The Oppo F series has marked more than 10 years in India. The company recently marked a decade of its mid-range smartphone range in the country with the launch of the new Oppo F35 series. Positioned as the selfie expert, the lineup focus has stayed clear from the beginning: affordable, value-focused smartphones with industry-first selfie camera features. It began in 2016 with the Oppo F1 Plus, the first smartphone fitted with a 16-megapixel front camera.

With its success, many manufacturers started emphasizing selfie-capturing abilities, turning it into one of the key selling points of their devices. The newest lineup introduces the Oppo F35 Pro 5G to India. True to the spirit of the original Oppo F1 series, the smartphone targets a strong selfie-capturing experience, advancing beyond most flagships available. With a clear direction, the phone offers much more in its toolkit. Yet it carries a price notably above its predecessor. Is it worth buying?

Oppo F35 Pro 5G Design and Display: The Display Upgrades Steal The Show

Dimensions and weight - 162.6 x 77.6 x 8.4mm; 210g
Durability - IP66 + IP68 + IP69 + IP69K ratings for dust and water resistance
Colours - Sunset Orange, Twilight Brown, Wave Blue
Display - 6.78-inch 1.5K AMOLED display; up to 144Hz

The Oppo F35 Pro 5G appears nearly identical to the Oppo F33 Pro 5G, released earlier this year. With only months between launches, the similar look of the two versions is understandable. It features a flat rear panel, with the Smile Curve Design camera module positioned at the top. The camera island uses glass and sits slightly raised from the panel. A glittery, sparkle-like effect lies under the glass. The company describes it as the Starry Sea element.

Oppo refers to the horizontal deco as the Smile Curve Design

My view of the deco design stays mostly the same. It divides opinions and may not suit everyone. Still, I see its potential appeal to a younger crowd. Slightly lower, the back panel uses a matte finish that resists fingerprints, smudges, and other marks. Depending on light angles, the panel produces a cloudy, shimmery, lava-like visual effect that looks appealing.

Brands taking chances with designs are always positive, especially when smartphone designs have grown repetitive. The flat metal frame also unifies the overall design nicely, giving a solid in-hand feel. The Oppo F35 Pro 5G is bigger and heavier than the Oppo F33 Pro 5G. Even so, the extra weight does not feel burdensome. The power and volume buttons stay easy to reach, though the in-display fingerprint scanner remains placed too low.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G back panel shifts colours based on light angle

The Oppo F35 Pro 5G is also 0.1mm thicker than its predecessor, but the small change goes almost unnoticed. The phone comes in Sunset Orange, Twilight Brown, and Wave Blue. None of these tones is understated. However, the brown finish integrates better than the others. I tested the Sunset Orange version, which stands out as the boldest and most striking. If you liked the orange-crimson tone of the iPhone 17 Pro, the Sunset Orange option is worth a look.

Up front, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G now includes a 6.78-inch AMOLED display, larger than the 6.57-inch panel on its predecessor. The 1.5K resolution, higher 144Hz refresh rate, and deep blacks provide an excellent content-consumption experience. The display marks a clear upgrade over the F33 Pro, not only in size and refresh rate but also in overall quality.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G features a much better display than its predecessor

I watched the Guy Pearce film Memento on Zee5 and Game of Thrones on Jio Hotstar. Scenes with darker settings and cooler blue tones appear largely accurate and solid. For its price, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G serves as a capable content consumption device, enhanced further by its 300 percent volume boost option.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G Performance, Software: A Good Daily Driver

Chipset - MediaTek Dimensity 7360 Max
RAM and storage - 6GB + 128GB, 8GB + 128GB, 8GB + 256GB
Software - Android 16-based ColorOS 16

In performance terms, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G holds a clear edge over its recently released predecessor. The phone runs on a stronger MediaTek Dimensity 7360 Max chipset. However, the base model offers only 6GB of RAM, compared to 8GB on the F33 Pro 5G. This slightly lowers the value aspect. The missing 2GB of RAM might be offset by memory swapping support for certain multitasking tasks, but it may not help much when onboard storage runs low.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G gets a notable performance upgrade

I tested the 8GB RAM and 128GB storage model, which handled daily use well. It also delivers a noticeable performance lift over the F33 Pro 5G. Minor stutters still appear occasionally. Cold-starting apps takes a few seconds, though less time than on the F33 Pro. I ran several synthetic benchmark tests for clearer data, and here are the results.

Benchmark	Oppo F35 Pro 5G	Oppo F33 Pro 5G	OnePlus Nord 6
Display Resolution	1.5K	Full-HD+	1.5K
Chipset	MediaTek Dimensity 7360 (4nm)	MediaTek Dimensity 6360 Max (6nm)	Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 (3nm)
AnTuTu v10/11	9,47,048	6,44,677	22,66,546
PCMark Work Performance 3.0	8,557	9,032	12,132
Geekbench 6 CPU Single Core	NA	782	2,083
Geekbench 6 CPU Multi Core	NA	1,987	6,437
Geekbench AI CPU (Quantized)	2,093	1,074	3,760
Geekbench AI GPU (Quantized)	574	931	2,637
3DM Wild Life	3,142	1,300	Maxed Out
3DM Wild Life Unlimited	3,151	FTR	17,246
3DM Steel Nomad Light	352	145	1,730

Gaming on the Oppo F35 Pro 5G stays largely unchanged. As expected, arcade and lighter titles run smoothly. Yet the experience declines noticeably with Asphalt Legends and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). In Asphalt Legends especially, animation stutters and frame drops appear after a few introductory races.

For everyday tasks like navigation, videography, and photography, issues remain minimal. It suits casual users but falls short for competitive gamers. The phone warms slightly around the camera module during extended gaming, navigation, or videography. This stood out most when I recorded a 10-minute video during a jungle safari in Jim Corbett National Park on a cool morning.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G ships with Oppo ColorOS 16.5

The Oppo F35 Pro 5G runs ColorOS 16.5, based on Android 16. The software experience matches that of the F33 Pro 5G, which you can read about separately.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G Cameras: Selfies Are in Focus

Rear camera - 50-megapixel (f/1.8) main + 8-megapixel (f/2.2)
Selfie camera - 50-megapixel (f/2.0)

This is where the advertised selfie expert shines. The Oppo F35 Pro 5G features a dual rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel main and an 8-megapixel ultrawide lens. The primary camera performs adequately. It captures solid images suitable for Instagram. Daytime shots appear vibrant. It also provides good dynamic range for its price. Across scenes, the phone produces consistent images daily.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G daylight camera performance

In portrait mode, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G completes the task effectively. It improves on its predecessor, which created artificial-looking images with overly smooth skin and bright tones. The new F35 Pro 5G addresses these issues and delivers more natural skin tones. It is not flawless, but it is better.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G zoom and portrait samples

The 8-megapixel ultrawide camera should be used only when needed, as it produces below-average photos. The images appear noisy and lack detail. Occasional group shots work, but it is best used sparingly. Additionally, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G manages artificial-light flares effectively. Distortion stays minimal, and results remain satisfying.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G low-light camera performance

With a 50-megapixel selfie camera, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G excels at selfies. The images show rich detail and stay largely free of noise. The sensor records skin tones accurately. With sunlight on one side of the face, it separates darker and brighter areas well. In portrait mode, the phone also performs solidly and offers good depth. While the Selfie Expert label may be debatable, it is certainly a capable device.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G selfie camera performance

Oppo F35 Pro 5G Battery: Lasts Forever

Capacity - 8,000mAh
Fast charging - 80W wired
Charging Adapter - Included

Besides the selfie sensor, a major highlight of the Oppo F35 Pro 5G is its battery and charging speed. The phone includes an 8,000mAh battery that lasts nearly forever. With Wi-Fi, 5G, Bluetooth, and location services active, I achieved 8 to 9 hours of screen-on time without trouble. You can play games, watch movies, use the camera, and still have power left to scroll Reels by day's end.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G provides impressive battery life

This real-world result appeared in the PC Mark Battery Life tests, where the Oppo F35 Pro 5G lasted 22 hours and 41 minutes. For charging, the phone also performed strongly. It reached 50 percent in 30 minutes, 92 percent in an hour, and full charge in 1 hour 11 minutes.

Oppo F35 Pro 5G Verdict

The Oppo F35 Pro 5G, starting at Rs. 45,999, costs more than its predecessor, especially with 6GB of RAM on the base model. Still, with an upgraded chipset, a stronger display, a larger battery, faster charging, and a new selfie camera, the Oppo F35 Pro 5G supports the higher price over the F33 Pro.

If you recently purchased the F33 Pro, you may want to keep it. However, if you own an older model, upgrading makes sense. The OnePlus Nord 6, with similar battery life and charging support, solid camera performance, a stronger chipset, and a comparable price, is also worth considering.