Sony Xperia 1 II review
The Xperia 1 II is made for photographers and video creators who value the Zeiss optics and 4K 120fps, and who appreciate the audio jack and water resistance. Anyone chasing performance, battery life, or the latest Android should look at current flagships instead, where charging speed and software support have moved far ahead."
This review is written with AI assistance from Sony’s published specifications and public benchmark data for the Sony Xperia 1 II, and the rating is spec-based. GoSolo does not physically test devices; where we estimate real-world behaviour such as battery life or charge time, we say so. How we rate phones.
Overview
The Xperia 1 II is a 2020 flagship for creators and professionals: the Zeiss-tuned triple camera with 4K 120fps, the tall 21:9 OLED display, and the Snapdragon 865 all work together to deliver on Sony's vision of a serious content-making tool. It's well built and water-resistant, but at this age and price, the battery is weak and rivals now offer much faster charging.
Design & build
At 163 grams and 8mm thick, the Xperia 1 II is slim and feels light in hand, with a glass sandwich and aluminum frame that screams solidity. The IP68 rating means it survives dunking up to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes, a genuine comfort if you shoot outdoors or near water. The side-mounted fingerprint sensor is easy to reach. The tall 21:9 ratio makes the phone feel narrow and unusual compared to the more square flagships that dominate today, which some will love for one-handed use and others will find awkward. Glass front and back mean it demands a case, and there's no surprise there—every flagship in 2020 made that same bet.
Display
The 6.1-inch OLED is bright and sharp at 449 ppi, with a 120Hz refresh and HDR support that makes video and photos look vivid. The extreme 21:9 ratio is its defining trait: text-heavy apps and web pages breathe more room, and video scrolling feels less cramped than on a conventional phone. But films and YouTube will leave black bars, and the 1080p resolution means it's not as crisp as higher-density displays at the same size. For a 2020 phone at this price, the display holds up well—it's not the brightest or densest, but it's cohesive and meant for creators who want a wide working surface, not a spec-sheet winner.
Performance
The Snapdragon 865 with 8GB RAM handles everything from everyday apps to 3D gaming without lag, and the Adreno 650 GPU manages high-end games at good frame rates (not maxed-out, but solid). AnTuTu scores around 532,000, which is respectable for a 2020 flagship but now feels ordinary in 2026. Storage is fast UFS 3.0, and the microSD slot (which uses the shared SIM tray) lets you expand if needed. Six years on, the performance is not dated for typical work, but it is not swift by modern standards either.
Camera
This is where the Xperia 1 II makes its stand. Three 12MP lenses—wide, ultrawide, and 3x telephoto—all carry Zeiss optics and both the wide and ultra have dual-pixel autofocus and OIS. The telephoto zooms in without visible quality loss, and the ultrawide's 124-degree view is genuinely useful for landscapes or group shots. Video is the star: 4K at up to 120fps with 5-axis gyro-EIS and optical stabilization on the wide and tele makes handheld filming feel steady and cinematic. It also shoots 1080p. The color spectrum sensor helps white balance in tricky light. This setup still looks sharp today; it's not the ultimate camera phone, but it was built for creators, and it shows.
Battery & charging
The 4000 mAh battery is the weak point. Expect about 5 to 6 hours of screen-on time with mixed use, which is below average for 2026 standards—most flagships now push past 7. Charging crawls at 21W wired and 11W wireless, meaning roughly 60 to 75 minutes to full charge on the wire. By 2020 standards this was acceptable; by 2026 it looks sluggish against phones offering 100W or more. The Xperia 1 II will get you through a typical day if you are careful, but heavy users will be hunting for a plug by evening.
Software
It ships on Android 10 and can upgrade to Android 12, which is respectable for a 2020 device but leaves it behind current flagships running Android 14 or 15. Sony's skin is light—mostly vanilla Android with some useful tweaks like the color spectrum sensor integration and stereo speakers. The audio jack is still here (a rarity now) and the stereo speakers are proper loudspeakers, both nods to creators who value sound. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 keep connectivity modern enough.
Value & verdict
At around 650 EUR in 2020, the Xperia 1 II carved out a niche as a creator's phone—not for everyone, but for those who shoot video, want an audio jack, need water resistance, and value the Zeiss camera over raw numbers. In 2026 it is still a capable device for photography and content creation, but the age shows in battery life, charging speed, and the Android version. A used example at a fraction of the original price might make sense for a filmmaker or water-sports enthusiast on a budget; new or recent-condition units are hard to recommend when modern flagships offer comparable cameras, much faster charging, and newer software at competitive prices.
Verdict
The Xperia 1 II is made for photographers and video creators who value the Zeiss optics and 4K 120fps, and who appreciate the audio jack and water resistance. Anyone chasing performance, battery life, or the latest Android should look at current flagships instead, where charging speed and software support have moved far ahead."
- Zeiss-tuned triple camera with 3x optical zoom and 4K 120fps video—a genuine content-creation kit that still stands up well
- Tall 21:9 OLED display with 120Hz refresh and HDR gives video work and app scrolling more breathing room than conventional phones
- IP68 water and dust rating lets you shoot outdoors or near water without fear; stereo speakers and audio jack cater to creators
- Snapdragon 865 and 8GB RAM handle demanding tasks and games smoothly; UFS 3.0 storage is fast
- Battery is weak: only 4000 mAh means 5 to 6 hours of screen time and daily charging is common; rivals now offer 50% more capacity
- 21W wired and 11W wireless charging are slow by modern standards; expect 60 to 75 minutes to refill, while competitors hit full charge in 30 to 40 minutes
- Stuck on Android 12 as the highest update; flagships now run Android 14 or 15, leaving it behind in security and features
Sony Xperia 1 II Key Specifications
The essentials at a glance. See the full spec sheet.
| Released | 2020, September 17 |
|---|---|
| Display | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~80.9% screen-to-body ratio), OLED, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 |
| Resolution | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) |
| RAM & storage | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM |
| Main camera | 12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 70mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, PDAF, 3x optical zoom, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF |
| Selfie camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Battery | 4000 mAh |
| Charging | 21W wired, PD11W wireless |
| Software | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12 |
| Dimensions | 158 x 68 x 8 mm (6.22 x 2.68 x 0.31 in) |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 oz) |
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame |
| Durability | IP65/IP68 dust tight and water resistant (low pressure water jets; immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) |
| Network | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G |
| NFC | Yes |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG |
Sony Xperia 1 II FAQ
Common questions, answered from the spec sheet.
Does the Xperia 1 II support 5G?
Yes. The Xperia 1 II supports 5G networks.
What chipset does the Xperia 1 II use?
The Xperia 1 II runs on the Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+).
What display does the Xperia 1 II have?
A 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~80.9% screen-to-body ratio) OLED, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020, 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density).
How big is the Xperia 1 II battery?
The Xperia 1 II has a 4000 mAh battery. Charging is rated at 21W wired, PD11W wireless.
Does the Xperia 1 II have NFC?
Yes, the Xperia 1 II has NFC.
Is the Xperia 1 II water resistant?
The Xperia 1 II carries a IP65/IP68 dust tight and water resistant (low pressure water jets; immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min) rating.
Does the Xperia 1 II support a microSD card?
Yes, the Xperia 1 II supports expandable storage (microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)).
Does the Xperia 1 II have a headphone jack?
Yes, the Xperia 1 II has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Alternatives to consider
If the Xperia 1 II isn’t quite right, these are the closest calls.
Xperia 5 II
Xperia 5 II XQ-AS42
Xperia Pro-I
Xperia 1 III SOG03
Galaxy Z Flip 5G
