Sony Xperia 1 VII: Striving for Excellence in a Crowded Market

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Sony is a brand that’s not afraid to buck the mainstream smartphone trends. At least, that’s one way to look at it. The other would be that Sony is so stuck in its ways that it hasn’t evolved with the rest of the industry.

If you ask me, that’s a good thing. I still can’t fathom why every other smartphone manufacturer decided to remove the headphone socket, and I’m not sure why every phone needs a razor-thin bezel, especially when it compromises audio quality. Expandable storage used to be one of the greatest advantages of using an Android rather than an iPhone, but that’s long gone too, unless you use a Sony.

It’s my first time properly testing an Xperia flagship, and on paper, the Sony Xperia 1 VII should be my favorite phone. It has everything that the competition lacks, plus Sony’s expertise in camera hardware, gaming, and audio – not to mention the latest chip from Qualcomm.

In reality, though, I didn’t enjoy using this phone half as much as I thought I would. So, let’s dig a little deeper and figure out why.

Design & Build

• Textured siderails and rear
• 197g, aluminum frame, glass back
• IP68 rated

I’ve already mentioned that the Sony Xperia 1 VII addresses a lot of my complaints with modern phone design, but one design aspect I haven’t mentioned yet is grip. The Xperia 1 VII has a ribbed texture running along the side rails, and a dotted texture on the rear panel.

Luke Baker

It means that the phone is extremely grippy, and as a result, it’s one of the only flagship devices I’ve ever felt comfortable using without a case. I have no idea why this isn’t a more common design feature; most phones feel like a bar of soap by comparison, and this just makes so much more sense.

The same goes for the SIM tray. It can be popped out using a fingernail, with no need for that little pokey tool. Why is no one else doing this? It stays in place securely, but if I ever need to get my SIM out, I don’t want to have to search for a tool. It’s the way it should be.

Luke Baker

One aspect I’m less sold on is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor. It’s pretty quick and reliable, but it takes some getting used to if you usually have an under-display unit. I often found it was trying to read my fingerprints as I removed the phone from my pocket.

As for the overall aesthetic, there’s not a lot to talk about. Sony hasn’t really changed the design language for the last five generations or so. There’s nothing wrong with it, but it sure does feel a little stale and uninspired at this point.

Luke Baker

At the very least, there are some new color options. I have the classic Slate Black option in for testing, but the Orchid Purple and Moss Green variants have a bit more personality while remaining classy and professional.

The phone carries the same IP68 rating for dust and water resistance as its predecessor, and it’s still coated in Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which should make it fairly scratch- and impact-resistant. There’s no case included in the box, though, and a naked phone can only survive so much abuse. Thankfully, the grippy design means I have yet to drop it.

Luke Baker

I don’t normally pay too much attention to haptics, unless they’re particularly good or bad, but they’re worth mentioning here. The vibration motor in this phone is insanely powerful, which can be a good thing at times, but the default notification vibration is borderline obnoxious.

Of course, it means you’ll be less likely to miss a text message, but if you have the phone set down on a desk, it sounds like a miniature earthquake. Thankfully, you can tone it down in the settings.

Screen & Speakers

• 6.5-inch, 1080 x 2340, OLED, 120Hz
• 10-bit HDR, 20% brighter
• Front-firing stereo speakers

The Sony Xperia 1 VII has essentially the same screen specifications as its predecessor, which means it’s only an FHD+ panel, despite the older Xperia 1 V sporting a 4K panel. Personally, I don’t think that’s an issue. The screen still looks sharp as a tack, with solid pixel density for a display of this size.

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