Sony Xperia 5 III
Price: £899 from fave.co/3GW2tW0
Sony increasingly makes its phones for a small – but vocal – niche, and the Xperia 5 III is no different. For those who are drawn to the unusual aspect ratio, complex camera features, and powerful display this is an excellent package – arguably even more appealing than the flagship Xperia 1 III – but like that phone it comes with serious drawbacks too. The camera in particular is only powerful if you know how to use it well, and makes for a fairly poor point‑and-shoot option at the price.
The oddities mean this is a phone best suited for those willing to work at the camera or anyone who needs a small, but flagship, Android phone and is willing to pay for it. If that describes you then there’s a lot to love here.
DESIGN
The first thing you’re likely to notice about the Xperia 5 III – like any recent Xperia phone – is the unusually tall, slim design. This is driven first and foremost by Sony’s preference for a 21:9 aspect ratio display – intended to be ideal for watching movies – but it holds more appeal than that alone, not least because the slim screen is much more comfortable to hold.
Combined with the fact that the 5 III is essentially a compact version of the flagship Xperia 1 III, this is one of those increasingly rare beasts: an actually small phone, and one that doesn’t compromise on specs to do it.
It helps that it’s also a premium phone, with an aluminium frame and a protective Gorilla Glass 6 coating on both the front and back. I’ve reviewed it in black, but you can also buy the phone in green and pink.
The slim shape isn’t the
