#SmartphonesFaceoff: OPPO R17 Pro v/s Galaxy A9
OPPO is all set to debut its R-series in India with the latest R17 Pro. The phone will launch on December 4 but will be available for pre-orders from December 1. In India, the R17 Pro, with a triple rear-camera setup and high-end internals, will take on Samsung's recently launched camera-centric Galaxy A9. So, which one is worth your money? Here's our head-to-head comparison.
At a glance
Up front, the OPPO R17 Pro sports a waterdrop-like notched display with a slim bottom bezel to boast a 91.5% body-to-screen ratio. In comparison, the Galaxy A9 settles for a notch-free rectangular display with thick top and bottom bezels. Both the phones feature a dual-tone gradient design on the rear glass panel (R17 Pro comes in plain Emerald Green color also). Winner: R17 Pro.
All about the screen
The OPPO R17 Pro features a 6.4-inch full HD+ (1080x2340 pixels) display with a 19:9 aspect ratio and Gorilla Glass 6 protection. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy A9 gets a 6.3-inch full-HD+ (1080x2220 pixels) Super AMOLED display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. Winner: OPPO R17 Pro for a slightly better display and for featuring the industry-leading screen protection.
For the shutterbugs
The R17 Pro sports a triple rear-camera setup comprising a 12MP (f/1.5-2.4) main sensor, a 20MP (f/1.6) secondary sensor, and a Time-of-Flight 3D camera. The Galaxy A9 offers a quad rear-camera setup comprising a 24-MP (f/1.7) primary camera, a 10-MP (f/2.4) telephoto camera, an 8-MP (f/2.4) ultra-wide camera and lastly, a 5-MP (f/2.2) depth camera. Winner: Galaxy A9 for its novel camera.
For the love of Selfies
Up front, the OPPO R17 Pro packs a 25MP (f/2.0) selfie snapper. In comparison, the Galaxy A9 gets a 24-MP front camera with an f/2.0 aperture. Moreover, the front camera on both the phones supports HDR, AI-based photography features and can record full-HD video at 30fps. Winner: Looking at the specs and features, it is really a tie here.
All the important stuff
The OPPO R17 Pro is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 710 processor, paired with 6GB RAM and 128GB of non-expandable storage. On the other hand, the Galaxy A9 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 processor, paired with 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB of inbuilt storage (expandable up to 512GB). Winner: OPPO R17 Pro for the better chipset.
Lifeblood of your smartphone
Both the phones pack a standard set of sensors. However, the main difference is how you unlock the phones. The R17 Pro features an in-display fingerprint scanner whereas the Galaxy A9 offers a rear-mounted sensor. Further, in terms of software, the R17 Pro runs Android Oreo-based ColorOS 5.2 and Galaxy A9 runs Samsung UX on top of Android Oreo. Winner: You be the judge.
Staying connected
In terms of connectivity options, both the phones support dual-SIM cards, 4G VoLTE, dual-band Wi-Fi 802.11a/c, Bluetooth v5.0, GPS, USB Type-C, and NFC. Notably, R17 Pro lacks a headphone jack but Galaxy A9 offers one. Further, R17 Pro packs 3,700mAh battery with SuperVOOC fast charging technology whereas Galaxy A9 gets a 3,800mAh battery which also supports fast charge. Winner: You decide (headphone jack matters?).
Pricing: The key factor
In India, the Galaxy A9 (2018) costs Rs. 36,990 and Rs. 39,990 for the 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM variants, respectively. In comparison, the OPPO R17 Pro costs CNY 4,299 (approx. Rs. 44,100) in China and should arrive in India at around Rs. 40,000.
How things stack up!
OPPO R17 Pro will be a steal if is priced under Rs. 30,000. For Rs. 40,000, you can even buy OnePlus 6T with nearly the same design, features, and a flagship Snapdragon 845 processor. But just between R17 Pro and Galaxy A9, the former is our pick considering its trendier design, decent cameras, and superior internals. Winner: OPPO R17 Pro.
