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MagyarOppo A74 smartphone review: Potential Galaxy A killer?
Inexpensive, but well-equipped mid-range smartphones with a large battery, a good camera, and an OLED display: Features like these have been the hallmarks of Samsung's Galaxy A series in particular so far. Oppo intends to change that now and has launched a competitor model in the form of the A74. The A74 ditches the IPS panel of its A73 predecessor and is now using the same hardware winning formula as the Galaxy A series.
The 6.43-inch Oppo A74 costs 249 Euros (~$304) and offers quite a bit in exchange, at least on paper: It has a 2400x1080 pixel AMOLED panel with a 60 Hz refresh rate that is supposed to achieve up to 800 cd/m²; it also features a 48 MP camera and a 5,000 mAh battery. In addition, there's the Snapdragon 662, 6 GB of RAM, and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage.
Our review will reveal whether Oppo has managed to release a full-fledged alternative to the Galaxy A smartphones with the A74.
Possible contenders in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Drive | Size | Resolution | Best Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78.9 % | 06/2021 | Oppo A74 SD 662, Adreno 610 | 175 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.43" | 2400x1080 | |
| 83.6 % | 09/2020 | Google Pixel 4a SD 730G, Adreno 618 | 143 g | 128 GB UFS 2.0 Flash | 5.80" | 2340x1080 | |
| 77.6 % | 04/2021 | Motorola Moto G30 SD 662, Adreno 610 | 197 g | 128 GB eMMC Flash | 6.50" | 1600x720 | |
| 81.7 % | 05/2021 | Realme 8 Helio G95, Mali-G76 MP4 | 177 g | 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.40" | 2400x1080 | |
| 82.8 % | 05/2021 | Samsung Galaxy A52 SD 720G, Adreno 618 | 189 g | 256 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | 6.50" | 2400x1080 | |
| 81.8 % | 10/2020 | Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC SD 732G, Adreno 618 | 215 g | 64 GB UFS 2.0 Flash | 6.67" | 2400x1080 |
Case - With a thickness of 8 millimeters and Gorilla Glass 5
At 6.43-inches, the Oppo A74 falls into the category of average-sized smartphones, but it's comfortably light for its form factor at 175 grams, and it also feels good in the hand thanks to its rounded corners and edges. Even when applying a lot of force, the sturdy chassis can hardly be twisted or dented. The physical buttons leave a good impression as well with their crisp pressure point. The A74 has an IPX4 certification and is consequently protected against splashing water.
The glossy plastic back cover doesn't feel particularly high-quality, but it looks especially stylish in the "Midnight Blue" color variant because it has a color gradient that goes from dark blue to light blue and shimmers differently depending on the light's incidence angle. The A74 is also available in the "Prism Black" color variant.
The AMOLED display, which is protected by Gorilla Glass 5, and its integrated fingerprint sensor are covered by a protective film that is easily noticeable to the fingers along the edges, making the transition between the display and the case feel a bit rough. The selfie camera with the punch-hole design is discretely located in the upper left corner of the display. The triple-camera setup at the back protrudes another 2 millimeters from the chassis that has an approximate thickness of 8 millimeters. For this reason, it's recommended to put the smartphone in the included protective case, so that it doesn't rock back and forth on the table.
Connectivity - Real dual SIM and 128 GB of UFS 2.1 storage
The Oppo A74 offers real dual SIM, meaning that it can hold two (nano) SIM cards at the same time as a microSD card. 5G is only available in the more expensive Oppo A74 5G sibling model.
The USB port works at USB 2.0 speeds and supports USB OTG. A 3.5 mm audio jack is also on board, the Camera2 API complies with Level 3, and the A74 can also reproduce streaming content in HD quality thanks to the support of DRM Widevine L1.
microSD card reader
The Oppo A74 achieves fast sequential data transfers with our Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 reference memory card. The speed for copying data is also solid, but it's slightly slower than that of the Samsung Galaxy A52.
| SD Card Reader - average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501) | |
| Oppo A74 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501) | |
Cross Platform Disk Test (CPDT)
Software - Android 11 and ColorOS 11.1 for the Oppo A74
Oppo equips its smartphone with Android 11 and the ColorOS 11.1 user interface. At the time of testing (end of May), the Android security patches were at the level of April 2021 and consequently still quite up to date.
Approximately 107 GB is available out of the 128 GB of storage space. Besides Google apps and a handful of system tools, Facebook and Netflix are preinstalled, and Netflix can't be deleted.
You can expand the internal storage space via a microSD card that can have a capacity of up to 256 GB. It can be used to store photos and other media data. However, app data can't be stored on it.
Communication and GNSS - 4G, Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0, but no NFC
The Oppo A74 can connect to GSM, 3G, and LTE networks. However, the frequency coverage for 3G (bands 1, 5, 8) and 4G (bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41) isn't that great. But at least in the EU region, there usually shouldn't be any reception problems when signal is available. Within close ranges, the A74 communicates via Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi 5. NFC is not supported.
With our Netgear Nighthawk AX12 reference router, Oppo's smartphone delivers relatively stable transfer rates that are, however, only below average overall. The A74 reaches a maximum speed of 276 Mb/s, which is only enough for the last place among the comparison devices. Nevertheless, the main competitor Samsung doesn't stand out here either, since the Galaxy A52 is hardly any faster.
| Networking | |
| iperf3 transmit AX12 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC | |
| Google Pixel 4a | |
| Realme 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Motorola Moto G30 | |
| Oppo A74 | |
| iperf3 receive AX12 | |
| Google Pixel 4a | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC | |
| Average of class Smartphone (last 2 years) | |
| Realme 8 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Motorola Moto G30 | |
| Oppo A74 | |
GPS, BeiDou, GLONASS, and Galileo are the satellite navigation systems supported by the A74. In the test, it takes a while for the smartphone to pick up the signal indoors, but it then determines its position with an accuracy of up to 3 meters just like it does outdoors.
The accuracy of the GPS is decent in everyday use. The Oppo A74 determined our location quite accurately on a 10-kilometer bike ride, but it showed outliers along the way just like the professional navigation device Garmin Edge 500 that was taken along for a direct comparison.
Telephone and call quality - A74 with VoLTE and VoWiFi
The Oppo A74 allows simultaneous 4G connections for two SIM cards. Both SIM slots support VoLTE and VoWiFi and transfer data at maximum speeds of 4G.
The A74 delivers good call quality in the test. Although voices sound a bit thin over the mono speaker even in hands-free mode, they're still transmitted quite clearly and intelligibly.
Cameras - Surprisingly good triple-camera setup with EIS
The Oppo A74 features a triple-camera setup with an LED flash that consists of a 48 MP main camera with autofocus (f/1.7), a 2 MP macro camera (f/2.4), and a 2 MP camera for depth effects (f/2.4). The manufacturer chose not to include a wide-angle lens or an optical zoom. This leaves the 10x digital zoom, but photos taken with it don't really look good. The 16 MP selfie camera delivers solid quality for portrait photos and video calls.
When the ambient light is bright enough, the Oppo A74's main camera takes good pictures with many details and vivid contrasts. However, the photos are blurry and noisy at the edges at times. Furthermore, the camera software often overdoes it in terms of colors when HDR mode is enabled, which results in over-saturated pictures that no longer look very realistic. The camera is only able to handle low ambient light to a limited extent, but it reproduces the test subject in a way in which it's still quite recognizable.
The main camera and the selfie camera each record videos in 1080p at 30 frames per second. Quality is decent, but the audio is quite thin. Electronic image stabilization (EIS) supports the main camera when videos are recorded.
Image Comparison
Choose a scene and navigate within the first image. One click changes the position on touchscreens. One click on the zoomed-in image opens the original in a new window. The first image shows the scaled photograph of the test device.
Daylight-Scene 1Daylight-Scene 25x zoomLow-light photo
Under controlled lighting conditions, the Oppo A74 tends to capture colors a bit too brightly. The camera can reproduce the test chart with a lot of details, but contrast decreases significantly towards the sides and lower corners in particular.
Accessories and warranty - 33-watt power adapter, protective case, and headphones
Oppo includes some accessories with the A74. The box contains the smartphone, a 33-watt power adapter, a USB cable, a SIM tool, a transparent protective case, headphones, a quick-start guide, and warranty information.
The Oppo A74 comes with a 24-month warranty.
Input devices and handling - Some patience is required
The Snapdragon 662 installed in the A74 is sufficient for everyday tasks, but it also results in sluggish performance. Unless you're navigating through menus or typing text, you have to factor in a short waiting time for almost every other action. Switching between several apps is sometimes a real challenge for the smartphone - it can get quite slow here.
On the other hand, the biometric authentication methods work really fast. The fingerprint sensor and face recognition unlock the smartphone reliably and almost without delays.
All in all, however, the A74 is not a device for impatient users. Those who are used to a much smoother experience with other smartphones will probably be unhappy with the Oppo smartphone in the long run.
Display - 60 Hz AMOLED panel with almost 800 cd/m² of brightness
One of the highlights of the Oppo A74 is its AMOLED display, a feature that is still rare in the price range of up to 250 Euros (~$305). In contrast, the 20:9 resolution of 2400x1080 pixels (Full HD+) is not particularly special, but it helps the smartphone achieve its high pixel density of 409 PPI and consequently a very sharp image. The AMOLED display can't run at over 60 Hz.
Oppo specifies the brightness of its display at up to 800 cd/m², and it almost reaches it with 781 cd/m² on evenly distributed bright and dark areas (APL50 measurement). The display achieves an average of 605.9 cd/m² with a pure white background and is consequently in good company, since all comparison devices have very similar brightness values with the exception of the Motorola Moto G30. The A74 still manages a maximum of 419 cd/m² when the brightness sensor is disabled. Moreover, the lowest brightness setting reduces the luminance to 1.87 cd/m².
The AMOLED display relies on PWM for brightness control. PWM flickering ranges from 130.2 to 240.4 Hz up to a display brightness of 18%, and from 231.1 to 250 Hz up to a brightness of 49%. Sensitive users might find this bothersome.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 606 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.3 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Calman 2D)
Gamma: 2.31
| Oppo A74 AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.43 | Google Pixel 4a OLED, 2340x1080, 5.80 | Motorola Moto G30 LCD IPS, 1600x720, 6.50 | Realme 8 Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.40 | Samsung Galaxy A52 Super AMOLED, 2400x1080, 6.50 | Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC IPS, 2400x1080, 6.67 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 39% | -16% | 6% | 19% | 12% | |
| Brightness middle | 606 | 705 16% | 284 -53% | 590 -3% | 694 15% | 623 3% |
| Brightness | 606 | 707 17% | 263 -57% | 607 0% | 696 15% | 600 -1% |
| Brightness Distribution | 98 | 96 -2% | 83 -15% | 92 -6% | 98 0% | 93 -5% |
| Black Level * | 0.34 | 0.54 | ||||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 3.6 | 0.9 75% | 2.92 19% | 2.64 27% | 2 44% | 1.8 50% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 6.2 | 1.9 69% | 5.06 18% | 6.85 -10% | 6.7 -8% | 4.7 24% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 3.3 | 1.3 61% | 3.6 -9% | 2.4 27% | 1.7 48% | 3.3 -0% |
| Gamma | 2.31 95% | 2.26 97% | 2.307 95% | 2.265 97% | 2.1 105% | 2.26 97% |
| CCT | 6704 97% | 6576 99% | 6780 96% | 6913 94% | 6440 101% | 6712 97% |
| Contrast | 835 | 1154 |
* ... smaller is better
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 240.4 Hz | ≤ 18 % brightness setting |  |
The display backlight flickers at 240.4 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 18 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting. The frequency of 240.4 Hz is relatively low, so sensitive users will likely notice flickering and experience eyestrain at the stated brightness setting and below. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17933 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured. | |||
The image reproduction of the A74 can be adjusted using the "Vivid" (preset) and "Mild" color modes. The former covers the DCI-P3 color space, and the latter the smaller sRGB color space. In addition, the color temperature can be adjusted in the three levels: "Colder", "Standard", and "Warmer".
The best picture quality is achieved with the "Vivid" color mode and the "Warmer" color temperature. In this case, the deviations in colors and grayscales aren't quite optimal with a Delta E value above 3, respectively, but they are precise enough for everyday use.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 11 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 4.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 2.4 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 2.4 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 11 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (33.8 ms). | ||
Due to its high display brightness, the Oppo A74 performs well outdoors. Despite peak values of almost 800 cd/m², it's sometimes difficult to make out the contents of the screen in sunlight. Such problems don't occur in the shade.
Viewing-angle stability is very good. Slight color shifts towards greenish or bluish tones can appear from flat viewing angles, but this is normal for an AMOLED panel and doesn't affect readability.
Performance - More SoC power wouldn't have hurt the A74
The Snapdragon 662 octa-core SoC and its Adreno 610 graphics chip belong to the lower mid-range in terms of performance. The SoC does a decent job in everyday use. However, the performance of the A74 is only moderate in terms of benchmarks, even by mid-range standards.
In the synthetic benchmarks, both the A74 and the Motorola Moto G30, which is also powered by the Snapdragon 662, are at the bottom of the list. The same result is also observed in the browser tests. As a result, users will have to put up with a few stutters when browsing the web as well as when opening websites, since they take a bit longer to load completely at times.
| GFXBench 3.1 | |
| on screen Manhattan ES 3.1 Onscreen (sort by value) | |
| Oppo A74 | |
| Google Pixel 4a | |
| Motorola Moto G30 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (11 - 26, n=10) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (3.7 - 158, n=184, last 2 years) | |
| 1920x1080 Manhattan ES 3.1 Offscreen (sort by value) | |
| Oppo A74 | |
| Google Pixel 4a | |
| Motorola Moto G30 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (13 - 14, n=10) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (6.2 - 279, n=184, last 2 years) | |
| AnTuTu v8 - Total Score (sort by value) | |
| Oppo A74 | |
| Google Pixel 4a | |
| Motorola Moto G30 | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (167471 - 185542, n=9) | |
| Jetstream 2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (13.8 - 351, n=172, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Chrome 85) | |
| Google Pixel 4a (Chrome 85) | |
| Oppo A74 (Chrome 91.0.4472.77) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (30.4 - 32.4, n=10) | |
| Motorola Moto G30 (Chrome89) | |
| JetStream 1.1 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Chrome 85) | |
| Google Pixel 4a (Chrome 85) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (47.8 - 53.7, n=9) | |
| Motorola Moto G30 (Chrome89) | |
| Oppo A74 (Chrome 91.0.4472.77) | |
| Speedometer 2.0 - Result | |
| Average of class Smartphone (14.9 - 445, n=157, last 2 years) | |
| Google Pixel 4a (Chrome 85) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Chrome 85) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (26.5 - 29.3, n=9) | |
| Motorola Moto G30 (Chrome89) | |
| Oppo A74 (Chrome 91.0.4472.77) | |
| WebXPRT 3 - Overall | |
| Average of class Smartphone (39 - 304, n=122, last 2 years) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Chrome 85) | |
| Google Pixel 4a (Chrome 85) | |
| Oppo A74 (Chrome 91.0.4472.77) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (51 - 59, n=11) | |
| Motorola Moto G30 (Chrome89) | |
| Octane V2 - Total Score | |
| Average of class Smartphone (4633 - 89112, n=210, last 2 years) | |
| Google Pixel 4a (Chrome 85) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Chrome 85) | |
| Motorola Moto G30 (Chrome89) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (8893 - 10247, n=14) | |
| Oppo A74 (Chrome 91.0.4472.77) | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total | |
| Motorola Moto G30 (Chrome89) | |
| Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 (3779 - 4650, n=11) | |
| Oppo A74 (Chrome 91.0.4472.77) | |
| Google Pixel 4a (Chrome 85) | |
| Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC (Chrome 85) | |
| Samsung Galaxy A52 (Chrome 90) | |
| Average of class Smartphone (388 - 9999, n=172, last 2 years) | |
* ... smaller is better
According to Oppo, the A74 uses UFS 2.1 storage. However, the storage speed was a bit too low for this in the test, which is presumably due to the SoC's memory controller that isn't particularly fast.
| Oppo A74 | Google Pixel 4a | Motorola Moto G30 | Realme 8 | Samsung Galaxy A52 | Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC | Average 128 GB UFS 2.1 Flash | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AndroBench 3-5 | 15% | -24% | -4% | 1% | -14% | 20% | 180% | |
| Sequential Read 256KB | 515 | 502 -3% | 214.5 -58% | 526 2% | 511 -1% | 506 -2% | 760 ? 48% | 1505 ? 192% |
| Sequential Write 256KB | 255.3 | 246.8 -3% | 190.2 -25% | 187.8 -26% | 267.1 5% | 173.1 -32% | 297 ? 16% | 1112 ? 336% |
| Random Read 4KB | 139.4 | 162.9 17% | 247.4 77% | 144 3% | 135.5 -3% | 123.4 -11% | 152.9 ? 10% | 247 ? 77% |
| Random Write 4KB | 126.4 | 187.4 48% | 12.2 -90% | 133 5% | 127.3 1% | 112.6 -11% | 131.6 ? 4% | 271 ? 114% |
Games - Only run with limitations
Even though the Oppo A74 is only equipped with a comparatively weak SoC, its performance is easily sufficient to run games smoothly. However, you often have to turn down the graphics details so as not to spoil the gaming experience.
PUBG Mobile does this automatically, because it doesn't allow you to select the "HD" setting, but it allows up to the second-lowest preset, "Balanced", instead. With that, PUBG Mobile runs at an almost constant 25 FPS, so it remains very playable. The A74 reaches its limits in the graphically simple Armajet, even if you can't notice that in the game. 60 frames per second would be possible, but only around 45 FPS is reached on average.
We determine the FPS rates with the Gamebench tool.
Emissions - Full performance always accessible
Temperature
The Oppo A74 doesn't have any thermal issues during use because the smartphone only warms up to a maximum of 34.8 °C (~95 °F) even under continuous load. As the GFXBench battery tests and the 3DMark Wild Life stress test show, the Snapdragon 662 can also access its full performance at any time, which means that throttling doesn't occur.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 34.8 °C / 95 F, compared to the average of 35 °C / 95 F, ranging from 21.9 to 56 °C for the class Smartphone.
(+) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 34 °C / 93 F, compared to the average of 33.8 °C / 93 F
(±) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 32.1 °C / 90 F, compared to the device average of 32.7 °C / 91 F.
Speaker
The Oppo A74's mono speaker is located next to the USB-C port and delivers a passable audio, but it's clearly optimized for high tones. On the other hand, bass is almost absent, which is why the overall sound is a bit thin.
Sound is okay for the occasional music or video reproduction. However, users will be better off with a headset in the long run. These can be connected to the A74 via the 3.5 mm audio jack or via Bluetooth 5.0. The SBC, AAC, and aptX Bluetooth audio codecs are supported.
Oppo A74 audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (89.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 28.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.7% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 90% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 24% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 69% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Google Pixel 4a audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (86 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5% higher than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (15.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 2% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 97% worse
» The best had a delta of 12%, average was 38%, worst was 134%
Compared to all devices tested
» 17% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 79% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%
Battery life - 5,000 mAh battery with fast charging
Energy consumption
The Oppo A74 doesn't show any issues in terms of power consumption, even though it requires a bit more energy under load than most comparison devices.
The 5,000 mAh battery is charged using the included 33-watt power adapter, and the charging process is quite fast. In the test, it takes around 1 hour for the battery level to go from 0% to 80%. The smartphone was fully charged after 1:26 hours.
The A74 does not support wireless charging.
| Off / Standby |   0.01 / 0.19 Watt |
| Idle |  0.62 / 1.59 / 1.63 Watt |
| Load |
4.05 / 5.2 Watt |
    
| |
| Oppo A74 5000 mAh | Google Pixel 4a 3140 mAh | Motorola Moto G30 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC 5160 mAh | Average Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 | Average of class Smartphone | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | 24% | -29% | -5% | -46% | -44% | -27% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 0.62 | 0.49 21% | 0.8 -29% | 0.88 -42% | 0.93 -50% | 0.846 ? -36% | 0.897 ? -45% |
| Idle Average * | 1.59 | 0.96 40% | 1.5 6% | 1.8 -13% | 2.47 -55% | 2.51 ? -58% | 1.452 ? 9% |
| Idle Maximum * | 1.63 | 1 39% | 1.8 -10% | 1.84 -13% | 2.51 -54% | 2.72 ? -67% | 1.629 ? -0% |
| Load Average * | 4.05 | 3.11 23% | 6.1 -51% | 2.65 35% | 5.62 -39% | 4.99 ? -23% | 5.55 ? -37% |
| Load Maximum * | 5.2 | 5.23 -1% | 8.4 -62% | 4.86 7% | 6.93 -33% | 7.16 ? -38% | 8.31 ? -60% |
* ... smaller is better
Battery life
The Oppo A74 achieves very long runtimes with its 5,000 mAh battery. It manages over 16 hours during simulated web browsing and even almost 20 hours during video playback. In comparison, the Samsung Galaxy A52 and the Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC achieve very similar battery life.
| Oppo A74 5000 mAh | Google Pixel 4a 3140 mAh | Motorola Moto G30 5000 mAh | Realme 8 5000 mAh | Samsung Galaxy A52 4500 mAh | Xiaomi Poco X3 NFC 5160 mAh | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | -19% | -2% | 6% | -12% | 2% | |
| Reader / Idle | 2386 | 2270 -5% | 2336 -2% | 2093 -12% | 2427 2% | |
| H.264 | 1179 | 1045 -11% | 1349 14% | 1027 -13% | 1188 1% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 982 | 669 -32% | 1069 9% | 1039 6% | 836 -15% | 1116 14% |
| Load | 314 | 225 -28% | 219 -30% | 289 -8% | 280 -11% |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - Good mid-range smartphone with performance weaknesses
The Oppo A74 is a good mid-range smartphone that delivers as promised in terms of battery, camera, and display. The 5,000 mAh battery guarantees very long runtimes, the 48 MP camera takes good pictures in daylight, and such a bright and high-quality AMOLED display is rarely seen in this price range.
However, the Oppo A74 doesn't do itself any favors with its slow Snapdragon 662 SoC. Its performance is sufficient for everyday use, but it responds quite sluggishly at times. In addition, the Snapdragon 662 hardly offers any performance reserves for future apps, because it's practically already working at full capacity.
The Oppo A74 mid-range smartphone convinces in terms of battery, camera, and display, but it puts obstacles in its own way with its slow SoC and lack of NFC.
We would've liked to see a wide-angle camera in a smartphone that costs around 250 Euros (~$305), because it has almost become standard now even in the mid-range as the competition shows. The A74 also lacks NFC, which is why mobile payments are regrettably not possible.
If the Oppo A74 were at least 50 Euros (~$61) cheaper, we would give it a definite purchase recommendation. However, the same SoC power is also available in the Xiaomi Poco M3, which only has an IPS display but is available for less than 150 Euros (~$183) and even has a bigger battery. At the time of writing, some good and cheaper AMOLED alternatives to the Oppo A74 are, for example, the realme 8, the Samsung Galaxy A31, and the Xiaomi Redmi Note 10.
Price and availability
If you're in the United Stated, you can currently find the Oppo A74 on Amazon for $409. In the UK, you'll find it on Amazon UK for around £249 (~$353).
Oppo A74
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08/31/2022 v7
Manuel Masiero
Pricecompare
