OPPO A73 5G Review: Daily Use, Software and Battery Life

The OPPO A73 5G release date November 2020 put this phone among the first affordable 5G handsets from OPPO, and the OPPO A73 5G release arrived on 4 November 2020, the same day it was announced. This OPPO A73 review looks at the phone as a daily driver years after launch: how fast it still feels, how the software has aged, and how far the battery goes. The OPPO A73 5G review daily use and performance picture is a mixed one, with a smooth 90Hz screen and a capable mid-range chip on one side, and a modest battery and camera set on the other. The OPPO A73 5G full specifications and price are covered in the table near the end of this article, so this opening focuses on what the phone is actually like to live with.

On paper the package is easy to sum up. The OPPO A73 5G specs list a MediaTek Dimensity 720 5G chipset, 8 GB of RAM, 128 GB or 256 GB of internal memory, a 6.5-inch 90Hz display and a 4040 mAh battery with 18W charging. The OPPO A73 5G chipset and the OPPO A73 5G processor are the same Dimensity 720 silicon, an octa-core 7 nm part with two Cortex-A76 cores and six Cortex-A55 cores, paired with Mali-G57 MC3 graphics. The OPPO A73 5G display is a 6.5-inch LTPS IPS LCD panel at 1080 x 2400 pixels, while the OPPO A73 5G camera setup is a triple rear array led by a 16 MP main sensor. The OPPO A73 5G battery is a Li-Po 4040 mAh cell, and the OPPO A73 5G RAM and OPPO A73 5G storage figures were generous for a phone at this price in late 2020.

Design and Build Quality

The OPPO A73 5G design is slim and plain in a good way. At 162.2 x 75 x 7.9 mm the phone is tall but narrow enough to hold, and the OPPO A73 5G dimensions make one-handed reach to the top of the screen a stretch, as on most 6.5-inch phones. The OPPO A73 5G weight is 177 grams, and the phone feels light at 177 grams in the hand, noticeably lighter than many 5G rivals from the same year that crossed 190 grams. The plastic frame and rear panel keep the weight down, and the rear has a soft matte finish that resists fingerprints better than glossy glass. Readers who care about build feel across the A series may also like OPPO A77s Review: Build Quality, Battery and Daily Use, which covers a later A-series phone with a similar focus on everyday handling.

In the Hand: Light, Slim and Practical

The OPPO A73 5G 177 gram lightweight design review verdict is simple: this is a phone that disappears into a pocket and does not tire the hand during long reading or video sessions. The 7.9 mm profile slides easily into a jeans pocket, and the flat sides give a secure grip. The power button sits on the right edge and doubles as the fingerprint sensor, so unlocking with a thumb or index finger feels natural. There is no official water resistance rating, so the phone should be kept away from rain and splashes, and a case is worth fitting because the plastic rear can pick up fine scratches over time.

Colours and Finish

The OPPO A73 5G Navy Black Neon colour options give buyers two distinct looks. Navy Black is a deep, restrained finish that suits anyone who wants a quiet phone, while Neon is a brighter, gradient style that shifts in the light and stands out more. The OPPO A73 5G colours both use the same matte-style rear treatment, so neither version is a fingerprint magnet. The camera module sits in the top-left corner of the rear and rises only slightly from the body, so the phone rests almost flat on a table.

Buttons, Ports and Fingerprint Sensor

The OPPO A73 5G fingerprint sensor is side-mounted in the power button, and it is fast and reliable in normal use, unlocking the phone in a fraction of a second once a finger is registered. The OPPO A73 5G fingerprint sensor and face unlock combination covers both options: face unlock works well in good light but is less secure and less reliable in the dark than the fingerprint reader. The volume keys sit on the left edge, the USB-C port is on the bottom next to the speaker and the 3.5 mm headphone jack, and the SIM tray holds two nano-SIM cards plus a dedicated microSD card. The OPPO A73 5G dual SIM dedicated microSD slot means adding memory never costs a SIM slot, which is a genuine practical advantage over phones with a shared tray.

Display: A Smooth 90Hz LCD

The OPPO A73 5G 6.5 inch LTPS IPS LCD display is one of the phone’s strongest points. The OPPO A73 5G 90Hz display review and brightness findings are positive for the price: the 90Hz refresh rate makes scrolling through feeds, web pages and menus visibly smoother than a 60Hz panel, and the switch between 60Hz and 90Hz can be left on automatic so the phone saves power when nothing is moving. The OPPO A73 5G display measures 6.5 inches with a 1080 x 2400 resolution and a 20:9 aspect ratio, and the OPPO A73 5G screen stays sharp thanks to a density of about 405 pixels per inch. The OPPO A73 5G screen 405 ppi sharpness test result is that text looks crisp at normal reading distance, with no visible pixel structure.

Brightness and Outdoor Use

Brightness is rated at 480 nits typical, which is adequate for a phone of this class. Indoors the screen is bright and punchy, with decent colour and good viewing angles for an LCD. Outdoors in direct sun the panel washes out a little and the automatic brightness takes a moment to catch up, so reading in harsh sunlight is workable rather than comfortable. The lack of an AMOLED panel means blacks are grey rather than truly black, and there is no always-on display, but for video and reading the large 6.5-inch screen with its slim bezels and small punch-hole camera is pleasant. The punch hole sits in the top-left corner and is easy to ignore after a day or two.

Performance and Daily Use

The OPPO A73 5G Dimensity 720 performance test story is one of steady, unflashy competence. The OPPO A73 5G performance in everyday tasks is smooth: apps open quickly, switching between messaging, browsing, maps and music is free of stutter, and the 90Hz screen helps the whole phone feel faster than its benchmark numbers suggest. The OPPO A73 5G chipset is built on a 7 nm process, which keeps power use and heat in check, and the Mali-G57 MC3 graphics handle casual games and the interface without complaint. Heavy multitaskers will appreciate that the OPPO A73 5G 8GB RAM multitasking performance holds many apps in memory, so returning to a browser or a chat app rarely forces a reload. The OPPO A73 5G RAM is fixed at 8 GB on both memory variants, which was generous at launch and still helps the phone feel responsive today.

Memory and file space are equally straightforward. The OPPO A73 5G 128GB storage expandable microSD setup gives 128 GB or 256 GB of internal UFS 2.1 memory, and a microSDXC card can add more through the dedicated slot. The OPPO A73 5G storage is fast enough for app installs and photo saving, and the phone never feels held back by its memory in normal use. For context on how OPPO tuned later budget phones for the same kind of everyday workload, see OPPO A60 Review: Daily Use, Software and Battery Life.

Dimensity 720 in Real Life

In real life the Dimensity 720 behaves like a solid upper budget chip. Social apps, email, video streaming and navigation all run without hesitation, and the phone stays cool during long browsing sessions. The two Cortex-A76 performance cores at 2.0 GHz handle bursts of activity, while the six Cortex-A55 efficiency cores keep background tasks ticking over quietly. App installs and updates are quick, and the phone copes with split-screen use and picture-in-picture video. The only place the limits show is in very heavy apps and large photo edits, where a flagship chip would finish a second or two sooner. For a phone that launched in late 2020, that is a fair trade at its price.

Gaming on the OPPO A73 5G

The OPPO A73 5G gaming performance and heating balance is reasonable for casual and mid-level play. The OPPO A73 5G gaming experience covers popular titles at medium settings with steady frame rates, and the 90Hz display makes supported games feel fluid. Demanding 3D games need lower graphics settings to stay smooth, and long sessions warm the upper rear of the phone slightly, though never to an uncomfortable level. The 7 nm chip and the plastic body shed heat well, and frame rates stay stable rather than dropping sharply after ten or fifteen minutes. Competitive players who want maximum settings should look at a newer gaming-focused phone, but for relaxed evening play this phone is fine.

Software: ColorOS on Android 10 to Android 12

The phone launched with Android 10 and ColorOS 7.2, and the OPPO A73 5G Android 12 ColorOS 12 update path takes it to Android 12 with ColorOS 12. The OPPO A73 5G Android story ends there, since no Android 13 upgrade was released for this model, and that is the main long-term software limit to know before buying one used. The OPPO A73 5G ColorOS experience is clean and feature-rich: a tidy settings layout, a useful dark mode, gesture navigation, app cloning for two accounts, and a game space that silences notifications during play. The OPPO A73 5G ColorOS 12 features and settings include privacy indicators, extra customisation for the home screen and always-on style clock faces, and the familiar OPPO camera and gallery apps.

Day to day, ColorOS is stable and easy to live with. The OPPO A73 5G update history brought the phone from its launch software to a modern-feeling interface, and the OPPO A73 5G software bugs and long term use record is mostly calm: occasional app redraws after long idle periods, a notification or two arriving late on rare occasions, and the usual ageing that comes from apps growing heavier over the years. A restart every week or so keeps things tidy. The OPPO A73 5G 5G bands SA NSA network support covers bands 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40, 41, 77 and 78 in SA and NSA modes, so the OPPO A73 5G network support is broad for a 2020 phone, and 5G works on most carriers that offer it in the bands the phone supports. Buyers weighing another affordable 5G option from the same family can compare with OPPO A59 5G Review: Build Quality, Battery and Daily Use.

Cameras: Triple Rear Setup and 8MP Selfie

The OPPO A73 5G triple camera 16MP ultrawide depth array is led by a 16 MP main camera with an f/2.2 lens, PDAF autofocus and a 26 mm focal length, joined by an 8 MP ultrawide camera with a 119-degree field of view and a 2 MP depth sensor for portrait shots. The OPPO A73 5G camera quality in daylight is the best part of the system: in good light the main sensor takes sharp, well-exposed photos with pleasant colours and plenty of detail for social sharing. The OPPO A73 5G camera app is quick to open, focuses reliably, and offers night mode, panorama, HDR and a portrait mode that uses the depth sensor to blur backgrounds.

Daylight Photos and Ultrawide Shots

In daylight the main camera is dependable. Landscapes, food and street shots come out bright and natural, with OPPO’s usual slightly warm colour tuning. The 8 MP ultrawide is useful for buildings, groups and tight interiors, though its images are softer at the edges and noisier than the main sensor, so it is best saved for shots that genuinely need the wider view. The 2 MP depth sensor helps portrait mode separate a person from the background, with clean edges in good light and occasional slips around hair in tricky light. Low-light photos are usable but soft, with visible noise and less detail, and night mode helps by brightening the scene at the cost of some sharpness. For a sense of how OPPO balanced cameras and value in a later A-series phone, see OPPO A76 Review: Everyday Speed, Cameras and Value.

Video Recording and Selfies

The OPPO A73 5G 1080p video recording gyro EIS setup caps video at 1080p and 30 frames per second on both the rear and front cameras, with gyro-based electronic stabilisation keeping handheld clips steady. The OPPO A73 5G video quality is good for casual clips, family moments and social posts, with balanced exposure when panning between bright and shaded areas, though there is no 4K option and no 60 fps mode. The OPPO A73 5G selfie camera is an 8 MP front sensor with an f/2.0 lens, and the OPPO A73 5G 8MP selfie camera portrait mode produces flattering self-portraits with natural skin tones and a soft background blur. Selfie video is also 1080p at 30 fps, which is fine for video calls and short clips.

Battery Life and 18W Charging

The OPPO A73 5G battery life with 4040mAh battery capacity is the phone’s weakest area on paper, yet in practice it holds up better than the number suggests. The OPPO A73 5G battery is a 4040 mAh Li-Po cell, and with the efficient 7 nm chip and an LCD panel the phone gets through a full day of normal use with calls, messaging, browsing, music and some video. Heavy users who stream video for hours or play games through the evening will reach for a charger before bed, while light users can stretch into a second morning. The OPPO A73 5G battery drain overnight standby test picture is calm: with 5G and Wi-Fi left on, the phone loses only a few percent overnight, so it does not bleed charge while idle.

Charging is 18W wired over USB-C, and the OPPO A73 5G 18W charging time and battery refill takes roughly an hour and a half to two hours from empty to full, depending on the charger used. The OPPO A73 5G charging speed is modest by modern standards, where 30W and faster are common, but it is fair for a 2020 budget phone, and the phone charges fast enough for an overnight top-up or a long lunch break. There is no wireless charging. The 4040 mAh capacity is small next to the 5000 mAh cells that became standard soon after, so battery life is the one area where the phone shows its age most clearly, even if the efficient chip softens the gap.

Pros and Cons

The OPPO A73 5G pros and cons honest review below sums up the trade-offs. The OPPO A73 5G vs OPPO A74 5G comparison is worth a look for anyone choosing between the two, since the A74 5G arrived later with a similar 5G brief and its own balance of screen, cameras and battery: OPPO A74 5G Review: Display, Cameras and Budget Trade-Offs. Against its own launch rivals the A73 5G stood out for its light body, smooth screen and generous memory, and those strengths still matter on the used market today.

Pros:

• Smooth 90Hz 6.5-inch display with sharp 1080p resolution and 405 ppi density
• Light 177 gram body that is comfortable to hold and carry all day
• Capable Dimensity 720 5G chip with 8 GB of RAM and steady everyday speed
• 128 GB or 256 GB of memory plus a dedicated microSD card slot
• Wide 5G band support and a side fingerprint sensor that works fast
• Clean ColorOS 12 experience after the Android 12 update

Cons:

• Small 4040 mAh battery and slow 18W charging by modern standards
• Video recording tops out at 1080p at 30 fps with no 4K option
• Ultrawide and low-light photos are noticeably softer than daylight shots
• Software support ends at Android 12, with no Android 13 upgrade
• Plastic body with no water resistance rating
• LCD panel rather than AMOLED, so blacks are grey and there is no always-on display

Full Specifications

The OPPO A73 5G specs in the table below are the launch specifications for model CPH2161. The OPPO A73 5G price at launch was about 240 EUR in Europe, and the OPPO A73 5G 256GB storage variant price Europe was higher than the 128 GB version, though both shared the same 8 GB of RAM. The OPPO A73 5G CPH2161 model number specifications are the ones to check when buying a used unit, since other regional variants may differ in bands or memory. The OPPO A73 5G discontinued status means the phone is no longer sold new, so the OPPO A73 5G discontinued buy used in 2026 route is the realistic way to get one today, and an OPPO A73 5G buy in 2026 should be a used or refurbished unit checked for battery health and a clean, working fingerprint sensor.

FAQ

Is the OPPO A73 5G still worth buying in 2026?

It can be, at the right used price. The OPPO A73 5G discontinued buy used in 2026 case rests on the smooth 90Hz screen, the light body, 8 GB of RAM and wide 5G support, which still cover calls, messaging, browsing and video well. The limits are the 4040 mAh battery, 18W charging, 1080p-only video and software that ends at Android 12, so pay a low used price and check the battery health before you commit.

Does the OPPO A73 5G support 5G in 2026?

Yes, where the network uses bands the phone supports. The OPPO A73 5G 5G bands SA NSA network support covers twelve 5G bands in SA and NSA modes, so the phone connects to 5G on most carriers that operate in those bands. Speeds depend on the carrier and the local network, and the phone falls back to LTE where 5G is not available.

How long does the OPPO A73 5G battery last?

For most people it lasts a full day of normal use. The OPPO A73 5G battery life with 4040mAh battery capacity is helped by the efficient 7 nm Dimensity 720 chip, and light users can reach a second morning. Heavy video streaming or long gaming sessions will drain it before bedtime, and the 18W charger needs roughly an hour and a half to two hours for a full refill.

Will the OPPO A73 5G get Android 13?

No. The OPPO A73 5G Android 12 ColorOS 12 update was the last major upgrade for this model, and the phone stays on Android 12 with ColorOS 12. Security patches also ended with that support window, so a used A73 5G is best used with care around unknown apps and links.

What is the OPPO A73 5G model number?

The OPPO A73 5G CPH2161 model number specifications identify the standard international version of the phone, and CPH2161 is the number printed on the box and shown in the settings menu. The OPPO A73 5G model code is worth checking when buying used, since it confirms the memory options and the 5G bands for the unit in hand.

To sum up, the OPPO A73 5G Review: Daily Use, Software and Battery Life shows a phone that traded a big battery and a fancy camera for a light body, a smooth screen and honest mid-range speed. It is not a phone to buy for its battery or its video, but as a cheap used 5G handset for everyday calls, chats, browsing and video, it still earns its keep.