OPPO A3 Hands-On Review

Today, we’re taking a look at the OPPO A3. This phone is OPPO’s latest entry-level offering. Under this segment, I’m sure most readers are looking for a long-lasting, durable, and reliable device.

Before we begin, I have to note that our review unit came with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Now then, let’s find out if the OPPO A3 stands out from competing budget-friendly smartphones in 2024.

Table of Contents

Design

Right off the bat, I’ve noticed that our review unit has a polycarbonate frame and a glossy back panel. What took me a while, however, was the odd finish the back panel had.

The back panel sparkled when reflected against light. I guess it’s why they call this the Starlight White colorway. While the back panel does stand out, I have to note that it’s smudge prone.

I also noticed that there’s less emphasis on its camera island compared to its predecessor in the OPPO A2. For reference, the previous iteration of this device had more noticeable outlines for its camera sensors.

Moving on, the volume rocker and power button which doubles as a fingerprint sensor is situated on the right side. On the left, users can find a dual nano-SIM card tray which also houses a dedicated microSD card slot.

The device packs a 3.5mm audio port, USB Type-C port, and a single-firing loudspeaker at the bottom as well. As for the top side of the phone, it’s clean from anything.

Overall, the OPPO A3 has a pretty solid build. It’s lightweight, has a thin form-factor, and we’re content with how it looks. Plus, it has military-grade shock resistance in spite of how it presents itself to be.

Display

The phone has a 6.67-inch IPS panel with a refresh rate of 90Hz and HD+ resolution. The screen is protected by “twice-reinforced” Panda glass as well.

The display has asymmetrical bezels that help make for an immersive multimedia experience as well. In addition, scrolling under direct sunlight should be alright with the phone offering a peak brightness of a thousand nits.

I’ve been able to use the OPPO A3 by watching movies, videos on YouTube, and a bit of gaming. Honestly, it’s a pleasant surprise that the display feels as smooth as it does.

Again, it’s an IPS panel that peaks with 1604 pixels. Expectations weren’t the highest, but I’m sure users will find it quite alright all things considered.

For audio, the phone is limited to a mono loudspeaker. It performs decently, but nothing to write home about. I made the conscious choice of just connecting my Bluetooth earbuds in the end.

Performance & Benchmarks

The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 1. Our review unit offered 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.

From experience, the OPPO A3 was able to run Genshin Impact pretty well with the lowest graphics settings enabled. I should note that even increasing graphics quality just a bit overclocks the device.

Adjusting the settings lead to noticeable stutter and frame drops. Otherwise, it does just fine. It certainly fared better with less graphics-intensive games like Teamfight Tactics.

It’s a shame that the smooth display can’t make the most out of gaming. At the very least, we can vouch that the device is great for media consumption.

We’ll leave our synthetic benchmark scores for interested readers below.

Considering that this is an entry-level device, it pumped out good scores. It hit the 200,000 breakpoint in Antutu v10 and managed to get a score of 6,284 under PCMark.

The storage speeds are also decent, offering read and write speeds of 296.0MB/s and 273.3MB/s, respectively. Bottom line, the OPPO A3 is above average in the performance department under its price segment.

Cameras

The OPPO A3 is equipped with a 50-megapixel main camera paired with an auxiliary lens. The rear cameras can record videos up to 1080p at 60fps.

It also offers a 5-megapixel selfie shooter as well, capable of recording at 1080p at 30fps. Surprisingly, the front camera offers autofocus. Most entry-level devices don’t really offer this, so it’s very notable.

The cameras perform as you would expect with noticeable grain with the absence of natural lighting. It doesn’t produce the best photos at night, and it needs more light indoors.

However, like most phones these days, it can definitely produce good images under the right conditions. My colleague found that it can take photos with good detail under sunlight.

We’ll leave our readers with the shots from the OPPO A3 below. Feel free to share your thoughts on how the camera fares.

Conclusion

The OPPO A3 has clear advantages under the entry-level segment in terms of its build, display, and general reliability. Of course, there are also a handful of things that hold it back a bit.

The display resolution is capped, graphics for games need tinkering, and the cameras struggle when it’s not under direct sunlight. Other than that, it’s pretty decent.

However, I do think the pros outweigh the cons with what else it offers. For starters, those under budget can still find this a reliable device durability-wise. Second, it’s good for general use like media consumption, browsing, and low-tier gaming.

Last but not least, it packs a 5,100mAh battery with 45W of SUPERVOOC charging via USB Type-C. From experience, it’s good for about 12-16 hours of use.

Charging takes roughly an hour and 30. After that, users have a long-lasting, durable, reliable device ready. The OPPO A3 is now available for PHP 8,999USD 153INR 13,000EUR 146CNY 1,117. Feel free to check it out at OPPO’s official stores or online platforms like Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

But hey, what do you guys think? Let us know what you think of the OPPO A3 below!

OPPO A3 specs:
6.67-inch HD+ (1604 x 720) IPS display
90Hz refresh rate, 1,000 nits (peak brightness)
Panda twice-reinforced glass protection
Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s Gen 1
6GB, 8GB RAM
128GB, 256GB internal storage
microSD card support (dedicated slot)
50MP main camera (f/1.8)
Auxiliary lens
Up to 1080p @ 60fps
5MP front camera (f/2.2)
Up to 1080p @ 30fps
Mono loudspeaker
3.5mm audio port
4G LTE
Dual nano-SIM
Wi-Fi 5
Bluetooth 5
GPS
USB Type-C
Fingerprint sensor (side-mounted)
Face unlock
ColorOS 14 (Android 14)
5,100mAh battery
45W SUPERVOOC fast charging
IP54 rating for dust and splash resistance
165.7 x 76 x 7.7mm (dimensions)
187 grams (weight)
Sparkle Black, Starry Purple, Starlight White (colors)