The Oppo A5 5G is a budget-friendly smartphone that aims to provide good value for its price. Priced at £179, it competes with other budget phones like the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G, Moto G56, and Poco M7 Pro 5G. The Oppo A5 5G offers some standout features such as epic stamina, solid build quality, and a lower price compared to its competitors. However, it also has some drawbacks including a poor 720p display, limited camera flexibility, lots of bloatware, and chunky bezels.
Design & Build:
The Oppo A5 5G comes in Aurora Green and Mist White colors and features IP65 water and dust resistance as well as MIL-STD 810H military-grade shock resistance. It has a plastic back but feels solid and durable. The phone is on the heavier side due to its large 6000mAh battery. The design is functional and robust, with a frosted finish that resists fingerprints. However, the large display bezels and chin give away its budget nature.
Screen & Speakers:
The phone sports a 6.67-inch LCD display with a 720p resolution. While it has a fluid 120Hz refresh rate and good brightness, the use of an LCD panel means it lacks the vibrant colors and deep blacks of AMOLED displays. The mono speaker at the bottom is loud but lacks a sense of spaciousness.
Specs & Performance:
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset and 4GB of RAM, the Oppo A5 5G delivers modest performance. It falls behind its competitors in benchmark tests but performs adequately for everyday tasks. The phone’s low-res display places less strain on the GPU, resulting in better GPU performance. Gaming performance is average, with the phone struggling to run demanding games smoothly.
Camera:
The Oppo A5 5G features a 50MP main rear camera and a 2MP depth sensor, lacking an ultrawide camera. The camera performance is average, with the main sensor struggling in challenging lighting conditions. The phone’s night mode is not very effective, producing grainy and muddy images. The 8MP front camera captures decent selfies but lacks sharpness.
Battery Life & Charging:
The standout feature of the Oppo A5 5G is its huge 6000mAh battery, which offers excellent battery life. The phone supports up to 45W wired charging, but a charger is not included in the box. With its low-power processor and 720p display, the phone can last well beyond two days on a single charge.
Software & Apps:
The phone runs on ColorOS 15 based on Android 15. ColorOS offers fast performance and customization options but comes with pre-installed bloatware. The AI features are limited compared to higher-end Oppo models. The phone has been tested for “48-Month Fluency”, ensuring smooth performance over four years.
Price & Availability:
The Oppo A5 5G is available for £179 and can be purchased from the Oppo UK store or third-party retailers like Currys and Amazon. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage in two color options. While it undercuts its competitors in price, it lags behind in display quality and performance.
In conclusion, the Oppo A5 5G offers good value for its price with its robust build, long battery life, and lower cost. However, it falls short in display quality, performance, and camera capabilities compared to its rivals. Despite its drawbacks, the Oppo A5 5G can be a suitable choice for those looking for a budget-friendly smartphone with decent features.
