcome refinement of the Xperia 1 V formula.

The biggest change is the move away from the staple 4K OLED in its cinema 21:9 aspect ratio and towards a more conventional 19.5:9 1080x2340px panel. The diagonal is still 6.5 inches, but with the new aspect it’s actually a slightly larger screen.

Sony Xperia 1 VI for both work and play

The display is now brighter too – up from 900 nits to 1,300 nits – and smarter – the LTPO panel variably adjusts between 1Hz and 120Hz, whereas the Xperia 1 V mostly toggled between 60Hz and 120Hz.

This will likely have a positive impact on battery life – Sony is quick to tout that the 5,000mAh battery will last for two days of use and our review found it to be marvelous performer. The battery can recharge 50% in 30 minutes with a 30W charger, and retain at least 80% of its capacity after 4 years of use thanks to Battery Care and Xperia Adaptive Charging.

Sony Xperia 1 VI colorways

Audiophiles will be glad to learn that the Xperia 1 VI brings louder and balanced full-stage front-facing stereo speakers with reduced distortion. The 3.5mm headphone jack has a new Premium Audio Circuit for improved output.

As expected, the Xperia 1 VI moves up to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 with 12GB of RAM. People in Europe can pair the hardware with 256GB of storage, while buyers in Japan and East Asia will get a 512GB version.

A closeup of the defining features of the Xperia 1 VI

Sony finally put a vapor chamber in their flagship phone, which should help tremendously with thermals. The new FPS Optimizer dynamically adjusts CPU use and frame rates, depending on the gaming environment.

Let’s talk cameras. The Xperia 1 VI’s camera system may sound the same as that of the V but there are fundamental changes that should make a big, positive difference. The main 48MP 1/1.35″ camera is seemingly unchanged but offers a full-res 48MP mode this year. The lens is a 24mm f/1.9 optically-stabilized unit. The ultrawide is unchanged as well – it’s a 12MP f/2.2 lens with a 16mm focal length and PDAF.

However, Sony made strides with the zoom camera. The sensor is the same 1/3.5″, but the Xperia 1 VI brings a longer-reaching 85mm-170mm optically-zooming module (3.5x all the way to 7.1x) versus the 85-110mm lens of the V. Also new this year is the much closer focusing for the telephoto camera and even a dedicated tele-macro mode at 120mm – the zoom camera offers fixed 4cm close focus (2x magnification) with a focus peaking aid.

Both sides of the phone feature Gorilla Glass Victus – 2 upfront, version 1 on the back. The back glass has a textual finish with microfabrication and a frosted finish, just like the previous model. Textured strips are grooved along the entire aluminum frame, also like the Xperia 1 V.

Sony Xperia 1 VI boots Android 14 at launch and will get three Android version updates and four years of security updates.

The Xperia 1 VI comes in Black, Platinum Silver, and Khaki Green. It starts from €1,399/£1,299 and will be available from early June.

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