OPPO R7 and R7 Plus launch: specs, features, and availability

One of the few Chinese mobile companies that attained international notoriety, Oppo has made a name for itself thanks to innovative designs and top hardware. From its first products, MP3 players and Blu-Ray units, OPPO transitioned to creating smartphones like the Find 5 and Find 7, N1 and N3, and the crazy-thin OPPO R5.

Now the phone maker is celebrating its ten-year anniversary with the launch of the OPPO R7 and R7 Max, a duo of sleek phones featuring metallic designs and solid specifications.

While OPPO revealed the R7 and R7 Plus a few days ago in a set of official renders and a TV commercial, it’s only today that the specs and features of the two devices are fully revealed. Our Darcy LaCouvee and Josh Vergara are in Beijing for the launch event and they will soon bring you their hands-on impressions and comparisons with top competitors. For now, let’s take a look at what we know so far about the OPPO R7 and OPPO R7 Plus.

Design and build

Both the R7 and the R7 Plus feature metallic unibody constructions with chamfered sides and sculpted profiles that OPPO compared to the smooth curves of a violin. The front is covered by 2.5D glass, and the metallic back features similar curved edges, which should make for a nice feel in hand.

The smaller R7 features physical capacitive keys for back, home, and menu, just like the Find 7, while the 6-inch R7 Plus adopts on-screen navigation keys like on stock Android.

Specifications and features

The OPPO R7 is considered a “super mid-range” offering, while the R7 Plus goes a bit more upscale. The smaller device features a 5-inch 1080p display, while the Plus goes all the way up to 6 inches 1080p. Both devices feature Snapdragon 615 64-bit processors, with 3GB of RAM. The R7 Plus packs 32GB of storage, expandable by up to 128GB via microSD, while the R7 comes with 16GB of storage.

Here are the specs for the OPPO R7 and R7 Plus:

The R7 Plus packs a massive 4,100 mAh battery, which coupled with OPPO’s VOOC fast charging technology should ensure that it will stay up for days and days.

The R7 Plus also features a fingerprint sensor on its back; this appears to be a touch-based sensor, so you won’t have to swipe across it like on some older devices.

OPPO is very excited about the R7 and R7 Plus’ cameras. The new 13MP RGBW-type sensor can take images that are 32% brighter and with 78% less noise; features include Flash Shot, laser-assisted Phase Detection Autofocus, and Anti-shake.

Software

The OPPO R7 and R7 Plus are running Color OS 2.1. Fourteen months in the making, the operating system is smoother than ever, claims OPPO, with fewer instances of lag and freezes. Optimization is also visible in the boot time, which OPPO brought down to 18 seconds, from the previous 33. OPPO was keen to compare this figure to the higher boot times of stock Android, Xiaomi’s MIUI 6, and HUAWEI EMUI 3.

In terms of UI design, everything is a bit flatter and more modern looking, with fewer skeuomorphic elements like gleams and 3D effects. But overall, this is still distinctly Color OS; continuing the optimization theme, a number of unnecessary features have been pared down.

Confusingly, OPPO lists both the R7 and R7 Plus as running Color OS 2.1, but in the case of the R7 it’s supposedly based on Android 4.4 KitKat, while on the R7 Plus, it’s based on Lollipop.

Image gallery

Price and availability

The OPPO R7 will cost 2499 RMB, which translates to around $400, while the R7 Max will cost 2999 RMB or $480. Overall, these look like good prices for the specs, though international prices will likely be higher. Color options are silver and gold.

The OPPO R7 and R7 Plus will become available for preorder on JD.com and Oppostyle.com from today. The R7 will be released from June 15, while for the R7 Plus you will have to wait until August.

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OPPO Launches the OPPO R7 with Full Metal Unibody and Flash Shoot Technology

Beijing, May 20, 2015 – The eagerly awaited OPPO R7 smartphone has arrived, celebrating the 10th anniversary of technology and electronics company OPPO. With its exquisite design, flawless workmanship, and powerful performance, this dynamo device is the latest edition in the OPPO R series of smartphones and embodies the immaculate functionality we have come to expect from OPPO.

 An elegant full metal unibody

The OPPO R7 has been designed to fit perfectly in one’s hand. With its unibody design, the smartphone’s dimensions sit at 143 mm x 71 mm x 6.3 mm, whilst weighing just 148 grams, making it perfect for one-handed use. The OPPO R7’s magnesium-aluminum alloy unibody obtains its unblemished finish thanks to 48 polishing processes using the new anodizing technology. Painted with fine particles of zircon sand, the phone’s extremely smooth metallic surface delivers a luxurious feel. The unique external antenna design also enables the metallic body to act as the antenna for the entire phone, as 92.3% of the device is pure metal.

With a full metal unibody, the OPPO R7 is both clean and smooth in touch.

Besides the stunning metal composition, the R7 also boasts a superb exterior design. For the first time,OPPO has decided to use a 2.5D curved screen,which makes slidingyour finger much more natural than compared with using a flat plane. The rear of the R7 features the first “violin arc” design, while the entire phone has been created in accordance with OPPO’s dual line philosophy. This ensures elegant minimalism in appearance and natural comfort in the hand. With these two brand new features of the curved screen and “violin arc” design, the R7 truly encompasses both detail and elegance.

8-core 64-bit processor and 3GB RAM

With aQualcomm MSM8939 1.5GHz 8-core 64-bit processor, the OPPO R7 offers a strong performance while eating up minimal power. The phone is also the first among its kind to offer 3GB RAM, run multiple apps simultaneously, and increase app loading speed by up to 100%. It is further equipped with a 16GB ROM, giving 10GB of remaining memory space to the user. The smart design of the SIM2 slot allows for the nano-SIM card and also the microSD, enabling extensive support of up to 128GB.

The OPPO R7 features a 5-inch AMOLED screen with 1080p resolution (445 ppi), making vivid images a delight to explore. These specifications offer an optimal balance between visual impact and one-handed use.

A 5-inch AMOLED screen with 1080p resolution enables a vivid visual experience for users.

The OPPO R7 is also packed with a 2320 mAh polymer battery and the best charging solution available today, the VOOC flash charging system. This technology accumulates enough power for two hours of conversation after just five minutes of charging, and is capable of charging up to 75% of the battery in just 30 minutes. These features make the R7 perfect for people on the go, as even the shortest charging time can result in extensive phone use.

The VOOC Flash Charging system charges up the OPPO R7 at lightning speed.

Never miss a moment with Flash Shoot Technology

The OPPO R7 is equipped with a 13-megapixel rear camera based on ISOCELL image sensor technology and an 8-megapixel Golden Angle front camera. The device’s Schneider-Kreuznach certified lens offers the cultivated, uncompromising quality of German craftsmanship and represents the highest standard of lenses available for smartphone cameras.

Flash Shoot Technology enables the OPPO R7 to take clear photos quickly.

The Flash Shoot technology used exclusively for the OPPO R7 features the new dual-drive hybrid focus system, which includes the standard Contrast Detection Auto-focus (AF) and the new Phase Detection Auto Focus (PDAF). This ensures rapid launch, fast focus, and stable images.

The R7’s shooting speed is 30% faster than what is found in smartphones of the same class.The camera start-up alone needs just 0.7seconds. Its PDAF function is also equal to that of an SLR camera, with its focusing speed reaching up to an astounding 0.1 seconds. The R7 has further adopted an exclusive, anti-shake optimization algorithm to make photos as clear as possible.

Together with Pure Image 2.0+, the OPPO R7 is capable of taking Ultra-HD photos of up to 50-megapixels. In addition to features such as Beautification 3.0, Super GIF, and Fast Lens, the OPPO R7 is a smartphone dedicated to the art of photography.

Experience the new ColorOS 2.1

The OPPO R7 comes with the latest ColorOS 2.1 operating system, which has been improved to boost practicality and aesthetic value. This latest version of ColorOS seeks to be much more than just a visually pleasing experience – its goal is to help users organize and lead their lives with greater convenience.

With ColorOS 2.1, the OPPO R7 UI has been elevated to new heights of clarity and beauty.

Besides an improved operating system and appearance, ColorOS 2.1 comes with more fun and useful features. For example, the phone’s system can be automatically cleared when in sleep mode, while expanded gesture features make using the phone faster and more convenient. OPPO also offers its users a wide range of attentive customer service options, so that using an OPPO device means making your life easier and forever fun.

The OPPO R7 Plus hits the market at the same time

OPPO R7 Plus

Today, OPPO also announces the R7 Plus. In addition to the full metal unibody, 2.5D curved screen, VOOC rapid charging, and powerful hardware, the smartphone offers a 6-inch display screen, advanced laser focus features, and a larger capacity battery for a more charming and dynamic experience.

The OPPO R7 Promotional Video: http://tinyurl.com/mgzr3h7

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