OPPO has launched its latest A-series smartphone in India called OPPO A3 5G. With military-grade durability and multiple liquid resistance, the newest launch is touted as the brand’s most durable A-series smartphone. Starting at Rs 15,999, the OPPO A3 5G competes squarely with the CMF Phone 1, which also falls in the same price range. Let’s compare these two devices to determine the best value-for-money device.
The OPPO A3 5G is offered in a single variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage, priced at Rs 15,999. The base variant of the CMF Phone 1 has the same configuration and price tag. However, the CMF Phone 1 is also available in an additional 8GB+128GB variant, which is Rs 2000 pricier.
The flexibility of choosing a higher RAM variant for a little extra tips the scale in favour of CMF Phone 1 in this department.
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Design
The OPPO A3 5G has a standard design with flat sides and rounded corners. There’s a large squircle-shaped camera module on the back with a dual camera cutout. The device is offered in two colours – Nebula Red with glittering texture and Ocean Blue with flowing texture. The smartphone weighs about 187g and is 7.7mm thick. The OPPO A3 5G has multiple durability standards, including MIL-STD 810H rating, Multiple Liquid Resistance, SGS Drop-Resistance Certification, and SGS Military Standard Certification.
The CMF Phone 1 stands out in this area not just in the sub-Rs 20,000 segment but also in the smartphone market itself. It has a modular back panel and the Accessory Point (the circular dial in the bottom right). Users can customise the back panel and attach multiple accessories using the four proprietary user-removable screws. It comes in four colours – Black, Light Green, Orange, and Blue (India-exclusive). The first two colours have a matte texture, whereas the orange and blue variants have a vegan leather finish. The IP52-rated smartphone is 9mm thin and weighs 197g.
The OPPO A3 5G gets props for being lighter and one of the most durable smartphones in the budget segment. However, the CMF Phone 1 opens the world of customisation and offers a more premium in-hand feel. It is bound to turn heads!
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Display
The OPPO A3 5G has a 6.67-inch LCD screen with 1604×720 pixels resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. The display offers 16.7 million colours, 1000 nits peak brightness, 240Hz touch sampling rate, 83% NTSC, China Southern glass, and Panda (twice-reinforced) layer.
The CMF Phone 1 flaunts a 6.67-inch Super AMOLED LTPS display with 2400 x 1080 pixels resolution and 120Hz refresh rate. Other features include Ultra HDR+, 2000 nits peak brightness, 8-bit colour, and AGC DragonTrail Pro glass protection.
Both smartphones feature a display panel of the same size. However, the CMF Phone 1 wins here, thanks to the Super AMOLED panel, Ultra HDR+ support, and double the brightness.
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Performance
The OPPO A3 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC, boasting a 6nm manufacturing process. The processor features integrated Mali-G57 GPU, 6GB LPDDR4X RAM, 6GB RAM Expansion, 128GB of eMMC 5.1 internal storage, and a microSD card slot.
The CMF Phone 1 is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 SoC, built on a 4nm TSMC process. The chipset has an integrated Mali-G615 MC2 GPU, up to 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a microSD card slot.
CMF Phone 1 colour options
Once again, the CMF Phone 1 emerges on top with a more powerful and efficient chipset. Not only that, but the smartphone also offers more variants for users to choose from. That said, we have yet to compare the benchmark and real-world performance of both phones to see how they fare. So, stay tuned for that.
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Software
The OPPO A3 5G has Color OS 14 based on Android 14. OPPO will offer four years of OS upgrades and five years of security updates.
The CMF Phone 1 runs NothingOS 2.6 based on Android 14. The brand has committed to two years of major Android updates and three years of security updates.
The CMF Phone 1 might offer lesser software support than OPPO, but the bloatware-free, minimalistic interface will appeal to many. If software longevity is your preference, the OPPO A3 5G is better.
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Cameras
The OPPO A3 5G has a dual camera setup featuring a 50MP primary camera with f/1.8 aperture and a 2MP portrait camera with an f/2.4 aperture with LED flash. There is a 5MP snapper on the front with f/2.2 aperture.
The CMF Phone 1 flaunts a 50MP main camera with an f/1.78 aperture at the back, complemented by a portrait sensor and an LED flash. Upfront, there’s a 16MP with an f/2.45 aperture.
The rear camera setup on both smartphones is nearly identical, with a 50MP primary camera and a portrait sensor. However, the CMF Phone 1 edges ahead with a more powerful selfie camera.
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Battery and Charging
The OPPO A3 5G packs a 5,100mAh battery with 45W SuperVOOC charging support.
The CMF Phone 1 packs a 5,000mAh battery and 33W charging.
Once again, both smartphones have near-identical battery capacities. However, if fast charging is your priority, the OPPO A3 5G should be your pick.
OPPO A3 5G vs CMF Phone 1: Verdict
The CMF Phone 1 is ideal for those seeking a disruptive smartphone with a distinctive design, clean OS, powerful performance, better display, and more configurations.
On the other hand, for those who prefer simplicity, longer support, and faster charging, the OPPO A3 5G is a better choice.
