Sony finally did it. They killed the 21:9 aspect ratio. For years, the Xperia line was that tall, skinny remote control of a phone that stood out in a sea of identical glass slabs. It was quirky. It was "pro." It was also, frankly, a bit annoying for anyone who just wanted to browse Instagram without massive black bars or reach the top of their screen without being a concert pianist. With the Sony Xperia 1 VI, the company has finally blinked. They’ve moved to a 19.5:9 ratio, which basically means it now looks like a normal phone.
But don’t let that fool you into thinking Sony went mainstream. Not really. They still kept the headphone jack, which is basically an act of tech-industry rebellion at this point. They still kept the tool-less SIM tray. They still kept the shutter button. The Sony Xperia 1 VI is a weird, expensive, brilliant, and frustrating contradiction that manages to be the best phone Sony has made in a decade while simultaneously annoying the hardcore purists who loved the old, weird shape.
The Screen Controversy: Goodbye 4K, Hello Brightness
Let's talk about the elephant in the room. The screen isn't 4K anymore. For five generations, Sony bragged about having the only 4K OLED on a smartphone. Now? It’s a 1080p+ (FHD+) panel. On paper, that looks like a massive downgrade. You’re paying over $1,000 for a resolution that most budget phones have.
Honestly, though? You won't miss it.
The old 4K screen was rarely actually running at 4K anyway—it usually downscaled to save battery. The new LTPO panel on the Sony Xperia 1 VI is significantly brighter, hitting around 1,500 nits. It’s actually visible in direct sunlight now. Plus, the refresh rate finally scales properly from 1Hz to 120Hz. The result is a battery life that is, quite frankly, absurd. We’re talking two-day battery life for normal humans. Sony traded a spec-sheet vanity metric for a screen you can actually see outside and a battery that doesn't die by 4:00 PM. That’s a win in the real world, even if it hurts the feelings of the spec-nerds.
That Telephoto Lens is Kind of Magic
The camera system remains the reason anyone actually buys this thing. While Samsung and Apple rely heavily on AI sharpening and "computational photography" that can sometimes make your dog look like an oil painting, Sony is still chasing the "natural" look. The main 48MP Exmor T for mobile sensor is the same one from last year, and it’s still fantastic in low light.
The star, however, is the 85mm-170mm optical telephoto zoom.
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It’s a true optical zoom. No digital cropping. No fake pixels. Just moving glass. The Sony Xperia 1 VI also adds a dedicated tele-macro mode. This isn't your typical "macro" that uses the ultra-wide lens and produces blurry messes. This is a manual focus, long-distance macro that lets you get incredibly close to a bee or a flower petal from several inches away. It’s hard to use. You’ll probably mess up the focus the first five times. But when you hit it? The bokeh is creamy and real, not some software-generated blur. It feels like using a real camera.
Why Pro Users are Actually Annoyed
Sony decided to merge their three separate camera apps—Photo Pro, Video Pro, and Cinema Pro—into one single "Camera" app. On one hand, thank God. Switching between three apps just to take a quick video was a nightmare for most people. On the other hand, the new app feels a little "iPhone-ified" at first glance.
The manual controls are still there, hidden under a "Pro" toggle, but the interface has changed. For the professional cinematographers who used the Venice-inspired Cinema Pro app, the loss of that specific workflow is a bummer. Sony says they are bringing more features back in future updates, but for now, it feels like a transition year.
Performance-wise, it’s a beast. Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. Plenty of RAM. It doesn’t overheat nearly as much as the IV or V did, thanks to a new vapor chamber. If you’re into gaming, the Sony Xperia 1 VI is secretly one of the best gaming phones on the market because of the "H.S. Power Control" (Heat Suppression). You can plug the phone into a charger and it will power the phone directly without charging the battery. No charging means no battery heat. No heat means no thermal throttling. You can play Genshin Impact for three hours and the frame rate stays rock solid.
The Audio Jack Lives On
It is 2026, and we are still talking about the 3.5mm jack. Why? Because Sony is the only one left in the premium space who cares. They didn't just "leave it there" as a legacy port; they improved the circuitry. The crosstalk is lower, the signal-to-noise ratio is better, and it can drive decent high-impedance headphones.
Pair that with the front-firing symmetrical stereo speakers—real speakers, not just a tiny earpiece acting as a tweeter—and the Sony Xperia 1 VI is an enthusiast’s dream. It supports LDAC, Snapdragon Sound, and 360 Reality Audio. If you care about how your music sounds, this is the only phone that doesn't treat audio as an afterthought.
Is it Worth the Sony Tax?
Sony phones are expensive. They also don't go on sale as often as Pixels or Galaxies. You’re paying for a niche experience. You’re paying for the lack of a notch (Sony still uses a slim top bezel to house the camera). You’re paying for the SD card slot.
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The Sony Xperia 1 VI is for the person who hates the current trend of "AI everything." It doesn't try to circle-to-search things for you. It doesn't try to rewrite your text messages in a "professional" tone. It just gives you high-end hardware, a clean (basically stock) Android interface, and some of the best manual camera tools in the world.
The biggest downside? Support. Sony is still lagging behind Google and Samsung when it comes to long-term software updates. They’ve promised three years of OS updates and four years of security patches. For a phone this expensive, that’s honestly a bit weak. If you plan on keeping your phone for six years, this might not be the one.
Actionable Next Steps for Potential Buyers:
- Check your carrier bands: If you are in the US, ensure you are buying the specific model (likely the global or specific US variant) that supports your carrier's 5G bands, as Sony's regional support can be spotty.
- Download the Sony Creators' App: If you own an Alpha camera, this phone integrates better than any other device. It can act as a high-res external monitor and a remote trigger.
- Grab a high-speed microSD card: Don't settle for a slow card if you plan on shooting 4K 120fps video; you’ll need a V30 or V60 rated card to keep up with the data write speeds.
- Learn manual focus: To get the most out of the new tele-macro lens, practice using the focus peaking tool in the camera app. It’s the only way to get those razor-sharp insect shots.
- Adjust the display settings: Out of the box, the screen might look a bit "natural" (meaning dull) to those used to Samsung's saturated colors. Switch it to "Creator Mode" for the most color-accurate experience when watching movies.