As if planned, both Samsung and OPPO had their high performing mid range phone launch on the same day, lucky for the media one was in the morning while the other was in the afternoon, we managed to cover both events. Admittedly the Galaxy A series are mid tiers among the range under the belt of Sammy, as for OPPO the R9s is the top dawg!
Here’s the difference between the two, the event ballroom at an upmarket hotel was picked to the brim, guests turned out in their dazzling best, celebrity from TV3 and Astro were spotted and journalist who were not CES were all in attendance. The other event was situated slightly off the city, guests were mostly dealers and retailers, and people around the floor were unrecognisable. Both models sell for about the same price R9s for RM1798 and A7 for RM1899.
Continues….
If you look at the A series, the units at first appear like past S6 or S5 design frames, similarity spotted by a colleague who felt the phones could look better in the presentation area. I have to agree with her, disparity is rather glaringly obvious if you place the S7 Edge or Galaxy S6 next to these, its as if the old molds were recycled here. Nevertheless, once you pick up the device doubts clear up, build quality it not compromised, weighted, glossy and classy. 16 megapixels a large aperture of f/1.9 front and back, octa-core processor, Amoled display, 3GB RAM.
Let look at the antagonist in this story, touting itself as the photography phone with impeccable camera, the R9s is OPPO’s push into the young audiences minds as the smartphone with the best rear shooter. 16 megapixels are the go to here as well with a slight twist to the plot, an aperture of f/2.0 giving better low light and night shots for the front and a f/1.7 for the rear is a clever approach. Adding DualPDAF the technology first introduced by Samsung in the S7, auto focus is much faster and overall image quality should significantly improve. While we applaud OPPO for all the improvement moving forward, in the case of ‘Who Wore it Better’, Samsung is still the brand to beat!
How About Design?
Factors that determine a purchase, looks, price and camera. These are the main three elements taken into consideration before a customer decides to make his or her buy in. As we highlighted earlier, the A series need a makeover, although only being introduced in 2015, the retro look does not bode well, given the fact the elder siblings look much dapper. Like the F series, the R9 and R9s all take their cue from the formidable design guru, Apple! Down to the Rose Gold! In this case its paying dividends, the Shenzen based manufacturer has the top selling brand in China, even Huawei is playing catching up in home territory.
The white bands situated on the back over which are antennae lines have been replaced with sets if ultra thin lines that blends with the design and is said to improve reception at the same time. Both competitors use metal and glass as the preferred material, with OPPO delivering a better result here.
The Knockout Punch
Battery is always a concern for the always-on generation (millennials), 3010 on the R9s and 3600 mAh on the A7, evidently you can judge the superiority. That’s not the only area being topped off, pushing the boundary of a mid range even further, introducing IP68 rating on the A5 and A7 must be an ingenious move by Samsung, blurring the lines of premium flagship for the masses.
With Samsung Pay, the contention is no longer in OPPO’s favour, when the new payment method of the near future takes off, customers would like to choose the most secure and reliable device maker to partner with. This is where the incumbent is leading, the global footprint and the collaboration with local banks like Maybank and CIMB, is the non hardware advantage the other will have a hard time emulating.
Verdict: The evidence is ‘Clear‘ for RM100 either way, the better choice will be the 5.7″ Galaxy A7, this has been a strategic play by Samsung to reign in on the highly competitive mid segment. After losing ground, the dragon has now awoken to a new year with all fired up!
OPPO, you need more than celebrity endorsement to push your products of the shelves. Lee Min Ho has an arduous task in his hands.
Both phones are available for preorder with OPPO customers getting theirs from 15th January and Samsung from 25th January.
