We’ve reviewed several OPPO phones over the years, and most of them we like for their sleek designs and decent performance. It’s great value for money, but it seems like new solid options keep coming onto the market every year. Enter OPPO A79 5G. The previous model, his A78 5G, may have lacked in terms of raw performance, but it certainly made up for it in terms of screen and build quality.
A79 5G makes small but solid advances in almost every department. Perhaps for everyday users it’s worth debating an upgrade from something like the A78 5G, but there’s no doubting the sheer value OPPO has packed into this A$369 device.
design
Unfortunately, very little has changed in the design. Sure, the display is larger at 6.72 inches, but the squared corners make it feel much the same in the hand. It also weighs a little heavier at 193g, which is a little heavier than his 188G on the A78 5G. As always, it’s much lighter than the iPhone 15 Pro Max, at 221g it’s supposedly lighter than ever. This makes it a good option for long handheld sessions, even if the square edges can dig into your little finger if you put it under your phone like I do.
The right side of the phone has a fingerprint-enabled lock button and volume rocker, while the left side has the SIM and MicroSD card slots. The back is probably where you’ll see the most changes. The “Innovative AI Camera” slogan appears again, but it’s nestled nicely below the square camera module, making it stand out from the gritty, glossy look of the rest of the back. There are two of his colors, Mystery Black and Glowing Green, with the latter shining as the more exciting color, both figuratively and literally.
performance
OPPO is powered by Mediatek Dimensity 6020 processor, which is certainly decent for daily use. Similar to our A78 5G review, the A79 5G performs much like you’d expect from an entry-level device. Most basic apps open and close fairly smoothly, and in daily use, it barely heats up even after long periods of use.
This sounds easy, but it’s generally up to you. Like the A78 5G, it’s not a gaming phone, so it suffers from: call of duty mobile, interestingly, this has become some kind of vague benchmark for most of my phone reviews. It doesn’t work well, but consider how you use it. It runs on the latest ColorOS 13.1 update and is very clean and easy to use.
Beyond that, I feel like the included 4GB RAM slows down performance in places. This is primarily an issue if you have multiple background apps running, which can cause you to switch between apps that remain open. That said, on rare occasions, I’ve found the handset to be slow, but it turns out I had some background apps left running throughout the day. I realized that. This is not a decision, but given how this is impacting daily usage, I believe that 4GB RAM devices will gradually become the last.
Wi-Fi 5 capabilities are also limited to 433Mbps, which is more than enough for most Australian homes and networks, even if the signal is sometimes poor. However, I don’t think there is any room for doubt, as the signal is often caused by a combination of various issues, including router and network quality.
We can also praise the fact that the A79 5G has dual speakers, both top and bottom, making the soundstage feel more even and balanced. It still lacks bass and can be a little harsh at times, but the overall volume level is strong. This also applies to the speaker during calls, which takes advantage of the noise canceling of the top-end microphone. You can also customize and fine-tune your sound stage with Real Original Sound Technology EQ.
Finally, the A79 5G comes with a fingerprint-enabled lock button and facial recognition for security. The latter performs much better in almost all situations than you’d expect from a phone of this price. I’m still wondering how they do it. Overall, the A79 5G is relatively suitable as a daily driver for light use, from social media and streaming to browsing and calling.
screen
The FHD+, 2400×1080, 90Hz, panda glass display won’t wow you, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t decent. A 120Hz display feels right up there on an entry-level device at this price, but we find the 90Hz display to be smoother and more responsive, even during normal scrolling and swiping. Masu.
It also utilizes what OPPO calls a “Sunlight Display,” which can significantly increase the brightness when outdoors in direct sunlight. It’s a step up from the A78 5G’s 480 nits, reaching up to 680 nits at peak brightness. This isn’t as noticeable indoors, but it’s good to know this feature is there, as it also helps organize your daily content.
The sRGB and DCI-P3 color gamut is also good, and the display itself offers high-quality streaming with a combination of both natural and vibrant colors. I’m always streaming something on my phone, from YouTube in the background while gaming to Netflix in bed, and I’m certainly impressed with how durable this LTPS LCD is. Black levels could improve in darker environments, but that’s to be expected even on a cheap entry-level phone, so we’re not going to reduce them significantly.
camera
The 50MP main camera and 2MP secondary camera are OK, but not great. Don’t be fooled by the amount of megapixels on offer here, as lens and sensor size always wins in the end. In brighter, well-lit situations, you don’t need to worry too much. In the right environment, images feel vibrant and clean, with little to no noise.
The included night mode may help brighten up the atmosphere in low-light situations, but it does little to hide the fact that it’s generally not very effective in low-light situations. Its secondary 2MP camera certainly helps with zooming when shooting up close, but just like the A78 5G, it does add a bit more noise.
The 8MP front-facing camera is better at capturing details compared to the A78 5G, even though the AI still gets in the way, making skin tones feel washed out or saturated in the process. Masu. It’s not broken, but it’s definitely noticeable in bright light and everything feels a little off.
Once a face is detected, you can access the portrait settings and change the AI input, but its presence is felt even when the settings are toned down. But at the end of the day, it’s powerful enough for quick shots in most bright conditions.
battery
The OPPO A79 5G packs a 5000mAh battery, which feels like a given and can easily get you through most days. The only complaint here is the lack of a charging adapter. The included USB-A to USC-C cable works with the awesome 33W SUPERVOOC charger, but it doesn’t come with the phone. I guess that makes sense, but it’s a shame that he was bundled with the A78 5G for a similar price last year.
In any case, if you’re willing to spend an extra AU$35 on that admittedly awesome 33W SUPERVOOC, a quick charge will bring you back to full capacity within an hour and end the day with 20-30% left in the tank. Expect to be able to. charging brick.
verdict and value
OPPO may have taken small steps to enhance the A79 5G this time, but if all those steps are in the right direction, it’s hard to complain too much. The screen is brighter, the processor is faster and more efficient, and the camera is more robust than ever for an entry-level phone at this price.
It’s hard to recommend it as an upgrade, especially to the A78 5G, but it’s a solid upgrade for anyone looking to update their daily driver for basic needs, at least for phones that are a few years old. There is no doubt that it will become.
4 stars (out of 5)
highlight: Smooth 90Hz display. Robust 50MP main camera.Sleek and sturdy design
low lights: 2MP main camera is still missing. Multiple background apps can cause stuttering. 33W SUPERVOOC charging adapter not included
Maker: Oppo
price: AUD 369
Available: now
Review based on units provided by OPPO.
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