Xperia 5 II: Sony Malaysia’s answer to the iPhone 12 will only be available in January 2021

Flagship phones these days often come with a huge screen and a large battery. However, for those who prefer something more compact, the Sony Xperia 5 II is probably one of the best options right now if you don’t fancy an iPhone. It was supposed to be available locally in December, however, Sony Malaysia has revealed that the device will only arrive in January next year.

Pricing and availability

The Sony Xperia 5 II with 256GB of storage is officially priced at RM4,099 in Malaysia. That’s the same price as the 6.1″ iPhone 12 128GB or the 5.4″ iPhone 12 mini 256GB.

If you’re interested, the device is now available for pre-order until the 10th January 2021. It comes in 3 colours – Black, Blue and Pink. As a pre-order promo, Sony Malaysia is bundling the WF-XB700 wireless in-ear headphones for free along with a casing and screen protector. According to the product page, the device will ship in January 2021 but without providing specific dates.

Hardware specs

The Xperia 5 Mark I features a 6.1″ Full HD+ OLED display that comes in a tall 21:9 display aspect ratio. The device boasts a 120Hz screen refresh rate and Sony claims that it can provide a higher 240Hz-like experience with its Motion Blur Reduction enhancer feature.

Under the hood, it runs on a Snapdragon 865 processor with 8GB RAM. It gets 256GB of onboard storage which is expandable via a microSD card. For taking pictures, it gets three 12MP cameras at the rear for wide, ultra-wide and telephoto. For selfies, it gets an 8MP front camera.

As you would expect from a flagship Xperia, it features stereo speakers, 3.5mm headphone jack, IP68 rated dust and water resistance but unfortunately, it lacks wireless charging.

Powering the device is a 4,000mAh battery and it supports USB-PD fast charging via USB-C. With a compatible fast charger, it can get 50% charge in just 30 minutes. The device also supports 5G as well as WiFi 6.

If you prefer a larger smartphone with a 4K display, the Sony Xperia 1 II is also available for pre-order with deliveries expected to begin at the end of this month. The Xperia 1 II is priced at RM4,999 and the pre-order is bundled with a pair of WF-1000XM3 headphones, casing and screen protector while stocks last. The device is also available for pre-order on the Sony official store on Shopee.

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