Non pixel-binning camera handles tricky textures well; Has a headphone jack and expandable memory; Optical zoom camera is a neat concept;

Inconsistent camera doesn’t match expectations; Becomes hot frequently; Suffers from significant thermal performance throttling; Very expensive;

The Sony Xperia 1 IV is a fine-looking phone with an excellent screen. While Sony fans and enthusiast photographers will have plenty to sink their teeth into here, an overcomplicated camera interface, a prohibitively high price, and semi-regular overheating all hold the phone back from being easy to...

Classically premium design, Feature-packed, Great camera system, Bravia Core is excellent, Eco-conscious packaging

Gets very hot, Complicated camera apps, Weak portrait mode in cameras, No charger or cable in the box, Occasional user interface gremlins

Sony hasn’t reinvented the wheel with the Xperia 1 IV, but what it has changed are all welcome improvements. Crisp and detailed picture Improved speaker performance Quality build Tall aspect ratio slightly awkward Expensive

The Sony Xperia 1 IV brings some stellar creative features, with its continuous optical zoom wowing for photography and its ability to shoot 4K 120fps footage on all three cameras a great tool for video.

Continuous camera zoom is fantastic, Good-looking display, Impressive battery life

Temperamental fingerprint scanner, Playback issues for recorded videos, Incredibly high price

The Xperia 1 IV is a powerful phone for content creators on the go, with complex camera options and new music recording tech. But even that audience will find it uncomfortably expensive, and for anyone looking for a phone that ‘just works’, this isn’t it.

Excellent 4K HDR OLED display, Slim, comfortable form factor, Novel true optical zoom periscope camera

Incredibly expensive, Overheats easily, Camera apps demand photography expertise

Fourth iteration of Sony’s no-compromise flagship gets an even cleverer camera

Flexible, fast and capable cameras with impressive manual controls, A true flagship in all other respects, from screen to performance, Has all the features other phones have forgotten about

Newbie snappers will only scratch the surface of what the cameras can do, Gets toasty under load, to the point of throttling, 4K resolution has limited use, and lacks dynamic refresh

DSLR replacement for your pocket? Sony's Xperia 1 IV comes with a variable zoom lens, thus making use of real optical zoom in a smartphone. Cameras aside, the flagship phone sports other unusual features such as a status LED, a microSD slot, a headphone jack and a shutter button.

bright 4K OLED at 120 Hz, good stereo speakers, equipment (jack, status LED), image output via USB-C port, faster SoC, appealing workmanship, extensive camera software

positioning only via a single band, slow microSD slot, only 3 years of updates, low running times, 30 watt fast charging only

Sony’s multi-talented smartphone impresses from the outset thanks to its modern, sleek design and the robust glass finish of its rear side – but it’s what users are getting from the inside that’s even more attractive.

The Apple iPhone 14 is no match for the just-released iPhone 14 Pro, but if you ignore that, it’s one of the most effective phones around.

Great cameras, front and back, Fast performance, Good battery life, Innovative safety features

Design too familiar, Some average features

“The iPhone 14 isn't a huge upgrade compared to its predecessor. But with a great design, screen, performance, and cameras, that's far from a bad thing at all.”

Comfortable, high-end build, OLED screen looks fantastic, A15 chip performs great, Good camera upgrades, Dependable battery life, Helpful safety features

60Hz display, No telephoto camera, eSIM might be a pain for some