Oppo A74 Review

• Overview
• Design and Build Quality
• Display
• Performance
• Software and User Interface
• Camera
• Battery Life
• Connectivity and Networking
• Additional Features
• Comparison with Other Related Phones
• Pros and Cons
• Conclusion

Overview

The Oppo A74 is a budget-friendly smartphone that offers 5G capability at an affordable price. It features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate, providing a smooth and immersive viewing experience. Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G chipset and 6GB of RAM, the A74 delivers decent performance for everyday tasks. It also comes with a 48MP quad-camera setup, a large 5000mAh battery, and runs on Android 11 with Oppo's ColorOS 11.1. Overall, the Oppo A74 is a solid option for those looking to experience 5G without breaking the bank.

Design and Build Quality

The Oppo A74 sports a simple and sleek design that is typical of budget smartphones. It features a plastic back and sides, which may not feel as premium as glass or metal, but it helps to keep the weight down. The phone has a mid-size form factor with a 6.5-inch display, making it comfortable to hold and use with one hand. The rear panel houses a quad-camera setup along with a fingerprint scanner for convenient unlocking. The volume buttons are narrow but still easy to press. Overall, the Oppo A74 has a solid build quality and a clean design that is functional and practical.

Display

The Oppo A74 features a 6.5-inch Full HD+ LCD display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels. The display offers good color reproduction and sharpness, making it enjoyable for multimedia consumption and gaming. The inclusion of a 90Hz refresh rate adds smoothness to the overall user experience, resulting in smoother scrolling and animations. The display has slim bezels and a small punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera, providing a high screen-to-body ratio. While it may not be as vibrant or contrasty as an AMOLED display, the LCD panel on the Oppo A74 is still impressive for its price range.

Performance

In terms of performance, the Oppo A74 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 480 5G chipset, which is designed to deliver reliable performance for everyday tasks. It is paired with 6GB of RAM, allowing for smooth multitasking and app switching. While it may not be the most powerful chipset on the market, it handles most tasks with ease, including web browsing, social media, and light gaming. However, heavy gaming or resource-intensive applications may cause some lag or slowdown. Overall, the performance of the Oppo A74 is decent for its price range and should satisfy the needs of most users.

Software and User Interface

The Oppo A74 runs on Android 11 with Oppo's ColorOS 11.1 skin on top. ColorOS offers a clean and user-friendly interface with some additional features and customization options. It includes a variety of pre-installed apps and services, but most of them can be uninstalled or disabled if not needed. ColorOS also includes useful features like a system-wide dark mode, a customizable always-on display, and a Game Space mode for enhanced gaming performance. The software experience on the Oppo A74 is smooth and intuitive, with regular updates and security patches provided by Oppo.

Camera

The Oppo A74 comes with a quad-camera setup on the rear, consisting of a 48MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle lens, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP mono lens. The primary camera captures detailed and vibrant photos in well-lit conditions, with good dynamic range and accurate colors. The ultra-wide-angle lens expands the field of view, allowing for wider landscape and group shots. However, the image quality may suffer from distortion and reduced detail compared to the primary camera. The macro lens enables close-up shots with decent sharpness and detail, while the mono lens adds depth and texture to black and white photos. The 16MP front-facing camera takes decent selfies with natural colors and good detail. Overall, the camera performance of the Oppo A74 is satisfactory for its price range, but it may struggle in low-light conditions.

Battery Life

One of the standout features of the Oppo A74 is its large 5000mAh battery, which provides excellent battery life. With moderate usage, the phone can easily last a full day and even more. This makes it a reliable choice for those who rely heavily on their smartphones throughout the day. The A74 also supports 18W fast charging, allowing for quick top-ups when needed. However, it does not support wireless charging, which is expected at this price point. Overall, the battery performance of the Oppo A74 is impressive and one of its major strengths.

Connectivity and Networking

As the name suggests, the Oppo A74 offers 5G connectivity, allowing users to experience faster download and upload speeds in areas with 5G coverage. It also supports 4G LTE, as well as Wi-Fi 5 for high-speed internet connectivity. Other connectivity options include Bluetooth 5.1 for wireless audio and data transfer, NFC for contactless payments and file sharing, and GPS for accurate navigation. The A74 has a USB Type-C port for charging and data transfer and includes a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio. Overall, the Oppo A74 offers a comprehensive set of connectivity options for its price range.

Additional Features

Comparison with Other Related Phones

In comparison to other devices in its price range, the Oppo A74 stands out with its 5G capability and large battery. It competes with smartphones like the Vivo Y72 5G and Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G. While the Vivo Y72 5G offers a slightly better processor and a higher refresh rate display, the Oppo A74 excels in battery life and camera performance. The Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 5G, on the other hand, offers a higher resolution display and more storage options. Overall, the Oppo A74 offers a well-rounded package with its combination of 5G capability, reliable performance, and long-lasting battery.

Pros and Cons

Conclusion

The Oppo A74 is a compelling choice for budget-conscious consumers who want to experience 5G connectivity without compromising too much on performance and features. It offers a solid build quality, a large and long-lasting battery, and a decent camera setup. The inclusion of a 90Hz refresh rate display adds smoothness to the user experience, while the software provides a clean and intuitive interface. While it may not have the most powerful chipset or the best low-light camera performance, the Oppo A74 delivers on its promise of affordable 5G and overall reliable performance. If you're in the market for a budget 5G smartphone with good battery life and capable cameras, the Oppo A74 is worth considering.