OPPO F5 Unboxing and First Impressions

OPPO just launched the F5, the newest member of the company's ever growing #SelfieExpert family. But, this time, it isn't just your regular selfie phone.

The intelligent #SelfieExpert?

OPPO boasts that that the new F5 shoots selfies intelligently w/ the help of artificial intelligence. To simply things, this new selfie technology will help users enjoy customized / personalized beautification without exaggeration and improve selfies the more you use it.

OPPO claims that it can detect 200 points your face, recognize your facial impurities, knows your age, gender, skin texture, analyze the lighting condition, and etc. The A.I. tech will do the trick to let you see the real you.

In addition, the new F5 is also the first OPPO device to join the ever growing 18:9 screen bandwagon for that full screen and near bezel-less look.

Moreover, the phone has some of the most underrated specs we've seen in a while. In particular, it is probably the most affordable smartphone in the Philippines right now w/ the gaming grade Mali-G71 graphics.

Yes, you read that part right, it has the same GPU found on the local version of the PHP 50K Note 8.

OPPO F5 Specs

Display: 6-inch FHD+ IPS 2160 x 1080 resolution w/ 2.5D curved glass and Gorilla Glass 5 protection at 403 ppi
CPU: 2.5GHz 64-bit Helio P23 octa-core processor
GPU Mali-G71MP2
RAM: 4GB 
ROM: 32GB expandable via micro SD card slot up to 256GB (dedicated)
Main Camera: 16MP f/1.8 w/ PDAF and LED flash
Selfie Camera: 20MP f/2.0 w/ A.I. Beauty Recognition and screen flash
Battery: 3,200mAh w/ 2A charger
OS: Android 7.1.1 Nougat w/ ColorOS 3.2
Connectivity: WiFi, 3G, 700 MHz LTE, Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, LE, OTG, GPS, A-GPS, dual SIM
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic
Others: Fingerprint sensor, facial recognition
Dimensions: 156.5 x 76 x 7.5 mm
Weight: 152 g
Price: PHP 15,990 or Plan 599

Disclaimer: This is a borrowed unit from OPPO Philippines. OPPO is also an advertiser of this website, but rest is assured of our fair review always.

Unboxing / Accessories

The OPPO F5 arrived w/ the familiar white box of the company. Inside, you'll also find the usual 2A charger, USB to micro USB data / charging cables, earbuds w/ microphone, SIM ejector too, pre-installed screen protector, paper documentations, and case.

Accessories

But, this time, OPPO changed their usual TPU jelly case w/ a textured clear hard case. Some may like it due to its good overall grip, but personally, I would prefer the better protection that the TPU jelly case can provide.

Build Quality / Design

Main camera, flash, and fingerprint scanner behind

Design is sleek and ergonomics is good. But, to be honest, I'm a bit disappointed w/ OPPO when it comes to the build of the F5 this time. Why? The company ditched the premium metal unibody build of the F3 series in favor of the silver nano coated plastic construction for the F5.

Build is just fine, but it would have been better if it is made out of metal!

Yes, we know that its build is still design and it still feels good overall, but it would have been better if OPPO didn't follow the wrongdoings of other companies by bringing plastic bodies in the upper midrange segment.

Fortunately, the front part of this handset is TOUGH enough. The 6-inch FHD+ 2.5D display is protected w/ a layer of Corning's latest Gorilla Glass 5! Having said that, the screen of this device should withstand few accidental drops and avoid hairline scratches even without the pre-installed screen protector.

Mic on top

Single speaker, micro USB port, another mic, and 3.5mm jack slot

Volume rocker

Power button and tri-slots

Like what I mentioned earlier, this phone is aesthetically sexy! Like the Vivo V7+ and Nova 2i it has a near bezel-less look. In particular, the side bezels are slim and the top and bottom bezels are definitely much slimmer compared w/ your conventional 16:9 phone.

The 6-inch 18:9 near bezel-less screen is quite good!

We also liked its curves, slimness, modern antenna band design, and the new oblong shaped fingerprint scanner design.

It has a slight camera protrusion behind, but it can be easily covered using the stock clear case in the package.

The phone is also a joy to hold overall as it has smooth curves and no sharp edges. It could just be slippery without the case.

All the ports and buttons are on easy to find locations. It has a triple slot for dual SIM and dedicated microSD card.

Initial Findings

The selfie camera

1. Build is just okay, but it isn't made out of metal just like most of the midrange smartphones today. As a result, it doesn't feel that premium in the hands. Gladly, like what we mentioned earlier, the design is good. The Gorilla Glass 5 protected screen is also bright and sharp.
2. It has a new an untested 2.3GHz 64-bit MT6763 octa core processor. But, that chip is interesting. Why? It is paired w/ Mali-G71 graphics, the same GPU found on some high-end 2017 smartphones. OPPO also coupled it w/ 4GB RAM and 32GB storage. The battery capacity is large enough at 3,200mAh
3. It loads w/ Android 7.1.1 Nougat OS w/ ColorOS skin. Like the A71 the shortcut panel can be accessed by swiping up instead of the usual drop down. It also has new features like the OPPO share that acts like SHAREit.
4. The main camera is rated at 16MP. It has a bright and wide f/1.8 aperture w/ PDAF and LED flash. The A.I. assisted 20 MP f/2.0 selfie camera is as good as advertised so far.
5. Most of the smartphone basics are present w/ this handset. It has OTG, speedy fingerprint scanner, and FM Radio. It even has face unlock tech that could serve as an alternative to the fingerprint scanner. It has an LED light indicator for notifications, but it won't appear when charging.

Related: OPPO F5: First Selfie Camera Samples

As of the moment

The OPPO F5 has the potential to be the best selfie-centric smartphone in the market right now.

It is also speedy and buttery smooth so far. As a matter of fact, it can even play some heavy games like the NBA 2K17 on all high settings smoothly. The f/1.8 main camera is quite decent in performance as well. So far, it could also be one of the most underrated all-rounders for the price.

For our full review: OPPO F5 Review - Modern Midrange Standard