Review OPPO A16e

Although classified as an affordable phone, the OPPO A16e still appears with very good build-quality. The material feels solid and doesn’t seem cheap at all. OPPO puts forward a sleek design with a slim center frame and a 3D back cover that fits the contours of the hand.

One of the main differences between the A16e’s design and its older sibling, the A16, is the camera frame. A16e is made more minimalist because in terms of price it is cheaper. OPPO provides two color options, Blue as we reviewed in this article, and Midnight Black.

While on the front you will find a 6.52-inch HD + screen that has waterdrop-style bangs to accommodate the selfie camera. The bezels around the screen are still a bit thick, but still fairly reasonable for the size of a 1 million rupiah phone.

In terms of operation, the OPPO A16e feels quite comfortable to hold using one hand. Dimensions fit with a thickness of only 7.85mm. The weight is also quite light, 175 grams. The perfect combination to put in your trouser pocket. What we note is its glossy finish which is easily dirty by finger marks.

Please note that the A61e has IPX4 certification, which means it is splash resistant. No need to worry if you are outside and it rains, or accidentally spilled water. The body is also designed tough to be ideal for long term use.

At the bottom you’ll find the microUSB port alongside the speaker, 3.5mm audio jack, and mic. Yes, the port is still microUSB, not USB-C yet. The A16e doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor. That means, to lock your phone you can rely on face unlock or password. There are already three slots, including two for nano SIM-cards and one for microSD.

Layar All-day Eye Care

As mentioned above, the OPPO A16e has a 6.52-inch screen with HD + resolution. It doesn’t matter that it’s not Full HD yet, because the images presented still look pretty sharp and in terms of workloads it will also be lighter for the chipset.

This screen is supported by All-day Eye Care which consists of Sunlight Display, Moonlight Display, and AI Smart Backlight. With the combination of these features, the screen of this phone will be more comfortable to look at in various conditions and will not tire the eyes quickly.

Camera is okay in ideal light conditions

To capture everyday moments, you can take advantage of the 13 MP main camera on the back and the 5 MP selfie camera. Yes, there is only one camera on the back. That means OPPO trimmed the macro lens and mono camera that were previously in the A16 series.

Even though there is only one rear camera, OPPO has added an HDR Backlight feature that can maintain detail when shooting with strong backlight or low light. We find this feature very useful for shooting scenarios during the day. Even when using the front camera, the photos are still okay despite challenging the direction of the light.

In short, the results of the OPPO A16e photos both with the rear and front cameras are equally good, as long as the light is ideal. The details captured are still high, and the dynamic range is quite special for a smartphone that costs only 1.6 million rupiah. The color reproduction itself features slightly raised contrast to make photos appear more vibrant.

For video recording, OPPO A16e is only capable of up to 1080p 30fps. We think that’s more than enough. Even the video recordings are good in terms of sharpness, color, and dynamic range. But because there is no stabilizer feature, it is a bit difficult to get stable results when recording while moving.

Smooth performance for standard usage

From the performance sector, OPPO A16e is equipped with the MediaTek Helio P22 chipset along with a System Booster to optimize the system and a graphite sheet heatsink to prevent heat. This smartphone is only offered in one memory variant, which is 3/32 GB. If the default storage space is less, you can add a microSD.

For standard everyday usage scenarios such as chatting, video calling, social media, or watching videos on YouTube, the performance feels quite smooth. Helio P22 is not designed for heavy needs. For gaming, it’s only for titles that don’t demand high graphics. Mobile Legends? Still can and quite smoothly ‘how!

This smartphone adopts the ColorOS 11.1 operating system. A variety of useful features such as FlexDrop, Three-Finger Translate, and FreeForm Screenshot are available here. Fun again, there is a feature called Background Stream to enjoy music or videos in the background while working or playing.

OPPO A16e is equipped with a 4,230 mAh battery and is combined with a series of features such as Super Nighttime Standby, Optimized Night Charging, and Super Power Saving Mode for longer endurance. During our tests, it was very easy to get a full day of use. In fact, sometimes it can take up to 1.5 days.

What must be underlined, you will not find fast charging technology here. With the default charger, it takes about 2.5 hours for the battery to be fully charged 100 percent from around 5 percent.

Conclusion

OPPO A16e can be an interesting option for novice users who just want to switch to a 4G Android smartphone. The price is cheap, and in terms of features it is also quite reliable for standard everyday use. Most importantly, the quality is guaranteed for long term use. For those who are interested, the OPPO A16e 3/32 GB is sold at a price of USD $118.

Pros of OPPO A16e:

• Build quality is very good for the size of an entry-level phone
• Light and comfortable to hold
• Pretty interesting design
• IPX4 certification for splash resistance
• The screen is comfortable to look at
• The camera is pretty good in the right light conditions
• Smooth performance for everyday light use
• ColorOS 11 is supported by a variety of useful features
• Long battery life

Disadvantages of OPPO A16e:

• The body is easily dirty by finger marks
• No fingerprint sensor

OPPO A16e is suitable for:

• Students: These phones are ideal for schoolchildren with needs like online learning and creating assignments.
• Novice users: Just switching from feature phone to smartphone? A16e could be the right choice as your first device.
• Mobile employees: If you need a budget phone with a long battery life, rugged design, and performance for standard needs like communications, the A16e is worth checking out.