True to its annual appointment, at the end of February, OPPO completely renewed its top range with three new devices. Thus, along with the OPPO Find X5, we also met his older brother, the OPPO Find X5 Pro, and his little brother, the OPPO Find X5 Lite. Of the three models, we are going to stop at the first of them, the one that occupies the intermediate step of the new generation.
Its first impressions already left us with a good taste in our mouths, but now we have finally had the opportunity to check how the OPPO Find X5 behaves in each of the sections.
Is it worth paying the $1065 that this phone costs? Let’s see it.
OPPO Find X5 technical sheet
| OPPO FIND X5 | |
|---|---|
| SCREEN | 6.55-inch AMOLED 20:9 ratio FullHD+ at 2,400 x 1,080 120Hz refresh Gorilla Glass Victus perforated panel |
| PROCESSOR | Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Adreno 660 at 3.2GHz |
| RAM | 8GB LPDDR5 |
| VERSIONS | 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| REAR CAMERAS | Main: 50 megapixels f/1.8, IMX766 Wide: 50 megapixels f/2.2 Zoom: 13 megapixels f/2.4 2X (5X hybrid) |
| FRONTAL CAMERA | 32 megapixels f/2.4 |
| BATTERY | 4,800 mAh 80W fast charging 30W fast wireless charging Reverse wireless charging |
| SYSTEM | Android 12 Color OS 12.1 |
| CONNECTIVITY | Dual 5G (nanoSIM, eSIM) WiFi 6 Bluetooth 5.2 GPS NFC USB type C |
| OTHERS | On-screen fingerprint reader MariSilicon X chip for photography Dolby Atmos stereo speakers IP54 splash-proof certification |
| DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT | 160.3 x 72.6 x 8.7mm 196g |
| PRICE | $1065 |
Finishes and screens at the height of the high range
Without being a small or light phone (it weighs almost 200 grams), the OPPO Find X5 transmits very good sensations when holding it in the hand. This is largely due to its rounded edges and matte frosted glass on the back, which completely neutralizes fingerprints, favors grip, and is smooth to the touch. The unit that has passed through our analysis table is the white one, but we have had the opportunity to see the black one, and, not only is it more elegant, but it also gets dirty and rubs much less.
The uniformity of that rear part is broken by the camera module, which is large, although it barely protrudes from the body and has the lenses fully integrated (which is appreciated). This module does have a mirror finish in which the fingerprints make an appearance, but less than expected thanks to good oleophobic treatment. The only negative point is the large amount of text and symbols that “dirty” that white back.
In this model, OPPO has opted for shiny aluminum bezels that favor the premium appearance of the phone. On the left, we have the volume rocker, while the right one is reserved for the power button and the top one remains smooth. At the bottom is where we find the USB-C port flanked by a speaker and the card slot (supports dual SIM).
The front part is dominated by the 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with Gorilla Glass Victus glass, 20:9 ratio, very tight frames, and curved sides. We are talking about a panel with FullHD + resolution and a 120 Hz refresh rate that offers a very satisfactory display from any angle. The behavior of the automatic brightness is quite successful and the maximum peak of up to 1300 nits allows the screen to be read correctly even in direct sunlight.
The behavior of the automatic brightness is quite successful and the maximum peak of up to 1300 nits allows the screen to be read correctly even in direct sunlight
The default calibration, in our opinion, is correct, but if it seems too warm or too cold, you can always customize it to your liking with the ColorOS settings. Watch out for features like Video Color Enhancer, Image Refiner, or Brightness HDR Video Mode, which improve playback quality but increase battery consumption.
In the sound section, we have a double stereo speaker that offers powerful sound with a good volume, but it is advisable not to exceed 80% so that it does not lose quality. We cannot say that the OPPO Find X5’s audio is outstanding because it falters a bit in the bass, but it is in line with other high-end models. And like most, it lacks a headphone jack.
Fast charging is a blessing
Unlike its older brother, which mounts the latest from Qualcomm, the brain of the OPPO Find X5 is the Snapdragon 888, a 5nm processor with eight Kryo 680 cores at 2.84GHz, the Adreno 660 GPU and the Snapdragon X60 modem for the 5G. It is accompanied by 8 GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256 GB of internal UFS 3.1 storage.
We are facing the processor that dominated the high-end of Android in 2021 and, despite the fact that more than a year has passed since its launch, it continues to behave really well. With it on board, this OPPO offers powerful performance, without lag or sudden closures, with the instant launch of apps and smooth transitions. It doesn’t falter either in multitasking or when put to the test with demanding games. Next, we leave you the results of the most common benchmarks:
| OPPO FIND X5 | OPPO FIND X5 PRO | ONEPLUS 9 PRO | XIAOMI MI 11 | SONY XPERIA 1 III | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PROCESSOR | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 888 | Snapdragon 888 |
| RAM | 8GB | 12GB | 12GB | 8GB | 12GB |
| GEEKBENCH (MULTI / SINGLE) | 812 / 3,380 | 968 / 3,385 | 1,105 / 3,603 | 1,127 / 3,754 | 1,132 / 3,634 |
| 3D MARK (WILD LIFE UNLIMITED) | 5,873 | – | – | – | – |
| PCMARK WORK | 9,998 | 11,701 | 11,919 | 13,030 | 11,857 |
Let’s move on to the software. The OPPO Find X5 comes with Android 12 as standard under ColorOS 12.1 and comes free to start with about 232 GB of the 256 GB included in the phone. OPPO’s customization layer has evolved over time into a polished, “westernized” ROM, with plenty of customization options and various useful tools that don’t burden the system.
OPPO’s layer has evolved over time to become a polished ROM with a multitude of customization options
There are not too many duplicate apps, although a little less bloatware would be desirable, as it comes with several pre-installed third-party apps: Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, Amazon, Booking, Netflix, O Relax, and PUBG Mobile Gift Box. The good thing is that, if you prefer to do without them, you can uninstall them without problems.
In the autonomy section, this model has a 4,800 mAh battery that, in our tests, has lasted us more than a day with average use and just over 6 hours of screen time. Without being bad data, we cannot say that it is its strong point.
What we really liked is the 80W fast charge. It also supports 30W fast wireless charging and reverses wireless charging, but the great advantage of the OPPO Find X5 is that using the charger that comes as standard, it achieves 45-47% power in just 15 minutes and a full charge in only 45 minutes. A marvel.
As for biometric systems, both facial recognition and the fingerprint reader on the screen (especially the first) offer very good performance, managing to recognize our fingers and our faces quickly and accurately. Nothing to object to in this regard.
Cameras that do not disappoint
On the back of the OPPO Find X5 we find, like its older brother, photographic equipment co-developed with Hasselblad and made up of a 50-megapixel f/1.8 Sony IMX766 main sensor, a 50-megapixel f/2.2 wide-angle sensor and a 13-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto lens with 2X optical zoom and 5X hybrid zoom. It is also worth noting the presence of its own NPU, Marisilicon X, to help in image processing.
The camera application is well known, as it is the one we usually find on OPPO and Realme mobiles. It’s fast, intuitive, and has shortcuts to all the important features: HRD, AI, zoom and wide, beautifier, depth of field, and even Google Lens. The shooting modes carousel brings the most common (Night, Video, Photo, and Portrait), but allows you to add any of those in the More tab.
Outdoors and during the day, the OPPO Find X5 camera behaves really well in Automatic mode and gives us images with good white balance, good contrast, good sharpness, and a high level of detail, although slightly saturated in some cases. The processing done by the Marisilicon X (terrific name) is not very aggressive and the focus is fast and correct.
Our recommendation, in this case, is to leave the HDR on automatic, as it does a good job of rescuing detail from the dark areas in the backlights. Regarding the zoom, it is advisable not to abuse those 5 hybrid increases because, as soon as we exceed the 2 increases of the optical zoom, the loss of quality becomes visible. We also liked the wide-angle a lot; even the macro, which is usually expendable, gets good results at a few centimeters.
In Portrait mode, you have the option to adjust the background blur to various levels, but you don’t want to push it all the way out so that the foreground crop doesn’t look too artificial. We can also apply different beauty effects that, as long as we don’t abuse them, allow us to correct some imperfections.
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In night scenes, the difference between using Night mode and Photo (auto) mode is practically non-existent. In both cases, the processing is fast and the results are satisfactory. It is true that some noise appears and sharpness is lost, but the OPPO Find X5 manages to contain the light sources very well and obtains a large amount of detail. In short, you can get the chest in night photography.
On the front of this OPPO, we find a front camera with a single 32-megapixel f/2.4 sensor. When the lighting is favorable, the selfies obtained with the Photo mode are quite good, although we do miss a little more sharpness and detail in the background.
In Portrait mode, as we increase the bokeh effect, the camera struggles to identify the subject’s hair, but the level of detail and colors in the foreground are quite correct. As in the rear camera, we have at our disposal a multitude of filters and beauty effects to apply to our selfies.
At night, the noise and the watercolor effect are much more noticeable than on the rear camera, especially in the background. However, as long as we have an artificial light source, the night selfies that this mobile obtains are quite worthy. The Night mode is expendable since the results with the Automatic mode are practically the same. We do thank OPPO for keeping HDR on the front camera.
When it comes to video, the OPPO Find X5 is capable of recording, at most, in 4K at 30 or 60 fps, although if you activate the Ultra stable Pro function, it drops to 1,080p. And if you don’t activate it, the trepidation is evident. It also allows you to highlight videos with the help of Artificial Intelligence and has a Slow Motion mode, Time Lapse, and a Movie mode to make some manual adjustments. We cannot say that the video is one of the strengths of this mobile, but it is not a section in which it fails.
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OPPO Find X5, Our Opinion
OPPO has been doing very well for a long time and the new generation of the Find X family is the best proof of this. Last year, there was no Find X3, so we can say that this Find X5 picks up the baton as an intermediate model from the hands of the Find X3 Neo. And what we said then, also applies to us now: we are facing one of the strongest rivals within the high range.
It shares most of its features with the Pro model (including practically the same camera), but it costs $169.02 less
It shares most of its features with the Pro model (including practically the same camera), but it costs $169.02 less. Premium finishes, a very satisfactory screen, outstanding photographic equipment, very good performance, and a fast charge that, once you have tried it, becomes essential. Could the sound be improved? Yes. And the night selfies? Also. But in general, we are talking about a balanced phone that does not disappoint in any section.
We would have liked a longer autonomy, but there is really only one thing that we miss: the IP68 certification for resistance to water and dust. For the rest, it is a highly recommended purchase if you do not mind giving up the latest from Qualcomm and that extra resolution and screen size that we do have in the Pro. And if you are willing to pay the $1065 it costs, of course.
In favor
- Good construction and premium look.
- A big screen in every way.
- The cameras perform very well in most scenes.
Against
- Not IP68 certified.
- Too much bloatware.
- A very conservative 2x optical zoom.
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