Hands-on: OPPO A15s review

OPPO recently introduced a successor to its OPPO A15 which was launched a couple of months ago. With back-to-back A-series launches, OPPO is hoping to turn on the heat in the highly competitive space which is dominated by the likes of Redmi 9 Series, Realme C, and Moto Power series phones. While the competition is keener on targetting the online space, Oppo A Series retails in both online and offline markets. (Oppo A15s Review हिंदी में पढ़िए)

The OPPO A15s is priced at Rs 11,490 which makes it slightly more expensive than A15. It is worth buying? We have had a small window of time to spend with the OPPO A15s, and based on that experience here are our initial thoughts about the phone.

Oppo A15s Specs

Model	Oppo A15s
The display	6.52-inch HD + display LCD, 720 x 1600 pixels, Waterdrop notch
The processor	MediaTek Helio P35
RAM	4GB
Internal storage	64GB
Software	Android 10 based Color OS 7.2
Selfie camera	5MP
Rear camera	13MP + 2MP + 2MP, LED flash
The battery	4230mAh, 10W micro-USB charger
Sim	Dual sim dual standby
Misc things	3G, 4G, VoLTE, Wi-Fi, GPS / GLONASS, rear fingerprint scanner, 3.5mm audio jack

OPPO A15s Unboxing

Here’s everything that you will find inside the OPPO A15s retail box:

• The handset
• TPU case
• 10W adapter and micro-USB cable
• Documentation papers

Oppo A15s Design and Display

If I put the OPPO A15s and OPPO A15 next to each other, most of us would struggle to differentiate between the two phones. What really sets them apart are the color options. The OPPO A15s ships in Dynamic Black, Fancy White and Rainbow Silver hues and it looks amazing.

The handset is reasonably slim and light and the single tone finish on the glossy back stands tall in a sea of gradients – and the end result is really impressive. There’s also a good-quality silicone case inside the box that provides the necessary protection without completely obscuring its beauty.

There’s a square camera module on top-left that houses three rear cameras and the capacitive fingerprint sensor is easily accessible.

On the flip side, there’s a 6.52-inches display that delivers HD+ output. The LCD screen is not perfect, but it’s decent enough for the price.

It is disheartening to see a micro USB port in a phone, especially now that we have almost hit 2021. At the same time, we are glad OPPO retains the 3.5mm audio jack. As far as build quality is concerned, the OPPO A15 feels sturdy in hands.

Overall, Oppo A15s looks and feels impressive and that’s also it’s biggest selling point.

OPPO A15s hardware and software

Same as its predecessor, the OPPO A15s is powered by a entry-grade MediaTek Helio P35 chipset. The octa-core MediaTek system on chip also includes a PowerVR GE8320 GPU. If you compare the OPPO A15s specs-sheet with OPPO A15, the only major difference you will notice is in the RAM and ROM size. OPPO has bumped up memory to 4gigs and storage to 64GB for the ‘S’ variant. There’s also option to add up to 256GB microSD card as well.

The hardware is being used to drive Android 10 based ColorOS 7.2. It comes with a handful of preloaded apps, some of which can be uninstalled. The software is not light but it’s full of useful customization options. Certain features like Super Power Saving mode, Dark mode, Smart Mode, etc could be very useful.

We are yet to test the Oppo A15s to its limits so it would be immature to comment on the performance. Based on our initial usage, the MediaTek chipset feels a little underwhelming we feel that this is a phone meant only for basic users.

OPPO A15s Camera hardware

The OPPO A15s also shares the same camera setup that we found in the OPPO A15. Its a triple camera setup with 13MP main snapper coupled with two 2MP shooters one for macro another for depth reading. There’s a 5MP selfie camera on the front.

The default camera app offers a slew of modes and engaging options. These include Night mode, a portrait mode, Macro mode, Google Lens integration, Expert (Pro) mode, and a lot more. There’s also AI computational sorcery that the camera performs to enhance image quality.

OPPO A15s first impressions

OPPO A15s is another attempt from the brand to make inroads in the fiercely competitive entry-grade segment. What makes the Oppo A15s stand apart is its design. When it comes to look and feel, the A15s punches much above its weight. The other aspects are understandably restrained and the performs hardware restricts it as a phone for users with basic needs. Of course, we will need to test it some more before we are sure if we can pass it as a recommendation.