Brands like Redmi, Realme, Poco, and the recent addition to the bandwagon, Nothing, are doing their best to offer high-performance smartphones at affordable prices. This year has seen some great offerings from these brands in his sub-$25,000 segment. Oppo has joined this party with his Oppo F25 Pro 5G. Prices start from Rs 23,999 and it is packed with powerful features. Powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7050, based on Android 14, it runs on ColorOS 14 and with up to 120Hz refresh, it features a 6.7-inch AMOLED display and a 64-megapixel rear camera.
As per the specification sheet, Oppo F25 Pro 5G offers promising features, especially when you look at the starting tag of Rs 23,999. The top-end model of this phone goes up to Rs 25,999 with 256GB. Now, in theory, a phone should be an easy choice. However, the real question is whether the specifications on paper translate to performance in real tests. I’ve been using Poco F25 Pron 5G for over a week now. In our review, we found that the Oppo F25 Pro 5G manages to deliver on its promise, but there are also some drawbacks that prevent it from being the absolute best smartphone in its price category. In this India Today Tech review, I would like to elaborate on both the pros and cons of this phone.
Good looks packed into a lightweight body
Over the past few years, Oppo has managed to offer its users the best design and color options. The new F25 Pro is no exception. Available in two beautiful color variations: Lava Red and Ocean Blue. I received the red version and instantly fell in love with it. Mainly because we’ve never seen a smartphone color like this before.
The back of this phone has a mesmerizing, almost iridescent shade of red that shimmers under the light. However, while most of the back panel has a matte touch, the large camera module, which includes two circular cutouts for the three camera sensors, has a glossy finish that shines like a CD in a red hue . The camera module also includes a flashlight.
The red version of the F25 Pro is definitely eye-catching, but the overall boxy design may not appeal to everyone’s tastes. Personally, I like this design because the boxy shape provides a firmer grip. Oppo F25 Pro is also lightweight at 177 grams.
The side of the smartphone features tactile volume and power buttons for easy access. The bottom has a USB-C charging port, microphone, and speaker grill.
Moving to the front, the F25 Pro boasts impressively thin bezels with a small circular notch for the front camera. These thin bezels not only give more space to the actual screen, but also contribute to the phone’s immersive display experience. This will be explained in detail in the next section.
bright and smooth display
What caught my eye other than the color was the ultra-thin bezel. The F25 Pro’s 6.7-inch AMOLED display really stands out with its thin borders. The display offers crisp, vibrant colors and the visuals look stunning. It supports a 120Hz refresh rate, so the display scrolls smoothly.
I used my phone as my daily driver, but found myself switching between apps like Google Pay, Instagram, WhatsApp, and even YouTube. No matter what I was doing, swiping and navigation felt smooth and immersive. The F25 Pro’s HDR10+ support further enhances the viewing experience, making watching movies and shows on platforms like Netflix and Prime Video the best they can be. The colors are rich and detailed, making the entire experience feel truly cinematic.
In addition to a smooth and clear display, this device also boasts impressive brightness. Reaching up to 1100 nits, everything stays perfectly clear and legible even in bright sunlight. I’ve never had to squint to read notifications when I’m out and about.
Overall, the F25 Pro’s display is impressive. Smooth, vibrant, and bright, it’s comfortable to use for everything from everyday tasks to watching movies and gaming.
Smooth support for daily smartphone use
Now let’s talk about actual performance. The F25 Pro 5G is powered by MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC, which is a mid-range chip. Now, I don’t expect top-level performance from a mid-range chipset, but this phone delivered the best. He carried out daily tasks without any hitch. I was running multiple apps at the same time, switching between them, and browsing the web. There are no delays and things are progressing smoothly.
But what really impressed me was the gaming performance. I didn’t have high expectations, but the F25 Pro gave me the best it could. Of course, we didn’t expect the most demanding games to run, but casual titles like Temple Run and Candy Crush ran flawlessly. Even in a demanding game like Genshin, which is a more graphics-intensive game, the visuals weren’t that great, but the game ran at slightly lower settings than his high-end devices, but it ran surprisingly well. Did. The phone also gets a little hot during long gaming sessions, but never uncomfortably hot.
Now, as a minor annoyance, what most of these Chinese manufacturers’ phones actually suffer from is bloatware. The F25 Pro wasn’t crazy packed with unnecessary apps and games, but it did have quite a few. I removed most of the pre-installed apps, but some system apps remained and I could only force close them. So, fortunately, the majority of bloatware can be managed and uninstalled.
Another thing that was really unpleasant was the speakers. The F25 Pro only has one speaker on the bottom, so there is no stereo sound. I wasn’t impressed with the audio quality either. The sound was a bit harsh and became uncomfortable to listen to at maximum volume. Additionally, when I used the phone in landscape orientation, it tended to cover the speaker grille, limiting the sound from the speakers, even when gaming or watching videos without earphones.
On the software front, the phone runs ColorOS 14 based on Android 14 and offers extensive customization options. We especially liked the always-on display feature with a variety of themes and wallpapers for a personalized and fun user experience.
Overall, the F25 Pro performs well for everyday tasks like streaming, multitasking, and basic gaming without any significant slowdowns or lags, even though the speakers aren’t overwhelming. .
Battery lasts all day with quick charging
The Oppo F25 Pro’s battery is impressive. This phone has a built-in 5000 mAh battery that lasted me all day. Even with heavy usage, the phone’s battery lasted around 16-17 hours. The battery is already quite large, but it benefits even more from fast charging using the 67W charger, which can charge the phone from 0 to 100 percent in less than 1 hour and 30 minutes.
The camera takes clear photos with every detail
Oppo F25 Pro’s camera performance has mixed reviews. Although we were able to take some good photos with plenty of detail and color, there are some drawbacks that prevent it from providing all-round camera performance. Let me explain in detail.
Let’s break it down. The phone features a triple camera setup with a 64-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2-megapixel macro sensor. The entire setup can produce great photos with plenty of detail.
As the phone processes the images, the output can sometimes seem a little closer to saturated colors, but the overall result looks pleasing to the eye. Especially in landscape photography, the camera brightens blue skies and gives buildings and everything else in the photo a pop of color.
We also liked the macro feature, which allows you to capture impressive details in close-up shots, such as pollen on flowers.
Portrait mode was equally good, with a nice bokeh effect that blurred the background nicely. However, we occasionally encountered issues with edge detection, especially when photographing moving subjects such as animals or plants.
It wasn’t that noticeable, but I often missed fleeting shots.
When shooting at night, the phone manages to capture details accurately if there is a sufficient light source, but it has some difficulties in low-light conditions. Low-light photos often have noise and a bit of grainy detail. But the good thing is that it doesn’t take the phone much time to shoot and process in low light or night mode.
The front camera also gives good results. Photos are often smoothed, but you can change the settings. Personally, I think editing looks good, and filters are useful if you want to take a good photo even if it doesn’t look good. Bear? Well, I guess you can hide it with a photo.
Overall, apart from a few focus issues that can be managed with updates and average low-light photos, the Oppo F25 Pro excels in the camera department and delivers high-quality photos.
Oppo F25 Pro 5G review: Should you buy it?
Oppo F25 Pro 5G is a mid-range smartphone that combines great performance, attractive design, decent camera, and long battery life. Despite some minor drawbacks, it is still a good option for those looking for an affordable smartphone that can effectively handle everyday tasks.
The MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset can handle everyday tasks as well as some demanding performance such as gaming. Multitask and seamlessly switch between apps. The design is definitely eye-catching and offers a fresh look. The camera’s overall output is also good, especially for landscape and portrait shots in good lighting.
The battery is certainly a highlight, with fast charging keeping you game ready. Overall, there are many options in the same price range, but the Oppo F25 Pro 5G is certainly worth considering.
