OPPO A5x Pre-Release Thorough Review | The Midrange Star: Perfect for Sub Devices & Those Who Don’t Need High-End Features!

• Facebook
• X(旧:Twitter)
• はてブ
• LINE
• Pocket

Hey there, Shoya Kisaragi (@showya_kiss) here!

So today I managed to get my hands on the unreleased OPPO A5x from OPPO for a review, and even though it’s pre-release, I’m gonna give you guys the full rundown.

Now, just to be clear – I did receive this device as a loan, but honestly, if I start sugar-coating things, that’s disrespectful to both OPPO and you folks reading this review. So I’m giving it to you straight, no BS.

One thing to keep in mind though – my daily drivers are absolute beasts: an iPhone 15 Pro Max (1TB) and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (512GB). So when I’m comparing this midrange OPPO A5x to those monsters, I might be a bit harsh. Just saying!

Since this isn’t released yet, here’s the product page link: OPPO A5x

Bottom Line Up Front

Alright, let me cut straight to the chase: “Conditionally recommended – depending on the price, it could be an instant buy.”

Here’s why I landed on this conclusion:

• This device is clearly designed for people who don’t game
• Screen size is almost identical to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, so it’s great for folks wanting a big screen
• No audio distortion even at max volume, perfect if you want loud audio from your phone
• Camera performance is decent for the price point
• BUT – no NFC payment functionality (no FeliCa)

That’s the gist of it. So if you want a large-screen sub device, or you don’t game and don’t need mobile payments but want a big-screen main device, this could be a perfect fit. Depending on the price, it could be pretty compelling.

I’ll dive into all the details after the unboxing, so if you’re not into unboxing pics, just jump ahead using the table of contents.

Unboxing

Look, if I’m doing a photo review, unboxing is unavoidable. So here we go with the unboxing experience.

What Arrived

Here’s what showed up at my door. Not even a box – just a bag. Inside was the actual product box wrapped in padding.

When I take photos of packaging, my messy room always ends up in the shot, so I cut out just the packaging and put it on a black background using an image editor. It’s not me who can’t clean – it’s my wife who’s the messy one, and she creates chaos faster than I can clean it. Nothing I can do about that!

Inner Box

Here’s what the inner box looks like:

Pretty slick looking, but there’s a dent in the corner. It was like this when it arrived. I mean, considering the outer packaging was just a bag with some padding, stuff’s gonna get bumped around during shipping, right? When you actually buy this retail, it’ll probably come in proper packaging without dented corners.

Back of the Box

Here’s the back of the box:

Pretty minimalist back design. Wait a minute… it says “Color: Blue” but what I got inside was white. Hmm…

Opening the Box

When you open the box, here’s what you see:

There’s a document holder wrapped in paper with “OPPO” faintly printed on it.

Getting Everything Out

Let’s get everything out of the box:

Under the document holder, there’s the actual device wrapped in paper with “OPPO” printed on it. Size-wise, it’s basically identical to the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This thing is huge!

First Look at the Device

Alright, let’s get our first look at the actual device:

Gonna be honest with you – the OPPO A5x comes with a screen protector pre-installed, but when I opened it up, it was already in this condition. Scratches and scuffs everywhere. I’m thinking (especially since I got a white device in a blue box) they probably sent me a review unit that someone else had already used, and these are scratches from the previous reviewer.

So when you buy this retail, it shouldn’t have any scratches (if it does, don’t buy OPPO products anymore lol).

Back of the Device

Let me show you the back. I asked for blue – it’s supposed to be this awesome blue color:

Yeah… super white. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful – looks like a seashell. But sending me white in a blue box is quite the plot twist!

Right Side

Let’s check out the right side:

On the right side, you’ve got volume buttons up top (single rocker that you press up or down) and the power button with integrated fingerprint reader below.

Left Side

And here’s the left side:

Just the SIM slot on the left side. Interestingly, instead of having the pin hole on the tray itself, the hole is next to the tray – kind of old school.

SIM Slot

Let’s take a look at the SIM slot – this is the last photo:

As you can see, it holds two SIM cards plus a microSD card. Supports up to 1TB (I tested with a 1TB card I had lying around and it recognized it), so you’re all set if you need to carry lots of data.

That wraps up the unboxing!

OPPO A5x’s Claims

So even though it’s not released yet, there’s already a product page with all the marketing claims:

• 6000mAh high-capacity battery
• 45W fast charging: 1% to 30% in 19 minutes, 50% in 39 minutes
• US Military MIL standard and SGS certified shock resistance
• IP65 dust and water resistance
• 32MP rear camera, 5MP front camera, IR remote
• AI Eraser, AI Clarity Enhancement, AI Clipping 2.0
• Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 1
• RAM expansion support
• 3 years of smooth operation
• Glove mode
• Ultra Volume mode

Let me break down each of these claims:

6000mAh High-Capacity Battery

This one’s legit. The design is pretty power-efficient, so whether 6000mAh counts as “high-capacity” is debatable, but this battery easily gets you through a full day.

45W Fast Charging: 1% to 30% in 19 minutes, 50% in 39 minutes

Yep, this checks out. Instead of measly 15W or 20W, you get proper 45W fast charging, so you can go from nearly dead to 30% in about 20 minutes.

The bummer is that it doesn’t come with a 45W charger, so you’ll need to buy one separately – that’s gonna cost you at least 50 bucks.

US Military MIL Standard and SGS Certified Shock Resistance

I wasn’t about to drop a loaner device on the ground, so I couldn’t test this. But even MIL-spec devices will shatter if you drop them screen-first onto something pointy, so don’t get too confident.

IP65 Dust and Water Resistance

Again, wasn’t gonna risk getting a loaner wet. IP65 means it can handle being brought into a bathroom (but steam resistance isn’t guaranteed), so I wouldn’t use it for bathroom music sessions.

32MP Rear Camera, 5MP Front Camera, IR Remote

Not bad, but it’s a midrange phone, so you get midrange photo quality. The IR remote is a neat feature, but anyone interested in this probably already has SwitchBot gear, so it might be a dead feature. If this is your first time with IR control though, search for SwitchBot – you’ll discover a whole world of happiness!

AI Eraser, AI Clarity Enhancement, AI Clipping 2.0

Pretty cool features. I tested them and they’re actually usable. They don’t match something like Pixelmator Pro on Mac though. And let me be honest here – if you’re taking photos that constantly need AI eraser and clarity enhancement, you probably can’t take good photos to begin with. It’s fine for occasionally removing something that accidentally got in the shot, but if you’re relying on this regularly, maybe work on your photography skills instead.

Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 1

Sounds impressive with “Snapdragon” in the name, but gaming performance is basically non-existent. Genshin Impact freezes at Mondstadt waypoints and you can’t even walk properly, Wuthering Waves won’t let you move from the starting point, Zenless Zone Zero doesn’t even show up in the Google Play Store, and Wizardry Variants Daphne loads so slowly it’s unusable. If even a turn-based dungeon crawler like Wizardry runs poorly, forget about heavy games – medium games will need low graphics, and only lightweight games will run decently.

RAM Expansion Support

Uses internal storage to expand the base 4GB RAM with an additional virtual 4GB, giving you 8GB total. I’d prefer real 8GB over virtual, but if you’re not gaming, virtual RAM is fast enough for general use.

3 Years of Smooth Operation

Excluding games, it runs pretty smoothly for normal use, and this is guaranteed for 3 years (probably means they’ll keep updating ColorOS based on Android). For a midrange device, 3 years is pretty solid.

Glove Mode

Not needed during Hokkaido summers, but essential for Hokkaido fall and winter! I tested it right away though, and the responsiveness wasn’t great.

Ultra Volume Mode

They claim super loud audio output, but it’s about the same max volume as my iPhone 15 Pro Max. My Galaxy Z Fold 6 actually gets noticeably louder. However, while both the iPhone and Galaxy have audio distortion at max volume, the OPPO A5x stays pretty clean. If you’re in a car without Bluetooth or USB-C support, just maxing out the OPPO A5x and tossing it on the passenger seat for music isn’t a bad strategy.

Who is the OPPO A5x For?

Based on all this, the OPPO A5x is perfect for:

• People who have a compact high-spec main phone and want a large-screen sub device
• People who don’t game but want a large-screen smartphone
• People who want a big screen but don’t want to carry around an 8-inch tablet

For large screens, there’s the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but most people aren’t dropping 30 grand on a foldable! So if you want something bigger than a regular phone but don’t want to carry a tablet, this could really hit the spot.

Since it’s not released yet, here’s the product page: OPPO A5x

Wrapping Up This Pre-Release Review

So that’s my pre-release review! Since it’s open pricing, I can’t make a final call without seeing the price, but if this comes in around $300, it’s a no-brainer purchase. If it stays in the $400-500 range, it’s still pretty attractive as either a “budget main device” or “affordable sub device.”

If it goes higher than that, you might be happier with products from other manufacturers, so you’d want to do some catalog shopping.

That’s all folks!

By the way, I’m trying to increase blog traffic, so I’m participating in bookmarking and blog ranking services. If you want to support me, clicking those banners would be awesome! I also welcome comments and will reply when I notice them, so feel free to drop a comment!

• Facebook
• X(旧:Twitter)
• はてブ
• LINE
• Pocket