Oppo A78 5G Review
Oppo makes some impressive smartphones these days – just look at the flagship Find N2 Flip or Find X5 Pro for the Chinese manufacturer to compete in the luxury phone market. However, the Oppo A78 5G is designed as a budget model that sells for less than its premium sibling.
As the name suggests, this is a 5G phone - but what do you actually get with this cheaper smartphone?
Oppo A78 5G: specifications
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Rear camera: 50 megapixels with f/1.8 aperture and 2 megapixels depth camera with f/2.4 aperture
Magnification range: -
Front camera: 8MP f/2.
Display: 6.56-inch LCD, 90 Hz, 1612 x 720 pixels, 269 ppi
Operating system: ColorOS 13
Processor: MediaTek 6833, 8 cores up to 2.2 GHz
GPU: Mali-G57 MC2, 950 MHz
Image Stabilization: No
Maximum video resolution: 1080p@30fps
Facial recognition: yes
5G: yes
Storage capacity: 128GB
RAM: 4GB
Water resistance: IPX4
Battery: 5000mAh, supports SuperVooc 33W fast charging
Charger: USB Type C (included)
3.5mm Headphone Jack: Yes
Dimensions : 163.8 x 75.1 x 7.99 mm
Color Options: Black, Purple or Blue
Weight: 188 grams
OPPO A78 5G: main features
One of the great features of this phone is its impressive 5,000 mAh battery, which can last up to a second day if needed. This is supported by the use of OPPO's fast charging technology which runs at 33W of power, meaning the battery can be charged to 100% in just 67 minutes or more than 50% in half an hour. Please also note that a power supply and a USB-C cable are included in the delivery. So, unlike some manufacturers, Oppo doesn't assume you already have a charger. It's no surprise that there's no wireless charging available here, given the price.
Another nice addition is that in addition to the USB-C jack, there's also a 3.5mm headphone jack, a feature that's increasingly rare on phones in all price ranges these days.
The screen is a basic 720p LED display, but despite the lack of OLED, the 6.5-inch screen is a decent size and has a decent 90Hz refresh rate.
A belt-and-strap approach to security gives you the ability to set up facial recognition and fingerprint recognition on your phone, so you can, for example, access your phone without having to remove your sunglasses and gloves.
The phone runs on Oppo's ColorOS operating system, its version of Android. It all looks familiar and easy to navigate, but the home setup includes a lot of bloatware, mostly games you probably didn't download yourself, but at least you don't have to pay for.
OPPO A78 5G: Structure and handling
Where the phone starts to get frustrating is on the back. The back is made of cheap plastic, so it's not comfortable. If you buy this phone, you will immediately need a protective case that will protect you from the noise that occurs when you rub or touch the plastic case with your fingers.
There are also two prominent camera lens caps on the back. In fact, despite being equipped with dual bangs, this mobile phone only has a rear camera. The other lens is a single 2MP prime lens, designed exclusively to support other cameras with autofocus and depth effects.
The main camera offers a good resolution of 50 MP - as long as you enable it in the settings, as it is not enabled by default. And if you go further, you can also force the camera to extrapolate a 108-megapixel image from a 50-megapixel sensor (although we advise you not to waste your time as this is just a marketing gimmick).
To get the most out of the camera, like other Oppo phones, you'll need to enable Pro mode, a feature you'll have to look for as it's obviously not available. Unlike some of the company's more expensive phones, there are no Hasselblad-approved extras like the X-Pan panorama mode.
What you don't get with this setup is an ultra-wide-angle lens. And while you get 10x digital zoom, there's no telephoto lens either. The lack of a wider viewing angle is disappointing - and the digital zoom results definitely aren't worth it (since you can always crop the image later).
OPPO A78 5G: example images
OPPO A78 5G: verdict
The biggest draw of the Oppo A78 5G is probably its price. This is a budget smartphone but still offers good value for money. Notable perks include the impressive 5,000mAh battery, which often lasts into the third day after weeks of using the phone without needing charging. And if you need to refresh your cell, you get 33W fast charging, so you can put your phone back in your pocket with minimal delay.
Disappointment on the phone is everywhere. The front is very nice, but the back feels very cheap and not very pleasant to the touch. While this gives the impression of a dual-camera setup, you actually only get a 50MP wide-angle lens. There are no ultra-wide-angle or telephoto options to limit your photographic creativity.
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