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The Sony Xperia 1 II (Pronounced “Xperia One Mark Two”) is officially available for pre-order in the U.S. It comes from a legendary electronics company that has a history of impeccable quality. It was always going to cost a lot and in this case it costs $1,200. You read that right.
It just went up on B&H today. A $1,200 Xperia 1 II pre-order is quite steep, but let’s talk about what you’re getting for that. It may make you reconsider the phone being too expensive.
The Skinny On The Skinny Phone
You get a 4K display that is 21:9 aspect ratio. This is great for movies & scrolling down all of your social media feeds and web pages. There is a 90Hz option too and it’s HDR capable, so expect smooth scrolling and colorful visuals.
There’s also no display notch and the bezels are symmetrical. It will be the best screen on a phone by far if the specs match up to the reality of using it. The Sony Xperia 1 II comes with a Snapdragon 865 as you would expect for any 2020 flagship of the Android variety. The device is 5G capable, though only Sub 6. mmWave 5G is relegated to the Xperia Pro.
There’s an adequate 8GB RAM + 256GB ROM combo. They’re expected to be of the latest standards; LPDDR5 & UFS 3.0. Sadly it’s not UFS 3.1. Unlike most Android flagships, this comes with a headphone jack. On the front of the device you have two stereo speakers, which has been a staple of most Sony phones in the past.
There’s IP65 & IP68 dust and water resistance. It has three cameras on the rear in addition to a 3D ToF sensor. The setup includes a 12-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide sensor, and 12-megapixel zoom sensor. They have been improved upon from last year’s in sensor size and software tuning from Sony’s Alpha team.
A 4,000 mAh battery with USB-C PD charging at 21W keeps the lights on. Fast wireless charging is present at 15W. They also fixed the fingerprint scanner by combining it and the power button. The chamfered edges are much more rounded which should make for a better in hand experience.
Refinement Comes At A Cost
This phone costs a lot while looking to be worth every penny for those fortunate enough to be able to afford one.
Sony phones have always been expensive though. So really the only thing that’s changed here is that Sony’s new premium option is no longer the most expensive. Sony phones have also been associated with being a more refined option by some.
And perhaps that warrants the high cost. Perhaps not.