Sony Xperia Pro-I review - Premium smartphone with the giant image sensor of a compact camera
With the Xperia 1 III, Sony released a capable smartphone with a unique design, haptics and a physical camera button - all of these points apply to the camera flagship of the Japanese manufacturer as well. The Xperia Pro-I is more or less an Xperia 1 III with the 1-inch sensor from a Sony RX100 VII compact camera.
However, the camera system of the Snapdragon 888 device has been adjusted to 12 million pixels, in order to better integrate the image sensor into the small case of a smartphone. Since only part of an IMX 383 is used, the size of the Xperia Pro-I's sensor is roughly 1/1.31 inches.
With a 4K OLED display, 12 GB of RAM and 512 GB of expandable UFS storage, the 6.5-inch Pro-I has an MSRP of 1799 USD.
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 88.2 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2022 | Sony Xperia Pro-I SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 211 g | 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.50" | 3840x1644 | |
| 87.6 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2022 | Xiaomi 12 Pro SD 8 Gen 1, Adreno 730 | 204 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.73" | 3200x1440 | |
| 90.4 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2021 | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Exynos 2100 5G, Mali-G78 MP14 | 227 g | 128 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.80" | 3200x1440 | |
| 88.9 % v7 (old) | 03 / 2021 | Oppo Find X3 Pro SD 888 5G, Adreno 660 | 193 g | 256 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | 6.70" | 3216x1440 |
Case - Xperia Pro-I without Punch Hole
The case, which consists mostly of metal and glass, is water resistant according to IPX8, dustproof according to IP6X, and looks very premium. The grooved frame in particular makes the Xperia Pro-I stand out amongst its competition.
Even though the Sony smartphone belongs to the permium category, the bezels around the OLED panel, which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus, are fairly thick. In numbers: The screen only takes up around 82.5 % of the front - this value is reminiscent of an entry-level phone. At least the inefficient screen-to-body ratio means that there is no notch or punch hole on the Xperia Pro-I.
Connectivity - Sony Smartphone with USB 3.1
The features of the flagship smartphone include a 3.5mm headphone jack, an always-on display and USB OTG, which allows peripherals to be connected via the USB-C port. Speaking of, the USB-C port supports video output over a USB-C-to-HDMI cable at up to 4K60. For data transfers, the interface supports the USB 3.2 (Gen. 2) standard. The screen content can also be shared wirelessly via Miracast and Google Cast.
SD Card Reader
The internal storage of the Pro-I can be expanded with up to a 1-TB microSD card. We use our reference memory card Angelbird Pro V60 to take a closer look at the speeds of the card slot. While it achieves good results in the CPDT benchmark, the transfer speeds in our JPEG copy test are below average at 23 MB/s. Due to the lack of alternatives in the high-end category, we compare the microSD card reader of the Pro-I with its counterpart on a mid-range smartphone.
| SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Samsung Galaxy M52 5G (Angelbird V60) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I (Angelbird AV Pro V60) | |
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
Software - Xperia Pro-I with Android 11
The Japanese manufacturer preinstalls version 11 of the Android operating system, complemented by Sony's own user interface. According to reports, Sony wants to support its flagship phones with two major Android upgrades and three years of security patches. At the time of testing, the security patches date back to November 2021, making them somewhat outdated.
Communication and GNSS - Sony Smartphone with Wi-Fi 6
The communications modules of the Sony smartphone support 5G and Bluetooth version 5.2. There is also an NFC chip for near-field communication including Google Pay. Furthermore, the Xperia Pro-I supports a total of 25 LTE bands, covering all the LTE frequencies relevant to the German market.
For Wi-Fi homenetworks, the Sony smartphone supports Wi-Fi 6 and multi-user MIMO, which in combination with our reference router Asus ROG Rapture GT-AXE11000 results in peak transfer speeds of close to 1700 Mbps. While the transfer rates are very fast while sending, they are quite inconsistent.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 receive AXE11000 | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Average of class Smartphone (52 - 1857, n=182, last 2 years) | |
| iperf3 transmit AXE11000 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
| Average of class Smartphone (49.8 - 1806, n=184, last 2 years) | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro | |
In order to assess the precision of the locating capabilities of our test device in practice, we simultaneously record the track with a Garmin Venu 2 for comparison purposes. Although the Xperia phone's deviations from the track are satisfactory, there are inaccuracies in some areas.
Telephony and Call Quality - Xperia Pro-I with VoLTE
The call quality of the Sony smartphone within the Vodafone network is nothing out of the ordinary. Similarly, we experienced no issues during video calls via Skype using the integrated front camera. Voices sound clear and our conversational partner confirms our voice to be captured in a very distinct manner as well. Wi-Fi calling and VoLTE is supported.
Cameras - Sony Smartphone with 1-Inch Image Sensor
For its 12-MP main camera, the Xperia Pro-I uses an aspherical glass lens from Zeiss and a dual aperture with F/2.0 or F/4.0. The day-to-day results could have been better. The pictures are somewhat lacking in terms of dynamic range and sharpness. Close-up objects in particular often suffer from the insufficient autofocus - we observed a similar behavior on other Sony phones such as the Xperia 5 III. The color accuracy is on point and the deviations compared to the reference colors are fairly low.
Relative to other high-end smartphones, the low light capabilities of the Pro-I are lacking as well. Although pictures taken in the dark turn out at least decently, image noise becomes a major factor near poorly lit objects and the brightness is relatively low overall.
A 16mm-equivalent ultra-wide camera and a 50mm-equivalent telephoto camera complement the main camera with a 12-megapixel sensor each. For these two cameras, users should temper their expectations. The pictures lack dynamic range and the sharpness is not very high.
In terms of the camera software, Sony's "Photo Pro" app offers many settings. The same holds true for video recordings, the parameters of which can be manually tweaked and the Sony smartphone offers Alpha Pro features such as 20-FPS burst shots, real-time eye autofocus or real-time tracking. Video can be recorded at up to UHD resolution (3840 x 2160) and 120 FPS.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
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Accessories and Warranty - Xperia Pro-I with VLOG Monitor
Sony includes a 30-watt charger and a USB cable with its flagship smartphone. The Japanese manufacturer offers many interesting, optional accessories. The external vlog monitor combined with the 3.5mm jack for an external microphone turns the Xperia Pro-I into an ideal vlogging system. Furthermore, a selfie stick with a wireless remote and a cover for the Xperia Pro-I are available.
The warranty period is 24 months.
Input Devices & Handling - Xperia Pro-I with Dedicated Camera Button
Apart from a dedicated camera button for the camera app, the Xperia Pro-I also comes with a dedicated button for the Video Pro app on the right edge. The capacitive fingerprint sensor integrated into the power button is responsive and for the most part works reliably. The Sony smartphone does not support biometric authentication via facial recognition.
The capacitive multi touchscreen shines with a precise response to inputs. Thanks to the high refresh rate, the user experience is enhanced with very smooth scrolling and animations.
Display - Sony Smartphone with 4K OLED
The Xperia Pro-I features a 6.5-inch OLED panel with an aspect ratio of 21:9, an adaptive refresh rate of 120 Hz, and a resolution of 3840 x 1644 pixels. This results in a pixel density in excess of 600 PPI.
Although with 570 nits, the maximum brightness of the display is decently high, competitors shine significantly brighter. In our more realistic APL50 benchmark, the brightness is limited to just 515 nits, making it far too low for a pleasant HDR experience.
The premium smartphone uses PWM at a fairly high frequency of 243 to 481 Hz to reduce the screen's brightness below 52 %. At higher brightness levels, we measured a frequency of 120 Hz, although the frequency fluctuations are much less severe in this case.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 565 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 2.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86
ΔE Greyscale 1.4 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
99.8% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.19
| Sony Xperia Pro-I OLED, 3840x1644, 6.5" | Xiaomi 12 Pro AMOLED, 3200x1440, 6.7" | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 3200x1440, 6.8" | Oppo Find X3 Pro AMOLED, 3216x1440, 6.7" | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 36% | 24% | 32% | |
| Brightness middle | 565 | 959 70% | 910 61% | 759 34% |
| Brightness | 570 | 977 71% | 913 60% | 776 36% |
| Brightness Distribution | 98 | 96 -2% | 98 0% | 94 -4% |
| Black Level * | ||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 2.8 | 1.1 61% | 2 29% | 0.8 71% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 6.1 | 3.1 49% | 3.1 49% | 1.8 70% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.4 | 1.9 -36% | 2.2 -57% | 1.6 -14% |
| Gamma | 2.19 100% | 2.22 99% | 2.06 107% | 2.23 99% |
| CCT | 6450 101% | 6498 100% | 6512 100% | 6512 100% |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 480.8 Hz |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 480.8 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 480.8 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8445 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Our analysis with a spectrophotometer and the CalMAN software shows low average deltaE deviations from the sRGB color space of 2.8 (colors) and 1.4 (grayscale).
The installed 10-bit equivalent panel of the Sony smartphone supports the BT.2020 color mode with a slightly warmer color temperature compared to the profile "Standard" via the Creator mode. Aside from a deep contrast, the Xperia Pro-I also offers a wide color space coverage.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 2.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 9 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.4 ms). | ||
The viewing angle of the OLED panel are excellent. While the Xperia Pro-I is usable outdoors without any limitations, we would have liked to see a slightly higher maximum brightness. Furthermore, we recommend users enable the automatic brightness adjustment for use in the sun, since the luminance of 345 nits we measured in manual mode is too low in for this scenario.
Performance - Xperia Pro-I with Qualcomm SoC
The Snapdragon 888 inside the Xperia Pro-I performs very well. The Sony smartphone achieves good results in our suite of benchmarks relative to other Snapdragon 888 devices, although devices with the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 are significantly faster.
The Xperia Pro-I leaves an excellent impressioin during daily use. The system performance is pristine and applications load with barely any delays. This can also be partially attributed to the fast read and write speeds of the UFS 3.1 storage.
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (36 - 105, n=20) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (8.9 - 166, n=167, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (69 - 126, n=20) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (8.4 - 365, n=167, last 2 years) | |
| AImark - Score v2.x (sort by value) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (171404 - 264766, n=15) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (77 - 223, n=19) | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro (Chrome 97) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I (Chrome 97) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro (Chrome 89) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (Chrome 88) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (38 - 347, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (103 - 182, n=18) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (Chrome 88) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro (Chrome 89) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I (Chrome 97) | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro (Chrome 97) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (2228 - 100368, n=206, last 2 years) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (23491 - 47543, n=20) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I (Chrome 97) | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro (Chrome 97) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro (Chrome 89) | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (Chrome 88) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra (Chrome 88) | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro (Chrome 89) | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I (Chrome 97) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (277 - 28190, n=166, last 2 years) | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro (Chrome 97) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G (891 - 1841, n=20) | |
* ... smaller is better
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | Xiaomi 12 Pro | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | Oppo Find X3 Pro | Average 512 GB UFS 3.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 35% | 9% | -5% | 19% | 34% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 1855 | 1620 -13% | 1710 -8% | 1779 -4% | 1852 ? 0% | 2054 ? 11% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 769 | 1465 91% | 1077 40% | 759 -1% | 1227 ? 60% | 1667 ? 117% |
| Random Read 4KB | 287.2 | 324.9 13% | 316.7 10% | 273.3 -5% | 286 ? 0% | 286 ? 0% |
| Random Write 4KB | 299.2 | 448.9 50% | 279.5 -7% | 267.1 -11% | 348 ? 16% | 327 ? 9% |
Gaming - Sony Xperia Pro-I Runs Games Well
Thanks to the powerful Adreno 660 graphics unit, even demanding games from the Play Store are not a challenge. As expected, our benchmark games Armajet and PUBG Mobile run without any issues. The Tencent Games shooter runs smoothly on the Pro-I at "UHD" and the highest graphics settings.
Emissions - Sony Smartphone Becomes Warm
Temperature
The case of the Sony smartphone does not reach critical temperatures under prolonged load. We use 3DMark's stress tests to assess the temperatures of the SoC under continuous load. Here, the Pro-I reaches fairly mediocre results, which attest to the premium smartphone's inconsistent performance when under permanent stress. That being said, competitors in this price category do not offer better cooling, either.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 39.8 °C / 104 F, compared to the average of 35.1 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 63.7 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 37.7 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 33.9 °C / 93 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.5 °C / 82 F, compared to the device average of 32.8 °C / 91 F.
3DMark Wild Life Stress Test
| 3DMark | |
| Wild Life Stress Test Stability | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Oppo Find X3 Pro | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
| Wild Life Extreme Stress Test | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra | |
| Xiaomi 12 Pro | |
Speakers
The stereo speakers produce decent sound at a maximum volume of up to 85 dB. Naturally, the sound is dominated by mid and high frequencies. While the treble is fairly linear in nature, the mids could have been more balanced.
Although the 3.5mm headphone jack allows for bassy playback, the noise level is somewhat high at an SNR of 75.
Sony Xperia Pro-I audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (85 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 27.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (1.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (18.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 19% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 40% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 52% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (14.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 1% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 36%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 18% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 78% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Energy Management - Xperia Pro-I without Wireless Charging
Energy Consumption
The included 30W charger is able to fully recharge the Xperia Pro-I within just under 90 minutes. Unlike the Xperia 1 III, our test device does not support wireless charging. At more than 11 watts, the peak power draw is quite high.
| Off / Standby |   0 / 0.11 Watt |
| Idle |  1.14 / 1.35 / 1.48 Watt |
| Load |
6.17 / 11.38 Watt |
    
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Sony Xperia Pro-I 4500 mAh | Xiaomi 12 Pro 4600 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5000 mAh | Oppo Find X3 Pro 4500 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 14% | 8% | 1% | -0% | 1% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 1.14 | 0.94 18% | 1.06 7% | 0.93 18% | 1.066 ? 6% | 0.872 ? 24% |
| Idle Average * | 1.35 | 1.24 8% | 1.19 12% | 1.54 -14% | 1.58 ? -17% | 1.415 ? -5% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.48 | 1.34 9% | 1.2 19% | 1.69 -14% | 1.733 ? -17% | 1.556 ? -5% |
| Load Average * | 6.17 | 5.7 8% | 6.46 -5% | 6.38 -3% | 5.46 ? 12% | 7.04 ? -14% |
| Load Maximum * | 11.38 | 8.12 29% | 10.76 5% | 9.58 16% | 9.79 ? 14% | 10.6 ? 7% |
* ... smaller is better
Energy Consumption: Geekbench (150 nits)
Energy Consumption: GFXBench (150 nits)
Battery Life
With a runtime of just above 11 hours, the Sony smartphone achieves a good result in our Wi-Fi test at 120 Hz.
| Sony Xperia Pro-I 4500 mAh | Xiaomi 12 Pro 4600 mAh | Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5000 mAh | Oppo Find X3 Pro 4500 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | ||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 665 | 766 15% | 702 6% | 757 14% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict on the Sony Xperia Pro-I
The Xperia Pro-I is a very particular smartphone and likely not very interesting for most home users due to the high price. However, professional photographers and videographers may find a worthy companion in Sony's camera flagship. Vloggers stand to benefit the most from the extensive settings and the opportunities that optional accessories can create.
The Xperia Pro-I may just be the perfect workhorse for professional users.
That being said, we expect users who only want to point and shoot with the auto mode to be disappointed by the results. When it comes to our test pictures, the 12-MP camera's results did not always meet our expectations and as for the zoom and the ultra-wide cameras, there are significant drawbacks compared to other premium smartphones such as the Galaxy S21 Ultra or the Mi 11 Ultra.
Furthermore, the Sony smartphone comes with disadvantages in terms of the software support, the relatively dim OLED panel and the thick bezel design.
Price and Availability
The Sony Xperia Pro-I is available at an MSRP of 1798 USD at amazon.com and various other retailers.
Sony Xperia Pro-I
- 08/30/2022 v7 (old)
Marcus Herbrich
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