Sorry to disabuse you – there is no winner per se. OPPO Find X5 Pro versus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra highlights the strengths and weaknesses of both truly excellent and somewhat pricey flagship smartphones.

It may also help Android flagship buyers to decide on these or the less pricy OPPO Find X5 or Samsung Galaxy S22+ because, in most cases, the trade-offs are minor compared to the savings.

We want to thank OPPO and Samsung for these devices’ extended loans, as you can’t get to know them until you use them every day.

This objective faceoff is also possible due to CyberShack’s unique and comprehensive 300-line database that we update with every phone we review. We conduct over 70 baseline tests on each phone to enable fair comparisons. The side-by-side table is at the end of the article.

The real winner is what suits you.

OPPO Find X5 Pro versus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Both are flagship-class ‘glass-slabs’ (not fold or flip) that deliver the most technology for the price. They use the same flagship-class Qualcomm SD8 Gen 1 System-on-a-Chip (SoC) and perform within reasonable tolerances of each other. The critical differences come down to the best performer in each category.

• Screen (both are AMOLED, but one has greater colour depth and gamut)
• Processor performance under load (thermal management)
• RAM/Storage/Expandability (one can mount external SSD storage)
• Battery (both have the same size battery, but only one comes with a charger)
• Comms (Both are Wi-Fi 6E, but one has a better antenna design)
• Phone signal strength (is it good all-around Australia)
• OS and Security Patch updates
• Sound (Both have Dolby Atmos decode and downmix)
• Warranty and support (both have two years and good local support)
• Camera prowess
• Value for money (price is what you pay – value is what you get)

For the faceoff, we will always use the OPPO first and the Samsung second (or in brackets), and we won’t repeat where there is no difference. Each header has the name of the superior tech.

Screen – OPPO

Both have a UHD LPTO AMOLED, 1-120Hz dynamic refresh display.

The key difference is OPPO has 6.7” (6.8”) 10-bit 1.07b colours (8-bit 16.7m colours). To the untrained eye, both are excellent screens, but to the prosumer photo/videographer, OPPO’s 10-bit colour path and .9 Delta E accuracy means more colour accurate still and video previews.

Processor and GPU performance – on par

Geekbench 5 Single and multi-core tests are almost identical. That means you have the Android world’s most powerful processor/GPU at your disposal. Both are great for games, with OPPO having the edge with 12GB (8GB) memory.

RAM/Storage/Expandability – OPPO

OPPO has 12GB LPDDR5 RAM (8GB) and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage (128GB). Samsung has a $150 option to match 12/256GB. Neither has MicroSD expansion. The key difference is that OPPO has up to an additional 7GB virtual RAM expansion (SSD swap space) and can mount external SSD storage accessible at 700/150MBps, which is perfect for videographers and high bandwidth content.

Throttling – OPPO

Samsung has admitted to detecting measuring software and favourably manipulating the results. We understand it will issue a patch removing any unintended manipulation, but our tests indicated this has not yet happened. As such, we cannot entirely trust results from major testing software. We won’t defend Samsung’s action (it is similar to what VW did with emissions testing – Diesel gate) – but the gear is still good.

In a 15-minute 100% load Throttle test OPPO dropped 11% from a 10% higher GIPS – Giga Instructions Per Second (13% from a lower GIPS, but we believe it is more accurate to say 21% for Samsung). Bottom line OPPO’s thermal management is superior and will give a better experience for load-intensive games and video.

Comms – OPPO

Both use Wi-Fi 6E. On Wi-Fi 6, these are capable of 2400Mbps. OPPO maintained a stronger signal and full 2400Mbps data rate out to 10m from the router. Samsung had a weaker signal strength and dropped from 2400Mbps at 2m to 612-816Mbps at 10m. This reflects OPPO’s superior 360° Antenna 3.0 technology, as evidenced in the 4/5G tests.

Both use USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 with alt DP 1.4 (Display port) and Wi-Fi Direct/Miracast to mirror/cast the smartphone screen to a suitable TV. Samsung has DeX (Android Desktop experience) that may be better for road warriors.

4/5G – OPPO

Both use the Qualcomm X67 modem and should perform similarly. But OPPO has a far stronger signal strength up to 12pW (10pW) and was able to find the nearest four telco towers at usable speeds (three). OPPOs antenna technology is better, although both are good for city, suburbs, regional and rural use.

Battery – OPPO

Both have 5000mAh capacity batteries, Qi wireless and reverse charge, but the similarity ends there.

OPPO uses 2 x 2500mAh batteries. It can charge at 80W (45W) or Qi at 45W (15W) and fills the battery in 36 minutes (96 minutes). OPPO provides the SUPERVOOC 80W charger (Samsung does not have a charger inbox). OPPO has a battery health engine that extends the battery charge cycles to 1600 (800).

Video loop battery life is 18+hrs (17hrs 39 mins), Accubattery 18+ hrs (15.47hrs) and 100% discharge is 4.5hrs (4hrs). Both lose about 30% battery life on a 120Hz fixed refresh and UHD resolution.

Speakers/sound quality – OPPO

Both are capable of Dolby Atmos (DA) decoding and downmix to 2.0 speakers. They have DA EQs and use different brands of stereo amplifiers. Both have a native bright vocal sound signature.

OPPO has far more mid-bass (none) and high-bass (building) and a more controlled high treble making it easier to listen to a broader range of genres. It is also louder at 85dB (82) and significantly louder in ringtone, notifications, and alarm.

But the real difference is in the Bluetooth 5.2 codes each support

• SBC (same)
• AAC (same)
• aptX (same
• aptX HD (no)
• aptX Adaptive audio (Samsung has its proprietary Scalable Codec for compatible Samsung devices)
• aptX TWS+ audio (no)
• LDAC (yes)
• LHDC (no)

Build – both exceed

OPPO is 163.7 x 73.9 x 8.5mm x 218g (163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9mm x 228g). OPPO is slenderer in hand due to its 20.1:9 screen ratio (19:9).

Both have an IP68 rating, an alloy frame, ceramic back (GG Victus+) and GG Victus (+) front glass. OPPO’s ceramic back is extremely tough and scratch-resistant, and the material allows for White or Glaze Black. Samsung has a range of fashion colours – Burgundy, Green, Phantom White, Phantom Black, Graphite, Sky Blue and Red.

Warranty is 2 years (same), and local support is Australia-wide (same).

Unique feature – Samsung S Pen

The S22 Ultra is the next iteration of the famous Note format with an integrated stylus S Pen. If you need that facility, only Samsung has it.

Android and UI – on par

Both have Android 12 and should get upgrades to 15. OPPO usually issues monthly security for four years. Samsung has a similar policy.

Camera – the real difference depends on what you need

OPPO has 2 x Sony IMX766 sensors (Primary wide dual OIS 5-axis stabilisation and secondary Ultra-wide) that can shoot at 50MP (limited AI) or bin to 12.5MP (full AI). It has a third 13MP Telephoto with 5x Digital and 20X Hybrid zoom.

It overlays that with a dedicated OPPO-designed MariSilicon X AI processor with 18 TOPS (trillion operations per second) for 20X faster 4K AI Processing; 20-bit RAW processing; and 4X dynamic range of the 2021 flagship OPPO Find X3 Pro (that was exceptional).

That is serious hardware processing and is in addition to the Qualcomm SD8 Gen 1 at 27 TOPS. What it means to Joe and Jane Average is fool-proof photos in any light condition.

Samsung has an S5KHM3 sensor Primary wide 108MP bins to 12MP, 3-axis OIS with laser focus, Ultra-wide Sony IMX754x3 12MP 3x Optical zoom, Telephoto Sony IMX754x10 12MP 10X Optical/100X Hybrid zoom. It has the advantage of (in theory, not practice 100X zoom).

Samsung’s AI uses the 27 TOPS of Qualcomm SD8 Gen 1 processor plus its camera expertise in the App.

DXOMark rated the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra (Qualcomm version) at 131 (14th global ranking, same as the 2021 OPPO Find X3 Pro).

The DXOMark OPPO Find X5 Pro rating is yet to be done, but you can bet it will be well above its predecessor’s 131.

Selfie

The OPPO has a Sony IMX70s 32MP bins to 8MP (Samsung S5KGH1 40MP bins to 7.1MP). Again, it is subjective, but OPPO has a more natural shot with more detail.

Video

OPPO has 4K@60fps with 5-axis OIS (very stable), HDR and 10-bit video for some spectacular results in all light conditions.

Samsung can shoot 8K@24fps (no OIS or EIS), and stabilisation cuts in at 4K@30fps for some equally good video in all conditions.

Pro use

OPPO’s 10-bit colour path, HEIF format (same), Hasselblad colour correction, the MariSilicon X processor (4K Night and HDR video), and mountable external storage make this the camera of choice.

QR codes

Samsung can scan QR codes (if enabled in settings). OPPO uses Google Lens (just as easy).

Gobbledegook? You bet. The proof of the pudding is in the eating

In my eyes, the OPPO has superior day, office, and dark light shots with no expertise needed to achieve a pretty perfect shot.

The Samsung has a better zoom and produces great shots in all conditions with no expertise needed.

What about the OPPO Find X5 or Samsung Galaxy S22+?

We think the 6.55” OPPO Find X5 is superb, and there is a model comparison Hmmm, which OPPO Find X5 is for you? It uses the same processor, has 8/256GB, same camera but with 3-axis OIS, same 80W charger and is $1399. OPPO Find X5 – the more affordable flagship sibling (review)

The 6.6” Samsung S22+ Samsung Galaxy S22 series – full specs and they are better than leaked is also very good, and you can read the S22/+ review Samsung Galaxy S22 and S22+ – which is for you? (review). The S22+ is $1549. It loses UHD to a 2340 x 1080 screen, the rear periscope telephoto lens and S Pen.

CyberShack’s view – OPPO Find X5 Pro versus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra – both excellent

This is an objective review – let the facts speak for themselves. Over the weeks of use and two days of intensive testing, I now have a preference. The OPPO Find X5 Pro offers better performance and value.

That is not to upset Samsung as it has the S Pen, superior Zoom, and the OPPO results were not that far ahead.

In summary (everything else being equal)

OPPO Find X5 Pro has a more user-friendly camera, longer battery life, an 80W SuperVOOC charger, 12/256GB and costs $1799. OPPO Find X5 Pro – a superb Android flagship with insanely fast charge (Review)

Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra has better camera zoom, the S Pen if you need it, 8/128GB, no charger, and costs $1849. It for want 12/256 it is $1999. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is closer to perfection – at a price (Review)

Note that the earlier reviews above were on earlier firmware and may contain older test results. The results following are accurate at 20 June 2022.

CyberShack Smartphone comparison v 1.1 (E&OE)

OPPO Find X5 Pro versus Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Brand	OPPO	Samsung
Model	Find X5 Pro	Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
Model Number	CPH2305	SM-S908E
Price Base	$1799	$1,849
Price base	12/256GB	8/128GB
Price 2	N/A	12, 256 $1999
Price 3	N/A	12, 512 $2149
Price 4	N/A	12GB, 1TB (online only) $2449
Warranty months	24-months	24-months
Tier	Upper-premium	Upper-premium
Website	Product page	Product page
From	Most CE retailers, Telcos, and OPPO online	Samsung Online and approved retailers
Country of Origin	China	Korea
Company	OPPO is now #2 in Australia for Android smartphone market share. It has achieved that through excellent product and after-sales service.	Samsung is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in Samsung Town, Seoul, South Korea.  Samsung Electronics makes consumer electronics, silicon chips, and displays.
More	CyberShack OPPO news and reviews	CyberShack Samsung news and reviews
Test date	10-20 June 2022	2022
Ambient temp	11-18°	11-18°
Release	February 2022	February 2022
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	Look for the RCM C-Tick on the box end, and under Settings, About device, Regulatory. The only memory/storage option for Australia is 12/256GB.	SM-908B, U, U1, W, N, 0 or any model ending in DS (dual sim)

Screen

Size	6.7	6.8″
Type	AMOLED Flexible LPTO 2.0	LPTO AMOLED
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Slightly curved 3D edges	3D edge
Resolution	3216 x 1440 (Auto Select chooses best resolution for different content)	3088 x 1440 (Defaults to 2316x1080p)
PPI	525	500
Ratio	20.1:9 (taller and slimmer)	19:9
Screen to Body %	92.7%	90.20%
Colours bits	1.07 billion colours (10-bit)	16.7 million (8-bit)
Refresh Hz, adaptive	Dynamic 1-120Hz 300Hz touch	Dynamic 1-120MHz 240MHz touch in game mode only
Response 120Hz	<1ms GtG	2ms GtG
Nits typical, test auto-brightness off	500 (test 498)	500 (test 442) In reality, this is 400-500 in actual use
Nits max, test	800 max (tested 819) 1300 for HDR, 10+ content (not tested)	Claim #1 1200 HBM – Hi-Brightness mode is a marketing term and does not mean much and we ignore this Claim #2: 1750 HDR10+ content is only on a tiny portion of the screen. (about 1300 for HDR10+)
Contrast	Infinite	Infinite
sRGB	>100% gentle mode	97% Natural mode
DCI-P3	100% Vivid of the 10-bit, 1.07 billion gamut	100% Vivid of 8-bit 16.7M colours, but that is 60% of the 10-bit range (which it does not have)
Rec.2020 or other	Fully compliant 10-bit and has full RGB and temperature adjustment	RGB and temperature adjustment
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	0.9	1.31
HDR Level	Plays up to HDR10+ at up to 120Hz	Plays up to HDR10+ locking refresh rate to 120Hz
SDR Upscale	Yes	No
Blue Light control	Yes	Yes
PWM if known	120-250Hz	All AMOLED use PWM 250Hz
Daylight readable	Yes	Yes
Always on Display	Yes	Yes
Edge display	Yes	Yes
Accessibility	Yes – Android standard	Full suite of enhancements
DRM	L1 Widevine for 1080p HDR	L1 Widevine for 1080p HDR
Gaming	Gaming mode sub 1ms response time makes this good for gamers. It appears it is locked to 60FPS to avoid overheating	Game mode
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass Victus 7	Gorilla Glass Victus+
Comment	While the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra looks brighter, it is only an 8-bit 16.7 million colour screen. Side-by-side, the OPPO looks superior. OPPO has a full 10-bit colour path from the photo to screen to storage	Disappointing that it is not 10-bit 1.07B colours. This has a true adaptive screen that ranges from 1-120Hz to help conserve battery.

Processor

Brand, Model	Qualcomm SD8 Gen 1	Qualcomm SD8 Gen 1
nm	4	4
Cores	Octa-core 1×3.00GHz + 3×2.50GHz + 4×1.8 GHz	Octa-core 1x3GHz + 3×2.50GHz + 4×1.8 GHz Test software shows a 3GHz core locked to 2.8GHz.
Modem	X65	X65
AI TOPS	27	27
Geekbench 5 Single-core	1257	1221
Geekbench 5  multi-core	3488	3401
Like	10-15% above Exynos 2100 and SD888	About 15-20% faster than the same Exynos in the S21 series
GPU	Adreno 730 818Mhz	Adreno 730
GPU Test
Open CL	5899	5815
Like	Fastest current GPU	About 20% slower than Exynos 2100
Vulcan	6608	6603
RAM, type	12 LPDDR5, 3200, 4 x 16 bits	8GB LPDDR5 – 4GB Less RAM than S21 Ultra
Storage, free, type	256 UFS 3.1 2 lanes, HS-Gear 4 (210GB free)	128 UFS 3.1 (approx. 100GB free)
micro-SD	No	No
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps	1285	1290
CPDT internal seq. write MBps	595 (reflects faster Gear 4 speeds)	204.56
CPDT microSD Read/write MBps	N/A	N/A
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	705/147 Mountable	Won’t test – seen as external storage but can’t mount as internal storage
Comment	Fast internal and external speeds with mountable external storage for videographers	Without mountable storage, seen as internal storage, videographers and vloggers will soon run out of space.
Throttle test
Max GIPS	307,797	288,734
Average GIPS	280,710	267,945
Minimum GIPS	273,939	234,452
% Throttle	11%	13%
CPU Temp	53°	54°
Comment	OPPO’s thermal management is excellent, offering far more stable performance under load than any SD8 Gen 1 tested so far.	Interestingly 288,374 Max GIPS is lower than the S22, S22+ at 308,173, showing that the processor has been slowed by 6.5% enabling Throttling at 13% instead of 21% if at full speed.

Comms

Wi-FI Type, model	6E AX VHT160Mhz QCA6490 2×2 MIMO and 8 spatial-stream sounding MU-MIMO	6E AX BCM4389C1 VHT160
Test 2m -dBm, Mbps	-25/2400	-30 to -35, 2268 to 2400 variable
Test 5m	-38/2400	-50 to -56, 816 to 866 variable
Test 10m	-47/2400	-61 to -63, 612 to 816 variable
BT Type	5.2 BLE	5.2
GPS single, dual	Dual accuracy <4m	Dual accuracy <4m
USB type	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps OTG	USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps) OTG
Alt DP, DeX, Ready For	Can use PC connect (cable) to Windows PC or use Miracast	Cable and Wireless DeX, Window PC screen or use Miracast
NFC	Supports Android Beam, HCE, and UICC Multi-function NFC: HCE and NFC-SIM	Yes
Ultra-wideband	?	Yes
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes – combo with Gyro	Yes – combo with Gyro
Gyro	Yes – combo with Gyro	Yes – combo with Gyro
e-Compass	Yes	Yes
Barometer	No	Yes
Gravity	Yes	Yes
Pedometer	Yes	Handled by Combo
Ambient light	Yes	Yes
Hall sensor	Yes	Yes
Proximity	Yes	Yes
Other	Screen Colour temperature multi-spectral sensor Under glass optical fingerprint	Under glass optical fingerprint
Comment	Wi-Fi 6E does not appear to be enabled yet – it defaults to HE80 speeds.	Collaboration view allows you to use a Tab S8 as a second screen.

LTE and 5G

SIM	Dual sim and eSIM	Single SIM and eSIM
Active	Dual active (one in use at a time)	Only one
Ring tone single, dual	Single	Single
VoLTE	Carrier Dependent	Carrier dependent
Wi-Fi calling	Carrier Dependent	Carrier dependent
4G Bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5,7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 32, 34, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66
Comment	All Australian 4G bands	All Australian and most world bands
5G sub-6Ghz	N1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78	N1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20 25, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77 78
Comment	All Australian sub-6Ghz and low-bands	All sub-6Ghz and 5G low bands
mmWave	No	No
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
UL, DL, ms	27/21/29m2	31.4/10.2/31ms
Tower 1 -dBm/ fW or pW	-81/7.9-12pW	from -87 to -90 and from 2.5-10pW
Tower 2	-87/1-8pW	from -99 to -102 and from 125fW- 6pW
Tower 3	-92/1-3pW	from -101 to -105 and from 250-316fW
Tower 4	-101/200-794fW	No
Comment	The OPPO 360° Smart Antenna 3.0 System has an amazingly strong signal strength for city, regional and rural use. Note OPPO did not apply for Telstra Blue-tick certification, but its signal strength is stronger than the Samsung S22 Ultra with Blue Tick.	Stronger signal strength than the S22, + and can find towers two and three. A phone that should be fine for rural and regional use.

Battery

mAh	2 x 2500 = 5000mAh 1600 charge cycle Battery Health Management	5000 800 charge cycle
Charger, type, supplied	80W SUPERVOOC (5V/2A/10W or 5-11V/7.3A/80W) over two channels, e.g., 11V/3.65A/40W x 2	No – suggest SS 45W or GaN PD and must buy a 5W rating cable, or it will only charge at 3A 15-27W
PD, QC level	SuperVOOC 2.0, SuperVOOC, VOOC 3.0, PD (9V, 2A), QC(9V, 2A)	3, 2.0
Qi, wattage	50W AIRVOOC (2 x 30W coils)	5 to 15W
Reverse Qi or cable	5V/2A/10W reverse QI charge	4.5W
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)
Charge % 30mins	N/A	41% (45W)
Charge 0-100%	36 minutes	1 hour and 36 minutes
Charge Qi, W	50W AIRVOOC (2 x 25W coils) – 47 minutes	15W just over 5 hours
Charge 5V, 2A	Approx. 4 hours	4 hours and 19 minutes (25W)
Video loop 50%, aeroplane mode	24 hours	21 hours and 45 minutes
PC Mark 3 battery	18+hours Adaptive Accubattery 18+ hours	17 hours 39 minutes Adaptive Accubattery 15.47 hours
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	365.8min (6.1hrs) 3723 frames	Out-of-memory error
GFX Bench T-Rex	646.1min (10.77hrs) 3361 frames	333.2 minutes (13.13 hours) 3358 frames
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	4.5 hours	4 hours and 1 minute
Watt full load	700mA	1000mA
Watt idle Screen on	100mA
Estimate loss at max refresh	If you run at 4K and Adaptive mode, expect about 20% less battery life	30% at fixed 120Hz refresh
Estimate typical use	More than a day with typical use	10 hours heavy and 15 hours light
Comment	Qi charge is excellent, but the camera bump can interfere with flat charge pads. Use OPPO upright charger. Battery Health Engine takes better care of the battery offering 1600 vs 800 charging cycles before the battery capacity reduces below 80%.	Carry a charger (shame Samsung does not provide one). The Out-of-memory error should not occur on a Qualcomm SoC, and we assume it is due to early firmware.

Sound

Speakers	Stereo – top earpiece and bottom down-firing speaker	Stereo – top earpiece and bottom down-firing.
Tuning	Dirac	AKG
AMP	2 x TFA9879 NPX Class-D stereo digital amp and DSP 1.6/2.65W@8/4Ω .02% THD	2 x Cirrus Logic CS35L41 each 5.3W, 1% THD, 8 ohm
Dolby Atmos decode	Yes, downmix to two speakers	Yes, downmix to two speakers
Hi-Res	32-bit/384kHz	32-bit/384kHz
3.5mm	No, but it has integrated USB-DAC for USB-C headphones	No
BT Codecs	SBC, AAC, aptX (HD, Adaptive, TWS, LDAC, LDHC (V1/2/3)	SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC and Samsung Scalable
Multipoint	Can connect to two devices	Can connect to two devices
Dolby Atmos (DA)	Yes – auto, movie, music, voice, and games mode	Yes – auto, movie, music, voice, and games mode
EQ	Scenario specific – Smart, Movie, Gaming, Music Environment specific – Indoor, On the go, commute, flight	Regular, Pop, Classic, Jazz, Rock and Custom – makes more of a difference in headphones as inbuilt speakers limit what it can do.
Mics	3 with some noise-cancellation and stereo sound zoom in record mode	3 – with background noise suppression and stereo zoom-in sound in record mode
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
Volume max	85dB	82
Media (music)	80	77
Ring	80	76
Alarm	80	72
Notifications	80	70
Earpiece	55	52
Hands-free	Clear sound and plenty of volume, but the bottom mic is a little directional so keep it within a metre.	The bottom mic is for voice only, and the top for noise reduction. Hold the phone close as the volume is a tad low.
BT headphones	Excellent left-right separation and volume. Able to use SBC, AAC, aptX (varieties) and LDAC and more – excellent. DA makes quite a difference with DA content.	Excellent left-right separation and volume. The limited Codec range does not allow for a wide selection of hi-res music. DA makes quite a difference with DA content.
Sound quality
Deep Bass 20-40Hz	No	No
Mid Bass 40-100Hz	Building	No
High Bass 100-200Hz	Steeply building	Building
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Flat	Flat
Mid 4000-1000Hz	Flat	Flat
High Mid 1-2kHz	Flat	Flat
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat	Flat
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	Flat	Flat
High Treble 6-10kHz	Slow decline	slight decline
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	Slow decline	Decline to 17kHz
Sound Signature type	Almost a neutral signature but otherwise Bright Vocal (bass recessed, mid/treble boosted) – for vocal tracks and string instruments but with just enough mid-and-high-bass to hear it and high treble for definition. Well above average.	If it only had a little more bass, it would be a neutral signature capable of responding to any EQ setting. As it is (without EQ), it is far more Bright Vocal (bass recessed, mid, treble boosted) – for vocal tracks and string instruments. Overall the best S22 signature to date.
Soundstage	Wider than the handset with a slight bias to the bottom-firing speaker. DA gives a small sense of 3D height.	2D is slightly wider than the phone. DA gives it a far wider sound stage but still no 3D height.
Comment	Great sound, as we have come to expect from OPPOs sound heritage.	Having high-bass, it is pretty well on a par with many Bluetooth speakers. The mid-high-treble is well controlled and removes the harshness of the S22/+. Personal Audio Test works with wired or Bluetooth headphones to boost frequencies you have trouble hearing. Ambient Sound Amplification mode captures sound through the phone’s mic and to your headphones.

Build

Size (H X W x D)	163.7 x 73.9 x 8.5	77.9 x 163.3 x 8.9
Weight grams	218	228
Front glass	Gorilla Glass Victus	Gorilla Glass Victus+
Rear material	Nanocrystal ceramic (harder than GG Victus)	Gorilla Glass Victus+
Frame	Alloy	Alloy
IP rating	68 1.5m for 30min	68 1.5m for 30 minutes
Colours	Ceramic White Glaze Black	Retail: Burgundy, Green, Phantom White and Black. Online: Graphite, Sky Blue and Red
Pen, Stylus support	No	Yes, 3.4g, 4-96 pressure levels, 2.8ms latency Inbox and 88 language translation support

In the box

Charger	80W SUPERVOOC	No
USB cable	Special SUPERVOOC USB-C to USB-C cable USB-A to USB-C dongle	USB-A to USB-C cable rated 3W – you need a 5W cable to charge at 45W
Buds	No	No
Bumper cover	Yes	No
Comment	Fantastic build quality, 80W charger in the box, IP68 and more	Stylus included. Gorilla Glass Victus+ and solid alloy frame make it a keeper but buy a bumper case to protect the lens turret from scratches.

OS

Android	Android 12	12
Security patch date	May 2022	May 2022
UI	ColorOS 12.1	One U1 4.1
OS upgrade policy	To Android 15	Up to 4 OS upgrades
Security patch policy	Regular security patches for four years	Regular security patches for four years
Bloatware	A little too much – AliExpress, Amazon, Booking.com, Facebook, LinkedIn, O Relax, PUBG, Soloop, TikTok, and OPPOs alternatives for Google Apps. All are removable	Samsung alternative to Google suite. Microsoft suite and OneDrive (requires subscription)
Other		Selection of Galaxy Apps and Themes if you create a Samsung account
Comment	ColorOS 12.1 is the grease on Android’s wheels and is a light touch with no learning curve.	Excellent upgrade policy and One UI is easy to use

Security

Fingerprint sensor location, type	Under Glass – fast and reliable	Ultrasonic Under glass
Face ID	Yes 2D	2D
Other	OPPO ColorOS has advanced security features	Knox and Secure folder
Comment	A secure Android smartphone with customisable security levels and no need to create an OPPO account to access all apps and themes	One of the more secure Android devices. Samsung account required for Galaxy Apps and Themes.

Camera – rear

Rear Primary	Wide	Wide
MP	50MP bins to 12.5MP	108MP bins to 12MP
Sensor	OPPO/Sony IMX766	Samsung S5KHM3
Focus	AF and closed-loop focus motor All Pixel Omni-Directional PDAF	PDAF plus, Laser AF (to about 3 metres)
f-stop	1.7	1.8
um	1 (bins to 2)	0.8 (bins to 2.4)
FOV° (stated, actual)	84 (72.5)	85 (73.7)
Stabilisation	dual-OIS 5-axis stabilisation	Single OIS 3-axis
Zoom	10x digital	8X digital
Rear 2	Ultra-wide-angle and Macro	Ultra-wide
MP	50 bins to 12.5MP	12
Sensor	OPPO/Sony IMX766	Sony IMX563
Focus	AF and closed-loop focus motor and 4cm macro	Dual Pixel PDAF
f-stop	2.2	2.2
um	1 (bins to 2)	1.4
FOV (stated, actual)	110.3	120 (103.7)
Stabilisation	No	No
Zoom		8X digital
Rear 3	Telephoto
MP	13	10
Sensor	Samsung SK53M5	Sony IMX754x3
Focus	Dual Pixel PDAF	Dual Pixel PDAF
f-stop	2.4	2.4
um	1	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	45
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	5X digital 20x hybrid	3X Optical
Rear 4	N/A	Telephoto
MP	N/A	10
Sensor	N/A	Sony IM754x10
Focus	N/A	Dual Pixel PDAF
f-stop	N/A	4.9
um	N/A	1.12
FOV (stated, actual)	N/A
Stabilisation	N/A	No
Zoom	N/A	10X Optical 100X Space Zoom
Special
Video max	4K@60fps – All OIS – HDR, 10-bit video	8K@24fps, HDR10+, stereo sound and zoom-in record, EIS
Flash	Yes, two separate	One
Auto-HDR	MariSilicon X Imaging NPU Hasselblad collaboration	Super HDR
	Photo, Video, Night, Pro, Panorama, Portrait, Time-lapse, Slow-motion, Text scanner, Hi-Res, Movie, Long exposure, Dual-view video, Sticker, and Google Lens	Object eraser
QR code reader	Via Google Lens	Yes
Night mode	Night mode	Nightography

Camera -front

MP	32 bins to 8MP	40 bins to 10MP (7.1MP shots)
Sensor	Sony IMX709	Samsung S5KGH1
Focus	AF	PDAF
f-stop	2.4	2.2
um	.8um bins to 1.6	0.7 (bins to 1.4)
FOV (stated, actual)	81 (69.7)	80 (67.8)
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen fill	Screen fill
Zoom	10x digital	8X digital
Video max	1080p@30fps with EIS	4K@60fps
Features	Photo, Video, Panoramic, Portrait, Night, Time-lapse, Dual-view video, and Sticker	Dual record, Filters, HDR
Comment	OPPOs MariSilicon X NPU has 18 TOPS dedicated to post-processing. It produces spectacular images in all light conditions. It also has Ultra 4K HDR and Night video. OPPO and Hasselblad have developed Hasselblad Camera for Mobile, including Natural Colour Calibration (Pro mode) and new radiance, emerald and serenity filters.

Ratings

Features	9.5	9
	No microSD, 3.5mm, a better 10-bit, dynamic 120Hz refresh screen, powerful processor and amazing 80W fast charge	No microSD, 3.5mm, charger but a dynamic refresh screen and powerful processor.
Value	9	8.5
	It offers more ram and storage as well as externally mountable storage	From $1849 to $2499 is only for those who need and can afford it.
Performance	9.5	8
	Offers the fastest SD8 Gen 1 performance and the best thermal management so far. Terrific phone signal strength	Strong performance and good games potential. The Antenna signal strength will work well for rural or regional use.
Ease of Use	10	10
	ColorOS 12.1 is easy to learn and offers the much-needed grease over Android 12 wheels.	Long OS update and security patch. One UI 4.1 is easy to use
Design	9.5	9
	Superb, if a little slippery	It is a glass slab with no distinguishing features other than the S Pen
Rating out of 10	9.5	8.9
Pro
1	Best performing SD8 Gen 1, good thermal management, 12/256GB	S Pen is fast, but you need to use it!
2	The 1.07 billion colour, 1-120Hz adaptive screen is superb	Great screen but only 16.7M colours
3	Incredible all-day battery life and 36-minute charge from included 80W charger	Four years of major software updates
4	Point and shoot camera is flawless	Excellent camera all around
5	Great look, design, build and IP68	It is a Galaxy S series, and all that goes with it
Con
1	Slippery, ceramic back	45W charger required and fast charge not class-leading
2	No micro-SD, but you can use external mountable storage	Less RAM than S21 Ultra. MicroSD
3	No 3.5mm (use Bluetooth)	No 3.5mm
4	Current firmware only supports Wi-Fi 6 – not 6E (will be updated)	The base price of $1849 belies the fact that you need to speed $2149-$2499 to get 12GB/512GB/1TB
5		Samsung is becoming more of its ecosystem with a little too much Samsung bloatware – Apple-like
Final comment	There is little more OPPO could do – this is a perfect phone. My only issue is the slippery ceramic, and the camera hump makes it slide off the table. Solution – use the cover case provided. But we need to consider the price – which has risen from $1499 (X3 Pro) to $1799 (X5 Pro). I know there are price pressures from COVID, parts, freight and more, but it makes the X5 standard at $1399 the one to go for.	While it is an S22 under the skin, the added value of the camera zoom and S Pen justify some of the cost. I currently use an S21 Ultra, and apart from the S22 Ultra Pen dock, it is not a compelling upgrade.

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