The mint with the hole –that’s the first analogy that springs to mind when you unbox the Oppo F21 Pro. It is in many ways as refreshing as Polo. Both literally and figuratively. This new phone has a neat little party trick called the orbit ring around one of its camera lenses on the back that Oppo seems to be highlighting big time. It’s one of its big USPs, so to say. The rest of the package, too, is very attractive to look at. The phone comes in two very distinct colourways—sunset orange and cosmic black—that should keep Oppo’s young target audience satisfied, across the spectrum. Oppo F21 Pro price in India is set at Rs 22,999 for a version with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. So technically, it’s a borderline budget phone also in a way considering how the market average selling price (ASP) has been going up lately—which is another pleasant surprise.

You don’t have to spend a pretty penny to get a good-looking premium phone, today. Almost every brand has mastered the art of moulding plastic/glass/metal into something nice and gorgeous. But at the same time, Apple’s influences on smartphone design, remain as firm and consistent, today, as they were yesterday. The flurry of flat-edged phones we see in the market, off late, is no coincidence. That’s not a bad thing at all, though. If it were, these phones wouldn’t be flying off the shelves and brands would just stop doing it.

But that inspiration also comes at a price. Most of the phones, especially ones that don’t cost a premium, have started to look all the same. It’s a challenge to make something new every time, without getting boring or repetitive. That’s a conversation the F21 Pro, probably, doesn’t have to get into because for now at least, Oppo has its work cut out. Taking the same “flat-edge” as base, it has managed to build something new and refreshing and also, somehow, managed to keep the pricing low. For a phone that costs under Rs 25,000, the F21 Pro comes as an instant attention grabber. It’s, as Oppo says, flaunt worthy.

The phone’s sunset orange variant uses a “fibreglass-leather” backplate that is said to be both waterproof and “heavily wear-resistant.” There is no official IP rating, though. The material has a plush feel while at the same time it ensures the phone is thin, light, and durable. We have the relatively more restrained –but sophisticated—cosmic black, which is glossy but at the same time, has a matte finish that’s said to be “fingerprint- and stain-resistant.” The F21 Pro is beautiful to look at and feels polished in the hands regardless of the colour. It is all plastic, but it’s built well without any lose ends.

The specs, also, are likeable.  

On the front, you get a 6.4-inch 1080p AMOLED display with a 90Hz refresh rate and hole punch cut-out. This houses a 32MP selfie camera. Oppo is using the same Sony IMX709 sensor here as the Reno 7 Pro. Biometrics are handled by an in-screen fingerprint reader. The panel is certified to play HDR content on Amazon Prime, only.

For photography, the phone has three cameras on the back— a 64MP main, 2MP portrait, and another 2MP micro-lens camera.

Software is ColorOS 12.1 based on Android 12. Fuelling the package is a 4,500mAh battery with 33W fast charging.

It’s all good so far. That is not say that there is no catch. The F21 Pro has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 680, and while that in itself isn’t a big con, it becomes a thing to at least ponder over when you get the same chip in a phone called the Oppo K10 that cost as little as Rs 14,990. That hardware choice then becomes a little questionable especially when the rest of the phone seems well balanced mostly. We will have more to say about the F21 Pro’s all-round performance in our full review.

Oppo F21 Pro first impressions

There’s no denying that the F21 Pro’s main appeal lies in its look and feel. The spec-sheet is also decent for the price. There are a few omissions like there is no ingress protection or stereo speakers. The underlying chip, too, makes the F21 Pro seem little out of place amid burgeoning competition. But none of this would be a deal breaker if it can play the balancing act well. Those gorgeous looks would then be an icing on the cake. Oppo is also launching the F21 Pro with 5G alongside for Rs 26,999. Watch this space for our full review of the Oppo F21 Pro.    

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