Other than just being a 5.9 inch phablet, Oppo N1 has lots of new things in the market where “innovation in smartphone has stopped” (according to their official site). The list of interesting additions in N1 is a long and impressive one. Starting from the 13-megapixel swivel camera to the O-Touch panel, there is a lot to check out. Oppo is already famous for the stylish and beautiful handset in some markets, but this type they are also serious about the software as they are working closely with Cyanogen team to give the users a great experience.
Build
The build of this phone is as usual with the other Oppo phones, plastic build on aluminum alloy frame with matte finish. Actually gripping is not the only function of the matte finish at the back. It is also a touch panel which can be used to do different things like taking pictures, scrolling, etc. Anyone who used a sliding feature phone in the past might be worried about the durability of the swivel camera and Oppo had the same thing in their mind too! They have said that the camera rotation has been tested 100,000 times for testing and the customers can expect a really long lifetime of the camera.
Camera
The main focus of Oppo N1 is its camera and it is not only about the swivel feature, but also about its speed and perfection. The dual flash design works well for both front facing and back facing shot as optimized by the software. Therefore, your front facing shots will not be poor in any type of lighting condition. The camera can rotate upto 206° and lock at any position in between. The f/2.0 wide aperture will be also helpful for some quick yet not shaky shots.
Software
Another very important thing to mention while mentioning this phone is its software improvement. This phone comes with a CyanogenMod based OS which is actually based on Android 4.2.2. On top of the usual Android 4.2.2 features, there are many new features (“410 design improvements” according to them) included by this Chinese manufacturer. One of the most interesting improvements is the gesture recognition while the phone is locked. The user does not even need to light up the display to give those gesture commands. For example, if someone draws ‘W’ on the display it opens WeChat (The WhatsApp competitor from China) or ‘O’ directly brings the camera without any other hassle. These features might be gimmick to many people, but some users might also find these handy in some situations.
Hardware
In case of hardware, Oppo N1 was not in the competition to be the fastest Android, but it is powerful nonetheless. The 1.7 GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 600 Quad Core processor with 2GB RAM should be enough for any casual to power user out there. The phone will come with 16GB and 32GB options. The only downside is the lack of external memory slot. The 5.9-inch IPS display shows 1080p Full HD display at 377 PPI. Another surprise on the hardware side is the O-click Bluetooth Remote Control that comes included in the package. The remote can call the phone and the phone can call the remote with an alarm if any one of the gadgets is lost. It can also be used as a remote shutter to the camera of the phone.
Overall, Oppo N1 is a great phone packed with features and innovation. If all the included features work flawlessly, it might take a bite out of the market of Samsung Galaxy Note III and other phablets out there.
