OPPO knows a thing or two about the USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Almost from the time the brand cast anchor in India, each of its premium phones have found a talking point. That’s critical for smartphones to break the clutter at a time when consumers can’t keep up with the surfeit of launches. The R17 Pro might well be OPPO’s most significant launch of 2018, coming as it does at the tail end of the year. The R17 Pro’s standout feature is its fast charging – it’s positioned as the world’s fastest charging phone. But the cool touches don’t end there.

If there’s a sense of déjà vu when you first set your eyes on the R17 Pro, it’s probably because it reminds you of the OnePlus 6T, especially face up. The teardrop notch is one of the common threads that connect the design language of these two devices. And then there’s the in-display fingerprint sensor that we also enjoyed using on the Huawei Mate 20 Pro. We’re likely to see more devices sport this feature, allowing premium smartphones to ‘declutter’. OPPO has put that freed space to good use with a triple camera set up at the rear. The device comes with a textured finish that makes this device stand out from the crowd. While the Radiant Mist colour option is a tad ‘blingy’, we like the subtle yet gorgeous Emerald green variant.

OPPO loves its selfie cam. It was one of the first brands in India that played up its front camera when selfies were still not an everyday occurrence. The R17 Pro comes with a 25MP selfie camera and it’s certainly up there with the best in its class. Again, the AI beauty features might find an equal number of fans and naysayers. There will be fewer arguments about the rear camera that combines three lenses –  12-Megapixel with f/1.5 – 2.4 aperture, a 20MP sensor and a TOF 3D stereo camera for depth effect. OPPO takes a cue from Samsung’s 2018 flagships with a variable aperture that ensures sharper images in low light. This is a clever touch. The 3D camera is likely to offer a host of possibilities as OPPO adds more functionality in the near future. Clearly, this device has enough camera tricks up its sleeve.

One of the key differences between the R17 Pro and the OnePlus 6T is the processor. The R17 Pro opts for a Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 Processor, it’s not in the same league as the best of breed Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor under the hood of the 6T. A generous 8GB of RAM makes some amends, while 128GB of internal storage should cover most users’ needs. There’s no expandable storage though. The display is quite similar but OPPO pushes the screen: body ratio over 90% with its 6.4-inch AMOLED display (1080 x 2340 pixels / 19.5:9 aspect ratio).

The R17 Pro’s hardware spec sheet should satisfy most power users especially its heavy duty battery. OPPO’s proprietary SuperVOOC charging solution can power up your device from 0 – 100% in 35 minutes while a quick 10-minute charge will push your battery to 40%. The good thing is that the 3700 mAh lasts comfortably for a whole day even with multi-media usage.

The OPPO R17 Pro can make heads turn and come with a bunch of talking points including a stellar battery. The big challenge for OPPO will be to justify the price premium (the device costs Rs 45,990) over the competition in this intensely competitive segment.

The OPPO R17 Pro is available in Radiant Mist and Emerald Green and costs Rs 45,990/-