The device is available in China and will soon arrive in India as well

Feb 26, 2014 16:09 GMT  ·  By

Chinese company Oppo is one of the most popular handset makers in the Mainland, which is probably one of the reasons it has decided to conquer other markets as well.

Since later last year, customers in Europe can purchase Oppo smartphones via the company’s online store. Oppo also plans to bring its Android smartphones in India this year. In fact Indian customers can already purchase the Find 5 mini, Neo and N1 from various authorized retailers.

The Oppo R1 is a relatively new device that made it to China in late December, but has yet to be released in other markets. We reported last month that the R1 might go on sale in India this month, but it looks like February is almost over and Oppo has yet to introduce de smartphone.

But why is Oppo R1 so popular in China? Luckily, we’ve been able to try out the phone during a hands-on session at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2014, and now we can answer this question.

Design-wise, the R1 is exceptionally stylish and features a rectangular form factor but with rounded corners. The phone is covered with glass-like material that makes it feel like an iPhone or Xperia Z smartphone.

Oppo R1 hands-on
Oppo R1 hands-on
This is definitely one of Oppo R1’s strong points and the reason it is so popular in China where it’s still available for purchase.

Oppo R1 is equipped with a 1.3GHz quad-core MediaTek MT6582 processor, but from our experience, it did not show any traces of sluggishness; on the contrary, it proved quite fast.

The unit we tested was running Color OS, which is based on Android 4.2.1 Jelly Bean operating system. Oppo’s own tailored Android looks solid and quite colorful, which makes it easier for both first time and experienced users to enjoy their devices.

The phone uses a 5-inch IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen display that supports HD (720p) resolution, but we didn’t find it on par with the high-quality build.

Perhaps a TFT display with higher pixel density than 294ppi would have been more beneficial, but then, the phone’s price would have been slightly higher.

Oppo R1 hands-on
Oppo R1 hands-on
Speaking of which, the Oppo R1 was priced in China at around $400 (€290) outright, but it might be lowered when it goes on sale in other countries.

Overall, Oppo R1 is that kind of phone that makes you want it as soon as you get your hands on it. For some, this may be called love at first. Now if only the price were a bit lower.

Photo Gallery (14 Images)

Oppo R1 hands-on
Oppo R1 hands-onOppo R1 hands-on
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