OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Ignites the photographer within you

Updated on 21-Nov-2024
Digit Rating 7.7
Digit AI-Q Score
8.1
Build and Design
7.4
Features and Specifications
9.1
Performance
7
Value for Money
7.7
PROS:
  • Excellent cameras across the board
  • Good battery life, Wireless charging support
  • Sleek, durable design
  • Smooth performance
CONS:
  • Slightly slower optical fingerprint sensor
  • Limited Quick Button customisation
  • Display resolution slightly behind 2K competitors
VERDICT:

The OPPO Find X8 Pro is a testament to the company’s ability to innovate and refine. From its exceptional camera system to its enduring battery life and sleek design, the phone checks most of the boxes that flagship buyers look for. While it isn’t without its flaws—such as the slightly underwhelming fingerprint sensor and lower resolution display—it more than makes up for these shortcomings with its strengths.


It’s been a hot minute since OPPO dropped its flagship Find X series phones in India, but like we’re seeing with multiple other smartphone OEMS – 2024 is the year that changes. OPPO’s latest flagship, the OPPO Find X8 Pro, enters the premium smartphone market in India, giving Indian users a taste of OPPO’s latest and greatest smartphone innovations. The company has leveraged its expertise in imaging, battery innovation, and build quality to create a device that aims to set benchmarks.

From a groundbreaking quad-camera system with a dual periscope camera setup to a massive silicone-carbon battery and a sleek, durable design, the Find X8 Pro packs features that appeal to both tech enthusiasts and everyday users. While it offers plenty to admire, no device is without its flaws. So, let’s see if the OPPO Find X8 Pro can manage to dethrone its Snapdragon 8 Elite counterparts and the fastest phones from last year like the iQOO 12 (review), and if you should spend your hard-earned money on it.

Update: The OPPO Find X8 Pro is priced at ₹99,999 for the sole 16 + 512 GB variant.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Build and Design

The OPPO Find X8 Pro strikes a perfect balance between elegance and functionality. At just 8.2 mm thick, this flagship is among the sleekest on the market, offering a premium feel that is complemented by its refined design language. The quad-curved glass on both the front and back ensures a seamless ergonomic experience, making it comfortable to hold for extended periods. The curves blend into the aluminium frame, adding an aesthetic flair while maintaining a sturdy structure.

One of the most noticeable design changes compared to its predecessor is the camera module. OPPO has opted for a smaller, more compact camera island that minimises the wobble when the device is placed on flat surfaces.

Additionally, OPPO has introduced practical features like an alert slider and a Quick Button. The alert slider, reminiscent of the ones on old OnePlus devices, allows users to toggle between sound profiles quickly, while the Quick Button serves as a shortcut to the camera. However, this rather blatant Apple rip-off lacks customisation options, making it feel somewhat limited compared to its Apple counterpart.

Durability is another area where the Find X8 Pro shines. With IP68 and IP69 certifications, the device offers some of the best protection against dust and water available in a smartphone. The front panel is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 2, which ensures scratch resistance and added durability. That said, the optical fingerprint sensor is slightly slower than ultrasonic alternatives, a minor drawback in an otherwise robust build.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Display

The OPPO Find X8 Pro features a stunning 6.78-inch quad-curved LTPO AMOLED display with symmetrical slim bezels surrounding the screen, giving it a close-to-bezel-less appearance. With a peak brightness of 1568 nits as per our tests in High Brightness Mode, the display performs exceptionally well, even under direct sunlight.

OPPO’s ProXDR technology enhances the viewing experience by boosting highlights and delivering a more vibrant image, making HDR content look immersive. The panel supports 2160 Hz PWM dimming, which reduces flickering and eye strain during prolonged usage. This makes the phone an excellent choice for binge-watchers or those who use their phones extensively at night.

However, the 1.5K resolution, while impressive, falls short of the 2K displays found in some competing flagship smartphones. While the difference is subtle and won’t bother most users, those with a keen eye for detail might notice the slightly lower sharpness when reading text or inspecting intricate visuals. Nevertheless, the adaptive 120 Hz refresh rate ensures smooth scrolling and fluid animations, solidifying the Find X8 Pro’s position as one of the best in the market for multimedia consumption.

How good are the cameras?

When it comes to cameras, the OPPO Find X8 Pro doesn’t hold back. OPPO has pushed the envelope with its quad-camera system, which includes four 50 MP sensors, each meticulously calibrated to deliver professional-grade results. The lineup includes a 50 MP Sony LYT808 primary sensor, a 50 MP Sony LYT600 periscope telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, a 50 MP Sony IMX858 sensor offering 6x optical zoom and 120x digital zoom, and a 50 MP Samsung ultrawide shooter. The phone also features the HyperTone Image Engine that uses its AI chops to merge nine RAW frames to boost clarity and dynamic range.

This robust setup positions the Find X8 Pro as one of the most versatile and capable smartphones for photography. On the front, there’s a 32 MP Sony sensor for selfies, which performs decently but doesn’t quite match the innovation seen on the rear cameras.

One of the standout features of the Find X8 Pro is its dual periscope telephoto lenses. This is a globally unique implementation, made possible by OPPO’s advanced component-stacking technology. The 6x periscope lens, in particular, sets a new benchmark for smartphone photography. At extreme zoom levels, the phone’s AI algorithms work wonders, preserving clarity and detail even at 30x zoom. And while many smartphones start to falter at higher zoom levels, the Find X8 Pro remains impressive all the way up to its maximum 120x zoom.

Portrait photography is another area where the Find X8 Pro shines, thanks to its collaboration with Hasselblad. The partnership brings a level of refinement to the camera system, delivering portraits with excellent dynamic range and vibrant yet natural colour reproduction. Highlights and shadows are balanced beautifully, and skin tones look lifelike. However, there’s a slight drawback when it comes to edge detection. While the phone generally excels at separating subjects from backgrounds, it can sometimes struggle with complex edges, resulting in minor inconsistencies.

In low-light scenarios, the primary sensor is a star performer. Images captured in night mode display excellent detail retention and minimal noise, even in challenging lighting conditions. The ultrawide camera also holds its own in low light, though the edges of the frame can sometimes lose a bit of sharpness. Indoor photography under artificial lighting produces vibrant images with accurate colour reproduction, making it a reliable performer across a range of environments.

Master Mode, a feature designed for professional-level photography, adds another layer of versatility to the camera system. This mode enhances images to make them look polished and ready for social media or professional use. However, it’s not without its flaws. In low-light conditions, shadows can occasionally appear crushed, detracting from the overall quality of the image. To get the best results, it’s advisable to use Master Mode in well-lit environments.

On the video front, the Find X8 Pro impresses with its ability to shoot 4K footage at 60 fps using both the rear and front cameras. Video quality is excellent, with sharp details, accurate colours, and smooth stabilization. The phone also includes a range of creative tools for videographers, allowing for advanced adjustments and effects.

Overall, the OPPO Find X8 Pro’s camera system is one of the most comprehensive and high-performing setups on the market. With innovative hardware, clever AI enhancements, and a partnership with Hasselblad, this phone is a dream for anyone serious about mobile photography.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Performance, AI and Software

The OPPO Find X8 Pro is the first phone in India to feature MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400 chipset, a processor that made waves with its rumoured 3 million+ AnTuTu score claim before launch. However, real-world benchmarks told a slightly different story. In our tests, the Find X8 Pro achieved a score of 2.2 million on AnTuTu, a modest 6.32% improvement over last year’s iQOO 12 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. However, it significantly trailed the Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered phone we tested alongside it, with a gap of 20.77% in raw performance metrics.

Geekbench scores further highlighted the Dimensity 9400’s limitations in peak performance. The Find X8 Pro’s single-core score lagged behind even last year’s flagships, such as the Xiaomi 14 and iQOO 12, while the multi-core performance offered only incremental improvements. However, where the Dimensity 9400 truly shines is in sustained performance. In our CPU throttling test, the Find X8 Pro demonstrated significantly less throttling than the Snapdragon 8 Elite phone. Not only did it maintain a higher average score, but it also achieved a better maximum score, indicating that this chipset is built for consistent performance during prolonged tasks.

This makes the Find X8 Pro a compelling option for users who prioritise consistent performance over peak numbers, especially for tasks like gaming and multitasking. That said, the phone did experience some heating during extended gaming sessions and while capturing photos or videos, despite its vapour chamber cooling system.

On the software side, ColorOS 15 based on Android 15 offers a smooth and polished experience. OPPO has introduced a new feature called Touch to Share, enabling seamless file transfers between the Find X8 Pro and Apple devices like iPhones and iPads. The updated user interface is visually appealing, and the AI features integrated into the software add convenience without feeling intrusive. In our Digit AI-Q Score evaluation, the phone scored a respectable 81/100, indicating its strong AI and software capabilities.

OPPO also promises a robust long-term update policy, with five years of OS updates and six years of security patches. In day-to-day usage, the OPPO Find X8 Pro is buttery smooth, offering a lag-free experience. While it doesn’t quite match the sheer performance metrics of Snapdragon 8 Elite phones, it strikes a balance between stability and efficiency, making it a reliable flagship performer.

OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Battery Life

Battery technology is another area where the Find X8 Pro leads the pack. The phone is equipped with a 5910 mAh silicone-carbon battery, which offers significantly better longevity compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries while also having a smaller footprint. In testing, the Find X8 Pro managed an impressive 16 hours and 7 minutes in the PCMark battery benchmark, making it one of the most long-lasting flagships available.

The fast-charging capabilities are equally impressive. The 80W SuperVOOC charging can take the battery from 0 to 100% in just 49 minutes, while the 50W wireless charging option provides added convenience for users who prefer a cable-free experience. However, the phone’s power-hungry features, such as the high refresh rate display and intensive camera usage, can drain the battery faster during heavy use.

Should you buy it?

The OPPO Find X8 Pro is a testament to the company’s ability to innovate and refine. From its exceptional camera system to its enduring battery life and sleek design, the phone checks most of the boxes that flagship buyers look for. While it isn’t without its flaws—such as the slightly underwhelming fingerprint sensor and lower resolution display—it more than makes up for these shortcomings with its strengths.

For those seeking a smartphone that excels in photography, offers great battery performance, and provides a premium user experience, the Find X8 Pro is an excellent choice. However, if you’re looking for a phone that leads the pack in benchmark numbers, it would be best to wait for upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite phones like the Realme GT 7 Pro and iQOO 13.

Dhriti Datta

Perpetually sporting a death stare, this one can be seen tinkering around with her smartphone which she holds more dear than life itself and stuffing her face with copious amounts of bacon.

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