The OPPO A18 is a budget smartphone with a huge 90Hz screen, an 8-core 2GHz processor, 4GB of expandable RAM, and a number of other interesting features. How successful was the model in the end, who is it aimed at, and is it worth your attention at all? All this will be discussed further in the OPPO A18 review. Well, let’s get started!
The box
The user will receive the A18 in a stylish modular cardboard box – the box itself and a lid with large sides. Yes, it’s a classic solution by definition, but at the same time, it fully justifies itself – both reliable and convenient.
Of course, a box of a product is something that is sent for disposal immediately (or almost immediately) after unpacking. However, no matter what fate befalls the OPPO A18 box, I recommend that you spend some time studying the data on the walls, because at least some of the answers to technical questions have already been provided by the manufacturer. But we will talk about this in the next section of the review. Don’t switch to the other side!
Information from the box walls
In short, the packaging design for A18 resembles the appearance of the boxes of the recently reviewed OPPO A58 and OPPO A78 models. This decision, in my opinion, looks quite logical, if only because all three belong to the same series. The fact that we are looking at A18 is evidenced by two footnotes with the corresponding number on the top of the box. The manufacturer’s logo is right next to it.
On the wall on the right is a kind of “business card” of the model. The latter combines data on the amount of RAM, battery capacity, display frequency and other interesting “things”. Below is an explanation of these “items”.
One of the side panels is notable for a sticker with some technical data about the model: labeling, information about supported networks, smartphone color, etc.
Finally, there is some information about importers in several countries.
The package contents
Having examined both the box itself and the data that the manufacturer has put on its walls, it’s time to unpack it. So, what’s inside:
- OPPO A18 phone
- charger adapter;
- USB/USB Type-C cable;
- SIM card eject tool;
- quick start guide;
- security guide.
Key technical specifications of OPPO A18
- Dimensions – 163.74x75x8.16 mm;
- Weight – 188 g;
- Built-in memory – 128GB, LPDDR4x @ 1800MHz, 2×16-bit + microSD+USB OTG;
- Display – 6.56 inches, 89.80%, resolution – HD+ (1612×720), refresh rate – 90/60Hz, pressure sampling rate – 90 Hz, color gamut – bright mode: 100% DCI-P3, soft mode: 100% sRGB, color depth – 16.7 million colors, brightness – maximum in direct sunlight – 720 nits, LCD;
- Processor – MediaTek Helio G85, 8 cores up to 2 GHz + Mali G52 MC2 @1000MHz + 4 GB RAM (expandable);
- Cameras: main – 8MP + 2MP, front – 5MP;
- Battery – 5000 mAh.
Materials used
The OPPO A18 body is a combination of plastic parts, a very small amount of metal and glass. As a result, the terminal is lightweight – 180 grams are almost not felt in a man’s hand, and this is the first thing you will like.
The second is the predominantly matte materials that make the handset non-slip. Yes, given the size of the model, we have a device that requires more than one hand to operate, but this is just a nuance, nothing more, which, moreover, is already taken for granted, because the large display in this or that smartphone is worth it.
We will talk about colors in a separate section of the review, but for now I will say that I liked the color of the A18, and the combination of patterns and body materials is also worthy of attention.
The manufacturer covered the display with a protective glass, and reinforced this protection with a corresponding film out of the box.
The main dual camera is on a glass pedestal. This design is not new – we’ve already seen this format in our reviews of the A78 and A58. But I must say that the design is fresh and interesting, and I haven’t seen anything like it from competitors yet.
As for metal, it was used here in the format of inserts and edging of some functional elements. The proportion is minimal, and therefore the weight of the product is small for a smartphone with such a screen.
Impressions on build quality
There are no issues with the build quality. The case format is not collapsible for the user, but this is a trend and should not be considered from a negative point of view. As for the build quality, there are no questions in this regard – both the materials themselves and the format of their fit are excellent.
Body colors
The OPPO A18 comes in two body colors – radiant black and radiant blue. As for me, OPPO designers have learned to convey the idea of radiance beautifully. Take a look at the back of your A18, regardless of color – it shimmers, shimmers, even without sunlight. No cheap plastic that smells like boredom or something that could be blamed on the manufacturer for the fact that the development of technology has stopped for it. No, it’s all about keeping up with fashion, and nothing else.
About design
A few words to add to the above and some conclusions. First of all, as I said above, with the A18 (and other models in the line), the manufacturer has proven that it is really good at combining shine and color. Secondly, the model itself looks stylish and expensive. Personally, I think that this terminal will be interesting not only for young people represented by students and schoolchildren, but also for older users. Of course, there are some “buts”, but still…
OPPO A18 fits perfectly in the user’s hand. Yes, like most modern smartphones, this model is designed for two-handed use, but, for example, A18 users can make a call, check e-mail, and perform a number of other tasks with one hand. In short, you can switch from two-handed operation to one-handed operation and vice versa. It has its own charm.
Ergonomics
Now for the ergonomics. The front panel of the smartphone is “divided” between the screen, three classic touch buttons at the bottom, a tiny slot for the internal speaker, and the front camera. The latter is located in the center of the upper part.
Протилежна частина корпусу найбільш примітна згаданою раніше подвійною основною камерою. Біля неї надпис INNOVATION AI CAMERA – впевнений, переклад не потрібен. Трохи осторонь наліпка з різноманітними технічними даними щодо моделі. Є також маркування та логотип виробника.
The left side edge is notable for the paired volume buttons and the power button. A fingerprint scanner is integrated into the latter, which is both convenient and practical.
On the right side is a “seat” for a SIM card/memory card container.
Finally, at the bottom is a USB Type-C port, a 3.5 mm jack, a tiny slot for the built-in microphone, and a speaker.
Display
The screen in OPPO A18 occupies 89.8% of the entire front part. Vertically, the bezels are almost invisible, the manufacturer, let’s say, “paid more attention” to them horizontally. However, this did not cause any problems as such, and I had more than enough time to check it.
The diagonal, let me remind you, is 6.56 inches. It is based on a high-quality IPS-matrix, which provides good viewing angles.
The pressure sampling rate is 90Hz.
As for the color gamut, in bright mode we have 100% DCI-P3, while in soft mode – 100% sRGB.
The color gamut is 16.7 million shades.
There are no problems with grain size. You will find out about the figures for this item in the next section.
Impressions of working with the screen
The benchmark for a smartphone screen at which you will not see grain on the panel is 300 dpi. In the case of OPPO A18, we have an indicator of 320dpi, and therefore we put an end to this point, because the facts speak for themselves.
Everything is also fine with responsiveness – the reaction occurs even to a cursory touch. 10-finger multitouch is supported.
Viewing angles are good in any direction. I didn’t notice any white or blue tint at the maximum tilt.
As for the settings. Among the interesting things in the corresponding menu we have the ability to select the color mode on the screen, adjust the font and its display size, screen frequency and other interesting “things”.
Built-in speakers
OPPO A18 has two separate speakers – an internal one, placed classically above the screen, and a loudspeaker. The latter, as I already mentioned, is on the bottom edge.
Sound quality
As for the sound quality, I personally had no questions about it – I used 10 different locations to test the earpiece speaker and two for the loudspeaker. I was satisfied with the results.
Sound customization options
What’s interesting here? First of all, Real Sound Technology, which allows you to set the sound style depending on the content being played. Also interesting are the “Haptic feedback and signals” and “Personal monitoring” options. Let’s look at the illustration below to see exactly what the advantages of the latter are.
Battery
The capacity of the built-in battery is 5000 mAh.
Battery life
The battery life was tested using the Battery HD tester. The results are shown in the illustrations below.
The phone lasts 11.5 hours in standard consumption mode and 5 days in standby mode. You can listen to almost 23 hours of music and watch 5 hours of video. The flashlight will shine for 2.5 hours, and the mobile Internet will work for almost 5 hours. You can talk on a 4G network for 6 hours.
Built-in memory
OPPO A18 is only available in one version with 128 GB of storage.
Expansion options
Expansion is possible using external storage devices such as microSD cards and/or USB flash drives. The maximum capacity is up to 1 TB inclusive.
Operating system
The software “heart” of the system is the proprietary ColorOS 13.1. Among the key features of the latter are the presence of a deep smartphone optimizer, advanced features of Google Lens, five-level access control and other interesting “things”.
Pre-installed applications
The following illustrations show the “arsenal” of applications preinstalled by the manufacturer. In my opinion, any comments are superfluous here.
Hardware under the hood
OPPO A18 is based on an 8-core MediaTek Helio G85 with a clock speed of up to 2 GHz. It is accompanied by 1 GHz Mali G52 MC2 graphics and 4 GB of RAM. For the latter, as well as for A-line smartphones, it is possible to increase the capacity by another 4 GB. Let’s see how it’s done in the illustrations below.
Performance
Camera capabilities
The main camera of OPPO A18 is dual. It consists of an 8MP module with a 78° viewing angle and a 4P lens and a 2MP module with an 89.1° viewing angle and a 3P lens.
The front camera has 5 megapixels.
The OPPO A18 review video and photos
Test video
Photo tests
Expert opinion
In summary, we have a rather successful model that can be targeted at students, schoolchildren, users who need a balanced smartphone for everyday use with performance adequate to the price tag, good battery life, good sound capabilities, and a really huge and surprisingly good screen.
The OPPO A18 costs 4,999 UAH ($139).
