OPPO A54 Unboxing, First Impressions, Camera Samples
In late April of 2021, prominent Chinese mobile maker OPPO introduced the A54 with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage to the Philippine market.
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| Meet OPPO A54 |
After a month, they released a version of A54 with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage.
To recap, the A54 sports a 2.5D curved LCD screen with HD+ resolution. Inside is the 2.3GHz 12nm MediaTek Helio P35 octa-core processor with PowerVR GE8320 GPU, 16MP selfie camera, 13MP triple-rear camera, a large 5,000mAh battery paired with a USB Type-C 18W fast charger.
It also features an IPX3 splash-proof body and is available in Crystal Black and Starry Blue colors.
We have the said device and here are our initial thoughts on the OPPO A54.
Unboxing/Accessories
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| Contents inside the box |
The A54 comes with the signature OPPO white box with a print of the phone model on top.
Inside the box is the OPPO A54, 18W fast charger, SIM ejector tool, USB Type-A to Type-C cable, transparent jelly case, and documentation. On the display of the phone is a pre-installed screen protector.
Build Quality/Design
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| Elegant and glossy finish |
The A54 is available in two colors - Crystal Black and Starry Blue. We received the Crystal Black as our review unit.
Mid-range build and look, budget price tag
The back is made out of polycarbonate material yet still presents a gradient glass-like design.
A minor issue is that it is prone to fingerprint smudges and hairline scratches. But you can just install the free jelly case cover to prevent that. Overall, it has an elegant finish despite having a plastic build.
This handset claims to have an IPX4 water splash resistance that acts as a shield against water splashes from any direction for added protection.
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| Large 6.51-inch LCD screen |
Its front is made of 2.5D curved glass and upon closer look, you can see a pre-installed screen protector.
This handset sports a 6.51-inch LCD screen with an HD+ 1600 x 720 resolution and 120Hz touch sampling rate. Around the panel are slim sides and top bezels with a thicker chin bezel.
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| Punch-hole 16MP selfie cam |
On the top left side is the 16MP f/2.0 selfie shooter, and the earpiece at the top center.
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| Top, bottom |
Above the panel is a super-thin slit that houses the earpiece. Below, you will find the 3.5mm headphone slot along with the microphone holes, USB-C port, and the single down-firing speaker grill.
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| Left, right |
The side bezels have a nice matte finish that helps for a more comfortable grip. The triple slot SIM tray (dual Nano-SIM + microSD card) and the volume rocker and the power button are on the left. While on the right is the side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
The phone measures 163.6 x 75.7 x 8.4 mm and weighs 192 grams and is quite easy to hold thanks to its curved back panel.
First Camera Samples
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| Main camera |
At the back, you will find a noticeable camera bump that houses the 13MP f/2.2 w/ PDAF main shooter, 2MP f/2.4 macro camera, 2MP depth camera with LED flash. In front, it has a 16MP selfie camera.
The default camera app offers several camera modes like Photo, Portrait, Video, Night, Expert, Sticker, Time-Lapse, Slo-Mo, Panorama, and Google Lens. Beautification is present in both the selfie and main camera with a preset to 40 percent.
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| Daylight 1 |
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| Daylight 2 |
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| Daylight 2x Zoom |
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| Daylight 5x Zoom |
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| Close-up daylight |
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| Daylight Portrait |
In portrait mode, it has decent edge detection with a slight issue in the narrow areas.
In daylight, the main rear camera can snap photos with decent sharpness, color, and contrast.
There are only 3 options for zoom: 1x, 2x, and 5x. We would've liked it better if OPPO added an ultra-wide angle.
For the macro shot, it has visible blurriness.
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| Indoor well-lit |
In indoors, the color and sharpness are still good in well-lit areas and show a bit of softness in a low light setting.
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| Low light vs Night mode |
In night mode, there is a visible softness and graininess. But that is expected for a low-budget phone.
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| Daylight selfie |
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| Portrait mode |
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| Normal vs. 40 percent AI Beauty |
The selfie camera is decent and can produce photos with good sharpness and color.
When we used the Portrait Selfie mode, It struggled in face detection when wearing a face mask. It also had edge detection issues in some areas.
Using the AI Face Beauty, there is a noticeable softness at its 40 percent preset.
OPPO A54 Specs
Display: 6.51-inch 2.5D curved LCD screen w/ HD+ 1600 x 720 resolution at 270 ppi
CPU: 2.3GHz 12nm MediaTek Helio P35 octa-core processor
GPU: PowerVR GE8320 (680MHz)
RAM: 4GB/6GB LPDDR4X
ROM: 128GB eMMC 5.1 expandable via microSD card slot up to 256GB (dedicated)
Back Camera: 13MP f/2.2 w/ PDAF + 2MP f/2.4 macro + 2MP depth + LED flash
Selfie Camera: 16MP f/2.0
Battery: 5,000mAh w/ 18W Fast Charge
OS: Android 10 w/ ColorOS 7.2 skin
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac (2.4GHz/5GHz), 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.0, OTG, GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, QZSS, Galileo, dual SIM
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic
Others: Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, face unlock, IPX4 water splash resistance, USB-C, dual mic, Colors: Crystal Black, Starry Blue
Dimensions: 163.6 x 75.7 x 8.4 mm
Weight: 192 g
Price: PHP 9,499 (4GB/128GB), PHP 9,999 (6GB/128GB)
As of the moment
Out of the box, the OPPO A54 is a stylish device for the price with plenty of features.
We would also like to note that the big display of this device makes it a bit pleasing to stream videos and have an immersive gameplay experience. However, it would've been nicer if it had a 1080p resolution.
Notably, OPPO made an effort to improve the device with the release of the 6GB/128GB variant. This makes the device capable of handling more apps simultaneously and performing smoother than the base A54 variant.
For cameras, we struggled a bit, especially in low-lit areas. Daylight photos turn out good and sharp by chance if you don't have shaky hands. We would be lying if we didn't wish for an ultra-wide-angle. It also had a hard time with face detection in Selfie Portrait mode.
We also can not ignore the IPX4 water splash resistance which is a bonus protection feature for the device, along with its pre-installed screen protector and FREE case.
Our minor concerns include a smudge fingerprint smudge-magnet and lack of included wired headphones. Also, OPPO noticeably used a lower-end processor and a toned-down primary camera versus the competition.
That's it for now! We will explore more of this device for our full review so stay tuned.
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