OPPO Find X9 Ultra Review: A Nearly Perfect Smartphone

The ultra-premium smartphone market is more competitive than ever, with devices like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and vivo X300 Ultra setting high benchmarks. Now, a new challenger has emerged: the OPPO Find X9 Ultra. This in-depth review will explore how this cutting-edge device, unique among its peers for its quad-camera system, performs against its formidable rivals, and whether it truly lives up to the “nearly perfect” claim.

What’s Inside the Box: OPPO Find X9 Ultra

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra comes in a surprisingly compact, if not small, retail box. Inside the standard package, users will find the smartphone itself, a set of instructions, and a USB-A to USB-C cable. A somewhat unusual, yet thoughtful, addition is a male USB-C to female USB-A adapter. While the absence of a charger is now standard practice across many flagships, it’s a minor disappointment that OPPO didn’t include a basic protective case. Competitors like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and vivo X300 Ultra typically offer some form of fundamental casing in their boxes.

An intriguing optional accessory is the Hasselblad Earth Explorer Kit, which not only includes a teleconverter but also a high-quality protective case. This reviewer had the opportunity to experience this kit during the OPPO Find X9 Ultra’s launch event in China. However, this kit is a limited edition and comes with a substantial price tag, estimated to be around 500-600 USD.

OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Design and Build Quality

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra distinguishes itself from other ultra-flagships with its unique design. The dark-colored variant draws inspiration from the Hasselblad X2D 100C Earth Explorer camera, featuring a rear panel largely crafted from a material that mimics the feel of leather.

The massive camera island immediately catches the eye, though it protrudes less prominently than on the vivo X300 Ultra. The accent lighting adds a nice touch, and the OPPO and Hasselblad logos are seamlessly integrated into the “Earth Explorer” aesthetic. In this reviewer’s opinion, the tested OPPO Find X9 Ultra boasts the most appealing design among the new wave of ultra-flagships, though the green Xiaomi 17 Ultra comes in a close second.

During its launch in China, this reviewer also had the opportunity to examine the orange version. While the Apple iPhone 17 Pro is credited with popularizing this vibrant color, the orange OPPO Find X9 Ultra features an interesting pattern on its casing. However, in this reviewer’s assessment, it appears less attractive than the darker, leather-like variant.

Despite incorporating some plastic elements, the overall build quality feels exceptionally premium. Holding the smartphone, its substantial weight of 236 grams is immediately noticeable. Due to the expansive camera island, the center of gravity is relatively high; however, the phone naturally rests on the index finger against the edge of the camera module. This design makes daily use comfortable, though it requires a slight adjustment to the characteristic form factor of ultra-flagship devices.

On flat surfaces, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra remains quite stable, although the camera bump causes it to rest at an angle. The device boasts robust water and dust resistance, certified with an IP68 rating, ensuring it can withstand immersion in up to 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes. While some competitors, like the vivo X300 Ultra, offer an IP69 rating, the practical difference in everyday usage is generally negligible for most users.

The frame features rounded metal edges, ensuring the Find X9 Ultra feels comfortable in hand, even during one-handed use. The top edge houses a speaker grille and likely a microphone opening.

On the left side, there’s an additional, programmable “Snap Key,” a feature reminiscent of the OnePlus 15. Below it, essential regulatory markings are discreetly printed, avoiding any visual clutter on the rear panel. The opposite side features the volume rockers, power button, and a tactile shutter button that also doubles as a focal length switcher by default.

The bottom edge accommodates a speaker grille, microphone openings, the charging port, and the SIM card tray. The OPPO Find X9 Ultra delivers decent audio, offering loud and clear sound. However, it’s not the absolute best-sounding smartphone on the market. The primary drawback here is the noticeable power disparity between the top and bottom speakers. For truly rich bass and balanced audio, devices like the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL still set an unparalleled standard in the Android ecosystem.

The front is protected by robust Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Its design is typical of modern flagships, featuring slim bezels, a punch-hole cutout for the front-facing camera in the upper section, and an under-display fingerprint reader. This ultrasonic sensor offers convenient placement and highly reliable, accurate performance.

OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Immersive Display

All content is brought to life on a generous 6.82-inch AMOLED display. This panel boasts a high resolution of 3168 × 1440 pixels and an adaptive refresh rate ranging from 1 to 120 Hz, with some games even supporting 144 Hz for an even smoother experience. In practice, this translates to a truly stunning screen. Colors are vibrant and saturated, blacks are incredibly deep, and viewing angles are excellent. Whether consuming media or gaming, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra delivers a remarkably enjoyable visual experience.

The display achieves an impressive peak brightness of 1800 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM). This ensures phenomenal readability even under direct sunlight, allowing for effortless photography in any outdoor condition. The minimum brightness is equally well-calibrated, preventing the OPPO Find X9 Ultra from being glaringly bright when checking the time in a dark room at night.

OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Battery Life and Charging

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra features the largest battery capacity among current ultra-flagship smartphones, housing an impressive 7050 mAh cell. This translates to exceptional endurance, easily lasting a full day of intensive use, including demanding activities like gaming, photography, and video recording. For less demanding users, the device can comfortably extend its usage to two days on a single charge.

OPPO has equipped the Find X9 Ultra with robust fast-charging capabilities, supporting 100W wired charging and 50W wireless charging. As the reviewer did not have the official OPPO charger, a 90W Power Delivery adapter was used for testing. With this setup, the smartphone reached 50% charge in approximately 35 minutes, while a full charge took around 70 minutes.

OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Camera System

The camera island and its photographic capabilities are undoubtedly the main attraction of the OPPO Find X9 Ultra. The comprehensive setup begins with a 50MP ultrawide-angle lens (f/2.0 aperture, 123° field of view, 14mm equivalent focal length). Next is a bright, 200MP main camera (f/1.5 aperture, 84° field of view, 23mm equivalent). Complementing these are two telephoto lenses: a 200MP unit (f/2.2 aperture) offering 3x optical zoom (34°, 70mm equivalent), and a 50MP lens (f/3.5 aperture) providing an impressive 10x optical zoom (11°, 230mm equivalent). While the sheer number of sensors is substantial, taking photos remains remarkably straightforward. Unlike some competitors that introduce unusual focal lengths, OPPO opts for more familiar zoom levels found on other smartphones. The manufacturer’s focus on quality is evident in the excellent results.

The camera application is impressively feature-rich, though its extensive options can initially feel overwhelming. However, adapting to the software proved relatively quick for this reviewer. There’s a plethora of modes available, and while each can produce excellent photos, the reviewer primarily utilized the standard “Photo,” “Portrait,” and “Master” modes. During the China launch event, the artistic “X-Pan” and “Hasselblad Hi-Res” modes were also frequently employed.

Exceptional Image Quality

The photo quality is simply breathtaking. In daylight conditions, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra offers immense flexibility, with all lenses performing superbly. The ultrawide-angle, main, and both telephoto lenses capture an abundance of detail. The automatic mode effectively selects optimal parameters, and the 10x optical zoom delivers brilliant results during the day.

Even without the optional teleconverter, the device extends beyond 10x optical zoom (230mm equivalent). The 20x hybrid zoom also produces good results, and in some situations, even the 30x zoom can be surprisingly usable. At these higher magnifications, the algorithms deliver fairly natural-looking results for architecture and landscape photography, though they perform slightly less effectively when processing human subjects.

After dark, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra truly demonstrates its ultra-flagship credentials. The main camera is in a league of its own, capturing abundant detail with virtually no noticeable noise. The ultrawide-angle and 3x telephoto lenses perform almost as impressively. A more significant drop in quality only becomes apparent with the second telephoto lens (10x zoom), where the f/3.5 aperture presents some limitations. However, in a well-lit urban environment, the 10x zoom remains perfectly usable. Overall, the night photos are rated very highly.

At the invitation of the manufacturer, who sponsored the trip, this reviewer also attended the Chinese launch event, capturing numerous photos. Beyond the typical subjects for reviews, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra’s capabilities were showcased through unique shots, often utilizing portrait modes and the X-Pan feature.

The teleconverter from the optional (and separately purchased) Hasselblad Earth Explorer Kit also warrants its own mention. This attachable “barrel” extends the smartphone’s optical reach. While it natively offers 13x zoom, with good lighting, even a 30x zoom can produce very pleasing results. For more details on this innovative accessory, check out our article on OPPO Find X9 Ultra’s built-in teleconverter.

Selfies are decent, but not a standout feature. It appears OPPO utilized existing, proven solutions here. Daytime photos look good, although portrait mode’s edge detection struggled somewhat with glasses. At night, some detail might be lacking. In the selfie department, this ultra-flagship doesn’t significantly outperform standard flagship phones.

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra can record video at a maximum resolution of 8K at 30 frames per second (fps). Personally, this reviewer more frequently opted for 4K at 60 fps. At these settings, the device is capable of recording with every lens. The overall video quality is excellent, with impressive stabilization and autofocus performance.

However, during video recording, two minor but irritating flaws were identified. In “Pro Video” mode, users are offered standard frame rates such as 30, 60, or 120 fps. Filmmaking enthusiasts often prefer 24 or 25 fps for a cinematic look. While OPPO does allow recording at 24 fps, it lacks multiples of this number (e.g., 50 or 100 fps, which are available on devices like the vivo X300 Ultra). Furthermore, a slight issue was encountered with the recorded footage. When creating montages from the China trip, the Find X9 Ultra was the primary recording device. Unfortunately, Adobe Premiere Pro struggled to handle the footage effectively; both previews and rendered shorts exhibited significant stuttering. Ultimately, all recordings had to be re-encoded using separate software to resolve the issue.

OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Software and Performance

Out of the box, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra runs on Android 16, overlaid with ColorOS 16.0. In many aspects, the system’s software experience is quite similar to that of the vivo X300 Ultra. It offers a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing interface, alongside a wealth of customization options.

Upon initial setup, a few pre-installed applications are present, but their number is relatively small. OPPO also avoids duplicating many standard Android programs, which ensures a clean interface from the outset, saving users the hassle of uninstalling or disabling dozens of unwanted apps.

Several AI features are integrated into the device. Among these is “Mind Space,” familiar from the OnePlus 15, which serves as a repository for information captured using the Snap Key. In this reviewer’s opinion, the most valuable AI tools on the Find X9 Ultra are those dedicated to photo editing. The gallery offers extensive editing capabilities. Overall, the software experience is rated very positively.

Like other ultra-flagship devices, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra is powered by the most potent processor in the Android ecosystem: the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. This powerhouse SoC is paired with 12GB of RAM and offers users 512GB of internal storage. It’s worth noting that the X9 Ultra is the only smartphone among its top-tier rivals to feature less than 16GB of RAM. In daily use, no discernible difference in speed or responsiveness was observed. However, for demanding tasks like running large language models or other advanced AI tools, the OPPO might perform slightly less efficiently than competitors equipped with 16GB of RAM. Nevertheless, for everyday tasks, performance is never an issue. The Snapdragon 8 Elite effortlessly handles the most demanding applications and games. The device’s operational speed is phenomenal, making work and entertainment on the Find X9 Ultra an absolute pleasure.

In typical daily usage, the smartphone remains cool. However, the device can become noticeably warm during extended gaming sessions, intense photography, or prolonged video recording. In these scenarios, the casing reached approximately 35°C (95°F). During synthetic benchmark tests, temperatures climbed even higher, which is characteristic for the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. In an AnTuTu stress test, the external casing temperature was measured at 47°C (117°F).

OPPO Find X9 Ultra: Specifications and Pricing

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra commands a premium price. Its estimated regular price is around $1,800 USD (subject to regional variations). This positions the OPPO as more affordable than the vivo X300 Ultra by several hundred dollars, while the Xiaomi 17 Ultra can be found for approximately $1,500 USD. Thus, the Find X9 Ultra is not the most budget-friendly option in its class, but OPPO has equipped it with compelling features that justify its ultra-flagship status and make a strong case for its purchase. For anticipated release details, refer to our article on the OPPO Find X9 Ultra launch date.

Here’s a detailed look at the OPPO Find X9 Ultra’s specifications:

• Operating System: Android 16 with ColorOS 16.0
• Display: 6.82-inch AMOLED, up to 144 Hz refresh rate, 3168 × 1440 pixels resolution, up to 1800 nits peak brightness (HBM), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection
• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
• RAM: 12 GB
• Internal Storage: 512 GB
• Rear Cameras:
  • 200MP Main Camera, 84° FoV (f/1.5 aperture)
  • 200MP Telephoto Lens, 34° FoV (f/2.2 aperture, 3x optical zoom)
  • 50MP Telephoto Lens, 11° FoV (f/3.5 aperture, 10x optical zoom)
  • 50MP Ultrawide-Angle Lens, 123° FoV (f/2.0 aperture)
• Front Camera: 50MP, 90° FoV (ƒ/2.4 aperture)
• Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 6
• Other Features: IP68 Water and Dust Resistance
• Battery: 7050 mAh, 100W SUPERVOOC Wired Charging, 50W AIRVOOC Wireless Charging
• Dimensions: 163.2 × 77 × 9.1 mm (Orange variant: 8.7 mm)
• Weight: 236 g (Orange variant: 235 g)

OPPO Find X9 Ultra Review: Conclusion and Our Opinion

The OPPO Find X9 Ultra was primarily anticipated for its phenomenal camera, but what OPPO delivered is, in essence, a nearly perfect flagship smartphone. It’s rare to find a device where one has to “force-find” flaws during testing. Aside from the aforementioned video recording issues, this reviewer experienced no other problems with the Find X9 Ultra over two weeks of comprehensive testing. The screen is fantastic, the build quality is top-tier, and the camera system is simply impressive. The battery life and rapid charging capabilities of its massive battery also stand out. This is one of the few phones that this reviewer genuinely did not want to part with after the testing period concluded. If you’re in search of a comprehensive smartphone with brilliant photographic capabilities, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra is undoubtedly worth considering.

Source: Original research. Opening photo: Krzysztof Wilamowski

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