For Android users looking for a high-powered Sony-branded handset, the Xperia 1 V is a great choice, thanks to a combination of a high-performance chipset in the from of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, and powerful camera hardware and software features from Sony.
If you’re looking for a cheaper option though, then Sony also offers a more affordable Android device in the form of the Xperia 10 V. Announced recently, the phone seeks to entice potential buyers with a more wallet-friendly price, which undercuts the cost of Sony’s more expensive flagship phone. With that in mind though, the 10 V comes with some massive differences in terms of hardware capabilities, which does make sense given its affordability.
If you decide to shell out for the Sony Xperia 10 V however, there are some things to take into consideration – let’s check it out!
Design and Display
In terms of design, not much has changed between the 10 V and its predecessor, the Xperia 10 IV. The phone still retains a somewhat compact plastic build, which comes with an IP68 rating. The device comes in different colours including black, white, sage green, and lavender – if you were to put the Xperia 10 V side by side with the 10 IV, you’d be hard-pressed to tell a significant difference between the two handsets.
In front is a 6.1-inch OLED display, which features a 2520 x 1080 resolution, although the refresh rate maxes out at 60hz. There’s Gorilla Glass Victus Protection however, which does add some much-appreciated versatility to the otherwise fully-plastic design. As we already mentioned, it looks a lot like the 10 IV, especially with the overall shape of the phone, the side-mounted fingerprint sensor on the power button, as well as the bezels on the top and bottom of the screen. There are stereo speakers as well, which are a nice bonus in addition to the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Internals and Cameras
This abundance in similarities also extends to the phone’s internal hardware. As with its predecessor, the phone runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset, paired with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. For power, the phone comes with a 5,000 mAh battery, the same capacity on the Xperia 10 IV. With that said however, Sony hasn’t specified the phone’s charging speeds and it doesn’t look like there’s wireless charging either, something hat we’ve started to see on a lot of mid-range Android phones from other brands.
Perhaps one area where Sony has made some significant changes is with the camera hardware on the phone. For this year’s budget Xperia handset, Sony has decided to equip the phone with a 48-megapixel main sensor, which is a rather nice upgrade versus the 12MP shooter found on the 10 IV. The main camera is joined by an 8MP telephoto and 8MP ultra-wide lens, with the addition of an 8MP front-facing camera. Sony adds that the phone will support Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) for video recording.
Should you Buy it?
Right now, the Xperia 10 V is up on Sony’s website, although there’s currently no listed price. Given the lack of upgrades compared to its predecessor, the lackluster 60Hz display, the same old Snapdragon 695 chipset, as well as the re-hashed design, you might want to think twice before getting this one.
However, the phone will make a nice option for buyers who aren’t after top-of-the-line specs, and even first-time Xperia customers. After all, it is a solid handset given the durable build, large battery, and access to all the Android essentials, and if that’s all you’re after, then by all means do consider this one.
