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OPPO A95 In-Depth Review: Valiant Mediocrity But A Step in the Right Direction

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The smartphone market’s mid-range segment has been growing rapidly. Within the past year, we’ve seen more than 50 devices in the segment from big names alone. However, with many choosing to iterate rapidly with minimal updates, we’re looking at a segment that is quickly becoming overly saturated with choice but not much substance.

OPPO is one of the biggest contributors to the mid-range. However, it’s been hit and miss when it comes to their devices. In fact, just a few months ago, we reviewed the A74. Now, we’re looking at another mid-range offering from OPPO – the A95. Is OPPO hitting the correct notes when it comes to the OPPO A95? Is it their must-have mid-range hero? We’re looking to answer those questions in our in-depth review.

Design

The design on the OPPO A95 is – for lack of any other term – uninspired. The design is similar, if not the same, as all the mid-range smartphones we’ve seen from OPPO this year. To be honest, OPPO isn’t the only one guilty of being uninventive and drab in their midrange lineup. It wouldn’t be so far-fetched to say that if the OPPO A95 was released a little bit earlier in the year, it would have made a little more of an impression when it comes to design.

Aside from the overarching lack of inspiration, the OPPO A95 does come with a design that does look nice. It’s also available in a striking “Glowing Rainbow Silver”. The iridescent colour is one that pops and changes colour depending on the lighting and angle you look at the phone. You can see the difference in our hands-on video. It’s also one of the only highlights when it comes to the design of the phone.

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OPPO A95 12

Barring that, the phone comes with a camera hump that we’ve come to expect from nearly every smartphone this year. The large, black rectangular hump is the only design accent on the back of the phone; without it, the smartphone has a plain, uninteresting back. The metal frame also outlines the phone’s silhouette.

However, we applaud OPPO for sticking to a more ergonomic design. The back of the OPPO A95 tapers into its metallic bezel making it easier to use in one hand. The slight taper makes all the difference when it comes to holding the phone and even wrestling it from a tight pocket. But that’s about it when it comes to the design of the midranger.

Hardware

OPPO is trying to supercharge the A95 when it comes to hardware. They seem to be focusing on raw power. The total package may seem very basic and uninteresting, however, with OPPO’s RAM expansion, it can take on some of the better specc’d mid-range smartphones out there. Of course, as always, the main focus when it comes to hardware for OPPO is the smartphone’s camera. It’s no surprise that OPPO has kitted the A95 with high-resolution sensors.

Specifications

ProcessorQualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11nm)
Octa-Core @ 4×2.0GHz Kryo 260 Gold, 4×1.80GHz Kryo 260 Silver
RAM8GB (As Tested)
Memory128GB (As Tested)
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)Adreno 610
DisplayAMOLED Panel 6.43-inch (~409 ppi)
1080×2400 pixels FHD+ resolution 20:9 Aspect Ratio 60Hz Refresh rate
Operating SystemAndroid 11 with Color OS 11.1
BatteryNon-Removable 5,000mAh Li-Po
Flash Charge (33W)
ConnectivityNano SIM 4G LTE/EVDO/HSPA/CDMA/GSM
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.0
OTG Support
USB 2.0 Type-C
CameraREAR:
Triple Sensor:
48-Megapixel (f/1.7, 1/2.0″, 26mm (wide angle), 0.8µm Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)   2-Megapixel (f/2.4, macro) 2-Megapixel (f2.4, depth)   HDR Panorama
LED Flash
1080p Video recording (30fps)
FRONT:
16-Megapixel (f/2.4, 27mm (wide), 1.0µm)
1080p video recording (30fps)
SensorAccelerometer
Proximity
Fingerprint (under display, optical)
Gyroscope
Compass
MiscellaneousDual SIM – dual standby

Retail Price (Malaysia)MYR 1,099 (128GB)

User Interface

The OPPO A95 comes with ColorOS 11.1 – one of the latest and greatest from OPPO. It’s not running on Android 12. However, with OPPO’s recent commitment to Android updates, we won’t be surprised if it gets the update in the coming weeks.

That said, the interface brings what OPPO has become known for – customizability and self-expression. While the Android 12 does take self-expression and customisability to a whole new level, OPPO’s ColorOS has a level of customizability that made OPPO devices different from the get-go. OPPO has cultivated a community of developers and users that have thrived with its customizability ecosystem. There are few other companies that allow the level of customizability or the variety that comes with ColorOS.

  • OPPO A95 UI 10
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  • OPPO A95 UI 2
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  • OPPO A95 UI 4

Like OPPO flagships, the OPPO A95 comes with a highly customizable interface – everything from icons to fonts can be customised natively. The theming ecosystem gives a plethora of options. If you can find one that is just right for you, you can even mix and match to get the style you really want.

Navigation on the A95 is also seamless. Users can choose between gesture navigation or the traditional three buttons. This allows you to choose the style you’re most comfortable with. The same goes for choosing between having an app drawer or just having multiple home screens. OPPO has also baked in options for scaling icons and font size that we don’t see in many other manufactures. Each OPPO device can have a totally different experience thanks to this.

Overall, the tweaks that come with ColorOS atop Android allow you to have the experience you want when it comes to your smartphone. OPPO’s features have been thoughtfully updated to ensure it doesn’t take away from the overall experience. In fact, it’s one of the most fluid interfaces we’ve had the chance of reviewing to date.

Performance

As mentioned in the hardware section, the OPPO A95 comes with a sharp focus on getting the most out of the hardware it has. While it’s not the greatest and latest from chip manufacturers, OPPO’s optimisations have allowed the smartphone to contend with some of the best performers out there. However, the smartphone isn’t without its flaws – particularly when it comes to a few software hiccups which can be addressed with an update. Hardware performance is – of course – limited to the hardware design but OPPO is inching towards eking every drop of performance from the hardware it has with its software.

Multitasking & Productivity

Multitasking has become a must for any “smart” device out there. We expect to be able to use more than 1 app and get more things done in a shorter amount of time. That said, the OPPO A95 tries to be a multitasking king but is let down by software issues and even limitations in RAM.

During our review period, we were able to use apps like Google Keep, Gmail, Spark Email and Microsoft Office 365 in tandem with each other. Getting simple tasks like word processing, emails and even excel sheets done on the A95 was snappy and seamless.

However, the phone seemed to struggle with more complex apps like video and photo editors. While it didn’t come to a halt, the phone did slow down – using these apps in split-screen was a task in itself as it would bog the A95 down. Then again, we don’t usually do this when we’re editing. This could have been due to the limitations on the RAM, but we expected a little bit more from the RAM expansion that OPPO has been touting. Some native apps also had issues with multitasking.

OPPO A95 7

Aside from the performance issues – which we are certain OPPO can address in an update – the OPPO A95 is packed with features that allow it to multitask with ease. OPPO has simplified a lot of the multitasking in ColorOS. You can drag notifications to get a PIP window for you to respond to messages or urgent emails. A simple swipe and hold up brings up the multitasking view or swipe and hold back to jump to the previous app. The latter needs to be activated in the settings manually.

Call Quality & Connectivity

The OPPO A95 doesn’t’ come with 5G connectivity. But to be honest, you won’t be needing or using 5G anytime soon – in the Malaysian context at least. While it would have added an additional layer of futureproofing, it’s not a game-changer or deal-breaker.

The smartphone does very well when it comes to connectivity. Speeds on 4G LTE were pretty fast. In fact, we were getting anywhere between 2 to 4 Mbps download speeds. The A95 even outclasses some of the older flagships like the Galaxy Note10+ when it came to 4G reception. In certain areas where the former had 3 bars of connectivity, the A95 has 4 to 5 bars. This was a welcomed surprise as we’ve rarely seen network performance like this from mid-range smartphones.

When it comes to call quality, the smartphone didn’t have much to make up for either. Most of the time, people on the other side of the call could hear me loud and clear. However, when it came to slightly more noisy areas, the microphone struggled with noise suppression and even voice pick up. It could have been a little irritating if the call was urgent. Aside from that, the audio on the earpiece was consistent and clear. It could be a little tinny but nothing jarring. People on the other end could hear us well – when pick up wasn’t an issue.

Gaming

Gaming on the A95 was pretty enjoyable. It’s also one of the things that baffled me when it came to performance. The A95 was better able to handle heavy games like Genshin Impact and Shadow Fight than it could with multitasking. We’ll just have to chalk this up to OPPO’s gaming optimisations in Game mode.

OPPO A95 3

That said, the smartphone was able to handle pretty long bouts of gaming. I was easily gaming on games like Genshin Impact and Shadow Fight for an hour. While the games weren’t setting on maximum settings, the graphics were good enough not to take away from the gaming experience. Of course, the audio was pretty solid too for a mid-range smartphone. Visuals were relatively crisp with not too many bouts of lag and screen tearing during gameplay. The only times when there was slight screen tearing or lag was in more graphically intense situations. The phone was also notably warmer during these instances and during prolonged sessions.

Battery Life

If there’s one thing we can rely on when it comes to OPPO, it’s battery life. Their track record of squeezing every ounce of battery life from their devices has been commendable so far. It’s no different when it comes to the A95. The smartphone was able to last about 7 hours on a single charge when used intensively and more than 10 hours when used normally. In fact, I went about a day (~20 hours) on a single charge when it was used only for texting and calls with light Sudoku in between.

OPPO A95 UI 6

Display

The OPPO A95 comes with an AMOLED display and it’s all the better for it. The display is vibrant and has pretty good colour accuracy depending on the mode that you set it on. For most of our review period, we had the display calibration set on Vivid.

In vivid mode, reds and yellows were more brilliant. The colour reproduction seemed a little more pleasant and realistic on this mode. On Gentle mode, the colours were less saturated and felt a little washed out. That said, it was a little more realistic as well. In either mode, the display had deep blacks which we’ve come to expect on an OLED panel.

OPPO A95 13

That said, the display was pretty good when it came to watching videos. The colour of the videos was vibrant and the screen size was immersive. Watching an episode of Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) on the go was enjoyable. The only nitpick that we have with experience is the speakers would tear when there were explosions. However, this was easily remedied with a pair of Bluetooth earphones.

Cameras

Being an OPPO smartphone, it comes as no surprise that the main focus of the smartphone is its camera. The OPPO A95 comes with a 48-megapixel main sensor complemented with a 2-megapixel macro and 2-megapixel depth sensor. The combination of the three sensors allows the smartphone to have enough flexibility when it comes to shooting modes.

OPPO A95 2

Unlike the A74 we reviewed previously, the OPPO A95 cameras perform better. The resulting photos seem to be better in both resolution and detail. The main sensor produced pretty commendable photos when in a well-lit situation. The resulting photos had detail and remained relatively clear even when zoomed in. However, in low light situations, the camera struggled to perform. Night mode helped with getting more detail but there is only so much that can be done when it comes to software. The front camera was more of the same. The camera performed relatively well for its class. Selfies in bright situations were impeccable. However, low light selfies struggled with details and were grainy.

That said, the A95 comes with some of OPPO’s better AI camera features including their Portrait mode. The smartphone has nearly the full complement of AI features that we see in OPPO flagships and that’s the main boon of the smartphone. With the AI features, we were able to get some pretty decent photos, some were even Instagram worthy without the need to edit.

Nevertheless, OPPO does need to improve the implementation of its hallmarks when it comes to its mid-range and entry-level smartphones. There seems to be a gap between the photos flagships like the Find X3 Pro are able to produce versus the photos from phones the A95. With the focus of competitors turning to the mid-range the company will need to push harder to differentiate its offerings further and their camera technology has always been a step ahead of the game.

OPPO’s Best Offering for Mid-range with a Room for Improvement

OPPO’s entry-level and mid-range smartphones continue to be hit or miss with the OPPO A95 and that’s a problem in our books. The company has been able to differentiate itself with camera technology and approaches that were fresh and exciting in the past. However, while that may be the case for its flagships, their midrange is still starved for that X-factor that makes it a must buy.

OPPO A95 1

The OPPO A95 is by no means a bad smartphone. In fact, we wouldn’t hesitate to say it’s one of the best mid-range smartphones out there but it suffers from being lost in the crowd. While it comes with top-notch performance, it also suffers from a lack of identity and drowns into the crowd. Unlike some of its competitors which have brought flagship features to a more affordable price range, the OPPO A95 iterates on a formula we’ve seen before. It has all the makings of a genuinely great mid-range offering which is held back by the lack of software features that make it an immediate go-to.

The smartphone is a step in the right direction when it comes to performance. Being able to handle multitasking and even some heavy gaming without choking is impressive. However, we know OPPO is more capable when it comes to cameras. They’ve proven it time and time again with their flagships and while we would like to say this is the one, OPPO needs to look at how they can bolster their mid-range and entry offerings with the same.

Android, Lifestyle, Mobile, News

OPPO Reno6 Z 5G Gets Special Shiseido Collaboration

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The OPPO Reno6 series of smartphones has been available for a little bit now. Being a Reno device, the main focus was its camera and its many portrait photo features. That said, OPPO is now partnering up with what they call “the perfect partner” – Shiseido. Shiseido is one of many renown cosmetic brands that have been focusing on creating and delivering products which allow anyone to look their best; and – as OPPO put it, “when Shiseido helps you look your best, the OPPO Reno6 Z helps you capture your best portrait pictures!”.

OPPO Collaborates with Shiseido for the Perfect Year End Gift
Source: OPPO

OPPO and Shiseido will be launching a special version of the OPPO Reno6 Z 5G which will be coming with a specially designed box filled with Shiseido goodies to complement the smartphone. The limited edition gift box comes in the Reno6’s signature, irridescent Reno Glow Aurora finish. Inside, you will find the Reno6 Z 5G, a limited edition OPPO x Shiseido phone case and the an OPPO x Shiseido Gift Box filled with goodies.

The special edition gift box will be going on sale for MYR1,699 – the regular price of a Reno6 Z. It is currently available for pre-order from OPPO’s online store. The first 300 pre-orders will also get an additional Shiseido Synchro Skin Radiant Lifting Foundation worth MYR210. This is on top of the already included gift box worth MYR450. The limited edition will be available on shelves starting on 2 December 2021.

OPPO Reno6 Z Shiseido2
Source: OPPO

OPPO launched the Reno6 Z 5G earlier in August 2021. The smartphone comes with a MediaTek Dimensity 800U. This is paired with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. More importantly, the OPPO Reno6 Z comes with a triple camera sensor on the back; a 64-megapixel main sensor complemented by an 8-megapixel wide sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. On the front, the smartphone is equipped with a 32-megapixel selfie camera.

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO’s Reno7 Series Officially Unveiled in China

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OPPO’s Reno series seems to spawn more and more iterations. Barely six months after the release of the OPPO Reno 6 series, the company has officially unveiled the OPPO Reno 7 series in mainland China. The new version of the Reno smartphones continues to inherit the line’s focus on photography and remains firmly in the mid-range territory.

oppo reno 7 pro in hand

The new OPPO Reno 7 series comes with an all-new design that ditches curves in favour of a more blocky design. However, the first thing you will notice isn’t the overall design, but the camera module which has been totally redesigned. The new Reno 7 series has three entries (for now): the Reno 7 5G, the Reno 7 Pro 5G and the Reno 7 SE 5G. Yep – that’s right – the whole Reno series now comes with 5G connectivity.

Reno7 Pro 5G

The other big change that OPPO has made is the notification LED which is now surrounding the camera on the Reno 7 Pro 5G. If you’ve been an Android user since the beginning, you’d be familiar with the notification LED. This has in recent years become smaller and smaller and even disappeared on some devices. However, with the Reno 7 Pro, the light is now making a unique comeback around the camera module of the smartphone.

oppo reno 7 pro

The Reno 7 Pro comes with a Mediatek Dimensity 1200-Max with either 8GB or 12GB of RAM paired with 256GB of internal storage. It has a 6.55-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with HDR10+ and Gorilla Glass 5. The display also has a 90Hz refresh rate.

When it comes to the camera, the Reno 7 Pro 5G comes with a triple camera module. The main sensor on the module is a 50-megapixel Sony IMX 766 with an f/1.6 aperture. This is complemented by an 8-megapixel ultrawide sensor with an f/2.2 aperture and a 2-megapixel macro sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. The selfie camera is a 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 sensor with an f/2.4 aperture.

oppo reno7 ring

The 4,500 mAh battery powering the smartphone is also capable of 65W fast charging. It also has an in-display fingerprint scanner.

Reno7 5G

The Reno7 5G will be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. This is complemented by 8GB or 12GB of RAM with up to 256GB of internal storage. It will have a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution and 90Hz refresh rate as well Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

oppo reno 7

On the camera front, the main triple sensor setup replaces the 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 with a 64-megapixel sensor with an f/2.4 aperture. It still retains the same macro and ultrawide sensor. On the front, is the same 32-megapixel Sony IMX709 sensor. The Reno 7 5G will be powered by a 4,500mAh battery but will only support 60W fast charging.

Reno7 SE 5G

The Reno7 SE, on the other hand, will be powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 900 paired with 8GB of RAM and up to 256GB of internal storage. It also has the same 6.43-inch display as the Reno 7.

oppo reno 7 se

On the camera front, however, the Reno 7 comes with a triple camera module with the 48-megapixel Sony IMX581 sensor as the main sensor. This is complemented with a 2-megapixel macro sensor and a 2-megapixel portrait sensor. On the front is a 16-megapixel Sony IMX471.

The SE is powered by a 4,500mAh battery with support 33W fast charging.

Pricing & availability

The series will be running Android 12 based ColorOS12. All variants will be available in Morning Gold, Midnight Black and Star Rain Wish (Blue).

The Reno 7 Pro will be available for CN¥3,699 (MYR2,450.41) for the 8GB + 128GB version and CN¥3,999 (MYR2,649.15) for the 12GB + 256GB version.

The Reno 7 will be available in three variants. The 8GB + 128GB version will cost CN¥2,699 (MYR1,787.88), the 8GB + 256GB version will cost CN¥2,999 (MYR1,986.61) while the 12GB + 256GB version will cost CN¥3,299 (MYR2,185.34).

The Reno 7 SE will be available in 8GB +128GB and 8GB+256GB versions. The former will cost CN¥ 2,199 (MYR1,456.67) while the latter will be priced at CN¥ 2,399 (MYR1,589.39).

Android, First Look, Hands On, Mobile, Video

OPPO A95 First Look & Hands-On

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The is set to take center stage with its true midrange flagship the #OPPOA95. We’re taking a first look at the #Snapdragon662 touting smartphone! It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It’s got a formidable AMOLED display with an FHD+ resolution. The smartphone also comes equipped with a triple camera array with a 64-megapixel main sensor.

It will be available for pre-order really soon and you’ll be entitled to a whole bunch of freebies and even get an Enco Buds for MYR1! More details coming with the release of the smartphone!

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OPPO Steps Closer to Stock Android With Global ColorOS 12

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OPPO’s ColorOS has always been about customisability and self-expression. The company’s latest iteration: ColorOS 12 is no different but it does take a load off when it comes to OPPO’s visual customizations of the Android OS. OPPO said that the company’s decision to jump from ColorOS8 to 11 to match Android’s version number is a literal alignment of the OS with Android.

ColorOS is maturing as an OS. With ColorOS 12, the company is fine-tuning its approach to be able to adapt to multiple languages and layouts better than ever before. OPPO says the main theme of ColorOS this time around is “Inclusivity” and that changes made to the OS this round were mainly focused on catering to their 440 million users across 68 countries.

OPPO ColorOS 12
Source: OPPO

The biggest difference you will see in the approach is a reduction in OPPO apps and the use of many stock Android apps. The company has decided to reduce redundancy in its offerings by using Android’s built-in phone and messaging app and integrating more of Android’s built-in features for the new take on ColorOS. The company has “decoupled” the experience to allow users access to their own apps via an optional download from their app store.

Back to Basics with a Focus on Customization & Usability

However, that doesn’t mean that OPPO is leaving its own features to the wayside. Their approach to the design of the new iteration of ColorOS builds on their Infinite Design concept which carries forward from 11. Visually, the OS looks cleaner with more modern icons. On the backend, OPPO has optimised the OS to use a fraction of the resources it used before. ColorOS 12 sees a reduction of 30% of memory usage and 20% battery consumption – making it the most efficient ColorOS to date.

The efficiency doesn’t come at the cost of personalization. In fact, the latest iteration of ColorOS may be the most customizable yet. OPPO has enhanced customisation with more themes, icons and fonts in its theming engine. In addition, the company has also been working on optimising the OS further to be more intuitive and easier to use.

ColorOS 12 is focusing on the essentials. Instead of focusing on gimmicky features, OPPO has been working on enhancing more usable features like PC connect, FlexDrop and Phone Manager which allow users to have a more seamless experience across multiple devices. OPPO’s approach to providing a more seamless experience between phone and PC brings features like drag and drop, screen mirroring and even seamless file transfer between PC and phone. PC Connect only works with Windows for now.

OPPO is also focusing on device security. The company’s new OS brings Android’s privacy and security features front and centre. The OS makes features like Privacy Dashboard more accessible and comes with a better-optimised experience when to Approximate Location Sharing and Microphone and Camera Indicators. The company is also enhancing the security of their OS with in-house features such as private system, private safe, and app lock.

Open to Developers

OPPO is also committing to be open when it comes to the development of ColorOS. The company is making its camera SDKs openly available to developers moving forward. These SDKs will make some of the company’s best camera features such as Ultra Steady Video Shooting, HDR, and Super Wide-Angle available to developers.

OPPO Update
Source: OPPO

Timely Update Schedule

OPPO is committing to updating its devices consistently moving forward. This applies to devices released from 2019 onwards. Their flagship Find X series will be getting three major Android updates. The mid-range Reno, F- and higher-end A-series devices will be getting two major updates. Lower end devices will be getting a single Android update. According to the company, the single update is due to the lower memory specifications of lower-end A-Series models.

In addition to major updates, OPPO’s Find X series will also be getting four years of security updates. The Reno, F-, and A-series will be updated for three years.

Android, Business, Mobile, News

OnePlus and OPPO Unifies – OnePlus 2.0 Era is Here

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OnePlus started out very early on in its life as that one smartphone brand that was a little out of the norm. In its early days, they dubbed their first ever smartphone, the OnePlus One, the ‘flagship killer’. There is a good reason for that. The OnePlus One had killer specs, hardware that you can only find on flagship devices at the time. While remaining at the top of the food chain, they managed to keep prices low. The OnePlus One’s asking price was a fraction of what manufacturers at the time ask for their flagships.

They were a bit of a Cinderella story too, to be fair. The founders of OnePlus, according to legends, left the highly successful and progressive HTC at the time to start the brand. They had to figure out how to design a smartphone and manufacture the devices at ridiculously low prices within just a few months. They delivered the OnePlus One. But they were running off the production line of OPPO, which was understandable. They would not have had the time and money to build their own production line anyway.

OnePlus’ Reliance on OPPO

They have never moved to their own production facility though. That also means that they share the same part bin as OPPO. That is also why over the years, the OPPO flagship devices share plenty of similarities to OnePlus’ own. They usually share the same specs and hardware within their flagship line-up only to differ slightly in terms of how they look. Last year’s flagships were differentiated by Hasselblad’s involvement too.

While we are seeing more and more of OPPO in the other brand, both parties have remained steadfast and committed to staying distinct. They started out with offering CyanogenOS on their devices and later moved to their own OxygenOS. They have also remained distinct by having their own unique design languages. It is not clever for a manufacturing plant to be producing two completely different units of flagships though, so the devices share plenty of similar design cues too.

OnePlus 2.0

1693774 f7d608230cc0fba8630e208e55b193e5
Source: OnePlus

It looks like the next phase for OPPO and OnePlus will not be a unique journey for each brand anymore though. OnePlus have announced their OnePlus 2.0 roadmap. The announcement basically entails that they are now a single entity with OPPO. That also means that while each brand may be selling devices with their own unique branding, the device that comes out of both may not be so unique.

The merge of both companies will cover the entirety of the engineering and development teams. That also means that OPPO and OnePlus will have access to the same patented technologies that may have been kept separate and unique from each brand. The merge will also cover OxygenOS and ColorOS though. According to the announcement, OPPO and OnePlus will be developing a single unified platform that is supposed to be the culmination of the best of both platforms. While the branding will remain separate, the platform’s underlying codes will be similar, which also means you should have similar experiences out of both brands, however they designed the platform. Of course, they are still Android based.

With the announcement also, OnePlus has also confirmed that there will be no new flagship smartphone from them this year. They will not be refreshing the OnePlus 9 in the 9T form. If you want to see a new OnePlus, you will have to wait until next year, in this case.

The Matter of the Merge

While it may not seem like a great thing for one brand, this merge is more beneficial to both OPPO and OnePlus than it may seem. The merger allows OnePlus to and OPPO to gain insights from each other. Both brands have served different market groups and have extensive knowledge on building formidable smartphones. While both brands offer highly distinctive smartphone experiences, they have the ability to offer similar experiences or merge to create a completely new one that could better serve new and old customers alike.

Of course, one cannot ignore the financial benefits that OPPO and OnePlus will be getting from the merger. More money for OnePlus means more development resources. The learnings from Hasselblad will also accelerate OPPO’s camera technology. Obviously, by merging two brands, they are hitting a larger group of audience and buyers.

While all that sounds like a great thing, especially in the battle for supremacy in the smartphone industry, it could easily backfire. Since both brands come from slightly different market segments, internal rife could happen. Engineers from both ends might not agree on how the device should be designed and its capabilities. On the User Interface (UI) end, how OPPO and OnePlus balance having the right features from their own platforms will also be crucial to the success of the merge.

Whatever it is though, it is definitely one of the most interesting development in the industry at this point. While we may not be seeing a smartphone coming out of this merger anytime soon, we can expect OPPO and OnePlus to be a lot more competitive in the flagship smartphone market. At least OPPO and OnePlus are optimistic about the merge, we should be too.

Android, Mobile, News

OPPO Reveals Special Photographer Edition of Find X3 Pro & ECG Equipped Watch 2

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OPPO’s Find X3 Pro series is expanding with a China-exclusive version of the flagship. The new addition to the lineup is focusing more on the smartphone’s camera prowess and adopting some iconic camera design cues. It’s also the first time that OPPO has done a specific special edition that focuses on photography.

The new OPPO Find X3 Pro Photography edition drops the all-glass exterior of the original for a design more reminiscent of the original Kodak 35 camera. It comes with what the company is calling “metallic glass”; it is essentially the iconic silver colouration of the Kodak 35 camera with the glossy glass finish we saw with the original Find X3 Pro. The new edition also has a black leather finish that mimics the Kodak.

OPPO Find X3 Pro Photography Edition
Source: OPPO on Weibo

In addition to the aesthetic revamp, the Find X3 Pro Photography edition comes with the same specifications as we saw in the original Find X3 Pro. It comes with a powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of internal storage. Its screen is a large, 6.7-inch Quad HD Display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate. It retains the 4,500mAh battery with 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 flash charging.

Even when it comes to cameras, the setup remains the same. The Find X3 Pro Photography edition comes with a 32-megapixel selfie camera with a quad sensor setup on the back. The main sensor is a 50-megapixel wide sensor. The biggest change in the smartphone is the inclusion of 14 new filters for cityscape photography and the ability to shoot in super RAW format.

OPPO Watch 2 Gets ECG Update

Together with the Find X3 Photography edition, OPPO also announced an updated version of their Smartwatch – the OPPO Watch 2. Like the Find X3 Pro Photography edition, the OPPO Watch 2 is more of the same. However, it comes with an upgrade that now allows it to monitor heart rhythms.

OPPO Watch2 ECG
Source: OPPO on Weibo

The new millisecond-level ECG detection allows users to take an ECG on the OPPO Watch 2. It also comes with a 24-hour irregular heart rhythm monitor. The Watch 2 also has a 316L stainless steel middle frame with a ceramic and sapphire back cover.

Pricing & Availability

The OPPO Find X3 Pro is available pre-order now in China. It will be available starting on September 22, 2021 for CN¥6,499 (USD$1005.10/MYR4213.90).

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OPPO Reno6 Pro Available In Malaysia Exclusively on LAZADA

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OPPO’s Reno6 series was recently announced. However, the series was a little incomplete without the Pro variant. Joining the OPPO Reno 6Z and the Reno 6 is the Reno 6 Pro which will be available exclusively via LAZADA.

The OPPO Reno6 Pro is the most powerful Reno yet coming with the Snapdragon 870 mobile platform. The processor is paired with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Display-wise it comes equipped with a 6.5-inch AMOLED 3D curved display. This is enhanced with a 90Hz refresh rate and up to 180Hz touch sampling.

OPPO Reno6 Pro with box

Of course, being a Reno flagship, the Reno6 Pro comes with a quad-camera setup. The main camera is a Sony IMX766 sensor which OPPO has co-developed. This is complemented with a 16-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 13-megapixel telephoto camera and a 2-megapixel macro camera. The OPPO Reno 6 Pro also comes with a dedicated colour temperature sensor which allows it to capture more realistic colours.

Keeping with other Reno flagships, the OPPO Reno6 Pro also focuses on camera performance. OPPO has augmented the camera setup on the OPPO Reno6 Pro with AI algorithms which allow it to capture higher quality images with more detail than before. The smartphone’s camera comes with a new Bokeh Flare Portrait Video which allows users to capture video with the much sought after blurry background effect. In addition, it also has AI highlight video which allows the phone to optimize videos according to the ambient lighting of the surroundings. It also has focus tracking to keep your subject in focus throughout your video.

The smartphone is powered by a 4,500mAh battery with support for 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 charging. This will allow you to get from 0 to 100% in just 31 minutes.

Pricing & availability

The OPPO Reno6 Pro will be available in Arctic Blue and Lunar Grey. It will be retailing for MYR2,999.

Reno6 Pro Launch KV

Pre-orders start on 17 August 2021. Each pre-order is entitled to freebies worth up to MYR1099 including an OPPO Enco Air, 1 Year of OPPO Care Screen Damage protection and 1 year of HeyTop Cloud with 1TB of Storage space.

Reno6 Pro Lucky Draw

OPPO is also giving early adopters a chance to with Marshall products worth up to MYR5900 during their pre-order period. Every pre-order placed on LAZADA is entitled to 5 entries for this lucky draw.

Android, Mobile, News

The OPPO Reno6 Series Lands in Malaysia

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OPPO renewed its Reno series today with the release of two new entries into the lineup: the OPPO Reno6 5G and Reno6 Z 5G. The two new phones bring a renewed focus on OPPO’s camera technologies and the company’s prowess in creating smartphones with long-lasting battery life.

02. OPPO Reno6 Series Launch
Source: OPPO

The new OPPO Reno6 series will be running on MediaTek’s Dimensity processors. The Reno6 5G will be running on the new MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC (System on a Chip) while the Reno6 Z will be running on MediaTek’s 800U 5G SoC. Both are octa-core processors which are capable of processing data at speeds of up to 2.4GHz. Of course, the Dimensity 900 is slightly more capable with larger, more efficient cores. Both of the smartphones also come with a 6.4-inch AMOLED display. The Reno6 5G has the additional benefit of a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate.

Keeping Smartphone Photography in Focus

OPPO’s Reno series has carved a name for itself when it comes to cameras. The Reno6 series aims to continue that tradition. The two models come with similar setups; the Reno6 5G comes with a triple sensor setup. It has a 64-megapixel main camera sensor which is paired with an 8-megapixel wide-angle sensor and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. These are complemented with a colour temperature sensor for better colour accuracy. The Reno6 Z, on the other hand, comes with the same but lacks the colour temperature sensor. Both have a 32-megapixel selfie camera.

OPPO is touting even better portrait pictures thanks to enhanced technology in the Reno6 series. The new smartphones come with new Focus tracking which has never been done in an OPPO smartphone to date. The feature will enable users to identify and track subjects to keep them in focus. The feature also helps with stabilization to keep the video perfectly steady.

03. OPPO Reno6 Series Launch
Source: OPPO

The Reno6 series is also pushing portrait photography when it comes to smartphones. The new entries will be able to take Portrait Beautification in videos which will blur the background slightly while keeping your subject in focus. The technology is driven by AI-enabled algorithms which track 193 different facial points in video mode. Together with this portrait photography on the Reno6 is enhanced with Bokeh Flare Portrait which will allow users to capture pictures with light effects – similar to those from professional cameras.

Powered for All Day Performance

Together with the camera technology and cutting edge processors, the Reno6 series is also expanding on OPPO’s RAM Expansion technology. The technology, which first debuted on the Find X series, allows the smartphone to extend its built-in 8GB of RAM with up to 5GB of additional RAM from the internal storage. This allows the phone to dynamically adapt to the needs of its users while maintaining a smooth User experience.

The Reno6 5G is powered by a 4,300mAh battery with support for 65W SuperVOOC 2.0. This charging technology allows the phone to get to 100% with just 28 minutes of charge. The Reno6 Z, however, comes with a slightly larger 4,310mAH battery with support for 30W SuperVOOC Flash Charge 4.0 which allows it to be charged in 49 minutes.

Pricing & Availability

The OPPO Reno6 5G and Reno6 Z 5G will be available starting 14th August 2021. The Reno 6 5G will be priced at MYR2,399 while the Reno6 Z will be priced at MYR1,699. They will be available in Stellar Black and Aurora.

01. OPPO Reno6 Series Launch
Source: OPPO

Pre-orders for the smartphones start on 5th August 2021. Pre-orders will be entitled to freebies worth up to MYR779. This includes the OPPO Enco Buds, 1 year of HeyTap Cloud Service with 1TB of storage, a power bank, smart stage and a Bluetooth speaker. Pre-orders end on the 13th of August 2021.

Official Specifications

OPPO Reno6 5G

OPPO Reno6 5G Spec Sheet
Source: OPPO

OPPO Reno6 Z 5G

OPPO Reno6 Z Spec Sheet
Source: OPPO
Android, Mobile, Reviews

OPPO A74 In-Depth Review: Missing that OPPO Magic

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OPPO has been making waves in the mobile industry with their approach to cameras and their augmentation of their smartphones with their own camera algorithms. They’ve also been one of the best options when it comes to getting affordable smartphones which pack impressive performance.

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The recently announced OPPO A74 is their latest iteration of the affordable OPPO A series which has, in our previous experience with it, performed commendably. The A74 (4G) is the lower specc’d version of the new device without 5G connectivity.

Does the smartphone keep OPPO’s legacy in the affordable space? Should you be investing your hard earned money in it? We’ll be breaking the whole experience down in our review.

Design

The OPPO A74 is a sleek, slim device with a pretty finish. It’s actually one of the better-looking smartphones in its category. OPPO has given it sleek curves on the back and a rather shiny finish. While it can be a fingerprint magnet, the finish of the A74 gives the smartphone a rather premium feel and look. In addition to that the curves make the phone a little more ergonomic; making it easier and more comfortable to hold and use.

The design cues of the OPPO A74, however, are very run-of-the-mill when it comes to the company’s design language. We’ve seen the same design cues from nearly all the phones that have been released from OPPO – and OnePlus – in the past few months. The lack of identity when it comes to the outlook of the many smartphone series that OPPO offers is a little bit of a let-down but they generally do make up for it with unique, cutting edge features.

Aside from that, the A74 is also one of the few smartphones that has opted to keep the pinhole design of the display. Thanks to this choice, users are in for a more immersive experience when it comes to the display and multimedia experience of the smartphone. That paired with the rather compact overall size also allows easy everyday usage and even a more comfortable experience when gaming.

Hardware

The hardware of the OPPO A74 isn’t that far off for an entry-level device. However, when it comes to processors, it comes with one that is slightly more powerful than others we’ve seen used in its competition. That said, specifications and the make up of any given smartphone is only one side of the coin, how they affect the overall user experience is another.

We’ve listed the complete specifications below and noted the configuration which we reviewed in the table. That said, we dive in deeper into the user experience in the following sections.

Specifications

ProcessorQualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11nm)
Octa-Core @ 4×2.0GHz, 4×1.8GHz
RAM6GB (As Tested) 8GB
Memory128GB (As Tested) MicroSDXC
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)Adreno 610
DisplayAMOLED panel
6.43-inch (~409 ppi)
1080×2400 pixels FHD+ resolution 20:9 Aspect Ratio
Operating SystemAndroid 11 with Color OS 11.1
BatteryNon-Removable 5,000mAh Li-Po
Fast Charging (33W)
SuperVOOC 2.0 USB-PD 3.0
ConnectivityNano SIM
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac A-GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BDS
A2DP
Bluetooth 5.0 (aptX)
OTG Support
USB 2.0 Type-C
CameraREAR:
Triple Sensor:
48-Megapixel (f/1.7, 1/2.0″, 26mm (wide angle), 0.8µm Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) Optical Image Stabilisation (OIS)   2-Megapixel (f/2.4, macro) 2-Megapixel (f/2.4, depth) Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF)   HDR
LED Flash
1080p Video recording (30fps)

FRONT:
16-Megapixel (f/2.4, 27mm (wide),1/3.06”, 1.0µm)
1080p video recording (30fps)
SensorAccelerometer
Proximity
Fingerprint (Optical, under display)
Gyroscope
Face Unlock
Compass
MiscellaneousDual SIM

Retail Price (Malaysia)MYR 899
Retail Price (US)USD$ 399.98

User Interface

OPPO’s ColorOS 11.1 comes baked in the OPPO A74. OPPO has made some good improvements in ColorOS 11.1 which enhance the user experience. The amount of customisability that OPPO brings into the software allows users to have a phone that is uniquely theirs. Things such as the lock screen, fonts and even the home screen is highly customisable and allow users to infuse their own personas into their smartphone.

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One of the highlights during our review is OPPO’s implementation of dark mode. Unlike a lot of other smartphones out there, OPPO has included three degrees of intensity for dark mode. This is particularly useful if, like me, your eyes are sensitive to the contrast that dark mode can give – particularly when it comes to viewing white on black. During my time with the A74, I found myself using the phone with dark mode set on medium. This was the setting that allowed my eyes to be comfortable while allowing me to save some battery.

OPPO’s ColorOS also brings an amazing selection of Wallpapers with their Artist+ Wallpaper project. However, how useful this feature is to you will depend on your appreciation of artists and the arts. While it was novel in the beginning, we eventually went back to our normal wallpapers after a few days.

That said, the OPPO A74 does benefit from some of the performance enhancing algorithms built into ColorOS 11. Navigation and swiping through screens were very smooth with little to no jitters even when swiping between open apps. Launching apps feels more prompt and it was a lot more seamless than other smartphones in its category. In addition, having a good selection of customisable quick toggles in the notification shade allowed for quick and easy access all the important settings.

Performance

When it comes to performance, the OPPO A74 isn’t a slouch. It was able to handle day to day tasks pretty easily. However, when it came to more demanding tasks, it did take a beating. The phone’s hardware doesn’t really show many bottle necks – but we expect you might get a better experience with 8GB of RAM.

When it came to using heavier gaming apps, there was a noticeable slow down in the system’s performance. This was also followed by the phone getting a little bit warmer to the touch. We suspect that the many AI algorithms that OPPO employs for its performance enhancement may not be too fond of resources (i.e. RAM) being taken up by other processes. However, while this did occur, it only happened when RAM usage was obscenely high. Beyond that, the phone rarely lagged or heated much.

Call Quality & Connectivity

Call quality on the A74 is commendable. Of course, since the switch to VoLTE, the clarity of voice calls has increased tremendously in general. However, OPPO seems to have enhanced the clarity further. Calls on the phone sounded crisp and clear. However, when it came to speaker phone, the phone left quite a bit to be desired. Even in quieter areas, it was hard to hear the audio coming from the speaker phone. Calls over the ear piece were crisp, voices were clear and there was little disturbance. Users on the other end of the call noted that my voice was loud and clear on their end.

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When it comes to connectivity, the OPPO A74 had more stable and stronger connectivity to 4G LTE that some of the other devices we’ve tested. During our testing it continually had either the same or one bar more than some of the other devices we had during the same period. On top of that it was able to keep a stable Bluetooth connection with our wireless headphones.

Gaming

Gaming on the OPPO A74 wasn’t too bad of an experience. It was able to keep up with some PUBG mobile. However, if you’re looking to play Genshin Impact with flawless graphics, you’ll be a little let down. That said, this isn’t unexpected for a phone of this calibre. Aside from some performance compromises, the phone can be a pretty good one for mobile gamers.

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The display is large with vibrant colours. OPPO’s decision to have the pin hole front camera really lends to the experience being more immersive. It’s responsive enough even for FPS games. The sound quality on the speakers isn’t too bad too. Of course, don’t go blasting it on 100% or you’ll have tearing and pitching on the speakers. You’ve got a 3.5mm jack so you can be even more immersed when gaming.

Battery Life

The battery on this smartphone is one of the best we’ve seen so far. That is, of course, expected for an OPPO smartphone. The company has been able to squeeze every ounce of battery life of its phones for a while now. On the A74, we were able to get about 2 days of battery life with normal use without much hassle. With heavier use like gaming and multimedia consumption, we got about 18 hours with about 5 to 6 hours of screen on time. On standby, the phone was able to last about a week easily.

Display

The display of the OPPO A74 comes with a Full HD+ resolution and, to be very honest, it’s just the right resolution for its 6.43-inch size. You’re not straining as pixelated artefacts on the screen and the pictures and video displayed are crisp and sharp. The high pixel density also allows for a better, more immersive visual experience on the smartphone.

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However, it’s not the best display out there. Even with 430 nits of brightness, the screen could get a tad bit dark when it comes to the outdoors. Under direct sunlight, it was a task to read messages and emails. If you’re looking to get into content, the display may not be the best in the market for it, colour accuracy isn’t the best but passable. You will need to do colour grading when it comes to having quality content.

Cameras

Ironically, the camera on the OPPO A74 felt like the biggest let down. While it’s not bad per se, the experience of the A74 feels like a serious step down from the A9 we reviewed previously. While using the camera has improved, OPPO seems to have sacrificed a lot when it comes to overall picture quality.

It was a little confounding when it came to the camera experience on the OPPO A74. The interface has improved and become more user friendly. Things are easier to access and it’s more feature rich than ever before, but the picture quality – particularly when it came to low light pictures seems to have taken a little bit of a dip between the A9 and A74. This, to be honest, wasn’t what we were expecting given the leaps and bounds that OPPO has progressed when it comes to their camera technology in their own Reno and Find X line up.

In good, bright lighting, the cameras were able to produce pictures with depth and detail. However, the minute lighting was dim, pictures became noisy and uninspiring. Detail was hardly present. You can see the amount of loss in detail even on the screen of the phone itself by simply pinching and zooming. This was the case with both the selfie and main sensors. Zooming was more of the same, even when using the optical zoom, pictures are noisy and lacked detail.

All in all, when it comes to the camera experience, it feels like OPPO didn’t really put too much effort into differentiating its entry level offering. We’ve seen the result of their efforts in their own Reno and Find X series, and it confounds us as to why some of that effort wasn’t present in the A74. It really feels like they were just ticking boxes in the features department.

A Near Complete Package for the Entry Level Missing that OPPO Magic

Overall, the OPPO A74 is an average package. It has a good display, a commendable processor but it’s let down by what feels like a lack of effort in the camera department. To be very frank, it’s let down by a standard that OPPO, itself, set. If the smartphone had the camera to back it, it would be a contender for one of the most affordable and best optimised phones in the market.

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However, with that said, for the budget, it isn’t a bad device. It ticks all the boxes when it comes to features and provides an overall experience that is enjoyable and, most importantly, customisable to the user. It does provide some value for money at its price and is able to keep up with demanding tasks.