As the successor to the A95, which is arguably quite successful in the market, this smartphone appears more confident thanks to a series of interesting improvements both in terms of hardware and software.
Curious as to what the advantages of the OPPO A96 are? Just take a look at the reviews below!
Designed to last
From the design sector, OPPO has again relied on the OPPO Glow technology that covers the back. For those who don’t know, OPPO Glow is a finishing touch that allows the phone to be less dirty (especially by fingerprints) and more resistant to scratches. As far as I’ve tested various phones that have been supported by OPPO Glow, this technology has proven to be able to keep the back clean and smooth.
On the A96, OPPO presents two color options, namely Pearl Pink and Starry Black. Pearl Pink is a new color that presents pink gradations when exposed to light. Meanwhile, Starry Black is a classic black color that is given a modern touch, giving it a feel like a night sky full of stars.
When held, the OPPO A96 feels quite slim with slightly curved edges. Its thickness is only 8.4mm, while it weighs around 190 grams. A little bit slippery but not too much especially to make it easy to get out of hand. If you want a more stable grip, you can install a softcase that is already available in the box.
Overall, the DNA of the OPPO A96 design is not much different from the A76. On the back you are again presented with a square camera frame in the upper left corner, with two lenses protected by large round glass. The fingerprint sensor is still embedded in the power button.
On the bottom you’ll find a side-by-side USB-C port with a mic hole, a 3.5mm audio jack port, and a speaker jack. In addition to below, the mic hole is also on the top. The OPPO A96 has two nano-SIM slots and a dedicated slot specifically for microSD, aka not a hybrid.
Interestingly, the OPPO A96 is not only a smartphone designed to look stylish, but also durable. That’s why OPPO has carried out various tests, such as 6 main tests, namely drop, water resistance, radiation, environment, and signal interference. In fact, the A96 has been rated IPX4 for splash resistance and IP5X for dust resistance.
There is also a test of plugging in and removing earphones 10 thousand times, inserting and removing the USB cable 20 thousand times, pressing the power button test 500 thousand times, pressing the volume button 150 thousand times, up to the resistance of the USB socket to an external force of 10 kilograms. Everything is done to ensure that the OPPO A96 is ideal for long-term use.
90Hz display with adaptive features
The OPPO A96 is also equipped with a 6.59-inch Full HD + punch-hole screen with a 90Hz refresh rate (180Hz touch sampling rate) and 96 percent NTSC Wide Color Gamut. This screen with a 90.8 percent screen-to-body ratio adopts Adaptive Refresh Rate technology, as well as All-day AI Eye Comfort (Sunlight Display and Moonlight Display).
I don’t think there’s anything to complain about with the A96’s screen. Sharp, the color presentation is okay, and the brightness level is good enough for use in various conditions. The Adaptive Refresh Rate feature will automatically select a refresh rate (between 60Hz or 90Hz) according to the content displayed and based on user habits. So when you don’t need a high refresh rate, the power consumption can be more efficient.
From the audio sector, this time the OPPO A96 offers stereo speakers that I didn’t find on the A76. With two speakers, the resulting sound will be more pleasant to the ear. Watching movies on Netflix, videos on YouTube, or playing games becomes more satisfying. Moreover, the A96 screen already has Netflix HD and Amazon HD certifications. Great audio and visual.
50 MP camera
The OPPO A96 is equipped with a 50 MP f/1.8 main camera accompanied by a 2 MP f/2.4 bokeh camera. Yes, only two. There is no macro camera which for me is less needed. But the absence of an ultra-wide camera is a bit unfortunate because I personally use it quite often. While on the front, there is a 16 MP f/2.0 selfie camera.
In terms of software, OPPO added the Bokeh Flare Portrait feature which is also a mainstay of the Reno series. There is also Ai Natural Retouching to beautify the face naturally, and 360 degrees Fill Light to keep selfies bright in low light conditions.
For shooting in the right light conditions, the rear and front cameras of the OPPO A96 are both capable of producing sharp images. Color reproduction also tends to match the original but still looks alive or not pale. The dynamic range at first glance is quite okay in reaching areas that are a bit dark to the brightest.
Because there is no ultra-wide or macro camera, it is clear that Portrait mode is the prima donna here. In Portrait mode, the separation between the main object and the background looks neat and smooth. The bokeh effect also looks natural, like using a lens with a wide aperture and the AI’s role is not too excessive.
Turning to indoor shooting, the OPPO A96 camera is also reliable in maintaining sharpness and color in conditions that are only assisted by light from the lamp. When it comes to capturing moments with even less light conditions, the results are still quite good for showing off to social media, although there are still areas that are refined to reduce noise.
For videography matters, OPPO A96 can record up to 1080p at 30fps using both the rear camera and the front camera. Can’t do 60fps yet. I also didn’t find the stabilization feature so the video results were a bit unstable when taken while recording while walking.
Snapdragon 680 . powered performance
Just like the A76, the OPPO A96 again entrusts the performance sector to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 chipset. Although it’s not the fastest in its price class, I think the performance provided is quite powerful. Moreover, OPPO provides it with 8 GB of RAM which can be expanded up to 13 GB.
Running and switching from one application to another feels very smooth. Multitasking is also quite fun and there are no significant obstacles when opening many applications at once. For gaming it’s still okay. Mobile Legends and PUBG Mobile can be played with stable frame rates.
One thing that makes it different from other A series that are already present in Indonesia, OPPO A96 offers internal storage with a capacity of 256 GB. Very relieved! Suitable for those of you who like to install various large-sized games, or who often capture moments in the form of photos and videos. If it’s still not enough, you can install a microSD up to 1 TB.
OPPO A96 is equipped with a 5,000 mAh battery supported by fast charging technology, 33W SuperVOOC. There is no doubt about its durability, which is up to a full day or even 1.5 days (depending on the style of use). This is made possible by the power management of ColorOS which is quite good. Even when the battery remains at 5 percent, you can still use the OPPO A96 to send messages via WhatsApp for 58 minutes, or call up to 1 hour 43 minutes thanks to the Super Power Saving Mode feature.
For charging, 33W SuperVOOC technology can charge the A96 battery to a full 100 percent (from conditions below 10 percent) in about 70 minutes. Fast charging is also safe because it is equipped with various protection systems, including Optimized Night Charging which allows charging to stop automatically when it reaches 80 percent at night, and resume charging 1 hour before you wake up.
Conclusion
With a hefty price difference, the OPPO A96 clearly has a much more tempting offer than the A76. The features are more complete, the storage is much more spacious, and the camera is even better. For me, OPPO A96 can be a daily driver for various types of users, especially those who want a durable phone for long-term use.
Yes, it’s not the most perfect and there are still things that need to be improved. However, some of the shortcomings of this phone are only minor, aka not too disruptive to the overall user experience.
For those who are interested, the OPPO A96 is sold at a price of IDR 4,299,000 and can be ordered from 7-15 April 2022 offline through the OPPO Store network and shops selling OPPO smartphone devices throughout Indonesia. Ordering online can be through the OPPO Store application on OPPO smartphone devices or the OPPO Official Store on the leading e-commerce site network in Indonesia.
During the order period, users will get a profit of IDR 1,359,000 in the form of an A96 Sound Box Bluetooth Speaker worth IDR 599 thousand on a limited basis and while supplies last. A discount of 300 thousand rupiah specifically for bundling purchases with OPPO Watch Free.
Pros of OPPO A96:
- Stylish design and tough enough
- OPPO Glow makes the body not easily dirty and scratch resistant
- There are IPX4 and IP5X ratings
- 90Hz display complete with adaptive function
- Agile performance, RAM expansion supported
- Storage 256 GB
- The photos are quite good, there is a Bokeh Flare Portrait feature
- Long battery life
- 33W SuperVOOC
- Speaker stereo
- There is NFC
- Already got a charger, no need to buy separately
Disadvantages of OPPO A96:
- No ultra-wide camera
- Video recording is not yet supported by the stabilization feature
- With a price above 4 million, it will be more interesting if you use a 5G chipset
OPPO A96 is suitable for:
- Students: Its long battery life and balanced performance make the A96 suitable for young people with a variety of activities.
- Employees: SuperVOOC technology is the answer for busy employees who don’t have much time to charge their phones. The RAM Expansion feature also helps when multitasking.
- Field workers: Stylish phones can still be suitable for field workers. As long as the battery is durable and the body is tough like the A96.
- Housewives: OPPO A96 is suitable for housewives who need a cellphone for communication, social media, and photos with children.
- Netflix/Drakor Fans: This phone is Netflix HD certified. Suitable for those of you who like to watch Korean movies or dramas.
