Oppo R5 Specs Pricing Pros & Cons Unveiled

Design and Build

The Oppo R5 was a groundbreaking smartphone when it was first released in 2014, capturing headlines for its ultra-thin design. Measuring just 148.9 x 74.5 x 4.9 mm, it was one of the thinnest smartphones on the market at the time. This sleek design did not come without its trade-offs, however, as the device did not include a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack and required the use of an adapter. Weighing 155 grams, the device was fairly light for its size, offering a solid build quality with a construction that made it both attractive and comfortable to hold. Available in silver and gold colors, the Oppo R5 looked premium and stylish.

Display

The R5 featured a 5.2-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 1920 pixels and a pixel density of approximately 423 ppi. The use of AMOLED technology meant users could enjoy vibrant colors and deep blacks, which is particularly beneficial for media consumption. The screen was also protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, providing a decent level of resistance against scratches and minor impacts. The display's ~67.5% screen-to-body ratio ensured that users could enjoy a large viewing area without unnecessary bulk.

Performance and Hardware

Under the hood, the Oppo R5 was powered by a Qualcomm MSM8939 Snapdragon 615 chipset. It featured an octa-core CPU, split into two clusters of quad-core Cortex-A53 processors, clocked at 1.7 GHz and 1.0 GHz, respectively. The device was equipped with an Adreno 405 GPU, which handled graphics tasks quite competently for its time. With 2GB of RAM, the R5 managed to deliver a smooth performance under normal usage, though it may show signs of lag with more demanding applications. The device provided 16GB of internal storage, but it lacked a card slot for expansion, which was a significant limitation for users wanting to store a large number of media files or applications.

Camera

The back of the Oppo R5 housed a 13 MP primary camera with an f/2.0 aperture, auto-focus, and a sensor size of 1/3.1". It featured an LED flash and various image-enhancing features like panorama and HDR. The camera was capable of recording video at 1080p at 60fps and 720p at 120fps for smooth slow-motion capture. On the front, the device sported a 5 MP selfie camera with an f/2.5 aperture, sufficient for decent selfies and video calls.

Battery Life and Charging

The R5 was equipped with a non-removable Li-Po 2000 mAh battery, which, given the phone's slim profile, was quite reasonable. One of the highlights of the R5 was its charging capabilities; it supported 20W wired charging and could reportedly charge up to 75% in just 30 minutes. However, in terms of endurance, the phone's battery life was somewhat limited with an endurance rating of approximately 38 hours.

Connectivity and Network

The Oppo R5 supported a range of network technologies, including GSM, HSPA, and LTE, along with numerous bands that enabled wide compatibility across different regions. The device's connectivity features included Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n with dual-band support, Bluetooth 4.0, and microUSB 2.0 with OTG support. However, it lacked NFC and radio functionality, which might be seen as a downside for users who relied on such features. GPS and GLONASS positioning systems were also supported, ensuring accurate navigation services.

Software

Running on Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Oppo's ColorOS 2.0, the R5 was endowed with software that was both intuitive and user-friendly. ColorOS added several layers of customization and had a reputation for its gesture-based operations and sleek visual elements. However, the R5 did face some criticism regarding software updates, as it did not receive major Android version upgrades, leaving some users feeling left behind as new Android features became available on other devices.

Sensors and Additional Features

As far as sensors were concerned, the R5 came with an accelerometer, proximity sensor, and compass, which catered to most regular functionalities and applications. Nevertheless, it did not offer fingerprint scanning technology, which was becoming increasingly popular in smartphones released during that period.

Price and Market Position

Priced at around 400 EUR at launch, the R5 catered to the upper mid-range market segment. Despite its higher price point compared to other devices with similar specifications, many users were willing to pay a premium for its pioneering design and Oppo's aesthetic attention to detail.

Conclusion

While now considered outdated due to its specifications and software limitations, at the time of its release, the Oppo R5 made a significant impact in the smartphone market, largely due to its innovative design. It marked an important step for Oppo as a brand trying to establish itself with standout features and premium build quality. Though its battery performance and lack of expandable storage were notable limitations, the R5 showed Oppo's commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone engineering.