Sony launches the Xperia 1 VII, keeping most of the design and main hardware from the previous model. It gets some internal upgrades and a larger ultrawide camera sensor, but many parts stay the same. This might make the high price seem hard to justify compared to other flagship phones.
Design and Display
The new phone has the same 6.5-inch OLED screen, with a 1080 x 2340 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. Sony says the screen is 20% brighter, but the resolution and display tech haven’t changed. Features like higher-res or LTPO screens, now common in top phones, are still missing.
The phone uses Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and Gorilla Glass Victus on the back. It also has an IP68 rating for water and dust protection. Sony kept its tall, narrow shape, the side camera button, and front stereo speakers. This year’s color options include Moss Green, Orchid Purple, and Slate Black.
Internals and Software
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, it has 12GB of RAM and a vapor chamber for cool running. Storage starts at 256GB, plus there’s a microSD slot—something you rarely see on high-end phones today.
The device supports Wi-Fi 7 and faster Bluetooth. It runs Android 15 and promises four big software updates plus security patches for six years. While that matches what many phones now offer, some rivals give even longer support periods.
Cameras
The main camera setup features a 24mm wide lens with a 1/1.35-inch Exmor T sensor, f/1.9 aperture, optical stabilization, and phase detection autofocus. The telephoto lens can zoom smoothly between 85mm and 170mm but uses a small 1/3.5-inch sensor. This limits quality, especially in low light or at longer zooms.
The key update is the ultrawide camera, now with a larger 1/1.56-inch sensor and a brighter f/2.0 lens. This should help improve sharpness and low-light shots. The camera software includes AI autofocus, object detection, and color and exposure controls, all borrowed from Sony’s existing system.
Even with these tweaks, the telephoto lens’s hardware limits reduce its versatility. It’s unclear if software changes will make up for the smaller sensors in some lenses.
Battery and Pricing
The battery remains at 5,000mAh with 30W wired charging. These specs don’t change and lag behind newer phones with faster charging and better power use. Wireless charging and battery improvements are also missing.
Sony claims the battery keeps over 80% capacity after four years. Features like Adaptive Charging and Battery Care help this but don’t fully replace faster charging tech or new power-saving features.
Priced at $1600 in the UK for the 12GB/256GB model, the Xperia 1 VII is expensive. A 512GB version is expected for limited release in parts of Asia.
Sony Xperia 1 VII Specifications
| Chipset | Snapdragon 8 Elite (3 nm) |
| CPU | Octa-core (2×4.32 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix L + 6×3.53 GHz Oryon V2 Phoenix M) |
| GPU | Adreno 830 |
| OS | Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades |
| Supported Networks | 2G, 3G, 4G LTE, 5G |
| Display | 6.5 inches, 1080 x 2340 pixels, LTPO OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| RAM | 12 GB |
| Storage | 256 GB, 512 GB |
| Card Slot | no |
| Main Camera | 48 MP, f/1.9, 24mm (wide), 1/1.35″, 1.12µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/3.5, 170mm (telephoto), 1/3.5″, 1.0µm, dual pixel PDAF, 3.5x-7.1x continuous optical zoom, OIS, 4cm macro @ 120mm, no AF 48 MP, f/2.0, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/1.56″, 1.0µm, PDAF |
| Front Camera | 12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9″, 1.22µm |
| Colors | Moss Green, Orchid Purple, Slate Black |
| Fingerprint sensor | Side-mounted |
| Battery | 5000 mAh, 30W wired charging, 15W wireless charging |
| Price | $1600 |
For more daily updates, please visit our News Section.