Sony Xperia 5 IV vs Google Pixel 7: The Ultimate Showdown

The Sony Xperia 5 IV and Google Pixel 7 are both compelling Android options, but cater to different user preferences. The Xperia 5 IV emphasizes a compact form factor and enthusiast-grade camera controls, while the Pixel 7 prioritizes Google's AI smarts and a clean software experience. Let's dive into a detailed comparison to help you decide which one to choose.

Phones Images

🏆 Quick Verdict

The Xperia 5 IV boasts superior battery life and a slightly brighter display, alongside a more powerful chipset. However, the Pixel 7 shines with its exceptional computational photography, seamless software integration, and generally more accessible price point. For camera enthusiasts, the Xperia wins; for everyday users, the Pixel 7 is a strong contender.

PHONES
Phone Names	Sony Xperia 5 IV	Google Pixel 7

Network
2G bands	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900	GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bands	HSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100	HSDPA 800 / 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 - Europe	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 42, 46, 48, 66, 71 - GQML3
5G bands	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Europe	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 38, 40, 41, 46, 48, 66, 71, 260, 261 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - GQML3
Speed	HSPA, LTE, 5G	HSPA, LTE, 5G
Technology	GSM / HSPA / LTE / 5G	GSM / CDMA / HSPA / EVDO / LTE / 5G
	1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77, 78, 79 SA/NSA/Sub6 - Asia	1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 14, 20, 25, 28, 30, 38, 40, 41, 48, 66, 71, 75, 76, 77, 78 SA/NSA/Sub6 - GVU6C

Launch
Announced	2022, September 01	2022, October 06
Status	Available. Released 2022, September 22	Available. Released 2022, October 13

Body
Build	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame	Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus), aluminum frame
Dimensions	156 x 67 x 8.2 mm (6.14 x 2.64 x 0.32 in)	155.6 x 73.2 x 8.7 mm (6.13 x 2.88 x 0.34 in)
SIM	· Nano-SIM + eSIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIM	Nano-SIM + eSIM
Weight	172 g (6.07 oz)	197 g (6.95 oz)
	IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)	IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min)

Display
Protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus	Corning Gorilla Glass Victus
Resolution	1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density)	1080 x 2400 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~416 ppi density)
Size	6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~83.2% screen-to-body ratio)	6.3 inches, 96.7 cm2 (~84.9% screen-to-body ratio)
Type	OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR BT.2020	AMOLED, 90Hz, HDR10+, 1000 nits (HBM), 1400 nits (peak)
	-	Always-on display

Platform
CPU	Octa-core (1x3.00 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.50 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)	Octa-core (2x2.85 GHz Cortex-X1 & 2x2.35 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A55)
Chipset	Qualcomm SM8450 Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (4 nm)	Google Tensor G2 (5 nm)
GPU	Adreno 730	Mali-G710 MP7
OS	Android 12, upgradable to Android 13	Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, up to 5 major Android upgrades

Memory
Card slot	microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)	No
Internal	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM	128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM
	UFS 3.X	UFS 3.1

Main Camera
Dual	-	50 MP, f/1.9, 25mm (wide), 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 114˚ (ultrawide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm
Features	Zeiss optics, Zeiss T* lens coating, color spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye tracking	Laser AF, Dual-LED flash, Pixel Shift, Auto-HDR, panorama
Single	12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm	10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm
Triple	12 MP, f/1.7, 24mm (wide), 1/1.7", 1.8µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 60mm (telephoto), 1/3.5", dual pixel PDAF, OIS 12 MP, f/2.2, 124˚, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/2.5", dual pixel PDAF	-
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, OIS, 10-bit HDR

Selfie camera
Features	HDR	HDR, panorama
Single	12 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/2.9", 1.25µm	10.8 MP, f/2.2, 21mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1", 1.22µm
Video	4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60fps, 5-axis gyro-EIS	4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps

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	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive	5.2, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
NFC	Yes	Yes
Positioning	GPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEO, QZSS	GPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
Radio	No	No
USB	USB Type-C 3.2, OTG, video output	USB Type-C 3.2
WLAN	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNA	Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e, tri-band, Wi-Fi Direct

Features
Sensors	Fingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compass	Fingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer
	Native Sony Alpha camera support	-

Battery
Charging	Wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min Wireless Reverse wireless	20W wired, PD3.0, 50% in 30 min 20W wireless Reverse wireless
Type	Li-Po 5000 mAh	Li-Ion 4355 mAh

Misc
Colors	Green, Black, Ecru White	Obsidian, Lemongrass, Snow
Models	XQCQ62B-GC, XQCQ62G.GC, XQ-CQ72/B2TWCX0, XQ-CQ72/C2TWCX0, XQ-CQ72/G2TWCX0, XQCQ54C0B.YD, XQCQ54C0G.YD, XQCQ54C0C.YD, XQ-CQ54, XQ-CQ72, A204SO	GVU6C, GQML3, GO3Z5
Price	€ 248.89 / $ 999.00 / £ 189.99	€ 199.00 / $ 179.26 / £ 189.99 / ₹ 28,499

Tests
Battery life	Endurance rating 116h	Endurance rating 96h
Camera	Photo / Video	Photo / Video
Display	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)	Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)
Loudspeaker	-26.9 LUFS (Good)	-26.2 LUFS (Good)
Performance	AnTuTu: 835038 (v9) GeekBench: 3448 (v5.1) GFXBench: 63fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)	AnTuTu: 813114 (v9) GeekBench: 3288 (v5.1) GFXBench: 59fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)

Sony Xperia 5 IV

Exceptional battery life
Slightly brighter display
Powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset
More manual camera controls
Compact design

Software can feel less polished
Price is higher
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 can throttle under sustained load

Google Pixel 7

Outstanding computational photography
Clean and smooth Android experience
Seamless Google integration
Magic Eraser and Super Res Zoom
Generally more affordable

Shorter battery life
Tensor G2 isn't as powerful as Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
Less manual camera control

Display Comparison

Both phones feature excellent OLED displays with a nominal infinite contrast ratio. The Xperia 5 IV edges out the Pixel 7 with a slightly higher peak brightness of 979 nits versus 974 nits, though the difference is minimal in real-world usage. Both offer vibrant colors and sharp visuals, making them enjoyable for media consumption.

Camera Comparison

This is where the battle gets interesting. The Xperia 5 IV offers more manual control and versatility with its triple-lens setup. The Pixel 7, however, leverages Google's exceptional computational photography to produce consistently stunning images, particularly in low light. The Pixel 7's Super Res Zoom and Magic Eraser are standout features. While the Xperia 5 IV has a dedicated telephoto lens, the Pixel 7's software processing often yields superior results.

Performance

The Xperia 5 IV packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, a powerhouse chipset known for its raw performance. The Pixel 7 utilizes Google's Tensor G2, which prioritizes AI and machine learning tasks over outright speed. While the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 generally benchmarks higher, the Tensor G2 provides a smooth and responsive experience optimized for Google's features. Gaming performance is slightly better on the Xperia 5 IV.

Battery Life

The Xperia 5 IV takes a clear lead in battery life, boasting an impressive endurance rating of 116 hours compared to the Pixel 7's 96 hours. This translates to significantly longer usage between charges, making the Xperia 5 IV a better choice for heavy users.

Buying Guide

The Sony Xperia 5 IV is ideal for photography enthusiasts who appreciate manual controls, a compact design, and don't mind a slightly less polished software experience. The Google Pixel 7 is perfect for users who value a clean Android experience, outstanding camera performance (especially in challenging conditions), and tight integration with Google services.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Which phone has better video recording capabilities?

The Xperia 5 IV generally offers more video recording options and control, including 4K 120fps recording. However, the Pixel 7's video stabilization and color science are often praised.

❓ Is the Pixel 7's Tensor G2 chipset fast enough for everyday use?

Yes, the Tensor G2 is perfectly capable for everyday tasks, browsing, and social media. While it's not as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in benchmarks, it's optimized for Google's AI features and provides a smooth user experience.