Oppo Find X6 Pro Review: Camera Balancing Act
© Ewdison So/SlashGear OPPO X6 ProPublisher Rating: 8/10
As Oppo Find X6 Pro shows, smartphone cameras are a big deal. It is probably not an exaggeration to say that cameras have become the main feature of smartphones today. Users can be more lenient with 1080p displays or mid-range specs, as long as they still perform well. On the other hand, a non-reflective camera may have problems with users. Marketing materials are full of buzzwords about phone photography, and while megapixel numbers aren't the only measure of good camera performance, that doesn't mean they aren't important.
Other things being equal, a 64-megapixel sensor is definitely better than a 16-megapixel sensor, especially if the latter is from the older generation. Conversely, two 64-megapixel cameras won't necessarily perform the same function, depending on the sensor and pixel size, lenses, and other hardware that supports image processing.
For economic reasons, a smartphone will have multiple cameras, but not all are created equal. Most of the attention (no pun intended) goes to the so-called "main" camera, which often has a wide-angle lens. The other two or three are usually less capable, although sometimes one is more gifted than the other if he has a special character.
Sometimes other cameras feel more like an afterthought than the actual points put there to get a complete set. This is the convention that OPPO Find X6 Pro tries to break with three cameras with almost identical specifications.
But is it all hype and does the new flagship offer more? We will try to give you the answer. Oppo put the Oppo Find X6 Pro to the test.
Design and visualization
© Ewdison So/SlashGear OPPO X6 Pro DisplayAs smartphone cameras get more sophisticated and larger, so does the space they take up indoors and out. In some cases, gluing the hump to a corner is no longer aesthetic or practical, as it can wobble when placed on a flat surface such as a table. Oppo Find X6 Pro's solution is to place the large circular camera right in the center, making it the center of attraction and attention. When held horizontally, it distributes balance evenly, but not like a digital camera.
The phone is available in three color options, two of which use the exclusive AG tempered glass. However, a more interesting variant is two-tone brown vegan leather, which is also reminiscent of conventional camera designs. Despite the low profile and smooth curves of its predecessor, the Oppo Find X6 Pro still retains a certain elegance and class despite the larger camera design. Try to find some symmetry even if the camera elements are arranged in a circle. That symmetry extends to ergonomics as well, with the phone striking the perfect balance between weight and thickness to feel great in your hands.
While the front of the phone isn't as attractive as the back, it's no less impressive. The 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED display with a resolution of 3168 x 1440 pixels and a maximum brightness of 2500 nits is one of the best smartphone displays in the world and it definitely shows. The screen is vibrant and the colors are lush. The panel is definitely responsive and the high refresh rate is ideal for videos and games that support at least the maximum speed.
Performance and battery
© Ewdison So/SlashGear OPPO X6 ProOppo has really gone all out when it comes to the specifications of the Find X6 Pro. There's the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 with 16GB of RAM. If that memory isn't enough, you can always borrow more from internal memory for virtual or extended memory. However, 512GB of storage is fixed and you can't add a microSD card to get more. There's also last year's Oppo MariSilicon X imaging NPU, or neural processing unit, a silicon that handles both camera image processing and display performance.
Suffice it to say that the Oppo Find X6 Pro does not lack raw power and behaves smoothly, regardless of its use. Thanks to the large memory, there are no lags when multitasking and heavy games are not a problem for the phone. However, sometimes applications can go to sleep unexpectedly, but this is due to the operating system and not a hardware failure. The two speakers do their job well, but you wouldn't even call them great.
Unsurprisingly, all that power is a big hit with a 5000mAh battery. Despite its size, if you don't turn on some settings and don't turn off the brightness, you won't get more than 14 hours of normal 5G usage. Oppo makes up for this with ultra-fast charging speeds of 100W for wired devices and 50W for wireless devices. Of course, you have to use Oppo SuperVOOC-approved chargers for that, so you won't get the same benefit from using a power bank.
Multiple main cameras
© Ewdison Then/SlashGear Buildings under a clear blue skyThe main draw of the Find X6 Pro is obviously its three main cameras. And no, that's not a typo. What OPPO means is that all three cameras have almost identical specifications, or at least all have 50MP sensors. Of course, the devil is in the details, so there is definitely some marketing hype behind this statement. The front camera isn't invited to the party, but the 32-megapixel sensor is certainly good enough for professional video conferencing.
However, there is still some difference between the three "main" cameras. The 50 MP wide-angle camera uses a 1-inch sensor from the award-winning Sony IMX989, while the other two use 1/1.56-inch Sony IMX890 50 MP sensors and differ only in the type of lens used to separate them. . The idea behind this trio of cameras is that you don't have to compromise on quality just because you want ultra-wide or close-up. Switching cameras is also less frustrating because there's almost no change in quality, at least in theory.
The photo quality has been achieved.
© Provided by SlashGear Cow StatueFortunately, Find X6 Pro delivers on these promises. Output from all three cameras results in vivid colors, wide dynamic range, accurate white balance, and a high level of detail. Thanks to the wide-angle camera's large sensor, it works even in low light conditions without resorting to night mode. Part of this performance is due to the MariSilicon X NPU, which works in the background to improve image quality, and part of the Hasselblad experience. The camera and lens maker has added a special portrait mode that reproduces the effects of the company's classic cameras, resulting in beautiful, more natural bokeh shots.
Audison then/SlashGear
It's also worth noting that OPPO revived the periscope-style lens it had made and dropped it for some reason. The 50-megapixel telephoto lens can achieve 3x optical zoom with stunning results, rich detail and low noise. Thanks to the large sensor, the digital zoom cuts a decent figure compared to other telephoto lenses with similar zoom levels. It's safe to say that the Find X6 Pro has the best telephoto lens on the market today.
user experience
© Audison Later/SlashGear OPPO X6 Pro ColorOSWhile things seem to be looking up for the Oppo Find X6 Pro, there is one aspect where things are getting worse. While there's no doubt that the phone has better-than-expected hardware, software is a different matter. Oppo's latest flagship runs the latest ColorOS 13.1, which is thankfully already based on Android 13. While there's nothing wrong with ColorOS itself, it's the version running on the Find X6 Pro that will be a problem for anyone. not outside of China.
Since the phone is not yet available in international markets, the special flavor of this phone is aimed at the Chinese market, all typical bloatware for that region. Of course, that means no Google Play support, at least not officially. That might be enough to turn interested buyers away, which is a shame, because ColorOS is definitely one of the best Android experiences out there.
ColorOS strikes the right balance between performance and customization, while offering intuitive and aesthetic standards. Of course, users still have a free hand on the look of their phone and there are plenty of customization options. In addition, Oppo has recently focused on the experience beyond the use of the phone to raise awareness about global warming and improve user safety through entertaining audiovisuals. Unfortunately, ColorOS tends to heavily kill apps to save battery life and optimize storage, but luckily you can turn it off if it doesn't suit your tastes.
final thoughts
© Ewdison So/SlashGear OPPO X6 ProOppo has been billed as an innovator in mobile photography for many years and the Find X6 Pro seems to be the ultimate proof of that. Three flagship cameras will raise the bar and challenge the dominance of camera benchmarks from Apple, Samsung and Huawei. After years of absence, Oppo's first periscope lens has returned home and the MariSilicon X NPU still impresses despite being over a year old. It certainly doesn't disappoint as a smartphone, with powerful hardware, a bright and colorful screen, and a sleek design. It's by no means perfect, but there are ways to fix or at least mitigate these minor issues.
Unfortunately, the biggest flaw in the phone is something that goes beyond its specs and features and is hard to fix. As of this writing, Oppo hasn't announced any plans to bring its latest flagship to international markets, though it could only be a matter of time at this point. The phone has to be certified in various markets, but this is nothing new for the company. Pricing on Oppo's online store could be a tipping point of around $1,020 (equivalent to £6,999), but that number isn't unusual for such premium phones. If the Oppo Find X6 Pro remains chained to one market and all smartphone cameras fail to shine and shine to see how they should be, it's really a shame and a terrible prospect.
If you're looking for a budget smartphone in the US, look no further than the OnePlus 11 5G, especially since OnePlus and Oppo are owned by the same company.
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