Sony Xperia 5 II vs Google Pixel 5: The Ultimate Showdown
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🏆 Quick Verdict
The Xperia 5 II offers superior performance thanks to its Snapdragon 865, while the Pixel 5 shines with its exceptional camera and clean Android experience. Considering the price difference, the Pixel 5 provides incredible value, but power users will appreciate the Xperia 5 II's capabilities. Ultimately, it depends on your priorities.
| PHONES | ||
|---|---|---|
| Phone Names | Sony Xperia 5 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, 48, 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, 8, 28, 77, 78 SA/NSA | 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 Cat18 1200/150 Mbps, 5G | 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, September 17 | 2020, September 30 |
| Status | Available. Released 2020, October 12 | 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 | 158 x 68 x 8 mm (6.22 x 2.68 x 0.31 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 | Nano-SIM + eSIM |
| Weight | 163 g (5.75 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 | 1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~432 ppi density) |
| Size | 6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~80.9% screen-to-body ratio) | 6.0 inches, 87.6 cm2 (~85.9% screen-to-body ratio) |
| Type | OLED, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020 | OLED, 90Hz, HDR10+ |
| Triluminos display X-Reality Engine | 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 | 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB 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 | - |
| Video | 4K@24/30/60/120fps HDR, 1080p, 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, QZSS | 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, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min | 18W wired, PD2.0 12W wireless 5W reverse wired |
| Type | Li-Ion 4000 mAh | Li-Po 4080 mAh |
| Misc | ||
|---|---|---|
| Colors | Black, Grey, Blue, Pink | Just Black, Sorta Sage |
| Models | SO-52A, XQ-AS52, XQ-AS62, XQ-AS72, A002SO, SOG02 | GD1YQ, GTT9Q, G5NZ6 |
| Price | About 650 EUR | € 181.31 / $ 272.44 / £ 136.00 |
| Pricing | ||
|---|---|---|
| 128GB 8GB RAM | $ 695.00 | $ 194.84 |
| RENEWED | £ 239.00 | $ 253.00 |
| Tests | ||
|---|---|---|
| Battery life | Endurance rating 102h | Endurance rating 95h |
| Camera | Photo / Video | - |
| Display | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) | Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal) |
| Loudspeaker | -28.3 LUFS (Average) | - |
| Performance | AnTuTu: 532655 (v8) GeekBench: 3301 (v5.1) GFXBench: 41fps (ES 3.1 onscreen) | - |
Sony Xperia 5 II
- Superior Performance (Snapdragon 865)
- Excellent Battery Life (102h Endurance)
- Versatile Camera System
- 120Hz Refresh Rate (Dynamic)
- Slower Charging Speed
- Higher Price
- Less Polished Software Experience compared to Pixel
Google Pixel 5
- Exceptional Camera (Computational Photography)
- Clean and Smooth Android Experience
- Compact Design
- Wireless Charging & Reverse Wireless Charging
- Excellent Value
- Less Powerful Processor (Snapdragon 765G)
- Shorter Battery Life (95h Endurance)
- No High Refresh Rate Display
Display Comparison
The Xperia 5 II boasts a slightly brighter display at 600 nits compared to the Pixel 5's 699 nits. Both have excellent contrast ratios (infinite nominal). However, the Pixel 5's display might appear more vibrant due to Google's color calibration. The Xperia 5 II has a 120Hz refresh rate (though it dynamically adjusts), offering smoother scrolling and animations, a feature absent in the Pixel 5.
Camera Comparison
The Pixel 5 is renowned for its computational photography, consistently delivering excellent image quality in various conditions. While the Xperia 5 II has a versatile triple-lens setup, the Pixel 5's software processing often produces more pleasing results, especially in challenging lighting. Both offer excellent video recording capabilities, but the Pixel 5's video stabilization is generally considered superior.
Performance
Here, the Xperia 5 II takes a clear lead. Its Snapdragon 865 chipset is significantly more powerful than the Pixel 5's Snapdragon 765G. This translates to faster app loading, smoother multitasking, and better performance in demanding games. The Pixel 5 is still capable, but it won't match the Xperia 5 II's raw power.
Battery Life
The Xperia 5 II edges out the Pixel 5 in battery endurance, boasting an impressive 102h rating compared to the Pixel 5's 95h. However, charging speeds are a significant disadvantage for the Xperia 5 II, with a 21W wired charger versus the Pixel 5's 18W wired and 12W wireless charging. The Pixel 5 also includes 5W reverse wireless charging.
Buying Guide
Who should buy the Sony Xperia 5 II? Power users, photography enthusiasts who prefer manual controls, and those who value a more traditional smartphone experience with a focus on performance. Who should buy the Google Pixel 5? Users who prioritize a clean Android experience, exceptional camera quality (especially computational photography), and a more compact and affordable device.