OPPO A3
A few weeks ago, OPPO announced the price and availability of their “SAKALAM” (‘malakas’, or tough) smartphone, the OPPO A3. While the term “sakalam” connects strength or “being strong”, there are two aspects that the OPPO A3 claimed right, but there is one major part where it failed.
Read our full review of the OPPO A3.
Build and Design
The OPPO A3 is a testament to OPPO’s commitment to durability and style. They have done so in the past with their previous smartphones. The OPPO A3 is not an exception especially with its military-grade shock resistance and multiple liquid resistance features.
The device measures 165.77 x 76.08 x 7.68 mm and weighs about 186 g, striking a balance between a substantial feel and comfortable handling. I believe that the standout features of the A3’s design is its toughness. In our tests, the back panel and display held up impressively after several intentional drops from a height of 3 meters. However, it’s worth noting that we don’t recommend dropping it on its side, as that could potentially cause more damage. The included case is well-padded, providing an extra layer of protection for those who want to be extra cautious.
The phone comes in three eye-catching color finishes: Starlight White, Starry Purple, and Sparkle Black. Each color option offers a unique aesthetic, from the deep, meteoric flashes of Starlight White to the metallic touch and glittering textures of Starry Purple. The Sparkle Black variant, covered with the premium OPPO Glow texture and a bullet pattern, provides a sophisticated look with hints of fresh charcoal. What OPPO provided for our review is the Starlight White variant.
Display
The OPPO A3 features a 6.67-inch HD+ IPS LCD display with a resolution of 720 x 1604 pixels. While the resolution might not be the highest in its class, the display makes up for it with some impressive features. It offers a 90Hz refresh rate, providing smoother scrolling and more fluid animations compared to standard 60Hz displays. It is quite unfortunate that at its price range, it is only able to go as high as 90Hz. Other products even at lower price point can go as high as 120hz.
The display also incorporates a punch-hole design for the front camera, contributing to a modern, minimalistic look. With a screen-to-body ratio of 89.9%, the A3 offers an immersive viewing experience, making it suitable for multimedia consumption and gaming.
Hardware
Under the hood, the OPPO A3 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1 mobile platform. This octa-core processor features four Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2.1GHz and four Cortex-A53 cores at 2.0GHz, paired with an Adreno 610 GPU. The device comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage, which is expandable up to 1TB via a microSD card.
While the hardware specifications are decent for a mid-range device, the raw benchmark performance is somewhat disappointing for its price point. In our tests, the A3 scored 261,215 on AnTuTu, 342 on Geekbench 6 Single Core, 1,204 on Geekbench 6 Multi Core, and 5,655 on PC Mark. These scores indicate that the A3 might struggle with more demanding tasks and isn’t particularly suited for intensive gaming.
The phone supports 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n/ac (dual band), Bluetooth 5.0, and GPS. It also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for biometric authentication. Sensor speed is accurate and good, in my experience.
Benchmark Performance
As mentioned earlier, the benchmark scores for the OPPO A3 are less than impressive, especially considering its price point. Let’s break down the benchmark results:
- AnTuTu: 261,215
- Geekbench 6 Single Core: 342
- Geekbench 6 Multi Core: 1,204
- PC Mark: 5,655
These scores indicate that the A3’s performance is somewhat lackluster compared to other devices in its price range. It’s worth noting that the A3 is slower overall than both the realme C63 and OPPO A60, which may be concerning for potential buyers looking for the best performance for their money.
The relatively low benchmark scores suggest that the A3 might struggle with more demanding applications and multitasking scenarios. This aligns with our observation of sluggish software performance during day-to-day use. Users who prioritize smooth performance and quick app launches might find the A3’s performance disappointing.
It’s important to emphasize that these benchmark scores make the A3 less than ideal for gaming. While some casual games should run fine, more graphically intensive titles may struggle to maintain smooth framerates, potentially leading to a subpar gaming experience.
Benchmark Results
Show more +Software and AI Features
The OPPO A3 runs on ColorOS 14.0.1, which is based on Android 14. This combination offers a feature-rich and customizable user experience. However, it’s worth noting that we observed sluggish software performance during our testing, which could be a point of concern for users who prioritize smooth and responsive interfaces.
ColorOS 14.0.1 brings several AI-enhanced features to the table. One notable addition is the Smart Charging feature, which tailors the charging process to match your usage patterns, helping to preserve battery health and prevent premature battery aging. The Ultra-low Temperature Charging mode is another thoughtful addition, optimizing charging when temperatures fall below 0°C.
The A3 also incorporates OPPO’s Trinity Engine, which aims to improve overall smoothness and stability by enhancing the scheduling of hardware computing resources. Despite these optimizations, the sluggish performance we experienced suggests that there might be room for improvement in software optimization.
AI enhancements extend to the camera as well, with features like AI Portrait Retouching available on both front and rear cameras. This feature intelligently adapts retouching effects for each individual in group selfies, allowing users to adjust the effect intensity using a simple slider.
While these AI features add value to the user experience, the overall sluggish performance might detract from their effectiveness in real-world usage.
Camera
The camera system on the OPPO A3 is one of its stronger points. The device features a dual-camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 50MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and autofocus capabilities, accompanied by a flicker sensor. On the front, there’s a 5MP selfie camera with an f/2.2 aperture.
In our testing, we found the camera performance to be quite impressive, especially considering the phone’s price point. The color accuracy is notably good, producing true-to-life images that capture scenes faithfully. The bokeh effect, often a challenge for budget and mid-range phones, is pleasantly creamy, adding a professional touch to portrait shots.
Contrast levels in the photos are good, contributing to images with depth and dimension. However, it’s worth noting that the dynamic range isn’t particularly wide as I expected. This means that in high-contrast scenes, you might lose some details in the brightest highlights or the darkest shadows.
The camera app includes several AI-enhanced features, such as AI Portrait Retouching, which works on both the front and rear cameras. This feature is particularly useful for group selfies, as it intelligently adapts the retouching effects for each individual in the frame. It is worth noting though that a specific Portrait mode is missing in the camera UI.
Video capabilities are decent, with both the rear and front cameras capable of recording 1080p video at 30 frames per second. While not groundbreaking, this should be sufficient for casual video recording and social media content creation.
An interesting addition to the camera features is the Dual-View Video mode, which allows users to record simultaneously from the front and rear cameras. This feature merges the footage into a single picture-in-picture frame, offering a unique perspective for vloggers and content creators.
Overall, while the camera system may not compete with flagship devices, it performs admirably for its class, offering good color accuracy, pleasing bokeh effects, and useful AI-enhanced features.
Audio
The audio capabilities of the OPPO A3 are enhanced by the inclusion of Ultra Volume Mode. This feature is designed to boost the clarity of high-frequency sounds without causing distortion, allowing users to increase the volume of the phone’s loudspeaker by up to 300%. This can be particularly useful in noisy environments, ensuring that you never miss an incoming call or notification.
The Ultra Volume Mode extends to call audio as well, with the ability to double the maximum volume of the earpiece during calls. This feature ensures clear communication even in challenging acoustic environments.
While the A3 doesn’t feature stereo speakers, the single speaker’s performance is bolstered by these volume-enhancing features. Whether you’re watching videos, gaming, or on a call, the audio experience should be loud and clear.
It’s worth noting that the A3 does include a 3.5mm audio jack, which is becoming increasingly rare in modern smartphones. This allows users to connect their favorite wired headphones without the need for adapters, which many audio enthusiasts will appreciate.
Battery
One of the standout features of the OPPO A3 is its impressive battery life. The device is equipped with a large 5,100mAh battery, which provides excellent longevity. In our tests, the A3 achieved an impressive battery life of 15 hours and 42 minutes, which is truly remarkable for a device in this class.
This long-lasting battery means that most users should be able to get through a full day of heavy use, or even two days of moderate use, on a single charge. The A3’s battery performance is particularly noteworthy given its large, bright display and 90Hz refresh rate, which typically consume more power.
Charging is handled by OPPO’s 45W SUPERVOOC Flash Charge technology. This fast-charging solution can take the battery from 0% to 50% in just 30 minutes, according to OPPO’s claims. The full charge time is stated to be around 85 minutes.
OPPO has also implemented several features to maintain battery health over time. The Smart Charging feature tailors the charging process to match your usage patterns, which can help prevent premature battery aging. Additionally, OPPO claims that the A3’s battery is designed to maintain optimal performance for up to four years, which is impressive if it holds true in real-world usage.
Verdict
The OPPO A3 has a balanced blend of highs and lows. On one hand, it offers impressive durability with its military-grade shock resistance and multiple liquid resistance, a bright and smooth display, excellent battery life, and a capable camera system. The device’s design is attractive, and the color options add a touch of style.
However, the A3 falls short in some crucial areas, particularly in terms of performance. The benchmark scores are disappointing for its price range, and the sluggish software performance we experienced could be a significant drawback for many users.
The camera performance is a bright spot, offering good color accuracy and pleasing bokeh effects, even if the dynamic range is somewhat limited. The Ultra Volume Mode for audio is an interesting addition that could be useful in noisy environments.
Battery life is undoubtedly one of the A3’s strongest features, with its 15 hours and 42 minutes of endurance being truly impressive. The fast charging capabilities add to its appeal in this department.
However, when considering the overall package, at PhP8,999, the OPPO A3 seems somewhat pricey for the features it offers. While it excels in battery life and durability, its performance limitations make it hard to recommend unreservedly, especially for users who prioritize smooth operation and gaming capabilities.
Should you get it? The OPPO A3 could be a good choice for users who value durability, battery life, and a decent camera over raw performance. These are the “SAKALAM” features of OPPO’s latest budget smartphone. However, those looking for a more balanced device with better all-around performance might want to consider other options in this price range. As always, potential buyers should weigh these factors against their personal needs and preferences before making a decision.
Giancarlo Viterbo is a Filipino Technology Journalist, blogger and Editor of gadgetpilipinas.net, He is also a Geek, Dad and a Husband. He knows a lot about washing the dishes, doing some errands and following instructions from his boss on his day job. Follow him on twitter: @gianviterbo and @gadgetpilipinas.
