What Smartphone Specs Matter for you

Introduction

Let’s take a step back and consider probably the most important philosophical question of the 21st century.

What sort of smartphone user are you?

Photographer or on-the-go professional? Wanderluster or first-time owner? Media streamer or just looking for a phone that’s good at being… a phone?

(There is no need to tell us what OS you’re using - we know it’s the best one around)

This is just the tip of the existential iceberg you’ve parked your metaphorical ship on - a slowly unfolding terror will grip you as you stare at a spec sheet and wonder what GHz means, and whether or not it's important for your addiction to cat videos and BTS fancam edits.

Why is it so important to know what sort of user you are? 

So that you get a device that fulfills your needs. We’re emphasizing needs here, because we all *want* things that might not be necessary. Being honest with yourself about whether or not you really do fancy your chances of becoming the next Annie Leibovitz in the mobile space will be a huge factor in what you prioritize. Annie would probably not care about the number of color options your future phone will have, and neither should you.

Fear not, all ye weary travelers, tired sailors, and naive adventurers! As you stare out over the ocean of possibilities that smartphone ownership presents to you, we’re here to help you navigate these treacherous waters. 

Your destination?

The promised land of finding the right smartphone for you.

Deep Dive - 7 Kinds of Smartphone Users

Here’s how this works. 

Each section will cover a category of user, the specs that you should focus on and why, and a recommendation for which smartphone to go for. Trust us, we’ve thought of everything, and consider this guide (almost) bulletproof. Maybe.

PS : If you don’t think you belong in any of these categories, then we’d love for you to drop us a comment or DM on Twitter (@OPPO), or join us on the OPPO Community. We’d be more than happy to chat with you about your needs!

Mobile Photographer/Videographer

We’re starting off with a controversial piece of advice. If you take a lot of photos, your phone camera matters. What a shocking thing to say, we know! But there’s more to it than that. It’s not just about megapixel counts anymore (and honestly, it never has been), but about image quality, lowlight performance, processing speed and 4K video.

Storage and battery life come in equal-second for the would-be mobile photographer, because these are the factors that limit usability. More storage just means spending less time uploading photos and videos to your computer, and a bigger battery (with fast-charging tech like SUPERVOOC) means more time is available to shoot.

That’s why you need the OPPO Find X5 Pro. A camera that was co-developed with Hasselblad, 512GB of storage, and a 5000mah battery that can charge to 100% in just 34 minutes - there’s nothing more that a mobile photographer or videographer could possibly want.

Gamer

Milliseconds matter. Vision matters. Reflexes matter.

This is the life of a gamer - surviving on fine margins and thriving on split-second decision-making. It stands to reason that you’ll need a mobile phone that can keep up. 

Your first port of call will be your processor. Why? Because nothing happens without it. A good processor means data gets sifted through and acted upon as swiftly as possible, reducing the amount of lag between the inputs of your fingers and the output happening on-screen. 

Speaking of screens, you’ll need a display that’s up to the task of showing all you need to see on the field of battle - we’re talking high refresh rates for so you’re never left lagging; amazing brightness and clarity so that you can see all you need to see; awesome color reproduction so that your gaming is a feast for the eyes as well as the mind.

Great, you’ve got your processor priorities and display desires sorted - what next? Your phone would be useless as a gaming device if it could only last 10 minutes powering all this stuff, so a good battery should be next on the list. The more mAh the better, as they say - but keep in mind that charging tech such as SUPERVOOC will greatly increase the playability of your device as well！

After all that’s said and done, it’s obvious that the OPPO Reno8 Pro is THE device for you. Its multi-core MediaTek Dimensity CPU is a processing monster, it has a 120Hz display that operates at a 360Hz touch sampling rate for gaming, and comes packed with a 4500mAh battery that can charge from 0 to 50% in just 11 minutes.

Lifestyle/Social Media Darling

Looking good and living for the ‘Gram - how’s that for a personal motto?

If it happens to be yours, you’re in the right place for buying advice. Style without substance is never going to work out well - you’re going to need the right hardware to keep up with you.

Making sure your fit looks the part from head to toe extends to what you’re holding in your hands. You want a device that stands out from the crowd, a pocket full of WOW that will draw as many admiring glances as BTS at a Valentino fashion show. Your device is an extension of you, after all.

What good is… looking good, if you can’t capture it in all its glory? A camera is next on the list of priorities, whether it's for taking amazing shots (day or night) or putting together high-resolution videos on the go for your IG Reels or TikTok. Moments, fleeting as they are like tears in the rain, deserve to be captured, edited, and shared with the world.

Last but not least, you’re going to need a device that lasts. Something that’s solidly put together and won’t fall apart when you chuck it into a bag, or drop it when trying to get the best angle possible when capturing priceless moments. 

There’s only one device that can do all of this - The OPPO Find N2 Flip. With a virtually crease-free display, gorgeous colors, flagship-level cameras, and incredible engineering innovations that ensure amazing build quality, this is THE phone for the fashionista in you.

Business User

When you move, the world moves with you. You’re never far away from an important decision or sending off an email that could change someone’s life. You value consistency, reliability, and performance.

As the world (and all the people in it) becomes more connected and mobile, you bring all that you need with you - there’s no reason to be tied down to a desk. You’re going to need a Do-It-All Device that will survive everything you throw at it, show you everything you need to see, and not conk out on you when you don’t need it to.

Build quality should be top of the list. Something that’s solid, backed up by innovative engineering, and not prone to breaking down. 

An excellent screen is next. Perhaps a foldable one, with a patented hinge that can withstand multiple folds all-day long. Why a foldable? So that when the need arises, you can see even more of your emails, spreadsheets, websites or apps - improving readability and giving you a bigger area to work on.

Battery life should be your subsequent port of call. You don’t want to be left high and dry (and lacking flowing electrons) at inopportune moments, to aim for something with a decent battery size and fast-charging tech.

There is no contest - you need the OPPO Find N2. The embodiment of OPPO’s loftiest and most challenging engineering ideals, a screen that folds out to reveal the world, and a battery that will last the distance (while also being packed with fast-charging tech that won’t leave you running dry).  

First-time Owner

You’re reading this because you, or a loved one, is looking to purchase a first-ever smartphone. Easy enough, right?

We’ll keep this simple for you. You’re going to need a phone that will stand up to drops and slips. It’ll have decent battery life so that you don’t have to charge it every second of the day. Last but not least, it should be affordable so that you’re not breaking the bank.

It’s simple, really - you need the OPPO A Series. With outstanding build quality, flagship-aping battery life and a price tag that would make even Scrooge McDuck go ‘that’s a good deal’, the A Series is a great first step into phone ownership.

Tech Lover

The best of the best is what you crave. It has to do everything well. There are no compromises.

Our recommendation should come as no surprise. The OPPO Find X5 Pro is the ultimate smartphone, and is precisely what you need.