If there’s one use of the modern smartphone that doesn’t get enough attention from manufacturers, it’s the front-facing camera. There are a certain category of users – mostly teenagers and twenty-somethings – who use their phones almost exclusively for selfies and social media. Oppo has aimed squarely at this segment with their F1 series of Selfie Expert phones. After the F1 and the F1 Plus which came earlier this year, the F1s is the latest iteration aimed at taking self-photography to the next level.

The Selfie

The F1s is that rare phone which has a front camera that is better specc’d than the rear. The 16 MP shooter has an f/2.0 aperture and is equipped with a whole load of post-processing features that are aimed at beautifying your face. It even supports 1080p video. Little surprise then, that it produces some of the best selfies we’ve ever seen. Of course, our faces still didn’t look anywhere near as appealing as the marketing material on Oppo’s website, but there’s only so much that a phone can do for your looks.

The 13 MP rear camera is also a solid shooter, equipped with PDAF autofocus and LED flash. And the excellent photography package is rounded out by an easy to use but feature-packed camera software.

The rest of it

The build of the F1s is reminiscent of the iPhone, with its chamfered edges and prominent home button. The metallic rear and glass front lend it an overall appearance of premium quality.

In the specs department, the F1s is slightly weaker than many other offerings in its price range, but the 3GB of RAM paired with an octa-core MediaTek processor offers enough grunt to satisfy most users. We encountered no issues running graphics-intensive games and the regular coterie of apps from the Play Store. The display is probably the weakest part of the entire package. The lack of HD resolution at this price range is inexcusable considering that phones significantly cheaper than the F1s have the feature.

However, the low-res screen provides gains in another department with reduced stress allowing the 3075 mAh battery to become another bright spot for the F1s. It consistently managed to power the device for a full day without requiring a recharge. We used the phone with 4G always on.

Verdict

For users who are looking for an all-round device that provides the maximum bang for their buck in every department, the F1s will definitely disappoint due to its weak specs and low-res display. But within the aforementioned niche populated by the selfie-obsessed generation, there are few competitors for this Oppo.

Price: ₹17,990

Love: Front camera, battery

Hate: Display

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