Sony Xperia 1 IV

Non pixel-binning camera handles tricky textures well ; Has a headphone jack and expandable memory ; Optical zoom camera is a neat concept

Inconsistent camera doesn’t match expectations ; Becomes hot frequently ; Suffers from significant thermal performance throttling ; Very expensive

The Sony Xperia 1 IV is a phone that offers benefits that other phones don’t deliver. It says “no” to the notch, “yes” to expandable storage and the headphone jack, and includes an optical zoom camera. However, photo quality doesn’t match the best in...

Lovely matte design, IP65/IP68 rating.

The screen auto switches to 4K only in certain limited cases; no dynamic refresh rate either.

We really liked this Xperia in spite of its issues, and we see no reason why not to get one. If you find it complicated or overengineered or cannot forgive some of its shortcomings, look elsewhere.

Classically premium design ; Feature-packed ; Great camera system ; Bravia Core is excellent ; Eco-conscious packaging

Gets very hot ; Complicated camera apps ; Weak portrait mode in cameras ; No charger or cable in the box ; Occasional user interface gremlins

The Sony Xperia 1 IV is a fine-looking phone with an excellent screen. While Sony fans and enthusiast photographers will have plenty to sink their teeth into here, an overcomplicated camera interface, a prohibitively high price, and semi-regular...

Solid battery life ; Gorgeous 21:9 display ; Strong cameras ; Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1…

…limited by thermal throttling ; Gets very hot, very fast ; Minor improvements over Xperia 1 III ; Expensive at $1,599

The Sony Xperia 1 IV is another great smartphone for a small audience — offering iterative updates to an already solid experience. But the trade-offs, like thermal throttling and a sky high price tag, may prove too much for some.

Great design with waterproofing ; 3.5mm and microSD ; Great display for movie watching ; Innovative camera great for manual photography ; Advanced video capture options ; Clean software build

Camera not great for casual photographers ; No night mode in camera ; Side fingerprint scanner prone to phantom touches ; Charging speeds average ; Expensive

The Sony Xperia 1 IV keeps much of the same approach as the Xperia 1 III. The camera is designed to appeal to those wanting to avoid AI and over-processing, with lots of manual options - but lacking basic point-and-shoot functions to make it...

Excellent 4K HDR OLED display ; Slim, comfortable form factor ; Novel true optical zoom periscope camera

Incredibly expensive ; Overheats easily ; Camera apps demand photography expertise

The Xperia 1 IV is a powerful phone for content creators on the go, with complex camera options and new music recording tech. But even that audience will find it uncomfortably expensive, and for anyone looking for a phone that ‘just works’, this isn’t it.

Movie-centric 21:9 4K screen ; Impressive flexible camera zoom system ; Uniquely audiophile friendly

Even more expensive ; Runs hot ; Relatively slow charging

You have to admire how stubbornly Sony has stuck to its enthusiast’s brief with the Xperia 1 IV. It’s doubled down on many of the talking points of the Xperia 1 III, including an even more flexible and pro-friendly camera system.