Sony Xperia 5 V review

Design, build quality, handling

Imagine the Xperia 1 V but smaller; or the iPhone 14 but narrower. That is the Sony Xperia 5 V - a timeless design with a tall aspect ratio display and high-end cameras.

Xperia 1 V and Xperia 5 V

The Xperia 5 V really stands out among smartphones by other companies. The classic design, the notch-less screen and conservative shape and colors have become a trademark of sorts for Sony, and its fans are now expecting it. It has stood the test of time, you might say.

The Sony Xperia 5 V is one of the most compact smartphones on the market at 154.0x68.0x8.6 mm; it is also rather lightweight at 183 grams. And yet it has been built to last by using two flat Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panels and a metal frame.

Xperia 1 V and Xperia 5 V

Besides the size, the Xperia 5 V has a couple of differences to the Xperia 1 V. For starters - the frame is now flat with a matte finish instead of ribbed. The same goes for the back panel - it is also all matte and omits the Xperia 1 V's tactile blister texture. We definitely liked the more rugged look on the Xperia 1 V but it is what it is.

The Xperia 5 V is IP65/IP68-rated, just like the previous Sony phones, which means it is certified for both water jets and clean water submersion.

The front looks quite familiar. It is home to the 6.1-inch 21:9 OLED screen, which has reasonable bezels.

The top bezel contains one of the stereo speakers, which also doubles as an earpiece, the 12MP selfie camera, and a bunch of well-hidden sensors.

The bottom bezel accommodates the other symmetrical speaker with equal loudness.

The back panel, also a Gorilla Glass Victus 2 sheet, is flat and with a matte finish. It is quite fingerprint-resistant, which is nice.

The metal camera housing is at the top left corner, a bit jutting out of the back. This spot now accommodates two cameras instead of three - the 48MP primary and the 12MP ultrawide. The LED flash and a rear-facing microphone can be seen in-between.

Even if the camera housing is not that large or bulky, it still makes the Xperia wobble when used on a desk or table.

The matte frame is not prone to smudges and offers enough grip. The 3.5mm audio jack and another microphone sit on top of it.

The USB-C port, the dual-SIM tray and the primary microphone are at the bottom of the Xperia 5 V.

There is nothing on the left side.

The volume control, the power/lock key and the two-step camera shutter are on the right. Here, the Power key also contains the fingerprint scanner - always-on and as accurate as these gets.

And yes, you can fire up the camera by clicking the camera shutter.

Overall, the Sony Xperia 5 V, just like the Xperia 1 V, deserves an excellent mark for its classic design, great handling experience, super secure grip, and outstanding build. The only thing we would have liked to see different is perhaps Sony to include the grippy back panel and side frame of the Xperia 1 V here as well.