Sony Xperia 1 V: Features & Release Insights

Sony Xperia 1 V (2023): Flagship with Exmor T Sensor & Cinematic Imaging

The Sony Xperia 1 V (model numbers: XQ-DQ72, SO-51D, SOG10, A301SO) is a premium flagship Android smartphone unveiled on May 11, 2023, and released globally from June 2023. It succeeds the Xperia 1 IV, pioneering Sony’s Exmor T for mobile stacked CMOS sensor (double transistor pixel tech) for superior low-light performance, paired with a 4K 120Hz 21:9 CinemaWide OLED, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and creator-focused features from Sony’s Alpha cameras and CineAlta line.

Core Identifiers

Item	Details
Brand & Model	Sony Xperia 1 V (XQ-DQ72/SO-51D/SOG10/A301SO)
Launch Timeline	Announced: May 11, 2023; Released: June 1 (Global), June 16 (Japan), June 29 (UK)
Positioning	Premium flagship for content creators & multimedia enthusiasts
Predecessor/Successor	Predecessor: Xperia 1 IV; Successor: Xperia 1 VI
Launch Price	~$1,299 USD / €1,299 EUR / £1,199 GBP
Color Options	Black, Green, Purple, Titanium Gray
Key Differentiator	First Xperia with Exmor T for mobile sensor (double transistor pixel) for 2x low-light sensitivity vs. Xperia 1 IV

Key Technical Specifications

Hardware & Performance

Category	Details
Operating System	Android 13 (launch); officially upgradable to Android 15
Chipset	Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (4nm); X70 5G modem
CPU	Octa-core (1×3.2GHz Cortex-X3 + 2×2.8GHz Cortex-A715 + 2×2.8GHz Cortex-A710 + 3×2.0GHz Cortex-A510)
GPU	Adreno 740
Memory & Storage	12GB/16GB LPDDR5X RAM; 256GB/512GB UFS 4.0 storage; microSDXC expandable up to 1TB
Display	6.5-inch 21:9 CinemaWide OLED; 3840×1644 (4K HDR); 120Hz refresh rate; 643 ppi; HDR 10, BT.2020, 10-bit color; X1 for mobile; Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2
Design & Build	Aluminum frame + Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front/back; Dimensions: 165×71×8.2mm; Weight: 187g; IP65/IP68 dust/water resistance

Camera System (Motion Eye with Exmor T)

Component	Details
Rear Cameras	– 52MP (full aspect)/48MP (effective) main (24mm, f/1.7, 1/1.35″ Exmor T for mobile, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 12MP binning for 2.24μm pixels) – 12MP ultra-wide (16mm, f/2.2, 1/2.55″ Exmor RS, 124° FOV) – 12MP telephoto (85–125mm, f/2.3–f/2.8, 1/3.5″ Exmor RS, 3.5x–5.2x optical zoom, OIS) Features: S-Cinetone, 5 Alpha-inspired Creative Looks, Eye AF (human/animal), 20fps burst, 4K@120fps HDR video, 1080p@960fps slow-motion, voice-priority mics
Front Camera	12MP (24mm, f/2.0, 1/3.1″ Exmor R, 4K@30fps HDR video, EIS)

Component

Details

Rear Cameras

– 52MP (full aspect)/48MP (effective) main (24mm, f/1.7, 1/1.35″ Exmor T for mobile, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; 12MP binning for 2.24μm pixels) – 12MP ultra-wide (16mm, f/2.2, 1/2.55″ Exmor RS, 124° FOV) – 12MP telephoto (85–125mm, f/2.3–f/2.8, 1/3.5″ Exmor RS, 3.5x–5.2x optical zoom, OIS) Features: S-Cinetone, 5 Alpha-inspired Creative Looks, Eye AF (human/animal), 20fps burst, 4K@120fps HDR video, 1080p@960fps slow-motion, voice-priority mics

Front Camera

12MP (24mm, f/2.0, 1/3.1″ Exmor R, 4K@30fps HDR video, EIS)

Battery & Connectivity

Category	Details
Battery	5000mAh non-removable Li-Po; USB PD 3.0 fast charging (30W); no wireless charging
Network	5G (sub-6GHz + mmWave in select regions), 4G LTE Cat.20, 3G HSPA+; Hybrid Dual-SIM
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3 (LDAC, aptX Adaptive), NFC, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (DP Alt Mode); 3.5mm headphone jack
Sensors	Side-mounted fingerprint (power button), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass, RGBC-IR, heart rate

Core Features & Innovations

Exmor T for Mobile: Sony’s first double transistor pixel sensor delivers 2x low-light sensitivity, better dynamic range, and cleaner night shots vs. conventional sensors.
Cinematic Imaging: S-Cinetone (from CineAlta) and 5 Creative Looks (from Alpha cameras) enable professional color grading in-camera.
4K 120Hz Display: The 21:9 4K OLED with 120Hz refresh rate offers smooth motion for gaming and cinematic content consumption.
Creator Tools: External Monitor app (for Alpha cameras), Pro Video mode with manual controls, and high-fidelity audio (LDAC, DSEE Ultimate, Dolby Atmos) cater to content creatorsSony.
Gaming Enhancements: Game Enhancer with Dynamic Vibration System, frame rate boost, and network prioritization for mobile gamers.

Market Reception & Legacy

Legacy: The Xperia 1 V solidified Sony’s leadership in mobile imaging innovation, setting a benchmark for sensor technology in flagship smartphones and reinforcing Sony’s integration of Alpha/CineAlta tech into mobile devices.

Strengths: Critics lauded the Exmor T sensor’s low-light performance, S-Cinetone video, 4K 120Hz display, premium build, IP68 rating, and 3.5mm jack.

Criticisms: High launch price; no wireless charging; limited mmWave 5G availability; battery life was average for heavy creators.