Is the Sony Xperia 1 IV worth buying in February 2023?

Sony Xperia 1 IV arguably has one of the strongest camera setups available on the mobile market (Image via Sony)
Sony Xperia 1 IV has arguably one of the strongest camera setups available in the mobile market (Image via Sony)

The Sony Xperia 1 IV is one of the most interesting smartphones available in the market. Unlike many flagship devices, the tech giant puts its priorities in an area where it’s well-known worldwide.

The said gadget has arguably one of the most incredible camera setups that’s ever been put on a phone. It won’t be wrong to claim that this is the gold standard when it comes to the field.

However, using a mobile device goes way beyond a single purpose, and this is emphasized even more when someone is spending a significant amount. Moreover, the technology always changes, and some of the specifications in the Sony Xperia 1 IV have since received upgrades from other brands.

How fruitful will purchasing it be for a user? Moreover, which are the key areas in the model that justify its price, and where does it fail to deliver? Let’s take a look at just how viable an option Sony’s latest mobile flagship remains as a purchase in February 2023, a year after its release.


Sony Xperia 1 IV may have one of the strongest camera setups available in the market

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The value of a mobile device depends on what kind of specifications it has and its price. When it comes to flagships, they always tend to feature industry-leading hardware. That’s certainly the case with the Sony Xperia 1 IV, which shines in several departments.

BradSony
Price$1598 (512 GB variant)
Display6.5" 4K AMOLED screen, 643 ppi
ProcessorSnapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)
RAM12 GB
ROM256/512 GB
Camera12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
12 MP, f/2.3, 85mm (telephoto), f/2.8, 125mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", Dual Pixel PDAF, 3.5x-5.2x continuous optical zoom, OIS
12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", Dual Pixel PDAF
0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth)
Battery5,000 mAH, 30W fast charging, wireless charging, reverse charging

Sony concentrated on the quality of the display rather than its size. The 6.5” screen comes with a 4K OLED panel with up to 120 Hz refresh rate.

It possesses a 643 ppi pixel density, which is unmatched for a mobile device. However, not every application will run in 4K, and the mobile will automatically drop to the highest-possible settings in such cases.

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The Sony Xperia 1 IV might be advertised as a camera phone, but it also has an amazing processor. Thanks to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm), there’s no problem with running even the most graphic-intensive games in the market. It’s well-complimented by the 12 GB RAM, and users can pick between 256/512 GB of UFS 3.X.

The camera is, without a doubt, the strongest point of the model. This is applicable in terms of the number of lenses and the sensors that have been used. Like many flagships, the Sony Xperia 1 IV comes with three lenses, each of which is 12 MP.

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However, those are just the face value, as the Zeiss lenses are one of the top offerings used by mobile devices. They are remarkable since not only do they click different kinds of photographs, but can also shift between different focal lengths without changing the lenses. A user can record 4K videos at 120 FPS on all three cameras, which isn’t found in any other mobile phone in the market.

The great camera smartphone is backed by a 5,000 mAh battery, which supports 30W fast charging. There’s also support for wireless and reverse wireless on eligible devices.


Should you buy the Sony Xperia 1 IV in February 2023?

The answer entirely depends on where someone’s priorities lie because there are certain areas where the Sony Xperia 1 IV has better alternatives. Currently, the $1598 variant (512 GB) sells for $1198 at retailers like Amazon. There are also instances of the model selling between $800-$850, but those come in limited stocks.

Even with a discount, the price is quite high when compared to some of the other flagships. The recently released Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is currently available at $1199 (it will go up to its regular price soon), and it comes with a better processor.

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However, the Sony Xperia 1 IV is the closest a smartphone has reached to the level of a fully-functional DSLR. Some features of its camera lenses aren’t found on any other models, including an automatically adjustable focal length.

The device is a perfect go-to option for anyone who wants a hybrid between a mobile device and a DLSR. It might not click photographs at the same level, but the actual performance is very close to it. As such, it's the perfect option for someone who is actively into photography and vlogging, but doesn’t want to sacrifice their overall performance and gaming.

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