After Sony pulled out all the stops for the Xperia 1 II, this phone is evidence that dialling things back a notch can make for a more well-rounded device. Ditching the 4K display was always going to have the biggest impact, but elsewhere only the most minor of compromises have been made to reach a more mainstream price point. You still get superb performance, a brilliantly flexible camera and a gorgeous screen, made all the more better by a high refresh rate. A sensible resolution helps give battery life a boost, too. There are more affordable alternatives, sure, but few can match the Xperia 5 II as a whole package. If you were considering a OnePlus 8 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S20 5G, you should definitely at least try one of these before hitting that buy button.
Flagship hardware, sensibly priced; Pro-grade camera apps; Gorgeous high-refresh rate screen;
No wireless charging; Fingerprint sensor tricky for left-handers;