Smartphone Sony Xperia 1 - advantages and disadvantages

At MWC 2019, one of the well-known manufacturers of modern digital and mobile technology, Sony, introduced a novelty of the current year - the flagship smartphone Xperia 1. Although formally the device is a continuation of the top XZ line, it received not only a new name, but also a radically updated appearance, and improved performance. This article provides an overview of the features of the Sony Xperia 1 smartphone, its advantages and disadvantages, and the estimated cost.

Equipment and design of the device

Given that the flagship novelty presented in February 2019 has not yet been released to the general public, there is no exact information about its scope of delivery.It is assumed that together with the device itself, the box will contain:

• user manual;
• a special clip for removing a SIM card;
• USB cable and 18W power adapter.

As you know, when releasing smartphones, Sony does not give priority to their design, so it is original for any model. Sony Xperia 1 becomes an exception, but only in a relatively unusual format in the form of an elongated device with an elongated aspect ratio of 21:9, which makes it the longest flagship among such devices. At the same time, like previous models, the smartphone has a similar design with frames, without modern cutouts and holes.

The appearance of the smartphone is characterized by the following features:

• case made of tempered glass Gorilla Glass 6 and aluminum frames;
• weight 180 g and dimensions: length 167 mm, width 72 mm, thickness 8.2 mm;
• placed on the left side of the case separate buttons for turning on the device and a fingerprint scanner;
• the presence of functions of protection against dust and moisture IP 65/68 (up to 1.5 m for 30 minutes);
• color palette in the form of black, white, gray or magenta (violet) body.

In addition, on the top of the front panel of the device there is a speaker, a peephole and a selfie camera flash, and on the reverse side there is a triple main camera module. At the top end there is a receiving speaker and an input for connecting a charger.

Sony Xperia 1 Specifications Overview

Display

The Sony Xperia 1 features a 6.5-inch (98.6 sq. cm) CinemaWid 4K HDR OLED display. In fact, it occupies approximately 82% of the total usable area of ​​the front side of the device. Manufacturers have provided for the presence of an oleophobic coating (protection against pollution) and a protective (against mechanical damage) coating in the form of Gorilla Glass 6 glass.

Due to its elongation (21:9), the screen has high performance, as it is perfect for watching movies in the appropriate format without black bars and for games, increasing the size of the plot space by 70-80%.

The maximum screen resolution is 1644 by 3840 pixels, and the density is about 643 ppi.With built-in BRAVIA 4K upscaling and HDR remaster image correction, you can adjust the brightness, clarity and sharpness of your video, even when you watch it online.

The Xperia 1 display is also equipped with:

• Creator mode, used in professional CineAlta cameras, providing highly accurate color reproduction;
• 10-bit color depth (8 bits with 2 bits for smooth transitions) that allows you to display many shades without layering;
• high contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, which allows you to reproduce deep blacks without disturbing the naturalness of other colors;
• professional color standards: DCI-P3 100%, BT20201 and D65 White Point.

The presented smartphone model supports “multi-touch” – there are up to 10 simultaneous touches.

Hardware platform and software

Like most flagships, the new Sony is equipped with top-end hardware, which is a nimble modern eight-core Qualcomm SDM855 Snapdragon 855 processor with a 7 nm process technology and support for Snapdragon Elite Gaming technology. The Xperia 1 CPU octa-cores run one at 2.84GHz, three at 2.42GHz and four at 1.8GHz. Also, the device is equipped with high-quality Adreno 640 graphics.

The new smartphone model of 2019 is characterized by high memory performance. So, the device is equipped with RAM with a maximum value of 6 GB and built-in storage with the ability to store up to 128 GB. In addition, the device provides the option of expanding memory up to 512 GB using a microSD card, for which there is a hybrid slot.

Sony Xperia 1 runs on a modern version of the Android 9 Pie (Xperia UI) operating system, which provides the device with high functionality.For lovers of active games, a built-in Game Enhancer application is provided, which allows you to simultaneously run several programs from one window, record them and block notifications, as well as apply online tips.

A feature of the flagship is the presence of the Side Sense function, developed on the basis of artificial intelligence technology. It analyzes the process of using a smartphone, selects programs depending on the user's preferences, location, time and other factors. Therefore, it is possible to run two applications simultaneously in separate windows.

cameras

Like any smartphone, the Sony Xperia 1 is equipped with two cameras: the main one, which is located on the back of the case, and the selfie camera, located above the display. The rear camera provides an LED flash and is represented by three modules:

1. Frame resolution 12 MP, 26 mm, f/1.6 optics, has a 1/2.6-inch sensor with memory for mobile devices, equipped with a wide-angle lens 78 degrees, pixel size 1.4 microns, 5 axes OIS. Video shooting resolution / 30fps HDR.
2. Frame resolution 12 MP, 16 mm, f/2.4 optics, 1/3.4-inch sensor with 1.0 µm pixel length and 135-degree wide-angle lens. Video Capture Resolution
3. Frame resolution 12 MP, 52 mm, f/2.4 optics, 1/3.4 inch sensor with 1.0 µm pixel length, equipped with 2x optical zoom and telephoto lens, OIS 5 axes. Video capture resolution (5-axis gyro-EIS).

The three-module camera of the flagship has a large number of possibilities.Among them: hybrid optical-electronic image stabilization for video shooting, eye autofocus, 2x optical and 5x digital zoom, bokeh effect, super slow motion video, panorama and HDR mode, focus and exposure at a frequency of up to 10 fps, constructor of 3D models and a number of others.

Unlike the main module, the front camera of the smartphone has a resolution of 8 MP (24 mm), a 1/4.0-inch matrix, f / 2.0 aperture, a pixel size of 1.12 microns and a wide-angle lens of 84 degrees. The video shooting format is (5-axis gyroscope-EIS). The selfie camera comes with HDR mode for photos, SteadyShotTM, portrait photo effects, display flash and 3D Model Builder.

The presence of high photo resolution and built-in dual photodiode technology, which provides fast autofocus in low light conditions, speaks of how well the smartphone photographs at night. An example of a photo, both from the main module and the selfie camera of the flagship Xperia 1, can be viewed on the official Sony website.

Battery life

A reliable, but "miniature" non-removable Li-Ion battery with an average capacity of 3330 mAh is responsible for the autonomy of the flagship, although given the impressive size of the device itself, manufacturers could equip it with a more powerful battery.

It is assumed that the built-in Battery Care function (protects the smartphone from overcharging) and support for Smart Stamina technology (calculation of the remaining charge and optimization of power consumption to increase the smartphone's operating time) are capable of compensating for the lack of autonomy.There is also a USB Power Delivery (USB PD) fast power mode, but there is no wireless charging.

Sound and multimedia

The flagship Xperia 1 assumes a hands-free mode provided by stereo speakers. At the same time, the device is not equipped with a standard 3.5 mm jack for connecting wired headphones. Therefore, to listen to audio, you will need an adapter for USB Type-C or a wireless headset (among the equipment compatible with the new product, the SBH82D wireless Open-ear headset is offered on the Sony official website).

The sound of the smartphone is reproduced with Dolby Atmos technology, designed specifically for cinemas, it is multi-dimensional, fills the surrounding space and provides a realistic feeling when watching videos. In addition, Hi-Res Audio and DSEE HX technology (compressed data recovery) provide excellent sounding audio close to the original. High-quality sound for wireless listening is obtained thanks to the built-in modern LDAC codec.

The device is capable of playing 24bit/192kHz audio in the following formats:

• AAC (AAC-LC, AAC+, eAAC+, AAC-ELD);
• ALAC;
• AMR-NB and AMR-WB;
• DSD;
• FLAC;
• MIDI;
• MP3;
• PCM;
• Opus and Vorbis;
• WMA;
• MPEG-H.

The Sony Xperia 1 is equipped with a dynamic vibration system and active noise cancellation when using the microphone. As for video, the smartphone is capable of playing M4V, MKV and MP4, it also supports graphic formats such as BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG. However, the device does not have a built-in FM radio.

Communication and external connections

Sony's new flagship offers a range of modern communication standards:

• GSM (2G 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz);
• CDMA (2G and 3G EVDO BC0/BC1/BC6/BC10);
• TD-SCDMA (3G B34/B39) ;
• UMTS (3G 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 MHz);
• 4 G LTE (almost all Russian frequencies).

The unit supports VoLTE using Category-20 DL / Category-20 UL, maximum data rate: download - 2000 Mbps, upload - 316 Mbps. It is also expected to work in 5G.

Xperia 1 manufacturers have provided the following wireless interfaces:

1. Wi-Fi: IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band (2.4 GHz + 5.0 GHz), hotspot, DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct.
2. Bluetooth version 5.0, provided with modern codecs A2DP, aptX HD and LE.
3. Navigation applications: GPS, A-GPS, Glonass, Beidou and Galileo.

Wireless use of Internet services is provided by the built-in Qualcomm Snapdragon X50 modem. Like almost all popular smartphone models, Sony's 2019 flagship novelty is no longer equipped with an infrared port, which is gradually moving into the category of obsolete mobile device features.

For the convenience of users, the smartphone has a Google Assistant voice assistant, as well as modern HTML5, CSS and JavaScript browsers. The device is capable of sending not only SMS messages, but also MMS, Email, Push Email and IM.

The device is designed to use both one Nano SIM and two SIM cards that fit into the hybrid slot. At the same time, it should be remembered that the dual sim mode does not work in all modifications of the smartphone and not in every region.

Scanners and sensors

For the convenience of users, the Sony Xperia 1 smartphone is equipped with a number of sensors:

• accelerometer;
• gyroscope;
• barometer;
• electronic compass;
• game and geomagnetic rotation vectors;
• magnetometer;
• pedometer;
• sensors for ambient light, proximity, color spectrum, ambient light, Hall, steps and strong motion.

Also, the device is equipped with a fingerprint scanner, located on the right side of the device, with the help of which it is quickly unlocked. Based on the front camera, a face scanner (Face ID) is provided.

Smartphone pros and cons

• Classic (without trendy bells and whistles such as "bangs", teardrop-shaped cutouts and holes in the screen), but stylish design.
• Easy to use device (weight only 180 g).
• An elongated OLED display (the longest among modern flagships) with an aspect ratio of 21:9 and 4K HDR resolution, which gives not only a unique appearance, but also improves the quality of video viewing, increases the size of pictures in games and allows you to work simultaneously on several tasks in two open windows.
• Durable Gorilla® Glass 6 and IP65/68 rating.
• Creator mode for accurate color gamut reproduction based on CineAlta technology used in professional cameras.
• Modern productive processor Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 and the latest version of Android 9.0 Pie.
• Responsive fingerprint scanner.
• NFC support.
• Triple main camera module with high photo and video resolution, equipped with high-quality flash and a number of technologies (autofocus, double zoom, noise reduction, high-speed continuous shooting) for professional shooting. Thanks to this, the smartphone is able to produce clear pictures captured when the lens hits the sun or the movement of an object.
• Cinematic multidimensional Dolby Atmos sound.
• Built-in Hi-Res Audio, stereo speakers and DSEE HX technology deliver original sound.
• Game Enhancer, providing access to all user games in one application.

• Oversized even for a 6.5 inch display.
• Low built-in memory in the minimum version (only 64 GB) and the ability to connect a memory card only through a hybrid slot.
• Low battery capacity 3330 mAh (higher capacity battery available for 8.2 mm case).
• With the announced support for 5G communication, there is no possibility of its connection in any modification of the device.
• There is no wireless charging option for the device.
• There is no standard 3.5 mm headset input, which requires the use of a special adapter or wireless devices.
• There is no FM radio.

Release date and cost of the device

Despite the fact that the flagship Sony Xperia 1 is already officially presented in February 2019, the exact date of its release to the general public is still unknown. It is assumed that modifications of the device will appear on the market in May 2019.

There is also no exact information on the price. Considering how much the previous generation of the flagship XZ3 line costs (the average price is 60 thousand rubles), we can say with firm certainty that this device does not fall into the budget category. It is assumed that its starting cost will be about 1,000 EUR (approximately 74,000 rubles).

Results

Summing up, we can say that in general, the new Sony smartphone Xperia 1 turned out to be an interesting but controversial product: with a unique design, updated features and an improved camera.The presented smartphone model is equipped with a powerful hardware stuffing, a modern version of the OS and a magnificent OLED display with a resolution of 4K. But, at the same time, it has many significant disadvantages, including inconvenient dimensions and a low indicator of autonomy.

But the popularity of Sony's flagship models is not in the presence of super features, but, above all, in the use of modern powerful processors and maintaining classic minimalism in design. Therefore, the Xperia 1 will definitely be a godsend for users with a conservative taste, who do not like devices with trendy bells and whistles like the iPhone X.