The OPPO A17 is an entry-level phone with good functionality and value if you only need a reliable, low-cost device.

It is a phone that would have been <$200, but inflation, US dollar strength, and COVID supply chain issues push this to RRP $259.

To do that and not compromise on build quality (yes, you want it to last a few years), a low-powered processor, micro-USB 10W charging (USB-C PD charging costs much more), no NFC, no buds (it has a 32.5mm jack), no bumper case, and mono speaker.

On the plus side, it has a 5000mAh battery, a decent bright screen, 4/64GB/dedicated microSD, Dual SIM, a creditable 50MP/2MP camera, 64-bit Android 12 with two years of security patches and a 2-year warranty.

Our retail spies say its nearest competitor is the $229 Motorola e32 4G 64GB – cheap as chips and just as satisfying, and there is considerable upsell to the unlocked OPPO A57s 4G on sale at $279.

We use Fail (below expectations), Passable (meets low expectations), Pass (meets expectations), Pass+ (near Exceed but not class-leading) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below.  You can click on most images for an enlargement.

Entry-level phones should at least score a pass mark against each category.

Glass slabs (a glass screen, plastic frame and PMMA (acrylic or similar) plastic back are the lowest-cost way to deliver features. This is a well-made slab with a light leather-grain patterned PMMA back.

It has the usual OPPO power button (Fingerprint sensor) and volume rocker on the right side. On the bottom is a 3.5mm 4-pole audio jack, a mono down-firing speaker and a micro-USB power/data connector, which is so yesterday but saves money over including USB-C PD circuitry.

It is the screen you expect for the price and the same as the. It shares many specs with this model, which is only available on a mobile plan from Konec.

Maximum nits are 600 (in a 2% window) and typically around 350 at full brightness. But lower-cost LCD screens are not very daylight readable, affecting things like trying to frame photos or read messages in bright light.

This is a three-year-old, 12nm, eight-core processor well outclassed by the Qualcomm entry-level SD4XX series even back then. This accounts for most of the savings on this handset.

It is slow. Apps can take seconds to open, and the Geekbench single/multi-core score is 171/1037 (we feel a usable phone starts around 500/1500).

It will not run OpenCL or Vulkan GPU tests and falls over in GFX Bench T-Rex and Manhattan tests. Simply put, the GPU is not for gaming.

The 64GB (39B free) storage is eMMC 5.1 and is slow – CPDT sequential read/ write is 202/123Mbps. A micro-SD card (to 1TB) is 80/27MBps. It will accept an external micro-USB flash drive (maximum size unknown but likely 64GB) but not external SSDs at 24/7MBps.

Throttling loses 9% of its power under load over 15 minutes with a maximum of 96,375 GIPS, an average of 91,363 and a minimum of 72,292. It is not a powerhouse – a reasonable SD4XX processor has closer to 150,000 GIPS.

All are fit for purpose. Wi-Fi is a maximum of 433Mbps, keeping the 5GHz signal to 10m from the router.

BT is 5.3 but does not support Google Swift Pair (nor, we presume, multi-point).

GPS has about a 10-metre accuracy, and in-car navigation/recalculation at highway speed can be tricky.

MediaTek modems generally don’t find more than the closest tower – this is no different. If you want better phone coverage, look for Qualcomm-equipped phones.

The MediaTek 12nm SoC is quite power-hungry under load but lasts well under light loads.

Under typical use, you should get two days of battery life, but the 12nm SoC sucks battery under load, reducing that to 5 hours.

It has a single amplifier that drives the mono earpiece in phone mode, if in hand-free or music mode and a down-firing bottom speaker.

The maximum volume is 80dB (average). It has no low- or mid-bass, very little high-bass, and recessed treble, making this a Mid sound signature: (bass recessed, mid-boosted, treble recessed) – for clear voice.

It has no sound stage (it is mono), and Real Original Sound pre-sets do nothing.

A single mic means no noise cancelling, but it is acceptable for indoor hands-free use.

Bluetooth 5.0 has SBC and AAC codecs (not aptX as claimed, as it does not use a Qualcomm SoC), and earphone performance is quite good and loud. The 3.5mm jack outputs analogue sound, and it is quite clean.

Toughened Panda glass front and plastic back and frame are well made and have a nice feel in hand. OPPO’s strength is its two-year warranty and excellent after-sales support.

Android 12 – unusual at this price – Pass+

A-series get two years of security patches, and it is unlikely this will get an OS upgrade. OPPO has improved security patch updates – this has December 2022 for a January review.

ColorOS is a light touch over Android and is easy to use.

It has a 50MP sensor that bins (4:1) to 12.5MP. Binning means it takes the best pixels and uses AI to create a better image. The 2MP sensor is to judge depth to about 10 metres, but as it lacks a portrait/bokeh mode, we wonder if it does anything.

But AI depends on processor strength, and the MediaTek SoC does not have enough to make a significant difference with this 50MP sensor. It takes decent pictures in day or office light but is inadequate in low light.

After we test everything, we know the compromises, if any, to make a smartphone to a price.

The only real compromise is the slow MediaTek Helio G35 processor and its impact on 4G modem antenna signal strength and AI post-processing photo enhancement. The other items, like micro-USB charging, can be overlooked.

The slow processor is evidenced by the lag between opening and launching apps – it is not bad but noticeable. The 50MP binned to 12.5MP sensor would shine with a more powerful processor. Photos are better than social media standards but lack some dynamic range.

Ultimately, it is an unlocked 4G phone at a low cost. Its strengths are OPPO’s build quality, warranty, and support.

Note: If a low-cost phone scores over 70/100, it is pretty good for the price.

OPPO A17, OPPO A17, OPPO A17, OPPO A17, OPPO A17

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