OPPO has recently launched the newest addition to its A series: the OPPO A3. It is the "strongest and fastest A series" from the smartphone brand. Luckily, we had the chance to test out the OPPO A3.
I have been using the OPPO A3 as my main driver for almost a month. So hang on to your seats, as I go on about what I liked (and what I didn't) on the OPPO A3. Without further ado, let's get started.
Design and Durability.
Let's first talk about the OPPO A3's main highlight: the MIL-STD 810H and Multiple Liquid Resistance ratings.
What I really love about this device is its military shock-grade resistance and multiple liquid resistance — OPPO claims that it can withstand falls from a height of 1.6 meters — the durability of the OPPO A3 makes me comfortable just thinking that my phone can sustain falling from my hands since I have clumsy and sweaty hands.
In addition to its durable build, the OPPO A3 comes with another layer of protection for various forms of liquid exposure. I have tested it also just by spilling water on it and you can still continue to use the phone even if you spill your water or coffee on it accidentally. To top it off, OPPO's Splash Touch Technology is incorporated in the OPPO A3 — with this technology, you can continue to use the screen even if it's wet.
Talking about the design, it measures just 7.68mm and weighs only 168g according to OPPO which makes it ultra-slim and lightweight.
For its build, it features straight-corner vessels, a rounded rectangular camera module, a 2.5D Curved Screen and a 2D plane back cover making it easy to hold. Color-wise, the OPPO A3 is available in Starlight White, Starry Purple, and Sparkle Black colors. What these three colors have in common is that these colors come with a glittering finish and plastic back material, making it sophisticated while remaining durable. Albeit, be sure to use the included case to protect your phone!
For the input and output, there's the volume rocker on the right along with the power button which also serves as the fingerprint sensor while on the left is the SIM card tray with a microSD slot. On the bottom, we can see the headphone jack, the microphone, the USB-C port, and the main speaker.
The 50MP camera.
Aside from the phone being durable, the OPPO A3 also boasts its main camera: a 50MP Ultra-Clear main camera with a flicker brightness detection sensor and support for AI Portrait Retouching.
As a non-camera guy, I'm actually surprised with the main camera of the OPPO A3 which can take good photos, especially with its flicker brightness detection which can produce high-quality images.
We have a 5MP camera on the front that supports AI Portrait Retouching. By simply dragging the sliders on the AI Portrait Retouching, users can easily adjust their photo to achieve better skin tone and complexion which is seemingly realistic for me. The overall image quality and color reproduction in photos are impressive.
The camera modes on the OPPO A3 include pro, panorama, night mode, Hi-Res (which uses the 50MP main sensor), portrait, photo, video, slo-mo, timelapse, and dual-view video mode (we'll get into that later). There's also an in-built sticker feature and a text scanner.
Among the modes, the Night Mode is what I loved the most as it is able to produce high-quality shots even when at night. Other than that, the other images captured in normal mode are good. As for the phone's video quality, the OPPO A3 supports both 1080p and 720p resolutions at 30fps.
The OPPO A3's dual-view video mode allows me to use both the front and rear cameras simultaneously and merge the footage into a solo recording. I made use of both the front and rear cameras to work on a single file during a test and I was impressed with how good the front camera is. Albeit, the front camera is also able to take videos clear as day.
Here are some of the photos I took using the OPPO A3:
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Normal Mode and Portrait Mode (front camera) |
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Normal Mode and Hi-Res Mode
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Display and multimedia experience.
In terms of display, the OPPO A3 has a 6.67-inch LCD display in 1604x720 resolution. Its display supports a 90Hz refresh rate with a 1000-nit max brightness. The 90Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and a more responsive touch experience. The 1000-nit peak brightness allows me to watch or multitask on the phone even when in direct sunlight.
The phone's display delivers good color accuracy and provides a large screen. Watching full screen videos on YouTube is immersive thanks to its 89.9% screen-to-body ratio. Its LCD panel is also protected by shatter-proof glass making it extra-tough.
As for the sound quality, the sound it produces is loud and clear, even though it only has one main speaker — and that's a good thing! There's also the Ultra Volume Mode, which increases the phone's speaker up to 300%, there's a catch though — the heavier the bass, the more distorted it gets. You can still max the volume without enabling it anyway.
Overall, for other uses such as playing games, watching videos, and setting your alarm, the Ultra Volume Mode is a game changer because it doubles the clarity of the sound from your games and alarms.
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Performance.
Performance-wise, the OPPO A3 is powered by the 4nm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 1 octa-core processor and Adreno 610 GPU. It delivers sufficient power both for moderate gaming and casual use in my one month of using the device.
The phone is available in either 6GB or 8GB of RAM, plus 128GB or 256GB of internal storage. I was able to store a bunch of photos, apps, and videos while multitasking and the phone shows no signs of slowing down. But if you want to level up your multitasking game, you can enable the A3's inbuilt RAM Expansion feature which uses up to 8GB of unused storage to boost performance.
The OPPO A3 is shipped with the latest ColorOS 14.0.1 based on Android 14. It is optimized and all but comes with a lot of unnecessary apps. Good thing that they can be uninstalled or disabled though but that only comes after you set up the device.
To get the most out of the device, I updated it to the latest version for a more stable experience.
As for gaming, it can smoothly run most of the games that I tested except for Genshin even in the lowest settings. But games like Call of Duty Mobile, Mobile Legends, and Free Fire are playable at medium to high graphics, though frame drops are still present but minimal, except for Genshin. Still, this device is capable of playing moderate games making it suitable for casual gamers. During game sessions, the phone tends to get warm probably because of the plastic back cover which is normal for phones with plastic back.
Call of Duty Mobile
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Mobile Legends |
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The battery life.
Speaking of battery, the OPPO A3 is backed by a 5,100mAh battery. I am impressed by the battery life of the OPPO A3 as it lasts one day with casual use, moderate gaming and multitasking, and watching YouTube videos. It's a great phone, especially for casual users who only browse and watch videos since it can last a day with casual use.
As for gaming, the phone lasts a day with continuous ranked sessions and light use. But it does not stop there because the OPPO A3 supports 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging. It only takes an hour and a half from 20% to 100% which is ideal for users who are always in a hurry.
The Verdict: androidist Meter - 4/5
From camera performance to battery life, the OPPO A3 is a durable, feature-packed smartphone that shines above in several areas. While it may not cater to hardcore gamers or those looking for flagship-level specs, it excels as a reliable, well-rounded phone for everyday use. With a stylish design, military-grade durability, and thoughtful features like AI Portrait Retouching and fast charging, it's a great choice for casual users seeking a dependable device.
Why we gave it a 4?
The Good.
- The MIL-STD 810H Certification and Multiple Liquid Resistance make the OPPO A3 durable.
- The 7.68mm thickness makes the phone lightweight and easy to hold.
- It has a 50MP "Ultra-Clear" main camera with several camera modes.
- It has an elegant back design despite the plastic material.
- The Ultra Volume Mode significantly boosts sound clarity.
- It has a long-lasting 5,100mAh battery with 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging.
- AI Portrait Retouching adds value to both front and rear cameras.
The Bad.
- The 5MP front camera could be better, though can be amended by the AI features.
- There are unnecessary apps upon setup but not a big deal since you can uninstall them later.
Specifications
Pricing & Availability
The OPPO A3 is currently available in a 6GB + 128GB model which retails for PHP 8,999 (~roughly US $160). The phone sports two colors: Starry Purple and Sparkle Black and is now on sale on the brand's offline and online e-commerce platforms (Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop) nationwide.