Sony Xperia 10 VII review

Introduction

The Xperia 10 series has always been Sony's definition of a balanced mid-ranger - practical, lightweight, with a focus on longevity and multimedia. The new Xperia 10 VII is no different in spirit, though it brings a handful of key changes that make it stand out from its predecessors.

At first glance, the phone looks familiar with its clean, minimalistic design, but a closer inspection reveals a revised rear camera island that feels more in line with modern trends - dare we say, a bit Pixel-esque.

Perhaps the bigger design change, however, is at the front. Sony has finally moved away from its trademark tall 21:9 aspect ratio, opting instead for a shorter and wider 19.5:9 panel. It's still a 6.1-inch OLED, but the shift in proportions is bound to stir debate among fans of the series who appreciated the cinema-wide look.

Under the hood, the Xperia 10 VII upgrades to Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, expandable via microSD. This should bring a welcome boost over last year's Snapdragon 6 Gen 1, promising better efficiency and improved everyday performance.

Sony Xperia 10 VII specs at a glance:

• Body: 153.0x72.0x8.3mm, 168g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), plastic frame, plastic back; IP65/IP68 dust tight and water resistant (low pressure water jets; immersible up to 1.5m for 30 min).
• Display: 6.10" OLED, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR, 1080x2340px resolution, 19.5:9 aspect ratio, 422ppi; Triluminos display.
• Chipset: Qualcomm SM6475-AB Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4 nm): Octa-core (4x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 & 4x1.8 GHz Cortex-A55); Adreno 710.
• Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM; UFS; microSDXC (uses shared SIM slot).
• OS/Software: Android 15, up to 4 major Android upgrades.
• Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.9, 24mm, 1/1.56", PDAF, OIS; Ultra wide angle: 13 MP, f/2.4, 16mm, 1/3.0".
• Front camera: 8 MP, f/2.0, 26mm (wide), 1/4.0", 1.12µm.
• Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps, gyro-EIS, OIS; Front camera: 1080p@30fps.
• Battery: 5000mAh; Wired, 30W PD, no wireless charging.
• Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi; BT; NFC; 3.5mm jack.
• Misc: Fingerprint reader (side-mounted); front-facing stereo speakers.

The camera setup also gets an overhaul. The new dual system combines a 50MP wide shooter with a large 1/1.56" sensor and OIS, alongside a 13MP ultrawide - a promising mix that suggests Sony is aiming for higher image quality and versatility this year. On the front, the selfie cam remains a modest 8MP unit.

Everything else feels reassuringly Xperia. You get the familiar 5000mAh battery with PD fast charging, IP65/IP68 ingress protection, Gorilla Glass Victus 2, front-firing stereo speakers, and even the good old 3.5mm audio jack - all staples of Sony's mid-range philosophy.

The Xperia 10 VII might not look drastically different from the 10 VI at first sight, but between the new display aspect, updated cameras, and a more modern chipset, Sony has made meaningful changes where it counts. Whether these tweaks are enough to keep the Xperia 10 series relevant in an increasingly competitive mid-range space is what we're here to find out.

Unboxing

Our Xperia 10 VII review unit didn't come with a retail box, so we can't really be sure whether Sony made any alterations in that department this year. However, our bet is that the box is the same as last year - a two-piece affair made entirely from paper, bamboo and sugar cane fibers, which is admirable. Sony says some of the materials are recycled, too.

Last year, the Xperia 10 VI came with absolutely nothing else in the retail box, not even a USB cable, which is frankly kind of scandalous. We can't imagine anything different for this year.

Sony provided us with a few cases for the phone. These are soft TPU cases that feel pretty nice. We like the color selection as well. These feature a gradient color pattern, which is pretty interesting and allows the bottom to be see-through, so you can stylize the back with stickers, paper accessories, or even a small photo.