OPPO A5x Sub-$200 Entry-Level Android 1-Week Review | Perfect for Sub-Phone Users and Those Who Want Big Screens Without All the Bells and Whistles

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#OPPOA5x #lowpricesmartphone #entrysmartphone #Under200dollers #bigscreen #subsmartphone #review #OPPO

Hey there, fellow tech enthusiasts! Show-ya Kisaragi (@showya_kiss) here.

Today I’m dropping a mid-term usage review of the OPPO A5x that OPPO graciously lent me for review purposes. I’ve been daily-driving this bad boy for about a week now, so let me break it down for you.

Quick disclaimer before we dive in: My daily drivers are an iPhone 15 Pro Max (1TB) as my main rig and a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 (512GB) as my secondary device, plus an iPad mini (A17 Pro/512GB) for tablet duties. Yeah, I know – I’m basically comparing a budget warrior against flagship monsters, which is pretty unfair considering the OPPO A5x is rocking that sub-$200 price point on Amazon (as of writing).

Also, while OPPO hooked me up with this review unit, I’m not about to simp for anyone or mislead you awesome readers just to stay in someone’s good graces. Expect zero BS and maximum honesty in this review.

Oh, and heads up – this blog runs on Amazon Associates to keep the lights on and cover return shipping for review units, so you’ll see some Amazon links scattered around.

TL;DR – The Bottom Line

The OPPO A5x is absolutely perfect for:

• Budget-conscious users who think spending serious cash on a phone is insane (we’re talking sub-$200 here)
• Minimalists who couldn’t care less about fancy features or mobile gaming but want that sweet, sweet big screen real estate
• Light users who aren’t constantly glued to the internet but want to consume media from SD card storage
• Big screen seekers who want tablet-esque display size without actually buying a tablet

Why? Here’s the deal:

• Ridiculously aggressive pricing – Amazon’s got it under $200 new, which is just bonkers
• Screen size that rivals flagship territory – we’re talking iPhone 15 Pro Max dimensions here
• Decent enough performance for web browsing and media consumption (though don’t expect Genshin Impact to run smoothly)
• Solid storage expansion with 1TB SD card support for all your digital hoarding needs

Look, spec-wise this thing is definitely more mid-range than true entry-level, but the price positioning screams entry-level all the way. Don’t expect flagship features or gaming prowess – this is all about that big screen experience for basic tasks and SD card media consumption.

If you’re feeling the vibe, here’s the Amazon link. Throwing me some affiliate love helps keep this operation running, so if you’re planning to grab one anyway, might as well help a fellow geek out!

The Not-So-Great Bits (AKA Reality Check)

These aren’t really “flaws” per se – more like “this is what happens when you build to a price point”:

• Gaming is mostly a no-go – Action RPGs and visually intensive turn-based games with fancy 3D animations? Forget about it. Some games won’t even show up in the Play Store because the hardware can’t handle them.
• Input lag on rapid operations – Try rapid-fire swiping through Pixiv artwork and you’ll get some wonky gesture recognition. Slow and steady wins the race here.
• Audio volume ceiling – Despite marketing claims, my Galaxy Z Fold6 actually gets louder at max volume. That said, the A5x handles max volume without nasty distortion, which is nice.
• Missing NFC payments – Previous entry models had FeliCa/NFC payment support, but they axed it to hit that aggressive price point.
• Bloatware city – The preinstalled app selection is… questionable. Seriously, a clean Android experience would’ve been way better.

Again, these are design compromises to hit that sub-$200 target, not engineering failures.

Workarounds for the Limitations

The ideal setup? Dual-device strategy, my friends.

Rock the OPPO A5x as your primary phone alongside either a secondary flagship or an 8-inch tablet. If you’ve got a foldable as your secondary device, the A5x becomes perfect for calls and basic messaging. Alternatively, pair it with an 8-inch tablet for heavy lifting – the tablet handles everything intensive while the A5x covers voice calls (since tablets typically can’t do that).

And honestly? With barcode payment systems everywhere now, the missing NFC payment isn’t the dealbreaker it used to be.

Final Verdict

Real talk – this device won’t get hardcore tech enthusiasts excited. It’s not meant to. But for normies who just want “a phone that makes calls and browses the web” with a bigger screen, reasonable price, and decent audio quality, this thing absolutely delivers.

It’s the perfect recommendation when non-tech friends hit you with “Hey, you know phones – got anything cheap but good?” The “Amazon, under $200” response is pretty much a conversation ender in the best way possible.

Here’s that affiliate link one more time if you’re ready to pull the trigger:

OPPO A5x スマホ 本体 ブル CPH2725【日本正規代理店品】SIMフリー スマートフォン

¥19800

Amazonで購入

Thanks for reading, and if you’re feeling generous, some love on the bookmark/ranking sites would be awesome. Comments are always welcome too – I actually read and respond to them!

Peace out,
Show-ya

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