Cherry Mobile hasn’t made a huge splash in a long time. Aside from the release of their Android Go devices, the local tech company has been a little quiet recently. But that’s about to change as the Flare S7 Plus comes into the picture.
Other than being the top dog in the entire Flare S7 line-up, this device will try to penetrate the midrange market. The midrange segment has been saturated by Chinese brands and its expected to slowly overtake the low-end smartphones as best-sellers in the Philippines.
With that said, the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus came at the right time. This handset will allow the company to keep their pace in case the market decides to fully switch to midrange devices.
But how does Cherry Mobile’s attempt compare to other smartphones in this category? Well, the only way to find out is to stack it up against one of the most popular handsets in this division — the OPPO F9.
In our full review of the OPPO F9, we praised its appealing design, capable performance, camera quality, and more. These are the reasons why we think it’s really going to be a tough battle for the Flare S7.
But still, we’re excited to see how can Cherry Mobile’s offering stand against a giant like OPPO. So, without further ado, here’s our Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus versus OPPO F9 specifications and features comparison.
| Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus | OPPO F9 | |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Android 8.1 Oreo | Android 8.1 Oreo ColorOS 5.2 |
| SIM | Dual SIM Dual Standby Hybrid | Dual SIM Dual Standby |
| Display | 6.18-inch FHD+ IPS 2246 x 1080 pixel resolution ~403ppi 19:9 aspect ratio Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | 6.3-inch FHD+ IPS 2280 x 1080 pixel resolution ~409ppi 19:9 aspect ratio |
| Processor | 2.0GHz MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core | 2.0GHz MediaTek Helio P60 octa-core |
| RAM | 4GB | 6GB |
| GPU | Mali-G72 MP3 | Mali-G72 MP3 |
| Storage | 64GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB | 64GB expandable via microSD up to 256GB |
| Front camera | 16-megapixel | 25-megapixel f/2.0 AR Stickers |
| Rear Camera | 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel BSI LED flash AI scene detection FlareMoji | 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel f/1.8 PDAF AI Capabilities LED flash |
| Security | Fingerprint scanner Infrared Face Unlock | Fingerprint scanner Face Unlock |
| Connectivity | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS FM Radio USB Type-C | HSPA+, 4G LTE WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band Bluetooth 4.2 GPS, A-GPS FM Radio microUSB |
| Dimensions | 155 x 75.5 x 7.85 mm | 156.7 x 74 x 7.99mm |
| Weight | 200g | 169g |
| Colors | Black | Twilight Blue Starry Purple Sunrise Gold |
| Battery | 3,050mAh battery non-removable Wireless charging | 3,500mAh non-removable VOOC fast charging |
| Price | Php11,999 | Php17,990 |
The OPPO F9 does offer more premium features than the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus, which is understandable considering the price gap between the two. However, the Flare S7 Plus was able to match the more expensive F9 in the few main departments.
First, we have the processor used. Both devices utilize the trusty MediaTek Helio P60 processor, which actually makes the Flare S7 Plus as one of the cheapest smartphones to have this chipset.
But since it has a higher asking price, OPPO was able to equip the F9 with 6GB of RAM, while the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus only has 4GB of RAM. In terms of storage, the two phones have 64GB built-in with expansion support.
Other than the processor, the two devices also have the same Full HD+ resolution. The Flare S7 Plus is a little smaller 6.18-inches, while the F9 has a 6.3-inch screen size. In addition, it’s no secret that the tinier “waterdrop” screen notch on the F9 is more attractive than the Flare S7 Plus’ traditional notch similar to the iPhone X.
The color gradient and diamond accent of the OPPO F9 is a real looker. Meanwhile, Cherry Mobile went with a more subtle but elegant all-black look.
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OPPO’s offering also has a larger 3,500mAh battery with their VOOC fast-charging technology. Cherry Mobile’s handset might have a smaller 3,050mAh battery, but it does have wireless charging support, which is a rare find in a device at this price range.
Camera-wise, it’s no surprise that the OPPO F9 is the superior smartphone. Its 25-megapixel selfie shooter easily dominates the 16-megapixel sensor of the Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus.
The 16-megapixel + 5-megapixel rear camera combo that the Flare S7 Plus has might appear more appetizing than the 16-megapixel + 2-megapixel setup of the F9, but based on our initial tests, the OPO F9 produces slightly better images.
If you can’t still make up your mind, maybe you now have to consider the price. The Cherry Mobile Flare S7 Plus has a retail price of only Php11,999, which is around Php6,000 cheaper than the OPPO F9’s Php17,990 price tag.
In case you don’t care too much about the design and fast-charging — then you might want to settle with Cherry Mobile’s newest smartphone. Otherwise, if cameras and flashy design are your thing, go with the OPPO F9.