Sony Xperia 5 V vs Xiaomi 15 Ultra
The Verdict
Sony's Xperia 5 V pursues a compact flagship approach with a 6.1-inch OLED display and 182-gram frame, making it genuinely pocketable compared to the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's 229-gram, 6.73-inch form factor. Both pack Snapdragon flagship processors, but Xiaomi's Snapdragon 8 Elite edges ahead of the 8 Gen 2, paired with 16GB RAM standard versus Sony's 8GB. Camera capabilities diverge significantly: Xiaomi's 50MP primary sensor with f/1.63 aperture and 1-inch imaging significantly outpaces Sony's 48MP setup, while Xiaomi's 200MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom crushes Sony's triple-lens arrangement lacking dedicated zoom. Battery differences are stark at 5810mAh with 90W charging and 50W wireless for Xiaomi against Sony's 5000mAh and 30W wired-only charging. Display specs favor Xiaomi substantially: 3200 x 1440 resolution, 3200 nits peak brightness, and 1-120Hz LTPO refresh versus Sony's 2520 x 1080, 1700 nits, and fixed 120Hz. Sony compensates with its lighter weight, more compact dimensions, professional video logging capabilities, and proven Android reliability. Xiaomi offers superior raw specifications across imaging, power delivery, and display technology at identical pricing. For photography enthusiasts and power users, Xiaomi's advantages justify the trade-off in portability.
Who Should Buy
Buy the Sony Xperia 5 V if…
- →Compact 6.1-inch flagship in an era of large phones
- →4K@120fps video with professional log recording
- →Exmor T sensor excels in low light
Buy the Xiaomi 15 Ultra if…
- →200MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom rivals Galaxy S25 Ultra
- →1-inch main sensor with Leica optics produces stunning photos
- →Titanium frame gives a premium, durable build
Category Scores
Pros & Cons
Sony Xperia 5 V
Pros
- Compact 6.1-inch flagship in an era of large phones
- 4K@120fps video with professional log recording
- Exmor T sensor excels in low light
- Headphone jack retained
- IP68 with two years of OS updates
Cons
- No telephoto camera
- Only 30W wired charging — no wireless
- Premium price for a compact with limited camera versatility
- Display not as bright as competitors
Xiaomi 15 Ultra
Pros
- 200MP periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom rivals Galaxy S25 Ultra
- 1-inch main sensor with Leica optics produces stunning photos
- Titanium frame gives a premium, durable build
- 4K@120fps video recording is industry-leading
- 90W fast charging and 50W wireless on a huge 5810 mAh battery
Cons
- Heavy at 229 g and thick at 9.17 mm
- Very expensive at $999 with limited global availability
- HyperOS software experience lags behind iOS and One UI
- Camera bump is extremely large
Full Specifications
| Spec | Sony Xperia 5 V | Xiaomi 15 Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Software | Android 13 | Android 15 (HyperOS 2) |
| Body | ||
| Weight | 182 g | 229 g |
| Material | Aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Titanium frame, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 |
| IP rating | IP68 | IP68 |
| Dimensions | 154 x 68 x 8.6 mm | 161.1 x 75.2 x 9.17 mm |
| Camera | ||
| Main camera | 48 MP, f/1.9, OIS (Exmor T for mobile) | 50 MP, f/1.63, OIS (1-inch sensor) |
| Front camera | 12 MP, f/2.0 | 32 MP, f/2.0 |
| Video | 4K@120fps, log video recording | 8K@30fps, 4K@120fps |
| Ultrawide | 12 MP, f/2.2, 124-degree | 50 MP, f/2.0, 128-degree |
| Telephoto | — | 200 MP, f/2.6, 5x periscope optical zoom, OIS |
| Memory | ||
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage options | 128 GB, 256 GB | 256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB |
| Battery | ||
| Capacity | 5000 mAh | 5810 mAh |
| Charging | 30W wired | 90W wired |
| Wireless charging | No | 50W wireless |
| Display | ||
| Size | 6.1 inches | 6.73 inches |
| Type | OLED | LTPO AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2520 x 1080 | 3200 x 1440 |
| Refresh rate | 120Hz | 1-120Hz |
| Brightness (nits) | 1700 | 3200 |
| Processor | ||
| CPU | Octa-core (1x3.19 GHz Cortex-X3 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A715 & 2x2.8 GHz Cortex-A710 & 3x2.0 GHz Cortex-A510) | Octa-core (2x4.32 GHz + 6x3.53 GHz) |
| GPU | Adreno 740 | Adreno 830 |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite |
| Connectivity | ||
| 5G | ||
| NFC | ||
| USB | USB-C 3.2 | USB-C 3.2 |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 6E | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.4 |
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This comparison is based on verified manufacturer specifications covering display, performance, camera, battery, and build quality. Scores are generated by analyzing specs across weighted categories on a 10-point scale. Learn more about our methodology.
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