Sony Xperia 1 VI Review: Hadn’t Screen This Coming

When it comes to smartphones, Sony has always done things a little differently.

Its recent Xperia handsets have been something of an outlier, opting for a tall, narrow design that’s built for 21:9 widescreen content. In the case of the Xperia 1 V, there was also a 4K display.

However, both of those things are gone on the Xperia 1 VI, Sony’s flagship for 2024. Instead, the 19.5:9 aspect ratio is much more in keeping with rivals like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, while a Full HD+ resolution is actually lower than most similarly priced handsets.

Does the Xperia 1 VI do enough in other areas to make this apparent downgrade worth it? I used it as my main phone for over a week to find out.

Find out what phones Sony is up against in our best smartphones chart.

Design & Build

• Shorter, wider build than before
• Attractive but fragile rear design
• 3.5mm headphone jack

The Xperia 1 VI represents a big shift in design for Sony. That tall, narrow build we’ve come to associate with Xperia handsets is gone, replaced by something that’s a lot more mainstream.

The total dimensions of the phone haven’t changed hugely – it’s just 3mm shorter and 3mm wider than the Xperia 1 V – but it feels like more.

Compared to Xperia handsets I’ve used in the past, it’s much easier to hold and means one-handed usage is now possible (albeit not particularly comfortable). Despite being slightly heavier than before, it’s still one of the lighter phones around, at 192g.

I firmly believe that this move benefits the user experience, but there’s no doubt the 1 VI feels a lot like any other Android flagship. The hallmark of a Sony phone has been lost, which will disappoint some people.

The company has added a splash of personality on the back, with a choice of three colors: Platinum (the version I tested), Black or Khaki Green. I’ve seen all three in person, and the green one is my personal favorite.

This isn’t your standard glass-backed phone, though. A textured matt coating means you don’t get the build-up of unpleasant fingerprint smudges or other visible dirt that are commonplace on glossy phones.

It also makes the phone more grippy, but that didn’t stop it falling out of my hand while using Google Maps on the street. Despite a drop of only around 1m, the glass at the top shattered and there was a significant dent in the aluminum frame.

This is surprising, given the back of the phone is equipped with Gorilla Glass Victus, which manufacturer Corning specifically says survived “drops onto hard, rough surfaces from up to 2 meters” in internal testing.

The Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front is supposedly even tougher, but on this evidence, I’d be worried about how it might fare. If you plan on using the phone around any hard surfaces, I’d highly recommend a case.

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

Anyron Copeman / Foundry

However, one area where I am confident in its protection is water and dust. The Xperia 1 VI has both IP65 and IP68 resistance, meaning it can survive submersion in up to 1.5m of water for 30 minutes and is fully sealed against dust.

Unlike most phones, there are a few interesting things to note on the sides of the phone. The most significant is a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is a rare sight on any handset, let alone a flagship. Another is the SIM tray, which can easily be opened and closed without needing a fiddly ejector tool.

Sony is also one of the few brands resisting the under-display fingerprint sensor. It’s still built into the power button on the Xperia 1 VI, and easy to set up, fast and reliable. Some other companies should take note.

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