OPPO F25 Pro

The F25 Pro continues to feature three cameras on the back, similar to the OPPO F23. The camera system gets headlines with a 64MP primary sensor without OIS support. The ultra-wide camera now leverages an upgraded 8MP sensor. There's also a 2MP macro camera.Typically, the Oppo F25 Pro prioritises warm tones for the final image with prominent shadows. As a result, photos with adequate surround light look more dramatic than in real life. While some, including myself, may prefer a more balanced approach, these images with OPPO F25 Pro are more social media-ready. It means users do not have to go through the hassle of editing.The portrait mode relies on the primary camera and some software tweaks. Images included a decent amount of depth, and the skin tone detection was accurate during my tests. Compared to the OnePlus Nord CE4 (review), the OPPO F25 Pro maintained a more saturated approach, though both images have their own distinct qualities, catering to individual preferences. In extreme low-light conditions, the primary camera exhibits a soft dynamic range, sometimes obscuring details, and the white balance may become slightly inconsistent. Nevertheless, the images in low-light conditions appear decent, if not the best.The upgraded ultra-wide camera maintains similar colour science as the primary camera. However, details aren't always the best in different lighting conditions. The macro camera performs surprisingly well detecting subjects (ideally 4cm away), but the final output lacks the rich colours and sharpness you would expect.For videos, there's support for 4K30fps or 1080p60fps recording. There isn't much to complain about details and colour for a phone at this price point. However, most videos feature strange stutter during dynamic shots, likely due to the lack of OIS (optical image stabilisation). It might likely get fixed via an OTA update.The same recording support is also available on the 32MP front camera, which is impressive considering the price of the OPPO F25 Pro. Still shots with and without portrait mode maintain balanced colours, and the skin tone detection remains natural. Portrait shots also include a rich bokeh effect with near-accurate edge detection.

The OPPO F25 Pro rocks a new MediaTek Dimensity 7050 SoC based on the TSMC N6 (6nm-class) chip production process. The unit I am reviewing offers 128GB of UFS 3.1 storage and 8GB RAM, priced at Rs 23,999. By spending an additional Rs 2,000, you can get the variant with a 256GB storage configuration. It also means the OPPO F25 Pro competes directly against notable rivals, including Nothing Phone 2(a) and Redmi Note 13 Pro.In terms of benchmarks, the OPPO F25 Pro performs fairly well, though it's behind some of its direct rivals, including the Dimensity 7200 Pro-powered Phone 2(a) (images below). Notably, it offered better stability in its peak performance during the CPU Throttle test.In real-world, the OPPO F25 Pro proves to be a reliable performer. It ships with Android 14 out-of-the-box and is promised three years of major Android updates, which is commendable for a smartphone priced below Rs 25,000. OPPO could've enhanced the software experience by refining the animations when switching and closing apps as they currently appear flat. The UI also feels cluttered due to the presence of numerous pre-installed apps. At the same, some ColorOS 14 features are equally useful. AI-powered smart touch (to copy text from photos and videos) and auto pixelate (for privacy), are some of my favourites.I tested the gaming performance by playing BGMI and COD (Call of Duty). Thankfully, the relatively flat screen does not lead to mistouches, though you may occasionally notice stutters, perhaps due to optimisation-related issues. Thankfully, the OPPO F25 Pro did not exhibit significant heating or battery drain issues after playing these two moderately heavy titles.

The OPPO F25 Pro features a bigger 5,000mAh battery with 67W charging (included in the box). The charger is reminiscent of the old OnePlus charger due to its boxy design. With the bundled charger, the phone attained 100 percent battery in around 45 minutes.Even the battery backup is equally solid, as noticed during my review and PC Mark's battery test. In the latter, the OPPO F25 Pro ran for over 19 hours with flight mode enabled and 50 percent battery. Otherwise, you can expect a full-day battery with mild gaming and camera usage, and a high refresh rate enabled.