Sony Xperia 1 II vs Google Pixel 5: A Flagship Showdown
| Phones Images | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
🏆 Quick Verdict
The Pixel 5 offers a more balanced package with excellent software, a great camera, and solid battery life at a competitive price. The Xperia 1 II shines with its exceptional display, pro-grade camera features, and unique 21:9 aspect ratio, but comes with a higher price tag and less optimized software.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 1 II | Google Pixel 5 |
| Network | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2G bands | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 | GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 |
| 3G bands | HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 | HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100 |
| 4G bands | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 66 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 32, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 |
| 5G bands | 1, 3, 28, 77, 78 NSA/Sub6 | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78, 258, 260, 261 Sub6/mmWave - GD1YQ |
| Speed | HSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE (6CA) Cat19 1600/150 Mbps, 5G (2+ Gbps DL) | HSPA, LTE, 5G |
| Technology | GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G | GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G |
| - | 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 28, 41, 66, 71, 77, 78 Sub6 - GTT9Q | |
| Launch | ||
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2020, February 24 | 2020, September 30 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, May 22 | Available. Released 2020, October 15 |
| Body | ||
|---|---|---|
| Build | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frame | Glass front (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum back, aluminum frame |
| Dimensions | 165.1 x 71.1 x 7.6 mm (6.5 x 2.80 x 0.30 in) | 144.7 x 70.4 x 8 mm (5.70 x 2.77 x 0.31 in) |
| SIM | Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 181.4 g (6.38 oz) | 151 g (5.33 oz) |
| IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins) | IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min) | |
| Display | ||
|---|---|---|
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 | Corning Gorilla Glass 6 |
| Resolution | 1644 x 3840 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~643 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~432 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.5 inches, 98.6 cm2 (~84.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.0 inches, 87.6 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 1B colors, HDR BT.2020 | OLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ |
| Runs at 1096 x 2560 pixels except for select use cases | Always-on display | |
| Platform | ||
|---|---|---|
| CPU | Octa-core (1x2.84 GHz Cortex-A77 & 3x2.42 GHz Cortex-A77 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55) | Octa-core (1x2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1x2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6x1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 5G (7 nm+) | Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm) |
| GPU | Adreno 650 | Adreno 620 |
| OS | Android 10, upgradable to Android 12 | Android 11, upgradable to Android 14 |
| Memory | ||
|---|---|---|
| Card slot | microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot) | No |
| Internal | 256GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM | 128GB 8GB RAM |
| UFS 3.0 | UFS 2.1 | |
| Main Camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dual | - | 12.2 MP, f/1.7, 27mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 16 MP, f/2.2, 117˚ (ultrawide), 1.0µm |
| Features | Zeiss optics, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking | LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama |
| Triple | 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 0.3 MP, TOF 3D, (depth) | - |
| Video | 4K@24/25/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p@30/60/120fps; 5-axis gyro-EIS, OIS | 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS |
| Selfie camera | ||
|---|---|---|
| Features | HDR | HDR |
| Single | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm | 8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm |
| Video | 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS) | 1080p@30fps |
| Sound | ||
|---|---|---|
| 3.5mm jack | Yes | No |
| 35mm jack | Yes | No |
| Loudspeaker | Yes, with stereo speakers | Yes, with stereo speakers |
| 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system | - | |
| Comms | ||
|---|---|---|
| Bluetooth | 5.1, A2DP, aptX HD, LE | 5.0, A2DP, LE, aptX HD |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Positioning | GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO | GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS |
| Radio | No | No |
| USB | USB Type-C 3.1, OTG | USB Type-C 3.1 |
| WLAN | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA | Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct |
| Features | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass | Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer |
| Battery | ||
|---|---|---|
| Charging | 21W wired, PD 11W wireless | 18W wired, PD2.0 12W wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Po 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4080 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Purple, Mirror Lake Green | Just Black, Sorta Sage |
| Models | XQ-AT51, XQ-AT52, SOG01, XQ-AT42 | GD1YQ, GTT9Q, G5NZ6 |
| Price | About 700 EUR | € 181.31 / $ 272.44 / £ 136.00 |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | - | $ 194.84 |
| RENEWED | - | $ 253.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 83h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -27.3 LUFS (Good) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 534701 (v8) GeekBench: 3295 (v5.1) GFXBench: 39fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Sony Xperia 1 II
- Exceptional 4K OLED display
- Powerful Snapdragon 865 chipset
- Versatile triple-lens camera with pro controls
- Unique 21:9 aspect ratio
- Higher price point
- Less optimized software experience
- Slightly shorter battery life
- Bulky design
Google Pixel 5
- Excellent software experience with timely updates
- Consistently great camera performance
- Solid battery life
- Reverse wireless charging
- Competitive price
- Less powerful chipset than Xperia 1 II
- Fewer manual camera controls
- Smaller display
- Design can feel a bit plain
Display Comparison
The Xperia 1 II boasts a 6.5-inch 4K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, delivering unparalleled sharpness and smoothness. Its 611 nits brightness is impressive. The Pixel 5 features a 6.0-inch FHD+ OLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and 699 nits brightness. While the Pixel 5's display is vibrant and smooth, the Xperia 1 II's 4K resolution and higher refresh rate give it a noticeable edge in visual fidelity.
Camera Comparison
Both phones offer excellent camera systems, but cater to different users. The Xperia 1 II features a versatile triple-lens setup with a 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 12MP telephoto lens, offering more manual controls and pro-level features. The Pixel 5 has a 12.2MP main and 12MP ultrawide, relying on Google's computational photography for stunning results. The Pixel 5 consistently delivers excellent image quality, while the Xperia 1 II provides more creative control.
Performance
The Xperia 1 II utilizes the Snapdragon 865, a flagship chipset known for its raw power. The Pixel 5, while still capable, uses the Snapdragon 765G, a mid-range chipset. While the 765G is efficient, the 865 provides a more responsive and fluid experience, especially in demanding games and applications. However, the Pixel 5's software optimization helps mitigate some of the performance gap.
Battery Life
The Pixel 5 takes the lead in battery life, achieving an endurance rating of 95 hours, compared to the Xperia 1 II's 83 hours. While both offer all-day battery life, the Pixel 5's more efficient chipset and slightly smaller battery contribute to its longer endurance. Both support wireless charging, and the Pixel 5 also includes reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
The Sony Xperia 1 II is ideal for photography enthusiasts, videographers, and those who appreciate a large, high-quality display and a unique aspect ratio. The Google Pixel 5 is perfect for users who value a clean Android experience, reliable performance, and a consistently excellent camera without breaking the bank.