OPPO Find X5 Lite – $799 uber-value (smartphone review)

OPPO reserve the name ‘Find’ for its flagship range. So, by definition, the $799 OPPO Find X5 Lite is a lower-cost flagship. Except that it is so different from its $1399 Find X5 and $1799 Find X5 Pro that I have trouble working out where it fits in the Find family.

To be clear, apart from the Find name, there is nothing in common with its bigger siblings. Is OPPO trying to cash in on the Find name? In fact, the motherboard is used by the 2021 Reno 6 5G/Reno 7 SE 5G and OnePlus Nord CE 2 mid-range models. That makes more sense as Reno is the next sub-brand after Find. OnePlus is owned by OPPO and is one of the best-selling value brands in the USA.

So, let’s position the OPPO Find X5 Lite. At $799, it is a mid-level 5G phone that competes with the Samsung Galaxy A53 and A73 (which we have on the testbed, but it is too early to draw comparisons yet), except that OPPO has 256GB to Samsung’s 128GB.

The Find name means that it should get Android 12, 13 and probably 14, yet it ships with Android 11. Let’s get on with the review.

OPPO Find X5 Lite Model CPH2371 Australian model with RCM C-Tick

Website	Product page
Price	$799
Colours	Stary Black and Startrails Blue
From *	OPPO online. OPPO enjoys wide retail distribution from JB Hi-Fi, Good Guys, Harvey Norman, and Bing Lee. Telcos (on a plan) include Optus, Vodafone, Australia Post, Coles, and Big W.
Warranty	2-years ACL
Country of Origin	China
Company	OPPO is now #2 in Australia for Android smartphone market share. It has achieved that through excellent product and after-sales service.
More	CyberShack OPPO news and reviews

New Deep-Dive review format

It is now in two parts – a five-minute overview for most readers and a separate 300+ line database-driven spec including over 70 tests to back up the summary. It also helps us compare different phones and features.

Other OPPO Find X5 Reviews:

• Find X5 – the more affordable flagship sibling $1399
• Find X5 Pro – a superb Android flagship with insanely fast charge $1799

First impression – another glass slab

OK, this is where we get back to Glass slab territory. Apart from the laser direct imaging on the rear plastic cover, it is just another Glass slab. Fortunately, the back is attractive, not a fingerprint magnet and offers quite a grippy surface.

There is a tri-camera and flash on the back, a mono down-firing speaker below and OPPO’s usual right-side power and left-side volume rocker. It is fairly light at 160.6 x 73.2 x 7.81mm x 173g.

Screen – AMOLED 60 or 90Hz

It is a 2400×1080, 20:9, 8-bit/16.7 million colours, 60 or 90Hz refresh AMOLED screen. We expect this type of screen for the price, and it does not disappoint. It has 400nits and can play HDR/HDR10 content at up to 800 nits.

It is similar to the screens found in the Samsung Galaxy S22 and S21 FE, so it is quite a good screen. It is not 1.07 billion colours like its bigger siblings.

Processor – mid-range

The 6nm MediaTek Dimensity 900 SoC is a mid-range processor offering all the power you need. It compares favourably with the Qualcomm SD730G.

Add to that 8 GB of RAM, 256 GB of storage (most competitors have 128GB at this price), a dedicated microSD card slot, and mountable external SSD storage, and it is pretty good all around. The RAM can grab up to 5GB from storage, swapping it as virtual ram (as Windows has done forever). We never found it wanting, even under heavy loads.

The lack of throttling is excellent. It loses 11% after 13 minutes and then stabilises. Of course, that reflects OPPO’s superior thermal management in all its phones.

Comms – Wi-Fi 6 AX, NFC

It connects at HE40 600Mbps, slower than the OPPO Find X5 and Pro at 1200Mbps and the Samsung Galaxy S22 at 2400Mbps. Still, considering that most NBN connections are <100Mbps, it is fine.

It has a USB 2.0 480Mbps connector so forget using it in cabled mode to connect to a TV – Chromecast is the go here.

Phone – city and suburbs

MediaTek modem technology is a step or three behind Qualcomm, and as such, it finds only one tower (out of four), albeit at a strong signal strength. It has all Australian 4/5G bands. It is a city and suburbs phone.

Battery – 65W high-speed charging

OPPO eats the competition’s lunch with a 65W fast charge (inbox) that fills the 4500mAh battery in about 35 minutes. The others take 1.5 to 2 hours. Add reverse cable charging and exceptional PC Mark 3 (typical battery use test) of 22+ hours, and this is a phone you can charge every few days.

We recommend setting it to 60Hz refresh as the 90Hz reduces battery time by about 4 hours.

Sound – mono and not bad

OPPO uses an NPX Class-D amplifier and Digital Signal Processor for excellent low distortion mono sound. It is not fair to test mono speakers for fidelity, but overall it has a pleasing sound signature.

OPPO claims it supports aptX (Qualcomm), but we suspect that is wrong as aptX is unique to Qualcomm. BT headphones can use SBC, AAC, LDAC and LDHC – all you need.

Build – better than many

It has a Gorilla Glass 5 front, plastic back and plastic frame. All fits together well, and it is up to OPPO’s usual high standard. Add a two-year warranty (S22 Ultra 1-year) and excellent local after-sales support, and you can see why it scores so highly in customer satisfaction ratings. There is no formal IP rating, so assume IP52 – rain resistant.

Android 11 and ColorOS12

My only minor disappointment is that it does not ship with Android 12. Even so, it should get Android 12, 13 and maybe 14 and regular security patch updates.

It has all the Google Apps and OPPO substitutes (as OPPO cannot use Google Apps or services in China). These duplicate Apps, like the too many commercial apps – AliExpress, Amazon, Booking.com, Facebook, LinkedIn, O Relax, PUBG, Soloop, TikTok, etc. – are all uninstallable.

OPPO Find X5 Lite Camera

All smartphones use sensors made by Sony, Samsung and lesser-known makers like OmniVision and GalaxyCore. Any primary sensor over 24MP uses binning (combining pixels) to produce an image of at least 8MP. Even the 108MP found on the Samsung S22 Ultra bins to 12MP. They all use AI to post-process images – the degree depends on the SoC power.

All have a primary wide sensor. Some have ultra-wide, telephoto (and periscope), macro, and depth (including Lidar) sensors. They all use a mix of plastic and glass lenses. So, we can tell immediately if the camera is performing at or above spec.

This has a 64MP primary (bins to 16MP), 8MP Wide-angle, and a 2MP Macro. The sensors are average for this price and return acceptable results.

It lacks the OPPO Find X5/Pro MariSilion X camera processor and the Hasselblad tuning.

Sample Shots

• Day (well, an overcast one): Primary sensor – the colours are slightly washed out, and dynamic range is limited. Details in the shadows and highlights are OK. You can also shoot at 64MP, which has more dynamic range but removes any AI.
• Day: Ultra-wide. The 8MP camera does a good job, but the colours and dynamic range differ from the primary sensor. There is a distinct loss of detail.
• Macro: A 2MP macro shot means mean average detail, and it is vital to hold the camera at 4cm and very still
• Daylight zoom: It is good at 2x, but 5x and 10x are noisy and lose detail
• Office Light (<400 lumens: Good detail and slightly oversaturated colour. The level of Bokeh is adjustable.
• <40 lumens: The standard (not night mode) takes acceptable shots but lacks details and colour depth. Night mode improves the detail and saturates the colour a little
• Selfie: A 32MP (bins to 8MP) selfie ensures great single and group selfies with natural skin tones and details and a range of filters to enhance any image.
• Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 4K@30fps on Primary (EIS Electronic Image Stabilisation) for a reasonably stable image. The processor cannot keep up with the post-processing needed, and it is best to shoot at 1080p@30fps.

Overall, the camera is fine for general use. It is not a patch on the OPPO Find X5 or Pro.

CyberShack’s view – The OPPO Find X5 Lite is a sheep in wolf’s clothing

I have been reviewing smartphones for over a decade. One of the first things I do is try to position them relevant to similar competition. It may be a Find by name, but it is a Reno by nature. It is a great Reno – but a below-average Find!

At $799, the OPPO Find X5 Lite is a well-specified, well-performing phone that holds its own against all comers. It is a tad more expensive than the $699 Samsung A53 (Exynos 1280, 4/128GB) or the $799 Samsung A73 (SD778G 6/128GB) – but it offers more, including more storage and a 65W SUPERVOOC charger in the box (Samsung has dropped chargers). You will have to wait for the Samsung reviews – before the end of April.

Post Script – Excitement factor

These reviews are technical – we test over 70 aspects of each phone and report objectively. But sometimes, we forget the emotional aspects of the test device.

We have the OPPO Find X5 Lite, OPPO Find X5, OPPO Find X5 Pro and OPPO A76 on the testbed. We also have other brands ranging from $199 cheapies to $2,000 premium flagships.

I was excited to test the OPPO Find X5 Pro, and it lived up to expectations – I like bright, shiny, expensive things. I initially had no such feelings about the Find X5, but as we tested, there was a growing excitement – hey, this is really good.

Once I had worked out that this is more a Reno than a Find, my expectations settled down. It met or exceeded every expectation I have for a $799 phone.

Buyers should not be brand snobs and look at OPPO’s extensive features and value. It is very competent but not exciting.

CyberShack Smartphone comparison v 1.1 (E&OE)

OPPO Find X5 Lite CPH2371

Brand	OPPO
Model	Find X5 Lite
Model Number	CPH2371
Price Base	8, 256GB
Price base	$799
Warranty months	24-months
Tier	mid-range
Website	Product page
From	Most CE retailers, Telcos, and OPPO online
Country of Origin	China
Company	OPPO is now #2 in Australia for Android smartphone market share. It has achieved that through excellent product and after-sales service.
Test date	10-14 April
Ambient temp	22-25°
Release	24 February 2022
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)	As far as we can see, this is a global model with no variants

Screen

Size	6.43″
Type	AMOLED
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3D	Flat
Resolution	2400 x 1080
PPI	409
Ratio	20:9
Screen to Body %	90.8
Colours bits	8-bit 16.7m colours
Refresh Hz, adaptive	60 or 90Hz from 120-180Hz touch
Response 120Hz	11ms
Nits typical/test	430 (tested 421)
Nits max/test	600 max (tested 611) 800 for HDR, HDR10 content
Contrast	Infinite
sRGB	Vivid/Gentle 135/103%
DCI-P3	Vivid/Gentle 100/76% of the 16.7m colour gamut
Rec.2020 or other	No
Delta E (<4 is excellent)	4
HDR Level	HDR10 (will downscale HDR10+ to HDR10)
SDR Upscale	No
Bluelight control	Yes
PWM if known	Yes – <100Nits
Daylight readable	Yes
Always on Display	Yes
Edge display	No
Accessibility	Yes
DRM	L1 Widevine for Netflix HD SDR
Gaming	Gaming mode
Screen protection	Gorilla Glass 5
Comment	It is a relatively typical 1080p AMOLED as found in Samsung A and S series. It is colour accurate, quite bright and overall; it is pleasing.

Processor

Brand, Model	MediaTek Dimensity 900 MT6877/ZA
nm	6
Cores	Octa-core (2×2.4GHz + 6×2.0GHz)
Modem	Integrated
AI TOPS	<5
Geekbench 5 Single-core	710
Geekbench 5 multi-core	2149
Like	Closer to SD730 5G
GPU	ARM Mali-G68 MC4
GPU Test
Open CL	2527
Vulcan	2559
RAM, type	8 LPDDR4X, 2133, 2 x 16bit but can swap up to 5GB virtual from storage
Storage, free, type	256 UFS 2.2 2 Lane HS-Gear 3 (212GB free)
micro-SD	Yes – dedicated slot
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps	465
CPDT internal seq. write MBps	485
CPDT microSD read, write MBps	42/27
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps	Enable OTG in settings first 37/34 reflects maximum USB 2.0 speed
Comment	At least you can enable external storage, but it is a bit slow for videographers
Throttle test
Max GIPS	216316
Average GIPS	210259
Minimum GIPS	190358
% Throttle	11%
CPU Temp	50°
Comment	Excellent thermal management

Comms

Wi-FI Type, model	6 AX
Test 2m -dBm, Mbps	-27/600
Test 5m	-46/600
Test 10m	-55/600
BT Type	5.2 BLE
GPS single, dual	single accuracy <8m
USB type	USB-C 2.0 and OTG
Alt DP, DeX, Ready For	Chromecast
NFC	Supports Android Beam, HCE, and UICC Multi-function NFC: HCE and NFC-SIM
Ultra-wideband	No
Sensors
Accelerometer	Yes
Gyro	Yes
e-Compass	Yes
Barometer	No
Gravity	Yes
Pedometer	Yes
Ambient light	Yes
Hall sensor	?
Proximity	Yes
Comment	It is a little odd that the Wi-Fi AX connection is 600Mbps, but it is quite a strong signal.

LTE and 5G

SIM	Dual Nano SIM and separate microSD
Active	Single active – dual standby
Ring tone single, dual	Single
VoLTE	Carrier Dependent
Wi-Fi calling	Carrier Dependent
4G Bands	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66
Comment	All Australian 4G bands
5G sub-6Ghz	N1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 66, 77, 78
Comment	All Australian sub-6Ghz and low-bands
mmWave	No
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
UL, DL, ms	22.4/14.5/21ms
Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW	-83/5pW
Tower 2	Occasionally at -115/3.2fW, unusable
Tower 3	No
Tower 4	No
Comment	Good single tower strength, but that limited it to a city and suburbs phone where you have good tower coverage.

Battery

mAh	2 x 2250 = 4500mAh
Charger, type, supplied	65W SUPERVOOC (5V/2A/10W or 10V/6.5A/65W) over two channels, e.g., 10V/3.25A/32.5W x 2
PD, QC level	50 and 30W SUPERVOOC, VOOC (5V, 4A), PD (9V, 2A)
Qi, wattage	N/A
Reverse Qi or cable	Reverse cable charge 5V/2.5A
Test (60Hz or adaptive screen)
Charge % 30mins	N/A
Charge 0-100%	35 minutes
Charge Qi, W	No
Charge 5V, 2A	approx 3 hours
Video loop 50%, aeroplane mode	22 hours 11 minutes
PC Mark 3 battery	22+ hours Accubattery 20+ hours
GFX Bench Manhattan battery	384.4min (6.41hrs) 2292 frames
GFX Bench T-Rex	526.2min (8.77hrs) 3328 frame
Drain 100-0% full load screen on	8.5hrs (5hrs, 48minutes 90Hz)
Watt full load	450mA
Watt idle Screen on	100mA
Estimate loss at 120Hz	Expect about 20% less at 90Hz
Estimate typical use	Two days or more at typical use
Comment	Exceptional battery life and ultra-fast charge time courtesy of the 65W SUPERVOOC inbox.

Sound

Speakers	Earpiece and mono down-firing speaker (active in hands-free or music mode)
Tuning	No
AMP	TFA9879 NXP Class-D mono Digital Amp and DSP 1.6/2.65W@8/4Ω .02% THD
Dolby Atmos decode	No
Hi-Res	No
3.5mm	Yes
BT Codecs	SBC, AAC, APTX, APTXHD, LDAC MediaTek don’t usually support Qualcomm aptX – not verified
Multipoint	Should support it
Dolby Atmos (DA)	No
EQ	Real Original Sound Technology EQ Smart, Movie, Game, Music
Mics	2 with some noise-cancellation
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
Volume max	80+dB
Media (music)	82
Ring	83
Alarm	85
Notifications	75
Earpiece	55
Hands-free	Quite effective hands-free with some noise cancelling.
BT headphones	Could drive them on SBC, AAC and LDAC but not aptX

Sound quality

Deep Bass 20-40Hz	Nil
Middle Bass 40-100Hz	Nil
High Bass 100-200Hz	Slowly building
Low Mid 200-400Hz	Slowly building
Mid 4000-1000Hz	Flattening
High-Mid 1-2kHz	Flat
Low Treble 2-4kHz	Flat
Mid Treble 4-6kHz	Flat
High Treble 6-10kHz	Decline to 8kHz then flat to 10Hz
Dog Whistle 10-20kHz	Decline to 20kHz
Sound Signature type	It is really for clear voice covering 104kHz well. In music mode, it is Bright Vocal (bass recessed, mid/treble boosted) – for vocal tracks and string instruments, but can make them harsh
Soundstage	Mono
Comment	Surprisingly loud and clear, courtesy of the NPX digital amp.

Build

Size (H X W x D)	160.6 x 73.2 x 7.81
Weight grams	173
Front glass	Gorilla Glass 5
Rear material	Plastic
Frame	Plastic
IP rating	No stated – assume IP52
Colours	Starry Black Startrails Blue Laser-etched matte finish
Pen, Stylus support	No
In the box
Charger	65W SUPERVOOC
USB cable	Yes
Buds	No
Bumper cover	Yes
Comment	Not only does OPPO provide a charger, but it’s a 65W SUPERVOOC!

OS

Android	Android 11
Security patch date	5/03/2022
UI	ColorOS 12
OS upgrade policy	Android 14
Security patch policy	Regular security patches
Bloatware	A little too much – AliExpress, Amazon, Booking.com, Facebook, LinkedIn, O Relax, PUBG, Soloop Cui, TikTok, and OPPOs alternatives for Google Apps. All are removable
Comment	ColorOS 12 is the grease on Android’s wheels and is a light touch with no learning curve.
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, type	Under Glass
Face ID	Yes 2D
Other	OPPO ColorOS has advanced security features
Comment	Under-glass fingerprint is unusual in this price bracket.

Camera – OPPO Find X5 Lite

Rear Primary	Wide
MP	64 bins to 16MP
Sensor	Omnivision OVB64B This is a competent sensor but not quite the standard of a Samsung or Sony.
Focus	AF and closed-loop focus motor
f-stop	1.7
um	.7 bins to 1.4
FOV° (stated, actual)	80.6 (68.9)
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	10x digital
Rear 2	Wide Angle
MP	8
Sensor	Sony IMX355
Focus	FF
f-stop	2.4
um	1.14
FOV (stated, actual)	118.9° (84°)
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Rear 3	Macro
MP	2 (it is not 8MP as shown on the website)
Sensor	GalaxyCore GC02
Focus	FF
f-stop	2.4
um	1.14
FOV (stated, actual)	88.3
Stabilisation	No
Zoom	No
Special
Video max	4K@30fps 10780p@30, 60fps EIS
Flash	Yes
Auto-HDR	Yes, for still image
	Photo, Video, Night, Expert, Panoramic, Portrait, Time-lapse, Slow-motion, Text scanner, Dual-view video, Sticker, Extra HD, Macro, and Soloop templates
QR code reader	Via Google Lens
Night mode	Yes – adequate
Front
MP	32 bins to 8MP
Sensor	Sony IMX615
Focus	Fixed
f-stop	2.4
um	.8 bins to 1.6
FOV (stated, actual)	85 (73.7)
Stabilisation	No
Flash	Screen fill
Zoom	4x digital
Video max	1080p@30fps with EIS
Features	Photo, Video, Panoramic, Portrait, Night, Time-lapse, Dual-view video, Sticker, and Slow-motion
Comment	The camera delivers reasonable quality shots in day and office light. It struggles in low light where Night Mode is needed. Night Mode takes a few seconds to process the image. Video is acceptable in day and office light and less so in low light. Lack of stabilisation means you need to use a tripod. Shoot at 1080p@30fps for best results.

Ratings – OPPO Find X5 Lite

Features	8.5
	+ MicroSD + 3.5mm +65W Fast charge
Value	8.5
	It is not a Find level flagship but a mid-range with everything you should expect
Performance	8
	Middling performance but excellent thermal management to minimise throttling
Ease of Use	10
	ColorOS 12 is easy to learn and offers the much-needed grease over Android 11 wheels. But it should have come with Android 12
Design	8.5
	Another glass slab
Rating out of 10	8.7
Pro
1	Mid-range performance, but it is all you need
2	Quality 1080p AMOLED screen
3	Great battery life and 65W charger inbox
4	MicroSD and mountable external storage
5	Average camera that meets the price and your needs
Con
1	Mono speaker but sounds OK
2	Android 11 (Should be 12)
3	Another Glass slab
4
5
Final comment	It may be part of the Find X5 series, but it is vastly different to the X5 and Pro. At $799, there are no deal-breakers, and the Find heritage means long term OS and security upgrades.