OPPO A93 Initial Impressions: Undercutting the Reno4

OPPO has brought the A93 to Kenya. It costs KES 31000, which is in the same ballpark as other mid-range devices from popular phone companies selling their wares in Kenya.

The device has been in the rumour mill for a while and launched in other markets before making an appearance in the country just the other day.

At first, it may be difficult to explain which kind of people OPPO targets because the A93’s offerings are obviously undercutting the slightly pricier Reno line, specifically the Reno4.

This is because the smartphones feel the same, look nearly identical, and run tasks at the same speed. This is after using the A93 extensively over the weekend.

However, we should warn you that this is not a comparison between the two, but the evident and similar design features are something a keen eye will notice.

The A-line from OPPO has always been sold as a mid-range device. The A93, in this case, fits that definition perfectly based on sheer specs.

You get 128 GB of internal storage here alongside 8 GB of RAM. 8 GB has become a standard for devices costing over KES 25K (we know which companies are selfish with RAM at this price – but we will let you figure them out).

The display is a bright 6.4” Super AMOLED panel that gets plenty bright in direct sunlight, and that is a plus. We can’t avoid mentioning that the Reno 4 has an OLED display – and both share the same technology. It is just worth pointing out.

Oh, that display also houses an in-display fingerprint reader.

For those asking about the processor powering this bad boy, it is an MTK Helio P95 chip (Octa-core with two 2.2 GHz Cortex-A75 core and six 2.0 GHz Cortex-A55). It is complemented by PowerVR GM9446 GPU for graphics crunching. We haven’t noticed any performance issues so far, obviously due to the Helio P95’s heavy lifting paired with that big RAM.

The memory is based on UFS 2.1 (not the latest), which in simple English means that when data is written quite fast. You will notice when downloading apps; they install faster than devices with slightly aged memory technology.

And since we cannot avoid it, the Reno4 has the same memory configuration and storage.

ColorOS 7.2 makes an appearance over Android 10. We continue loving the skin because it packs a ton of features to keep you busy for a while as you customize the device to your liking. Want an app drawer? It is here. How about theming your experience? Sure. Want to use gesture navigation or soft buttons? You can choose. And there are other nifty gestures in tow too. All these features are presented to you without bogging down the system.

So, how about the A93 snappers? There are six cameras here; four at the back and two at the front punched in the display in the shape of a pill.

The primary sensor measures 48 MP.

It is complemented with an 8 MP lens for ultrawide shots, and two 2 MP snappers for depth and black and white sensing (the exact configuration in the Reno 4. Just saying…)

At the front is a 16 MP shooter alongside another 2 MP lens for collecting depth information.

So how do they stack up? Well, very good, actually, because this is an OPPO midranger, and they tend to perform admirably in the image department. We will show you sample images in the final review, and soon, on our hands-on video.

All along, you have noticed that we are making a lot of references to the Reno4.

This is one part where we start seeing some significant differences (more of that in a minute). The 4000 mAh cell is admittedly big, but it charges at 18W. Don’t get us wrong, 18W is fast but not as quick as 30W in the Reno4 that tops the device to 50% by the 25^th minute.

On the bright side of things, OPPO bundles the fast charger for the A93, so you don’t need to spend more money on a compatible brick.

The minute is over, so here is why the A93 costs less than the Reno4 again: it swaps the S720G chipset for the Helio P95. Both are capable performers (hardly will you see day to day performance differences unless you put them to a rigorous test).

Overall, we are confident you will love the A93: it feels good in the hand, and that two-tone frosted plastic backplate feels premium for a device that cost KES 31k. It is even lighter than the competition that offers massive phones that may be a turnoff for people who love compact handhelds.

We will examine the A93 further and give you a final assessment of its high points and where it needs some polish.