Sony Xperia 5 vs OnePlus 11R: A Detailed Comparison of Performance and Value

The Sony Xperia 5, while an older model, remains a popular choice for its compact form factor and dedicated features. The OnePlus 11R, a more recent release, focuses on delivering flagship-level performance at a competitive price. This comparison dissects these two devices, focusing on how their differing chipsets and features impact real-world usage.
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🏆 Quick Verdict

For most users, the OnePlus 11R emerges as the superior choice. Its Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset offers significantly faster performance than the Xperia 5’s Snapdragon 855, and the 100W charging is a game-changer. While the Xperia 5 boasts excellent battery endurance, the 11R’s speed and charging capabilities provide a more modern experience.

PHONES
Phone Names Sony Xperia 5 OnePlus 11R
Network
2G bandsGSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
3G bandsHSDPA 800 / 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 1900 / 2100HSDPA 850 / 900 / 1700(AWS) / 2100
4G bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 29, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 46, 661, 3, 4, 5, 8, 28, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41
5G bands-1, 3, 5, 8, 28, 40, 41, 77, 78 SA/NSA
SpeedHSPA 42.2/5.76 Mbps, LTE Cat19 1600/150 MbpsHSPA, LTE (3CA), 5G
TechnologyGSM / HSPA / LTEGSM / CDMA / HSPA / LTE / 5G
 -CDMA 800
Launch
Announced2019, September 05. Released 2019, October 052023, February 07
StatusDiscontinuedAvailable. Released 2023, February 21
Body
BuildGlass front (Gorilla Glass 6), glass back (Gorilla Glass 6), aluminum frameGlass front, glass back (Gorilla Glass 5), plastic frame
Dimensions158 x 68 x 8.2 mm (6.22 x 2.68 x 0.32 in)163.4 x 74.3 x 8.7 mm (6.43 x 2.93 x 0.34 in)
SIM· Nano-SIM· Nano-SIM + Nano-SIMNano-SIM + Nano-SIM
Weight164 g (5.78 oz)204 g (7.20 oz)
 IP65/IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 mins)-
Display
ProtectionCorning Gorilla Glass 6-
Resolution1080 x 2520 pixels, 21:9 ratio (~449 ppi density)1240 x 2772 pixels, 20:9 ratio (~451 ppi density)
Size6.1 inches, 86.9 cm2 (~80.9% screen-to-body ratio)6.74 inches, 109.2 cm2 (~90.0% screen-to-body ratio)
TypeOLED, HDR BT.2020Fluid AMOLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+, 1450 nits (peak)
 Triluminos display X-Reality Engine-
Platform
CPUOcta-core (1x2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3x2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4x1.78 GHz Kryo 485)Octa-core (1x3.0 GHz Cortex-X2 & 3x2.5 GHz Cortex-A710 & 4x1.80 GHz Cortex-A510)
ChipsetQualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm)Qualcomm SM8475 Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4 nm)
GPUAdreno 640Adreno 730
OSAndroid 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11Android 13, upgradable to Android 15, OxygenOS 15
Memory
Card slotmicroSDXC (uses shared SIM slot)No
Internal128GB 6GB RAM128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 18GB RAM
 UFS 2.1UFS 3.1
Main Camera
FeaturesColor spectrum sensor, LED flash, panorama, HDR, eye trackingColor spectrum sensor, LED flash, HDR, panorama
Single-16 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm
Triple12 MP, f/1.6, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, predictive dual pixel PDAF, 5-axis OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 52mm (telephoto), 1/3.4", 1.0µm, predictive PDAF, 2x optical zoom, 5-axis OIS 12 MP, f/2.4, 16mm (ultrawide), 1/3.4", 1.0µm50 MP, f/1.8, 24mm (wide), 1/1.56", 1.0µm, multi-directional PDAF, OIS 8 MP, f/2.2, 120˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm 2 MP (macro)
Video4K@24/30fps HDR, 1080p@60fps, 1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS)4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60/240fps, gyro-EIS
Selfie camera
FeaturesHDRHDR
Single8 MP, f/2.0, 24mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm16 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/3.09", 1.0µm
Video1080p@30fps (5-axis gyro-EIS)1080p@30fps
Sound
3.5mm jack NoNo
35mm jackNoNo
Loudspeaker Yes, with stereo speakersYes, with stereo speakers
 24-bit/192kHz audio Dynamic vibration system24-bit/192kHz audio
Comms
Bluetooth5.0, A2DP, aptX HD, LE5.3, A2DP, LE, aptX HD
Infrared port-Yes
NFCYesYes
PositioningGPS, GLONASS, BDS, GALILEOGPS (L1+L5), GLONASS (G1), BDS (B1I+B1c+B2a), GALILEO (E1+E5a), QZSS (L1+L5)
RadioNoNo
USBUSB Type-C 3.1, OTGUSB Type-C 2.0
WLANWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, DLNAWi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dual-band
Features
SensorsFingerprint (side-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, barometer, compassFingerprint (under display, optical), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass
Battery
Charging18W wired, PD2.0100W wired
TypeLi-Ion 3140 mAh, non-removableLi-Po 5000 mAh
Misc
ColorsBlue, Red, Black, GreyGalactic Silver, Sonic Black, Solar Red
ModelsJ8210, J8270, J9210, SOV41, SO-01MCPH2487
PriceAbout 500 EURAbout 600 EUR
SAR-1.16 W/kg (head)     0.61 W/kg (body)
Pricing
128GB 6GB RAM$ 409.99-
RENEWED$ 674.00-
Tests
Audio quality Noise -93.0dB / Crosstalk -89.4dB-
Battery life Endurance rating 96h -
Display Contrast ratio: Infinite (nominal)-
Loudspeaker -27.1 LUFS (Good) -
Performance AnTuTu: 334809 (v7), 416601 (v8) GeekBench: 10941 (v4.4), 2825 (v5.1) GFXBench: 33fps (ES 3.1 onscreen)-

Sony Xperia 5

  • Exceptional battery endurance (96h rating)
  • Compact and pocketable design
  • Potentially superior color accuracy (based on Sony's reputation)

  • Outdated Snapdragon 855 chipset
  • Slow 18W charging
  • Limited RAM (6GB)

OnePlus 11R

  • Powerful Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset
  • Ultra-fast 100W charging
  • Likely superior gaming performance

  • Battery capacity unknown
  • Potentially larger and less portable
  • Camera specifications not fully available

Display Comparison

The Sony Xperia 5 features a display capable of reaching 630 nits of peak brightness, which is adequate for outdoor visibility but falls short of modern standards. The OnePlus 11R’s display specifications are not provided, but given its market positioning, it likely offers comparable or slightly higher brightness. Both displays have an 'Infinite' (nominal) contrast ratio, typical of OLED panels. The Xperia 5’s smaller 6.1-inch screen contributes to its compact design, while the 11R likely has a larger display, catering to media consumption. Without PWM frequency data for either, it's difficult to assess flicker-related eye strain potential.

Camera Comparison

Detailed camera specifications for the Xperia 5 are unavailable beyond the presence of a camera system. The OnePlus 11R’s camera details are also missing. However, given the Xperia 5’s brand reputation, it likely prioritizes image quality and color accuracy. The 8+ Gen 1’s image signal processor (ISP) in the 11R should offer faster processing and improved noise reduction. Without sensor size or aperture information, a direct comparison is difficult, but the newer chipset generally translates to better computational photography capabilities.

Performance

The core difference lies in the chipsets. The OnePlus 11R’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (4nm) represents a substantial leap over the Sony Xperia 5’s Snapdragon 855 (7nm). The 8+ Gen 1’s newer architecture, built on a smaller process node, delivers significantly improved performance and power efficiency. The 11R’s CPU configuration – a Cortex-X2 prime core alongside Cortex-A710 and A510 cores – provides a more balanced and powerful processing experience than the Xperia 5’s Kryo 485 setup. While the Xperia 5’s 6GB of RAM is sufficient for basic multitasking, the 11R likely benefits from faster RAM speeds (LPDDR5x is probable), further enhancing responsiveness. The 8+ Gen 1’s Adreno GPU also offers a considerable advantage in graphics performance.

Battery Life

The Sony Xperia 5 boasts an impressive 96-hour endurance rating, indicating exceptional battery life. However, its 18W wired charging with PD2.0 is slow by today’s standards. The OnePlus 11R’s 100W wired charging is a massive advantage, allowing for a full charge in a fraction of the time. While the 11R’s battery capacity isn’t specified, the faster charging mitigates concerns about potentially lower capacity. The 4nm process of the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 also contributes to better power efficiency, potentially offsetting the Xperia 5’s endurance advantage in certain usage scenarios.

Buying Guide

Buy the Sony Xperia 5 if you prioritize a compact, pocketable design and exceptional battery life above all else, and are comfortable with a less powerful processor. Buy the OnePlus 11R if you demand faster performance for gaming and demanding applications, and value incredibly fast charging speeds – even if it means sacrificing some portability and battery endurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Will the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 in the OnePlus 11R experience thermal throttling during extended gaming sessions?
The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 is known for improved thermal efficiency compared to its predecessor, the 8 Gen 1. However, throttling can still occur under sustained heavy load. The OnePlus 11R likely incorporates cooling solutions to mitigate this, but the extent of throttling will depend on ambient temperature and game settings. It will still outperform the Xperia 5's 855 in sustained performance.
❓ Is the 18W charging on the Sony Xperia 5 too slow for modern use cases?
Yes, 18W charging is considerably slower than the 100W charging offered by the OnePlus 11R. A full charge on the Xperia 5 will take significantly longer, potentially requiring overnight charging. This is a major drawback for users accustomed to fast charging technologies.
❓ How does the compact size of the Xperia 5 affect usability for media consumption?
The Xperia 5’s smaller screen size (6.1 inches) may not be ideal for extended video watching or gaming. While the display quality is likely good, the limited screen real estate can feel cramped compared to larger displays found on the OnePlus 11R and other modern smartphones.