Oppo A40 Review: Low Price, Low Power
The Oppo A40 is the latest budget smartphone offering from Chinese manufacturer Oppo, known for providing good specs and features at an affordable price. Priced at £129 (under £90 on offer), the A40 boasts a 6.67-inch LCD display with a 90Hz refresh rate, a large 5,100mAh battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1 chip, and a 50MP rear camera. While these specs seem promising, the phone faces some challenges in performance, camera quality, and software.
Design & Build:
The Oppo A40 features a simple yet tasteful design with a rectangular plastic chassis and a squircle camera module on the back. The 6.67-inch display has a pin-hole selfie camera and a headphone jack at the base. The phone is durable with an IP54 rating for splashes and MIL-STD-810H rating for shock resistance. Despite its large size, the A40 weighs only 186g, making it comfortable to hold.
Screen & Speakers:
The A40’s LCD display lacks the vibrancy and brightness of higher-end models, with a max brightness of 1,000 nits. The 90Hz refresh rate provides smoother scrolling, but the screen may appear grainy and colors may lack depth. The single speaker at the bottom edge is adequate for calls and social media but lacks clarity for music or videos.
Specs & Performance:
Powered by the Snapdragon 6s 4G Gen1 chip and 4GB of RAM, the A40 struggles with slow performance, especially when opening apps or multitasking. The 128GB internal storage can be expanded with a Micro-SD card, but the phone’s benchmarks are below average for a budget device.
Cameras:
The A40’s 50MP main rear camera captures decent photos in good lighting conditions but struggles with movement and low light. The 5MP selfie camera delivers average results, and the phone can record 1080p video at 30fps.
Battery Life & Charging:
With a 5,100mAh battery, the A40 offers good battery life for light users but may drain quickly with heavy usage. The phone supports 45W wired charging, although a compatible charger is not included in the box.
Software & Apps:
Running on Android 14 with ColorOS 14, the A40 provides a user-friendly interface with some bloatware that can be uninstalled. The software may lag due to the phone’s chipset and RAM limitations.
Price & Availability:
The Oppo A40 is available in the UK for £129 and can be purchased from various retailers. Alternatives include the Oppo A60 5G, Samsung Galaxy A16 5G, Nokia G22, and Motorola Moto G04.
Overall, the Oppo A40 is a budget phone suitable for casual users who prioritize basic functions like messaging, calling, and social media. Gamers and power users may find the performance lacking, but for its price, the A40 offers decent value for money.
