Hands-On

OnePlus 5 vs OPPO R11: Side-by-side Comparison

Published

July 2, 2017

Isa Rodriguez

Sometimes you have to see things to believe it. For these smartphones, I not only saw — I saw double.

The much-awaited OnePlus 5 was very recently released. OnePlus, which prides itself in creating “flagship killers,” came up with a device with premium specs at a price tag that’s significantly lower. People have been quick to point out, however, that the newest flagship killer looks a little too much like the thing it wants to kill. *ehem* iPhone 7 *ehem*

But ladies and gentlemen, that’s a lie. The OnePlus 5 doesn’t look exactly like the iPhone 7 — it looks exactly like (the very recently released) OPPO R11.

The R11, launched in China earlier this month, is OPPO’s premium midrange phone. The dual-camera smartphone is a follow-up to the widely successful R9.

Side-by-side comparison

Both smartphones have 5.5-inch displays and are roughly about the same size. They also both run on Android 7.1 Nougat with the R11 on ColorOS and the OnePlus5 on OxygenOS.

OnePlus 5 on the left (154.2 x 74.1mm) and OPPO R11 on the right (154.5 x 74.8 mm)

These smartphones come in a variety of colors: The R11 is available in gold, rose gold, black, and a special edition red version, while the OnePlus 5 comes in midnight black and slate gray.

Both matte black versions look stunning (and, well, identical).

The curved edges feel nice in your hands and both phones have a premium feel to them. Buttons and ports on both phones are similarly situated. On its side, the OnePlus 5 has what has been dubbed as the “Horizon Line” — a continuous line “casting one half in light and the other in shadow.” What this is, basically, is a continuous graceful line around the phone’s side; a small detail that isn’t on the OPPO R11 (not that you’d notice).

Beyond the surface

Though the OnePlus 5 is slightly (.5mm, to be precise) thicker than the OPPO R11, it may be well justified.

The difference between the two lies in what’s on the inside. The flagship killer is powered by a Snapdragon 835 processor (i.e., the same processor on flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S8, Sony Xperia XZ Premium, and HTC U11) while the OPPO R11 is powered by a Snapdragon 660 (the newest processor for midrange smartphones).

OnePlus 5 top, OPPO R11 bottom

Unlike the R11, the OnePlus 5 is already equipped with a USB-C port, the newest standard in Android phones (also known as that port they put on the latest MacBook Pro).

OnePlus has been widely criticized for its previous phones’ protruding camera bumps. I’m glad to report that both smartphones have minimal bulge. The R11’s seems more pronounced but at this point, to notice that slight difference is just nitpicking.

Photo shootout

Both smartphones pack 20- and 16-megapixel cameras in the rear with built-in portrait modes and automatic depth effect, or what is usually called bokeh mode.

[sciba leftsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/GadgetMatch-OnePlus5-2017-06-1-1.jpg” leftlabel=”OnePlus 5″ rightsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/GadgetMatch-OPPOR11-2017-06-1-1.jpg” rightlabel=”OPPO R11″ mode=”horizontal” width=””]

The dual-camera setup also allows for 2x zoom on photos (the better to stalk people with! Ha ha ha, I kid ?) See below:

[sciba leftsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/GadgetMatch-OnePlus5-2017-06-1-2.jpg” leftlabel=”OnePlus 5 2x” rightsrc=”http://www.gadgetmatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/GadgetMatch-OPPOR11-2017-06-1-3.jpg” rightlabel=”OPPO R11 2x” mode=”horizontal” width=””]

Of course, when we talk about front-facing cameras, the Selfie Expert exceeds in terms of specs. The OPPO R11 has a 20-megapixel sensor up front trumping the OnePlus 5’s 16-megapixel camera.

The beauty mode is built into both cameras, but the end selfies can be quite different. OnePlus’ beauty filter is more subtle than the R11’s, although these filters on both smartphones may be adjusted to your airbrushing preference.

Final thoughts

Because these two phones look amazingly similar, it’s so easy to fall into the trap of comparing the two and clumping them into the same bracket. But, it’s really what’s on the inside that counts.

These two smartphones were (not very obviously, because of their twinsie situation) designed for different markets and function well for the group they were designed for — the OnePlus 5 for the practical techie in the market for a flagship smartphone worth their buck, and the OPPO R11 for the selfie enthusiasts who value photography above all else on the smartphone they own.

We’ve always been told never to judge a book by its cover, but these aren’t books and if we were to judge the outside, these two are looking pretty sleek; choosing between them now is only a matter of where your priorities lie.

[irp posts=”15283″ name=”OnePlus 5 launches in North America, Europe, and Asia”]

[irp posts=”15357″ name=”OPPO R11 Review”]

Hands-On

OPPO Reno15 F 5G hands-on

More question marks than exclamation points?

Published

March 6, 2026

Manila Connoisseur

The OPPO Reno15 Series 5G made its way to the Philippines last month, and reception has been pretty great so far.

With a powerful camera package, AI, and a slew of upgrades, there’s a lot to love and not much negative to say. But that’s with both the standard and Pro models.

On the other hand, with the Reno15 F 5G — the series’ supposed budget-friendly “lite” variant —there were more question marks than exclamation points.

I attack this piece once more from a consumer standpoint: shelling out PhP 23,000 to PhP 26,000 for a midrange smartphone that feels and performs like it’s a few notches below its segment doesn’t sound too pleasant.

Performance

With a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 processor, the OPPO Reno15 F performs pretty much like any sub PhP 20,000 mid-ranger. It’s acceptable, but does not punch above its weight as expected.

No major hiccups for light and casual usage. But performance struggles a lot for demanding video games.

It also heats up significantly just 10 minutes into a title like Honkai: Star Rail. This is a stark contrast to the marketed 25℃ and up to 10 hours straight of smooth gameplay.

Although, the experience was still enjoyable with several wins and MVP runs in Call of Duty Mobile. It only means the F variant remains a more camera-centric phone rather than an a hard-hitting all-arounder.

As with other devices, the 7000mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC is a strong suit. You’re fueled from dawn ’til dusk, with much to spare. Recharging takes a breeze, too.

Display

The OPPO Reno15 F has a 6.57-inch 120Hz display, with a 92.8% screen-to-body ratio. At least, that allows you to focus on content on the screen.

Content leans more towards the cooler tone, so you’ll have to adjust it manually if you want a warmer or more vivid look.

The 397ppi pixel density is fine to ensure sharper visuals, while the 1400 nits peak brightness is helpful outdoors.

Camera

The device’s 50MP main camera captures decent quality. The color science leans on being natural anew, without being too dull nor washed out. You can pull off smooth portraits too.

I hardly used the phone for stills as I focused on videos, but here are some samples, on the occasions I was able to take the handset with me:

The 50MP front camera is an intriguing add-on, as it is capable of up to 4K video and a wide 100° field of view.

What this does is it essentially removes the need to flip your phone for the popular “0.5” shots. And the quality doesn’t get compromised given the pixel count.

Here are some selfies from different focal lengths:

To its credit, filming with the back camera at 60fps does look and feel smooth, although it can be improved.

Same with the front camera; and the zoom range can be switched from 0.6 to 2x without cutting the recording.

Although, it’s still best to use a selfie stick or small tripod if you’re just after talking head videos.

Speaking of which, here are a few I’ve made with just this device:

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But for travel and on-the-go captures, as OPPO markets for the series in general, even the Reno15 F can cover a lot of background along with your or your groups’ faces.

Make no mistake, there are some useful AI editing features here. In particular, AI Portrait Glow gives your raw capture an effect to make it look it was taken with flash.

I do not recall the device heating up as well when taking many photos or videos, so you can say it’s more optimized for that task rather than gaming.

Connectivity issues

Meanwhile, AI LinkBoost 3.0, as in the case of the OPPO A6 Pro, doesn’t seem to punch above its weight either.

Once, I also played Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and the session opened to a jittery start despite being on Wi-Fi and having a stable connection. I don’t know what triggered this.

Design, feel

We got the Aurora Blue variant which does kind of resemble the northern lights when you tilt the phone a certain way and when light hits its back panel.

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The cursive “Reno” on the large, protruding camera island gives it more style.

However, it’s all just aesthetics. On the downside, the phone is all sorts of slippery.

I couldn’t hold it properly without think of it slipping away from my hands; nor could I put it on my lap with confidence.

So I guess it’s good that it has structural integrity and waterproofing, because you’ll need that.

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The 6.57-inch body does have a good balance between being too compact and too large, like ultras and pro maxes.

It has a squarish body and has already adapted to the premium, aluminum frame look from the sides.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

Sadly, the OPPO Reno15 F 5G is a Swipe Left unlike its bigger, more capable siblings. There are plenty of plus points for the camera package but take that away, and I don’t see much difference between the Reno15 F and something like the A6 Pro.

Granted, the asking price of this phone will drop significantly in a few months. But throw in a little more, and you’ve got a legitimate mid-ranger that’s more on the premium side rather than the cheap end of the spectrum.