While many manufacturers have jumped on the “+” version of the latest high-end Snapdragon processor, Sony is launching an Xperia 5 IV with the old model. Engraved by Samsung, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 heats up more, which is unfortunately a frequent problem with Sony. Will this terminal be the exception?
Compactness, photo arguments, resistors and a jack socket: the Xperia 5 Mark IV (already four models!) takes up the traditional bricks put forward by Sony to place itself in the middle of the high end. Positioned at 1049 euros, the Xperia 5 Mark IV is a “small flagship”, behind the Xperia 1 Mark IV and the Pro-I.
As such, it integrates Qualcomm’s top-of-the-range chip… or almost. This balanced format terminal – 6.1 inches is tending to become the “golden mean” format – is in fact powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, first of the name. Engraved in 4 nm by Samsung, this chip was indeed Qualcomm’s flagship until the updated version called “Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1”. A little “+” that makes a big difference.
Also engraved in 4 nm, this SoC comes out of the TSMC factories. It turns out to be both more powerful and above all less energy-consuming than its initial model. The concern for Sony is that it preferred the “old” chip, while the endurance and heating of its terminals are its weak points. We’ll be paying close attention to Sony’s work in these areas during testing. But on the endurance of the terminal, Sony seems to have already taken the lead since it incorporates a 5,000 mAh battery.
On the screen side, the 6.1-inch OLED panel is clocked at up to 120 Hz (without further information as to the management of the variable refresh rate) and would above all be 50% brighter than that of the previous generation. A good point, the readability of Xperia in broad daylight being one of the weaknesses of the brand.
Triple camera module, expandable memory and jack
From its big brother, the Xperia 1 Mark IV, this “5” version gets the ultra-wide-angle and wide-angle camera modules (the main module) and skips the ToF sensor. With regard to the telephoto lens, however, Sony has opted here for a fixed focal length model and not a sliding focal length as is the case for its flagship. A fairly low power module, since it is a 60 mm (24×36 equivalent). Hopefully Sony offers at least good image quality in medium light.
If we have no doubts about the quality of autofocus (AF) and subject tracking inherited from Alpha cameras and really efficient since the Xperia 1 Mark III, Sony’s image processing is still behind the competitors. Chinese. The relative modesty of Sony in the choice of focal lengths allows us to hope that it is on the colors and the details that its engineers have worked this time.
As usual, against the trend of the industry (and probably to please me), Sony continues to maintain its jack. A point that will delight survivalists, cable maniacs and other retrogrades who are against Bluetooth (I’m not judging: I’m an honorary member of the guild). In the same “old-fashioned” vein, the Xperia 5 IV can still receive a memory card in Micro SD format (up to 1 TB, if you have the use… and the budget!).
In addition to the 3.5 mm jack, there are always resistors (water, dust) including screen protection (Gorilla Victus), which are the hallmark of Sony terminals. Disappointingly, however, for geeks, it seems that the only version available in France is an 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model. Sony France has decided not to play the 256 GB version card here – but unlike many other brands, this limit is much less prohibitive thanks to the Micro SD slot.
The Xperia 5 IV will be available in September in black, white and green at 1049 euros.