Oppo, one of the new kids on the smartphone block, has announced the arrival of the Mirror 3.
Its makers are touting it as a “smartphone with mass-market appeal”. In gadget-enthusiast terms, that means you get a premium-built smartphone at a fraction of the price of, say, an iPhone or S6. Oppo’s Mirror 3 is set to go on sale mid-May in Singapore. And if you’re in the market for a mid-range Android that promises a high quality chassis and great performance, take a look at what we know about it so far.
Design
You can’t really expect a smartphone — any smartphone for that matter — to veer away from the classic candy bar formula these days. But the Mirror 3, which inevitably follows the same look, manages to at least create an attractive-looking chassis. Slightly rounded corners, compact, comfortable to hold and easy to use.
The bottom of the phone features three touch keys for basic operation (which is typical of Android devices), while on top is the front camera, speaker and sensor. The biggest difference it has from its competition would be how Oppo has moved all other operational buttons to the right side, making it easier to manipulate the phone with one hand.
Because most smartphones look the same, the focus now shifts towards how durable a phone is. And the Mirror 3 doesn’t disappoint. It feels solid and secure. No odd spaces or cracks or creaks.
The device is available in blue and white, featuring a smooth, almost pearlized finish. But unlike most mid-range phones, it doesn’t make the phone look in any way like was made for the mass market.
Screen
Screen size — all 4.7 inches of it — features an IPS display with an HD resolution of 720 x 1280 pixels, and a pixel density of about 312ppi. iPhone and S6 screen this ain’t, but it’s a significant advantage to the device given its price range.
Expect bright colors, crisp images and great visibility.
Performance
Inside, the Mirror 3 will be powered by a 64 bit Quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon S410 processor, 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal memory with expandable options for up to 128GB.
This is the latest the Qualcomm processor line that promises impressive multitasking capability for basic functions, such as web surfing and various apps.
Camera
The front facing camera is a a 5 megapixel one — a perk for anyone who loves taking selfies. The main camera, on the other hand, features an 8 megapixel SONY IMX179 Backside Illuminated Sensor. As far as mid-range cameras go, this one isn’t bad at all.
Bonus Features
Even high-end smartphones find it hard to nail this part down, but here are a couple of convenient and clever features that Oppo has managed to put into the Mirror 3:
The Smart Remote 2.0+ allows the Mirror 3 to control various home appliances that utilise infrared protocol — such as televisions and air-conditioners — making it a very convenient gadget to own.
This is on top of the Adreno306 graphics processor — which makes the Mirror 3 an agile piece of gadgetry that can handle large-scale games smoothly — as well as its dual-SIM capability, that makes it a handy companion for travels.
All in all
The Mirror 3 is not a bad smartphone option: it’s efficient and beautiful, and all for $350 dollars. Be sure to check it out when it launches mid-May.