Just like last year with the Mark 4, the people love the Sony Xperia 5 V, but they don’t love its price tag. In other words, it’s a great phone, it’s just that there are other great phones out there that don’t cost as much.
That’s not all, Sony is yet to announce a North American release for the phone, which cuts out one of the most important markets – well-heeled consumers that have a limited selection of brands in their local stores. That said, this turned out to be a relatively minor issue in the poll.
As for the hardware, (predictably) the Xperia 5 got praise for its superb battery life. And, of course, the microSD slot and headphone jack appearing together on a phone is special. Even Sony’s trademark 21:9 aspect ratio for the screen keeps getting positive comments.
It’s not all perfect, though. The complete removal of the telephoto camera proved to be an unpopular move (what was Sony thinking?). The Mark 5 also got knocked for its poor thermal management. Sony also lags behind the competition in terms of software support, not great for a phone that costs this much. And the high refresh rate mode of the display could really use a proper Auto mode (if not a switch to LTPO).
The Sony Xperia 5 V goes on sale later this month, pre-orders should start soon. Pre-orders get a free pair of WH-CH720N noise canceling headphones (worth €100). Check our our written and video review to learn more about the phone.
