A lot of the typical Sony strengths and weaknesses are here too.
The Sony Xperia 1 VIs key charm is in the way it rejects several contemporary smartphone trends.
It has a headphone jack.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
It has expandable memory.
I also found the rear disappointingly prone to visible scratches, despite the use of high-end toughened glass.
Theres still a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD slot built into the SIM tray.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
These are not expensive features to implement, but are vanishingly rare in phones of this level.
But unlike the Sony Xperia 1 V, this phone is not slated for release in the US.
In the UK youll pay 1,299, and AU$1,899 in Australia.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
That gets you a 12GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration.
Theres also a 512GB storage version available in some territories.
The phone was announced in mid-May 2024, with general availability in June 2024.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
The Sony Xperia 1 VI has a design much like the phone before it.
This look a no-nonsense block has been Sonys house style since 2012.
Changes therefore come in some of the finer points.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
As usual, Sony makes use of high-grade materials on the Xperia 1 VI.
The front and rear glass is Gorilla Glass Victus (Vitus 2 for the front).
Unfortunately, the treatment on the rear panel doesnt seem to be nearly as resilient as the glass itself.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
On the first day of use, I managed to put a series of scratches on the back.
These stand out because, it would appear, they make the matt finish more shiny.
And since then more have appeared.
(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
I didnt go to the beach or throw the phone around.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI just seems unusually susceptible to damage, at least in this particular finish.
Other ruggedisation cred here is good, though.
But less for more money?
You might be in trouble.
Sony once became famous for putting4Kscreens in its high-end phones.
A zoom camera is ideal for taking photos of cats and dogs, without needing to get too close(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
The Sony Xperia 1 VI takes the opposite road.
It has an elongated 1080p screen, one with a much lower pixel density than its predecessor.
The key question: does it matter?
While the depth of field is very shallow, making shooting tricky, the telephoto macro mode can produce great results(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
At this size, pixelation isnt obvious even in small fonts.
It’s otherwise strong, though.
The screen can go brighter when its particularly light outside.
The flattening of perspective you can get at the longer zoom ranges can be quite useful for some scenes(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Either way, clarity outdoors is great.
This is also a screen made to save power.
you’re free to also set it to cycle between 60Hz and 15Hz instead.
Here’s a view of London using the ultra-wide camera…(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
But after switching, the loss of motion clarity is quite striking.
Theres a standard camera, a dedicated zoom and an ultra-wide.
Its not all business as usual, though.
… and a photo taken from the same spot at 7.5x zoom to show the range you have to work with(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Previous iterations had multiple camera apps.
This approach had as much a cluttering effect as anything else.
The range of the optical zoom camera has changed too, from 3.5x-5.2x to 3.5x-7.1x.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI’s primary camera is a dab hand at capturing landscapes(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Those are some serious macro photography chops.
This zoom camera is a blast to use all-round.
you’re able to tell theres a drop in lens sharpness at the max zoom.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI’s primary camera is a dab hand at capturing landscapes(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
And low-light shooting isnt amazing.
But the sheer shooting flexibility it puts at your fingers is creatively freeing.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is some of the most fun Ive had with a camera all year.
Sony is good at avoiding the temptation of amping up nature’s green tones too much, which is quite a common issue(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
The main cameras primary strengths are its charming color reproduction and general decent-looking processing of detail up close.
The ultra-wide camera isnt quite as strong.
Aside from at night, where the drop in native sensitivity is more obvious.
The 7.5x zoom mode is super-handy for gigs(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
There are some weaker elements, though.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI is also far from the best in low light.
Its probably the worst contender at the price for simple auto-mode shooting.
The 7.5x zoom mode is super-handy for gigs(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Sure, the processing brightens images up dramatically and theres a respectable level of detail.
But photos dont have the level of detail in shadows as seen elsewhere.
Video quality is good but, again, you lose some of the spotlight-pulling features of rivals.
The ultra-wide camera struggles at night, and ends up capturing soft-looking images(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
You cant shoot at8K, which isnt hugely useful for most folks anyway.
The telephoto macro mode supports video too, again at up to 4K at 120 frames per second.
The front camera has a 12MP sensor too, and it can produce detailed-looking selfies in reasonable lighting.
Fast shot-to-shot capture is highly welcome when you end up with a fast-moving subject(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
This selfie camera is nothing revolutionary, but its solid.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI provides a decent amount of customization as to how these elements appear, though.
Sonys approach to apps hasnt changed much this generation either.
The phone doesn’t always deal well with strong contrasts in light levels: rivals would make these lit road signs appear less blown-out(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Music Pro is a nod to Sony Music.
External Monitor lets the Sony Xperia 1 VI act as a monitor for one of Sonys Alpha-series mirrorless cameras.
All of these are neat ideas, a cut above the low-effort bloat some phones are criticized for including.
Strong light sources at night can cause some not-unappealing lens flare(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Youll find better, more complete-feeling alternatives onGoogle Play.
As youd expect, then, the Sony Xperia 1 VI feels excellent in use.
Its responsive and fast, and games run great.
While night images have a pleasantly enhanced appearance, the Xperia does not bring out as much shadow detail as some(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
Titles likeFortnitesing on the phone, as it only can with a true high-end chip.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI also avoids the overheating issues earlier models in this family were subject to.
However, a little stress test reveals why.
Here’s another example of the Sony Xperia 1 VI’s HDR mode failing to avoid overexposing significant parts of the picture(Image credit: Future / Andrew Williams)
This phone throttles its performance almost immediately when under strain.
The Sony Xperia 1 VI settles at 58% of its peak performance, which isnt great.
The Sony Xperia 1 VIs speakers are an unmitigated hit.
They are a stereo pair that get loud and have real meat to their mid-range.
Sony Xperia 1 VI review: battery life
The Sony Xperia 1 VI has a 5,000mAh battery.
Its an ordinary size for bigger phones in general, but larger than that of plenty of thinness-obsessed flagships.
Theres bad news too, though.
As usual for Sony, the Xperia 1 VI does not include a charger.
Its charging rate is also pretty poor for 2024, at just 30W.
Even Samsung, which has been slow to adopt higher-power fast charging, offers a 45W standard.
And it meets that, sort of, reaching 49% at the 30-minute mark.
50% in 30 minutes doesnt feel like rapid charging anymore not for this money, anyway.
Real-world stamina is good, and getting a full day of use is no issue.
I dont find this a two-day phone, though; not unless you barely use your Android.
Its among the most expensive phones out there, and its slight deficiencies stand out markedly at the price.
Should you buy the Sony Xperia 1 VI?
You want a long-lasting flagship phoneSome clever efficiency savings and a respectable-size battery deliver good battery life among flagships.
Sub-30W charging at this price is not ideal.
In practice, its finish is a little too easy to scratch causing irritating surface-level imperfections.
Read more about how we test
First reviewed July 2024
