We recently got our hands on the Oppo A5 Pro, the latest addition to Oppo's budget-friendly lineup — and what stood out straight away wasn't the sleek design or the big battery (though both are there). It was the feel. The solid, slightly weighty build gave the sense that this phone was made to take a hit — and, as it turns out, it was.

Over the past few days, we've been testing the A5 Pro across everyday conditions — and deliberately dropped it more than once. Here's our review.

Built to be dropped (and it was)

Let's start with durability, because that's the real headline here. The Oppo A5 Pro is billed as having military-grade shock resistance—a bold claim that, thankfully, doesn't disappoint. We dropped it a few times from waist height onto hard flooring—unintentionally at first, then deliberately with the case on—and the phone emerged unscathed. No cracks, no dents, no issues with performance.

It's reinforced with bionic cushioning and high-strength materials, which makes it more than just a marketing term. The device also carries IP68 and IP69 certifications, meaning it's protected against dust, full water immersion, and even high-pressure jets. For a phone that costs less than BDT 24,000, that level of physical resilience is genuinely rare.

Despite this tough exterior, it doesn't look like a rugged phone. The slim 7.8mm profile, curved edges and reflective Crystal Shield rear give it the clean, modern finish of a much more expensive handset. It's proof that a phone can be built to take punishment without looking like it belongs on a construction site.

Bright and bold display performance

The front is dominated by a 6.67-inch IPS LCD display, which reaches 1000 nits of brightness. That spec number can sound abstract — but what it means in practice is that you can see the screen clearly even under direct sunlight. During outdoor testing, the screen remained sharp and easy to read.

With a 90Hz refresh rate, scrolling and animation feel smooth — and while the resolution is capped at HD+ (720 x 1604), the panel still handles video playback and casual gaming with decent clarity. Bezels are slim, and the screen's soft-curved edges give it a refined feel in hand.

Surprisingly capable camera—in the right light

Budget smartphones aren't typically known for camera quality, but the A5 Pro does reasonably well here. The 50MP main sensor captures sharp and fairly detailed shots in daylight. Colours aren't overly saturated, and we were able to get reliably decent images on city walks, indoors, and even from moving vehicles.

Photos taken in dim environments lost some sharpness and definition, and while Night Mode helps, it's not a magic fix. That said, for casual users or those upgrading from older budget models, the camera will still feel like a step up.

The front camera, at 8MP, is serviceable. It handles selfies and video calls with decent clarity in good lighting, though shadows and backlighting can trip it up. That said, it's more than enough for everyday use.

Solid performance, light software

Inside, the phone is powered by a Snapdragon 6s Gen 1 chipset, backed by 8GB of RAM. It's not a powerhouse, but it runs day-to-day tasks — messaging, social media, YouTube, Google Maps—with ease. Multitasking is smooth, and apps open without much delay.

Gaming is where it shows its limits. Casual titles run well, but more graphically demanding games require reduced settings to maintain consistent frame rates. This isn't a device for gamers, but it holds its own for most other users.

ColorOS 15 sits on top of Android, offering a clean interface with some useful tweaks like split-screen mode and gesture navigation. The only downside is the number of preinstalled apps—several of which can't be removed—but performance remains smooth regardless.

Battery life that easily stretches past a day

The A5 Pro's 5,800mAh battery is one of the largest in its class. In real-world use, it consistently lasted over a day and a half. Even with heavy use — video streaming, location tracking, mobile data — we never had to reach for the charger before bed.

When we did, the included 45W VOOC fast charger brought the phone from empty to full in just over an hour. While not the fastest on the market, it's more than respectable—and the sheer capacity of the battery means you won't be charging often.

Final thoughts

The Oppo A5 Pro brings something rare to the table in the budget segment: real physical resilience without compromising on usability. Its shock resistance isn't just theoretical—we tested it, and it passed. Add to that a reliable camera, bright screen, and all-day battery life, and you've got a smartphone that punches well above its price.

It's not flawless—low-light photos could be better, and the software is a little bloated—but as a daily device built for real-world knocks and scrapes, the A5 Pro is an easy recommendation for anyone on a budget.

Photos: Zarif Faiaz