The "1-Minute" Review
Verdict
The phone offers an interesting proposition with the ability to stream video over 5G, double as 4K HDR video monitor, and more. But whether the price is worth it to you will largely be a matter of your budget and how serious you are about videography.What's good
- Built for utility
- Live broadcast over 5G
- Professional-level video monitors
What's bad
- The price limits its already niche specs
- Android 10
The Sony Xperia Pro is aimed at professional videographers, photographers, and other creatives. But it comes at a price that is one of the highest we’ve ever seen. What does that price get you?
Design
It’s surprisingly simple in its design. Reviewers called it utilitarian, which makes sense given it’s meant to be a professional tool. Two things that make it stand out are the dedicated shutter button and the micro HDMI. These allow you to snap pictures without tapping on screens or even use the phone as a video monitor for other cameras.
Display
The Xperia Pro offers a 4K screen -- still somewhat rare in mobile phones. That 4K resolution is displayed on 6.5 inches of screen space, so it’s ultra-sharp. Reviewers noted it was also plenty bright for easy outdoor shooting.
Performance
With the ability to stream 4K video and be used as a portable HDR monitor, the Sony Xperia Pro is no slouch. Moving that level of video requires some decent processing power. It can even send video and images across the 5G network at snappy speeds. Reviewers didn’t have a lot to offer otherwise as the phone is mostly meant for creatives. But there was little complaint about basic day-to-day tasks.
Software & Storage
The phone includes 512GB of storage -- which would be a lot for a regular phone. However, when recording 4K video, that can fill up surprisingly quick. Fortunately, 5G support makes it easy to offload footage to cloud storage if needed. Software left the reviewers disappointed though. The Xperia ships with Android 10 and they weren’t sure how often to expect updates to the phone.
Cameras
Sony Xperia Pro excels most with its 4K video, but the cameras are also very capable. 12 MP ultra-wide lens and a 3x telephoto give it a lot of extra flexibility for photographers capturing stills and reviewers found the results were solid.
Battery Life
Reviewers had very little to say in terms of battery life. Most agreed that battery life would vary greatly depending on how you use the phone. Streaming 4K video over 5G, in particular, could drastically change the performance of the battery. However, USB Type-C support and fast charging should help to top off charges between shoots quickly.
Audio
The phone has two front-facing stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos support. It also kept the headphone jack that a lot of the phones out there lack nowadays. This makes it great for listening to audio captured during a shoot or watching a movie or TV show during your downtime.
Specs at a Glance
- Aluminum chassis
- 6.5-inch OLED display
- Qualcomm SM8250 Snapdragon 865 processor
- 12GB of RAM
- Android 10
- 512GB of storage
- 12MP, ultra-wide, and 3x telephoto camera
- 4000mAh battery
- micro-HDMI
Bottom Line
The Sony Xperia Pro is developed with creatives and professionals in mind. The fact that it is also a phone is a little less than noteworthy. It’s not the sort of smartphone you look for unless you’re looking for something specific and don’t mind paying a premium for it.
However, videographers could find that its HDR 4K monitor ability alone saves a substantial amount of money from purchasing from a separate dedicated display while also offering an ultra-portable design.
Dpreview.com states, “The unique proposition of the Xperia Pro is its combination of features never before integrated into one device, along with functionalities hard to find anywhere else. The device itself is essentially the world's first 4K portable external OLED monitor, displaying 4K 10-bit (via firmware update) feeds with a high brightness and contrast ratio for monitoring of HDR production on-the-go - all without the need for a production team.”
PC Magazine says, “It's essentially the same phone as the Xperia 1 II, with a few changes for the pros.”
What the Critics Are Saying...
- Steven Winkelman, PC MagazineSony tries to revolutionize mobile content creation with the Xperia PRO camera companion phone, but its astronomical price, wonky software, and subpar connectivity make it tough to recommend.
- Patrick Holland, CnetAt $2,500, the new phone finally gives us a real reason to use 5G. The Xperia Pro is aimed at photographers and videographers looking for a multifaceted tool to streamline their creative workflows.
Prices (Where to Buy)
Common Questions
Sony backs up the Xperia Pro with a 1 Year parts & labour warranty.
If your Xperia Pro has problems and is still within its warranty period, you could contact Sony support or the retailer you purchased the phone from. You'll find Sony's contact information here. If your phone is off warranty and needs repair for a physical problem such as a broken screen or bad battery, you should visit an authorized service centre or a local phone repair shop. You can also connect with others in The Informr Community Forum to find and share answers to questions.
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