Functionality and style are important factors for consumers when buying a smartphone. Functions provide convenience for work and lifestyle, while style matches your aesthetic. The Oppo A96 delivers the wants and needs of consumers.
Design: 5/5
Unboxing the Oppo A96, it included a manual attached with a warranty card, the usual silicon clear case, a sim card ejector pin, a SUPERVOOC adapter, a USB-C cable, but no earphones. The demo unit we received came in gorgeous Pearl Pink, with a holographic effect that changes between pink and light blue hues when you turn the phone sideways.
The Oppo A96 has a Colour-Rich Punch-Hole Display and an adaptive 90Hz refresh rate. The screen can be switched to light or dark mode, with temperature adjustment that best suits your eyes.
The fingerprint scanner, power, and lock/unlock button are located on the right side of the smartphone. The volume keys and sim card tray can be found on its left side. Its earphone jack, charging port, and speakers are on the bottom, while the receiver is on the top-front. In front is a single front camera and at the back is a dual camera.
Hardware: 4/5
The Oppo A96 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 Octa-core processor and runs on Android 11. It has an 8GB expandable RAM and 256GB of internal storage. The battery is a whopping 5000mAh that can last up to 16 hours, and comes with a USB-C 33W SuperVOOC charger that can charge your phone from 20% to 100% in just an hour.
Featuring slight upgrades with its camera, the Oppo A96 now has a 16MP selfie camera, and a dual camera with a 50MP main camera and a 2MP bokeh camera at the rear.
User Experience: 4/5
I had a great first impression of the Oppo A9. Removing the plastic film wrapped around it revealed this gorgeous pink smartphone, that I immediately loved. But as always, I had to test the unit’s camera quality and features, its performance in gaming and regular daily use, and its new tech features.
I tested out the camera quality indoors and outdoors, with satisfactory results for both photos and videos. Selfies were automatically enhanced with the AI Natural Retouching feature, but could sometimes get a bit pixelated in darker lighting. The outdoor pictures and videos, on the other hand, were surprisingly good, all in high resolution, crisp, sharp, and detailed. I have to say that Oppo did an impressive job in improving the camera department. There are other features that you can use to level up your mobile photography game such as 360° Light Fill and Neon Portrait.
Compared to its predecessors, the Oppo A96 has an IPS display, ditching the usual AMOLED display. To compensate, they gave the A96 a high refresh rate of 90Hz and a Full HD+ resolution. The refresh rate worked wonders for me, as multitasking or even switching between apps was seamless. As with every demo unit I review, I always play my three favorite mobile games — Call of Duty Mobile, Genshin Impact, and League of Legends: Wild Rift. The A96’s performance was excellent even with a subpar internet connection. Gaming was such a good experience. Since SFX is important when playing, audio quality is also an important consideration, and let me tell you that the Oppo A96 delivered remarkable audio even without earphones plugged in.
When it comes to the software, it is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor designed for high efficiency, and it didn’t disappoint. However, although ColorOS 12 and Android 12 are already available, for some reason the A96 still runs on Android 11 with ColorOS 11.1.
Value: 5/5
Priced at PHP15,999.00, the Oppo A96 is worth your money. Even with some minor downgrades, this smartphone has a lot to offer — from the upgraded camera quality to its impeccable performance.
Specifications:
- Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 680
- Os: ColorOS 11.1, Android 11
- Storage: 8GB RAM, 256 internal storage
- Display: IPS LCD 90Hz, Full HD+
- Dimensions: 164.4mm x 75.7mm x 8.4mm
- Front/Back: Glass front/plastic back
- Battery: 5000mAh, USB-C 33W SuperVOOC fast charger
- Camera: Dual (Main) 50MP, 2MP / Front 16MP
- Fingerprint: Side-mounted
- Colors: Pearl Pink, Starry Black
- Package Includes: USB-C cable, 33W SuperVOOC charger, sim ejector pin, protective case, quick start guide, warranty card
What’s Hot:
- Improved camera quality
- Seamless and faster performance
- Adaptive 60Hz/90Hz refresh rate, up to 5 levels
- Fuller and crisper sound
What’s Not:
- Switched from AMOLED to IPS panels (IPS LCD)
- Bloatware or pre-installed unnecessary applications
Bottomline:
The Oppo A96 is a competitive mid-range smartphone. It’s great for content creation, mobile photography, and gaming.
Reviewed by Franceska Aguila
Also published in Gadgets Magazine June 2022 Issue