I was very excited about getting this phone as I had not purchased a new phone since the Xperia 1 II and Sony had stopped supporting this version.I am sure there are thousands of other reviews about the amazing camera and they would be absolutely correct. The video features are also pretty cool. I am at the start of a rewilding project so I take lots of photos and videos of insects, trees and birds. I took some pretty cool night photos as well which came out much brighter than what I could actually see myself.Anyway the reason for my 4/5 is the very obvious lack of thought by the technical team as to the care of this extremely expensive device. I purchased two of the recommended covers - one as a back up. I was more than disappointed when I opened the box to ... MoreI was very excited about getting this phone as I had not purchased a new phone since the Xperia 1 II and Sony had stopped supporting this version.I am sure there are thousands of other reviews about the amazing camera and they would be absolutely correct. The video features are also pretty cool. I am at the start of a rewilding project so I take lots of photos and videos of insects, trees and birds. I took some pretty cool night photos as well which came out much brighter than what I could actually see myself.Anyway the reason for my 4/5 is the very obvious lack of thought by the technical team as to the care of this extremely expensive device. I purchased two of the recommended covers - one as a back up. I was more than disappointed when I opened the box to find the cover was not a cool opaque flip cover like the one which came with the Xperia 1 11. It is so cheap looking and I despite manually locking the phone when I am on a call I still end up muting myself or putting people on hold with my face. It's such a basic thing that Sony have completely overlooked. There is no protection for the actual screen which could easily get scratched in a pocket or a handbag.I just expected the basics to be covered considering I know how much effort went into all the other features.I am forever telling people that if you buy an expensive device do not cheap out on the cover and here Sony have really cheaped out.The day after my purchase I contacted Sony. The agent was lovely and did recommend using a screen proctector however there were none available through the Sony website and there are no plans for a flip cover for this model.

Sorry for my English, as it is not my first language.I've been using Xperia products since the Xperia Arc S., Xperia Z to Xperia Z5 Premium. After that, I've used Samsung or iPhones, upgrading every year, all the way to iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Z Fold 4. Those were probably the best phones I've ever used. With all the new features coming to iPhone and Z Fold 4 being my go to for anything to do with content, I was going back on forth on whether I would get the Xperia 1 V. I've always thought of getting the Xperia lineup again every year since the "Mark" series.Even after I bought the phone and received it, I was thinking of returning it. Sony doesn't offer things like one hand mode app for Android (which makes navigating around apps and functionality like ... MoreSorry for my English, as it is not my first language.I've been using Xperia products since the Xperia Arc S., Xperia Z to Xperia Z5 Premium. After that, I've used Samsung or iPhones, upgrading every year, all the way to iPhone 14 Pro Max and Samsung Z Fold 4. Those were probably the best phones I've ever used. With all the new features coming to iPhone and Z Fold 4 being my go to for anything to do with content, I was going back on forth on whether I would get the Xperia 1 V. I've always thought of getting the Xperia lineup again every year since the "Mark" series.Even after I bought the phone and received it, I was thinking of returning it. Sony doesn't offer things like one hand mode app for Android (which makes navigating around apps and functionality like bluetooth, music, screenshots, utility stuff so simple and easy). The Android version that Sony provides is also quite buggy from the start. But the form factor which I was so wary of from the start, really didn't seem to bother me that much. I love big phones, and a 6.5" tall phone just feels like a small screen for content in every way compared to the iPhone 14 pro max and Z Fold 4. Surprisingly, I didn't actually find it all that different (not comparable with Z Fold 4). Haptic is also quite nice, but nothing near iPhone's haptics. But one thing that made me daily drive the Xperia, was the weight. It is almost 40g lighter than the iPhone 14 pro max, and it makes using the phone soooo much easier. I could reach anywhere on the screen with ease, moving it around with my tiny hands. It also produced much less stress on my hands and it is very light.The experience I've had so far on the Xperia is amazing, though with some bugs, and also it overheating on my bed overnight playing music, and other minor problems. The phone is no where near perfect, and is quite incomplete in comparison to Samsung or iPhone flagships. But the weight and form factor, screen quality is more than enough for me to switch over. If the iPhone 14 Pro max (or 15 pro max) is around the same weight as the Sony Xperia 1 V, I would probably switch back to iPhone without a doubt. But right now, Xperia 1 V is my go to.

This is my first Xperia phone in quite a while as my last few have all been Samsungs, the last being the S21 ultra. I had planned to get the S23 ultra but when I got to hold one it felt like it Samsung had finally pushed the size too far for me as it was just too big to comfortably fit in my pocket. After much hunting around I found the Xperia 1V which is every bit the flagship device in a slightly smaller package. It's still as long as the Samsung but is a fair bit narrower which makes holding and using the phone one handed much easier.Performance wise it feels every bit as fast and smooth as my last phone and like the simpler, closer to Google feel of the UI although I have had to look up how to do a few things 😁.Physically the hardware of the phone is ... MoreThis is my first Xperia phone in quite a while as my last few have all been Samsungs, the last being the S21 ultra. I had planned to get the S23 ultra but when I got to hold one it felt like it Samsung had finally pushed the size too far for me as it was just too big to comfortably fit in my pocket. After much hunting around I found the Xperia 1V which is every bit the flagship device in a slightly smaller package. It's still as long as the Samsung but is a fair bit narrower which makes holding and using the phone one handed much easier.Performance wise it feels every bit as fast and smooth as my last phone and like the simpler, closer to Google feel of the UI although I have had to look up how to do a few things 😁.Physically the hardware of the phone is excellent, I especially like the front facing speakers as they're loud and of good enough quality to be more than acceptable for watching films or TV. The audio output in general is excellent and the inclusion of a proper 3.5mm headphone jack has allowed me to make use of some old good quality wired headphones that sound excellent with this phone. Add to this the SD card slot, the decent amount of ram and included memory all tied to the outstanding display and it really is an excellent media consumption device.Finally the camera. This is probably the thing that's taking me the longest to get used to, not because it's bad but because there are so many options when it comes to using it. I've been used to the simple point and shoot type of photography which you can still do with the Xperia but it also has some pro options which allow for a huge amount of control over how you take your photos and videos. It's still early days but I'm starting to get some great results with it and it's definitely worth persevering with.If you're looking for something a bit out of the ordinary I thoroughly recommend it.