Sony Xperia 5 V Revealed With A Goofy Name And Serious Camera Tech

Despite challenging market dynamics, Sony hasn't given up on its smartphone business. In fact, the company has been launching new phones like clockwork for the past several years. Sony's typical smartphone launch cycle includes two device launches in May, and another in September. This tradition continued in 2023 with the launch of its flagship device — the Xperia 1 V — as well as the mid-range Xperia 10 V. 

In September, Sony typically refreshes the Xperia 5 series of compact smartphones, and is doing so this year with the announcement of the fifth generation Xperia 5 V, or "Xperia 5 Mark 5." While the naming convention is certainly unusual, Sony has avoided playing around with the design language of the Xperia 5 series for several generations now, and that remains true for the fifth-gen model as well. 

Eagle-eyed users, however, will notice that the 2023 model has opted for dual rear-facing cameras instead of the triple camera array that the 2023 edition came with. However, the primary camera gets a much larger 48MP Exmor T sensor (up from last year's 12MP sensor) that promises much better photos. The secondary camera — which is a 12MP Exmor RS sensor — is mated with a 16mm wide-angle lens with a 123-degree field of view. Sony has retained the same 12MP sensor for the front camera from 2022.

Sony markets the Xperia 5 V as a compact flagship, and the device gets the same top-end Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip as the pricier Xperia 1 V. The device comes in a single 8GB + 128GB iteration, but allows buyers to expand storage further using microSD cards. It is also dual-SIM capable, and also supports eSIMs. 

Despite being touted as a compact device, the Xperia 5 V gets a relatively large 6.1-inch, 21:1 OLED display with a 2520x1080 resolution. Along with HDR, this panel also supports a 120Hz refresh rate, 240 Hz touch scanning rate, and 240Hz motion blur reduction. The display also gets Gorilla Glass Victus 2 for additional durability.

In 2022, Sony upgraded the battery capacity on the previous generation model — the Xperia 5 1V — from 4,500mAh to 5,000mAh. This was a welcome move and appreciated by Xperia 5 IV users, and the 2023 edition retains the same 5000 mAh battery. The phone also supports USB-PD fast charging.

Sony offers the Xperia 5 V in three color options: Black, blue, and platinum silver. The phone received a minor price drop in Europe, where it is expected to go on sale by the end of September for 999 euros. While this phone is headed to the U.S. market, Sony hasn't revealed the pricing yet. Given that last year's model set users back by $1000, expect a similar U.S. pricing for the 2023 edition of the Xperia 5 V.