Whereas other manufacturers make their focus only on the higher-end devices, OPPO has been manufacturing smartphones for every segment beginning from the low-cost end to the high-cost end, with a guarantee that it is the best. A quality guarantee will be for any product regardless of the segment.
If looking for an affordable yet high-quality smartphone, Oppo is the best manufacturer. Today Biareview will bring you a new launch of appreciated Oppo product in the past- Oppo A5.
Specifications
OS: Android 9 Pie with ColorOS 6.0.1
Processor: Snapdragon 665
5000mAh battery with reverse charging
4GB RAM
64GB memory (expandable storage up to 256GB)
1600 x 720 pixels resolution
Front camera: 16MP with AI beautification
The main rear camera comprises a 12-megapixel sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, a 2-megapixel monochrome sensor and another 2-megapixel depth sensor.
Here are design and performance
The first-class Chinese mobile phone maker OPPO is significantly into the smartphone market segment. Oppos are known to be one of the best in the brand for camera and design phones. Thus, the users can easily guess that the A5 2020 would bring great beauty and quality in terms of the camera, even though it is a low-cost phone.
The Oppo A5 has the largest size compared to smartphones at present; hence, this big phone is not conveniently pocketed or used with one hand, but if you have measured that size and big screen size, then Oppo A5 gives the best movie-watching and games-experience possible. It supports dual SIM, USB-C port, and 3.5 mm headphone jack, and has dual speakers. For security, you will choose whether to use the rear-mounted fingerprint scanner or the face recognition software. As it tested the product, the application worked fairly fast and pretty well about face and fingerprint identifications with low latency.
It uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 665 processor, which is the standard chip available for mid-range phones and a few high-end devices. So that clearly results in a brownie point for Oppo A5. For interface, it runs on the Android 9 (Pie) with ColorOS 6 skin over the top. And no-nonsense approach to the Android interface of Oppo, with a clean lay-out and user-friendly experience. It is endowed with 4GB RAM and a storage of 64GB and expandable memory up to 256GB. If that is not enough, the Machine has a Micro slot that provides up to 256GB of additional storage.
Screen
This waterdrop notch display has an overall screen-to-body ratio of 89% ,and a 6.5 inches display size for phenomenal photos, gaming,and video watching. Also, this phone includes a 720p display, which resolves 1600 x 720 pixels . Still , with that kind of resolution, you could say that Oppo is a little bit on the weaker side compared with other middle-range phones in the market.
Oppo themselves say dynamic pixel adjustment is the technology, so wherever it’s bright environments or sunlight, it’ll adjust by itself. For my part, I do not see them very good thus it is much necessary to adjust except, at times, choose the most suitable brightness.
Camera
This is one of the best features of the Oppo A5 smartphone. The Quad Camera comprises a 12MP primary lens, a 119° ultra-wide lens for panoramic shots, and two rear lenses for creative portrait effects. Meanwhile, the front side of the Oppo A5 has a 16MP Camera with beautifying AI features, which helps auto-adjust beautiful images, hence very suitable for a Selfie lover.
This feature gives you that airbrushed look when you’re taking a selfie by smoothing out any imperfections on your skin and, in fact, providing that entire airbrush feel to your pictures without the need for further editing or a future app. This is an excellent option to have if you do a lot of selfies, and the AI is pretty amazing to have on a budget phone.
Indoors or outdoors, photo quality is amazing in low-light situations too. Overall, the Oppo A5 still has one very strong point, that put the Oppo name on the map a while ago: the ability to take really stunning photos. You’ll be surprised, to know this budget phone has a killer camera, and it does the job in a kind of quietly impressive way.
Software Experience
ColorOS Interface
Oppo A5 runs ColorOS which is that custom Android skin by Oppo, and at launch it was based on Android 9.0 Pie, then later the company pushed additional updates on top of newer Android versions. ColorOS is pretty well known for a heavily tweaked interface, it feels quite different when you compare it to stock Android, like night and day.
On top of that, ColorOS comes with a broad set of customization options , so you can tweak things like themes, icon styles, and multiple gesture controls. People who are really into changing every tiny little detail will probably enjoy it, though if you are someone who likes a cleaner, more minimalistic, or more “stock like” experience you might feel it gets a bit cluttered.
Pre-Installed Apps and Bloatware
The curses of bloat-ware are what we hate about ColorOS. The Oppo A5 launches with enough apps that some of them may be irrelevant to some users. Some pre-installed cannot be uninstalled, while others would require a complicated way to get rid of, and it can be very irritating for those who want a clean interface.
Positively, ColorOS has a creator with several goodies like dark mode, app cloning (to run two instances of the same app), and game space mode to optimize performance during your gaming stint.
Software Updates and Support
Oppo has gotten better with software update records recently, but it still does not really go anywhere near the fastest out there when it comes to the big Android updates. Like, the Oppo A5 software updates were available for Android 10 and higher, though the pace and how often it landed would be different, depending on the region.
Security updates are also an essential part of consideration. Although Oppo releases them from time to time, they might make you feel that some other brands like Google or Samsung would have issued them quicker.
Battery Life
The huge 5000mAh battery.
One of the defining features of Oppo A5 is the huge battery rated at 5000mAh, highly respected in budget equipment. With such battery power and aided by the power-efficient Snapdragon 665 processor in the phone, the Oppo A5 boasts of great battery life.
The battery on the Oppo A5, when put on test, would easily last a day of heavy usage; in fact, decent usage could stretch it between one to two days. Thus, the phone is commendably poised as an option for users who demand a device that could go the distance without frequent charge top-ups.
Charging Speed
The Oppo A5 comes with 10W charging, which frankly is slower compared to the far more advanced fast charging technologies supported by devices in this premium segment. It would take an unreasonably long time by modern-day standards to charge from 0% to 100% for about 2.5-3 hours on the 5000mAh battery.
The slow charging speed really seems to be on the negative side; however, compensating for that is the large battery owing to which you may not find the need to charge it frequently. That said, it could still be a downside for users always on the go and require their phones to be charged on a quick basis.
Connectivity and Networking Performance
Dual SIM and MicroSD storage support.
With dual SIM operations, the Oppo A5 is very handy for users who require the use of two numbers at a time, and allocated the storage to microSD is another feature that helps you not to sacrifice one SIM slot.
In terms of network performance, the A5 will support 4G LTE for both SIMs, and call quality is also good. The reception gives a good signal for calls, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections are optimized too. A huge plus is the dedicated 3.5mm headphone jack for all those users still clinging on to wired headphones.
Audio capacity.
The Oppo A5 employs low-quality sound out of a single bottom-firing speaker that should meet a cheap phone’s audio standards. It is loud enough so you can watch videos or listen to music, yet the quality is just basic and lacks sort of knock effects and richness.
Consequently, headphones would be the better way to go, with a 3.5mm port being a great option for anyone wanting wired audio. The sound performance from headphones is passable, although it lacks any special high-resolution audio features such as a dedicated DAC.
Features of the Phone
Fingerprint Sensor and Face Unlock
On the Oppo A5 you get a fingerprint sensor on the back, and it’s generally quick, dependable, and yeah it feels pretty responsive. It’s also set up in a sensible spot so reaching it with your index finger is easy, so unlocking tends to be smooth and accurate most of the time.
Then there’s face unlock too, which uses the front-facing camera. Typically the speed for face unlock is good, but it’s not usually as secure as unlocking with your fingerprint, specially when the light gets low because the camera may struggle to recognize your face. If security is the priority for you, then you should really lean on the fingerprint method.
NFC Is Missing, Sadly
NFC, or Near Field Communication, is one practical tech feature that the Oppo A5 simply doesn’t include. Because of this, the phone can’t handle contactless payments via Google Pay. If you’re one of those people who already got used to tapping your phone to pay, then this omission could feel like a real downside, not just a small thing.
Value for Money
Price and Competition
The Oppo A5 shows up in the budget smartphone arena, you know, that spot where it can actually feel like good value for the money, while still doing a decent job with features. When it launched, the Oppo A5 pricing gave it a pretty real competitive edge, compared with other low-cost options from Xiaomi Realme, and Samsung, at least in that same moment in time, and yeah things move fast.
In this particular price band, the Oppo A5s main standouts stay its battery capacity, camera flexibility, and the overall build quality. Still, the competition pressure is pretty serious because a bunch of other phones either match its specs, or quietly push past it in areas like display resolution, and charging speeds too.
Who Should Buy the Oppo A5?
The Oppo A5 kind of feels like a decent pick for someone who just wants a basic phone for regular day to day life, not a lot of drama. It should land especially well for folks who care about endurance, and that “ staying power” thing, because the 5000mAh cell is honestly one of the biggest pluses here.
For photos, the camera arrangement should be fine for occasional snapshots, not necessarily for heavy users. Plus, the attractive design and solid enough build will likely pull in a budget-conscious buyer who still wants a phone that looks good in hand.
If you need fast charging, or you really want an NFC phone, for contactless payments then you might want to look around for some other kind of option at about the same price.
Overall
The Oppo A5 operates well as a budget handset as it provides solid performance at a low price range. The device boasts well-built design and construction for its price below mid-level, and an extensive 5000mAh battery makes sure that by the end of the day, you are still not running toward a charger.
A quad-camera system should offer a fair amount of versatility in photography, but given the fact that it cannot be used without some hitches such as low-light photography, it does not take away from this photography experience. While the display is just HD+, it holds up fine for most standard uses, and although it will not excel in high-end apps and games, it fits in neatly for everyday activity.
The experience of using ColorOS software is most diverse: a mix of providing options for tweaking things and having bloat in form of preloaded apps. The most glaring omissions, as many might say, would probably be no NFC and the not-quite-to-standard charging speeds.
Overall, if you need a cellphone that gives you a decent battery life and a pretty solid camera without paying too much , then the Oppo A5 is basically the phone for you. It might not take the top accolade in every way, but it seems pretty balanced across the main areas so it is a strong offering in that budget smartphone segment.
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Tech Reviewer & Product Analyst
Định Bia has spent over 10 years testing consumer electronics with a focus on smart technology. He work as a product advisor at Biareview where he helped customers find the right devices for their needs. He personally tests every product featured on this site using a consistent evaluation framework covering quality, durability, and value. All reviews are based on experience, not influenced by the manufacturer.