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The affordable smartphone category is heating up, and Oppo wants to ride that wave. It just introduced an entry-level A72 phone that promises some strong features for the money, at least based on the spec sheet. It revolves around a 6.5-inch, 1080p display with a hole-punch 16-megapixel selfie camera, but the star of the show is a 48MP main rear camera joined by an 8MP ultra wide-angle cam and two 2MP portrait-oriented sensors. We’ve found Oppo’s budget camera quality to be merely okay, but it should be acceptable in this price range and will pack an Ultra Night Mode 2.0 to improve low-light shots without overexposing bright spots.
The A72 might also be a longevity champ. It’s only using a Snapdragon 665 processor with 4GB of RAM, but it touts a 5,000mAh battery that’s still not as common in entry devices. The combination of a modest CPU and a large power pack may work in your favor if you need to keep going all day.
There are relatively few glaring compromises beyond the performance. You’ll still get 128GB of storage (it doesn’t appear to be expandable), stereo speakers, NFC and a side-mounted fingerprint reader.
As is often the case, the price adds some all-important context. The A72 is available in the UK for £219, or about $269 — you’re getting a lot for the money. There aren’t plans to officially release this in the US, alas, unlike some past Oppo phones. Not that you’ll necessarily be left wanting. Oppo’s sibling brand OnePlus is preparing its own lower-cost phone line, and it won’t be shocking if features you like in the A72 carry over.
