The Oppo F3 Plus has finally been unveiled for the Indian markets with a price tag of Rs 30,990. However, when we consider the kind of hardware it’s packing underneath, the device might not make a lot of sense. Sure, it has a 16MP + 8MP front facing camera with impressive selfie credentials, but does it actually hold up to its estimated price tag of just under Rs 31,000. The short answer is no, and here’s why.
If we look closely at the Indian mid-ranged smartphone market, it’s mostly divided between the Rs 10,000 - 20,000 price bracket. Anything that comes even remotely above this figure is considered upper tier. And by pricing its smartphone at Rs 31,000, Oppo has built up this impression that this is a proper high-end device.
However, it’s packing an octa-core Snapdragon 653 processor under the hood. While it’s no slouch when it comes to performance, it’s not a high-end CPU either. This is particularly evident when we look at other offerings like the Mi 5, as well as the OnePlus 3T which come within the same price range.
The F3 Plus has a very exciting rear camera on board as well, letting you capture 16MP photos using the f/1.7 lens. This is better than most handsets that are selling on the market today, but are these attributes enough to justify a price tag this steep?
What should have been the ideal price?
It is clear that the Oppo F3 Plus is an attractive device, thanks to the large display real estate courtesy of the 6-inch Full HD panel on board. The 4 gigs of RAM might convince some people of its potential as well. However, we feel the smartphone was better suited for the Rs 25,000 price segment given the hardware.
This is not to say that the handset won’t sell. But we feel the company would probably have more of an impact with a slightly lower price. It is very likely that Oppo priced the handset based on the pricing of its rival, the Vivo V5 Plus, which is currently retailing for around Rs 28,000. We will probably see the Oppo V3 Plus seeing a drop in pricing over the next couple of months, so this shouldn’t be the metric to judge a smartphone, especially when it’s this new.