OPPO has been pretty aggressive with new product launches in the recent months. After refreshing its popular “Reno” and “K” smartphone lineup, the brand has again brought in a new option for the mid-tier consumers in India. The latest entrant is from the OPPO F series called the F27 5G which intends to take on the mid-range segment with its performance centric hardware. OPPO’s affordable smartphones have been proving as solid daily drivers meeting expectations of the users. The vanilla F27 5G will be joining its sibling F27 Pro flaunting a trendy design language and well-rounded spec-sheet (at least on papers). Does this phone packs all the necessary punch in real and will it make it worth an investment starting at Rs 22,999? Well, you’ll have to read the comprehensive review below to find out the same. To further simplify it for you, we have broken down the reviews in pros and cons.
For the tech geeks, stay updated with the latest cutting-edge gadgets in the market, exclusive tech updates, gadget reviews, and more right on your phone’s screen. Join Giznext’s WhatsApp channel and receive the industry-first tech updates.
Also Read: Lava Blaze X Review: Can It Compete In The Crowded Budget Market?
OPPO F27 5G Price In India
8GB RAM+ 128GB Storage Model: Rs. 22,999
8GB RAM+ 256GB storage Model: Rs. 24,999
Color Variants: Amber Orange, Emerald Green
Also Read: Realme 13 Pro+ 5G Long Term User Review: AI Camera Steals The Limelight
OPPO F27 5G Box Contents
- OPPO F27 5G unit
- Case
- User manual
- SIM card ejector tool
- Power brick
- USB Type-C charging cable
Also Read: CMF By Nothing Buds Pro 2 Review: Are These The New Go-To For Music Lovers?
The Pros
Compact And Stylish Design
OPPO has been designing appealing smartphones that grabs your instant attention which is the case with the F27 5G as well. With its metallic flat frame design, it feels familiar as the previous-gen model. However, Cosmos Ring camera island wrapped with Halo Light gets it the necessary distinctions. You essentially get a vibe of a luxury mechanical watch dial with the rear camera module. This Halo Light glows with notifications such as calls, messages and also charging adding on its unique design approach. Seems like, it’s the new trend with smartphone designing; specifically in the mid-range segment.
As we mentioned earlier, you can select from Amber Orange and Emerald Green shades where we received the latter for review. Keeping the durability in check is the high-strength alloy framework construction along with IP64 certification. Thankfully, the rear panel isn’t a smudge or fingerprint magnet which is a big respite as you easily get to flaunt the unit without any case.
However, using a standard case is always an added protection which you shouldn’t avoid. If we speak of the overall usability, the OPPO F27 5G with its compact design is easier to use with a single hand. But if it’s gaming or some extensive app use, you might need both your hands for the operations. The power and volume key on the right spine are nimble with clicks. At the bottom panel, you get the USB Type-C port sandwiched between the SIM card tray and the speaker grille which is a usual design pattern we see with OPPO handsets.
Also Read: Vivo V40 Review: Stylish Mid-Range Smartphone With Zeiss Magic
AI-Backed Camera Hardware
OPPO has used a dual lens setup for the primary optics on the F27 5G. The main sensor tucked inside the round camera island is a massive 50MP lens with an f/1.8 aperture. It is clubbed with a 2MP secondary sensor to add bokeh effects. If you have used OPPO smartphones in the past, you might already be a fan of the ultra-clear photos which they provide with different backgrounds or scenarios.
The F27 5G’s main 50MP sensor also does a good job while capturing details. The clarity levels are great when you snap your memories in daylight. Edge detection is to the point and so is the dynamic range. You wouldn’t find the images casting any unnatural or oversaturated tones when the lighting conditions are apt.
There is dedicated Hi-Res shooting mode which you can use to snap natural sceneries and stationary objects with highest level of detailing. Other modes that you can access from the camera app include Pro, Portrait, Pano, and Night. You can also capture Time-Lapse and Slow-Mo videos using the F27 5G both of which offer a decent output when put to test.
While the daylight camera performance of the OPPO F27 5G is satisfactory, that might not be the exact case with the low-light shots. No, we aren’t saying the quality is bad, rather, it is average when we compare it with the daylight shots. Grains and noise is visible with the photos that are captured in night. And the Night Mode doesn’t make any significant enhancements. It does refine the image quality but not as expected with flagship grade cameras.
That said, the star of the camera performance is the Portrait mode. The bokeh effects that are added to the shots when clicked using the portrait mode looks natural. The subject is well defined with respect to the blurred backgrounds. OPPO has also kept in mind the advancing AI technologies driving the modern-age smartphones and have ensured users get to experience the same with the F27 5G.
The AI Eraser 2.0 is one of the best AI features improving the entire photography experience. This tool is handy to get rid of any unwanted person or object that could be photobombing your shot. And it’s a clean experience using this AI eraser tool. AI Smart Image Matting 2.0 and AI Studio are the remaining AI camera features that you get to use with the F27 5G for an enhanced photography experience.
If we speak of the selfie camera, you get a 32MP lens inside the punch-hole cutout upfront which comes with an f/2.4 aperture. Now, if you are one of those selfie fanatics or a budding content creator, this massive selfie snapper gets your job done with high quality output. The self portraits are ultra-clear that you can easily flaunt at social media platforms.
Also Read: OPPO Reno 12 5G Review In Points: AI Is The Trendsetter
Immersive Audio, Visuals
OPPO F27 5G is a visual delight when you binge through shows and movies on its screen. The 6.67-inch tall panel of the F27 5G gets an FHD+ resolution support and also has a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate. If your are amongst those users who are mostly on phone’s screen for entertainment, you’ll be deligted with the vivid visuals the F27 5G’s offers. The screen looks accurate with color production and provides high-resolution output with online streaming and also video playback via offline directory.
What further impressed us is the brightness levels of the F27 5G’s screen. This panel comes with an overall and peak brightness levels of 1200 nits and 2100 nits respectively. With such high peak brightness, you hardly strain your eyes while viewing content under harsh or direct sunlight. Gaming visuals are smooth too and you can enable medium to high settings for display while engaging with graphic intensive games.
The F27 5G integrates dual stereo speakers to produce loud and clear sound output which is firther combined with Ultra Volume Mode. This special sound mode allows tuning the audio levels to up to 300% with which you can enjoy your music listening or movie/ show watching experience without pairing any external speakers.
Also Read: OnePlus Buds Pro 3 Review: Will Their Features Make You Ditch Your Old Pair?
Powerful Backup And Quicker Refuels
The OPPO F27 5G gets its juice from a 5,000 mAh battery pack. While this is standard setup you find across mid-range and affordable phones, it has enough juice to drive the unit for an entire day when usage is restricted to general. This means web browsing, calling, messaging, and occasional media playback won’t drain the handset entirely by the end of the day. You might need a second plug-in by the end of the day if the usage has been extensive. For instance, constant gaming or HD video playback will drain the battery faster. With its 45 W Supervooc fast charging, the refuel time also gets significantly reduced to less than an hour.
Also Read: Realme GT 6 Review: Can This Smartphone Stand Out In The Premium Market?
The Cons
Single RAM Config
OPPO has surely designed the F27 5G as a well-rounded package which is driven by the octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset. The mid-tier 5G chipset from MediaTek is efficient with performing a variety of tasks without any noticeable lags or stutters. But for a price range starting over Rs. 20,000, we would have preferred slightly better processor. Nevertheless, you still don’t get any disappointments with the performance and can complete any task with ease.
You don’t have to worry about the F27 5G’s multitasking capabilities. With an onboard 8GB RAM, the handset switches effortlessly between the apps that are running in the backgroun. In fact, the app boot time is also quick. But the sole option for 8GB RAM is one pf the only few cons that you get with this handset.
Also Read: OPPO K12x 5G Review In Points: Most Rugged Budget 5G Phone
No Dedicated 3-Way SIM Card Slot
OPPO F27 5G is launched with dual storage options which includes 128GB and 256GB. Also, you can expand the onboard storage by using an external microSD card. But since it comes with a hybrid SIM card slot, you can only use one SIM and a mmicroSD card simultaneously. There isn’t any provision with which you could use dual SIM cards and an external SD card together.
Also Read: CMF By Nothing Phone 1 Review: A Budget-Friendly Smartphone That Stands Out
Latest OS But UI Remains A Bit Cluttered
OPPO has installed the latest firmware inside the F27 5G, i.e., Android 14 OS which is topped with ColorOS 14.0.1 UI. Now, the UI has definitely advanced and is much smoother than the previous iterations. However, the UI is still a bit cluttered and is loaded with bloatware. Our preference has been a stock Android UI, but the pre-installed third party apps can be beneficial for certain user group.
