Oppo’s new smartphone a winner
Oppo’s X2 Pro smartphone, with it’s 48-megapixel camera, is as good as any of its rivals, writes David Court.
Apple, Samsung or Huawei? Those three manufacturers used to represent the only choice Kiwis had when it came to choosing their next (high-end) smartphone.
But that all changed this week with the launch of the excellent Oppo Find X2 Pro smartphone.
And with Huawei’s new phones effectively off the menu, thanks to Donald Trump’s ban, the timing of Oppo releasing this excellent device couldn’t be better.
The Oppo Find X2 Pro will cost NZ$1899 and is expected to hit shelves in the second quarter (rumours suggest May) this year.
Note: Oppo also launched a more affordable, and nearly-asgood, Oppo Find X2 (roughly 20 per cent cheaper in other markets). But it’s unclear if or when this device will be available in New Zealand.
Who is Oppo?
Many people have not heard of Oppo. And unless you’re a fan of international cricket or tennis (sports that Oppo aggressively sponsors) or a dedicated follower of technology, there’s no reason you should be familiar with Oppo.
That’s because Oppo only started competing in non-Asian markets in 2018, and it’s still very much a challenger brand.
It’s previous attempts to break into the Western smartphone market have been a bit lukewarm. The launch of the original Find X phone was a bit ‘‘meh’’, and while the Reno smartphones were better devices, they still didn’t disrupt the market status quo much.
The Oppo Find X2 and Find X2 Pro will definitely do that.
About the devices
At the time of writing, only the more expensive NZ$1899 Oppo Find X2 Pro is confirmed for New Zealand.
However, come May, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Find X2 is also available here.
So, in an exercise of bet-hedging, I’m going to cover both devices. Usually, this is a complicated thing to do in a single article because there are so many variants. But that’s not the case here because the two devices are so similar.
The first thing that needs to be said is that these are beautiful phones. The devices’ slim lines and black ceramic finish gives Oppo an elegant feel. That is important, as it’s something Oppo has never had before.
Both devices are 5G-ready and feature Qualcomm’s new top-end Snapdragon 865 chipset.
The devices also share Oppo’s impressive new QHD (Quad HD) 1440 x 3168 pixels (513 ppi density) 6.7-inch, 90.9 per cent screen-tobody ratio, 120Hz display.
The X2s can also automatically upgrade 30fps video to 60fps, or even 120fps thanks to the device’s O1 Ultra Vision Engine screen chipset that Oppo says is perfect for watching Netflix, YouTube or live sport.
The two phones also share the phone’s other headline feature: Fast charging. Oppo’s updated VOOC fast-charge technology has a peak power performance of 65 watts. That is impressive as it lets you charge the Find X2 Pro 4260mAh battery phone from empty to full in 38 minutes (the Find X2’s 4200mAh charges in 35 minutes).
The iPhone 11 for comparison’s sake ships with a 5-watt charger and takes 3.25 hours to charge fully.
So far, so similar. Which means most of the 20 per cent price difference is attributed to the X2 and the X2 Pro’s camera setups. Both devices have three rear-facing cameras, but they’re slightly different.
The Pro, as you’d expect, has the superior setup. The primary shooter is a 48-megapixel camera that features a brand new Sony IMX689 sensor that’s exclusive to Oppo, and has been designed to handle low-light scenarios better.
The Find X2 Pro also comes with the ability to shoot 12-bit RAW images – a feature that serious photography enthusiasts will enjoy.
Just beneath this, quite literally, is the same specced zoom camera as you’ll find in the Oppo Reno 10X. This camera uses a periscope lens to create a 5x optical zoom, 10x hybrid zoom, and up to 60x digital zoom when you really push it.
Last and probably least, is the phone’s third 48-megapixel wideangle (110-degree) lens, that uses a standard Sony sensor and doesn’t do a lot more than take wide-angle images, albeit good ones.
The standard Find X2 features a slightly more modest camera setup. The primary camera boasts 48-megapixel specs too. However, the image sensor isn’t as good as the Pros. Likewise, the secondary camera only features a 5x hybrid zoom and 20x digital zoom.
Finally, there’s a 12-megapixel ‘‘video lens’’ camera (120-degree) camera that’s called ‘‘video’’ because it captures footage at a 16:9 ratio.
Both phones boast camera specs that are more than enough to cater for the average needs of the average smartphone user in 2020.
The only other differences are the storage and dimensions with the Find X2 Pro coming with 12GB RAM; 512GB onboard storage, and measures in at 165.2x74.4x8.8mm, weighing 200g.
And the Find X2 comes with 12GB RAM, but has 256GB of onboard storage (which is still massive), and its dimensions are 164.9x74.5x8.0mm and weighing 187g.
To sum up, the Find X2 phones are as brilliant inside as they are good looking.
For the first time in forever, Oppo has produced a smartphone (arguably two) that is as good as any of its rivals. And that’s great news for us consumers.