I have had these two phones in my possession for some time now. The Samsung Galaxy A51 and the OPPO A92. Besides coming from the A-lineup of these two individual brands, the phones also share a lot especially when it comes to design cues. However, there are clear differences between the two devices that will draw you towards one or the other.

Both devices cost about KES. 30,000 and offer an overall good experience. But since you can’t buy both phones, which one deserves your money?

The Specifications

(The differences are in bold)

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	OPPO A92	Samsung Galaxy A51
Display	6.5" 1080p	6.5" 1080p
Software	Android 10	Android 10
Network	4G with VoLTE support	4G with VoLTE support
Processor	Snapdragon 665	Exynos 9611
RAM	8GB	4GB
Internal Storage	128GB	128GB
Main Camera	Quad 48MP(main) +8MP(ultra-wide) + 2MP(depth sensor) + 2MP (monochrome)	Quad 48MP(main) +12MP(ultra-wide) + 5MP(depth sensor) + 5MP (macro)
Selfie Camera	16MP	32MP
Battery	5000mAh	4000mAh

The Overall Better Phone

Just from a look at the above specifications, you can tell that the OPPO A92 does have an edge over the Samsung. The A92 offers a better experience in the things that really matter. For instance, its massive battery ensures that the device can last up to two days with mild usage and a full-day without any anxiety that the phone would die on you.

Still, with the specifications, the RAM is double what the Samsung packs and this is very evident even in usage. Apps open faster on the OPPO than the Samsung and multitasking is such a breeze as well. Even for an average user, the difference is really clear, more RAM just made the A92 better.

When it comes to using your phone for entertainment, the OPPO A92 still forges ahead. With dual stereo speakers that produce great audio that virals Bluetooth speakers, the Galaxy A51 fails in comparison with its single bottom-firing speaker that’s just okay.

The final nail to the head is something you’d think is not a big deal but with daily usage, you get to understand how important it is. The fingerprint scanner on the OPPO A92 is better. Yes, the Samsung Galaxy A51 has an in-display fingerprint scanner that seems futuristic but it’s clouded by issues of inconsistencies and slow detection while the side-mounted scanner on the OPPO is not only cool but reliable and fast.

The Samsung Galaxy A51 Does Put Up a Fight

You’d think that OPPO would have the better camera seeing how they have made a name for themselves with smartphone cameras but in this case Samsung has an upper hand. While the OPPO does produce images that are more color accurate and closer to reality, Samsung’s saturation and image processing, produces better photos that are more pleasing to the eyes.

The Galaxy A51 has a main lens with a slightly wider angle than the OPPO hence fitting more in the frame. The zoom capabilities are better on the Samsung despite not having a dedicated 5x zoom like the OPPO. There are more details captured on the Samsung, making the overall photo look quite nice.

Actually, the only part the Samsung fails slightly in terms of camera performance is with the dynamic range. While shooting outside with bright sunlight, the OPPO did a better job at showing the sky behind the subject while the Samsung just overexposed everything making it just look white. Interestingly though, the selfies on the OPPO A92 are better than the Samsung despite having double the megapixels. Below are images taken on both phones for your perusal:

Bokeh

Dynamic Range

Outdoor

On top of the stellar camera performance, the display on the Galaxy A51 is nothing short of amazing. They are the same size but the Samsung has an AMOLED display with beautiful colors that pop and deep blacks. Then there’s the issue of software. They both run on Android 10 but with different customizations on top. Each has its own strengths but One UI on Samsung is just more refined, looks better, and works as it should. The biggest downside with the OPPO is its bug with how it handles Telegram images and that’s so infuriating for anyone that actively uses Telegram.

Recommendation

While this is a tight fight, the decision of which one of the two deserves your money boils down to your taste and needs. From our point of view, the OPPO A92 will serve as the choice for a lot more people. It does meet all the basics, great battery, stellar performance, beautiful design, and the camera is actually good. However, we cannot fail to acknowledge that the Samsung Galaxy A51 is an alternative worthy of your attention.

So, which one are you buying?