OPPO A5 Pro 5G Review: A Budget Warrior With Big Ambitions

With smartphones getting better across the board, OPPO has been on a solid run lately—bigger batteries, tougher builds, and longer software support have become the new baseline across its lineup. The new OPPO A5 Pro 5G is the latest to join this wave, inheriting many flagship perks at a surprisingly affordable price point. But with that, comes a few trade-offs.

Let’s break it all down.

First Look and Design

Aesthetic Simplicity With a Tough Backbone

Pulling the OPPO A5 Pro 5G out of the box, the first thing you’ll notice is that it doesn’t look cheap—and that’s saying something for a phone at this price segment. Its flat-edge design is a nod to current flagship styling, giving it a modern, squared-off profile that feels sturdy and well-balanced in the hand. While the bezels are noticeable, especially the thicker chin at the bottom, they don’t distract too much from the large 6.67-inch display, which dominates the front.

The Mocha Brown colorway is an eye-catcher in the best way—subtle, mature, and premium-looking. It avoids the usual glossy fingerprint magnets you find in this price segment, instead offering a more refined and elegant finish. The matte back panel doesn’t just look good; it’s also practical and durable, resisting smudges and giving you a reassuring grip.

The layout is intuitive. On the side, the power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner, which is fast and accurate—no fuss, no failed attempts. Just above it, you’ll find the volume rocker, which is well-placed and easy to reach, even for one-handed use. It’s all very ergonomic, nothing feels out of place, and the flat sides make it easy to hold without slipping.

Built Like a Tank—Without Looking Like One

Durability is where the OPPO A5 Pro 5G truly punches above its weight. Most budget phones settle for basic plastic builds, but OPPO has gone several steps further. The matte plastic rear panel may not be glass, but it’s built to last. It has passed 14 military-grade durability tests, and OPPO has baked in bionic cushioning—a fancy term for an internal “airbag” system that helps absorb shock if you drop the phone.

The protection doesn’t stop there. You also get a reinforced aluminum motherboard cover, making the internal components less vulnerable to bending or impact damage. And the front screen? It uses 160% more shatter-resistant glass than previous OPPO A-series models. Whether you’re clumsy or just cautious, this phone is built to survive daily life—drops, bumps, splashes, and all.

Most impressive of all is the IP69 rating. That means the phone is not just splash-proof—it’s capable of withstanding high-pressure water jets and dust. For a phone in this price range, that’s almost unheard of. It makes the OPPO A5 Pro ideal for outdoor workers, commuters caught in the rain, or anyone who’s just tired of babying their device.

Despite the rugged internals, the OPPO A5 Pro doesn’t feel bulky or overly thick. OPPO has struck a rare balance: it looks clean and minimal, feels lightweight and solid, and is packed with structural reinforcements. Even the camera bump is restrained—no massive hump sticking out here—just a small, raised area for the 50MP main shooter and the secondary 2MP depth sensor.

Design That Works for Everyone

The design language of the OPPO A5 Pro is versatile—it doesn’t scream “gaming phone,” nor does it look overly stylized. It’s the kind of phone you could confidently use in a business meeting, take to the gym, or carry on a weekend hike without second thoughts. It’s clearly built with a broad user base in mind—from professionals who want something classy and durable, to students and first-time smartphone users who want something simple yet reliable.

If you care more about function over flash, but still appreciate a good-looking device, the OPPO A5 Pro 5G delivers the best of both. It’s a budget phone that doesn’t feel budget, and in this segment, that’s a rare achievement.

Performance and Daily Use

Smooth Sailing With Some Power to Spare

Under the hood, the OPPO A5 Pro 5G runs on the 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, paired with a Mali-G57 MP2 GPU. Now, that might not mean much on paper if you’re not deep into processor specs, but in everyday use, this combo delivers solid results. Hopping between social media apps, checking email, streaming videos, or running your favorite food delivery service in the background, the OPPO A5 Pro keeps up without fuss.

This processor is particularly suited for general users. It’s not trying to blow you away with top-tier performance, but it handles real-world tasks with confidence. There’s no stutter when opening apps, no frustrating lags when swiping through menus, and no system crashes in the middle of a call.

Adding to the experience is the phone’s 8GB of physical RAM, with another 8GB available as virtual RAM. This extended RAM approach lets the device borrow unused storage and turn it into memory when needed, which makes multitasking a breeze. You can keep multiple apps open, and not feel the phone slowing down. Even photo editing apps and lightweight productivity tools like Canva or Google Docs run smoothly.

The overall UI feels light and responsive too. OPPO’s software skin, combined with the Trinity Engine system-level optimization, ensures that performance doesn’t degrade even after a few weeks of use—something you often notice on cheaper Android devices. This phone has already pushed out several updates since I started testing it, so it’s clear that OPPO is serious about long-term support and stability.

One underrated highlight? The phone just feels snappy and dependable. There are no weird freezes, no memory dumps, and no signs of background process choking. It might not be a gaming beast (more on that later), but if you just want a phone that can confidently handle your daily grind with zero stress, this one checks that box.

Gaming and Connectivity: Decent, Not Dominant

Let’s be honest—this isn’t a gaming phone. Light games like Mobile Legends run fine, but heavier titles like Genshin Impact suffer from frame drops. Still, OPPO’s AI GameBoost helps optimize resources, and the phone stays cool even during longer sessions thanks to solid thermal management.

One standout feature is AI LinkBoost 2.0. Whether you’re in a packed stadium or out in the countryside, signal strength remains impressively stable. The symmetrical antenna layout helps too, especially for horizontal gaming sessions. So while it’s not a performance beast, it’s reliable where it counts.

Display and Audio: High Refresh, Low Resolution

Now here’s the weird part: the OPPO A5 Pro 5G rocks a 120Hz refresh rate, which makes scrolling and swiping super fluid—something rarely seen in the A-series. But OPPO cut corners with the resolution. It’s only HD+, and for a phone at this price, that feels underwhelming.

Sure, the panel gets bright (up to 1,000 nits), and colors pop, but when you’re watching videos or reading text, the lack of sharpness is noticeable. It’s usable outdoors, though you might find yourself squinting under direct sunlight.

Dual stereo speakers can pump the volume up to 300%, but sound quality isn’t premium—lacking in bass and clarity. It’s loud, but don’t expect studio vibes.

Battery and Charging: All Day, No Stress

A massive 5,800mAh battery powers the OPPO A5 Pro, giving it strong endurance even with the power-hungry IPS LCD. You’ll easily get a full day of use—more if you’re a light user.

When it’s time to recharge, the 45W SUPERVOOC fast charging gets you back in action quickly. It’s not the fastest in the market, but it’s definitely above average for the price.

Camera and Photography

Main Camera: Big Sensor, Modest Results

The OPPO A5 Pro comes with a single 50MP main shooter and a basic 2MP depth sensor. There’s no ultra-wide or telephoto, but what you do get is usable. In good lighting, the main sensor captures sharp, balanced images with decent dynamic range. The Hi-res mode helps bring out finer detail, and OPPO’s color tuning is natural—not overly saturated.

Portrait mode works decently, thanks to the depth camera. The background blur looks smooth, and subject separation is acceptable. It’s not DSLR quality, but for quick social shots, it gets the job done.

Selfies and Video: Fine for the Basics

Up front, there’s an 8MP selfie camera. It’s serviceable, but don’t expect miracles. Even with beautification off, details look soft, and textures can appear flat or almost “painted,” especially in lower light.

Video-wise, you’re limited to 1080p at 60fps. There’s no 4K, and no optical image stabilization, which means shaky footage if you’re walking and recording. However, features like AI Portrait Retouching and the dual-view video mode (recording from front and back at the same time) add a bit of fun and creativity.

Photo Samples

Conclusions

A Budget Phone With a Flagship Spirit—But Not Without Flaws

There’s no denying the OPPO A5 Pro 5G brings a lot to the table for its RM1,099.00 price. Extended software support for 5 years, 6 years of security updates, and IP69 water resistance are unheard of in this range. It nails durability, offers great battery life, and runs smoothly for daily tasks.

But compromises do exist. The HD+ screen resolution is a head-scratcher. The cameras, while functional, don’t quite impress. And audio quality is more loud than refined.

Still, if your priority is long-term reliability, solid everyday performance, and rugged build quality over photography and pixel peeping, the OPPO A5 Pro 5G is easy to recommend.

Is it perfect? No. But is it good value? Absolutely. OPPO’s push to bring flagship features into the budget space deserves real credit—and for the right user, the OPPO A5 Pro 5G might just be the best bargain out there.

More info: https://www.oppo.com/my/smartphones/series-a/a5-pro-5g/