The smartphone sector is not only made of top-of-the-range devices and fabulous specs. For less pretentious and more budget-conscious users comes a model to keep an eye on. The new Oppo A17 has everything you could want from an entry-level device.
It is with this idea in mind that the entry-level smartphone segment was born. Devices capable of doing everything that is essential in today’s life. And perhaps a little more, at a very low cost for the consumer. This slice of the market now has a strong new competitor.
Oppo is back in the field with its Oppo A17. It is indeed cheap but also complete, with specifications that will please any ‘basic’ user. Let’s take a look at its availability, price and features.
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Oppo A17: availability and price
Oppo is a Chinese smartphone company that has occupied a permanent place in the Top 5 of global retailers for years. First in fifth place and then, with the descent of Huawei, in fourth. It is known for having experimented over the years with rather innovative solutions such as the pop-up front camera and, indeed, for making photography one of its strong points.
It is usually a fairly premium brand, but does not shy away from low-budget offerings. In the past few years, it had already marketed the A15 and A16 in this bracket. This year, the new Oppo A17 arrived on somewhat by surprise, without any big announcements.
The price is truly contained. It starts at just € 179 on the list for a technical compartment that, as we shall see, is totally respectable.
Will it be enough to meet the needs of the entry level segment? And perhaps even compete with the best phones for up to 200 euros? Let’s find out.
Affordable and complete: Oppo A17’s memory and screen
Oppo has tried to put together everything good it could to offer a complete model, but one that remains affordable. This is why there is no 5G module, which would have raised the final price a lot. A technology that is not at all indispensable, especially to those who want to save money, to which something far more useful was preferred: the phone is Dual Sim.
The indispensable, however, is there. There is 4 GB of RAM memory, which guarantees smooth use in all daily functions without heavy apps, among other things with a virtual expansion function. And 64 GB of storage memory, more than enough for those who do not install an excess of apps.
And to store files and photographs, the memory is expandable via micro SD up to the enormity of 1 TB. The processor that powers it is a Mediatek Helio G35. By no means a lightning bolt, but for a long time one of the most solid for basic use.
The screen is an LCD, of course, also because it would be difficult to install an AMOLED at these prices. It does, however, have IPS technology for an excellent viewing angle, and a sufficient 720×1612 HD+ resolution. The size of 6.56 inches and the weight of 189 large prevent an excessive ‘frying pan effect’ in the hand. It is big, like many smartphones today, but not giant.
Oppo A17: good camera set-up, super large battery and smooth and light OS
It is not easy to find decent cameras at the low end. But Oppo puts its money where its mouth is. There are two front cams, and the main one is an impressive 50 megapixels with Artificial Intelligence. It won’t take mid-range shots, but in everyday use it is well above sufficiency. If we then use the 50 MPX mode we get a very good level of detail, not easy to achieve at these prices.
The second cam is the 2 Megapixel depth, which is used to take photos with a Portrait effect. Oppo doesn’t give up on one of its workhorses even on its budget models, equipping them with ‘Perfect Blur’ technology that better contours the edges of the person, detaching them from the background. And it has to be said that the main camera shoots videos in Full HD at 30 FPS. Which is no small feat.
The front camera is somewhat limited in size – 5 megapixels – but has good HDR effects and portrait retouching. To keep costs down, Oppo has opted for a few but good pixels. Which do great in difficult lighting and in ‘social’ photos.
Oppo A17, the final features
The Oppo A17 arrives already equipped with the new Color OS 12 operating system, which was released at the beginning of the year and is one of the lightest and smoothest on the market. It is perhaps the best for budget smartphones, as it takes up very little memory space (compared to heavy competitors such as Samsung’s OneUI) and at the same time does not require as much RAM to stay performing.
The lightweight OS helps to increase the battery life of the already ample 5000 mAh battery, the best ally for long days, even for those who cannot spend much on a new phone. Charging is at 10 watts, not fast but not very slow either. It lacks NFC, of course, but there is IPX4 certification against water splashes and a headphone jack, and the leather-like outer material is comfortable and comfortable to touch.
Speaking of style, the Oppo A17 will be available in two colours: Midnight Blue, a delicate, light blue, and Lake Blue, a dark, ‘jeans-like’ blue. The orange colour, which is reserved for Asian markets, will not be sold at least for now elsewhere.
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