Advantages & Disadvantages of Buying OPPO Smartphone

OPPO has successfully established a formidable presence. Since its entry into the market in 2013, the brand has achieved notable prominence owing to its assertive and impactful advertising techniques.

As a major player in the cellphone industry, OPPO launches a consistent stream of new phone models each year. Annually, OPPO unveils over seven phone models from budget-friendly to mid-range, and up to the premium segment. Meanwhile, in its home country of China, OPPO is well-known for its monthly new phone releases.

OPPO's diverse product range facilitates different market segments. In addition, the brand strengthens its visibility by partnering with influencers and celebrities for marketing initiatives. This approach plays an important role in enhancing the brand's growing resonance among consumers.

However, strong marketing doesn't necessarily mean strong product quality. Every product, including OPPO's, has its unique strengths and weaknesses, as no product can cater to everyone's needs perfectly.

Let's examine the pros and the cons of this OPPO cellphone. In this analysis, we will eksplor six benefits and four drawbacks associated with it.

The Pros of OPPO Smartphone

Interested in discovering what makes OPPO phones stand out? Let's delve into the primary advantages of this mobile brand. Check out the specific details below.

1. Offering Functionality and Excellence in Specific Sectors

In both specific country markets and the global sphere, OPPO offers a diverse range of phone series.

In particular, OPPO has gained significant fame for the F series, with models such as the OPPO F4, F5, F7, F9, and F11 series well-known for their superior selfie cameras. Whenever a new F series phone was launched, OPPO consistently highlighted its standout front camera features, thereby earning a reputation for excelling in the selfie camera sector.

The R series also plays a key role in OPPO's portfolio. The company claims that this series is among the most popular worldwide, known as a phone with advanced and fast technology but still classy in a fist. Thus, it's considered a part of the high-end smartphone category.

However, the R series was eventually discontinued and replaced by the OPPO Reno series, which debuted in 2019. From that year onwards, OPPO decided to discontinue the F series, instead concentrating on the Reno series, renowned for providing mid-range phones with a high-end feel.

During a conversation with Aryo Meidianto A., the PR manager of OPPO Indonesia, I had the chance to inquire about the discontinuation of the F series. He said that OPPO wants to avoid being stereotyped as a brand that only excelled in selfie cameras. This emphasizes that the F series indeed prioritized selfie camera capabilities.

With the introduction of the Reno series, OPPO presents product variants that have unique strengths. Certain series focused on the primary camera, while others prioritized enhancing the user experience.

As a result, the Reno series often saw multiple versions within each series. For instance, the second series included the OPPO Reno2 and Reno2 F, whereas the eighth series comprised of Reno8, Reno8 Z, Reno8 Pro, and Reno8 Pro+.

Actually, the spirit of the F series was kept alive in the Reno line, with models featuring an F suffix, such as OPPO Reno2 F, OPPO Reno4 F, and OPPO Reno5 F. However, the OPPO Reno F series seems to have stopped at Reno5 F.

In the latest Reno8 series, OPPO introduced the T variants, including the OPPO Reno8 T and OPPO Reno8 T 5G. The 'T' stands for 'Topped Up', which means increased excellence on every side of the device. Therefore, the Reno series strives to focus on presenting specifications across all fronts.

OPPO also presents the OPPO A series, which spans various product lines from entry-level to mid-range, depending on the specific series.

Generally priced lower than the OPPO Reno series, the A series includes high-end models such as the OPPO A96, A76, A78, A78 5G, and A98. On the more affordable end, it offers devices like the OPPO A17k, A33, and A57.

Each model in the A series carries its unique selling points. For instance, the OPPO A55, despite its mid-range price tag and less powerful chipset, impresses with its waterproof ability thanks to its IPX4 certification.

An interesting feature is also offered by OPPO A74 5G, a mid-range device. The spotlight here is on its Snapdragon 480 chipset, a rapid processor with 5G network support.

In contrast, the Find X series holds the position as OPPO's most comprehensive lineup, boasting superior camera quality compared to other OPPO phone models. OPPO's dedication to enhancing the camera sector is evident through their collaborations with experienced industry players.

In this case, OPPO appointed Hasselblad, a prestigious Swedish camera manufacturer. OPPO specifically requested Hasselblad to craft the color calibration and interface for Hasselblad's signature camera application. The result of this collaboration is the launch of the Find X5 Pro.

In 2023, OPPO made waves in the market with the introduction of the innovative OPPO Find N2 Flip, a flip phone that outperforms the Samsung Galaxy Z 4 Flip 5G. The Find N2 Flip stands out due to its larger primary and secondary screen size, along with smoother performance and interface.

By focusing on specific strengths, each OPPO phone has its own unique and compelling selling points. Rather than creating devices with average capabilities across the board, OPPO focuses on one or a few advantages that serve as their primary selling points.

2. Producing Phones That Align with Market Preferences

By capitalizing on its strengths in various aspects, OPPO holds a compelling position in the mobile phone market.

With this strategy, OPPO releases a variety of phones that align with consumer preferences. During the highest peak of the selfie trend, OPPO launched several models with superior selfie capabilities. When the market demanded affordable and waterproof phones, OPPO also presented a special phone series.

As the 5G network becomes more popular, OPPO introduced cost-effective phones supporting the advanced network. Responding to the need for high-specification, luxurious phones, OPPO launched the Find series, including the Find X, Find X2 Pro, Find X3 Pro, Find X5 Pro, and OPPO X6 Pro.

Moreover, when foldable phones became mainstream in the smartphone industry, OPPO didn't remain silent. They launched the OPPO Find N2 Flip, an impressive contender against Samsung, meeting public demand for a flip phone with a long-lasting battery, strong performance, and a functional secondary screen.

For this reason, it's fair to say that every new series from OPPO typically serves the evolving needs of the market.

3. VOOC Flash Charge Technology

OPPO deserves appreciation for its persistent R&D efforts leading to numerous innovations. One such notable innovation is the introduction of VOOC Flash Charge fast-charging technology. OPPO established itself as a pioneer in creating exclusive fast-charging technology, a trend that was later imitated by other manufacturers.

VOOC Flash Charge technology enables rapid charging of phones in a short duration. For instance, with just a five-minute charge, the OPPO F9 can support 2 hours of talk time.

Similarly, if a phone battery is at 35%, a 20-minute charge can boost it to 70%. This technology has evolved further into the even faster Super VOOC Flash Charge, which was first incorporated in the OPPO Find X Lamborghini Limited Edition.

SuperVOOC 2.0 technology, with its remarkable capability to fully charge a device in just 38 minutes, is also incorporated in the OPPO Find X2 series.

the VOOC Flash Charge feature is not supported in all OPPO phones. This technology is primarily available in higher-end models such as the Reno series and some models from the A series, including the OPPO A74. Lower-priced OPPO devices do not incorporate this feature, limiting its availability to specific phone models within the OPPO lineup.

Looking at its development, VOOC was first introduced in 2014. Then in 2015, VOOC 2.0 technology was launched with a power specification of 5V/4A. A number of OPPO smartphones, including the OPPO Find 1, OPPO N3, and OPPO R5 to R15, support VOOC 2.0.

SuperVOOC was introduced in 2018 as the successor to VOOC 2.0 technology, featuring a power spec of 10V/5A (50 W) to charge two battery cells. This feature is supported by several OPPO devices such as the OPPO Find X and OPPO R17 Pro.

In 2019, VOOC 3.0 was introduced, claiming to charge 23.8 percent faster than regular VOOC. This technology is commonly found in the OPPO F11 and OPPO Reno series. Then in 2020, OPPO released SuperVOOC 2.0, which operates up to 125 W (20V/6.25V).

SuperVOOC 2.0 also comes in a lower power variant of 50W. The SuperVOOC 2.0 protocol is supported by several flagship phones such as the OPPO Find X2 and OPPO Find X3. This technology is also included in a number of mid-range phones like the OPPO Reno4 Pro, Reno5, and Reno6 Pro.

So, which OPPO phone has the quickest charging capability? Of course, we need to look no further than the Find X series, which features the most advanced specifications among all OPPO series. For example, the OPPO Find X5 Pro utilizes a power spec of 80W. This is further increased to 100W in the OPPO Find X6 Pro.

Consider this: the OPPO Find X6 Pro requires merely about 30 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 percent. Then, there's the OPPO Find N2 Flip with a 44W SuperVOOC feature, capable of achieving a full charge in less than an hour. As of 2023, the OPPO Find X2 Flip is one of the fastest-charging flip phones globally.

4. Consistently Have An Eye-catching Design

One of the consistent attractions of OPPO phones is their design. OPPO's lineup always offers captivating designs across all tiers, from entry-level to mid-range and high-end models. Their foldable device, the OPPO Find N2 Flip, is arguably a standout for its unique and appealing design.

The Reno and Find series, in particular, present the most prominent design innovations. In fact, several unique OPPO models have resulted from collaborations with different parties, such as the OPPO Reno5 Marvel Edition.

Even the A series has some interesting designs, though they may not be as striking as those found in the Reno and Find series. It's no surprise, then, that OPPO phones often command attention through their design aesthetics, alongside the standout quality of their front-facing cameras.

5. Successful Marketing Strategy

OPPO ranks among the top-selling mobile phone brands in the market, often securing a spot within the top five vendors in terms of device shipments.

This achievement is inseparable from OPPO's strategic and targeted marketing campaigns. The company's marketing approach is comprehensive and extensive, spanning across various platforms.

For instance, OPPO often recruits famous brand ambassadors to connect with its target audience. They also advertise aggressively across television, print, and digital media platforms to maintain high visibility and brand awareness.

Furthermore, in many cities, you'll often see OPPO's green advertisements displayed along major highways and city streets. The company frequently partners with mobile phone retail outlets, which display OPPO banners prominently, further enhancing its brand recognition.

This multichannel marketing strategy contributes significantly to OPPO's visibility, making the brand easily recognized and remembered by consumers.

6. Popular Entry-Level Phones

OPPO's mobile products, largely due to excellent branding, have been enjoying strong sales, particularly in their entry-level series. These phones' accessibility, quality, and functionality have made them a favorite among a broad spectrum of consumers.

Nevertheless, this popularity has sparked an undesirable consequence. Unscrupulous merchants have capitalized on the high demand for OPPO phones, deceiving buyers by repackaging and selling secondhand phones as brand new. They typically offer older models like OPPO A3s, A5s, and OPPO A31 2020 at attractive prices, falsely advertising them as unused.

Unwitting consumers, who believe they're snagging a bargain on a brand-new phone, often realize too late that the phone is pre-owned and devoid of an official OPPO warranty.

This situation doesn't tarnish OPPO's reputation, but rather highlights the dishonest practices of these sellers. It serves as a warning to consumers to always buy from trustworthy vendors to guarantee the authenticity of new products and to get the appropriate warranty.

The Cons of OPPO Phones

After knowing the advantages of OPPO phones, let's discuss the disadvantages of OPPO phones in general.

1. Unworthy Price to Performance

The extensive and effective marketing strategy deployed by OPPO inevitably influences the selling prices of its products, which often results in their smartphones being perceived as overpriced relative to their specifications when compared to competing brands.

For example, the launch of the OPPO Reno4 Pro in September 2020, when many consumers felt that the smartphone was somewhat overpriced. Comparable smartphones equipped with the same chipset as the Reno4 Pro were selling at lower prices, and at the same price point, there were other smartphones offering more compelling specifications.

This issue persisted with the launch of the OPPO Reno8 T 5G, which used the Snapdragon 695 5G, a chipset typically found in mid-range smartphones.

The 4G variant, the OPPO Reno8 T 4G, encountered similar criticisms. Despite being a performance-enhanced version of the OPPO Reno8, it was equipped with the Helio G99 chipset, which was commonly found in entry-level phones during the first quarter of 2023.

Cheap A-series models, such as the OPPO A17 and A17K launched in 2022, faced the same issue. They were priced near the mid-range category but were powered by the less advanced Helio G35 SoC. Hence, we could say that the majority of OPPO smartphones don't offer a competitive price-to-performance ratio.

However, this isn't always the case as some OPPO smartphones do offer good value considering their price and the specifications provided. For instance, the premium Find series, which includes the Find X3 Pro, Find X5 Pro, and Find X6 Pro, are priced at the high-end, but offer matching high-end specifications and performance.

2. Significant Drop in Price of Used OPPO Phones

Interestingly, despite being a popular brand, OPPO smartphones experience a drastic drop in their resale price. Unlike Samsung or iPhone brands, where the resale prices tend to hold up fairly well.

While depreciation is a common thing in the used smartphone market, It's notable how often this happens with OPPO phones. There have been instances where retail outlets and mobile counters have been reluctant to buy back used OPPO phones at reasonable prices, even if the devices have only been used for a short duration, such as a week.

The underlying reason for this drastic drop lies in OPPO's one-price strategy for all sellers. For example, when the new OPPO A74 was launched in the mid-range price segment in April 2021, all sellers were required to maintain that price range, without any deviations. Failure to comply with this policy could result in penalties from OPPO, including potential termination of partnerships.

This selling price, however, includes a commission for retail outlets that are in partnership with OPPO. Additionally, OPPO often provides bonuses to outlets that meet or exceed their sales targets for OPPO phones.

This outlet partnership strategy greatly contributes to the high sales volume of OPPO phones, as mentioned in point 5 of the pros section. As a result, many sellers frequently and assertively promote OPPO phones to potential customers, particularly those still hesitant about which brand to opt for.

This strategy also affects end-users who wish to sell their used OPPO phones. Retail outlets often refuse to buy these devices at higher prices, as the profits derived from reselling used OPPO phones are considerably less compared to selling new ones.

However, this price issue doesn't significantly affect the online marketplace. Numerous sellers offer OPPO phones at prices lower than the designated retail price. Similarly, used OPPO phones are often sold on online platforms at fairly reasonable prices.

3. Inferior Build Quality

One aspect that makes OPPO less attractive is the poor build quality of its devices. Despite offering appealing design aesthetics, OPPO's devices often fall short in product quality when compared to their competitors. Although the designs are visually appealing, they can feel less sturdy.

The durability of OPPO phones was put to the test by JerryRigEverything, a YouTube channel known for conducting rigorous stress tests on mobile devices. They tested the resilience of the OPPO Find X and found that the device could easily be bent by applying force with both hands, despite the fact that the Find X is positioned as a premium phone from OPPO.

However, the matter of build quality is subjective, and over time, OPPO has made significant improvements to its products. It must be acknowledged that the successors of the OPPO Find X (including Find X2, Find X2 Pro, Find X3 Pro, and Find X5 Pro) represent some of OPPO's finest devices, exhibiting significant advancements in build quality.

4. Rarely Provides OS Updates

A significant downside to OPPO phones is their infrequency of providing updates for the Android operating system. OPPO is indeed quite stingy to provide operating system updates. For instance, an OPPO phone that comes with Android 13 installed isn't necessarily guaranteed to receive an update to Android 14 in the future.

This pattern is evident in older OPPO models as well, which rarely receive updates, sometimes even lacking a single system update. Even if there is a system update, it typically only involves an upgrade to the ColorOS UI, rather than a full OS update.

Those are some of the pros and cons of OPPO phones in general. It should be noted that these may not apply universally to every model. There are certainly many OPPO phones that exhibit exceptional attributes while also having certain drawbacks. Hopefully, this information helps.