Sony Xperia 1 VII Review (2025)

Table of Contents

Intro

Sony’s Xperia 1 series has long been known for blending professional camera features with a no-frills design. With the release of the Xperia 1 VII, Sony isn’t reinventing the wheel but refining it. This flagship remains loyal to its core identity while adding subtle yet impactful improvements, especially in the camera department. Let’s dive into Sony Xperia 1 VII review in full details.

Sony Xperia 1 VII Review

Design

First of all, we will discuss about design in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. The Xperia 1 VII doesn’t stray far from its predecessor’s design language. It retains the signature tall, rectangular form factor with a grippy Gorilla Glass Victus back and ribbed aluminum frame. This gives it a solid yet comfortable feel in hand. The phone is also IP65/IP68 certified for dust and water resistance.

Display

Now, we will discuss about display in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. Sony has moved away from the 4K screen of earlier models to a more practical 6.5-inch 1080p OLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. The result is a super-smooth, vibrant screen that supports 10-bit color depth and HDR10, though Dolby Vision is absent. Brightness peaks impressively at 1,470 nits in auto mode, making it one of the brighter displays available.

Audio & Extras

Now, we will discuss about audio in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. Unlike most modern flagships, the Xperia 1 VII proudly retains a 3.5mm headphone jack, delivering high-fidelity sound powered by Sony’s Walkman audio tech. The front-facing stereo speakers provide good but not top-tier sound quality compared to competitors.

Biometric security is handled via a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and there’s microSD card support—two features that are increasingly rare in today’s flagships.

Software & Features

Now, we will discuss about software and features in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. Running on Android 15, Sony’s software skin is light and conservative. Features like Side Sense, Multi-Window Switch, and Game Enhancer make multitasking and gaming intuitive. You can even connect the phone to Sony Alpha cameras to use it as a live monitor.

Sony promises four years of OS updates and six years of security patches, matching industry standards.

Performance

Now, we will discuss about performance in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite, the Xperia 1 VII shows strong performance in benchmarks, though not the best among similarly equipped phones. Thermal performance is a concern—under stress, the device’s CPU dropped to 50% of its peak performance within 8 minutes.

Battery & Charging

Now, we will discuss about battery and charging in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. The 5,000mAh battery delivers 14 hours and 44 minutes of active use—great, but slightly behind last year’s model. Charging remains capped at 30W, with a 51% refill in 30 minutes and a full charge in 90. Sadly, no charger is included in the box. Wireless and reverse wireless charging are supported.

Camera System

Now, we will discuss about camera system in our Sony Xperia 1 VII review. Sony remains focused on photography, and the Xperia 1 VII delivers impressive results:

✅ Main Camera (Wide)

Excellent detail, expressive contrast, and great dynamic range in daylight.
Night shots are sharp, balanced, and color-accurate.

✅ Telephoto (3.5x to 7.1x Optical Zoom)

Good detail at lower zoom levels, though softness increases toward the 7.1x mark.
Macro mode at 5x allows close-ups from 4cm, though without autofocus.

✅ New 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera

A major highlight—captures sharp, vivid, and low-noise shots.
Performs exceptionally well at night too.

✅ Front Camera (12MP)

Sharp selfies with natural skin tones and excellent dynamic range.

Video performance wasn’t detailed in the transcript, but traditionally, Sony’s phones support robust manual video controls and high-resolution recording.

Pictures

Pros & Cons

Pros

New ultra-wide sensor is outstanding
3.5mm headphone jack & microSD card slot
Alpha camera support and pro-level camera features
Excellent display with 120Hz refresh rate
Promised long-term software support

Cons

Mediocre thermal management under stress
Slow charging (30W)
No charger in the box
Only one storage option (256GB)

Final Verdict

The Sony Xperia 1 VII is a phone that doesn’t follow trends—it sets its own path. With features like a headphone jack, microSD slot, Alpha camera integration, and one of the best ultra-wide cameras we’ve seen, it caters to a niche yet loyal audience. While its thermal throttling and slow charging may deter power users, the Xperia 1 VII is a dream for camera enthusiasts and those who appreciate functional design over flashy gimmicks.