After some setbacks in its manufacturing process, the Xperia 1 VII is finally in our hands. If I’m honest, the phone isn’t trying to change the status quo and by that, I mean the aesthetics haven’t actually changed since last year.
But there are definitely some differences, most of which are underneath the hood, with one of them being an improvement in the photography department.
Specifications
Looks And Functionality
So, what has changed since last year’s 1 VI? Let us count the ways.
Out of the box, the 1 VII looks very much the same as its predecessor, to the point that I would call it a carbon copy. It sports the same, 6.5-inch LTPO OLED display, the same 1080 x 2340 resolution, the same textured rear that feels really, really nice and minimises any chance of its slipping from your hands.
The triple main camera takes on the same pill-shape form at the back, although there has been a slight change to one of the sensors. Specifically, it’s now got two 48MP instead of one, although the telephoto still remains the same at 12MP.
Underneath the hood, the Xperia 1 VII is rocking Qualcomm’s current flagship SoC, the Snapdragon 8 Elite, although that will soon become obsolete with the advent of the 8 Elite Gen 5 that we covered at the end of September. Beyond that, everything remains the same: 12GB RAM, 256GB internal storage that’s expandable via the microSDXC slot, a 5,000mAh battery. And the 3.5mm headphone jack, which you no longer see on other phones.
Shutter button is right where it should be.
The power button still doubles as the side-mounted fingerprint sensor, while the volume rocker still feels rather anaemic (read: thin) and a little shorter than average. Of course, the Xperia 1 VII comes with its own dedicated shutter button nearer to the edge of the phone. As always, its position should serve as a page that both Apple and Oppo could take out of Sony’s book. Because, you know, not everyone has long fingers that can reach that far into the phone’s side when taking pictures.
Performance And Battery
Considering that this is a Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphone, the Xperia 1 VII is barely lacking in the performance department. Navigating the phone feels buttery smooth – no lag, seamless transition between windows and switching apps – and feeling comfortable in my hand. On top of that, it boasts a near vanilla Android experience and I can make payments
Ditching the 21:9 form factor for the 19.5:9 ratio with the Xperia 1 VI was a sensible move. While I did like the former, it ultimately made for a less-than-conventional handling of the phone whenever I was typing a message, and this is coming from a man with some big hands.
Moving on, watching and consuming media content, be it videos or reading articles, on the Xperia 1 VII is enjoyable. It wasn’t as saturated as the AMOLED displays on Samsung phones, but the OLED panel on this phone made the colours pop, while the contrasts levels are deep and inky, as well paper-white bright. Additionally, everything looks sharp, clear, with human subjects viewed at high resolution looking stark and standing out. Gaming on it is a boon as well, although I’m not really a mobile gamer, and based on what my colleagues who played some Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves on it told me, it actually manages heat generation well and doesn’t get too hot after prolong periods of gaming.
Battery life on the Xperia 1 VII is still amazing. Much like its predecessor, the combination of the 5,000mAh battery and power management of the 8 Elite translates into a nearly three days of battery life if left alone; a little more than two days when used as my daily driver; and about 18 hours on average when used to binge watch or marathon your favourite series, be it on Netflix, Disney Hot Star, or YouTube, and at 40% brightness.
Camera
As I said in the previous section, I’ll mention it here again: don’t expect the same punchy, saturated colours with the final picture captured on the Xperia 1 VII, as you would on Samsung’s current flagship Galaxy Series smartphones.
Sony’s imaging technology is, and has always produced more natural-looking pictures, and the main triple-camera module at the back of this phone is no exception to the rule. That said, and despite the module now having two 48MP sensors, you’re still going to need to manually select that option in the camera menu, otherwise you’re just capturing moments in 12MP.
And while an adequate amount of light is still needed, the Xperia 1 VII is a very different animal from its predecessor. With it, I feel the same enthusiasm as when I reviewed the Pro-I: there is a sense of urgency, if not desire, to actively seek out the next shot, and the next one after that.
The end results are very detailed, very clear, and very sharp images, most especially in low-light scenarios, although I am certain the latter is partly due to the AI-powered post-processing work being done by the Snapdragon 8 Elite. But even more impressive is macro telephotography function of the camera – taking close ups with this made me feel like a wildlife photographer.
Sample Images
Daytime Shots
Low Light / Night Shots
Telephoto Macrophotography
Competition
Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
As much as we try, it’s impossible not to compare the Xperia 1 VII against the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Specs-wise, the phone is powered by the same chipset, comes with the same amount of RAM, but unlike Sony, it’s offering storage capacities of 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB.
It’s also got a more potent main camera system, comprising a 200MP wide, 10MP telephoto, a 50MP periscope telephoto, and a 50MP ultrawide. As for the price, it’s just as expensive, starting at RM5,999 for the base model, and topping out at RM7,999 for the 1TB model.
Apple iPhone 17 Pro Max
The iPhone 17 Pro Max is yet another natural rival to the Xperia 1 VII. Featuring a 6.9-inch Super Retina XDR display, the phone is powered by Apple’s A19 Pro chip that the chipmaker says is 40% more powerful than its predecessor.
The main camera of the 16 Pro Max is an all-48MP Fusion camera, enveloping the main, ultrawide, and telephoto sensor. Additionally, it also comes with storage configurations of up to 2TB, and a starting price of RM5,999.
Google Pixel 10 Pro
The Google Pixel 10 Pro is, in itself, something of an odd rival. Unlike most flagships, it’s powered by Google’s own Tensor G5 SoC, a chipset that has raised eyebrows over its overall performance.
Other specifications include 16GB RAM, up to 1TB of internal storage (a first for the series), and a main triple camera comprising a 50MP wide, 48MP periscope telephoto, and a 48MP ultrawide. For that matter, the Tensor G5 and its post-processing magic makes its very serviceable.
Pricing starts at RM4,999 for the base model with 128GB, and tops out at RM7,299 for the 1TB model.
Conclusion
For all the modern components and hardware, the Sony Xperia 1 VII is, dare I say it, something of a hard sell. With the availability of Google’s Pixel series of smartphones now available on our shores, it’s no longer the only option for users looking for vanilla Android UI experience. Worse, it’s also not the cheapest and only comes with one internal storage configuration.
The main camera is, perhaps, its saving grace, actually performing better than the 1 VI in the low-light department, ever so slightly. Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, it’s more of a camera phone for the professional photographer, because of how much it demands that you seek out the next photo.
To that end, I wouldn’t discount this option if you’re looking for solid alternatives to the mainstream flagship brands, such as Samsung and Huawei.
Photography by Lowyat Video Team.
