Sony’s back with another crack at the premium smartphone market, and the Xperia 1 VII certainly looks the part. With its sleek design, top-tier specs, and that classic Sony attention to detail, you’d expect this phone to be a real ripper. But after spending time with it, we’re left wondering if Sony has missed the mark once again.
What Makes the Xperia 1 VII Stand Out
Let’s start with what Sony got right. The Xperia 1 VII maintains that distinctive tall and slim profile that makes it incredibly comfortable to hold. At just 8.2mm thick, this phone slips into your pocket without creating an unsightly bulge, and the ribbed aluminium frame gives you a secure grip that feels reassuring.
The build quality is absolutely top-notch. Sony hasn’t cut corners here – you get Gorilla Glass protection, an aluminium frame, and that signature Sony attention to detail. The dimpled glass back feels unique under your fingers, and the overall construction screams premium quality.
What really sets this phone apart from the crowd is what Sony includes that others have ditched. Remember headphone jacks? Sony does. Miss expandable storage? The microSD slot is still here. These features might seem old-school to some, but for Aussies who want genuine flexibility with their devices, they’re bloody brilliant.
Display Excellence That Sony Does Best
Sony knows displays, and the Xperia 1 VII doesn’t disappoint. The 6.5-inch OLED panel delivers vibrant colours straight out of the box, but here’s where Sony shows its expertise – you can switch to Creator Mode for more realistic, professional-grade colour reproduction.
This 120Hz display is smooth as silk for scrolling and gaming, and the aspect ratio makes it perfect for watching movies without those annoying black bars. Sony doesn’t throw around meaningless peak brightness numbers like some manufacturers, but the screen performs brilliantly in real-world conditions, delivering excellent visibility even under harsh Australian sunlight.
The thin bezels house front-firing stereo speakers that actually sound impressive. You’re getting decent bass and clear mids, especially when you activate the Dolby Sound enhancement. It’s not quite ROG Phone territory, but it’s definitely among the better smartphone speakers available.
Performance That Ticks All the Boxes
Under the hood, the Xperia 1 VII packs the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor – currently the best you can get in an Android phone. This chip handles everything you throw at it without breaking a sweat. Whether you’re multitasking between apps, editing photos, or diving into demanding games like Delta Force, performance is absolutely stellar.
The thermal management is spot-on too. Even during extended gaming sessions, the phone doesn’t turn into a pocket heater like some flagships we’ve tested. Sony’s engineering experience really shines through here.
Gaming performance is particularly impressive. The combination of that powerful processor, the smooth 120Hz display, and Sony’s gaming optimisations creates an experience that rivals dedicated gaming phones in many scenarios.
Where the Camera Falls Short
Here’s where things get a bit disappointing. For a phone that costs around $2,400 in Australia, the camera performance doesn’t quite live up to expectations. Sony has fantastic hardware – the company makes sensors for most smartphone manufacturers – but the software processing needs serious work.
The main camera produces decent shots in good lighting, but you’ll notice inconsistent exposure and some odd processing decisions. The ultra-wide camera is actually quite impressive, delivering sharp, distortion-free images that make landscapes look spectacular. However, the zoom performance becomes soft and noisy beyond 5x magnification.
Portrait mode (Sony calls it Bokeh mode) feels unconvincing compared to what Google, Samsung, or Apple deliver. The selfie camera is adequate but tends toward overexposure with a pinkish colour cast that’s not particularly flattering.
For a company that prides itself on camera technology, this feels like a missed opportunity. The hardware is there, but the processing algorithms need significant improvement to justify that premium price tag.
Software That Keeps Things Simple
Sony ships the Xperia 1 VII with Android 15, and thankfully, they haven’t loaded it with unnecessary bloatware. The interface stays close to stock Android with subtle Sony improvements that actually enhance usability.
The quick toggles menu maintains the clean, compact design instead of those oversized buttons that Google introduced. There’s also a handy sidebar for quick access to toggles and your favourite apps.
Sony promises four years of Android updates with six years of security patches – a significant improvement from their previous two-year commitment. However, Sony’s track record with timely updates has been patchy, so we’ll wait to see if they deliver on this promise.
Battery Life That Gets the Job Done
The 5,000mAh battery provides solid endurance that easily gets you through a full day of typical usage. It performs somewhere between the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra in terms of longevity – respectable for a phone of this calibre.
Charging speeds are adequate rather than spectacular. You’ll get about 50% charge in 30 minutes, with a full charge taking around 90 minutes. It’s not the fastest charging available, but it’s perfectly reasonable for most users’ needs.
Wireless charging is present at 15W, which is handy for overnight charging or desktop use, though again, not the fastest implementation available.
Is the Xperia 1 VII Worth Your Money?
This is where things get tricky. The Sony Xperia 1 VII is genuinely a good phone. The design is excellent, the display is top-tier, performance is stellar, and you get features that other manufacturers have abandoned. The build quality is exceptional, and the overall user experience is smooth and refined.
However, at around $2,400 in Australia, it’s competing with some seriously impressive alternatives. The camera performance, which should be a major selling point at this price level, simply doesn’t match what Samsung, Google, or Apple deliver in their flagship offerings.
If you value the unique features Sony offers – the headphone jack, microSD slot, and that distinctive design – and you’re not primarily focused on camera performance, the Xperia 1 VII could be worth considering. Some markets bundle it with Sony’s excellent WH-1000XM5 headphones, which adds significant value to the package.
For most Aussie buyers though, the camera performance at this price point feels disappointing. You’re paying premium money for what amounts to an average camera experience, and that’s hard to justify when alternatives offer superior photography capabilities for similar or less money.
The Xperia 1 VII represents Sony’s continued commitment to doing things differently, but sometimes different isn’t necessarily better. It’s a phone that gets so many things right, yet stumbles on one of the most important features for modern smartphone users.