Things are getting more expensive day-by-day, but luckily smartphone prices haven’t changed as much. These days, one can find a good mid-range smartphone for as low as Rs. 20,000 to 25,000. As more and more manufacturers race to fill this price bracket, prices might drop even further. If you are searching for an affordable mid-range phone with no compromises, the new Oppo F21 Pro could be the right bet. This phone has nearly all the ingredients of a flagship device, it looks elegant, packs in a powerful CPU, and boasts of a pro-grade camera setup. But, are these features enough to take on the competition?
The Oppo F21 Pro looks different from every other mid-range smartphone. Its Sunset Orange variant uses a Fiber Glass leather back, a material that is said to be durable and smudge-resistant. The phone weighs 173 grams, one of the lightest smartphones in this range. The phone is slim too and comes with a flat-edge frame design like newer flagship devices.
The Oppo F21 Pro is an IP4X rated smartphone, so it is resistant to water splashes. The device is also available in Cosmic Black, a colour that changes its shades under the light. This variant boasts a matte finish and does not attract fingerprints. Oppo has also placed RGB lights around the cameras on the F21 Pro (5G model) for a distinctive look. Oppo calls them Orbital Lights, and they light up when the device receives notifications or as it charges.
The Oppo F21 Pro runs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 CPU, an 8-core mid-range processor. It is powerful enough to run everyday apps and games like Battlegrounds India, Call of Duty: Mobile, Minecraft and Asphalt 9: Airborne at high graphics settings. The phone comes with 8GB of RAM, so you can switch between applications and games without experiencing any sort of stuttering. The device comes with 128GB of UFS 2.2 internal storage. You can also expand the storage by adding a microSD card slot. The 5G variant of the device come with a more powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 CPU.
The Oppo F21 stays strong on the connectivity front. Both LTE and 5G variants support Wi-Fi 6 for wireless internet connectivity. They also support Bluetooth 5.1, so you can connect wireless audio accessories and even a gaming controller. These phones also come with a 3.5mm headphone jack, a rare feature on smartphones these days.
The Oppo F21 Pro comes with a full HD display. It uses an AMOLED panel, so you can experience deep blacks and vibrant colours while watching content. Scrolling through images and webpages is smooth, thanks to its 90Hz refresh rate display. The screen also supports a 180Hz touch sampling rate. This 6.43-inch screen is nearly bezel-less, with a screen-to-body ratio of 90.8 per cent. The screen can produce up to 800 nits of brightness, making text and content readable outdoors.
The 5G variant of the F21 also has a similar screen with a 60Hz refresh rate. Both variants come with an under-display fingerprint reader for unlocking the device and making payments. The screen features Gorilla Glass 5 for protection against accidental falls and scratches. The phone comes with a 4,500 mAh battery, which should be enough to power the phone for a day under heavy usage. The device supports 33W fast charging, and Oppo says you can get a 0 to 100 per cent charge in just 60 minutes.
Oppo F series phones are known for their cameras, and the F21 Pro is no different. The phone features a 64 MP main camera with an f/1.7 aperture. Oppo says this camera captures clear pictures, and it also supports a dedicated Night Mode for low-light photography. The phone also has a pair of 2 MP cameras supporting Macro and Depth photography functions. Oppo has also introduced a new AI Enhancement feature that automatically adjusts colour and contrast for more vivid-looking pictures. For selfies, the phone comes with a 16 MP front-facing camera. Both front and rear cameras support full HD video recording at 30 fps.
The Oppo F21 Pro runs on Oppo’s ColourOS 12, based on Android 12. With the updated OS, Oppo has introduced features like Air Gestures that let you answer calls and scroll through select apps with a wave of a hand. A Bubble Animation feature has also been added, so you can instantly switch between conversations without opening the messaging app on full screen. The new Adaptive Sleep feature uses facial recognition to detect when you’re viewing your screen, preventing it from auto-dimming or going to sleep. Along with convenience and UI features, ColourOS 12 also introduces new privacy features for protecting user data.
The Oppo F21 Pro is one of the most elegant-looking mid-range smartphones. It carries pro-grade cameras for photography while packing in all the bells and whistles you would expect from a premium mid-range smartphone. The device is priced at Rs. 22,999* and is now available at www.reliancedigital.in. For a hands-on experience of the smartphone, you can also visit your nearest Reliance Digital store.
Note – Prices are subject to change. Please refer to the product catalogue for more details, pricing and availability.
