Oppo F21 Pro : CHINESE PHONE maker Oppo has always made smartphones for those who love style and camera tech. In that respect, the Oppo F21 Pro continues the line’s lineage of being a looker while putting significant emphasis on portrait photography, coupled with a flashy AMOLED display.
The fashion-conscious, selfie-loving target audience is obvious, as this phone is more about looks and lifestyle features than raw power.
But does the F21 Pro pack enough grunt to justify its price? Let’s explore.
Design and Construction: Superior Looks and Feel
As far as aesthetics go, Oppo hits it out of the park. It features razor-thin sides and a mere 8mm waist, so it’s one of the most slender handsets in its segment, weighing in at a mere 175g.
The back also has a leather finish (glass fiber) (in case of Sunset Orange colour variant) for added grip and premium look and feel.
Two concentric rings surround the camera module, which gets an additional splash of flair from “Oppo’s Orbit Light” around the microlens sensor. This is a phone that has clearly been designed to turn heads at first sight.
Display: Bright AMOLED with Smooth Refresh Rate
The F21 Pro comes with an 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED with a 90Hz refresh rate. The panel is bright, colorful and provides solid contrast, so it’s good for watching video or browsing Instagram.
It isn’t quite Samsung’s brightest display, but it’s sunlight-friendly with Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
The in-screen fingerprint sensor is both fast and super accurate, while that 90Hz refresh rate makes for far better animations and overall user experience compared to standard 60Hz displays.
Performance: So-So but Steady
When it comes to the specifications, the F21 Pro runs the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 under the hood, which is teamed with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. It’s not the most powerful chip on the block, notably it doesn’t support 5G, but it performs fine for day to day tasks such as browsing, messaging, social media and light gaming.
There’s also RAM Expansion of up to 5GB, which lets you multitask more readily, but it won’t turn the device into a gaming monster. It’s more than serviceable for those who aren’t into fat apps or gaming.
Software: The clean colorOS experience
The smartphone is powered by ColorOS 12.1 which is based on Android 12, ensuring a smooth and feature-rich performance. Oppo has managed to keep bloatware to a minimum and most pre-installed apps can be uninstalled. The features are there: split-screen multitasking, privacy dashboard, air gestures, they’re all here and they all function as advertised.
Updates come fast and Oppo has a somewhat solid reputation around software for longevity in this category.
Camera: Crafted for Portrait and Selfie Lovers
The F21 Pro features a 64MP main camera, a 2MP depth sensor and a 2MP microlens camera that offers zooming capabilities up to 30x. The rear camera takes sharp photos with accurate colours in good lighting. The portrait mode works well with AI and has a good separation between the subject and background.
It is the front-facing 32MP Sony IMX709 sensor that gives this phone real bragging rights. Selfies come out crisp and flattering, and even in challenging lighting, skin tones are well represented. There’s AI beautification but it doesn’t over do it.
Battery Life and Charging
It is backed up by a 4500mAh battery with 33W SUPERVOOC charging from Rapid Charge tech. Moderate usage will see it last a full day and it’ll go from 0% to 100% in a little over an hour. Power efficiency is good thanks to the Snapdragon 680 chip.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Beautifully designed with a l eather-like texture on the back
AMOLED panel that refreshes at 90Hz
Good forward camera for selfies
Fun microlens feature on rear camera
Light weight and easy to use
Fast and reliable charging
Cons:
No 5G connectivity
Snapdragon 680 is not a great choice for gamers
No stereo speakers
No ultra-wide camera
A little bit pricey for what you get
Oppo F21 Pro Final Verdict
The Oppo F21 Pro: A big on style, selfies and social media photography. It’s not for gamers or power users, but is a great option for someone who wants a beautiful phone with a reliable performance and stylish front-facing camera chops.
If you’re after a good-looking device with solid selfie features and can live without 5G, the F21 Pro is well worth considering.