OPPO NEO 7 4G Review: affordable, satisfactory design, lacks performance
The previous year witnessed a massive surge in the popularity of premium-class budget smartphones and numerous users selected affordable mid-ranged devices over loftier handsets. Well, we have to agree that some foreign smartphone manufacturers—especially Chinese—have been introducing some brilliant smartphones in the Indian market since 2014.
From Xiaomi’s multi-purpose handsets to Gionee’s emerging ones, premium class low-priced devices have stably etched their spot in the Indian marketplace. Another Chinese manufacturer OPPO has also been on a roll, introducing one handset after the other, and all of them have proved to be unpredictably good. The last OPPO device we reviewed was the OPPO R7 Plus, which is a good device, despite a few shortcomings.
In the past, the company garnered appreciation for introducing features like a swivel camera, and an intuitive design combined with the flamboyance of the ColorOS 2.1. Last year, in October, the company had released another mid-ranged device priced just under Rs 10,000—the NEO 7. Guess what? We got a chance to test the device extensively for quite some time, and here is a detailed review of the handset.
Design: One of the company’s USP has always been design. From diamond-shaped imprints to all metal-bodied devices, OPPO has done a remarkable job in preserving a good design plan. Now considering the previous designs, we feel that the NEO 7 fails to maintain that level of poise. However, the device still manages to look good owing to a champagne-gold frame running along the side of the full white-bodied device, giving it a simplistic yet classy look. Besides, you can also buy the other full black variant with a silver frame.
The simplistic design on the OPPO feels good but the glossy body is susceptible to frequent drops
The front side of the device is mostly dominated by the screen, however, the display ends abruptly at the sides with significant amount distance from the bezel. The sensor and a 5MP secondary snapper also reside on the front end of the device. At the rear, we have a plain white body, which accommodates a 13MP camera along with a single LED flash, and a solitary speaker at the bottom left.
Coming to the issues, the rear glossy cover (fibre glass and optical coating) of the phone has been polished pretty well and does add to the zeal, but it is susceptible to amass prints and stains all the time.
Luckily, the rear cover is detachable, which reveals two SIM sots—micro SIM and Nano SIM, one microSD expansion slot, and the non-removable battery. The Neo 7 is certainly not OPPO’s thinnest phone with a width of 7.5mm but is light, weighing only 141 gms. However, the device feels a bit slippery, owing to the glossy plastic rear panel. The power button is placed on the right hand side of the device while the volume rockers are placed on the left.
Overall, we believe that design is decent, but could have been a lot better, just like the R7 or Mirror 5.
Removing the rear panel reveals two SIM slots, one microSD slot, and the non removable battery
Display: While OPPO has offered a good range of displays along with most of its previous offerings, the company has not done much to ramp it up with the Neo 7. The 5-inch qHD (540x960 pixel resolution) is too low compared to similar priced devices in the market, and the pixel density of just 220ppi is disappointing. Besides, the Moto G (3rd generation), which happens to be the device’s sternest competitor, has a slim advantage in terms of display prowess.
The lower resolution of the device immensely affects viewing angles
Leaving all that behind, the Neo 7 has a decently-sized display, albeit the low resolution. While the display resolution is not all that great, it is an ideal device for users who want a regular sized (by modern standards) device for enjoying a bit of everything.
Performance: Under the hood, the Neo 7 is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset clocked at 1.2GHz along with 1GB RAM. Now the 410 chipset is still reasonable considering its low price, however, allotting only 1GB RAM is extremely low in contrast to other devices in the same price bracket. In fact, the Moto G offers a higher 2GB RAM allowing it to perform better.
The OPPO Neo 7 is powered a Qualcomm snapdragon 410 processor along with 1GB of RAM
Although the device is capable of adroit multi-tasking, it does fail to churn out optimum performance, as it lags spontaneously while gaming or running demanding apps. Also, the device is not entirely capable of playing high-resolution videos or movies. However, one positive aspect on the performance front is the absence of heating issues. We played myriad games including Subway surfer, the latest version of temple run, and other similar configured games for prolonged hours, but we couldn't find any trace of heating on the device.
Overall, the performance specifications on this device seemed dated, and faced a number of hiccups when it was pushed to the limit. We feel that the company should have at least given 2GB RAM instead of 1GB. If you are a power-user and an ardent mobile gamer, we recommend you to go for the bigger R7 Plus instead.
Camera, storage, and hardware: So far we have learnt that the performance on the device lacks flair and specifications are quite dated. However, the device has some other interesting offerings that manage to keep it in the thick of things. The 8MP primary camera on the device is pretty good and clicks well in optimal lighting conditions, but it struggles to maintain the same flair in low-light environments. Surprisingly, the F/2.0 aperture also performs well during daytime. OPPO has again offered the Ultra-HD feature, which is one of the best camera features on this device.
The 8MP rear camera performs well under sufficient light, but fails miserably in low-light environments
The front 5MP snapper is also decent for video calling and taking vibrant selfies. Besides, an intuitive screen flash is also incorporated, where the screen lightens up to brighten selfies taken in low light conditions. In addition, there are various other features including double exposure, filters, and Beautify 3.0.
After clicking numerous images using the device, we feel that the company could have optimised the camera for low-light photography as well. In terms of video shooting, we could not find any issues, except the occasional choppiness. While regular users can manage easily with the offered cameras specs, people who focus more on smartphone cameras will surely be disappointed.
Here are some images clicked using the NEO 7 in various environments—daylight, shade, and night.
The image clicked under low light looks blurred in contrast to the one clicked during the day
Another example which shows the difference between images clicked under light and shade
In terms of storage, the device comes equipped with 16GB internal storage and can be further expanded by 128GB (Only 4G) via external microSD slot. The device also supports 4G and Bluetooth 4.0. Coming to the speakers, sound output levels are decent while phone or video calls, however, music playback is a letdown unless you use earplugs.
The Neo 7 uses a 2420mAh non-removable battery, which is quite good and one charge is enough for the device to last a day, on normal usage. However, busy users will find it difficult to see through the whole day on a single charge. In our experience, the device managed to last approximately four and a half hours on moderate usage, which is pretty good.
Software: The OPPO NEO 7 utilises a heavily customised Android 5.1.1 OS—the ColorOS 2.1. The fun OS is one of the main reason why people should buy this device. While features like the app drawer are absent, you will definitely enjoy the device’s smooth and simple interface.
The UI on this smartphone is amazingly simple and good for navigation On ColorOS 2.1, all the apps are listed on the home screen and you can swipe to access additional apps. Apart from that, there is a fleet of customised themes on offer, along with several intuitive features like motion/gesture control, and the Lock Screen magazine. In terms of UI, the device has managed to maintain a simple interface throughout, along with a few features for seamless navigation. If you do buy the phone, this is one aspect to look forward to.
Verdict: After using the OPPO NEO 7 for more than a week, we managed to test every aspect of the device and unfortunately the device does not seem to impress. Companies like Xiaomi, Gionee, and Motorola also have devices in the same price bracket and provide better specifications in contrast to the Neo 7. Should you buy it? Well, if you are looking for an affordable smartphone with a simple UI, design and 4G, you can go for this device. However, we feel that there are better options available in the same price and OPPO’s Neo 7 will find it rather challenging to compete in such a competitive market. The handset is available for a price of Rs 9,990 on leading e-commerce websites.
PROS: Affordability | simple user-interface with Color OS 2.1 | 128GB external storage.
CONS: Poor display resolution | 1GB RAM | average camera.
