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Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra review: Ultimate flagship or ultra disappointment?

(Pocket-lint) – When the Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra touched down at Pocket-lint HQ it made for a moment of genuine excitement. This flagship, which has more features than, well, any other handset we’ve seen in recent times, is one of those rare moments of a company trying to be different; to standout for the right reasons.

Not only does the Mi 11 Ultra have one of the boldest screens on the market, it has a second screen on its rear too. It’s one of those unusual double-screen devices – we’ve seen other different implementations before, from the Vivo NEX Dual Display to the Meizu Pro 7 and beyond – with the Xiaomi’s smaller touchscreen integrated into the camera unit to act as a notification and control centre. You can see why the tech nerd in us got all excited, right?

Except, having used the Mi 11 Ultra for two full weeks as our own device, it’s stood out for too many of the wrong reasons. The camera bump is huge, the second screen adds nothing of genuine use (and sometimes actively gets in the way), the screen’s touch-responsiveness is unacceptably bad, and the MIUI software continues to deliver irks that, at this high-end level, simply don’t add up to the ‘Ultra’ experience we were expecting.

Design

Dimensions: 164.3 x 74.6 x 8.4mm / Weight: 234g
IP68 dust- and water-resistant (1.5m for 30 mins)
Finish options: Cosmic White, Cosmic Black
Build: Ceramic back in aluminium frame
Under-display fingerprint scanner

Upon pulling the Mi 11 Ultra from its box, it was impossible to not continually stare at the rear camera unit. That protruding bump is huge – the biggest we can ever recall seeing on a phone. At least it’s wide enough that the device doesn’t rock around when laid flat (well, flat-ish) on a desk.

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The build quality is second to none, though, especially standout if you’re seeking high-end details such as a ceramic rear, aluminium frame, water-protection, and curved screen edges. It’s every bit the flagship in such regards.

Odd, then, that the included transparent case does an assured job of undoing much of that high-end look. It’s an essential for protection, though, so we’ve had it wrapped around the phone’s body the majority of the time. But it’s just a budget translucent bit of plastic.

The reason it’s ultra-light plastic is likely to avoid adding too much additional weight to the Mi 11 Ultra’s already hefty frame. We thought the Poco X3 Pro, at 215g, was one chunky monkey. The Xiaomi tops that, at 234g. It’s not as though it’s going to hurt your wrist during use or anything, but it’s an undoubtedly heavy phone to be carting around and using day to day.

In addition to offering face unlock sign-in, the Mi 11 Ultra also has an under-display fingerprint scanner – which we’ve found generally ok, but occasionally to falter. We actually prefer the Mi 11 Lite 5G’s side-positioned one.

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Thinking about it, we actually prefer the Lite model for its overall lightweight design and eye-catching colour finish. Which really isn’t the position this Ultra should be in – being somewhat usurped by the baby in the Mi 11 range.

Displays

Main: 6.81-inch AMOLED, 1440 x 3200 resolution, 20:9 ratio, 120Hz refresh
Rear (within camera unit): 1.1-inch AMOLED, 126 x 294 resolution

The Mi 11 Ultra’s 6.81-inch AMOLED display has some truly flagship specifications. It’s got a WQHD+ resolution, for starters, which means more pixels are packed onto its surface than you’ll find in many competitors these days. There’s also a 120Hz refresh rate to up the smoothness, which is particularly noticeable when scrolling or in some faster moving games.

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There are other headline features here, too, such as Dolby Vision for HDR (high dynamic range) playback and a peak 1700 nits brightness – meaning the maximum punch this screen can output is really, very bright. But you’re not likely to have it cranked up to the max much of the time and, actually, when it’s in lower-light conditions and the brightness falls it begins to crush black levels – a problem others, such as the Oppo Find X3, can also suffer. It’s subtle, but it’s there, and can affect those Netflix sessions.

The screen is also curved, which might look nice to the eyes, because it helps diminish the appearance of edge bezel, but in the case of the Mi 11 Ultra is an often fatal flaw. Why? Because the screen’s touch responsiveness is terrible. By this we don’t mean touch sampling rate, rather the simple fact that the software will often think the screen in being accidentally touched and ignore your input. Even really prominent input, such as when scrolling through pages, often stutters or ignores input.

There’s a software section to choose between the degree of accidental edge touch that’s permissible, or even custom adjust it, but whatever we’ve done it’s been an ongoing issue. Furthermore the screen seems to time-out – such as when watching an advert in a game, for example – and isn’t actively ready for input immediately afterwards. It can take two, three or more taps to get the device to re-engage. And that’s nothing to do with the standard 15/30/60-second auto-timeout. No, this is different. And it goes a good way in breaking the Mi 11 Ultra’s potential.

Accidental touch is something that also affects that rear display. So often we’ll have Spotify running and pick the phone up, only to accidentally skip back to the beginning of the current track. We get that having such controls available for a quick tap could be useful, but most of the time it’s just been a hindrance. And quite often the notifications, owed to poor servicing from the MIUI software, will say things like “checking for messages” from WhatsApp, for example, without delivering anything of actual use.

We’ve already said the tech nerd in us was excited about the prospect of this small second screen to the rear, as it seemed like a smart way of getting quick notifications that you could then pay further attention to. In reality, however, that’s what a full-size always-on display can do already – which the Mi 11 Ultra offers.

Plus, as we’ve come to learn when trying to watch shows in near black-out darkness, having this second screen means you don’t get to “hide” your phone from alerting you and lighting the room in one way or another – unless, of course, you turn the feature off entirely.

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Oh, but what about selfies, surely that’s where this screen comes into its own? Well, you’d think so. But to use the main cameras to shoot you’ll need to select the ‘Rear display preview’ from within the camera app, which will show you all selfie ready in that small display, but then there’s no logical way to shoot the shot. Fumble too much and you’ll likely end up clicking out of the main camera app with your fingers touching around the phone anyway. So, no, it just adds layers of confusion that needn’t be there.

Overall, then, this second screen has served as little more than a because-it-can gimmick.

Performance

Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 platform, 12GB RAM
67W fast-charging (wired and Qi wireless)
5,000mAh battery capacity
Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6e
24-bit/192kHz audio
5G connectivity

Being a true flagship, Xiaomi has gone all-out when it comes to top-tier specification. The Mi 11 Ultra is kitted out with the Snapdragon 888 platform and 12GB RAM, so no current app is going to be a bother to run.

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What is a bother, however, is as we’ve highlighted above: the screen’s response. Load up a game like South Park: Phone Destroyer and because the screen will often not register touch input, you’re left with the frequent possibility of losing during play as a direct result of this hardware/software combination. PUBG Mobile? Forget about it.

So while the Mi 11 Ultra has the capacity to deliver these games at their very best – the smoothest frame-rates and so forth – it’s irrelevant. It’s not a gamers’ phone by any means as a result.

The battery capacity, at 5,000mAh, is relatively large. Depending on how you approach using this phone that can mean decent longevity. However, given all the available features – WQHD+ resolution at 120Hz – there’s greater likelihood that it’ll be a stretch to get through the day. We’ve been just about managing it, but often with 20 per cent left after around 13 hours of use.

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Using the phone in this way will see the software suggest doing a large number of things that dumb the features down. Resolution drop. Refresh rate drop. Dark mode activation. Quicker screen auto-off. Always-on display deactivation. Disallowing apps to auto-start. The kind of things that you would otherwise want to always keep operational for that true flagship feel in use. So, in many ways, it’s as though the Mi 11 Ultra’s software is keen to hamper its performance potential.

We’ve seen Xiaomi’s MIUI software in numerous iterations and it’s often varied in its success – sometimes for no apparent reason. In the Mi 11 Lite 5G, which is our favourite in this series, we had no issues with receiving app notifications. In the Mi 11 Ultra, however, it can be temperamental. As we’ve said in many other Xiaomi/Poco/Redmi reviews (multiple brands under one roof) you’ll need to dig into the software and tinker with whether an app has no restrictions to ‘Battery Saver’ – otherwise it may not always be readily available.

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One clear positive we can highlight about the Mi 11 Ultra is the fast-charging. It’s got a 67W charger, which is among the fastest you’ll find anywhere, and makes for rapid top-ups. It’s the same for wireless charging apparently – although we haven’t been able to test and verify this. Good job, really, as that quick-to-deplete battery has a way to help keep it juiced up in little time.

Cameras

Triple rear camera array:
- Main (24mm): 50-megapixel, f/2.0 aperture, 1.4µm pixel size, optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- 5x optical zoom (120mm): 48MP, f/4.1, 0.8µm, OIS
- Wide (12mm): 48MP, f/2.2, 0.8µm
Front-facing punch-hole (27mm):
- 20-megapixel, f/2.2 aperture, 0.8µm pixel size

Given the prominence of place given to the camera unit on the rear of the Mi 11 Ultra, it’s safe to say that it’s the most prominent feature of this flagship. It’s here that the Xiaomi often pulls its (considerable) weight, delivering images that are high quality and frequently outclass the competition.

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As a quick summary, the rear unit houses three cameras: the main wide-angle, a 24mm equivalent wide-angle with 50-megapixel resolution; a 0.5x ultra-wide with 48-megapixel resolution; and a periscope zoom, also 48-megapixel, that delivers 5x optical zoom (so a 120mm equivalent).

There’s no gimmicky lenses, no useless macro or dedicated mono sensor, just the core of what you’re really likely to want. Now, the 5x zoom is quite a ‘steep’ jump from the main sensor, but it is possible to pinch-zoom between the two with results of varying quality. You can even do this when live-recording video, which is pretty impressive in result.

As we’ve seen from pretty much every maker with multi-faceted cameras, there’s a slight disparity between the colour balance and quality from each lens though. There’s also a delay when ‘jumping’ between the available lenses – select between the main optic and 5x, for example, and you’ll first see a digital zoom from that main sensor before it suddenly updates with a different fill from the true optical zoom sensor. Not a major drama, but it’s not 100 per cent immediate when selecting between the lenses.

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: Main cameraMain camera

The Mi 11 Ultra’s ultra-wide lens is also a bit too wide-angle – we think it should be 0.6x to avoid some of the more considerable barrel distortion really. But, unlike typical 8-megapixel ultra-wide sensors, this one is capable of delivering decent quality at 12-megapixels (using four-in-one processing technology, as the Mi 11 Ultra does on all its shots).

It has to be said that the Mi 11 Ultra’s 5x optical zoom delivers crisp and clear shots. It’s particularly apparent here, because so many competitors use digital or hybrid zooms and talk them up to such an extent that you almost believe the results will be good – but nothing can beat a true optical zoom as Xiaomi has graced the Mi 11 Ultra with here.

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The main sensor is equipped with on-sensor phase detection autofocus, there’s laser autofocus too, and optical image stabilisation to keep everything smooth and sharp. It’s a well equipped sensor that delivers fine results indeed – whether in daylight, low-light, backlit or really any given set of conditions.

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: Main cameraMain camera

In short: the Ultra’s forte really is found in its photography prowess. Whether it’s worth having such a giant hunk of a camera unit to the rear for the sake of that, however, is another question.

Verdict

The Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra does a really good job of shouting “shiny, shiny!” from the rooftops and being undoubtedly alluring for all the bells, whistles, and other embellishments that make it an altogether different and standout device. It wants you to look at it and think “that’s more exciting than the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra” – because, from a pure features and spec point of view, it really is.

But once you brush away what are frankly excess features – some of which, such as the second rear screen, are nothing but gimmicky – you’re left with a device that fails to get many of the basics right. The screen response is unacceptably bad. The camera bump is huge – and not really worth it for the sake of that second rear screen. The MIUI software has various moments of failing to send notifications too.

The Mi 11 Ultra is a rare moment from Xiaomi. One that’s excited us more than any other phone of late. Yet, when it comes to the crunch, it’s the one Mi 11 device that’s left us ultra disappointed. The promise is huge, but it just hasn’t lived up to the potential.

Also consider

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Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

A neater camera integration, better software, and fewer irks make the Samsung the phone that Xiaomi should have beaten – but failed to do so.

Read our review

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Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G

This, our favourite of the whole Mi 11 range, is everything the Ultra isn’t: it’s lightweight, its colour finish is more eye-catching, its battery lasts longer (despite being less capacious), and, for whatever reason, the software implementation here hasn’t been problematic. You don’t get outstanding cameras by comparison, of course, but you do save two-thirds on the Ultra’s asking price. And you still get 5G connectivity!

Read our review

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Writing by Mike Lowe.

Oppo Reno5 5G / Find X3 Lite review

Introduction and specs

The Oppo Reno5 lineup launched at the beginning of this year, but it’s only now that it’s getting a European release. Now, the most affordable of the bunch – the Reno5 is here and looks well-equipped too. An OLED panel with a high refresh rate, fast charging, capable SoC, lightweight build and plenty of base storage and memory.

And in a (not so) surprising move, Oppo is releasing this one under two names in Europe. The Reno5 is launching in Eastern Europe, whereas Western Europe is getting it as the Find X3 Lite. The two models are identical in specs as you can see.

Oppo Reno5 5G • Oppo Find X3 Lite

So even though we got specifically the Reno5 model for review, our review findings should apply to both devices in equal parts.

While the Oppo brand is well-known in Asia, and even though it’s yet to make a name for itself in Europe, it’s positioned as a premium brand elsewhere. So it’s no wonder that the company avoids undercutting the competition price-wise and yet focuses on making well-executed handsets with a premium look and feel.

The Reno5 (or Find X3 Lite, if you prefer) uses a bright, 90Hz OLED panel and a 64MP main camera and it also offers one of the fastest charging technologies. It’s also nicely compact and pocketable.

Probably the biggest selling point of this one is its size and ergonomics. In a market where behemoths rule, the Reno5 5G is a breath of fresh air with its compact 6.43-inch display and a weight of 172g.

Oppo Reno5 5G specs at a glance:
Body: 159.1×73.4×7.9mm, 172g; Gorilla Glass 5 front, plastic back and frame.
Display: 6.43″ AMOLED, 90Hz, 430 nits (typ), 750 nits (peak), 1080x2400px resolution, 20:9 aspect ratio, 410ppi.
Chipset: Qualcomm SM7250 Snapdragon 765G 5G (7 nm): Octa-core (1×2.4 GHz Kryo 475 Prime & 1×2.2 GHz Kryo 475 Gold & 6×1.8 GHz Kryo 475 Silver); Adreno 620.
Memory: 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 12GB RAM; UFS 2.1.
OS/Software: Android 11, ColorOS 11.1.
Rear camera: Wide (main): 64 MP, f/1.7, 26mm, 1/1.73″, 0.8µm, PDAF; Ultra wide angle: 8 MP, f/2.2, 119˚, 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; Macro: 2 MP, f/2.4; Depth: 2 MP, f/2.4.
Front camera: 32 MP, f/2.4, 24mm (wide), 1/2.8″, 0.8µm.
Video capture: Rear camera: 4K@30fps, 1080p@30/60/120fps; gyro-EIS, HDR; Front camera: 1080p@30fps, gyro-EIS.
Battery: 4300mAh; Fast charging 65W, 100% in 35 min (advertised), Reverse charging, SuperVOOC 2.0.
Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, optical); 3.5mm jack, The phone also comes with 128GB of base storage, and the Snapdragon 765G 5G is nothing to scoff at.

What we can scoff at is the phone’s current pricing. The launch price of €450 is quite optimistic considering that the competition in the midrange is quite heated and this phone comes with a plastic back and frame.

But let’s not rush to any conclusions as this phone might offer more than what meets the eye at first glance. First, time for an unboxing.

Unboxing the Oppo Reno5 5G

The phone comes in a premium-looking box and fresh mint color. It contains the usual user manuals and the 65W-capable wall charger with a USB-A to USB-C cable.

Oppo has also thrown in a bonus case, too, along with a pair of 3.5mm headphones.

Oppo Find X3 Neo review: Can it compete?

(Pocket-lint) – There will always be those who clamour for the latest specs, studying all the latest flagships to ensure that when they eventually part with their hard-earned cash it goes on the device that has the top numbers. Those phones will come with the highest resolution screens, the latest processor, and the most cameras on the back.

But here’s the thing: you don’t necessarily need all of those things. Which, if you’re looking to save a bit of cash, is where the likes of Oppo’s Find X3 Neo comes in. Unlike its predecessor, the Find X2 Neo, Oppo’s second-in-command phone from its Find X series has a previous flagship chip instead of a current mid-range processor. Does that make it the perfect balance of power to price?

Design & Build

Dimensions: 159.9 x 72.5 x 7.99mm / Weight: 184 grams
Finish options: Galactic Silver / Starlight Black

In a market filled with big-scale devices, it’s always a relief – specifically for the hands – when a smartphone comes along that’s noticeably more nimble. That’s the Neo through and through.

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The Find X3 Pro was noticeably more comfortable to hold than most of its competitors, and the Neo is smaller and therefore feels even more compact in the palm.

It’s about 8mm thick, which is technically thicker than an iPhone 12, but its curved edges on the front and the back make it feel sleek and slim when you actually hold it. The camera protrusion on the back is fairly minimal too. Despite featuring four cameras, it retains that compact rectangular design of the phones that came before it, not the more heavily protruding set – like you’ll see in, say, Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra.

Captured in the right kind of light, the Find X3 Neo’s shape and overall design has a minimalist quality about it. The dark blue/black model we were sent for review – that’s where the Starlight Black name comes from – has an unmistakeable glittery quality to it. It also has a soft almost-grippy texture to the glass on the back, but a visual sparkle whenever it catches the light. We have a feeling you’ll either love or hate this.

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Still, that texture on the back means it’s refreshingly non-slippery. It won’t fall from your hand, it doesn’t randomly slide off flat surfaces and – more crucially – struggles to pick up fingerprints. It’s a great finish, whether or not you’re a fan of the twinkly quality.

Display & Software

6.55-inch FHD+ (1440 x 1080 resolution) AMOLED display
90Hz refresh rate, 120Hz touch sampling rate
1100 nits peak brightness

We’ve seen more than one manufacturer opt to put a Full HD display into its phones in 2021. In fact, where QHD+ resolution used to be the norm for flagships, it now seems having that 1440p panel is reserved for only the ultimate, top tier devices.

That’s the same for Oppo. The Find X3 Pro is the one with the higher resolution, 120Hz high frame-rate display. That means the Neo has the lower Full HD+ resolution and mid-level 90Hz with this one.

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We find the 90Hz refresh is more than adequate for pretty much everything. In our testing we’ve not seen too much to suggest that 120Hz is an absolute must from any phone. In fact, even those that can push 120 frames every second have recently opted to use adaptive rates as to not waste battery life.

In reality, 90hz means that all your animations – whether they be general interface or during gaming – will be smooth and respond quickly to your gestures on screen.

As for the display’s visual properties, those a decent too. Granted, you don’t get the same eye-popping brightness and colours as you might from the Pro, but it’s certainly not a dim screen. The Neo’s smaller panel is bright and vivid, with deep blacks lending a hand to make visuals pop.

If there’s any criticism it’s that it seems to suffer a little with excessive contrast, most notable when the brightness is low. Some colours at these times seem a bit too dark and unnatural. Once you have your favourite show on, or you’re smashing the latest levels of your favourite game, you don’t particularly notice any real issues though.

Software-wise, it’s practically identical to what we saw on the Pro model. Here you’ll find Oppo’s ColorOS 11, based on Google’s Android 11, which means lots of useful and fun features. We like the customisation interface that lets you see your changes in real-time on the home screen as you pick the wallpaper or adjust the shape and design of the icons.

Other highlights include the completely customisable always-on display. There’s also the Relax app that plays soothing sounds to help you get rest or fall to sleep at night – this includes nature sounds and relaxing music as well as sounds recorded in cities around the world.

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As well as the same software benefits as per the Pro, the Neo experience similar quirky issues. There’s some inconsistency in the way it handles notifications, in that visual alerts don’t appear everywhere you’d expect. For instance, you might have icons on the always-on display and in the status bar, but not on the lock screen. It made it impossible for us to see what a notification was without opening the app and checking. It’s little irks like this that hold ColorOS back a mite.

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Performance & Battery

Snapdragon 865 processor, 12GB RAM
256GB storage, no microSD
4500mAh battery capacity
65W Super VOOC 2.0 flash charging

As we alluded to at the beginning of this review, this phone isn’t equipped with 2021’s top-tier Qualcomm Snapdragon 888. It’s not got a step-down Snapdragon 700 series chipset either. Instead, Oppo opted for the last-gen top-tier option, the Snapdragon 865.

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By going down this route, Oppo has effectively skipped the ‘almost-flagship’ range and gone with a proper flagship one instead – albeit from 2020. And when you consider the Neo’s screen refresh rate tops out at 90Hz and it’s a Full HD+ resolution, that processor choice is more than enough to make it feel like a properly fast phone.

As you’d expect, the resulting experience is one that’s quick and responsive. Because, after all, a processor which was the fastest and most powerful just a few months prior to launch hasn’t suddenly just become slow and sluggish over night.

Settle into your daily routine and there’s just no trouble from the Oppo phone. It loads games and apps without a care in the world. Loading screens transition quickly, graphics start sharp and remain that way while the high refresh touch sampling rate ensures that your gestures on screen result in quick animations from the display.

It’s a similar situation with battery life. Having a Full HD+ display and a relatively large 4500mAh battery capacity means you can easily get through a full day with the Neo, even on really busy days. Oppo’s battery optimisation is famously quite aggressive – and that means for some moderate/light users that two days on a full charge isn’t out of the question. We’d often get to the end of a day with more than 40 per cent left over.

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The other plus side to this battery is that it features Super VOOC 2.0 charging, which makes it possible to refill it really quickly. It uses the 65W wired flash charging tech that can completely fill the battery in around 35 minutes. It’s not quite as speedy as the updated OnePlus 9 Warp Charge, but it’s still fast enough to make battery anxiety a thing of the past.

Cameras

Quad rear cameras:
- Main: 50-megapixel, f/1.8 aperture, optical image stabilisation (OIS)
- 2x optical zoom: 13MP, f/2.4
- Wide-angle: 16MP, f/2.2
- Macro: 2MP
32MP front-facing selfie camera
Video: 4K up to 60fps

Like its internals, the camera makeup is of a flagship level too. Or, at least, the primary camera is. It uses the same 50-megapixel sensor as its more expensive sibling, the Find X3 Pro.

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: Primary lensPrimary lens

That means when you’re taking photos in the ‘1x’ mode you’re going to get great-looking pictures, especially when there’s good light. Shooting outside will get you sharp images with great colour and a lovely natural depth – more pronounced when shooting objects that are close to the camera.

However, the supporting act cameras just aren’t quite as strong. The ultra-wide camera sometimes left us with pictures that looked a little flatter in terms of colour and depth, and it’s not as strong at focussing on nearby subjects. Similarly, the overall look of those pictures was just a tad rough compared to the main camera.

As for that 2x optical zoom camera, that’s similar to the ultra-wide – in that it can capture decent enough pictures, but again they lack some of that crispy vibrance you see from pictures from the primary sensor.

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: 1x Primary1x Primary

Still, while they’re far from perfect, those additional focal lengths do at least mean the camera system is versatile. They add an extra dimension to the photography experience and will let you capture those wide landscapes or zoom in on something a little further away to good effect.

The one camera that really isn’t up to scratch is the macro sensor. It’s baffling that instead of equipping the system with an ultra-wide camera that can also be used for macro, Oppo utilised a 2-megapixel macro sensor – the kind we’d expect to see in a much cheaper phone.

Shots from camera’s dedicated macro mode are really quite harsh. Details are lacking, there’s a real lack of decent colour, and the background blur is awful looking.

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: Macro Macro

In our testing we found it was better just to switch to the main camera in regular photo and get close up to a subject. If you want a tighter shot, simply crop the photo afterwards – as that way you get far better detail, colour and depth.

Verdict

It’s easy to see the appeal of the Find X3 Neo. It’s a slim and nimble phone with great battery life, flagship speeds, and a very good main camera. The Snapdragon 865 processor inside means it’s not just an over-priced mid-range device.

However, the Oppo’s biggest challenge will likely be competing with other similarly priced phones. The OnePlus 9 is technically more powerful and costs less, while the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE is a phone powered by the same chipset but for less money.

For many, we suspect it might come down to the battle of the cameras. And with the Neo’s primary camera sensor delivering great results – not that can be said about its other cameras – it’s in with a shot.

On the whole, the Oppo Find X3 Neo is a refined experience – one that offers an appealing alternative to the much bigger and much more expensive premium devices on the market.

Also consider

Pocket-lint

Samsung Galaxy S20 FE

It may have a plastic back, but the ‘Fan Edition’ was one of the surprise hits of 2020 – and is still a great buy. It has a fluid and smooth display, IP68 water- and dust-resistance and similar internal hardware to the Oppo. Crucially, it’s also cheaper.

Read our review

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OnePlus 9

If your main aim is getting the top-tier processor for as little money as possible, the OnePlus 9 is a great shout. It’s not quite as nimble and thin as the Oppo, but it’s got a Snapdragon 888 processor, fast charging, and great software. Also at a lower price.

Read our review

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Writing by Cam Bunton. Editing by Mike Lowe.

Oppo A53s 5G unveiled with Dimensity 700, 5,000mAh battery

The Oppo A53s 5G was teased recently on Flipkart, and today the phone makes its official debut. It comes with a Dimensity 700 chipset, two RAM options, a big battery and three cameras on the back.

The front of the Oppo A53s 5G is a 6.52” screen with HD+ resolution and a waterdrop notch. Since the panel is LCD, the fingerprint scanner made its way on the side, acting as a power key as well. RAM is either 6 GB or 8 GB, with internal storage being 128 gigs in both cases.

Oppo has provided room for a micro SD in a long tray that can host two SIM cards and a memory card up to 2 TB.

The trio of cameras on the back consists of a 13MP main shooter, 2 MP depth sensor for portrait shots and 2MP macro cam. The selfie camera has an 8MP senosr.

The phone runs Android 11, topped with Color OS 11.1. The battery on the inside is 5,000 mAh, but the listing does not say anything about fast-charging.

The specs sheet does give us some insight on connectivity like dual 5G standby (even if India has zero actual working networks) Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0.

Oppo A53s 5G

The Oppo A53s 5G is offered in Crystal Blue or Ink Black colors. Prices are INR14,990 or INR16,990, depending on the memory combination. Flipkart is yet to reveal a date for pre-order or market launch.

Source

Oppo A95 5G is official with 6.43″AMOLED display, Dimensity 800U

Oppo A95 5G popped up on China Telecom’s website earlier this month and today, the phone maker made the device official. The Oppo A95 5G has the same chipset and screen as the Oppo Reno 5Z, but one fewer cameras on the back.

Oppo A95 5G

The panel on the front is a 6.43” AMOLED with a punch hole in the upper left corner. The resolution is Full HD+ and the panel has a standard 60Hz refresh rate. The A95 5G is powered by Dimensity 800U chipset by Mediatek and has 8GB RAM to keep it company. The storage is either 128GB or 256GB, with micro SD for up to 2TB more.

The camera setup on the back includes 48MP main, 8MP ultrawide and 2MP macro modules. The front-facing shooter is 16MP. Oppo did not put anything spectacular where the depth cam was – just a mere “48MP” sign.

The battery has 4,310mAh capacity with 30W fast charging through the USB-C port. The connector is on the bottom, right next to the 3.5mm audio jack. Other highlights include ColorOS 11.1, based on Android 11, Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.1 support.

The Oppo A95 5G is offered in Black, White and Dawn Blue on the company website. It is up for pre-order and costs CNY1,999 ($310/€255) or CNY2,299 ($355/€295), depending on the storage choice.

Source (in Chinese)

Oppo K9 5G key specs revealed in an official listing ahead of May 6 launch

Oppo will introduce the K9 5G on May 6 in China, and the company has already confirmed the smartphone will come with a Snapdragon 768G SoC, 64MP triple camera, and 65W charging. Now we learn more about the K9 5G as the smartphone has been listed on Oppo’s Chinese website.

The Oppo K9 5G will sport a 6.43″ Samsung-made OLED having a 90Hz refresh rate and 180Hz touch sampling rate. The screen will also have a sixth-gen fingerprint scanner underneath for biometric authentication, with the punch hole in the upper-left corner housing a 32MP selfie camera.

The 64MP primary camera on the rear will be joined by an 8MP ultrawide module, with the third camera likely being a depth or macro unit.

Fueling the entire package will be a 4,300 mAh battery, which will go from flat to 100% in 35 minutes when charged with the 65W bundled adapter.

The Oppo K9 5G will have two color options, and JD.com revealed it will come in two memory configurations – 8GB/128GB and 8GB/256GB. The K9 5G’s pricing is unknown, but we’ll learn more about it and the availability next Thursday.

Oppo K9 5G

Source (in Chinese) | Via

Oppo Reno5 5G in for review

Say hello to the Oppo Reno5 5G, a phone that Europeans can find at their local Amazon as the Find X3 Lite, and which aims to be provide the best value in the lineup.

It comes in a well-stocked box with a case, 65W charger, a sturdy USB cable and regular old 3.5mm earbuds.

Up front the Reno5 5G is one of the best reasons to buy it – the 6.43-inch 1080p AMOLED isn’t only high quality and high refresh rate at 90Hz, but it enables the phone’s compact form. At 172g the Oppo Reno5 5G is pleasingly light.

The Reno5 5G comes with Android 11 and Oppo’s fully-featured ColorOS 11.1, which adds niceties like pulling up your apps into a neat, accessible row near your fingertip when you can’t reach with your other hand. ColorOS is packed with other niceties – more on that in our full review.

The Oppo Reno5 5G has four imagers on the rear, but only two of real note – the 64MP main shooter and the 8MP ultrawide. The other two are a 2MP duo of depth and macro.

Front-side there’s a 32MP selfie camera, which features a bunch of smart shooting modes, but lacks autofocus.

Finally the 4,300mAh is capable of 65W fast charging, courtesy of SuperVOOC 2.0. All it takes for a full charge is 35 minutes.

We’ll test the charging speed as well as the battery endurance, along with just about everything else on the Oppo Reno5 5G in our full review. Stay tuned!

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 foldable phone with virtual buttons

The Samsung Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone will be greatly improved. With larger cover display, a 120Hz flexible screen, a triple camera and stereo speakers.

After the introduction of the Galaxy S21 series in mid-January this year, we now have to wait for the successor to the Galaxy Z Flip. This clamshell smartphone was announced simultaneously with the S20 series. The Galaxy Z Flip 3 is expected to be released in the summer of 2021. As time goes by, more and more details are known about the new folding phone from Samsung. In this publication, we take a closer look at the expected specifications and improvements over its predecessor.

To start with the name, it remains unknown for the time being under which name the successor to the Z Flip will be marketed. LetsGoDigital has recently learned from several sources that Samsung does not opt for the model name Galaxy Z Flip 2, but for Galaxy Z Flip 3. This is in line with previous rumors on the internet.

This allows the company to align the names of the Z Fold and Z Flip devices. The Galaxy Z Fold 3 is also expected in the second half of the year – both foldable phones will probably be announced simultaneously. The Z Flip 5G, which was introduced a few months after the 4G model, can then go down in history as the “Z Flip 2”.

Samsung Z Flip 3 foldable smartphone

Based on all the information already available about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, in-house graphic designer Giuseppe Spinelli, aka Snoreyn, has created a series of digital product images showing the possible design of Samsung’s new clamshell smartphone.

The most important changes from its predecessor are the larger cover display and the triple camera. The hinge will also be renewed and the bezels will be further reduced. Over time, several media have reported about these improvements, Samsung was also awarded a patent for such a Galaxy Z Flip design with triple camera at the end of 2020.

This patent does not stand alone, however, because recently – on March 11, 2021 – Samsung Electronics was awarded a patent for a “Foldable electronic device and control method therof”. It is a clamshell phone, comparable to the Galaxy Z Flip. This time, however, Samsung has integrated a significantly larger cover display. Giuseppe’s renders are based on this patent.

In addition, Samsung seems to want to pay extra attention to the thickness of the device. Making the device thinner improves portability. However, there is also a downside, because the frame becomes so narrow that operating the physical buttons also becomes more difficult, Samsung describes in the in-depth documentation. The South Korean manufacturer has come up with the following solution.

Samsung seems to want to significantly increase the touch-sensitive area around the buttons, making it easier to use the buttons – regardless of whether you’re using the phone open or closed.

The physical buttons are placed on one frame part. In the folded position, Samsung wants to enlarge the touch area exactly opposite the buttons, so that the user does not have to work very accurately during operation. Even in the unfolded position, this enlarged touch area remains usable – as illustrated in the image above.

The question remains whether this technology will already be applied to the Z Flip 3. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see what Samsung’s spearheads are for future folding models.

In any case, Samsung seems to intend to revise the smartphone frame. Last week, LetsGoDigital discovered that Samsung has registered a trademark for the name ‘Armor Frame‘, which seems to indicate that the Z Flip 3 and / or the Z Fold 3 will feature a renewed and sturdier frame – which may also be thinner and lighter.

This does not seem to be the only point on which Samsung wants to improve sustainability. SamMobile recently announced that Samsung will provide its upcoming foldable smartphones with an IP rating for the first time. In other words, the Z Flip 3 is likely to be dust and water resistant. It is still unknown whether it is an IP68 rating. The folding devices may not be completely waterproof, but only splash-proof. Last year, Samsung was already awarded a patent for a waterproof Galaxy Fold.

Larger cover display, new hinge and smaller bezels

There is still some uncertainty about the size of the cover screen. Many hope for a screen size similar to that of the Motorola Razr – as Samsung has also patented several times. However, according to the latest information, the cover display is becoming significantly smaller than hoped and expected. It would be a 1.83-inch display.

“The Z Flip 2 will have a 6.7-inch main display and a 1.83-inch cover display,” display analyst Ross Young reported on Twitter earlier this month. Shortly before, Chun reported on the same social media platform that the new Z Flip will feature a 1.9″ cover display and a 6.8″ main screen.

Although the cover screen appears to be significantly larger than the current 1.1 ”display, a 1.83” display is still quite limited. For comparison, the Motorola Razr features a 2.7-inch front display. You can undoubtedly use the cover screen to see the time, answer calls and view incoming notifications. For other things you will probably be forced to open the device, after which a 6.7-inch screen unfolds.

The 6.7” format corresponds in size to the flexible screen of the current Z Flip. Nevertheless, Samsung seems to make some changes to the main screen. Some time ago Ice Universe reported via Weibo that the refresh rate will be increased to 120 Hertz. This is also the case with the Galaxy Z Fold 2, which makes it very likely that this information is correct.

Samsung also intends to reduce the bezels. In addition, the new model would be marketed more cheaply. However, no price indication was issued – we will get back to this later.

Rumors have been circulating for some time that Samsung will also renew the hinge. Based on the design of the current Flip, this also seems to be necessary to be able to reduce the bezels, and thus to align the design more with regular smartphone models in 2021. Perhaps the renewed hinge will also make it possible to close the device completely – without a gap, where dust and dirt can accumulate.

Samsung will probably also make the hinge available in different colors. For example, with the Z Fold 2 you can choose from four color variants: silver, gold, blue and red. These special editions are only available via Samsung’s website. For the time being, this personalization option is not available for the Z Flip, but it is in line with expectations that Samsung will also make additional color variants available for the Z Flip 3 exclusively through its website.

Speaking of colors, the Samsung Z Flip 3 is expected to be released in four colors at launch: black, beige, green and violet purple. These are the colors that we have reflected in the product renders. The beige and green variant are completely new, the black and purple colorways are also available for the original Z Flip – presumably Samsung will add a little twist to this and link it to a new name. In addition, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 is expected to appear in the same new colors: beige and green – besides a black variant.

Hardware & Software

Naturally, Samsung will also install a new chipset. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 chipset will probably be placed under the hood. Presumably two memory variants will be made available this time: 128GB and 256GB.

Its predecessor was only available with 256GB of memory. By also offering a 128GB variant, Samsung can lower the entry-level price to make the foldable smartphone accessible to a wider audience. Samsung is expected to release both a Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G and 4G model.

Naturally, the new Galaxy Z-series smartphone will run on the Android operating system. Android 11, in combination with the One UI 3.5 interface. This is an updated user interface compared to the One UI 3.1, with which the S21 series debuted.

Renewed camera

Much remains unclear about the camera. Various patents have shown that Samsung is considering implementing a triple camera. Thus, the camera system would also be more in line with that of regular smartphones. The Z Flip has a 12 megapixel wide angle and a 12 megapixel ultra wide angle camera. A telephoto zoom camera may be added.

In addition, an extra camera is available when you use the device in open position. Handy for taking selfies or making a video call. The punch-hole camera will most likely also be retained in the new model. Presumably the same 10 megapixel image sensor is used – which is also used in the S21 / S21 +. As an alternative, Samsung could also opt for a dual punch-hole camera – the manufacturer recently filed a patent for this.

Another point Samsung is likely to improve is audio quality. The Samsung Z Flip 3 will probably be equipped with a stereo speaker, which would be a good step forward. Its predecessor was equipped with a single speaker – which is very minimal for a high-end phone. It seems that this is about to change with the new generation.

Battery and charging options

With regard to the battery, last year Samsung opted for a dual battery with a total capacity of 3,300 mAh. Two recent certifications from Safety Korea and Dekra Certification have shown that the Z Flip 3 also comes with two batteries, with the total battery capacity remaining unchanged. It concerns a 2,300 mAh battery (EB-BF711ABY) and a smaller 903 mAh battery (EB-BF712ABY).

It is expected that the larger battery will be placed in the bottom half of the device, the smaller battery will be integrated in the top part to drive the cover display. Many hoped that Samsung would increase the battery capacity, as the battery performance of the Z Flip was rated as “poor” in many expert reviews. However, increasing the battery capacity would also contribute to making the device thicker, it seems that Samsung is simply not willing to make this concession.

Regarding the charging options, just like its predecessor, the Z Flip 3 is expected to be able to be charged wired and wirelessly. Reverse wireless charging will also be supported. The smartphone can probably be charged faster than its predecessor, with a max. charging power of 25W – instead of 15W. Wireless charging will likely be supported up to 15W.

Price & Availability

Samsung will most likely host a Galaxy Unpacked event in July. During that event the Z Flip 3 5G will be introduced – one year after the introduction of the Z Flip 5G. Pre-order will likely start directly after the event. The clamshell phone will then be released approx. two weeks later, on a Friday.

There are increasing signs that the Z Fold 3 will be announced simultaneously with the Galaxy Z Flip 3. Around the same period, the Galaxy S21 FE is also expected, as the cheapest member of the S21 line-up. Unfortunately a Galaxy Note 21 is no longer expected this year.

With the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung is targeting a different audience than with the Z Fold. The prices of both folding devices also differ considerably. Samsung is expected to maintain this differentiation. The Z Flip will remain the cheap model, meant for those who want a compact device. While the Z Fold is aimed at people who want to work extra productively, on an extra large screen.

While the Z Flip 3 will feature the same powerful chipset and latest software as the Z Fold 3, Samsung will most likely make concessions in terms of camera, memory and battery.

Last year, the Galaxy Z Flip got a suggested retail price of € 1500. The Z Flip 5G, introduced a few months later, went on sale for the same price. Although it is still unclear what the Z Flip 3 will cost exactly, several sources have indicated that the new model will be marketed more cheaply than its predecessor. This may result in a starting price of approx € 1350 – This would close the gap between regular and foldable smartphones. However, there is one more possibility …

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 Lite

In the meantime, the thought has arisen on the internet that Samsung is working on an extra cheap model. A kind of “Galaxy Z Flip 3 Lite”, which may be marketed as “Galaxy Z Flip 3 FE”.

However, it remains unknown whether this device will be introduced at the same time. Details about this model are still very scarce, which suggests that this model will not be released until a later date. Perhaps the chip shortage, caused by the corona crisis, is the cause of this.

Initially, it was thought that a Galaxy Z Fold 3 Lite is also in development, but this model seems to have been canceled. Instead, Samsung first wants to release a cheap version of the Z Flip. The clamshell is of course about € 500 cheaper than the Z Fold variant. By releasing a Lite model of this device, Samsung can make the foldable smartphone accessible to a wider audience. Moreover, the competition is not standing still either…

Alternative choices for Samsung foldable smartphones

Last year, the Motorola Razr was the main competitor of the Z Flip. However, more and more Chinese manufacturers are now also preparing for the introduction of one or more foldable phones.

Earlier this year, the Huawei Mate X2 was announced for the Chinese market, last month the Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold was also released. Both are competitors to the Z Fold. In all likelihood, Oppo and Vivo will soon be added to the list.

Chances are that it will not stay with one model, Xiaomi seems to want to release three foldable models this year, including a clamshell phone. A clamshell model is also expected from Oppo this year.

All in all, Samsung cannot afford to sit back, the South Korean manufacturer is in the lead and will certainly try to maintain this position in the future. Therefore, we are already looking forward to the Galaxy Unpacked 2021 Summer event!

Here you can take a look at the patent documentation of the Samsung Z Flip including additional images.

Note to editors : The product images in this publication are created by in-house graphic designer Giuseppe Spinelli (aka Snoreyn). The presented concept renders are for illustrative purposes only. The images are copyright protected. Feel free to use the pictures on your own website, please be so respectful to include a source link into your publication.

Oppo’s leaked tracking tag has UWB and USB-C charging

It looks like Oppo will be the next company to throw its hat in the Bluetooth tracking tag game, with a leak of the company’s new Smart Tag appearing over on XDA (via Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station).

Oppo’s tracker looks to distinguish itself in at least one key way from other major tracking tags by offering a USB-C port for recharging the tags, instead of requiring replaceable coin cell batteries (or even worse, nonremovable batteries, as is the case on some Tile trackers). That should make the new Oppo tags a bit more environmentally friendly, although it’s unclear what the impact on battery life will be compared to a more traditional battery system.

And while details are slim on the Oppo Smart Tag, the leak does confirm that the tracker will support ultra-wideband radio for more precise tracking, similar to Apple’s recently revealed AirTag tracker and Samsung’s SmartTag Plus (which was released earlier in April).

Of course, a Bluetooth tracker is only as good as the network of devices that can support it. Tile, the longtime leader in the tracking tag space, has spent almost a decade building up its network of tags, and Apple’s Find My network is able to leverage the hundreds of millions of iPhones and iPads in the world to track down AirTags.

With 9 percent of the global market share at the end of 2020 (according to Counterpoint Research’s data), Oppo can likely make a good case that it has the market saturation to make its tags effective, too, but it’ll likely heavily depend on where users are in the world and how popular Oppo’s phones are in that area.

Samsung Armor Frame for Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3

Samsung applies for trademark for ‘Armor Frame’. An extra strong and durable smartphone frame, probably for the upcoming foldable smartphone models.

In the summer of 2021, Samsung will introduce its new foldable smartphones. Samsung is expected to launch the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Z Fold 3 simultaneously. Much has been written recently about the possible improvements of these new models. One of Samsung’s focal points is and remains durability. Last year, Samsung started to use UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) to make the screen extra scratch-resistant.

It seems that this year Samsung wants to equip at least one of its folding models with an extra strong frame, which will be called “Armor Frame”. This is evident from a trademark that Samsung has applied for in Korea, Europe and the US.

Samsung Armor Frame for foldable smartphones

On Tuesday, April 13, 2021, Samsung Electronics applied for a trademark for the name “Armor Frame”. The trademark was first applied for in the home country of Korea, at the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). The same day the application was also filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and with the United States Patent and Trademark Organization (USPTO). The trademark is categorized as Class 9 with a short, but clear description: “smartphones; smartphone frames’.

Samsung Armor Frame trademark description: ‘smartphones; smartphone frames’.

The brief documentation shows that it is a new type of smartphone frame. The word “Armor” seems to indicate that it is an extra strong frame.

Samsung has used different types of smartphone frames over the years, from plastic to metal and aluminum. The latter is used for the top models within the Samsung Galaxy line-up, such as the Galaxy S21 series, but also the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the Galaxy Z Flip.

The biggest disadvantage of an aluminum frame is that it becomes less rigid over time, causing it to lose its strength. This may have prompted Samsung to adapt and improve the frame of its new foldable smartphones. There have been rumors for some time that the bezels will be further reduced, meaning the frame and possibly also the hinge will have to be revised too.

It is still unknown from what material the “Armor Frame” is made. It may be an extra robust frame that meets the military MIL-STD-810G standard – making it more shock resistant. Another possibility is that Samsung opts for a kind of Carbon or Titanium, although this is more expensive than aluminum, it is also a lot lighter and thinner. At the same time, this could solve one of the main drawbacks of current foldable smartphones. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 in particular feels quite heavy in your hands over time. This problem can be remedied by applying a lighter and stronger frame.

Which Samsung smartphones get an Armor Frame?

Of course, the trademark does not state that Samsung wants to use the “Armor Frame” for its foldable models. Yet this seems the most likely. After all, the Galaxy S21 series has already been officially introduced and a new Galaxy Note device is not expected this year. All attention is now focused on the new foldable smartphone models from Samsung.

In August 2021, Samsung is expected to announce both the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 3. It remains unknown whether Samsung will use the Armor Frame for both models. Logically, it will in any case be used for the larger and more expensive Galaxy Z Fold 3. However, it is certainly not excluded that Samsung also wants to provide its clamshell model with an Armor Frame, just as Samsung also equipped the Z Flip with Ultra Thin Glass. .

Also in terms of timeline, it is likely that this application is intended for the upcoming foldable models from Samsung. Usually the Korean manufacturer starts filling trademarks for important names / features a few months before the official introduction, which will then be used later in the marketing. This also happened, for example, with the application for UTG, which was also requested about three months before the Galaxy Unpacked launch event.

With an extra strong frame, Samsung can stay a step ahead of the competition. More and more foldable smartphone models are being announced, also by other brands. Recently, the Huawei Mate X2 and Xiaomi Mi Mix Fold were introduced for the Chinese market. Oppo and Vivo will also reportedly announce their first folding smartphone soon. Although Apple is also developing a foldable model, it is expected that the development of the iPhone Flip will take a little longer.

Take a look at the application for Samsung Armor Frame in the US and Europe.

Ilse is a Dutch journalist and joined LetsGoDigital more than 15 years ago. She is highly educated and speaks four languages. Ilse is a true tech-girl and loves to write about the future of consumer electronics. She has a special interest for smartphones, digital cameras, gaming and VR.

Oppo A54 Indian prices leak ahead of April 19 launch

Oppo will launch two smartphones in India next week – the A54 on April 19 and the A74 5G a day later. Oppo confirmed that the A74 5G will be priced under INR20,000 ($270/€225) in the country but didn’t hint at the pricing of the A54. However, a new report claims the smartphone will start at INR13,490 ($180/€150) and have three memory options.

The base variant will have 4GB RAM and 64GB storage onboard, and for INR1,000 ($13/€11) more, you’ll get double storage. The third model, with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, will cost INR15,990 ($215/€180).

The Oppo A54, announced last month, is powered by the Helio P35 SoC and runs the dated Android 10 with ColorOS 7.2 on top. It packs a 6.51″ HD+ LCD and has a 5,000 mAh battery under the hood that draws power through a USB-C port up to 18W.

The A54 also features a side-mounted fingerprint reader and comes with a total of four cameras on board – a 16MP selfie shooter inside the punch hole with the 13MP primary camera on the rear joined by 2MP depth and 2MP macro units.

Source

Oppo’s Enco Buds official-looking renders leak

In a now unavailable post, long-time leakster Evan Blass has published leaked renders of Oppo’s unreleased TWS earbuds. The Oppo Enco Buds succeed the Oppo Enco W11 and although they look identical in appearance and design, the new version will support the Bluetooth 5.2 standard.

First look at the OPPO Enco Buds: https://t.co/wC9FQ2dPfB pic.twitter.com/F7UFdeW1S2

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) April 16, 2021

The Enco Buds style is very similar to the Samsung Galaxy Buds+, even down to the charging case. The renders show the TWS earbuds in white with an LED charging notification at the front side of the case. The new Enco Buds are anticipated to hit retail markets by the end of this month.

For reference, the Enco W11 earbuds feature 20-hour battery life total with a 5-hour battery life per charge, IP55 dust and water resistance, touch controls, and silicone tips. It also uses a USB-C port to recharge and a complete charge takes about 2 hours. Though these specs don’t represent the new Enco Buds

Via

Oppo A94 5G announced with Dimensity 800U and 30W charging

Just a week ago Oppo brought its Reno5 Z 5G in Singapore and now the phone has made its way to Europe as the Oppo A94 5G. It’s still powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 800U bundled with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage for a base price of €359.

The A94 5G brings a 6.43-inch AMOLED screen with FHD+ resolution and a punch hole for the 16MP selfie camera. The panel also comes with an integrated fingerprint scanner. The camera department is headlined by a 48MP main shooter alongside an 8MP ultrawide snapper and two 2MP modules for macro and depth data.

Oppo A94 5G

There’s a 4,310 mAh battery with 30W charging while the software front is covered by Android 11 with Oppo’s ColorOS 11.1 on top. The A94 5G comes in Fluid Black and Cosmo Blue colors and will go on sale starting May 3.

Oppo A54 and A74 5G launching in India next week

Oppo will launch two smartphones in India next week – the A54 on April 19 and the A74 5G on April 20.

The Oppo A54 is powered by the Helio P35 SoC, runs Android 10-based ColorOS 7.2 out of the box, and has two memory options – 4GB/64GB and 4GB/128GB.

The smartphone’s built around a 6.51″ HD+ LCD with a punch hole in the upper-left corner for the 16MP selfie camera. And around the back, we get a triple camera setup comprising a 13MP primary, 2MP depth, and 2MP macro units.

The A54 also features a side-mounted fingerprint reader and ships with a 5,000 mAh battery charged through a USB-C port at up to 18W.

The Oppo A74 5G, on the other hand, has a Snapdragon 480 chip at the helm with Android 11-based ColorOS 11.1 and 6GB RAM and 128GB storage.

The A74 5G sports a 6.5″ FullHD+ 90Hz LCD and packs a 5,000 mAh battery that draws power via USB-C port at up to 18W.

The camera department includes five shooters – a 16MP selfie unit inside the punch hole with the camera island on the back housing 48MP primary, 8MP ultrawide, 2MP macro, and 2MP depth modules.

The Oppo A74 5G also features a side-mounted fingerprint scanner and supports dual-mode 5G (SA/NSA) and it will be priced under INR20,000 ($270/€225) in India.

Source

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G budget smartphone (A-Series 2021)

In about three months, Samsung will announce the Galaxy A22. Read all about the expected budget phone here and take a look at the possible design.

Every year, Samsung releases a large number of smartphone models, a significant part of which is housed within the Galaxy A series. A considerable number of 2021 models have already been announced, varying from cheap budget models to mid-range phones with 5G support. It started with the introduction of the mid-range Galaxy A42. Not long after, the cheap Samsung A12 and A02s were announced, followed by the A32. Recently, the Galaxy A52 and A72 have been added to the sales range. We now have to wait for the Galaxy A82 and the A22.

In this publication we limit ourselves to the Galaxy A22, the cheap brother of the already introduced A32. It will likely be the cheapest 5G phone that Samsung will announce in 2021 – with an expected retail price of around €250. It is the successor to the Galaxy A21 / A21s released in June.

Samsung A-Series smartphone 2021

Meanwhile, the expected Samsung A22 has been in the news several times. It is known that both a 4G and 5G version will be released – just as is the case with the Galaxy A32 and A52. There is also information available about the colors. The budget phone is expected to arrive in 4 color variants: gray, white, light purple (violet) and light green.

Based on all available information, graphic designer Technizo Concept, in collaboration with LetsGoDigital, has created a series of product renders in which the possible design of the Samsung Galaxy A22 is central. In addition to the four expected colors, Technizo Concept has also added a fifth variant, which in our opinion would fit well into the delivery program; pale yellow.

Much is still unclear about the specifications. Presumably, the new A-series model will be equipped with a flat 6.5-inch LCD display. Although the A21 was still equipped with a punch-hole selfie camera, we expect the new model to feature a notch as all budget models within the A-series are equipped with a notch this year.

Budget phone with quad camera

There is still some uncertainty about the camera system at the rear. It is in line with expectations that Samsung will build in a quad camera – this was also the case with its predecessor. The main sensor will likely be able to capture 48 megapixel resolution photos. In addition, an ultra-wide-angle camera, a depth camera and a macro camera will most likely be implemented.

Samsung could choose to implement a square module, such as with the A12 and A42. For the product renders, however, we assumed that the camera of the A22 will have a rectangular design, as we also see with the A21 and the more recent A32.

With the latter model, Samsung chose not to place a camera frame around the lenses, the cameras are placed directly on the rear panel. We have also reflected this renewed and refreshing design in the A22, as can be seen in the following YouTube video of Technizo Concept.

Hardware & Software

The Samsung A22 is probably powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset. This is a mid-range 5G SoC. A MediaTek Helio chip may be used for the 4G model. It is still unclear whether both models will be introduced simultaneously. Recently, a Samsung roadmap appeared online (thanks to Evan Blass) listing the Galaxy A22 5G model for a July release.

With the A32, Samsung chose to introduce the 4G model at a later date. This device was equipped with less powerful hardware, but also with a nicer display and a higher resolution camera than its 5G counterpart. It is quite possible that Samsung wants to apply the same differentiation with the A22.

Samsung is expected to release at least two memory variants: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM and 6GB RAM / 128GB ROM storage memory. A model with 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM may also be released in some markets. The memory will in any case be expandable with a microSD memory card. This is of course a great advantage. With the high-end models, such as the Samsung Galaxy S21, this option is no longer supported.

Android 11 smartphone

The smartphone will run on the Android 11 operating system, combined with the One UI 3.1 user interface from Samsung. This is a user-friendly and clear interface with many personalization options.

Since it is a budget phone of less than € 300, software- and security updates will also be performed less frequently. Based on other cheap A-series models, Samsung will likely make a security update available 4x per year (once per quarter).

Although Samsung has expanded its software update policy last year, by providing most models with Android OS updates for 3 years, this will probably not apply to the A22. The more expensive models from the A series can count on 3 years of software updates, such as the Galaxy A52, the A72 and the A82 expected later this year.

Battery & charging options

Samsung will probably provide this budget phone with a plastic back panel and a plastic frame. The fingerprint sensor is most likely processed on the side of the device, in the on / off button.

Like all Samsung Galaxy A-series models this year, the A22 will also have an old-fashioned, but still much-loved 3.5mm headphone connection. This way you can use a wired headset to fully enjoy your music.

A USB-C connection is provided for charging. As yet no information is known about the battery capacity, nevertheless it is likely that it concerns a 5,000 mAh battery. This is also the case with its cheaper and more expensive brother; the A12 and A32. Charging is probably possible with a maximum charging power of 15 Watts.

Although Samsung no longer includes a charger in the sales package for the S-series models, all A-series models are still being supplied with a charger this year. You can therefore assume that you will also find a charger in the sales box of the A22.

Samsung A22 price and model variations

It seems that Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy A22 worldwide. The device is also expected in Europe, both as a 4G and 5G variant. The latter model is expected in July, it remains to be seen whether the 4G model will be introduced simultaneously.

No concrete information is yet known about the price. Nevertheless, a price indication can already be given on the basis of its predecessor and the other A-series models. The price will probably be somewhere between € 210 and € 275, where the 5G model will of course be slightly more expensive than the 4G model.

The 5G version will be equipped with a more powerful chipset. Perhaps Samsung will make some concessions in other areas, in order to keep the price difference between the two models small – think of a lower screen resolution and / or refresh rate and less high-resolution cameras.

Alternatives for Samsung Galaxy A22

If you don’t want to wait until July and are you looking for a new Samsung smartphone, then the 2021 range already offers sufficient diversity. For those who do not place too many demands on their mobile phone, the A12 may be a suitable candidate. If you are looking for just a little more, Samsung offers a good alternative with the A32. The one-year-old Galaxy A51 is also worth considering, this was the best-selling smartphone in Europe last year.

Obviously, there are also plenty of other brands, with interesting models within this price range. Consider, for example, the Nokia 5.4, the Motorola Moto G9 Plus, the OnePlus Nord N10, the Oppo A74 and the Xiaomi Mi 10T. The range of budget phones is wide. Although these smartphones usually offer a good price / quality ratio, the differences between them can be significant. It is therefore always advisable to compare a few models first, so you can make a good decision based on your personal preferences.

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