The perfect 2023 cellphone you may’t purchase?

The OPPO Discover X6 Professional has simply launched, marking a number of vital adjustments to the flagship Android cellphone sequence. The marginally sci-fi curved glass design makes approach for an all-new look. In the meantime, the model doubles down on all-important images capabilities, boasting bigger picture sensors and customized silicon in a bid to greatest the competitors.

However let’s get the dangerous information out of the way in which first; sadly, OPPO will solely promote the Discover X6 Professional in China as Android Authority understands {that a} world launch isn’t deliberate at this stage. Whereas we shouldn’t fully rule out broader availability sooner or later, that does imply that in contrast to its predecessor, the OPPO Discover X5 Professional, the brand new cellphone I bought my arms on arrived sans the Google Play Retailer. Putting in this your self is feasible by way of an APK, however you’ll nonetheless should compete with a collection of pre-installed Chinese language apps, keyboard, and different options. So our style of the potential Western expertise stays coloured.

Trying previous that, the cellphone comes with ColorOS 13, which we spent loads of time utilizing with the good OPPO Discover N2 Flip. It’s brimming with visible customization choices, proprietary options of various utility, and arguably too many settings toggles. Even the extra bloated Chinese language model of ColorOS is usually slick and purposeful. The Discover X6 Professional additionally advantages from OPPO’s newest replace pledge of 4 OS upgrades and 5 years of safety patches. That’s higher than Google and pretty much as good as Samsung.

However let’s step away from software program and soar into the experiences that transcend regional variations. These are my impressions of the OPPO Discover X6 Professional.

First issues first, the design actually stands out for a number of causes. Whereas not precisely distinctive, the round glass and aluminum digicam housing is humungous and units the tone for the handset’s foremost point of interest. It’s encased in a steel ring that OPPO says is impressed by luxurious watch bezels. The return of vegan leather-based, which we haven’t seen for the reason that OPPO Discover X2 Professional, is a welcome one. Not solely does it appear and feel chic, however it provides a stage of grip you received’t discover with a glass cellphone. It’s an all-around look that’s each premium and distinctive.

The OPPO Discover X6 Professional is clearly chasing the posh model look, however it’s maybe too busy when all put collectively. A full vegan leather-based again, quite than a partial metal-like glass accent on the prime, would have been extra to my style. Likewise, the leather-based is a light-weight tan, nearly orange, however not fairly. Once more, I might have most popular a darker shade or a putting sundown orange, however that received’t cease others from immediately falling in love with this look (I’m nonetheless within the courting part). If this isn’t fairly for you, OPPO gives a conventional glass again in inexperienced and black colorways.

OPPO rounds out the top-notch design with an IP68 ranking for water and dirt resistance. Safety in opposition to drops is offered by Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the entrance and Gorilla Glass 5 on the glass components of the again. The full package deal is available in at a barely hefty 218g weight, however that’s nonetheless lighter than the Samsung Galaxy S23 Extremely.

Rather more than a fairly face

Pull your eyes away from the rear, as you’ll be equally impressed by the big 6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED show. With a variable refresh fee of as much as 120Hz, a QHD+ show decision, and HDR assist by way of Dolby Imaginative and prescient and HDR10+, the spec sheet agrees with my eyes; that is one sublime-looking show.

Inner specs are equally as much as measure. The OPPO Discover X6 Professional is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 12 or 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, and both 256 or 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage. We have been handled to the maxed-out mannequin, which flew by means of all of the benchmarks we threw at it. The graph beneath exhibits the place the handset stacks up in opposition to different Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 telephones and different rivals.

As we’ve develop into accustomed to with OPPO, the Discover X6 Professional is slightly conservative on the CPU aspect to enhance battery life additional, scoring simply behind Samsung’s 2023 flagship. Nonetheless, there’s greater than sufficient efficiency right here for all of your apps, and there’s a efficiency mode must you need to throw warning to the power effectivity winds. Graphics is extra spectacular, providing sustained efficiency that’s in step with gaming telephones and notably higher than different mainstream flagship 8 Gen 2 handsets we’ve examined. We’re not frightened about overheating and throttling right here, due to a big graphite cooling system for each the chipset and digicam.

OPPO prides itself on best-in-class charging capabilities too, and its newest applied sciences are accounted for right here. The big 5,000mAh battery simply takes you thru a day, if not two, of average use. If that’s not sufficient, the Discover X6 Professional helps 100W wired charging (included within the field) and 50W wi-fi charging by way of its proprietary SuperVOOC expertise.

Utilizing 100W wired energy (peaking at 66W precise) takes you to 25% in 4 minutes, 50% in lower than 10 minutes, 75% in 16 minutes, and full in 27 minutes. 50W wi-fi is slower however nonetheless hits 25% in eight minutes, 50% in 19 minutes, 75% in 31 minutes, and full in 45 minutes. Clearly, the cellphone is not any slouch if you could prime up in a rush, no matter your preferences for wired or wi-fi charging.

Importantly, OPPO claims that the cellphone’s battery is rated to final 1,600 cost and discharge cycles earlier than falling to 80% of its preliminary capability. That’s sufficient for a full each day cost for greater than 4 years, which even the heaviest person would battle to make use of up. Pretty much as good as all that sounds, the Discover X6 Professional doesn’t cost anyplace close to as shortly with extra widespread USB Energy Supply chargers. We clocked a peak of simply 18W.

Excessive-end specs are, in fact, fantastic to have, however that’s hardly a singular promoting level as we speak. As a substitute, the OPPO Discover X6 Professional cameras and its Marisilicon X picture processor set it aside. With three massive rear picture sensors spanning a 50MP extensive (1-inch), 50MP ultrawide (1/1.56-inch), and 50MP 3x periscope zoom (1/1.56-inch), OPPO claims there’s no “main” digicam right here; they’re all pretty much as good as one another.

I’ve solely had restricted time with the cellphone to take snaps, and a few fairly garbage UK climate to deal with, however you may take a look at a collection of hi-res picture samples on this Google Drive folder. First, let’s examine OPPO’s declare that it has efficiently matched all three cameras by way of coloration, dynamic vary, and element so that you simply actually can use all three interchangeably.

Immediately, we word strong publicity, coloration matching, and strong HDR capabilities throughout all three lenses, with element current within the sky and shadows. If I didn’t know higher, I might genuinely consider these have been captured with a single zoom quite than three cameras. Nearer inspection reveals that particulars are a bit softer, the shadows a fraction darker, and the white steadiness slightly hotter (the commonest distinction) between the extensive and ultrawide. Importantly, there’s minimal chromatic aberration with the extensive or periscope lens, although you’ll spot a really small quantity of distortion on the very left of the ultrawide snap above.

Likewise, we obtained the identical stage of success within the low-light snap above. Colours, publicity, and even element are a lock, no matter which lens you go for. The strong dynamic vary and low noise ground within the ultrawide and 3x telephoto snaps are notably spectacular, as rival telephones frequently battle to breed the standard of the primary digicam throughout their different lenses. The mixture of Marisilicon X for noise discount and HDR, together with three massive sensors and extensive apertures, scores a strong hit within the opening salvo, so let’s have a look at some extra common themes.

Colours are fairly punchy, however fortunately not as oversaturated as we’ve seen from different Hasselblad-branded telephones from OPPO (and OnePlus). Whereas a tad overdone for my private style, that is about the proper stage of processing that ensures handsome outcomes for social and sharing with no need to fiddle with enhancing. White steadiness is just about all the time spot on, though the digicam is caught with scene-wide quite than topic/spot publicity balancing (even in Professional mode), which results in the odd topic underexposure. One other factor to notice is the very shallow depth of discipline from the 1-inch, f/1.8 extensive digicam. Whereas nice for gentle seize, it could possibly go away your macro photographs slightly out of focus. The cellphone has an auto-macro mode to drag in knowledge from the ultrawide, however you then miss out on the good pure bokeh. You possibly can’t have all of it.

The periscope zoom digicam makes a welcome return and is my favourite lens on the cellphone (as you may most likely inform from the snaps above); it’s value taking a more in-depth have a look at. As we’ve mentioned, the dynamic vary is classy, due to the big IMX890 sensor and extensive f/2.6 aperture paired with strong processing. This is likely one of the largest picture sensors present in a smartphone zoom setup, and it pays off each by way of gentle seize and a lovely pure bokeh, which is nice for portraits and macro. The comparability shot beneath exhibits how effectively OPPO’s setup compares in opposition to the Galaxy S23 Extremely’s 1/3.52-inch, f/2.4 3x telephoto lens in low gentle. The distinction in coloration seize and noise is quickly obvious.

OPPO additionally implements a lossless 6x zoom possibility by cropping from the 50MP picture, identical to Google does with the Pixel 7 Professional’s 10x mode. The extent of element at 6x isn’t fairly as sharp as at 3x, so neglect the discuss of lossless. You possibly can push the digicam to 10x in respectable lighting and are available away with satisfactory outcomes, at the very least at full body, however something past is a step too far. We’re not speaking Galaxy S23 Extremely long-distance capabilities then, however the cellphone is greater than competent throughout the all-important 35-70mm focal ranges. Bundle the HDR, low gentle, element, and adaptability all collectively, and you’ll be severely inventive with the zoom lens alone.

The cellphone’s portrait mode is as strong as the remainder of the package deal, with good pores and skin textures and cheap tones. Though the digicam’s propensity for coloration pop does make this a bit extra hit-and-miss for some pores and skin tones, relying on the scene and lighting. The selfie snapper additionally earns a thumbs up in good lighting however is slightly on the softer aspect in dim situations. Portrait edge detection is usually a little aggressive, although, reducing stray hairs and even ears slightly too shut on the odd event, however it’s competent total.

My solely just about insignificant criticism is with the digicam package deal’s element processing. Though extremely constant throughout lenses and lighting situations, there’s a barely jarring distinction of sharp strains but smooth, nearly unfocused textures. That seems like an odd criticism as a result of it’s uncommon. It’s probably a side-effect of OPPO’s AI noise discount and SuperHDR, as you’ll sometimes see halos round shifting topics too.

The professional is that there’s little or no noise in any of the images I’ve taken, however equally, the extent of element will not be fairly as crisp as you would possibly anticipate from a big, high-resolution picture sensor. The impact is much more noticeable when capturing within the 50MP mode (which, impressively, works on all rear cameras). Nonetheless, OPPO’s method is preferable to the oversharp, painted messes we frequently see, however I believe the 2 crops beneath spotlight the unconventional method to element processing. Nothing is obvious flawed as such, however the high-contrast edges and smooth textures make it not fairly flawless both.

General, even a short while with the OPPO Discover X6 Professional digicam is enough to return away impressed. Whereas publicity and element will not be all the time flawless, the pliability of OPPO’s flagship throughout a spread of lighting situations and zoom ranges is simple. It’s shaping as much as be a severe images contender which may even greatest a few of the market-leading digicam telephones.

As we’ve come to anticipate from OPPO, the Discover X6 Professional boasts beautiful {hardware} and rock-solid software program (Chinese language options excluded), however it’s the design and digicam that basically stand out. Round lens housings appear to be in proper now, similar to with its sister model’s OnePlus 11. However though yow will discover considerably related appears to be like elsewhere, the vegan leather-based possibility actually lends a uniquely premium really feel to the cellphone.

Throw within the acquainted assortment of flagship-tier {hardware} and a long-term replace promise, and there’s a really compelling smartphone right here. Sadly, customers exterior of China received’t get the prospect to expertise it. As talked about, there’s (at present) no world launch deliberate for the OPPO Discover X6 Professional. Disappointing, then, particularly given the broader availability of earlier OPPO flagships for the previous few years.

Extra irritating is {that a} actually strong digicam package deal has been the one lacking piece of the Discover X puzzle prior to now few years. 2022’s Discover X5 Professional digicam was good however not fairly nice. OPPO has greater than addressed points like oversaturated colours with the Discover X6 Professional, producing a complete extensive, ultrawide, and zoom setup that, based mostly on our quick time with it, appears to be like set to rival the perfect within the enterprise. As a little bit of a digicam obsessive, this can be a cellphone I’d like to spend so much extra time with, have been it not for the software program scenario.