Review: OPPO A96

As we unwind after a long day’s work, we look for different ways to alleviate our stress. For some, the best way to cap off their day is by catching up on the latest Netflix series and for others, it’s through playing mobile games with their friends. If you’re interested in either of the above, then you’ll be thrilled with what the new OPPO A96 can offer. With its 5000mAh battery, 33W SuperVOOC flash charging, and 8GB of RAM with expansion technology, it’s tagged as a device that is “Designed to be powerful.” Read more to know if it’s the next gaming companion you should score!

Design and build

Incorporating the OPPO Glow Design, the Starry Black and Pink Gold colorways are certainly eye-catching. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the design patterns, but it’s somehow likeable since it comes with a fingerprint and scratch-proof rear. Further, it’s resistant to dust, water, and pressure, allowing you to feel confident going caseless to flaunt your phone’s stylish design. 

Aside from the smooth and relatively premium feel, the size of the OPPO A96 — 190.9g and 8.4mm — makes it easy to hold and carry around for everyday use. Notably, the side fingerprint unlock provided additional convenience.  

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Display

Featuring a 6.59” FHD+ screen display and a 90Hz refresh rate (with adaptive refresh rate technology), my experience went without a hitch regardless of how light or heavy the tasks were —  from internet browsing and switching apps to streaming shows on Netflix and playing mobile games. As for the quality of the display, you’ll appreciate the color accuracy and overall screen brightness. If you want to unwind and keep the bright screen from straining your eyes, the AI Eye Comfort will come in handy.

Camera

At the rear, you’ll find a dual-camera setup that includes the 50MP main camera and 2MP bokeh camera. In favorable lighting, it resulted in photos that exhibited an acceptable level of clarity and vibrance. Even in dark scenarios, the quality of the photos were not entirely compromised — we can give OPPO credit for reducing noise in images. 

Performance

I’ve set aside all the compliments for the performance aspect of the OPPO A96. Since it’s powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 4G chipset and equipped with 8GB RAM + up to 5GB Extended RAM, even at the highest graphic setting, playing Mobile Legends and Asphalt 9 remained smooth all throughout, all while showcasing above average visuals. Both competitive and recreational gamers alike are in for a treat. It’s more than safe to assume that everyday tasks and even running multiple apps or multi-tasking can be done swiftly too. 

On a different note, you’ll be able to maximize the use of your smartphone as its capacity of 256GB will provide you the liberty to download numerous apps and to store as many photos, videos, and music as you’d like. 

Here are the results after running device through 3D Mark and Geekbench:

• Slingshot: 2123
• Slingshot Extreme- OpenGL ES 3.1: 1310
• Wild Life: 447
• Wild Life Stress Test: 449
• Geekbench Score: 384 (Single-Core Score), 1644 (Multi-Core Score)

Battery

After working from 9-5, the performance and enjoyable experience the smartphone can offer won’t cut it if it dies on you. Fortunately, it boasts a large 5000mAh battery to get you through work and play. On the other hand, charging up to 100% was fairly brief and it took me 70 minutes with its 33W SuperVOOC charger. 

We’re all guilty of leaving our phone charging overnight sometimes. It isn’t a wise move if you want to slow down battery aging. However, with the Optimized Night Charging, you no longer have to feel anxious while doing so since this feature can control charging speed to avoid overcharging. 

Verdict

If you’re looking for a smartphone that offers great value for money, then the OPPO A96 is a good pick. It has a highly dependable battery life, robust design, above par camera, and an impressive performance for its price point of P15,999.