Sony Xperia 1 VI review: the enthusiast phone that compromised to survive
Sony dropped the 4K screen for a brighter FHD panel and gained a genuinely useful continuous zoom, a fair trade. Our score: 7.5 / 10 Making peace with reality For years the Xperia 1 was a 4K, 21:9, headphone-jack phone for a tiny audience. The 1 VI compromised: a brighter, more efficient FHD+ display, a proper 85–170mm continuous optical zoom, and a two-day battery. The purists grumbled; the phone got better. Still niche, still for a specific person Manual camera controls, a 3.5 mm jack, a microSD slot, no pre-installed bloat. If that list makes you nod, this is your phone. If it does not, the price is very hard to justify. The good and the bad What works Genuinely useful continuous telephoto Two-day battery Headphone jack and microSD Pro camera app What doesn’t Expensive Niche appeal Cameras still trail the big flagships on auto mode Who it’s for Buy it if you want manual camera control, a headphone jack and expandable storage in one phone. Skip it if you want the best auto-mode camera or the best value. Alternatives worth a look Galaxy S26, a more conventional flagship at a similar or lower price. The verdict: Finally a phone you can recommend to Xperia fans without a paragraph of caveats, just most of one. Sources GSMArena specifications