OPPO Find X5 long-term review – Solid Investment

We’ve been using OPPO Find X5 for over two months and felt it was time to follow up on our initial highly positive review.

TechStomper had a lot of praise for the design, how it fit the OPPO design language while wearing a divergent look from its Pro model. The chipset, again different in approach to its Pro version, proved itself a tried ‘n trusted workhorse. Like OPPO Find X5 Pro, those charging solutions are a gamechanger.

Sandblasting a Unique Identity

Both OPPO Find X5 and its Pro sibling are beautiful pieces of industrial design. In our long-term OPPO Find X5 Pro review, we remarked on the continuous flow that wrapped around the device as a whole and the asymmetric camera island. The silky ceramic aiding this fluidity as it passed the rear.

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Our black review model OPPO Find X5 remains similarly aesthetically interesting thanks to its novel design. Visually, Find X5’s a sibling to Pro rather than a smaller, more affordable twin.

Where Pro wears a reflective, mirror-like shine on its ceramic rear, the frosted glass of Find X5 glistens with a fine grain.

The highly frosted rear offers contrast with the polished black aluminium frame and the deep black of the screen while off. The frosted glass meets the camera island with a black frame seperating the polished lens surround from that fine grain finish of the glass.

The asymmetric rhomboid island and its polished plateau make the pair a visual family but OPPO Find X5 has an independent visual identity that almost marks it out as another device entirely. As if they aren’t directly comparable; there is no lesser, just an alternate.

It must be said that X5’s frosted rear resists fingerprints where Pro sometimes seems to invite them.

Hands-On

The quality of construction, tight tolerances and feeling of density in a slim 8.7mm depth still feel excellent. The touch of premium is still evident.

That highly frosted rear that feels different to what you expect still impresses with its sensory dissonance.

The in-box silicone sock in a matching black is still on the device offering an extra layer of protection in a suitably high-end style.

We do miss the IPxx rating – occasions when IP68 devices were usable carefree gave us pause with OPPO Find X5 in our hand. While I haven’t lost many phones to water damage in my time, a little worry remains with Find X5 when the clouds open or when listening to a podcast near a sink.

Colour Correct

Like its Pro sibling, OPPO Find X5 has a dazzling display in its default vivid mode. Colours pop, saturation is high and contrast is deep. It’s a great show of the quality of the AMOLED and the brightness that it can reach.

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Natural mode is stunning. If you value accuracy or just like your screen easier on the eyes, you won’t be disappointed.

Like Pro, even after a couple of months it looks different to every other screen in my life. More life-like. More real.

After some time carrying both OPPO Find X5 Series devices around for weeks, we think the Find X5 may be that little bit brighter than Pro. Thought it must be noted that both are at the higher end of the brightness spectrum and allow unencumbered sunlight use.

Another Fork in the Road

While Pro is based on the cutting edge Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, OPPO Find X5 runs the tried ‘n tested Snapdragon 888. The end result is, currently, roughly the same – reliable smoothness, and a premium feel as a user navigates and accumulates tabs and tasks.

Apps generally don’t test the device. Resource hungry programmes can be run concurrently and switching is a breeze, complete with some pleasant ColorOS animations.

Gaming is suitably high-end with Find X5 mostly keeping up with its bigger sibling. Thh little differences between the two may be solely due to the lack of LTPO on X5. Games not hitting framerates supported by OPPO Find X5 may be causing Pro to fare that little bit better.

Like screen brightness though, the pair reside at the upper end of performers so the little difference is almost moot.

Spitting Image

OPPO Find X5 is a little more similar to its Pro counterpart in terms of capture.

In our initial review of Find X5, we had plenty of praise for the dual 50MP wide/ultra wide approach. The setup delivered better consistency across images when it comes to colour and contrast.

And like with Pro, the large lenses deliver a bright and detailed image in practically all circumstances. At times, we took for granted that the image would be perfect first time with subsequent captures to capture another expression or simply out of habit.

Hasselblad tuning leaves a slightly cold look to default shots on OPPO Find X5 which, along with accurate colour and fine gradients, lend an artistic feel to images. Skin tones and other natural objects look like the wonders they are.

With no preparation, the device will snap shots that leave your friends asking what phone you’re using when you send them the holiday snaps. Or at least, ours did.

Feature Trade

As with Pro, OPPO Find X5 shoots excellent low-light and night mode shots. The two devices’ capture systems gently lift what little light is there, the AI composing the scene gracefully. Images in the dark sweet spot look they were shot in better light rather than specifically in night mode – an impressive feat.

Like with Pro, this only works until the lumens dip below a certain level. Below a certain level of darkness, scenes will produce nothing. Other premium capture systems can go darker.

The max 2x zoom remains disappointing but higher zoom levels are still usable. Like Pro, OPPO Find X5 will snap out to around 10x in good lighting conditions.

Versus Video

4K video is, like stills capture, bright and detailed. It’s similarly reliable with video just working most of the time.

The system’s handling of image stabilisation has proved useful over time, performing well. Although the limitation on field of view has been a minor nuisance, the 1080p limit on the Electronic Image Stabilisation system has not. Your mileage may vary.

Specifications

While ‘Pro’ models tend to get the headlines and the most marketing love, there is something to be said for the approach taken with OPPO Find X5. The related-but-distinct design and different chipset aren’t necessarily a step down.

OPPO Find X5 wears a slim, robust form factor with a look that still catches the eye while carrying a lot of what Pro does in terms of capture and power.

Review unit provided for long-term review by OPPO