Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G review

Featuring 5G support, 65W fast charging and a quad-camera set-up, Oppo have done their best to make sure the Lite model does not feel cheap. Even when it comes to its entry-level models with the likes of the Oppo A5, the Chinese company has always got the basics right. And, this hasn't changed with the Oppo Find X3 Lite.

As part of Oppo's flagship series, we were expecting a lot from this smartphone. And while it doesn't have the bells and whistles of the Pro model, it is a solid smartphone that delivers well on everything it offers.

Here is our Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G review as we cover everything from the phone's battery life, camera and design to practical elements such as charging and set-up.

Planning to upgrade your phone soon? Try our guide to the best new phones coming your way in 2021. Or read our OnePlus 9 Pro vs Oppo Find X3 Pro guide to see how the high-spec flagship models compare.

Jump to:

• Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G review: summary
• What is the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G?
• How much is the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G?
• Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G features
• Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G battery
• Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G camera
• Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G design and set-up
• Our verdict
• Where to buy

Oppo Find X3 Lite review: summary

At £379, the Oppo Find X3 Lite is a solid option if you're not looking to spend a small fortune on a new phone. Featuring a quad-camera set-up, 5G support, and 65W fast charging, the Oppo Find X3 Lite has the basics sorted and offers features typically found on pricier models. The display is a decent 6.4 inches; not mammoth but a nice side for watching YouTube or your favourite Netflix TV show. However, what really shows off this AMOLED screen is the 90 Hz refresh rate that makes scrolling so smooth. What's missing? Well, it doesn't offer any water or dust resistance, and there's no wireless charging option. That is only available on its much more expensive brother, the Oppo Find X3 Pro.

Price: The Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G is available now for £379 at Very, Amazon and Carphone Warehouse.

Key features:

• 6.4-inch AMOLED display
• Quad-camera set-up including 64MP main camera
• In-screen fingerprint scanner
• Face ID
• 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging

Pros:

• 90 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling
• 5G support
• Fast charging
• Good battery life
• Good value for money

Cons:

• No wireless charging
• No water or dust resistance

What is the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G?

The Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G is the cheapest model available from the brand's flagship series. With an RRP of £379, the phone is designed to be affordable and features a 6.4-inch AMOLED display, an in-screen fingerprint scanner and face ID. As the name suggests, all Find X3 series models support 5G, and the rear camera is a quad set-up accompanied by a 32MP front camera. Revealed in March, the Oppo Find X3 Lite is now available to buy for £379 at UK retailers, including Amazon.

What does the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G do?

As we've come to expect from Oppo, the Oppo Find X3 Lite is no fuss and has all the key smartphone features from an in-screen fingerprint scanner, 5G support and fast charging. This is one of its best features, charging from zero to 100% in less than an hour. This affordable smartphone may not have water resistance or wireless charging, but what it does have, it delivers well.

• 6.4-inch AMOLED display
• Quad-camera set-up including 64MP main camera
• In-screen fingerprint scanner
• Face ID
• 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging

How much is the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G?

The Oppo Find X3 Lite costs £379 and is available SIM-free from Very, Amazon and Carphone Warehouse.

Is the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G good value for money?

At £379, it is hard to argue that the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G isn't brilliant value for money. It has a good range of features, including 65W fast charging, a 6.4-inch display and a 90 Hz refresh rate. Yes, the Oppo Find X3 Pro does have a higher 120 Hz refresh rate, but we found scrolling on the Oppo Find X3 Lite extremely smooth. And while it doesn't have any water resistance or wireless charging, the omission of these features does keep the cost down and not expected for the price. Oppo has chosen features that work for the price and made sure they deliver. A brilliant, affordable option.

Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G features

The Oppo Find X3 Lite offers a good range of features. It has 128GB storage, a 6.4-inch AMOLED display, a USB-C port and a now-rarer 3.5mm headphone jack. Unfortunately, the latter does mean that the phone isn't water or dust resistant.

Powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G processor, designed for gaming, the Oppo Find X3 Lite doesn't lag or feel sluggish at all. This is helped by a 90 Hz refresh rate, which isn't the highest available but is more than enough to make scrolling feel smooth and the screen responsive.

An in-screen fingerprint scanner is also fitted, and face unlock is also provided if that's what you prefer. Both worked well and very rarely needed a second go to get it right. As is becoming more common with budget and mid-range phones, 5G is also supported. And because it's an Android smartphone, all the various Google apps, including video call app Duo and YouTube, are pre-installed ready to go.

If you're looking for flashy, you're going to be disappointed with the Oppo Find X3 Lite. None of these features is ground-breaking, but we don't think the Oppo Find X3 Lite is trying to be. It is designed to a solid option at an affordable price; a trusty companion that will be with you for the long haul.

Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G battery

The battery life and fast charging capabilities of the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G are its selling point. Using what Oppo calls 65W SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging, the smartphone charges from zero to 100% in under an hour and can last up to four hours on less than 10 minutes of charging.

Even when you spend the day flicking between YouTube, Instagram, WhatsApp and surfing the web, you'll easily end the day on 40% battery.

If you need them, two power-saving modes can stretch your battery life across two days. A brilliant feature we know we'd value if we're ever able to return to festivals.

The feature not included here is wireless charging. This is only available with the top-of-the-line Oppo Find X3 Pro model that costs an extra £700. A non-essential feature that we don't think you'll miss considering how fast this phone charges up.

Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G camera

The Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G features a 32MP front camera and a quad-camera set-up on the smartphone's back. This is made up of a 64MP main camera, 2MP mono, 8MP Ultra-wide camera, 2MP macro lens.

Surprisingly, the 32MP front camera is probably the star of the show for us. It delivers sharp, well-defined selfies even in low light. We particularly liked how well the lens picked up detail in our hair in portrait mode. And while they're not everyone's cup of tea, there are also several beauty filters and modes that 'smooth', 'touch up', and one can even give you bigger eyes if that's what you're after.

A dual-video option is also available, allowing you to record through the rear and front cameras simultaneously. It's unlikely to be something you use daily, but it works well, and we can see it being a handy feature for those who like to vlog with their phones rather than dedicated compact cameras.

The main 64MP camera on the rear set-up is good and copes well in low light. However, the ultra-wide lens does leave pictures a little grainy without good lighting. Oppo offers some modes to experiment with, including night, panoramic, timelapse and slow-motion.

Put simply, the Find X3 Lite's camera set-up is competent enough but isn't going to wow you. This is perhaps one of the few areas where paying a little more could improve the quality.

Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G design and set-up

Setting up the Oppo Find X3 Lite is a simple enough process. You are prompted through the process, given the option to transfer over data from an old phone, and it shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes.

The most time-consuming elements will be re-downloading any apps, typing in a fiddly Wi-Fi password and agreeing to any privacy settings. There's also the option to add your card to Google Pay if you so wish.

The Oppo Find X3 Lite is available in three colourways; starry black, astral blue and galactic silver. As you would probably expect from the names, the smartphone has a shiny finish with a glass back and an aluminium frame.

However, because of the glass back, we found that fingerprints did show up pretty badly, and it does attract dust and fluff. This can obviously be solved by the free protective case provided by Oppo, but it does slightly ruin the otherwise sleek design.

The rear camera is slightly raised but sits flat once you have the case on. This should prevent the lens from getting too scratched up.

Overall, the design is sleek, if a little unassuming. The Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G feels well-made and looks more expensive than similarly priced Google Pixel 4a 5G. If you can bear the fact that back will look slightly smudgy day-to-day, the Oppo Find X3 Lite looks the part.

Our verdict: should you buy the Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G?

If you're looking for flashy, you're probably not going to like the Oppo Find X3 Lite. Everything about this phone is understated and dependable. With a 6.4-inch display, it is a touch smaller than we've come to expect from most smartphones, but that means it balances nicely in one hand. The 90Hz refresh rate provides smooth scrolling, the in-screen fingerprint scanner works every time, and there's 5G support.

There's no water resistance or wireless charging, but for the price, we don't really mind. The glass back and aluminium frame make it feel more expensive than it is, even if this does mean it can get quite smudgy with fingerprints. And yes, while the rear camera set-up did fall short in a couple of areas, overall, the Oppo Find X3 Lite proved to be a solid Android option for under £400.

Features: 3.5/5

Battery: 5/5

Camera: 4/5

Design and set-up: 4/5

Overall: 4/5

Where to buy Oppo Find X3 Lite 5G

The Oppo Find X3 Lite is available from a number of UK retailers for £379.

• £379 at Amazon
• £379 at Very
• £379.99 at Carphone Warehouse
• £379.99 at Currys

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