OPPO Malaysia is set to officially release its much-awaited R7 series smartphone in Malaysia on 7 July (very auspicious ‘double seven’). Announced last month in Beijing, the 5-inch OPPO R7 and bigger 6-inch OPPO R7 Plus feature some exquisite craftsmanship and mighty hardware including 64-bit processing power and impressive camera optics.
To recap, the R7 and R7 Plus comes in a metallic unibody exterior with chamfered sides. The front is covered with 2.5D glass, giving it a seamless curved look. The R7 weights in at 147g and measures just 6.3mm thin. Meanwhile, the R7 Plus is heftier at 203g and measures 7.75mm.
The R7 gets a 5.2-inch Full HD AMOLED display (445PPI) while its bigger sibling gets a 6-inch Full HD AMOLED.
Both are powered by the 64-bit octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 processor, the same chip that powers the mid-range OPPO R1x. Mated to the able chip is 3GB RAM. Storage wise, the R7 and R7 Plus is equipped with 16GB and 32GB respectively.
OPPO is certainly putting plenty of weight behind the new cameras on the R7 range. The 13MP main camera packs an f/2.2 Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens, coupled with a Samsung ISOCELL CMOS image sensor. The ISOCELL CMOS sensor is a RGBW sensor that delivers 78% less noise and 32% better light compared to conventional image sensors.
There’s also a fancy Flash Shot feature that combines a new dual-drive hybrid focus system — a standard Contrast Detection Auto-focus (AF) and new Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF). Expect super fast focusing and shooting speeds that are 30% faster compared to other smartphones.
Battery-wise, a 2,320mAh and 4,100mAh battery unit with VOOC powers the R7 and R7 Plus respectively.
Pricing and availability
The OPPO R7 is priced at RMB2,499 (US$400) while the R7 Plus retails at RMB2,999 (US$480) and available in China.
In Malaysia however, it is speculated that the R7 will not be available here. Instead, only the R7 Plus and R7 Lite will reach consumer hands. How true is this? We’ll find out on Tuesday.
