Oppo F29 Pro review: The new durable champ is here

Oppo’s new F29 Pro lands firmly in the mid-range smartphone arena, staking its reputation primarily on toughness, an unusual yet intriguing gamble. With an IP69 rating, Military Standard (MIL-STD) certifications, and Gorilla Glass Victus 2, this phone seems built to survive the harshest conditions. But durability aside, does it offer enough to tempt buyers away from performance-focused competitors like Realme P3 Pro and iQOO Neo 10R? I spent a couple of weeks with the Oppo F29 Pro to find out.

Design: Safe and Sturdy

At first glance, the Oppo F29 Pro isn’t particularly striking, though its Granite Black finish is pleasantly subtle, complemented nicely by a silver-plastic frame. The large, round camera module centred at the back does attract attention but isn’t exactly groundbreaking. While aesthetics aren’t its strongest suit, Oppo impressively balances this with exceptional build quality. It feels reassuringly robust, capable of withstanding spills of soft drinks, coffee, or even beer. Perfect if your day-to-day life is less than gentle.

Despite the phone’s robust profile, it remains fairly comfortable in hand, weighing only 180 grams. Its quad-curved edges contribute to an ergonomic grip, which means prolonged use isn’t fatiguing. 

Display: Bright but Not Quite Sharp Enough

The F29 Pro’s 6.7-inch FHD+ quad-curved AMOLED panel is vibrant and responsive, reaching up to 1200 nits peak brightness. Watching content is pleasant, colours are punchy, and the display is adequately visible outdoors.

However, closer inspection reveals that sharpness suffers occasionally, detracting slightly from overall clarity. 

Performance and Software: Capable but Cluttered

Powered by MediaTek’s Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset, the Oppo F29 Pro doesn’t quite match its rivals in benchmark tests. It scored 7,02,639 on AnTuTu, placing it behind similarly priced phones. Nevertheless, real-world performance remains decent. Everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and social media apps run smoothly, and gaming performance is stable at around 60fps unless pushed to HDR graphics settings, where lag is noticeable, and the phone becomes noticeably warm after extended sessions.

Running on ColorOS 15 (Android 15), the phone promises two years of software updates and three years of security patches. Acceptable, but competitors are increasingly offering longer support. Unfortunately, ColorOS continues its frustrating tradition of pre-installed bloatware, cluttering the app drawer and reducing initial user experience. Thankfully, most of these apps are removable, though it feels unnecessary in 2025.

Oppo includes AI-driven features like AI Unblur, AI Eraser, and Gemini AI.

Camera: Missing the Wider Picture

Surprisingly, the Oppo F29 Pro skips an ultra-wide camera altogether, offering just a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP monochrome lens. In well-lit conditions, photos are acceptable but lack the detailed clarity and vibrant accuracy we’ve grown accustomed to at this price point. In challenging conditions, such as low-light scenarios, performance is further diminished, with images exhibiting grain, poor colour management, and insufficient sharpness. Portraits fare slightly better with decent edge detection, though excessive smoothing occasionally creeps in.

The 16MP selfie camera performs reasonably well, producing natural and usable selfies, though again lacking that punch or sharpness found on rivals.

Battery Life: Reliable Performer

Equipped with a substantial 6,000mAh battery and 80W fast charging, the F29 Pro comfortably manages a day and a half of mixed use without breaking a sweat. In testing, streaming HDR content drained just 4% of the battery in half an hour, and an hour of Google Maps navigation cost a modest 10%. This reliable battery life is undoubtedly one of the phone’s strongest features, ideal for frequent travellers or heavy users.

Verdict: Robust but Lacking in Key Areas

The Oppo F29 Pro’s durability and battery life are commendable. It makes a strong case for those prone to accidents or needing a robust daily companion. However, shortcomings in camera capabilities, screen sharpness, and overall performance make it tough to wholeheartedly recommend over its competitors.

If toughness and longevity top your wishlist, the Oppo F29 Pro definitely merits consideration.