Flagship Ambitions 2.0: Will the Oppo Find X8 Series Succeed In India?

Oppo has officially announced the global launch date for its Oppo Find X8 series, with the event set to take place in Bali, Indonesia. Under the X8 lineup, Oppo will introduce two models, one of which is the Oppo Find X8 aimed at the premium segment. The Oppo Find X8 Pro, on the other hand, is designed to compete directly with flagship smartphones. 

Following its initial unveiling in China, the brand introduced the Find X8 series globally. However, due to legal restrictions in Europe, Oppo was unable to release these camera-centric models outside China. The X8 series will thus represent the company’s first reentry into the global smartphone market since 2022.

The current market landscape presents challenges for Oppo’s new flagship series, as competition intensifies with the concurrent launch of a Snapdragon 8 Elite-powered smartphone around the same time. To maintain a competitive edge, Oppo has equipped the new phones with the MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chipset, positioning it as a worthy contender. 

Sales of premium and flagship phones are rising, yet the market remains dominated by Apple and Samsung. Other smartphone brands have been striving to capture market share but face similar difficulties. Recent launches from Xiaomi, Vivo, OnePlus and Google have not appeared in the top 10 best-selling smartphones of 2024 (Q3), underscoring the challenges in gaining traction. Oppo will need to adopt an aggressive pricing strategy, particularly in markets like India, where competitiveness is key.

Oppo Find X8: Key specifications

The Oppo Find X8, initially launched in China, is a premium offering featuring a 6.59-inch AMOLED display with a 2160 Hz instant touch sampling rate and 4500 nits of peak brightness. The display is safeguarded by Oppo's proprietary Crystal Shield glass and includes an in-display fingerprint scanner along with a 32-megapixel Sony IMX615 front-facing camera. 

The device is powered by a 3-nanometer-based Dimensity 9400 chipset, paired with the Immortalis-G925 GPU for graphics-intensive tasks. Additionally, the phone offers 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM in the base variant and up to 1TB of UFS 4.0 onboard storage.

In terms of camera capabilities, the Find X8 includes a 50-megapixel optically stabilised main camera with a Sony LTY-700 primary sensor and 10-bit HDR, a 50-megapixel Samsung S5KJN5 ultra-wide sensor, a 50-megapixel Sony LYT-600 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and up to 120x digital zoom.

Oppo Find X8 Pro: Key specifications

The Oppo Find X8 Pro serves as the flagship model from the range. It features a 6.8-inch LTPO AMOLED display and operates on the same Dimensity 9400 chipset as the Oppo Find X8. 

The camera configuration is a significant enhancement, with all three sensors sourced from Sony. The setup includes a 50-megapixel Sony Lytia LYT808 main sensor, a 50-megapixel Samsung S5KJN5 ultra-wide-angle lens, and a third Sony LYT-600 telephoto sensor with 6x optical zoom and up to 120x digital zoom. The front-facing camera is the same as in the Find X8, featuring a 32-megapixel Sony IMX615 sensor.

Both smartphones share many components. The Find X8 and Find X8 Pro run on ColorOS 15, based on Android 15. Oppo has provided IP68/69 ratings for dust and water resistance to safeguard the hardware. Both phones also support Dolby Atmos stereo speakers.

The Oppo Find X8 is expected to cost approximately INR 80,000, while the Pro model will likely cost around INR 1,25,000.

Competitor analysis

iPhone 16 Pro Max: 

As one of the most highly anticipated flagships, the iPhone 16 Pro Max is powered by Apple’s A18 Pro chipset built on 3nm architecture. It features a triple-camera setup: a 48-megapixel main camera, a 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor and a 12-megapixel telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom.

Additionally, the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers a 12-megapixel selfie sensor. With unique features such as a dedicated camera control button and enhanced Apple AI capabilities, the iPhone 16 Pro Max has established a strong position in the market. To effectively compete, Oppo must deliver superior, consistent camera quality to contend with this device.

Pixel 9 Pro XL:

Another potential competitor, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, has established a solid reputation in smartphone camera quality, a characteristic that Oppo is also emphasising in its Find X8 series. The Pixel 9 Pro XL includes a 50-megapixel optically stabilised main sensor, a 48-megapixel telephoto sensor with 5x zoom and a 48-megapixel ultrawide sensor, as well as a 42-megapixel front camera. In terms of the latest Android features and updates, the Pixel may have an advantage over the Oppo Find X8 Pro.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra:

Known as the “king of Android,” the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is celebrated for its camera performance, processing power, and brand prestige. Despite being one generation older, with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra approaching release, the Galaxy S24 Ultra remains a formidable device with advanced camera and AI capabilities. It features a 200-megapixel optically stabilised main camera, a 10-megapixel telephoto camera with OIS and 3x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel periscope camera with 5x optical zoom and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera.

While the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra has already garnered acclaim, the question remains: will the Oppo Find X8 Pro be able to carve out its niche and compete with established flagships in the Indian market?