The base model from Oppo’s new smartphone series may not be described as “Pro”, but it’s still got plenty to recommend it over a lot of the mid-range phones we test, based on what I’ve seen so far.
5G connectivityThis device offers the latest generation of mobile data
Triple camera systemThere are three sensors on this phone’s camera module for photographic versatility
80W fast-chargingYou can fully charge the Find X5 in just 34 minutes
Introduction
The Oppo Find X3 Pro was one of our favourite handsets of last year, and we still continue to name it as one of the very best phones that you can buy right now. Understandably a lot of attention has focused on its direct flagship successor, the Oppo Find X5 Pro, but we’ve also taken a look at the standard Oppo Find X5.
This device may not be at the absolute top of its tree, but there’s still plenty of strong aspects about it, from the internals to the design. After trying it out at MWC 2022, here’s what I made of it.
Design and Screen
Attractive finishGood screen
Oppo’s premium phones have been distinguished by a smooth and aesthetically pleasing design philosophy, and that certainly continues with this device. The screen curves around at the sides, and the camera module hardly sticks out at all from the rear panel, being almost flush to the back.
Image Credit (Trusted Reviews)
What particularly pleased me was not just the look but the feel of the frosted matte glass on the back of this phone, which is immediately and noticeably different to any other smartphone I’ve held; it’s very comfortable, even cosy, in the hand, and does not in the least bit look or feel cheap. The matte aspect means that it doesn’t pick up fingerprints, and the camera module is the only part that catches the light due to its reflective finish.
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The display is also a positive point. Measuring 6.55 inches, and with a crisp (though not top-end) resolution of 1080x2400p, it is nonetheless very vivid to look at thanks to its support of HDR10+ and over one billion colours. The brightness goes up to a maximum of 1000 nits and so the display always seemed to be perfectly legible and clear, while the 120Hz maximum refresh rate gives it smooth scrolling as well. In the demonstration version of the handset I used it held up very well through a variety of apps, with only its less than perfect resolution showing that it’s not a full-out flagship.
There’s no 3.5mm headphone jack here, or SD card slot for expandable memory.
Camera
Strong main and ultrawide camerasEnhanced zoom results more mixed
The Oppo Find X5 has a triple rear camera system, led by a 50-megapixel main sensor, which also features a 50-megapixel ultrawide and a 13-megapixel telephoto sensor with 2x zoom.
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I took a few snaps with the device on the show floor of MWC, and I found that results were impressive. Bright and blaring spotlights were all around me, yet the camera dealt well with these and managed to pack plenty of colour and detail into the frames.
The only feature I have some reservations about is the digital zoom, which goes up to 20x and was vaunted in some publicity material but seems a bit weak to my eye, without the significant enhancements that make such a feature actually worthwhile. However, I’ll have to try it out a bit more before giving a full assessment.
Performance and Battery Life
Promising processorImpressive fast-charging
The Find X5 runs on a Snapdragon 888 chipset, which is not only a very capable bit of silicon that should be eminently capable of running demanding games and all your favourite apps, but also delivers 5G connectivity too. It’s the same processor you’ll find in the muscular OnePlus 9 Pro, so performance is likely to be very good (albeit we’ll only know once we’ve tried it out for a longer period of time, and run benchmarks.) The only downside is that it’s not using the newer Snapdragon Gen1 chip seen on most recent flagships, including the X5’s Pro sibling,
I didn’t have enough time with the X5 to test its battery life, so we’ll have to wait and see how the 4800mAh cell holds up to daily usage before offering a final verdict. However I was treated to a demonstration of the charging capability. Oppo has made its fast-charging tech one of its key focuses across its range of handsets, and it’s not hard to see why. Although the mind-blowing 240W fast-charging made the headlines, the 80W fast-charging supported by the Find X5 is also extremely impressive, bringing the device from empty to full in just 34 minutes. You can literally sit and watch the percentage points ticking up before your eyes, and even a few minutes plugged in will make a significant difference. It also supports 30W wireless charging, for even more convenience.
Early Impressions
The Oppo Find X5 looks to be a very capable all-round device. In my brief hands-on time with it, I found many positive elements that make me eager to try it out for a longer time period. The design is both comfortable and attractive, the screen is vivid and pleasing to the eye, the cameras seem to perform well (unless trying out the maximum extent of zoom), and the fast-charging capability seems astonishing. At this stage, there seem to be few drawbacks, but we can only deliver the final verdict after having put it through our rigorous review process.
Tech specs
The below table details the Oppo Find X5’s key specifications and how they compare to its more premium sibling.
UK RRP
EU RRP
Manufacturer
Screen Size
Storage Capacity
Rear Camera
Front Camera
Video Recording
IP rating
Battery
Wirless charging
Fast Charging
Size (Dimensions)
Weight
Operating System
Release Date
First Reviewed Date
Resolution
HDR
Refresh Rate
Ports
Chipset
RAM
Colours
Oppo Find X5
–
–
OPPO Digital
6.55 inches
128GB
50MP + 13MP + 50MP
32MP
Yes
Not Disclosed
4800 mAh
Yes
Yes
72.6 x 8.7 x 160.3 MM
196 G
Android 12
2022
–
1080 x 2400
Yes
120 Hz
USB-C
Snapdragon 888 5G
8GB
Black, White, Purple
Oppo Find X5 Pro
£1049
€1299
OPPO Digital
6.7 inches
256GB
50MP + 50MP + 13MP
32MP
Yes
IP68
5000 mAh
Yes
Yes
73.9 x 8.5 x 163.7 MM
218 G
Android 12
2021
24/02/2022
3126 x 1440
Yes
120 Hz
USB-C
Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 + MariSilicon X
12GB
Ceramic White, Glaze Black
A ‘hands on review’ is our first impression of a product only – it is not a full test and verdict. Our writer must have spent some time with the product to describe an early sense of what it’s like to use. We call these ‘hands on reviews’ to make them visible in search. However these are always unscored and don’t give recommendations. Read more about our reviews policy.
Jargon buster
mAh
An abbreviation for milliampere-hour and a way to express the capacity of batteries, especially smaller ones in phones. In most cases the higher the mAh, the longer the battery will last but this isn’t always the case.
OLED and AMOLED
Types of displays that use self-lighting pixels to provide greater contrast and more vibrant colours than a typical LCD display, as well as sharper blacks.
