The OPPO F series has always been known for its focus on durability and everyday reliability. Over the years, these smartphones have delivered consistency in design and usability, but often struggled to make an impression when it comes to performance. Their processors could handle daily tasks with ease, yet they rarely kept up under demanding workloads, leaving performance enthusiasts wanting more.
OPPO F31 Pro+
Rs 32,999
What Is Good?
- Dependable camera performance in ample lighting
- Striking yet durable design
- Smooth performance for everyday use
- Seamless app-opening animations and nifty AI-powered features
- Bright, vibrant display and loud audio quality
What Is Bad?
- Better options in the market for performance-centric users
- Low-light camera performance could be improved
- Pre-installed apps and spammy notifications
The new OPPO F31 Pro+ is where the brand attempts to change that perception. It introduces stronger internals and a large vapour-chamber cooling system, signalling a renewed focus on power and efficiency. This shift doesn’t come at the cost of the F series’ signature traits, as it still retains a sleek design and robust build. However, these upgrades come with a noticeable price increase.
The real test lies in whether the F31 Pro+ can justify that premium and compete effectively with newer mid-range rivals like the OnePlus Nord 5 and POCO F7, both known for offering balanced performance at competitive prices. Read my review to know how well OPPO’s latest contender lives up to that challenge.
Design and Build Quality
OPPO has done a commendable job sculpting the F31 Pro+ with an ergonomic design that feels naturally comfortable in the hand. Despite its boxy form factor, the edges are smoothly contoured, ensuring a firm yet pleasant grip. At 195 grams, it strikes a balanced weight that makes extended use easy and fatigue-free.
While the build quality is top-notch, the design doesn’t entirely sustain its initial wow factor. The Gemstone Blue variant looks particularly striking, with its matte gradient finish and subtle shimmer under light. The camera island, finished in a darker tone, adds a touch of sophistication and blends neatly with the overall aesthetic.
The only drawback is its tendency to attract fingerprints on the upper half of the rear panel. After a few hours of use, smudges can dull the finish, especially on the Gemstone Blue model. It’s a minor issue, but one that OPPO should address in future iterations to perfect what is otherwise a well-designed smartphone.
- Colour Options: Festival Pink, Himalayan White, and Gemstone Blue (reviewed)
- Weight: 195g
- Thickness: 7.7mm
- IP Rating: IP66+IP68+IP69
- Port and Button Placements
- Bottom: Primary microphone, SIM Card tray, USB Type-C Port, and speaker grille
- Top: Secondary microphone and speaker
- Right side: Power button and volume button
On a side note, I am not clumsy when it comes to handling a smartphone, but I accidentally knocked the F31 Pro+ off the table late at night. To my surprise, this phone survived the fall without a single dent or visible mark on the frame. The sturdy construction truly reinforces OPPO’s focus on durability in this lineup.
Performance and Software
On paper, the OPPO F31 Pro+ might appear modest with its Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 SoC, introduced back in November 2023. However, real-world performance tells a very different story. In both benchmark tests and everyday use, the phone consistently exceeds expectations, outperforming several competitors with the same chipset and coming remarkably close to devices powered by newer processors.
That said, performance-focused phones such as the iQOO Neo 10 or the POCO F7 still maintain a clear advantage, as reflected in our benchmark comparisons graph. Generally, companies like iQOO and POCO use last year’s premium processors or scaled-down versions of the latest hardware to deliver a flagship-like experience at a reasonably accessible price.
In day-to-day use, though, the OPPO F31 Pro+ performs with admirable consistency. It handled everything from streaming videos and browsing social media to extended multitasking without a hitch.
Gaming performance on the OPPO F31 Pro+ turned out to be better than I expected for its segment. In our tests, BGMI achieved an average frame rate of 56fps on HDR graphics, a setting one tier below the highest, and maintained a stable output throughout extended sessions. Few mid-range smartphones can deliver this consistency without flagship-grade hardware.
Call of Duty: Mobile registered an average of 87fps on low settings, offering smooth and responsive gameplay. After roughly two hours of continuous testing at room temperature, surface temperatures near the camera area rose slightly but remained well within acceptable limits. The vapour-chamber cooling system deserves credit for sustaining peak performance without noticeable throttling or frame drops.
| Hardware | Specifications |
| RAM | Up to 12GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | Up to 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Storage Test | 104173 |
| CPU Throttling Test | 82 per cent |
| Software Version | ColorOS 15, based on Android 15 |
| Connectivity Details | Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 |
| Number of Software Updates | Two years of major OS upgrades and three years of security updates |
When it comes to software, I’ve been genuinely impressed with how well ColorOS 15 runs on the F31 Pro+. The interface feels responsive with fluid animations and quick app launches that make daily use effortless. Switching between apps is seamless, and it consistently resumes where I left off without requiring a reload.
Even the AI-powered features feel useful rather than flashy. My favourite among them is AI Recompose, which smartly crops images and enhances them with filter suggestions that actually complement the original shot.
The only real drawback in this otherwise well-rounded software experience is the unavoidable presence of bloatware. Preinstalled apps like Vita Mahjong, Tile Park, and Tile Explorer add little value. Moreover, spam notifications are a nuisance to deal with and can become intrusive over time.
Display and Audio Quality
The AMOLED screen of the F31 Pro+ boasts all the qualities of a display designed for enjoying favourite series or movies. During my binge-watch of One Piece, I was delighted by how beautifully the display rendered the colourful scenes of this series, which were vibrant yet not overblown.
In fact, the live-action content, including the Ba**ds of Bollywood series, appeared rich in details. During intense close-up scenes, I could clearly make out the texture and fine details on the actors’ faces, which added a layer of realism to the visuals.
Whether I was lying down or sitting upright while watching movies, the colours and details remained consistent, thanks to the display’s impressively wide viewing angles.
Regarding brightness, I encountered no issues checking the viewfinder outdoors in broad daylight because the screen could become quite luminous during those moments.
- Size: 6.8-inch
- Type: AMOLED
- Resolution: 1280×2800 pixels
- Refresh Rate: 120Hz
- Display Protection: AGC DT-Star D+
- Peak Brightness
- Claimed: 1600 nits
- Tested: 1803 nits
Conversely, the stereo speakers are equally remarkable in quality as the display. They get loud and reproduce nearly every instrument with clarity and precision. That said, bass lovers may have to settle for less here.
Battery and Charging
The F31 Pro+, with its 7.7 mm-thick chassis, cleverly conceals the fact that it houses a 7,000mAh battery inside. It is an impressive feat, as only a handful of brands have managed to achieve this sleek design while accommodating a battery of this size.
Looking at its results in our PCMark Battery test, it holds up well against other smartphones in its category.
During my use, my average screen-on time hovered around eight hours, which aligns with a full day of moderate usage. For context, my moderate usage involves scrolling through memes on Instagram, watching a few 30-minute YouTube videos, and playing a bit of battle royale games. Even with this mix of tasks, I didn’t notice any unusual battery drain, particularly during gaming. It frequently consumed only around three per cent of the battery after an hour-long gaming session, which is quite efficient for its class.
Speaking of charging, it took me an hour to fully recharge its battery using the 80W charger included in the box.
Camera
The F31 Pro+ features a single, genuinely capable 50-megapixel primary camera, accompanied by a secondary monochrome sensor that plays a supporting role.
Despite this seemingly modest setup, the phone consistently produced pleasing photos in most situations, which I’ll delve into further below.
| Cameras | Specifications |
| Primary camera | 50-megapixel, f/1.8 (OIS) |
| Secondary camera | 2-megapixel, monochrome, f/2.4 |
| Selfie camera | 32-megapixel, f/2.4 |
| Video capabilities | Up to 4K at 30fps for the primary and front cameras |
Whether it’s the jovial clown or the distinctive presence of Mr. Dogest Kumar, the camera captures every subject with great clarity in broad daylight. Colour accuracy is mostly on point, and dynamic range is well-balanced, maintaining good detail in both shadows and highlights.
Subject detection in portrait shots is effective, but background separation can be inconsistent. The camera generally preserves natural skin tones well, though it occasionally blurs finer elements like earlobes or hair strands more than necessary. This issue isn’t tied to any specific lighting condition.
In low light, the camera still delivers detailed images with accurate colours as long as there’s sufficient illumination. When the light drops, however, it tends to smooth out facial details and surface textures.
The front camera produces appealing selfies with lifelike skin tones under bright lighting. In dimmer environments, though, it softens facial details and loses some of its natural sharpness.
Verdict
The OPPO F31 Pro+ proves that a rugged phone can still be enjoyable. Its vibrant display, loud stereo speakers, and smooth day-to-day performance make it a reliable daily companion. In addition, the 7,000mAh battery lasts long on moderate usage. However, all that shine fades a bit on the F31 Pro+ where it matters. Its camera produces crisp images with accurate colours in daylight, but low-light shots lose detail and textures. While the software is snappy, smooth, and has numerous features, persistent spam notifications are annoying.
At Rs 32,999, it faces stiff competition from the likes of the OnePlus Nord 5, the POCO F7, and the Realme 15 Pro. While the OnePlus Nord 5 and the POCO F7 are configured to deliver unbridled performance, the Realme 15 Pro offers a versatile camera setup with an extraordinary battery life as a bonus.
A modest price cut, however, could position the F31 Pro+ as a more compelling, all-rounder, marrying durability with practical performance.
