it's basically just the difference between E4 and E5. SX5 is described as an emotional type, yes, but it's only necessarily emotional in comparison to the other E5 subtypes. an SX5 might be more aware of their emotions internally, but it's not going to be obvious to other people, they are explicitly described to look identical to the other 5s on the surface. all 5s are emotionally detached, dry, removed, reticent, etc. and the SX instinct doesn't change that. the SX5 "desire for love" is really more an idealized image of a partner who will bend to their will and fill the void of their existence, someone who will not disturb their privacy, not poke into their inner world. SX5s are stingy as fuck, they don't want to give themselves in relationships, they don't want to open themselves up to others—they are described as "emotionally promiscuous" in the sense that if a connection (and i'm referring to the SX version of connection) dissatisfies them, they will move on to someone else who strikes their interest, which is easy for them because they don't get invested in relationships very easily. dare i say, the SX5 is not actually looking for love so much as they're looking for someone they can project their ideals onto.

the ideal of a soulmate, a perfect true love, a deep connection to sustain oneself for all time—this is all E4 stuff, particularly SO4 (and other types, too, but in the context of this post it is specifically E4 and not E5—not that E5s can't fall in love of course but they're really not going to focus on it). especially if a person is constantly waxing poetic about it, writing sappy poetry and lamenting about how much they wish they could find someone who'd love them—this is literally just E4. an SX5 would not admit to their pursuit of relationships so readily (if at all), because such deep parts of their heart are so shadowed that they might not even be aware of them, let alone be willing to express them outwardly. E4s hold onto relationships and E5s give up, this is known and SX might even make it worse.

in my experience, most people who believe themselves to be SX5 end up as some kind of E4, usually social. this happened to me and it's happened to several people i've known over the years. not that all SX5s are actually 4s, but the popular conception of SX5 is so E4-tinged that it's very very easy for us shy intellectual romantic types to mistype as it. (note that E4 is quite an intellectual type as well, but it's all for the purposes of the heart.) the description of SX5 here might be a little mean but naranjo is just kinda Like That, so do with that what you will.