Sony launched the Xperia 1 VII 5G on May 13, 2025. This is not a regular phone. It is made for professional photographers, videographers, and music lovers. The phone has features that other phones do not have.
The phone costs around Rs. 1,40,990 in India for the 256GB model with 12GB RAM. This is expensive, but the phone gives you professional tools. It has a 3.5mm headphone jack and a memory card slot that most expensive phones have removed.
In 2026, reviewers love this phone. They say it combines Sony’s Alpha camera technology, Walkman audio quality, and Bravia display quality. If you create content professionally, this phone is perfect for you.
Strong and Easy to Hold Design
The phone measures 162 x 74 x 8.2 mm. It weighs only 197 grams. This is very light for such a powerful phone. The front and back use Gorilla Glass Victus 2. This is the strongest glass protection available.
The back has a textured surface. This makes it easy to grip without a case. You do not need to worry about the phone slipping from your hand. The phone has IP65 and IP68 ratings. This means it is protected from dust and water. You can use it at the beach or in the rain.
The phone has flat sides and a dedicated camera shutter button. It feels like holding a real camera. The phone comes in three colors: Moss Green, Orchid Purple, and Slate Black. All colors look professional and elegant.
The phone has no notch or punch hole on the screen. This gives you a complete edge-to-edge display. The screen ratio is 21:9. This is perfect for watching movies and videos.
The phone is tall and narrow. This is great for watching videos in landscape mode. But you need both hands to type. This is the trade-off for the cinematic screen shape.
Professional Display Quality
The screen is 6.5 inches. It uses OLED technology with Full HD+ resolution at 1080 x 2340 pixels. This gives you 396 pixels per inch. Everything looks sharp and clear.
The screen has 120Hz LTPO refresh rate. This can change from 1Hz to 120Hz automatically. This saves battery while keeping things smooth. The touch sampling rate is 240Hz. This makes gaming and scrolling very responsive.
| Display Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Size | 6.5 inches OLED |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2340 (FHD+) |
| Refresh Rate | 120Hz LTPO (1-120Hz) |
| Touch Sampling | 240Hz |
| Peak Brightness | 1475 nits |
| HDR Support | HDR10+ |
The screen supports HDR10+. The peak brightness is 1475 nits. This is Sony’s brightest screen ever. You can see the screen clearly even in direct sunlight. The phone has sensors on both front and back. These adjust the brightness automatically.
The phone uses Sony’s Bravia XR engine. This is the same technology used in Sony TVs. The Creator Mode gives perfect DCI-P3 color accuracy. You can edit colors on the phone screen and trust what you see.
The Sunlight Vision feature adjusts contrast for outdoor viewing. The Always-On Display shows time and notifications without using much battery. The screen covers 86.5% of the front. This feels very immersive for editing videos.
Powerful Processor and Performance
The phone uses Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite processor. This is the latest and fastest chip from Qualcomm. It has two prime cores running at 4.32GHz and six cores running at 3.53GHz. The graphics chip is Adreno 830.
The RAM is 12GB of LPDDR5X type. This is the fastest RAM available. The storage is 256GB or 512GB of UFS 4.0 type. This is also the fastest storage. You can add a memory card for more storage.
The AnTuTu benchmark score is over 2.5 million. This is extremely high. The phone does not slow down even during heavy gaming. The advanced cooling system keeps the phone from overheating.
The phone runs Android 15. Sony uses stock Android without extra apps. This keeps the phone fast and clean. Sony promises 4 major Android updates and 6 years of security updates. This is very good support.
The Xperia Intelligence AI helps with performance. It handles frame generation and power management automatically. You can run multiple apps at the same time. The phone can play 4K video while you edit photos in Lightroom without any lag.
Professional Camera System
The camera system is based on Sony’s Alpha camera technology. This is the same technology used in professional Sony cameras.
Main Cameras
| Camera | Specifications | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Main | 48MP, 1/1.35″ sensor, f/1.9 | Dual-pixel PDAF, OIS, Zeiss T* coating |
| Ultrawide | 48MP, 1/1.56″ sensor | PDAF, larger sensor than competitors |
| Telephoto | 12MP, variable zoom 3.5-7.1x | 85-170mm, OIS, 4cm macro |
The main camera is 48MP with a large 1/1.35 inch sensor. It has dual-pixel PDAF for fast focusing and OIS for stabilization. The lens has Zeiss T* coating. This reduces reflections and improves image quality.
The ultrawide camera is 48MP with a 1/1.56 inch sensor. This sensor is bigger than most phone ultrawide cameras. The photos are detailed and clear.
The telephoto camera is special. It has variable zoom from 3.5x to 7.1x continuously. This is like 85mm to 170mm focal length. It also has OIS and can focus as close as 4cm for macro photos.
You can take photos at 24MP or 48MP resolution. You can record videos at 4K resolution and 120fps. The videos support Log format for professional color grading. The camera has eye-tracking autofocus just like Sony Alpha cameras.
The AI Camerawork feature can automatically frame moving subjects. It tracks runners or pets and keeps them in focus. The color spectrum sensor matches skin tones perfectly.
The front camera is 12MP. It can record 4K videos at 60fps. This is perfect for vloggers and video calls.
The telephoto camera works better in low light than competitors at 5x zoom. At 10x digital zoom, the image gets soft. But for professional work, this camera system is like having a pocket studio.
Amazing Audio Quality
Sony is famous for audio quality. The Xperia 1 VII continues this tradition. The phone has front-firing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. The bass is deeper and louder than most phones.
The phone has a 3.5mm headphone jack. Most expensive phones removed this feature. Sony keeps it for audio professionals and music lovers. The audio supports Hi-Res formats with LDAC and aptX HD.
The DSEE Ultimate technology upscales regular music to near Hi-Res quality. The 360 Reality Audio creates immersive sound like being in a concert hall. It is like having studio monitors in your pocket.
The phone does not have FM radio. But the wireless Hi-Res audio quality is better than expensive headphones like AirPods Max. If you use wired headphones with Tidal or other Hi-Res music services, the sound quality is amazing.
Reviewers call the sound quality “reference-grade.” This means it is good enough for professional audio work. The speakers are much better than iPhone speakers.
Long Battery Life
The battery is 5000mAh Li-Po type. This gives excellent battery life for professional use.
Battery Performance
| Usage Type | Battery Life |
|---|---|
| General Use | 23 hours 28 minutes |
| Video Playback | 18 hours |
| Web Browsing | 9 hours |
| Gaming | 6.5 hours |
| Standby | 90 hours |
The battery lasts over 23 hours with general use. You can watch videos for 18 hours. The phone lasts through long shooting days without problems.
The phone charges with 30W wired charging. You can reach 51% battery in just 30 minutes. Full charge takes 1 hour and 27 minutes. The phone also supports 15W wireless charging and 15W reverse wireless charging.
The Stamina mode can make the battery last 2 days. This is perfect for festivals or events where you cannot charge. You do not need to carry power banks.
Complete Connectivity
The phone has the latest connectivity features. WiFi 7 with MIMO gives very fast internet. Bluetooth 6.0 connects to wireless devices perfectly. The USB-C port is version 3.2. It supports OTG for connecting USB drives and DisplayPort for external monitors.
The phone has NFC for digital payments. The fingerprint scanner is on the side. It is fast and accurate. The phone has UWB (Ultra-Wideband) for precise location tracking.
The 5G works with both sub-6GHz and mmWave networks. It works great with Jio and other Indian networks. The phone has all the sensors you need: gyroscope, compass, and barometer. These are useful for AR apps and professional shooting.
The phone does not have an IR blaster. But it has everything else professionals need.
Price and Availability in India
| Model | Storage | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Base | 256GB/12GB | Rs. 1,40,990 |
| High | 512GB/12GB | Rs. 1,60,000 |
You can buy the phone through import sites like Smartprix. Sony is planning an official India launch after MWC 2026. The phone gets global praise for true quality and real emotion in photos and videos.
The phone does not sell in huge numbers like Galaxy phones. But it wins the hearts of professionals who need real tools, not gimmicks.
Comparison with Competitors
The Sony Xperia 1 VII beats iPhone 16 Pro in audio quality, storage options, and zoom versatility. It trails Samsung S25 Ultra in maximum zoom range and peak battery capacity.
But for unfiltered creator joy and professional tools, the Xperia 1 VII is the best. It does not try to be everything for everyone. It focuses on being perfect for creators.
Final Thoughts
The Sony Xperia 1 VII 5G is not for everyone. It is expensive and focused on professional features. But if you are a videographer, photographer, or audiophile, this phone is perfect.
You get Alpha camera quality, Walkman audio heritage, and Bravia display technology in one device. The 3.5mm jack and memory card slot show Sony respects professional users.
The phone is like a professional tool that happens to make phone calls. It does not chase trends or add useless AI features. It focuses on what creators actually need.
If you want professional tools and do not care about following trends, buy the Sony Xperia 1 VII. Sony’s rebel spirit lives on in this amazing phone.
