Oppo A40 Review: Low Price, Low Power

Value When Reviewed

Not accessible within the US

Greatest Costs Right now: Oppo A40

Chinese language producer Oppo has launched a big selection of mid-range and funds smartphones lately, starting from the highly effective Discover X8 Professional to the massively inexpensive A78 5G. As confusingly named as they generally are, they typically supply good specs and options for the cash, offering a lower-cost different to main manufacturers.

That is the custom that this yr’s A40 goals to proceed. Carrying an enticingly low price ticket of £129 (below £90 on supply), it brandishes a big 6.67in show with a 90Hz refresh price, in addition to an enormous 5,100mAh battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1 chip, and a 50Mp rear digital camera. At first look, this looks like a recipe for achievement, however simply how nicely does the telephone mix its components?

We discover out on this evaluation, testing the A40’s efficiency, cameras, battery and software program, whereas additionally weighing in on its design and sturdiness.

Design & Construct

• Easy design
• Pin-hole selfie digital camera
• Headphone jack

The Oppo A40 seems to be good for a £129 smartphone. Its design could not win any awards, however by holding issues to a minimal, it has a tastefulness that many different funds and mid-range telephones lack. It includes a rectangular plastic chassis with flat edges and curved corners, whereas a squircle digital camera module is the one function on its again, save for a small Oppo brand.

Its 6.67-inch show is punctured by a pin-hole selfie digital camera at top-centre, whereas the encompassing bezel is comparatively thick beneath and above the display, at about 5mm. You will discover a wake/energy button and quantity up/down button on the telephone’s left-hand aspect, whereas the bottom includes a USB-C port, a most welcome headphone jack, and three holes for the one speaker.

Simon Chandler/Foundry

When it comes to construct high quality and sturdiness, the plastic rear and aluminium body belies the telephone’s price, not feeling (or wanting) low-cost in any respect. However, the A40 carries solely an IP54 ranking, which can defend it towards splashes, however not towards submersion in water. The system’s display additionally lacks the form of upgraded Gorilla Glass that protects dearer fashions (eg the Discover X8 Professional), though it does include a pre-applied display protector and does carry a MIL-STD-810H ranking (implying fundamental shock resistance).

One plus is that, regardless of being comparatively giant, the telephone weighs solely 186g. This places it on the decrease finish of telephones of its measurement, which might typically high 200g, and makes it comfy to carry for prolonged durations.

Display & Audio system

• 6.67-inch LCD show
• 90Hz refresh price
• Max brightness 1000 nits

The A40’s show is the primary signal that it isn’t a flagship smartphone. This isn’t to say that the display is subpar for a telephone in its worth bracket, however sure variations are noticeable should you’re used to one thing extra succesful. As an example, the icons and graphics of its OS are typically a little bit grainy across the edges, whereas using an LCD panel implies that colors aren’t as wealthy or as deep as one thing with an AMOLED or OLED display.

Brightness can be beneath common, with a max studying of only one,000 nits. For comparability, the Samsung Galaxy S25 has a max brightness of two,600 nits, whereas the cheaper Galaxy A36 has a peak brightness of 1,900 nits. To be truthful to the Oppo A40, nevertheless, the Galaxy A26 additionally maxes out at 1,000 nits, and that’s over £100 dearer than the Oppo mannequin. 

Simon Chandler/Foundry

Whereas it does sustain with its funds rivals, you’ll nonetheless discover the shortage of brightness. You could wrestle to see the display clearly when exterior on sunny days, whereas extra typically the shortage of brightness robs the telephone of vibrancy and color. 

Regardless of the occasional dullness, the display does present a 90Hz refresh price. That is arguably excellent for a telephone priced at solely £129, notably when the usual iPhone 16, as an example, makes do with a 60Hz refresh price. And whereas 90Hz isn’t as spectacular as 120Hz, you’ll typically admire the smoother scrolling and display updating.

As for audio, the Oppo A40 offers a single speaker at its backside edge. That is completely superb for calls and social media, however anybody anticipating to take pleasure in music or TV could also be left disillusioned. There’s a scarcity of depth and readability to audio when pushed to larger volumes, so that you’d be higher off connecting the telephone to a good speaker by way of its Bluetooth 5.0 interface.

Specs & Efficiency

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1
• 4GB RAM and 128GB storage
• Micro-SD card slot

There’s little doubt that it’s with efficiency that the low worth of the A40 turns into most obvious. The telephone is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen 1, which regardless of the spectacular title is definitely a rebrand of the Snapdragon 662, which was already a decrease mid-range chip when it was initially launched in 2020. And when coupled with solely 4GB of RAM, it implies that the A40 suffers from some fairly sluggish efficiency.

This goes past an incapacity to play extra intensive or current video games. Apps will be sluggish to open and cargo and, whereas the telephone does have a 90Hz refresh price, it’s typically undermined by stuttering. It could really make for a irritating expertise, particularly if you should use the system for work, or for something past fundamental calls and social media.

Nonetheless, it’s completely seemingly that the A40 will find yourself within the fingers of those that need it solely as a social media system, so maybe it’s a bit unfair to anticipate something extra from a telephone that prices solely £129. Nonetheless, its benchmarks had been very dangerous (even for a funds telephone), and it might be one thing of a tradition shock to somebody coming from a extra highly effective system.

By the identical token, you could possibly additionally say that the 128GB of inner storage will not be too dangerous, because you’re unlikely to obtain numerous video games and apps to the system. On the identical time, its reminiscence will be doubled by way of its Micro-SD card slot, so most of its goal customers will most likely have sufficient to work with.

Oppo A40 benchmarks

Only a be aware that should you spot that the PCMark battery life check is lacking, that’s as a result of the check failed 3 times. I suppose the telephone didn’t prefer it.

Cameras

• 50Mp essential rear digital camera
• 5Mp selfie digital camera
• 1080p video at 30fps

The A40’s cameras are most likely the opposite huge space through which the telephone lives right down to its low worth. It gives a 50Mp essential rear lens, in addition to a flicker sensor that serves to scale back interference from flickering gentle sources. There aren’t any different rear lenses, which is probably a superb factor, since an ultrawide or telephoto lens at this worth level would most likely be extra of a box-ticking train than one thing genuinely helpful.

And in terms of its essential 50Mp digital camera, it does a good sufficient job of capturing pictures you would possibly wish to share on social media. After all, this will depend on the prevailing situations, because the telephone typically wants clear daylight to succeed in its potential. When it does have good pure gentle, photos reveal a superb steadiness of element, color and shadow. Processing veers extra in the direction of the naturalistic finish of the spectrum, whereas portraits strike a superb compromise between devoted and flattering, even with a theoretically underpowered 5Mp selfie lens.

Nonetheless, should you start to problem the primary digital camera, flaws and noise turn into extra obvious. It doesn’t take kindly to motion, with the telephone utilizing an open-loop focus motor that underperforms relative to closed-loop equivalents. It additionally doesn’t cope too nicely with overly vivid lights, regardless of the glint sensor, and neither does it fare notably nicely when issues darken. That is much more apparent with the digital camera’s evening mode, which in all honesty is usable solely on well-lit streets. And even then the outcomes aren’t notably spectacular.

Lastly, the telephone’s rear lens is able to capturing 1080p video at 30 frames per second. Once more, this isn’t something to put in writing dwelling about, and you’ll actually want a gradual hand in taking movie, however it may well produce usable outcomes should you’re cautious sufficient.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5,100mAh battery
• 45W wired charging

The Oppo A40 fares significantly higher within the battery division, packing a 5,100mAh cell that’s greater than able to dealing with the calls for most customers will make of the telephone. So on condition that there’s no 120Hz refresh price, and given you can’t actually play current video games on it, it ought to be capable of final nicely right into a second day.

This was typically my expertise. The trick is to not use the system for something notably intensive, and to focus totally on messaging and calling, with some social media. Nonetheless, should you’re one thing of a daily or compulsive social media person, then chances are you’ll discover that the telephone’s battery is nearly flat by the tip of a single day.

Certainly, on days once I put the A40 by means of its paces and watched Netflix, browsed round on YouTube and performed some video games, its battery did run beneath 20% or 15% by bedtime. Luckily, the system is suitable with 45W wired charging, though Oppo doesn’t present a suitable charger within the field. And in my expertise, utilizing an 18W mains adaptor, charging was not notably speedy (see benchmarks).

Software program & Apps

• Android 14 and ColorOS 14
• Two years of core updates, three of safety updates
• Some bloatware

The A40 comes out of the field with Android 14 preinstalled, and with Oppo’s ColorOS 14 working on high. With Android 15 already launched and being rolled out for main producers, the A40 is already behind the curve so far as core updates go. That mentioned, Oppo is promising two of those, which can take you to Android 16.

When it comes to its design and choices, ColorOS is a good Android pores and skin. It’s simple and acquainted to navigate, with the Fast Settings pulldown and the App Tray being the one main screens apart from the Dwelling menu. There’s some bloatware (eg AliExpress, Reserving.com, numerous mini-games), however you’ll be able to uninstall every thing apart from native apps, so I didn’t discover it an excessive amount of of an issue. 

Simon Chandler/Foundry

There’s additionally loads of room for customisation, in addition to some useful (in idea) particular options, such because the Sensible Sidebar, floating home windows and break up views. Nonetheless, the place these – and the OS as a complete – fall down is in efficiency, with the A40’s chipset and RAM typically struggling to open apps and function easily. As an example, scrolling inside a floating app can typically end in stuttering and slowdown, and the identical goes for break up views.

The telephone additionally gives face recognition, along with the sidemounted fingerprint scanner. Normally, this function does work pretty nicely, though chances are you’ll discover that it takes just a few milliseconds longer to work than on extra premium fashions.

Value & Availability

The Oppo A40 is now accessible within the UK for £129. It’s additionally on the market in Latin America, China and Asia, albeit below totally different names (Oppo A3 4G, Oppo A60, Oppo A40m). As with each different Oppo system, it’s not formally bought within the US.

You should purchase the telephone both from Oppo’s official web site or from Amazon, amongst different third-party retailers. On the time of writing, it’s lower than £90 at plenty of shops.

Options to the A40 embrace the Oppo A60 5G, which for an additional £30 provides 5G compatibility. You may additionally take into account the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G (at £199), the Nokia G22 (at £149), and the Motorola Moto G04 (£89). All of those are arguably higher than the Oppo A40. In any other case, check out our round-up of the very best funds telephones for our high suggestions.

Must you purchase the Oppo A40?

The Oppo A40 is a strong funds telephone. For a really low worth of £129, it offers sturdy battery life, first rate seems to be, and a usable essential digital camera. However whereas its software program is straightforward to make use of, the system is let down by its underpowered chip and RAM, which might typically make issues sluggish and laggy.

In the end, which means that avid gamers ought to actually keep away, as ought to anybody who wants a sturdy, responsive telephone for work. As an alternative, it’s a good funds mannequin that will attraction to informal telephone customers. So should you’re somebody who makes use of their telephone primarily to do a little bit of procuring, messaging/calling and social media, it might be a superb purchase, particularly at its present, discounted worth.

Specs

• 6.67inLCD (1604×720) 20:9, 90Hz;
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1
• 4GB LPDDR4X RAM
• 128GB RAM UFS 4.0 inner storage;
• Cameras:
• 50Mp essential/broad sensor
• 5Mp entrance dealing with
• Facet-button fingerprint scanner
• Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz+5GHz, VHT80
• Twin SIM (Nano-SIM)
• Bluetooth 5.0
• 5,100mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• 165.7 x 76.1 x 7.7 mm
• 186g