Oppo brings new A-series device to Australia, the triple-camera equipped A15, fo...

Wednesday, 27 January 2021 11:38

Oppo brings new A-series device to Australia, the triple-camera equipped A15, for $239

Arriving in Australia from January 28, 2021, the A-series A15 is billed as having "the hallmark of premium features and affordable prices", and at A$239 it is certainly affordable, but at the price you obviously won't get the flagship performance of phones $1000 and up.

As always in the world of Android over the past few years, there are very affordable smartphones out there, with large batteries, multiple cameras and screens over six inches in size, and the new Oppo A15 is no exception. 

Outfitted with a 12nm Mediatek Helio P35 octo-core CPU, which Notebook check says arrived into the market in late 2018, you obviously won't be getting the performance of the 5nm Apple A14 processor or the Qualcomm 888, but you aren't paying $1000 to $2000+ prices for this model, either.

Oppo says its A15 heralds "a versatile AI Triple Camera setup, inclusive of a 13MP main camera, 2MP macro lens and 2MP depth lens" and claims that "users can expect polished photography viewed on the 6.5-inch HD+ screen, featuring a screen refresh rate of 60Hz."

There's also the claim that "the phone is nothing short of enduring, hosting a large 4230mAh battery and a 10W charger to keep users on the go."

There's a fingerprint Sensor located at the back, billed as "a subtle touch that elevates the user experience. All of this is packed into a slim body that is 7.95mm thick and 175g in weight."

Commenting on the launch of the A15, Michael Tran, MD at OPPO Australia, said, “By ticking the boxes of usability, durability and affordability, the A15 reinforces the A Series’ unique offering, kickstarting our 2021 journey of delivering top-notch technology at pocket-friendly price points.”

So, what else does Oppo have to say about its new value-driven model?

The can-do camera setup

We're told the A15 "sports an AI Triple Camera setup to capture every moment in exceptional quality. The 13MP main lens preserves the overall image clarity, while the 2MP macro lens works on fine details up close and the 2MP depth lens unlocks picture-perfect portraits.

"Flip the phone over and users will find a 5MP water drop front camera, featuring unique AI Beautification to help deliver natural-looking selfies. Users can also make use of the Portrait Bokeh, HDR effect and AI Scene Enhancement features to lift their photography game."

Stylish design and display

Then Oppo talks up the A15's "6.5-inch HD+ screen display and screen refresh rate of 60Hz", which the company says "allows users to make the most out of gaming, watching movies and web browsing. The A15 also comes with AI Brightness, a smart feature that automatically adjusts the screen’s brightness to protect users’ eyes based on lighting conditions."

Battery that just keeps going

Powering up the next statement is the fact the A15 "houses a massive 4230mAh battery and 10W charger to power users through the day. On one full charge cycle, users can watch HD videos for up to 16 hours or play games for up to six hours. With remaining battery before bed time, the A15 can even pick up users’ sleeping habits via the Super Night-time Standby feature, reducing power consumption throughout the night."

Just like that, you’re in

Fingerprint sensors have now been standard for years, with Oppo stating its A15 "comes with a smooth Fingerprint Sensor conveniently placed at the back, which makes unlocking the phone as easy as a single touch".

There's also an AI Face Unlock feature which is "powered by OPPO’s advanced facial recognition technology, analyses data collected from 128 facial features, enabling instant identification and phone unlock in the blink of an eye."

Extra smooth, extra spacious

Oppo then notes the A15 is "equipped with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, which can be expanded to 256GB to give users greater flexibility in storing their data. Powered by an Octa-core processor and Hyper Boost 2.1, the A15 is gifted with improved gaming performances and touch responsiveness, delivering lag-free experiences to users."

Again, it's obvious that a $239 smartphone with a late 2018 processor, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage isn't designed to compete with something like the Samsung S21 Ultra with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, but it was never designed to - they're aimed at completely different types of users, and Oppo also has much more powerful phones available to users that want and need that extra power.

It does add to the great amount of choice available at this price point from Nokia, realme, Alcatel, Oppo and others I've forgotten but who offer models in this price range.

Check out the reviews online to better figure out which one you should get, and in stores like JB HiFi where there are usually models on display, have a good look there too, with these smartphones often great to replace broken or stolen phones, for someone with modest smartphone needs, and also to teach reckless kids who damage more expensive smartphones to treat phones with respect so they can earn the privilege of getting a more advanced model.

More information on the A15 is at the Oppo website here. 

OPPO A15 Specifications:

Dimensions / Weight

Height - 164mm
Width - 75.4mm
Thickness - 7.9mm
Weight - About 175g

Basic Specs

Colour - Dynamic Black and Mystery Blue
Operating System CPU - ColorOS 7.2 (based on Android 10)
CPU - MediaTek Helio P35
GPU - IMG GE8320
RAM - 3GB
Storage - 32GB
Expandable Memory - Up to 256GB
Battery Capacity - 4230mAh

Display

Size - 6.5" HD+ LCD Display
Resolution - 720 x 1600 pixels
Durability - Gorilla Glass 3

Camera

Rear + Aperture - 13MP(f/2.2) + 2MP(f/2.4) + 2MP(f/2.4)
Front + Aperture - 5MP(f2/.4)

Connectivity

Bands

GSM: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
WCDMA: Bands 1/5/8
LTE FDD: Bands 1/3/5/7/8/20/28
LTE TDD: Bands 38/40/41

SIM Card Type - Dual Nano SIM
GPS - Supported
Bluetooth - BT 5.0
WiFi - 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac

Connectors - MicroUSB v2.0

Others

Waterdrop Front Camera
3.5mm Audio Jack
1080p HD Video Recording
Fingerprint Scanner

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