Phone Comparisons: Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II

The Sony Xperia 5 II got announced quite recently, and it’s actually a smaller variant of the Xperia 1 II. Having that in mind, comparing the Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II makes sense, don’t you think? Well, that’s exactly what we’ll do in this article. This comparison is following the Sony Xperia 5 vs Xperia 5 II article that we’ve published recently, in case you’re interested.

The Sony Xperia 1 II and Xperia 5 II are both the company’s flagships, basically. The Xperia 1 II is a truly large smartphone, while the Xperia 5 II is noticeably smaller. This is still not a small phone, though, but considering how very few flagship phones are these days, this is one of the more compact offerings. The two phones do have a lot in common. That goes for both their looks, and internals.

In this article, we’ll do our best to help you with your purchasing decision. We’ll compare the designs of the two phones, their displays, performance, battery packs, cameras, and audio prowess. On top of that, you’ll also see their most important specifications listed one next to the other. That’s exactly what we’ll begin this comparison with. So, let’s kick off the Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II comparison, shall we?

Specs

	Sony Xperia 1 II	Sony Xperia 5 II
Screen size	6.5-inch 4K OLED display (60Hz)	6.1-inch fullHD+ OLED display (120Hz)
Screen resolution	3840 x 1644	2520 x 1080
SoC	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865	Qualcomm Snapdragon 865
RAM	8GB	8GB
Storage	256GB; Expandable	128GB/256GB; Expandable
Rear cameras	12MP (f/1.7 aperture, OIS, Dual Pixel PDAF, 24mm lens) 12MP (f/2.4 aperture, PDAF, 70mm telephoto lens, 3x optical zoom, 1.0um pixels size) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, 16mm ultrawide lens, 124-degree lens) 0.3MP ToF 3D (depth sensor)	12MP (f/1.7 aperture, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS, 24mm lens) 12MP (f/2.4 aperture, 70mm telephoto lens, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, 1.0um pixels size) 12MP (f/2.2 aperture, 16mm ultrawide lens, 124-degree lens, Dual Pixel PDAF)
Front cameras	8MP (f/2.0 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.12um pixel size)	8MP (f/2.0 aperture, 24mm lens, 1.12um pixel size)
Battery	4,000mAh, non-removable, 21W fast battery charging (USB-C PD)	4,000mAh, non-removable, 21W fast battery charging (USB-C PD)
Dimensions	165.1 x 71.1 x 7.6mm	158 x 68 x 8mm
Weight	181 grams	163 grams
Connectivity	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C	5G, LTE, NFC, Bluetooth 5.1, Wi-Fi, USB Type-C
Security	Side-facing fingerprint scanner	Side-facing fingerprint scanner
OS	Android 10	Android 10
Price	$1,199.99	$949.99
Buy	Sony	Pre-sale September 29OnePlus

Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II: Design

These two devices are extremely similar when it comes to the design. The Xperia 5 II literally looks like a smaller Xperia 1 II. Both devices are made out of metal and glass, while both have some bezel above and below the display. They do not have display camera holes nor notches, though. Flat displays are included on both phones, while both devices include a side-facing fingerprint scanner.

Speaking of which, the volume up and down buttons are located on the right side of both phones, and the same goes for a power key which doubles as a fingerprint scanner. A physical camera shutter button is also placed on the right. The Xperia 5 II does have one extra button on the right, though, the dedicated Google Assistant key. At the bottom, you’ll spot a Type-C USB port, along with grills for the main speaker, that goes for both phones.

Now, looking at the back of these two phones, you’ll see the Sony logo, Xperia logo, NFC branding, and rear-facing cameras. Even camera modules on these two phones look similar. The one on the Xperia 1 II is a bit larger, as one extra sensor is included. More on that in the camera section of this comparison. Those camera modules are placed in the top-left corner on the back, and they’re vertically aligned.

Both of these devices are quite slippery. Luckily, they’re also quite narrow. The Xperia 1 II is extremely tall, while the Xperia 5 II does sport a smaller display, so it’s shorter, but also narrower. Sony utilizes a 21:9 aspect ratio on both of these smartphones, which is why they’re so narrow. The Xperia 1 II is heavier than the Xperia 5 II, but none of these two phones are extremely heavy. They’re actually amongst lighter mainstream flagship smartphones, which is a good thing. They’re heavy enough to feel substantial, but not too heavy to make it difficult to use them with one hand.

Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II: Display

Both of these phones feature OLED displays. The Sony Xperia 1 II comes with a 6.5-inch 3840 x 1644 flat OLED panel. The Xperia 5 II, on the other hand, sports a 6.1-inch 2520 x 1080 OLED display… which is also flat. This display does offer a 120Hz refresh rate, though, unlike the one on the Xperia 1 II. The Gorilla Glass 6 protects both of these displays, while it is located on the back of both phones as well. These are both HDR panels, and they’re actually really good looking.

Both panels are quite saturated, while blacks are quite deep. They do get bright enough, and the colors are quite punchy. We don’t have any major complaints about these two displays, well, I don’t have a single one to be quite honest. The viewing angles are also great, and these OLED displays are definitely amongst the better ones out there. Both of them offer a 21:9 aspect ratio, while the Xperia 1 II does have a slightly higher screen-to-body ratio.

These two displays do offer similar performance (save for the refresh rate), though the Xperia 5 II’s is a bit brighter, just a little bit though. If you’re wondering whether you’ll notice the difference in resolution? Well, no, chances are you will not. Truth be said I could not see the difference myself, but you may be able to. Both are plenty sharp, that’s for sure. Where you will notice the difference is in the refresh rate department, scrolling and similar actions are silky smooth on the Xperia 5 II. That is something you don’t notice until you start using a high refresh rate display, but once you do, it’s hard to go back.

Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II: Performance

What about the performance? Well, both phones offer stellar performance. That’s the right word for it. That is to be expected, though, as both of them are flagship-grade devices. On top of that, they’re both new. The Xperia 1 II did get released back in May, but still, it comes with Qualcomm’s flagship SoC, and high-end internals. Both phones are fueled by the Snapdragon 865, and offer 8GB of RAM, along with UFS 3.0 flash storage.

They can handle pretty much anything you throw at them. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about regular everyday tasks such as multitasking, and opening apps, or playing heavy games. These two phones won’t skip a beat either way. They can run the most demanding games from the Play Store, with ease. They load apps quickly, while media consumption and multitasking is also a breeze.

Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II: Battery

The Sony Xperia 5 II takes the cake in the battery department. It does offer a high refresh rate display, unlike the Xperia 1 II, but it still managed to do a bit better in the battery department. The Xperia 1 II’s battery life is good, though, don’t worry about that either. There’s no point talking about screen-on-time, as your mileage will vary. One thing is for sure, both phones can provide you a full day of regular usage.

Power users may not be able to get through a full day, but that all depends on how much you’re beating the phone’s battery. With power use with not much gaming, you’ll get a day, without a problem. If you do push these two phones too hard in the gaming department, that may not be possible. It all depends.

Now, in terms of charging, both of them support 21W fast charging. Do note that 21W fast charger is not included in the both, however. An 18W charger is, but the difference is not that big at all, so chances are you don’t even need a 21W charger. The Sony Xperia 1 II does support wireless charging (11W), while the Xperia 5 Ii does not.

Sony Xperia 1 II vs Sony Xperia 5 II: Cameras

In terms of camera performance, these two phones are basically identical. The Xperia 1 II does have a ToF sensor on the back, which is something the Xperia 5 II does not have, but it doesn’t make all that much difference. The only difference that you may notice is with the portrait mode, but that’s almost negligible. The three main cameras are identical on these two phones. Both devices include three 12-megapixel units, wide-angle, telephoto, and ultra-wide angle cameras.

Zeiss optics is included on both devices, by the way. That being said, pictures taken during the day turn up great. With a ton of detail, while the colors are also quite nice as well. White balance is spot on, while you can get plenty of dynamic range as well. During the night, you’ll get quite impressive shots as well. Some would argue that both phones could provide more light from the shadows, but this way they look more realistic. Low light images turn up great, noise is kept to a minimum, while there’s plenty of details to work with. Sony definitely improved cameras on its smartphones, that’s for sure, they’re kinda great now.

Audio

The audio provided by these two phones is great as well. First and foremost, let me just mention that both phones include a 3.5mm headphone jack. It is placed at the top of both phones, so, it’s there if you need it. Both devices provide stereo speakers. The main one is located at the bottom, while the secondary sits above the display on both phones. Those speakers are really good as well. They’re boosted by Dolby Atmos, and offer some of Sony’s very own tech as well. They get pretty loud, while they don’t lose the quality even when you turn the volume all the way up. Very slight distortion is there, but most people won’t even notice.

Sound via a good pair of headphones is also really good, across the board. Lows, mids, and highs are really well-balanced, and vocals won’t be overpowered in any scenario. There’s plenty of bass here, and it’s all around a great experience. The Xperia 1 II supports Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, while the Xperia 5 II is limited to Bluetooth 5.1. That won’t affect sound quality, though, at all, so don’t let it deter you from getting the Xperia 5 II, if that’s the one you’d prefer due to its size.