Vic Del Rosario Jr.’s Viva Holdings, Inc. (VHI) and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOU) to enhance IP protection in e-commerce. The agreement includes 37 Viva companies with a broad reach in the entertainment sector, including film and TV production, music licensing, streaming, and radio programming, as well as in skin care and cosmetic products, fitness studios, and food services. Del Rosario, Viva’s Chairman and CEO, stressed the importance of the partnership with IPOPHL to protect their brand, creators, and artists against piracy and counterfeiting, which has been a significant problem with online media and streaming. He also added that a significant portion of their earnings is lost due to the said illegal activities, which means less budget for the quality and quantity of future projects. He also lamented the weakening movie theater industry, which pushed the company to depend more on streaming services. Cr...
Durability is the hottest buzzword in the budget smartphone market. The terms “IP rating” and “military grade shock resistance” used to be exclusive to more expensive phones, but not anymore. Even midrange phones like the latest OPPO A5 Pro 5G have it now.
In our OPPO A5 Pro 5G review, we’ll detail how durable this smartphone actually is. More importantly, we’ll also see how the chipset, battery, charger, cameras, and more perform in daily use. So, without further ado, let’s start.
OPPO A5 Pro 5G Specs
- Android 15, ColorOS 15
- Dual SIM, Dual Standby
- 6.67-inch HD+ IPS display, 1604 x 720 pixel resolution, ~264ppi
- 120Hz refresh rate
- Corning Gorilla Glass 7i
- MediaTek Dimensity 6300 octa-core processor
- 8GB RAM
- Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- 256GB UFS 2.2 internal storage, expandable storage.
- 8-megapixel front camera
- 50-megapixel (f/1.8, AF) + 2-megapixel (mono) rear cameras, LED flash
- Side-mounted fingerprint scanner, Face unlock
- IP69 dust and water resistant, MIL-STD-810H certified
- Stereo speakers
- HSPA+, 4G LTE, 5G
- WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band
- Bluetooth 5.3
- GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, QZSS, BDS
- USB-C
- Dimensions: 164.82 x 75.53 x 7.76mm
- Weight: 194g
- Colors: Mocha Brown, Bloom Pink
- 5,800mAh non-removable battery, 45W SUPERVOOC wired charging
Design and Build Quality
The OPPO A5 Pro 5G passed different water and dust resistance tests to earn all three ingress protection ratings: IP66, IP68, and IP69. According to OPPO, it can survive being soaked in up to 1.5 meters of water in half an hour and hot water splashes with temperatures of up to 80 degrees Celsius.
During a media presentation, we were able to submerge an OPPO A5 Pro 5G in a boiling hotpot for about 10 seconds. The device did survive, but unlike other durable budget phones I’ve tested in the past, the A5 Pro 5G had to automatically shut down and cool down before I could use it again.
Still, it’s impressive that it managed to survive, considering that it’s not just simply boiling water — it’s a boiling, thick broth. You can see the video of the actual test below:
As for the drop-resistance, I didn’t have the heart to drop-test our loaner review unit. But, OPPO did say that it passed 14 military grade tests. The build apparently has a “bionic cushioning” that works like an airbag. It also has a sturdy aluminum motherboard cover and a sturdier glass that’s 160% more shatter resistant.
While it should survive accidental drops, it’s not advisable to deliberately drop the smartphone around just to show off. I also did a couple of light bends to test out the frame and can confirm that it’s indeed sturdier than other smartphones in its price range.
It should also be durable enough to survive accidental nicks, especially if you don’t like using cases. But if you have butter fingers, it might be best to slap the free rubber case in the box.
The case has a black finish, which, sadly, conceals the elegant design of the rear panel. The review unit we have is called Mocha Brown, and the name speaks for itself. It has an elegant dark brown gradient in the back with a mocha-like tone in the ring around the camera lenses and the flash.
OPPO clearly nailed the design and build quality of the OPPO A5 Pro 5G. It looks extra sleek and feels durable for a midrange phone, and that’s more than I can ask for.
Taking a tour in front, there’s the 6.67-inch HD+ IPS display. The bezels are not thin but acceptable. A clean punch hole holds the 8-megapixel selfie camera. OPPO also pre-applied a screen protector for extra peace of mind. It’s not tempered glass, though, so you should still put one if you’re more comfortable with that.
The left side has the SIM tray on top, which can house two nano SIM cards and a microSD card.
On the right, we have the volume controls and the lock/power switch that also acts as a fingerprint scanner. The physical buttons sit flush with the frame while staying clicky and tactile.
The top is clean, while the bottom has the loudspeakers, USB-C port, and built-in microphones.
The camera island, which hosts the two cameras and LED flash, is distinctively large but with a very minimal bump.
Display and Audio
The OPPO A5 Pro 5G has a very underwhelming display. Not only did we get an IPS panel instead of an AMOLED that’s more fitting for the price, but the resolution is only at HD+ instead of a more apt FHD+. We did get 120Hz refresh rate, but the smoothness is barely felt due to the underwhelming chipset performance.
That said, don’t expect much from the display quality. While it’s definitely serviceable thanks to its ample size and screen brightness, the lack of details is really noticeable, especially on small texts.
That’s a real bummer, considering that the device does have Widevine L1 support for FHD streaming on platforms like Netflix.
I did appreciate the loudspeakers, which amplify the earpiece — instead of having a dedicated driver — to form a stereo setup. There’s a 300% volume booster that makes it really audible even in a crowded room.
The sound quality is decent but not great. The treble clips a little at max while the bass could be deeper.
Hardware and Performance
The OPPO A5 Pro 5G comes with a 2.5GHz MediaTek Dimensity 6300 octa-core processor with a Mali-G57 MC2 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.
OPPO A5 Pro 5G Benchmark Scores
Day-to-day performance has been underwhelming, even for the price. Apps load sluggishly, and scrolling through social media feeds is sometimes glitchy.
On the upside, it’s capable enough to handle the device’s AI features. Now, let’s see how it handles games.
Genshin Impact, a very demanding game, ran fine under Medium settings at smooth 60 fps. Not the smoothest experience, but very playable.
Shooter games such as PUBG Mobile were comfortably playable under Smooth graphics andt Ultra frame rates, Call of Duty Mobile at under Medium graphics and High frames, and Farlight84 under Balanced-High.
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang ran smoothly under the highest available settings, as well as Asphalt Legends Unite.
While you can definitely play triple-A games on the OPPO A5 Pro 5G, other similarly priced phones can do better in terms of performance.
| Game | Graphics Settings |
| Call of Duty: Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Medium • Frame Rate: High |
| Farlight84 | • Graphics Quality: Balanced • Frame Rate: High |
| PUBG Mobile | • Graphics Quality: Smooth • Frame Rate: Ultra |
| Genshin Impact | • Render Resolution: Medium • Visual Effects: Medium • FPS: 60 |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | • Graphics Quality: High • Frame Rate: Ultra • HD Mode: On |
| Asphalt Legends Unite | • Visual Quality: High Quality • Frame Rate: 60 |
Software and User Interface
It may not have the best hardware, but OPPO ensured it has the best interface, thanks to the latest ColorOS 15 sitting on top of Android 15. OPPO hasn’t confirmed yet how long they will be supporting this device, though.
It has a suite of AI features also found on other OPPO phones. A lot of them can be found in the photography department, like the AI Portrait Retouching, AI Eraser 2.0, AI Unblur, AI Reflection Remover, and AI image generator called AI Studio. Google Gemini also replaced Google Assistant for this device.
Some AI features I really look forward to are the AI Summarize and AI Speak, which are useful when reading articles or emails. They are easily accessible through the Smart Sidebar on other OPPO phones, but sadly, I can’t find it here, despite the device’s webpage saying it does. Maybe it will come soon via software update.
I do like the AI Assistant within the Notes app. It lets you clean a document’s format and generate texts by tapping “Continue writing” or “Elaborate”. These are nifty tools to have when writing emails, term papers, and more.
AI features you won’t see but definitely feel are the AI LinkBoost 2.0, a network optimization algorithm that ensures strong network signal even when you’re in train stations, elevators, malls, concerts, etc.
Meanwhile, the AI GameBoost intelligently allocates resources to sustain the needs of the game you’re playing. And based on our gaming test (see above), it definitely did its job well.
For security, both the side-mounted fingerprint scanner and facial recognition unlock the OPPO A5 Pro 5G at reasonable speeds. No problems here.
Both the split screen and floating windows are here to improve multitasking, and they both worked fine during our tests. Take note that with its limited performance capability, it’s really not advisable to do hardcore multitasking on this one.
OPPO kept the bloatware at a minimum, so there’s not much unwanted apps that take unnecessary space on the storage.
Virtual RAM expansion is also available, allowing you to borrow 4GB, 6GB, or 8GB from the storage.
OPPO’s camera app is still as nifty as ever. Google Keyboard is set by default — a homey, easy-to-use, feature-dense keyboard.
Cameras
The OPPO A5 Pro 5G features a 50-megapixel main camera with an f/1.8 aperture, joined by a 2-megapixel monochrome lens and an 8-megapixel selfie snapper. Not an impressive setup for the price, as I expect an ultra-wide or macro lens for it.
Daylight shots from the main camera are usable but could be a lot better. Color reproduction and dynamic range are good but do suffer from overexposure at times. I also noticed poor details and weird post-processing that ruins the sharpness in some shots.
Low-light shots are also passable, but I noticed similar issues with the exposure and details. It’s decent, but a bit underwhelming.
The quality of the selfies from the 8-megapixel front camera is to be expected. Details are a little soft, and the dynamic range is off. The skin tones are fairly accurate, though.
While the main and selfie cameras are passable, there’s no denying that the OPPO A5 Pro 5G lags behind the competition in terms of lens options and overall image quality.
Battery and Charging
The OPPO A5 Pro 5G boasts an extra large 5,800mAh battery paired with 45W SUPERVOOC wired charging.
It got average scores in our tests. In our 1080p YouTube video loop test, it lasted for 13 hours and 52 minutes, slightly lower than the average score of 16 hours that other similarly priced phones got.
However, it beat most of the competition in our PCMark Synthetic Battery Test, where it lasted for 16 hours and 4 minutes versus the average score of 14 hours and 56 minutes.
Charging speeds from the 45W SUPERVOOC adapter are fast, with a full charge taking just an hour and twenty minutes. See our full tests below:
- 15mins: 0-24%
- 30mins: 44%
- 45mins: 62%
- 1hr: 76%
- 1hr 15mins: 96%
- 1hr 20mins: FULL
Verdict
The OPPO A5 Pro is a good daily-driver, if it only in the right price range. It’s got a sleek and durable design, stereo speakers, a reliable battery life with speedy charging, and a polished interface for a comfortable user experience.
But for the price, we should already be getting an AMOLED screen, or at least a display with an FHD+ resolution and not just HD+. A smoother performance in both gaming and basic tasks is also a must. Plus, it would’ve been nice to see an ultra-wide or a macro lens.
Bottomline is, this may not be the best time to get the OPPO A5 Pro 5G. Hopefully, the price drops low enough to match the features it offer.
OPPO A5 Pro pricing and availability in the Philippines
The OPPO A5 Pro 5G retails for Php15,999. A 4G-only model is also available for Php10,999. The OPPO A5 Pro series is now available nationwide through physical stores and online.
Pros
- Sleek design, dust and water resistant
- Good stereo speakers
- Clean, polished interface
- Big battery with fast charging
Cons
- Only HD+ IPS screen
- Underwhelming performance
- No ultra-wide, macro
- No 5G
This article, OPPO A5 Pro 5G Review, was originally published at NoypiGeeks | Philippines Technology News, Reviews and How to's.
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