OPPO F9: Nothing of Brand Loyalty, Everything about User Experience

Brand loyalty is no longer an obsession when buying a phone as was the case years ago. Nowadays choosing a phone is largely dependent on user experience and no other phone brings substance and a mix of style for an interactive and immersive experience like the OPPO F9.

The manufacturer has been setting trends to ensure that its devices stand out from the crowd, and true to OPPO’s word, the F9 lives up to its name in design, material, features, and affordability. No user will fall short of a remarkable experience when using OPPO F9.

Summary

Oppo F9 features a horizontally mounted primary camera that slightly protrudes and a LED flash next to it. The camera is housed by a metal surround to prevent damage. It also comes with a Micro-USB port that supports VOOC fast charging for the Pro version, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a loudspeaker, a SIM tray on the left and a dedicated SD card slot.

The design itself incorporates an amazing waterdrop notch that is admittedly better than that of iPhone X. The glass back, the exclusive and exquisite screen featuring minimal bezels, shimmering colors with a thrilling pattern catches the attention of every buyer without having a look at other features.

Having used the Oppo F9 to fathom its performance, I can now see why other users said they had a lot going for it. Fast charging, a decent battery, a smooth and high-end design, an incredible camera, a wonderful display and an interactive gaming experience all reek of a smartphone worth having.

Design and Display

Looks matter, and definitely, Oppo F9 is a winner. The phone is just a design to look at and with the beautiful display, with a screen-to-body ratio of 90.8 percent, holding it just feels out of this world.

Its notch is so tiny you may think it doesn’t exist. The back featuring shifting colors when held at different angles and depending on the available light. The dual-camera has been horizontally placed at the top left alongside a flash. The only thing that will tell you there is a physical scanner are those grooves that can’t hide color disguises, otherwise, you wouldn’t have distinguished it from the back.

The bottom houses the micro-USB 2.0 port, a 3.5 mm headphone jack, and on the left side of the phone sits the volume rocker. The power button is on the right. Both of the sides, like the back of the phone, also have that blue-black shimmer. It would be a waste of beauty to hide the phone’s design.

Specifications

The Oppo F9 specifications are as follows:

• BODY: Plastic frame, Gorilla Glass 6, 156.7 x 74 x 8 mm, 169g
• SCREEN: 6.3″ 2,340 x 1,080px (19.5:9) LTPS IPS LCD, 409ppi, notched
• PLATFORM: OS Android 8.1 (Oreo), Chipset Mediatek MT6771 Helio P60 (12 nm), CPU Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A73 & 4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53), GPU Mali-G72 MP3
• MEMORY 6GB RAM (F9 Pro) 4GB RAM (F9) 64GB of internal storage, microSD slot
• CAMERA: Dual: 16MP (f/1.8) + 2MP for depth sensing, phase detection autofocus; 1080p @ 30fps video
• SELFIE CAMERA: 25MP (f/2.0), 1080p video
• BATTERY: 3,500 mAh, 20W VOOC flash charging
• CONNECTIVITY: Dual Nano-SIM; microUSB (USB 2.0), Bluetooth 4.2, GPS, GLONASS, FM radio
• MISC: Rear-mounted fingerprint sensor; bottom-firing loudspeaker; 3.5mm audio port; Sunrise Red, Twilight Blue, Starry Purple colors

Battery life

The Oppo F9 comes with a powerful 3,500 mAh battery featuring VOOC Flash Charging that only works with the 20W charger provided and its special cable. The charger gives you more than 50 percent of battery life in about half an hour! Yes, it is that rapid and highly convenient if you want to rush somewhere.

It can endure long hours of video playback, voice and video calling, online presence, and even in its standby mode. This is exactly why anyone would choose the phone above others available on the market.

Sound

The loudspeaker, as noticed is quite audible. It is loud, the sound quality is remarkable and it gives out that deep sound you are looking for. The audio itself couldn’t be clearer. Its richness, whether on an external amplifier or through the headphones is loud and perfectly accurate. There are no doubts as to what more you could wish for regarding its sound.

Operating System

The phone runs Android 8.1 Oreo on ColorOS 5.2 with a launcher drawing benefits from an AI engine with real-time translation, fast Face Unlock, navigation gestures, and split-screen multi-tasking. Long taps give you app shortcuts and the security features incorporate WeChat integration.

The AI integration is for faster launching of apps and easy resource management. You can configure common and important information or just leave it to the AI. Consequently, the fingerprint sensor on the back is so fast and accurate, and did you know that you can set up face unlock in addition to the fingerprint security?

It also features seamless notification toggles, amazing themes, shade features, and a brightness slider. There are other amazing features that only you ought to find out yourself. Whichever the case, you won’t be disappointed.

Camera and Image Quality

The 16MP camera at the back also includes a 2MP secondary unit for depth sensing. It comes with phase-detection autofocus and a bright flash. The selfie snapper, a whopping 25MP is even better than the rear camera with its 1/2.8″ size and 0.9µm pixels.

The camera interface is borrowed from iOS and the majority of the settings are on the left with various modes available for several settings. You can use the 2x telephoto zoom or a blurred background for your photos. The Portrait Mode uses the secondary 2MP depth sensor camera for enhancement. Expert mode, location tagging guideline and a myriad of other settings are also available.

In terms of image quality, the Oppo F9 under a good light delivers images with exceptional contrast and detail. The colors are accurate and the dynamic range is above average. The foliage representation has also significantly improved since Oppo F7. The detail doesn’t lack, well, the grass might be a bit smudgy but that can be fixed.

The Auto HDR mode captures distinguishable scenes and some of the highlights one sees are easily fixed. The bright f/1.8 lens in the dual-camera at the back offers for better imaging at night. It somehow provides better stabilization and clear images. Although it may not be as spectacular as one would wish it to be, it is way better than most phones on the market today.

While using the selfie camera, the pixel density might do you no good if you don’t utilize the fixed focus. It helps reduce blurred images.

Taking videos apparently can only get the phones 1080p resolution. It is too bad that the 4K resolution lacks.

Verdict

Oppo F9 offers a coveted smartphone experience. In the crowded mid-range market, it has found a sweet spot with the amazing features, the design, and beautiful features it provides. The 25MP camera is perfect for lovers of their faces, the fast charging is convenient for those who are always in a hurry, and the immersive gaming experience is a sure bet for video-game enthusiasts. The battery life is also decent, what more could you ask for? Sit back, relax and live a hassle-free life with a smartphone that defines substance and sleekness conspicuously.