Oppo A1 Smartphone Review

Oppo A1 Smartphone Review – There are many phones offered by the Chinese tech giant Oppo, and usually, their smartphones are known for their extremely beautiful build and powerful specs. Not too long ago, the smartphone makers launched the new Oppo A1 phone, which looks quite exceptional with the matte finishing layout. But at the same time, it’s worth noting that the device offers a pretty good set of attributes.

For instance, the device gets the iconic aesthetic built, while it is good to see that the company also invests a bit in the hardware section. You are getting 5G connectivity, decent battery life, robust charging support, and a stunning software combination. But still, there are some aspects where the phone is lacking, which we have covered in this detailed Oppo A1 review. With that said, let’s head towards the primary features of this phone.

Oppo A1 Smartphone Review

Highlights

1. The device arrives with a 6.72 inches IPS LCD panel with a 120Hz refresh rate.
2. As for the software layering, you will receive the ColorOS 13.1 interface based on the latest Android 13 OS.
3. Under the hood, the device will equip the standard Snapdragon 695 5G chipset with Adreno 619 GPU.
4. It also includes a 50MP dual camera setup with a pretty good 8MP selfie camera lens.
5. Last but not least, the phone will provide a Li-Po 5000 mAh battery setup with 67W fast wired charging.

Design and Display

It’s good to see that the Oppo A1 smartphone makers are presenting a new and better design layout. It has three interesting shades which includes the glossy texture in Blue and Black color variant. Besides this, you will also find the limited edition Orange variant that has a leather back cover, which gives a premium look to this handset.

At the same time, the side panel material matches with back panel layout precisely, while the dual camera setup does look attractive. Not to forget, the phone has the traditional branding at the bottom. Moreover, the side panel also equips a fingerprint scanner, which can be utilized to increase the security and privacy of your smartphone. Furthermore, you can even set a PIN or passcode according to your needs.

Though, the phone might be 8.2 mm thick, which is comparatively more than the average device. But still, the 191-gram weight is justifiable since the phone has a massive battery. Looking at the front panel, you are getting a pretty gorgeous 6.72-inches IPS LCD panel with a dot-notch selfie camera. Although, the phone might not have higher color grading or contrast. However, the navigation will be smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate. Apart from this, the device comes with 680 nits HBM brightness support. The display has thin bezels, anyway, the section seems underwhelming as per the pricing segment of the smartphone.

Memory and Internal

The hardware section of the Oppo A1 comes equipped with the 6nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. However, the chip might not have the astounding processing speed as it can only reach up to 2×2.2GHz cloaking speed. But still, the users won’t face any serious problems with their day-to-day usage. On top of that, the chip also introduces 5G connectivity.

In today’s age, having a 5G connection becomes a necessary thing if you want to experience better internet speed and smooth downloads. Hopefully, the phone offers these features so you don’t have to worry about it. Following this, the gaming experience with this phone will disappoint if you are expecting higher graphics and less lag. The overall gaming with this device is average, nothing special nor that much underwhelming.

The latest ColorOS 13.1 interface based on the latest Android 13 OS comes with tons of exciting customization attributes, which allow users to modify the user interface according to their requirements. On the other hand, you can select a RAM variant from 8GB to 12GB RAM option. Yet, the phone only offers a 256GB UFS 2.2 internal storage unit, which is more than sufficient for storing your necessary data. When you run out of storage, you can also extend storage limits with a microSDXC card slot. The overall performance of the device feels average as compared to other options available in the market.

Camera

The Oppo A1 camera review is moderate compared to the latest mid-range phone. But still, there are some points where the native camera setup shines the most. For example, users can easily capture decent photos in the daylight with fine colors and appealing contrast. Moreover, the color saturation and brightness are on the mark, so the overall results are looking quite great.

Moreover, you can utilize the 50MP main sensor to shoot lowlight photos, while the camera app also offers a dedicated night mode function that will reduce grains and provide instant-ready photos in a hassle-free manner. Following this, the device also equips a secondary 2MP depth lens to improve the portrait photography aspect. But at the end of the day, it’s just for showcase since the native camera software handles all of the bokeh effects from behind the scenes.

Hopefully, the 8MP selfie lens results aren’t looking hopeless thanks to the improved AI tech used on the Oppo A1 camera configuration. But at the same time, don’t expect a higher resolution and better clarity with the selfie lens. Aside from this, the device has the power to produce 1080p videos at 30fps from both side cameras without any problem. Apart from this, the device lacks gyro-EIS and 4K recording support. Even the sensors offered by the Oppo brand are below par as per pricing. The camera section will disappoint you if you have high expectations from the device.

Battery and Others

The battery performance of the Oppo A1 smartphone might not break any records in the first place. But still, the Li-Po 5000 mAh battery configuration is more than enough for watching content, scrolling through social media feeds, and playing casual games with no issues. And even after all of those activities, the phone can provide more than a day’s worth of battery life. However, long gaming sessions will deplete the battery faster.

Anyway, the users can expect up to 5+ hours of screen time, while around 55 minutes is enough to refuel the battery from flat to 100% with the robust 67W fast charging support. Aside from this, the phone supports OTG, offers a 3.5 mm jack, grants stereo loudspeakers, and many more things. In terms of pricing, the starting variant of the Oppo A1 costs around $300 (Rs 25,000 in India) approx.

Oppo A1 Pros and Cons

Oppo A1 Specifications Detail

Down below you can see the full specifications of the Oppo A1 smartphone.

Conclusion

You can go through a wide range of phones, yet there are only a handful of phones that provide value-for-money deals. The Oppo A1 has some appreciable set of specs like the software support and robust fast charging. Still, the phone does lack when it comes to display, HDR support, 4K recording, and camera quality. Yes, the device has a 3.5mm jack and stereo speakers support which is quite a good thing.

Although, it might not be a great option if you are looking for better gaming performance. The package can be good for those people who want easier customization, faster UI response, and a decent size battery life. Anyways, there are some major downsides of this device that can’t be neglected especially at this pricing point, when there are plenty of decent alternatives available in the market.

The device neither fulfills the expectation of a camera-centric user nor of a user looking for robust performance. In our opinion, the device is not worth the price you’re going to pay, however, the final decision is up to you. If you are looking for an alternative, check out the Vivo Y78 Plus which provides almost the same features and specs at a better pricing point