Sony Xperia 1 VI

If you’re a creative using a smartphone to create your content, then this is worth a look as a standalone device. If you’re using Sony’s Alpha mirrorless cameras, it’s also worth your time thanks to the way it ties into the ecosystem. For anyone else, this new flagship from Sony launches into an extremely competitive market, and you’ll need to weigh up the cost against the features you’re getting.

With its new shape and simplified software, there are fewer reasons to reject the Xperia 1 VI and enjoy its variable telephoto camera, bright screen and enhanced connectivity over rivals. But the cost of the phone, and the fact it's not available in the U.S., are two big problems that could spoil all the other benefits for a typical buyer.

It feels like a flagship. It looks like a flagship. It performs like a flagship. More importantly, it takes photos like the best of flagships. Is the Xperia 1 VI worth the money? By default, it absolutely is. Who is it for? Sony fans and anyone who wants to escape the normality of smartphone ownership, because the Xperia line remains a smart if peripheral choice – but that’s its charm.

Sony 's flagship Xperia 1 line has offered pro photo and video features and a 21:9 4K screen for years, but for its 2024 installment, the Xperia 1 VI, Sony has made an altogether more mainstream phone. While competitor devices like the Xiaomi 14 Ultra...

All in all, the Xperia 1 VI is the best Xperia yet. The standard aspect ratio, the lower resolution and the implementation of an LTPO OLED all play a big role in our assessment. The new display is probably the reason why the device got this impeccable battery Active Use Score. We also liked the loud and nicely-tuned speakers, making this phone the ultimate multimedia device.