Oppo N1 Mini Hands-On and First Look: Sophisticated, Yet Far From Epic

Rating:

3.5/5

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PROS

• Sophisticated Design
• Awesome Camera

CONS

• Slightly Expensive Price
• Underwhelming Display
• Lack of a microSD card slot

Chinese smartphone maker Oppo is yet to make a mark in the crowded Indian handset market. The company began its India journey earlier this year with the launch of the N1 flagship phone.

Though, Oppo is relatively unknown in the country but its handsets are usually priced at with arch rivals. This has been a concern for many, especially, in the Indian tech media. However, based on our experience, we're pretty much optimism about Oppo as a brand and, of course, its sophisticated devices.

True to its promise, Oppo unveiled the much touted N1 Mini for Indian market on Monday. Oppo's N1 Mini is a shrunken version of the famed N1 flagship. The Android-powered phone is aimed at young educated class, as it is priced at Rs. 26,990.

Although the design of the new phone is similar to that of its older brother but unfortunately it doesn't hold your breath for long. We got a chance to play around with the device recently. So, here's our first impression about the newly launched Oppo N1 Mini.

Oppo N1 Mini - Design, Display, Form Factor and Operating System (OS)

Oppo N1 Mini, as the name suggests, is a miniature version of critically acclaimed N1 flagship. As expected from a mini handset - the new phone has a 5-inch HD display against the N1, which featured a massive 5.9-inch FHD screen. So, anyone can instantly spot a difference between the two devices. Again, we need to clarify that the N1 Mini is perhaps a shrunken version of the N1.

Glance quickly at the N1 Mini, you'll quickly fall in love with its mesmerizing design. Of course it will remind you of the original N1. But it is by no means a compact handset. In fact it is very much like a normal full sized phablet. Despite being made out of plastic, the phone feels premium and royal, too. The handset is a lot thinner compared to the N1 handset.

Again, the build quality is close to top notch, but we found the device a slightly heavy at 151g. The brushed metallic frame that wraps around the edges coupled with curved body fits nicely into the palm.

Like the N1, the miniature version doesn't support a microSD card slot. Up on the front side, you'll notice the 13MP swivel camera, while the three regular capacitive buttons sits below the screen. The right-hand has the volume button and the SIM card tray, and to the left comes the power button.

As said before, the front side of the phone is largely dominated by a large 5-inch HD display. In our brief time spent with the display, we found the screen sub-par and underwhelming. Even though it offers good viewing angles and natural colors, but somehow N1 Mini's screen didn't manage to impress at all.

Like N1 and the Find 7, the N1 Mini also runs on Android 4.3 Jelly Bean. The device runs on a custom built ROM, Color OS, which run no top of Jelly Bean.

Recommended: Oppo N1 Mini Goes Official in India at Rs 26,990: Top 5 Features to Know

The UI is not over-the-top, just like the MIUI. We found the UI simple and a lot more intuitive compared to stock Android interface.