Sony Xperia 10 VI review

16 May 2024


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Personally speaking, I think the Xperia 10 should be the one that gets the 19.5:9 screen panel change, not the Xperia 1. The Xperia 1 has always been the choice for professional-grade mobile videography, whereas the Xperia 10 is just a typical average consumer smartphone. It's not hard to find cinematic videos recorded from an Xperia 1/5, but you'd struggle to find one recorded from an Xperia 10.

Performance-wise, the new Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC shows massive improvement over last year's Mk5 with Snapdragon 695. However, the battery endurance rating shows the problem with Samsung's fabrication process. How a newer 4nm SoC scored worse battery performance than an older 6nm SoC? It should be the other way around.

    LoneOwl, 17 May 2024Another Xperia 10 device that is terrible to no one surpris... moreI will attempt to explain the observed differentials in battery life (gaming and other aspects).

    To start off, the 4LPE process used to manufacture SD 6 Gen 1 is inherently slightly less efficient than N6 used to manufacture (around 5% or so). This can be seen in the slightly lower talk time and video playback time. But that doesn't explain the differential in gaming test.

    Now, battery capacity for both phones is around 20WH (4V * 5000 mAH). Therefore while gaming the SD 695 seems to be using around ~ 2W (20/10.2) while SD 6 Gen 1 seems to be using ~3W (20/6.8).

    SD 695 has a very weak GPU, and it is very likely that whatever gaming test gsmarena is running, it is running much below the maximum fps (which is usually 60fps in most games). Let's say it is running at 30fps. Let's also assume that the display (and other parts) are consuming 0.5W while the chipset is consuming 1.5W.

    SD Gen 1 has a significantly better GPU, and yields around 40-60% more fps in games. Let's assume that it is running at 45 fps. At this point, display etc is consuming 0.5W and the GPU is consuming 2.5W.

    So the additional power consumption is a result of additional performance. It is just a price you pay for better gaming experience. If there was a way to limit the SD 6 Gen 1 gaming performance at the level of SD 695, you will even see better efficiency and battery life (since SD 6 Gen 1 has more compute units, therefore it can achieve the same performance at lower frequencies and thereby better efficiencies). Given our assumptions, SD Gen 1 should achieve the level of 30 fps at consumption of around ~1.1-1.2 watt.

    The higher efficiency due to more cores can be seen in the web browsing endurance, where on many occasion, more than 2 performance cores can be employed. In such scenarios, the processor with more wider architecture or higher number of performance cores, i.e. SD 6 Gen 1, becomes more efficient than SD 695.

    On a side note, in gaming endurance tests, when comparing two powerful processors (such as 8+ Gen 1 vs 8 Gen 2) you might see the more powerful processors giving even better battery life. In such cases, both the processors would be running the game at maximum fps, and since the actual workload is the same, the processor with more compute units will consume less power (as explained above).

      Some Anonymous Prson, 18 May 2024My main complaints about Sony phones are the prices and the... moreYeah in Indonesia sony not available

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        • Anonymous
        • gq9
        • 18 May 2024

        Try to search for an 6.2 or smaller phone with a 3.5 jack and a microSD slot and this is the only option from the past two years. A Qualcomm chipset and a clean Android are a huge bonus. With the direction the mobile market has taken Sony can keep making and selling these with small improvements and upgrades year by year indefinitely.

          DBS, 18 May 2024"you get a compact device with a quirky aspect ratio t... moreIt's as wide as the Zenfone 10. You really have to hold one in hand to appreciate that it does feel quite compact. In fact, compared to the Zenfone 10, I find the added screen height of these screens as a bonus for viewing vertical scrolling content.

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            • Rob Zombie
            • mE0
            • 18 May 2024

            DBS, 18 May 2024"you get a compact device with a quirky aspect ratio t... moreYes it's far bigger than my XZ1 Compact

              I prefer the high-end (the 1 VI will replace my 1 V) but a friend still happily uses my old XZ2 (Q2 2018!), it will be a perfect replacement.

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                • Anonymous
                • X5u
                • 18 May 2024

                Power1, 18 May 2024It's not about hostility, it's about thick-headed... moreNot a Sony user but the same could be said about most smartphone companies

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                  • DBS
                  • nqK
                  • 18 May 2024

                  "you get a compact device with a quirky aspect ratio that's so easy to love once you give it a chance"

                  Except there's NOTHING compact about this phone.

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • Sfj
                    • 18 May 2024

                    I switched off the high refreshrate on my phone! I really tried to see a difference.... But I failed to notice. As far as I know iphobes gave no high refreshrate either. And noone complains.

                      AnonD-1154464, 18 May 2024Oh and what was it when iPhones stopped having the newest c... moreMaybe they aren't using the word "retro" as a perjoritive. I prefer "classic".

                        AnonD-1154464, 18 May 2024Oh and what was it when iPhones stopped having the newest c... moreAll of them are overpriced but people who use Sony phones should be ashamed of ourselves, apparently.

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                          • AnonD-1154464
                          • CbG
                          • 18 May 2024

                          Power1, 18 May 2024It's not about hostility, it's about thick-headed... moreOh and what was it when iPhones stopped having the newest chip on the non-pro models? How about them "Apples"?


                          Go look at the clutter of a lineup that Samsung has in the low and mid level. Their A series can pass as midrangers, but then they have the F and the M series in some markets and those phones are utter crap, generic phones that look like every other phone in that price range. Poor software, cheap build quality, and extremely poor performance.

                          What about the launch price of the Pixels, since the Pixel 6? With that crap chip they use and the kind of battery, network, and heating issues that crowd the customer reviews on online shopping sites, how can you call it value for money?

                          I'm not going to comment on Chinese brands as I've never used them. I'm currently on a Moto G32, which I bought out of my stupidity, and it's a good simple phone, which does the job and has great battery life - just not a long keeper, which is something I need. The software updates suck though and that is one reason why I'm never buying a Moto again, at least as long as it's under Lenovo.

                            AnonD-1154464, 18 May 2024AI toothbrush and an online comb 🤣🤣 I'm happy I'm... moreThe AI toothbrush actually exists. I have a friend who's IT. He's also "retro" and uses "retro" things

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                              • AnonD-1154464
                              • CbG
                              • 18 May 2024

                              Some Anonymous Prson, 18 May 2024I use glasses frames I bought years ago. They are retro, n... moreAI toothbrush and an online comb 🤣🤣 I'm happy I'm not so crazy tech-dependent, despite being a software engineer 😌

                                Power1, 18 May 2024It's not about hostility, it's about thick-headed... moreWe aren't stupid or ignorant. Specs are only part of it. Some of us value expandable memory, headphone jacks and a "retro" design and aren't as concerned with camera sensor size and the like. We aren't deluded. We don't claim that Sony phones are without their quirks and flaws but no phone is. I have yet to encounter a Sony user on these tech blogs who worships Sony. It's just a phone and they are indeed overpriced. I didn't get the hostility and mockery of people who used LG. I have friends that use Samsung, others who use iPhones, none of us cares.

                                  Strawhat, 18 May 2024Overprice. Maximum should be $250!My main complaints about Sony phones are the prices and their lack of availability.

                                    [deleted post]I apologize to you for using a Sony phone.

                                      Some Anonymous Prson, 18 May 2024I don't understand the hostility toward people who use... moreIt's not about hostility, it's about thick-headed, slow-moving company who desperately trying to fool it's fanboys, other companies offering a lot more for less money. Offering more powerful processers, bigger and more advanced screens, even cameras they use Sony's own newer bigger sensors, lighting years faster chragers "oppo" for example, ufs 3 & 4 , I can go on.
                                      As I said it's about A company that's trying to fool it's fanboys to buy a phone that's offering less for more money .

                                        [deleted post]I use glasses frames I bought years ago. They are retro, not classic. I wear a...oh the shame...two different watches. A solar quartz and an automatic. They aren't oversized. I wear shirts with bottons, I comb my hair with a comb that isn't connected to the Internet. I use a non AI toothbrush. I am retro and should be shunned.

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