Sony Xperia Pro-I review

Competition

What even is the competition of a smartphone that costs €1800/$1800, has a purposefully built (but optional, at an extra cost) add-on monitor and a set of three different apps that can record video with various levels of functionality? There is no such market segment. Which is hardly surprising, given that this smartphone is coming from 'we're doing our own thing' Sony. Still, we tried to come up with possible alternatives that make at least some sense in our heads.

For example, if you're dead set on the brand and you're really serious about vlogging, for €2000/$2000, or roughly the price of the Xperia Pro-I + the vlog monitor (but without the grip), you can get an Xperia 1 III and a Sony ZV-1 vlogging camera in a bundle with the same grip accessory. Or maybe swap out the 1 III for a 5 III to save some money and cut down on the bulk? Though, on the other hand, the savings could go towards a more capable camera like the RX100 VII.

Listing the pros and cons to each approach would be a tall order, but if you're interested in the Pro-I for its vlogging potential, we're just saying you should probably explore the two-device route as well.

Okay, maybe you don't want to do that, and you'd prefer to keep it simple with an all-in-one solution. Well, how about the Mi 11 Ultra then? Just add a selfie stick, and you're there. It's got superior cameras than the Xperia all around, and its rear display, while admittedly small and not available in video (sigh), might just work for rough framing before starting to record. The Mi 11 Ultra is hardly a bargain in any other context, but its €1200 price is a fraction of the Xperia Pro-I. A minor setback is that the Mi has all but vanished from stores recently.

No worries, the Zenfone 8 Flip remains widely available. For about 40% of the Xperia and monitor combo, you'll have a true one-device solution. Just add a selfie stick, and you're there. Compared to the Mi above, this one trades off-camera quality for display size but adds the sheer coolness and also versatility of the rotating camera.

Or simply get a 1TB iPhone 13 Pro Max, that's about as expensive as the Xperia Pro-I. Just add a selfie stick, and you're there. Only 'there' is not quite the same destination as the original goal - big sensor camera + a viewfinder, but at least the price is right.

Sony Xperia 1 III • Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra • Asus Zenfone 8 Flip • Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

Verdict

The first smartphone with a 1.0-inch type sensor (and phase-detect autofocus) actually isn't. The fact that Sony is marketing it as such is what soured our experience in the first place, and it took a while before we were able to look past that and appreciate the Xperia Pro-I for what it is.

And it's not half-bad. That main camera can be really good in daylight and properly great in the dark, if you're up for some slider action in your editing software of choice. That probably goes with the Pro in the name, so we won't be complaining. The other two cameras are easily outspecced by some of the competition, but they don't disappoint either.

The newly developed Video Pro app gives you a ton of control over the video capture process that the plain app doesn't - all without forcing you into a tedious workflow like Cinema Pro does. And the dedicated vlog monitor accessory, combined with a grip, do make a viable solution for capturing yourself, though they do come with limitations.

The smartphone side of the Xperia Pro-I is the same as the Xperia 1 III, and that makes it a good one, but not a class-leading one. The 4K 120Hz display sounds cool, but the resolution is overkill, which is why Sony is only enabling it for a limited number of use cases - why even bother then. Battery life isn't competitive, the chipset tends to overheat, too.

The body is unique to the Pro-I, and it's pretty great - we'd take that frame on a more mainstream (and more affordable) Xperia any day, and some of us might even attach a wrist strap on occasion. The shutter release won't be to everyone's liking, but perhaps you could get used to it given enough time.

We doubt our opinion would really be of any consequence to anyone who's okay spending €1800/$1800 on a smartphone with an unusual premise for its existence. If you're that person, then by all means, go for it, and we see no reason why you wouldn't be happy with your decision.

Still, we consider the Xperia Pro-I to be more of a proof-of-concept device than a product that actually makes sense from a market standpoint. It undoubtedly has its merits, and one could rationalize why it would be superior to this or that alternative. But from our (we'd like to think) practical perspective, there are more sensible ways to spend your money and get where the Xperia Pro-I says it wants to take you.

Pros

• No-nonsense design, high-end build, IP65/IP68 rating.
• The ridged frame is very grippy, the lanyard eyelet is a nice touch, the extra controls can be useful.
• Headphone jack and microSD slot are particularly appreciated on this one, given its intended use.
• The advanced photo and video capture apps are a boon if you know what you're doing - and you probably do if you're after the Pro-I.
• The camera system has great underlying potential, it just takes a bit of post processing to get the best results and the target audience will be happy with that.

Cons

• We can't approve of the '1.0-inch type sensor' marketing, when the phone clearly only uses a portion of it.
• The shutter release button lacks a clearly defined half-press point, is very sensitive, gets in the way occasionally.
• The display's maximum brightness isn't as high as on the best in business, the 4K resolution is good for bragging rights but hard to really appreciate.
• Battery life is below average.
• The selfie camera is a bit of a relic.
• Main camera video quality isn't up to scratch.
• The vlog monitor lacks touch input and a playback option, the grip's controls are limited.