TOP 10 best Sony smartphones: 2021 rating by price/quality and which new product to choose

Do you want to choose a smartphone from a reliable and trusted manufacturer?
Then the ideal choice is the Japanese brand Sony. The products of this company always receive high marks from customers and experts.

But in addition to high-quality performance, Japanese models can boast of an individual style, which is especially important for smartphones of the famous brand.

Taking into account all these factors, we have compiled a rating of the best Sony brand mobile phones in 2021 in terms of price/quality ratio. When choosing the best phones for review, we were guided by reviews from real consumers, prices and device parameters, which will allow you not to doubt the quality of these models.

Rating of the TOP 10 best Sony smartphones of 2021

The best Sony smartphones 2020-2021. Top 8

7th place.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact

The average price in Russia is 8,750 rubles.

The compact version of Sony's 2015 flagship received 48% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 44% of recommendations for purchase.

4.6-inch screen with a resolution of 1280×720 pixels, Android 7.1 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 2 GB of RAM, support for one SIM card and an external memory card up to 200 GB. NFC. Battery capacity - 2700 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. The result of the AnTuTu Benchmark performance test is 74.5 thousand points. Fingerprint scanner on the right side of the phone. Case dimensions: width 64.7 mm, height 127.3 mm.

The camera is the same as the standard Xperia Z5. The matrix of the main camera is 23 megapixels (the front one has 5 megapixels).

6th place.

Sony Xperia Z5

The average price in Russia is 8,300 rubles.

Sony's 2015 flagship scored 39% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 42% of recommendations for purchase.

5.2-inch screen with a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, Android 6.0 operating system, 32 GB of storage and 3 GB of RAM, support for one SIM card and an external memory card up to 200 GB. NFC. Battery capacity - 2900 mAh. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 processor. Fingerprint scanner on the right side of the phone.

The matrix of the main camera is 23 megapixels (the front one has 5 megapixels). The Xperia Z5 camera has ultra-fast autofocus (0.03 sec.), which is achieved through a combination of two different technologies. With 5x zoom, you can get closer to your subject without sacrificing image quality. This is made possible thanks to powerful sensors, lenses and Sony's exclusive Clear Image technology.

The portal w3bsit3-dns.com wrote in its review of this model: “The Sony Xperia Z5 camera can be called without hesitation one of the best among “phone” cameras: most of the pictures are simply amazing in color rendition and clarity. With a smartphone like this, you don’t even need a camera.” In a blind comparison of smartphone cameras conducted among visitors to the Android Authority resource, pictures taken with the Sony Xperia Z5 camera were second only to the cameras of the iPhone 6S and Samsung Galaxy Note 5. In a blind test of visitors to hi-tech.mail.ru, the Sony Z5 camera took second place after LG G4, beating the iPhone 6S and Samsung GS6 Edge.

5th place.

Sony Xperia 10 II is Sony's best-selling smartphone in Russia

The average price in Russia is 23,700 rubles.

The updated version of the 2021 model, which went on sale in June 2021, scored 58% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 82% of recommendations for purchase. This is the best-selling Sony smartphone in Russia in 2021 (Yandex Market data).

Technical characteristics: 6-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2520x1080 pixels, Android 10.0 operating system, 128 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 1 TB. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3600 mAh. The result of the UL Benchmarks battery life test is 12 hours 56 minutes (this is the best indicator among Sony smartphones). 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor. The result of the AnTuTu performance test is 170 thousand points. There is a fingerprint scanner (on the side). There is NFC.

The main camera is triple: 12 MP (f/2) + 8 MP (f/2.4) + 8 MP (f/2.2). Front camera 8 MP.

see The best smartphones under 30 thousand rubles

4th place.

Sony Xperia 1 128GB

The average price in Russia is 60,000 rubles.

Sony's flagship, which went on sale at the end of June 2021, received 52% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 81% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics: 6.5-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 3840×1644. Xpreia 1 is the world's first smartphone with a cinematic screen (CinemaWide), it has an aspect ratio of 21:9, which is ideal for watching video content. Android 9.0 operating system, 128 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 512 GB. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3000 mAh. The result of the UL Benchmarks autonomy test is 9 hours 18 minutes. Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner (on the side). There is NFC.

Now, Dolby Atmos technology, created in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment, is used in your smartphone - it creates multi-dimensional sound around you and allows you to completely immerse yourself in what is happening on the display.

Xperia 1 is Sony's first smartphone with a triple camera. Each of the modules received a 12 megapixel sensor. The main module with f/1.6 aperture is equipped with a universal 26 mm lens, the second module has a 16 mm wide-angle lens (130°), and the third has a 52 mm telephoto lens. The camera received a 2x optical zoom, optical and hybrid image stabilization, various autofocus methods, HDR shooting capabilities and 4K HDR video recording. Sony Xperia 1 is the world's first smartphone with eye autofocus (which tracks their movement).

The front camera is 8 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture.

The Sony Xperia 1 camera received a Dxomark score of 89 for photography, 43 for zoom, and 80 for video. Overall score: 87.

3rd place.

Sony Xperia 5

The average price in Russia is 47,600 rubles.

A more compact version of Sony's flagship, which went on sale in November 2021, received 57% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 88% of recommendations for purchase.

Specifications: 6.1-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2520×1080. CinemaWide screen has an aspect ratio of 21:9, which is ideal for viewing video content. Android 9.0 operating system, 128 GB of storage and 6 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 512 GB. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 3140 mAh. The result of the UL Benchmarks autonomy test is 10 hours 52 minutes. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor. There is a fingerprint scanner (on the side). There is NFC.

Dolby Atmos, created in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment, creates multi-dimensional sound around you and allows you to be completely immersed in what's happening on the display.

The cameras are the same as in the Xperia 1. Each of the modules received a 12 megapixel sensor. The main module with f/1.6 aperture is equipped with a universal 26 mm lens, the second module (f/2.4) has a 16 mm wide-angle lens (130°), and the third has a 52 mm telephoto lens (f/2.4). The camera received a 2x optical zoom, optical and hybrid image stabilization, various autofocus methods, HDR shooting capabilities and 4K HDR video recording. Eye autofocus (which tracks their movement). The front camera is 8 megapixels with f/2.0 aperture.

Xperia 5, compared to Xperia 1, with almost the same technical characteristics (identical cameras, processor, built-in and RAM), has a more powerful battery, and is also suitable for those who are not a fan of huge screens.

see The best smartphones under 50 thousand rubles

2nd place.

Sony Xperia 5 II

The average price in Russia is 55,500 rubles.

The latest Sony model, which went on sale in October 2021, received 75% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 87% of recommendations for purchase.

Specifications: 6.1-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 2520×1080. CinemaWide screen has an aspect ratio of 21:9, which is ideal for viewing video content. Android 10.0 operating system, 128 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 1 TB. Two SIM cards. Battery capacity - 4000 mAh. The result of the UL Benchmarks autonomy test is 10 hours 58 minutes. 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. Side-mounted fingerprint scanner. NFC. 5G support.

Dolby Atmos® audio, tuned in collaboration with Sony Pictures Entertainment for multi-dimensional surround sound.

The cameras in this model are the same as the more expensive Xperia 1 II model: three 12 megapixel sensors, but with different apertures (F/1.70, F/2.40, F/2.20). Quality ZEISS® lenses calibrated specifically for Xperia 5 II, up to 20 fps shooting with AF and AE, continuous calculation of AF and AE parameters up to 60 times per second, real-time Eye AF for shooting people and animals, optical image stabilization for photography, photo flash, photo light, 3x optical zoom, photography in HDR (high dynamic range) mode. Front camera 8 MP (F/2).

The Sony Xperia 5 II camera received a Dxomark score of 114 for photography, 60 for zoom and 99 for video. Overall score: 111.

The new product differs from the more expensive Xperia 1 II model by a smaller amount of permanent memory, but support for a memory card up to 1 TB does not make this a significant drawback. The Xperia 5 II also has a smaller screen and slightly lower resolution. Otherwise the characteristics are the same.

1 place.

Sony Xperia 1 II

The average price in Russia is 66,000 rubles.

Sony's flagship, which went on sale in June 2021, received 63% of five reviews in Yandex Market and 79% of recommendations for purchase.

Technical characteristics: 6.5-inch OLED screen with a resolution of 3840×1644. Android 10.0 operating system, 256 GB of storage and 8 GB of RAM, support for an external memory card up to 1 TB. One SIM card. Battery capacity - 4000 mAh. The result of the UL Benchmarks autonomy test is 10 hours 49 minutes. Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor. Side-mounted fingerprint scanner. NFC. 5G support.

Triple camera with 3D iToF sensor, advanced Sony Alpha technology and ZEISS optics (a famous German company specializing in optics), calibrated specifically for Xperia. Three 12 megapixel sensors, but with different apertures (F/1.70, F/2.40, F/2.20). The manufacturer indicates that the Xperia 1 II was the world's first smartphone that supports continuous shooting up to 20 frames per second with autofocus and automatic shutter speed. This is especially true when photographing moving subjects, such as children, animals or athletes. The camera allows you to focus and track your subjects with pinpoint accuracy, helping you better capture the most important moments you don't want to miss. Fast focusing Xperia 1 II also works in low-light conditions, delivering high-quality images in difficult conditions using four technologies combined: a dual photodiode sensor, an autofocus system that covers approximately 70 percent of the sensor, an iToF 3D sensor and a new large Exmor RS™ sensor 1/1.7 inch size for mobile devices. All this makes the camera 1.5 times more sensitive than the previous model, providing faster and more accurate autofocus when shooting in low light conditions. Front camera 8 MP (F/2).

The Sony Xperia 1 II camera received a Dxomark score of 114 for stills, 63 for zoom, and 102 for video. Overall score: 112 (21st place in the ranking of the best camera phones for 2021).

see Best flagship smartphones for 2021

How to choose a Sony smartphone?

You should choose a Sony smartphone in 2021 through a comparative analysis of the following characteristics:

• Size . The device should fit comfortably in your hand and fit into your pocket or bag. Which one is better to choose is up to you to decide.
• Productivity . The main parameter that should be taken into account when choosing if the user is a gamer. For the rest, the performance of modern models is quite enough, it is 3 GB. If you are buying a phone for gaming, then the memory should be at least 4 GB.
• Autonomy . If you spend a lot of time in the office or at home, then this option fades into the background. But if you travel often, then the battery life of your gadget is an important factor when choosing.
• ROM volume . Many Sony models do not have a memory card slot. Therefore, think in advance about how much ROM you need. For example, cloud services can be used to store documents and multimedia files. But applications and games cannot be installed in the cloud. For these purposes, you should choose a model with a large amount of memory.
• Camera quality . The quality of pictures depends mainly on the number of megapixels. This parameter shows how many points are in the photo matrix; the more there are, the higher resolution the photos will be. For example, for phones with a diagonal of 5 inches, a display with a resolution of 1280x720 pixels is sufficient. And for models with a diagonal of 5.5 inches, the resolution should already be 1920x1080 pixels.