Oppo recently came up with two new smartphones in its popular F-series, the F19 Pro and F19 Pro+, taking the fight to some strong contenders in the mid-range segment. Oppo F19 Pro is priced at Rs 21,490 and the F19 Pro+ costs Rs 25,990, which gives a competitive edge in the offline market, where Oppo truly shines. The on-paper specs of both phones make for a solid first impression and we've received the review units of both F19 series models and here's what we think.
Before we proceed, take a look at the key specifications of the Oppo F19 Pro and Oppo F19 Pro+, which should prepare you for what's to come after.
Unboxing
Oppo F19 Pro and F19 Pro+ do not get enough credit for the premium packaging they come in. Love the new blue shade paired in contrast with black and the redesigned "F" on the top. The minimalistic design sets the right mood. You slide the phone box out of its cover, hold the top cover in air to slowly watch the base drop. The packaging is entirely in black, with the first thing you see is another sleek black box for the free silicone case, manual and SIM card ejector. Underneath that is the phone in its full glory, which is wrapped in a plastic cover.
Another layer stores the rest of the accessories, the charging cable, VOOC adaptor and 3.5mm wired earphones.
Design and display
Oppo F19 Pro and F19 Pro+ are easily one of the best-looking smartphones in the range and you seriously cannot go wrong with either. Although they look identical at first, they manage to stand out in their own ways.
Oppo phones have always managed to nail the design and the F-series particularly guarantees a good-looking phone. The F19 Pro and F19 Pro+ continue the signature sleek and light design aspect and do not mistake the "+" moniker for a bump in size as it only means the extra premium features, which in our opinion are well worth the extra bucks.
Oppo F19 Pro won our vote as the textured back gives a nice, refreshing feel in the hand. The F19 Pro+ has gone with frosted matte glass, which is not bad, but the F19 Pro is something new and looks incredible too. Both phones have shiny metal chassis, which compliment the overall design. The Oppo F19 Pro+ is only 7.8mm and weighs 173 grams, which is a delight to be honest given how phones these days are getting heavier. The F19 Pro is a tad lighter on paper but feels the same.
Both phones have a rectangle camera module, housing four camera sensors each. The camera doesn't protrude much, which is a good thing. The bottom area is occupied by a USB Type-C port, speaker and 3.5mm headphone jack. On the right is a power button and on the left is volume control. The buttons are well within reach and have a nice click as an acknowledgment to presses.
Both phones also have the same display, measuring 6.43 inches diagonally. The bezels are minimal on the sides, except for the chin, which is quite prominent. The punch hole camera sits on the top right and the Super AMOLED Full HD+ panel is rich in colors and bright enough to be used under broad daylight. But the 60Hz refresh rate is a disappointment.
Cameras
Oppo F19 Pro and F19 Pro+ have quad-camera setups. The F19 Pro+ has a 48-megapixel main camera, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera, a 2-megapixel monochrome camera, and a 2-megapixel macro camera. On the front is a 16MP snapper for selfies. Oppo is also betting big on AI and the AI video feature, which enables better low-light recordings and better quality while shooting backlit subjects is tempting. We are keen to test them.
The brief time we tested the cameras on the two phones, things do look promising. We'll dive deeper into the cameras in our full review.
Performance, battery, software
Oppo F19 Pro is powered by MediaTek Helio P95, but the Dimensity 800U of the F19 Pro+ is the bigger deal. The 8GB RAM is default on both phones, which makes multitasking and gaming a breeze. The Dimensity 800U is 5G enabled, so that extra amount you spend will make sure your phone is future proof.
The battery on both phones is a strong USP. The F19 Pro+ supports 50W fast charging, which is an impressive add-on, and the F19 Pro even has a respectable 30W flash charge support. The 4,310mAh battery is a decent offering, should get you through a full day's worth of use.
Finally, the phones run Smooth ColorOS 11 out of the box. There are extra features like Immersive Gaming Mode with Game Focus Mode, Quick Startup to impress gamers. The software is not bloatware-free but feels snappy.
Stay tuned for our detailed review of F19 Pro and F19 Pro+.
