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Sony Xperia 1 V review: think different (again)
2:07 pm | August 3, 2023

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Sony Xperia 1 V: one-minute review

The Sony Xperia 1 V is the best Sony phone for 2023. It’s a great example of how Sony’s approach to phone design is a little different to that of the competition. And a big part of this approach is keeping a lot of older things the same as they always were. 

This handset is a lot like the Xperia 1 IV, but with a new processor and some other tweaks. If you bought last year’s model, you should feel pretty good about that. But is it dynamic enough to compete with phones like the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max

That part is a little less clear. It doesn’t drip in that sense of “newness” that propels a lot of shiny, expensive tech, which may lead you to question if it is really worth the high asking price. However, it is going to appeal to a key kind of tech traditionalist. 

Who’s that? The person who wants a top-tier phone with a headphone jack. The Sony Xperia 1 V has one. 

Its camera software is also inspired by Sony’s dedicated cameras, offering a completely different feel to most of the best camera phones. Is it better? Again, that’s up for debate and not everyone will love how it feels. But the way Sony does not blindly follow the pack remains refreshing.

Sony Xperia 1 V review: price and availability

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the front

(Image credit: TechRadar)
  • Out now
  • Starts at $1,399 / £1,299 / AU$2,099

The Sony Xperia 1 V launched in June 2023, a year after the similar Xperia 1 IV. These are expensive phones. You can expect to pay $1,399/£1,299/ AU$2,099, matching the pricing for the last model. 

It has 256GB storage. In some territories there’s as 512GB version too. However, it is less appealing an upgrade than it would be in an iPhone, as the Xperia 1 V has microSD memory card support.

  • Value score: 3 / 5

Sony Xperia 1 V review: Specs

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Sony Xperia 1 V review: design

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the back

(Image credit: TechRadar)
  • Dimpled glass Gorilla Glass Victus rear
  • Classic Sony boxy design
  • Has a headphone socket

The Sony Xperia 1 V adopts the same design style as all the previous Sony Xperia flagships: the monolith. It’s a squared off-slab. And while it means this phone doesn’t exactly scream “new”, it is recognizably Sony in a way other manufacturers, other than Apple, can’t quite achieve. 

I find this design makes the Xperia 1 V and its predecessors seem a little chunky, relative to their actual specs. This phone is just 71mm wide and 8.3mm thick, very similar to last year’s Sony Xperia 1 IV. 

This year, though, we get some new textures. The Sony Xperia 1 V’s back is textured glass, with an embossed dot pattern that, well, makes it feel much less like glass. Its aluminium mid-frame has a series of embossed lines running along it too. This is Sony trying to make the Xperia 1 V stand out from its predecessors, but in that classic low-key Sony way.

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A Sony Xperia 1 V from the back

(Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V from the back

(Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V from the side

(Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V from the side

(Image credit: TechRadar)

It continues to reject a few newer conventions of flagship phone design too. The Sony Xperia 1 V has a 3.5mm headphone jack socket, now a true rarity in all but the cheapest phones. It uses a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, not an in-screen one. This is a notably poor scanner, though. Slower, less responsive and less reliable than the norm, it lets the phone down and the reliability (or lack thereof) is inexcusable, even if this phone cost half as much. We felt the same about the sensor on the Sony Xperia 1 IV too. 

Build quality is otherwise excellent, though. The Sony Xperia 1 V has Gorilla Glass panels on front and back, using second-generation Victus series glass up front, original Victus on the back, and it boasts IP68-certified resistance against dust and water. The Xperia 1 V can handle submersion in water to a depth of 1.5m. 

As usual, Sony uses a SIM tray you can prise out with a fingernail, and on the other side of this tray there’s room for a microSD slot. This is another unusual touch in a top-tier phone. A fairly good set of stereo speakers finish off the outer hardware. 

They do come with a silly extra, though, called dynamic vibration. It fires off the vibration motor in time with any sound played. This works well enough for gaming but doesn't really have a function anywhere else.

  • Design score: 3.5 / 5

Sony Xperia 1 V review: display

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the front

(Image credit: TechRadar)
  • High-quality, flat 4K OLED display
  • 120Hz refresh rate
  • No notch, but extended screen surrounds

The Sony Xperia 1 V has a 6.5-inch OLED screen that mines the same excesses as the previous models in the series: a very tall shape and ultra-high resolution. This is a 4K screen, with a 3840 x 1644-pixel count. 

According to a hardware scraper app, its default render resolution is 2560 x 1096 pixels, but the real-world effect is a complete absence of pixelation, even if you get your eye as close to the screen as you can, it's worth noting that true 4K resolution only kicks in when compatible content is detected.

Color and maximum brightness are great, and the OLED panel has effectively perfect contrast by design. The display's refresh rate also peaks at 120Hz. 

There’s little to criticize here, if also little to significantly separate the Sony Xperia 1 V from its peers, other than one typically quirky Sony trait. This screen has no notch, no punch hole. Instead, the front camera sits in a little blank expanse of bezel above the screen. Phone makers tend to try to eliminate as much of this surround as possible, but Sony isn’t like everyone else.

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the front

(Image credit: TechRadar)

As you can probably tell from a glance, the Sony Xperia 1 V’s display is completely flat. There are no curves here, bar the very slight rounding-off of the corners of the display panel. 

Sony does not offer loads of ways to customize how the Sony Xperia 1 V screen looks. You can either use the Creator Mode or Standard mode. The latter is described as being more vivid, but there’s no grand shift in saturation to be seen here, and both modes look tasteful. There’s no way to drastically cut down color pop to reserved sRGB levels, but we can’t imagine many doing so these days anyway.  

There is a separate section that lets you alter the color temperature. This changes how “warm” or “cool” the Sony Xperia 1 V display appears.

  • Display score: 4 / 5

Sony Xperia 1 V review: software and performance

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the front

(Image credit: TechRadar)
  • Has some “pro” style apps
  • Good performance, but some thermal throttling
  • Gets warm when doing very little at times

The Sony Xperia 1 V runs Android 13 with a light Sony-made interface and a bunch of wallpapers that bring the software that signature Sony look. However, there’s little to offend or annoy here. 

Sony uses a conventional Android layout, and the standard approach to the drop-down notifications bar. There are a few little Sony tweaks, though. 

You can, for example, create folders in the app drawer, and choose the order of your apps rather than just arranging them in alphabetical order. Of course, it’s all optional and you can just leave the Sony Xperia 1 V to sort out the order too. 

Sony’s value-adding strategy is more about preinstalled apps than anything to do with the interface. 

Music Pro is a multi-track recorder app, a very stripped-back take on a DAW (digital audio workstation) app like Reason or Logic. External Monitor, another app, lets you use the Sony Xperia 1 V as a USB-connected display. The prime use case is as an external monitor for one of Sony’s mirrorless cameras. But it’s not limited to that. 

We’ll cover the Cinema Pro, Video Pro and Photo Pro apps in the camera section of this review, but Sony’s pitch is clear. It wants us to consider the Xperia 1 V a professional tool as well as a normal phone.

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the side

(Image credit: TechRadar)

The Sony Xperia 1 V has the best chipset you could hope for at the time of its launch, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. This is a flagship processor that addresses one of the key issues of the Gen 1 version: throttling. 

Last-generation phones were capable of some amazing benchmark results. But they often weren’t indicative of real-world performance, as you could lose 50% or more power after just a couple of minutes thanks to heat build-up. 

Is the Sony Xperia 1 V much better in this respect? We can’t use our usual methods to tell, as Sony has blocked certain apps – including 3DMark – on review devices. 

However, we did dig out an app called CPU Throttling Test, which shows you how much performance is lost over time. Performance loss starts at the two-minute mark, and by eight minutes or so the Sony Xperia 1 V is reduced to around 60-65% of its original power. The minimum recorded over a 15-minute test was 59%, which happened in both runs we tried. 

It’s not ideal, but we saw drops to 46% performance in the Sony Xperia 1 IV. 

Sony has had its own issues with heat in its phones over the years and, unfortunately, we’ve had some of this with the Sony Xperia 1 V, in another sense. We’re not talking about overheating here, just the phone getting hotter than it should when performing light activities. This does not happen consistently, but we have felt the phone often get warm when streaming audio. 

However, we’ve had zero obvious performance issues in real-world use. And games run very well on the phone.

  • Software score: 4 / 5
  • Performance score: 4 / 5

Sony Xperia 1 V review: cameras

A close up of the cameras on a Sony Xperia 1 V

(Image credit: TechRadar)
  • Has a multitude of cameras apps
  • Good general image quality
  • Doesn’t match the best in extreme situations
  • Impressive-sounding zoom is optically soft

The Sony Xperia 1 V has three rear cameras. It’s an unusual and high-end array, the most eye-catching of the three being a 3.5-5.2x 12MP zoom with a true optical zoom lens. Lens elements visibly move as you move between those two focal lengths. Such a zoom has only been seen in a handful of phones since smartphones became a thing. 

Our other two lenses are a 12MP ultra-wide and a 48MP (technically 52MP with an effective 48MP area) primary wide camera. All three of these, and the selfie camera up front, use Sony sensors. Skip on a few paragraphs if you just want to know what the photos the Sony Xperia 1 V are like, as we have to touch on Sony’s photography ethos first. 

Sony doesn’t approach photography like the other phone makers, in a repeat of what we’ve seen throughout this review. It still uses a two-stage shutter button on the side of the Sony Xperia 1 V. You half depress this button to focus, and push all the way down to capture an image. 

Don’t want to do so? No problem. There’s a Basic mode that feels much more like the standard way of shooting with a phone, using the touchscreen. It’s how I used the Sony Xperia 1 V, most of the time. 

And if you like to think the old ways are the best, you can switch to other Program, and Manual modes, designed to offer a layout comparable to one of Sony’s Alpha-series cameras.

A close up of the cameras on a Sony Xperia 1 V

(Image credit: TechRadar)

Good idea? Yes and no. It makes doing things like switching between the focal lengths feel clunky. The real value here is in putting the options that you can’t change after the shoot at your fingertips, and these aren’t always as useful as you might think. 

The top ones are shutter speed and exposure. And, sure, ISO sensitivity, but you should want the lowest ISO you can get away with, given phone camera grain and noise aren’t exactly pretty. If you’re not shooting with a tripod, the amount the manual style of control actually adds is limited because you’re dealing with a fixed aperture lens. 

And even if the Sony Xperia 1 V did have a variable aperture lens – like on the likes of the Xiaomi 13 Ultra – it still would not give you that much additional creative control, thanks to the crop factor of these cameras. A change in setting is going to be at most a switch from a very small aperture to a very, very small one. 

The Sony approach makes a lot more sense with video, in the Cinema Pro and Video Pro apps. One of the clear giveaways you’re an amateur shooting with a phone is the way the exposure and focus switch too rapidly. The phone approach to video is to constantly check if it’s in focus, and exposed correctly. And if not, to sort that out as soon as possible. However, you don’t want that for a pro-looking shoot where ideally you’d have a focus puller and controlled lighting. In Cinema Pro, you lock in your settings before you start shooting, to avoid all that jittering about. 

Sony Xperia 1 V camera samples

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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

A zoom camera alters the foreground’s relationship with the background, often with pleasing results. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

Extended zoom modes make it much easier to get closer to insects without the risk of getting stung. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

A true triple camera array is ideal for holiday shooting, when you can’t always get that close to your subject. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

We can’t help but notice the optical zoom’s lens is a bit soft next to the prime lenses seen in the competition. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

Here’s a duck, shot with a more extreme zoom setting. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

The Sony Xperia 1 V typically has good color handling. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

Low-light images are good, but not best-in-class. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

This shot gives you an idea of the quality of the ultra-wide camera, and its lens distortion. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

An extended zoom is always useful when shooting pictures of animals. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

You’ll occasionally see some epic lens flare when shooting bright light sources at night, as seen here. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

This is an image shot at 2x zoom, which we don’t actually recommend as it’s fairly easy to let it’s a digitally zoomed picture. (Image credit: TechRadar)
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A Sony Xperia 1 V camera sample

We like how the Sony Xperia 1 V doesn’t tend to oversaturate greens in the way many phone cameras do. (Image credit: TechRadar)

How are the Sony Xperia 1 V’s photos? Excellent, but at this level they fall down in some important areas that can’t be explained away by saying the Sony approach just leans towards a more “pro” style. 

That said, this camera still avoids all the issues of the much earlier models in the series. They had processing that looked bad up close, with coarse, jagged or strangulated detail. All of that is gone, and the Sony Xperia 1 V now has a more relaxed approach to detail rendering in most cases than, for example, the Huawei P60 Pro

Color is respectable too, lacking the kind of obvious oversaturation that makes nature scenes look a little unreal. 

The ultra-wide uses a quality 12MP sensor, one that sports a less zoomed-out field of view than some. Sony typically manages to keep the color tone and image character between the wide and ultra-wide cameras consistent; largely avoiding the sense you’re slumming it with the ultra-wide, during the day at least.

The zoom camera is easily the most catchy-sounding of the three rear sensors, though. It can move smoothly between 3.5x and 5.2x zoom, using a genuine optical zoom lens; a true rarity in the smartphone space.

As with any capable zoom camera, the Xperia 1 V’s is going to seem like a revolution in fun for your mobile photography, if this is to be your first time with a periscope zoom. Long-range photos that would once have been total mush will now look sharp. Or, well, sharp-ish. The phone's zoom camera is a reminder that prime lenses (that are those with a fixed focal length) are typically much sharper than optical zoom ones like this.

The 5.2x mode is lossless in theory, but in reality it looks very soft. You can see this when you look down at a per-pixel level, but it also even more obvious when shooting images with very high light contrast, causing a slight smearing effect.

A close up of the cameras on a Sony Xperia 1 V

(Image credit: TechRadar)

We compared its 10x results to those of the Huawei P60 Pro. The Huawei results were significantly sharper, and not just because of more advanced processing. There is genuinely more detail there. The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is going to do even better at 10x, thanks to its dedicated 10x camera too. 

The ability to compare one ultra-zoom camera phone to another is a rare privilege. However, any keen photographer may notice the Xperia 1 V has an unfortunate tendency to leave parts of the image overexposed in high contrast scenes at times.  This might be where part of the scene is covered by trees, but the rest is bright-but-cloudy sky, for example. The Sony Xperia 1 V just doesn’t try quite as hard as the competition to retain highlights in these high light contrast scenarios. 

Similarly, low-light results, while good, are also a cut below the best from Samsung, Huawei and Google. There’s more noise, less detail, and a tendency to record more motion-blurred images despite the use of OIS in both the wide and zoom cameras. A lot of this stuff, bar the occasional notably-overexposed image, only becomes obvious in direct comparison with another top-tier phone. There is another factor to consider, though. 

The Sony Xperia 1 V’s preview image is quite poor too. What you see in the camera app as you compose your picture doesn’t look all that much like the final image, because it does not properly estimate what effect dynamic range processing will have. 

This also means your subject is typically much less visible on the screen too, as it will look darker and dimmer than it will in the final picture. That matters when shooting outdoors on a very bright day. 

Are things looking bad for the Sony Xperia 1 V camera? Not at all. It’s still largely a blast to use in its Basic mode, has a very high hit rate of shots and top-tier image quality. We’re just not sure it competes particularly at $1,399/£1,299 in all areas. 

For video, the Sony Xperia 1 V can shoot at up to 4K resolution, 120 frames per second. And there are three different apps you can use to capture.

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The camera interface on a Sony Xperia 1 V

(Image credit: Future)
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The camera interface on a Sony Xperia 1 V

(Image credit: Future)

There’s the normal route, just using the camera app. Then Video Pro has an interface based on Sony camcorders, offering much better control over manual focus and manual zoom. This can be a fun one to use. 

Cinematography Pro is based on the experience of Sony pro-grade video cameras, and may be slightly intimidating to some because it puts a lot of stuff, and numbers, in front of your eyeballs.  However, this one is ideal for times when you want to manually set, for example, your shutter speed and ISO manually before you hit the shutter button. You can also see the area outside of the actual frame in the preview image, which is neat. 

Would we use it for casual video capture? Probably not. But if you want to make a short film, you’ll want to use Cinematography Pro, or Video Pro. 

Care about selfies? The Sony Xperia 1 V has a 12MP selfie camera. We are fairly happy with its results. It can reproduce a good amount of detail, and holds up well in poor lighting, even if you don’t use the screen as a fill flash. 

However, it doesn’t compare all that well with the selfie camera of the Huawei P60 Pro one modern-day photography champ. That selfie cam renders lots more detail in good lighting, and has more powerful dynamic range optimization.

  • Camera score: 4 / 5

Sony Xperia 1 V review: battery

A Sony Xperia 1 V from the side

(Image credit: TechRadar)
  • Poor charging speed
  • Good, reliable one-day-plus battery life
  • Supports wireless charging

The Sony Xperia 1 V has a 5,000mAh battery, just like the Sony Xperia 1 IV. While the mysterious occasional heating up of this phone is never going to be a good indicator of battery life, I was entirely happy with how long it lasted in the day-to-day. 

The phone tended to last around 1.5 days of moderate use during review, and can be relied on for fairly heavy days of use. 

At one point during testing I had to trek across the country, from a 7am start to getting home at just before 11pm. Despite lots of audio streaming, some YouTube streaming, a bit of tethering to a laptop, and route planning using the phone, the Xperia 1 V still had about 25% charge by the time I got home. 

It’s a phone I've not had to worry about dying early in the day. Apart from one particularly bad day when the Xperia 1 V seemed to spend almost the entire day borderline hot — something definitely was awry there. An hour of streamed video took 6% off the battery, suggesting it’s good for up to around 16.5 hours. 

Sony does not offer particularly good charging, though. We’ve been spoilt by companies like Xiaomi and OnePlus, which offer charging up to a stupendous 150W. The Sony Xperia 1 V is stuck on 30W, the least you’ll find in any of the top-tier Androids. 

Our Sony Xperia 1 V did not include a charger, but we have plenty of compatible 30W-plus chargers about. So does it get to the old silver standard of 50% in one hour, as Sony claims? Charging from a completely flat battery, the Sony Xperia 1 V reached 43% charge after 30 minutes with charger one. And 47% with charger two. 

If you start charging the phone when it’s at 1% rather than dead, reaching 50% in 30 minutes may be feasible. Still, this is very poor charging speed for an Android this expensive. After 45 minutes, it had reached 60%. 

It does support 15W wireless charging, though, and reverse wireless charging, which are convenient extras that don't necessarily crop up on every flagship.

  • Battery score: 3.5 / 5

Should you buy the Sony Xperia 1 V?

Buy it if...

You want to use wired headphones
This is one of the few high-end phones that has a headphone jack socket, making it ideal for the audiophiles out there who still like to use cabled earphones and earbuds.

You want a unique camera
The Sony Xperia 1 V has a powerful, an unusual, camera array. As well as a real optical zoom that slides between 3.5x and 5.2x, it has pro-style camera apps inspired by Sony’s dedicated cameras.

You don't want something too big
Like the iPhone 14 Pro, this is a top-spec phone that isn’t a pocket-filler. It is only 71mm wide. And while it is quite tall and boxy, a lot of other phones feel large by comparison.

Don't buy it if...

You want speedy charging
If you like the idea of a phone that charges in minutes, don’t get the Xperia 1 V. We couldn’t even get its 30W charging to reach to the original fast charge standard of 50% in 30 minutes.

You want a fast fingerprint sensor
The fingerprint sensor is surprisingly tetchy, as we found in last year’s Sony Xperia 1 IV. It’s the kind of issue we don’t typically see in much cheaper mobiles, making it a head-scratcher in a phone this expensive.

You want the best camera for night or zoom shots
Don’t buy into the hype of this phone’s camera too much. While great, the image preview is weak, and the Samsung and Huawei rivals at this price perform better at night and in extreme zoom scenarios.

Sony Xperia 1 V review: Also consider

The Sony Xperia 1 V is fairly similar to its predecessor. It doesn’t shake things up too much in this series, but as such does feel quite distinct from the competition. Even when placed next to phones with some of the same specs. Here are some other key models to consider.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
This phone may not have a motorised optical zoom camera but it is still the king of the zoom. It has separate 10x and 3x zoom lenses, for unbeatable results when your subject is miles away. This phone also supports, and incudes, an S-Pen stylus. However, it’s significantly bigger and heavier than the Sony.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro
If you like the idea of a smaller flagship phone, it’s the iPhone 14 Pro rather than the Pro Max, you need to look at. The camera is a bit more forgiving than Sony’s, with fool-proof processing.

However, with a photographer’s eye the Sony can at times look more natural, for the same reason. We still prefer the iPhone as an all-rounder for video capture, though.

How I tested the Sony Xperia 1 V

Sony Xperia 1 V angled arrangement

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)
  • Review test period = 2 weeks
  • Testing included = Everyday use as my main phone, web browsing, GPS navigation, video streaming, gaming, calls, podcast and music playback
  • Tools used = Geekbench 5, Geekbench 6, 3D Mark, multiple power adapters

My time with the Sony Xperia 1 V coincided with some notable events. I got to take it across the country, to a wedding in the lake district, for example.

As well as an opportunity to take some unusual photos, this sort of trip is great for assessing battery life in a more challenging scenario. However, much of my observations in this area come from using the Sony as my one and only phone, which is the norm throughout a review period.

I also had the chance to test drive the Xperia 1 V’s zoom camera in a truly challenging situation, watching Blur at Wembley Stadium from the cheap seats, right at the back of this 80,000-plus visitor venue.

The Sony Xperia 1 V and I have been places, and this also means you tend to get to see what other people feel about its design, how good they think the pictures it takes look. However, the boring stuff matters too. Can its speakers make a podcast audible while you’re cooking? How bright does the screen look while you’re outdoors? These are elements I always pay attention to.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed: July 2023

We review the camera apps on the Sony Xperia 1 V
4:16 pm | July 30, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Sony has put a lot of effort into making pro-grade content-creation apps for its flagship Xperia phones. The latest Xperia 1 V has a trio of those - Photo Pro, Video Pro, and Cinema Pro - that unlock the potential of the phone's imaging system. You can access tech straight out of Sony's dedicated camera division like the advanced burst shooting with subject tracking and advanced autofocus. In video, you can choose Sony's flatter Cinetone profile, which can be tuned to your specific style. We delve deep into all three apps and what's possible with them and the Xperia 1 V combination....

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: smaller and sonically special, but rivals are gaining
7:00 pm | July 24, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Computers Gadgets | Tags: , , | Comments: Off

Sony WF-1000XM5: Two-minute review

Sony's WF-1000XM5 are the most hotly anticipated earbuds of the year, and because the leaks regarding their smaller size have proved genuine, it's an open goal for Sony, right? They're 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the older class-leaders, but boast the same kind of sonic talents. Five sweet stars, surely?

Not quite. You'll see that we've knocked a whole star off in our rating above, which means we have some explaining to do. 

They're still a compelling proposition, and some of the best noise-cancelling earbuds on the market, but it is our job to review objectively and thoroughly – and if certain priorities (including near-silence in the office) are paramount there may actually be alternatives that suit you better for the same money, as sacrilegious as that may sound. And we're about to tell you why.

First, a quick run-down of the improvements found in Sony's newest progeny: you now get Bluetooth 5.3 and three mics per earbud, including two feedback mics, as well as Sony's new dual integrated Processor V2 to unlock the potential of the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN2e (you got two mics and one processor in the WF-1000XM4). This little setup is able to deliver three times more data than before. Still with us? Good. 

Battery life is carried over from the older-generation model at a very respectable eight hours for the earbuds and 24 hours total in the case. A 60-minute quick-charge gives three hours of playtime too.

You also now get four pairs of unique and premium-feeling polyurethane foam tips, including a new 'SS' size for smaller ears, which you don't get with Sony's older buds. There's a bone conduction sensor to detect the user speaking, plus the mesh on feed forward mic is better thanks to a redesign. Also, the packaging is now zero-plastic and made from sustainable bamboo, which is nice to know. 

Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds in the palm of a hand

Has Sony made the Golidlocks 'just right' earbuds for size? I believe so (Image credit: Future)

Despite the additional super-small ear tip option (which I had to select for my annoying right ear) within Sony's particularly picky fit test and the excellent, deep, agile, zealous Sony sound, competition in 2023 is incredibly harsh. Specifically, we found the active noise cancellation simply didn't nix as much noise as two other rival models at the level. That, and the fact that the team – using different review samples in different continents – experienced more than one or two connectivity drop-outs during testing, which didn't happen with said competitors, means we're unable to give them full marks across the board. 

Multi-point connectivity (but note, only to two devices, not three), LDAC and adaptive sound control are all here as you'd expect in a top-tier set of earbuds, which means your physical location or activity can be automatically detected and tailored, if you want. You also get Sony's 24-bit audio processing and DSEE Extreme real-time 'upscaling' engine, so Spotify tracks are going to sound a heck of a lot better, while 360 Reality Audio also takes your Tidal tracks to new heights. 

The Sony Connect app is a very similar affair to the one you'll find with the Sony WF-1000XM4 wireless earbuds and Sony WH-1000XM5 over-ears – and you're right to say that the latter are some of the best wireless headphones on the planet right now, so if it ain't broken, don't fix it, particularly when Sony's loyal fanbase loves it so. The thing is, some of the team found it a little busy and cluttered given the competition, and felt the experience might have benefitted from a redesign to make it quicker to access noise cancellation (which is on the second screen, under a very small drop-down menu) and the fit tests – which are easily lost under the top-right 'tutorial' header, for example. 

The build quality and battery life are all exemplary; there's less protrusion than with the older XM4 and the Sony WF-C500, and the build and finish do feel more premium compared to the new and splendid entry-level Sony WF-C700N noise-cancelling option. But there's the rub: the C700N are so good for sound and feature set, one does wonder whether the significant extra outlay you'll need to make acquire the flagship WF-1000XM5 is worth it in the 'sound per pound' stakes – particularly given our minor issues with them. 

Sony WF-1000XM5 earbud held in a hand on white background

The shiny plastic is limited to the circumference – and they're lovely and svelte  (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Price & release date

  • Released on July 24, 2023
  • Priced $299.99 / £259 / AU$499 

This is business as usual for Sony's flagship buds: the Sony WF-1000XM4 launched at $279.99 / £250 / AU$449.95 in 2021 – so far, so standard. 

At this level, the closest competition would be the excellent Technics EAH-AZ80 (which boast triple-device connectivity and some of the best call quality we've ever experienced), and of course the five-star Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, which sit pretty as the best earbuds for noise cancellation we've ever had the pleasure of testing. 

Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds and case held in hand

  (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Specs

Sony Headphones Connect app three screens on gray background

The app is capable of greatness, but it can come off as feeling a little cluttered (Image credit: Sony)

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Features

  • Excellent immersive 360 Reality Audio
  • ANC is standard rather than excellent
  • Call quality is much improved, but can still be beaten

Sony's earbuds always excel when playing Tidal tracks, because this opens the door to Sony 360 Reality Audio support – aka 24 object-based channels arranged in a 360-degree soundstage, which Sony launched back in 2019. Yes, you have to take photos of your ear, which is a little finicky, then link your Tidal account under the oft-forgotten 'Services' section of the app. But it is emphatically worth it when the processor – and thus the detail, directional filters and placement – is this good. 

Also advised: Sony's WF-1000XM5 tutorial, which is found under those little three dots in the top right of the homescreen, beside the picture of your product. This measures the "air-tightness" of your chosen ear tips and is remarkably strict, asking me to downsize on one ear in the name better noise cancellation and sound quality. 

You get the option to pause audio when they're removed (which you won't get with the cheaper WF-C700N) and the toggle to "capture voice during a phone call" is similar to Technics' ‘Just My Voice' tech and one I really enjoyed, because it helped me avoid shouting during calls in a busy street. Also good is Speak to Chat, which detects your voice and pauses playback when you stike up a conversation with anyone nearby.

As you'd expect, Sony's Headphones Connect app is the star of the show. And as with the entry-level C700N, Adaptive Sound Control, optimized according to what you're doing, means that these headphones learn how you use them and try to help. Don't like that it deploys ANC when you're 'Staying'? Fine, tap the cog in the app's Headphone Settings and you can deploy Ambient sound or turn all noise profiles off – and until you change it, that should happen whenever you're sitting at your desk. 

When Ambient is deployed, you can select from 1-20 on a slider (I typically select 12 when 'Walking' to my train and 20 when 'Running') and these work really well. 

But is the ANC better owing to that new extra mic and processor? For me, it's fine rather than eyebrow-raising. Noises are largely softened and massaged, but the AC unit above my head in the office remains present in my mix. Does the Bose QCE II beat the performance here? It does. 

Call quality is much better in this iteration and you can even answer calls by nodding your head (or reject them by shaking it) if you're wearing the earphones and looking at your smartphone, which is a fun touch if your arch-enemy is calling. Is the call-quality as good as the Technics EAH-AZ80? For me, not quite – on a very blustery day, the Technics clarity edged it, but it was a closely run race. 

  • Features score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-1000XM5 earbud held in a hand

Is four taps of this right earbud too much of an effort to level up the volume? Maybe (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Sound quality

  • Zealous, exciting listen
  • Tidal tracks are masterfully delivered with 360 Reality Audio
  • Trebles can be beaten 

If you've skipped straight to the sound part (I applaud you and) it's good news. Sony says it has worked hard on crisp bass weight and clout here and it isn't joking. If you're all about that bass but you want earbuds rather than cans, the WF-1000XM5 should be on your list. 

Those with a Tidal account are in for a special treat thanks to that 360 Reality Audio, but even when streaming lossy Spotify tracks (or much better Apple Music streams), the WF-1000XM5 eat it all up and put on an agile, meaty, enthusiastic performance. 

When streaming Dave and Central Cee's Sprinter, the texture of the delicate Spanish guitar is never lost at to the distinctive, nuanced and three-dimensional rap vocals vying for our attention. It's a beautifully layered and expansive mix that goes right down into an impressive bass floor with snap and nimbleness.

Melissa Etheridge's Come To My Window is another showcase for the sonic talents of the XM5s. They actually expose minor shortfalls in this rock anthem: was Melissa a little close to the mic then? Did the Wurlizter come in perhaps just a tiny bit early? It's all in the recording, but these are the kind of stunning details that are missed by lesser earbuds. 

John Coltrane's Moment's Notice reveals trumpets, drums, upright bass and keys all beautifully placed and held in a cohesive mix, with each musical passage given space to shine but held resolutely in check. 

In direct comparison, the Technics EAH-AZ80 are a close match for it, though. Is the treble in the Technics product a little more present and sparkling joy? For us, yes. But is the low end in the Sony product just a shade more dynamically nuanced? That's a much closer debate. Rather than one option being categorically better than the other, here I would direct you to ask yourself this: do you prefer an integrated, refined, hi-fi sound? The Technics product will suit you better. Want enthusiasm, bass and fun? Go for the Sony. 

  • Sound quality score: 4.5/5

Sony WF-1000XM5

OK so they're not winning any novelty design awards, but the Sony WF-1000XM5 are a compact proposition (Image credit: Future)

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Design

  • Beautifully compact, ergonomic earpieces
  • On-ear volume control takes some work
  • The team experienced connectivity drop-outs

Simply put, these earbuds fit me. One male member of the team found them almost too small, and that the ear tips actually stayed in his ear when he removed the units, but for most listeners I am willing to go on record and say these will probably fit you – and comfortably so. 

This should come as no surprise that Sony is making great strides in terms of the size of its earbuds, with the WF-C700N and Sony LinkBuds S another firm favorite for my smaller ears. The case is functional and shuts with a reassuring snap, and the brushed plastic doesn't collect any smudgy fingerprints either. You could look at the Technics EAH-AZ80 case and think its cool metallic top plate looks more premium however – and you'd be right. Sony isn't winning any novelty awards with this case, but it holds its precious cargo securely and slips into a pocket very easily. 

The top plate of each earpiece is easy to find during wear and the customisable touch capacitive functions work very well – although for me, four quick taps to either up or lower the volume (along with tones to issue the touch) is a little hard work and affects my enjoyment of the music a tad. You can turn off certain notifications and voice guidance in the app, but not these tones. 

It's also worth noting that there are plenty of options to tweak the EQ in the app, using the 'Find Your Equalizer' system, which asks you to select the best sound for you from a selection of numbered profiles, then more, and then more still. The optimized profile created can either be applied or ignored entirely, but it's fun to play with. 

Our main issue with the build here is a strange one: occasional drop-outs when streaming music. When listening in our busy publishing house office, music simply paused and resumed a few times. And it didn't happen with our control sets of earbuds (namely, the Technics and Bose models listed below). 

Sony has said this may be due to connection set up and indeed, in the Sound tab of the Sony Headphones Connect app, you can select the Bluetooth connection quality between 'prioritize sound quality' or 'prioritize stable connection'. But having to downgrade on sound quality to get a stable connection does seem counter-intuitive when a set of earbuds boasts such sonic talent – and also, our issues persisted even when opting for stability. Sadly, other members of the team in other territories also experienced the issue. It's odd, although we must specify that the bulk of our testing was also conducted using an early beta version of the app, which could account for some of the issues.

  • Design score: 4/5

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Value

  • Sony lovers and bass fiends will struggle to find better
  • Tidal subscribers will also find value
  • Competition is gaining though

Sony is still a class-leader and its progeny must be given due diligence. If you know and love your current Sony earbuds and know your way around the Sony Headphones Connect app, you'll find no fault with it here.

But it's also important to notice that rivals are gaining – and some have even bettered the Sony earbuds' spec-sheet this time around. Take for example Technics' EAH-AZ80 earbuds, which can be yours for the same money as the Sony WF-1000XM5 and will give you simultaneous connectivity to three devices, not two – and with a clean, comprehensive companion app to boot. 

For us, the Bose QCE II edge it for active noise cancellation in direct compariosn with the WF-1000XM5 and as such, that might affect the value of Sony's newest and greatest to the potential buyer.

For us, the sound quality befits Sony's rich and storied heritage, but we did experience a few connectivity drop-outs during testing, so they're a shade off perfection. As always, the customers buys with their wallet, but while it is our job to point out viable alternatives, we certainly don't think buying Sony's newest would be money poorly spent. 

  • Value score: 3.5/5

Should I buy the Sony WF-1000XM5?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Sony WF-1000XM5 review: Also consider

How I tested the Sony WF-1000XM5

  • Tested for two weeks, listened against the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, Sony WF-C700N, Technics EAH-AZ80, Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2
  • Used at work (in the office; walking through London; on a train) and at home
  • Listened to Tidal Masters, Apple Music Lossless tracks and Spotify on an iPhone XR, Sony Xperia 1 IV and a MacBook Pro

As always when testing earbuds or headphones, one has to invest time and energy. And thanks to Sony, the WF-1000XM5 became my musical companions for four weeks – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period. 

To better test the comfort levels (and battery life claims) of Sony's flagship WF-1000XM5, I wore them throughout the working day and on the busy (read: noisy) London Underground network. I also wore them in a yoga class to check what I like to call the earbud-loss risk. 

They accompanied me to work on weekdays (walking brusquely to the station; boarding a train and the London Underground; at the office) and on a particularly blustery day on the Weymouth Dorset promenade – a great way to test any wind-interference from mics during calls.

When testing the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from classiscal to death metal) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Spotify – and YouTube tutorials (mostly about nuclear fission, if you were curious) from my MacBook Pro. 

I’ve been testing audio products for five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality, fit and the user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but having heard how wonderful ANC can be when done well, I know what to listen for. 

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: July 2023
Sony Xperia 5 V promo video leaks
11:55 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Last year, Sony launched its Xperia 1 IV in September and we’re slowly reaching the one-year point mark which suggests we should be looking forward to the Xperia 5 V launch. Luckily for us, Reddit user JB2unique shared an official-looking promo video for the next-gen Xperia 5 phone. The video shows the Xperia 5 V's refreshed design which features a dual camera setup on the back. This likely means that the Xperia 5 V will boast a wide and ultrawide camera setup and will skip out on the telephoto module which was present on all four of its predecessors. Xperia 5 V...

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 review: maybe the best-sound wireless headphones you can get
1:55 am | June 5, 2023

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Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Two-minute review

To gaze upon the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 is to see a pair of great-looking, chic, comfortable and portable wireless planar magnetic headphones with hi-res audio certification – and by hi-res, I mean Qualcomm's Snapdragon sound with aptX Adaptive, aptX HD and regular aptX, so they cover all of the current top-tier wireless audio coding. 

They adopt Edifier's latest proprietary planar magnetic technology using 89mm x 70mm planar magnetic driver units, which offer a frequency response of 20Hz~40KHz and I believe deliver some of the most accurate, crisp, meaningful sound reproduction of any of the best wireless headphones market at the price. 

The Stax Spirit S3 support Bluetooth 5.2 for (meaning Auracast will likely soon be on the menu) and you'll get around 80 hours of playtime. Read that again. That's more than any of the best noise-cancelling headphones currently on the market. Also, a short 10-minute charge delivers a whopping 11 hours of playtime and there's a mic for aptX Voice certified call-handling to boot.

But planar magnetic closed-back over-ears with a Bluetooth chipset must mean heavy and cumbersome, right? Not at all. At 329g they're comfortable for all-day use – but if that's just a number, consider that Apple's AirPods Max weigh 55g more at 384g, while Sony's WH-1000XM5 are a little lighter at 249g. Also, they fold up into the headband and come with a refreshingly small hard case for transport.

Confused by the name? You're not alone, so for clarity: these Edifier headphones are not to be wrongly assigned to the STAX brand (although Edifier did acquire this brand name in 2012), although they do use magnetostatic transducers in the "Spirit" of STAX. Also, they have been closely linked to Audeze's Mobius headphones, just with new branding. Got it? Good.

Whatever their heritage, they are all Edifier now – and if you read no further, know that they're a compelling and talented proposition. You even get an additional set of cooling-mesh ear cushions for season-specific on-the-go use, along with a USB-C charging cable, 3.5mm headphone cable for wired listening, a 6.35mm adapter and an 'ear cushion pick' which you'll only need to worry about if you're switching up. 

The Edifier Connect app is acceptable rather than excellent, but it functions without issue and as any audiophile will tell you, companion apps can largely be ignored if the design and sound quality is good enough to avoid fiddling – and that is emphatically the case here. 

Any flies in the ointment? One: no active noise cancellation. Whether or not you really need it when the sound quality and passive isolation is this good is up to you. If you prioritize an expansive soundfield and crisp detail with a more-than healthy bass extension though, put these headphones at the top of your list. 

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 on orange/gray sofa

Good-looking gold accents and herringbone styling on the ear cups, no?  (Image credit: Future)

Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Price & release date

  • Released on February 24, 2022
  • Priced $399 / £330 / approx. AU$640

The Stax Spirit S3 were released in early 2022, and as such there might be a little bit of wiggle room on the prices above – but not a lot.

This not insubstantial pricing puts them bang up against some of the best and most heavy-hitting over-ear headphones in the business, including the Sony WH-1000XM5 ($399 / £380 / AU$649), the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ($349.95 / £300 / AU$549.95) and the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 ($399 / £379 / approx. AU$575). 

Tough company to keep, especially when you consider that active noise cancellation doesn't feature. But sonically, they're more than up to it. 

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 close-up, showing the multi-function button, on orange background

Check out the excellent padding – but the multi-function button is a tad unreliable. (Image credit: Future)

Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Specs

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 headphones folded, on blue sofa

How's that for portability? A great proposition for the commute. (Image credit: Future)

Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Features

  • Incredibly long battery life
  • Bluetooth multipoint
  • Somewhat limited in-app EQ presets

As stamina claims go, 80 hours is insatiable in almost any arena, but particularly concerning wireless headphones – and during my time with them I actually gleaned just over 90 hours from them before they seemed even a bit tired. It's rare that during the course of a review I need only charge a set of over-ears once, and even then only for 10 minutes or so – thus netting a further 11 hours. 

These headphones are very easy to pair, very quick on the uptake where the app is concerned and easy to use, too. Multipoint? Completed it; soon I'm happily chopping and changing between my phone and my laptop all the livelong day. 

As you might have spotted, there's no ANC or Ambient awareness here, and no auto-off functionality, but that doesn't mean Edifier sees no reason for a companion app. The Edifier Connect app is fine, but that's as far as I can go. It tries to cajole you into buying Edifier products a little too readily (with two "Discover" and "Mall" tabs at the bottom of the landing page sending you off to discover and shop Edifier exclusively), but the headphones tab gives a good battery life indicator and interestingly, asks you to confirm whether you've fitted the "Leather earmuffs" or "Ice feeling earmuffs" in order to better tailor the sound. 

There's an unusual "Soothing sounds" section tab in the top right, which offers a plethora of free soundscapes such as "summer night" (no, not the song from Grease) "lapping waves" and even a mewing cat. I mean, it adds a modicum of value, perhaps. The app also displays the music currently playing in the way your streaming service does and in the settings tab, you can customise the volume of vocal prompts and tweak the functionality of double and triple presses between pause/play, gaming mode, sound effects (more on this in a moment) or voice assistant access. Call quality? Splendid – clear and snag free. 

The EQ presets are a let-down, though. The second, swipe-left screen within the app is labelled "Sound Effects" and it lets you pick between "Classic", "Hi-Fi" and "STAX" profiles. There's no tablature for this, though, and while Classic is a hands-down favorite owing to its extra modicum of warmth and zeal, STAX feels borderline tinny and hi-fi lacks a bit of oomph but doesn't unearth any extra iotas of detail – because these are already supremely detailed cans sonically. What I'm saying is, giving users the option of five- or even three-band sliders to augment certain frequencies would be preferable. 

The third screen is purely for gaming mode on, or off, which is all well and good. In the end, though, dedicated audiophiles will doubtless try not to touch such fripperies; happily, the sound quality here is good enough that bypassing the app entirely is no bad thing. 

  • Features score: 4/5

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 case, on orange and gray sofa

This case is about half the size of the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and I loved taking it with me. (Image credit: Future)

Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Sound quality

  • Divinely detailed and revealing
  • Snappy bass extension; depth in spades
  • An expressive and dynamically agile listen

They sound so good, these. Oh, you need more words? Right then. 

Bruce Springsteen's re-release of Darkness on the Edge of Town live with with the E-Street Band (streamed; a Tidal Master file) is brimming with emotion, revealing any minor deviations in the keys and raucousness from the excitable crowd in a gloriously detailed mix. 

Burna Boy's Anybody on Apple Music (a Lossless file) unearths emotion and textures in the vocal rarely heard at this level and there's a glorious three-dimensional quality to the drums and sax solo, even as the percussion goes low. 

Nicki Minaj's Super Bass (Tidal HiFi) bursts through with a juicy, full and cohesive mix that darts between each ear with the kind of spritely agility normally seen in wired headphones at double the price. 

Gerry Cinnamon's Belter is a lovely example of pared back rhythmic guitars and backing vocals, which are expertly layered and relayed here with ample space around each element to shine. If anything, the added stems here as the track progresses (the crack of a whip, a chanting crowd, the shake of a rattlesnake's tail) feel a little lonely – but that's certainly not a criticism where the Edifiers are concerned; quite the opposite. Because these headphones can do so much more. 

Is it the same with a wired 3.5mm connection? Not quite. The presentation lacks just a little conviction when physically wired to a Sony Xperia or an iPhone – although that's something that few of us will do, given the incredible battery life and convenience offered here. And in case it needs to be re-stated, there's no USB audio option. 

  • Sound quality score: 5/5

Edifier Stax worn by Becky Scarrott, around the neck to show that the earcups rotate out, rather than in

Thing is, it is a bit odd for earcups to rotate this way when not being worn…  (Image credit: Future)

Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Design

  • Additional pair of cooler earcups supplied
  • Foldable design
  • Multi-function button is a shade off excellent 

If you miss folding headphones (not seen in the heavy-hitter arena since the Sony WH-1000XM4), they're back here and it does make taking them on your commute – or in your hand luggage – much easier. The supplied case is only about a half to two-thirds the size of the ones supplied with products such as the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, Focal Bathys or newer Fairphone FairBuds XL

The design here feels light and cool, with optimal clamping force, and the lovely herringbone accents and gold branding on the black earcups make for a chic aesthetic – though vegans should note that these do include real leather. 

The ear cups angle forward just slightly and the headband is nicely padded over the crown, which makes these cans feel well weighted and good for longer listening sessions. And the sound bleed? Minimal; people on desks next to me couldn't hear my tracks at 50% volume in the office. 

There are some minor drawbacks. The ear cups rotate to lie flat around your neck when not being worn, but only outwards, which feels entirely wrong for those planar magnetic drivers. The headband is also overly clicky when adjusting for size; a pet peeve but the noise does impact your listening pleasure. Lastly, the multi-function button and volume buttons either side of it are just a bit hit and miss for this level. It's a critique I also levelled at the more-expensive Focal Bathys, but when a long press is meant to turn the headphones off and sometimes, this just doesn't seem to work, it's worth mentioning it. 

Overall though, it's important to state that these are a good-looking, comfortable set of over-ears. Furthermore, their portable design, coupled with the splendid sound quality, makes me grab them over several other sets when heading out. 

  • Design score: 4.5/5

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 on orange/gray sofa

That headband can be a bit noisy and clicky when adjusting, but it's a fairly minor gripe in an attractive set of headphones (Image credit: Future)

Edifier Stax Spirit S3: Value

  • Sound quality that's impossible to beat at the level
  • A great gateway planar magnetic design
  • No ANC impacts value for some

What you must know is that if you want ANC over-ears, your money is not well spent here. There is no active noise cancellation. 

Buying headphones almost always involves some sort of compromise (a dearth in call quality, omission of a codec, lack of water resistance), but for sound-per-pound clarity and quality in a planar magnetic wireless design, the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 are almost impossible to equal. 

The detailed, expansive and energetic sound is the star here and for me, that's just fine – plus it lasts and lasts (and lasts), for days. The case is beautifully light and compact – I have to say that I've taken these headphones on a flight and loved the experience, despite the lack of noise cancellation. 

Then again, the app is a long way from excellent and the EQ presets are somewhat eccentric, plus I do find myself wondering why the ear cups turn outwards when I take them off quickly to leave them around my neck. 

Depending on your priorities, the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 still represent a top and TechRadar recommended buy – it just might be that a lack of noise cancellation means they're not the right pick for you.

  • Value score: 4.5/5

Should I buy the Edifier Stax Spirit S3?

Buy them if...

Don't buy them if...

Edifier Stax Spirt S3 review: Also consider

Edifier Stax Spirit S3 worn by Becky Scarrott, in profile, on orange background

They're comfy cans and no mistake (Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Edifier Stax Spirit S3

  • Bulk of testing done using an iPhone 12, running Edifier Connect app, firmware version 1.0.2
  • Tested across two weeks, listened against the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and Focal Bathys
  • Used at work (in the office; walking through London; on a train) on a flight and at home
  • Listened to Tidal Masters, Apple Music, Qobuz and Spotify on an iPhone 12, a Sony Xperia 1 V and MacBook Pro

As is always the case, to test headphones is to invite them into your life. These cans became my daily musical companion – after a thorough 48-hour run-in period, of course. And very welcome the Edifier Stax Spirit S3 were. 

They accompanied me to work on weekdays (walking brusquely to the station; boarding a train and the London Underground; at the office) on a flight to and from Munich and throughout a long Bank Holiday weekend at Climping Beach on the UK coastline – a great way to test any wind-interference from mics during calls.

To better test the comfort levels (and battery life claims), I wore them throughout the working day too – and they never disappointed me or let me down. 

To check the audio quality across the frequencies, I listened to various playlists (spanning everything from acid jazz to thrash metal) on Apple Music and Tidal, but also to podcasts and albums on Spotify – plus of course YouTube tutorials (mostly about calibrating a tricksy tonearm on a deck which will remain anonymous) from my MacBook Pro. 

I’ve been testing audio products for five years now. As a dancer, aerialist and musical theater performer in another life, sound quality and the user experience have always taken priority for me personally – but portability and comfort come a close second. 

Read more about how we test

  • First reviewed: June 2023
Weekly poll results: the Sony Xperia 1 V is well-liked but pricey, the Xperia 10 V fails to convince
5:01 am | June 4, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Snapdragon 695? “No, thanks”, said the people in last week’s poll. The Sony Xperia 10 V is looking like a flop as the outdated chipset and 60Hz display are a tough sell at €450. And that improved 48MP camera looks odd with its 1080p @ 30fps video limitation set by the chipset that really should have been retired by now. There isn’t much else to say about the 10 V, a few people who like the phone for its size, card slot and headphone jack commented that they may as well get the Mark 4 – the few upgrades of the 2023 model are not worth the extra cost. With that out of the way, let’s...

Weekly poll results: the Sony Xperia 1 V is well-liked but pricey, the Xperia 10 V fails to convince
5:01 am |

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

Snapdragon 695? “No, thanks”, said the people in last week’s poll. The Sony Xperia 10 V is looking like a flop as the outdated chipset and 60Hz display are a tough sell at €450. And that improved 48MP camera looks odd with its 1080p @ 30fps video limitation set by the chipset that really should have been retired by now. There isn’t much else to say about the 10 V, a few people who like the phone for its size, card slot and headphone jack commented that they may as well get the Mark 4 – the few upgrades of the 2023 model are not worth the extra cost. With that out of the way, let’s...

Weekly poll: are the Sony Xperia 1 V and Xperia 10 V on your shopping list?
9:04 pm | May 28, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: | Comments: Off

As we’ve said before, Sony marches to the beat of its own drummer – while other brands rushed out Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones as soon as the chip was available, Sony just announced its first. Say “hello” to the Sony Xperia 1 V. Well, you’ll have to wait until the end of July until you can actually greet the Mark 5 flagship. With patience and €1,400/£1,300 in your wallet you too could own this prosumer camera phone. It’s not quite the Xperia Pro-I, but it’s not a run of the mill flagship either. This year Sony relented and moved away from the standard 12MP main camera it has been using for...

Sony Xperia 1 V goes up for pre-order in the US with free LinkBuds and $50 gift card
5:56 am | May 17, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones news | Tags: , | Comments: Off

Last week Sony unveiled its newest flagship smartphone, the Xperia 1 V. It comes with a brand new main camera with a sensor that's 70% bigger than its predecessor's, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, and a 5,000 mAh battery, along with stereo speakers, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 4K touchscreen. It's a beast, and if you're interested in going in depth with each aspect of it, we have a comprehensive review of the Xperia 1 V for you! On launch day we only got pricing for the EU and UK from Sony (€1,399 and £1,299, respectively) along with a vague "late June" release time frame. Thanks to...

Sony Xperia 10 V review
1:03 am | May 16, 2023

Author: admin | Category: Mobile phones reviews | Tags: | Comments: Off

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