7. Conclusion: It\u2019s our leading pick for a flagship Android phone, but…<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\nOPPO Find X9 Ultra review<\/h2>\n The wait is over for the biggest fans of OPPO smartphones outside of China: OPPO has finally launched an international version of an Ultra variant from its Find X series, and that\u2019s none other than the OPPO Find X9 Ultra<\/b>.<\/p>\n
With the Find X9 Ultra, OPPO has pulled out all the stops to make the best possible Android phone it could muster in 2026. It goes even further than the OPPO Find X9 Pro (review here) by giving it as many cutting-edge components as possible, backed by its ColorOS 16 user interface.<\/p>\n
For instance, Find X9 Ultra uses the highest-end 2026 smartphone processor available, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5<\/b> <\/b>(and that\u2019s on par with the other premium flagship-grade Android phones). Its RAM (LPDDR5X) and storage (UFS 4.1) are also among the latest and fastest technologies available to consumers.<\/p>\n
While it has powerful rear cameras, including a 200MP main and 3x optical zoom telephoto, the Ultra gets an extra 50MP 10x optical zoom rear camera (the last time we had one was on the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra, and that was only 10MP). <\/p>\n
It also packs a 7,050mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is significantly more than the old 5,000mAh standard. That\u2019s not forgetting its 1Hz to 144Hz LTPO AMOLED display, triple certifications for dust and water resistance (IP66, IP68, and IP69), or its 100W wired and 50W wireless charging.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no question that with its shooters using Hasselblad filters and optimisations, the OPPO Find X9 Ultra is a photography-centric handset. But, given its not-insignificant S$2,199 (512GB) starting price <\/b>and flagship billing, it has to do more than just photography to stand out. In this review, we find out whether it\u2019s truly worthy of being a premium flagship choice or just a glorified phone camera.<\/p>\n\nTundra Umber colourway of the OPPO Find X9 Ultra.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
OPPO hasn\u2019t neglected the practicality of design in the Find X9 Ultra, using an understated Tundra Umber colourway to tie it all together (a sleek grey based on Hasselblad\u2019s X2D 100C Earth Explorer Edition camera). For starters, its vegan leather back adds a natural feel that juxtaposes nicely against the coldness of its gunmetal finish and trimmings.<\/p>\n\nThe Quick Button (in orange).<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Just below the volume buttons lies an orange, pressure-sensitive Quick Button. Where the silencing toggle once was is now a customisable Snap Key. If you\u2019ve seen our OPPO Find X9 Pro review<\/u>, you\u2019ll know that the default function of Quick Button is for camera controls (including shutter, focus, and zoom). On the other side of the phone, Snap Key saves information inside OPPO AI\u2019s Mind Space for later analysis.<\/p>\n\nHasselblad-partnered cameras with a unique design, despite its big housing.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
With this phone\u2019s rear cameras being a massive selling point, OPPO paid extra attention to the shape of its lens housing, making it resemble a camera\u2019s lens aperture ring. A special touch is the hexagonal detailing around the glass, resembling fully open aperture blades. Another cherry on top is the orange trim below its knurled patterns, which pays tribute to Hasselblad\u2019s orange dot.<\/p>\n\nIt\u2019s quite hefty, but secure in hand.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
This CNC-machined construction gives us great confidence when holding the Find X9 Ultra; you can literally feel its premium build in your hand. Slapping a cheap case on it feels like a waste of good craftsmanship. One downside is the phone\u2019s width (~77mm), which calls for a wider grip around its sides.<\/p>\n\n9.1mm thick for this colourway.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
At 236g and 9.1mm thick (Tundra Umber), the OPPO Find X9 Ultra is heftier than its competitors. But the design considerations do justice in giving it a stoic and polished feel. Also, it checks all the boxes for durability (IP66, IP68, IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance).<\/p>\n\n6.82-inch LTPO AMOLED with 1-144Hz refresh rate isn\u2019t overkill for a top-dollar phone.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The 6.82-inch ProXDR OLED display<\/b> (LTPO AMOLED) offers QHD+ resolution (1440p) and has a 1Hz to 144Hz refresh rate, with 1,800-nit full-screen brightness (it can reach up to 3,600-nit peak brightness for outdoor, direct-sunlight use).\u00a0<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not as oversaturated as Samsung\u2019s panels, and the Find X9 Ultra has no issues producing sharp-looking videos with excellent contrast and fluidity. However, at full brightness, some well-lit content can appear slightly washed out.<\/p>\n\nOPPO Find X9 Ultra with packaging box.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
To push it past regular AMOLED or OLED phone panels, OPPO said the Find X9 Ultra is colour-calibrated right out of the box. It also added a Display P3 Pro chip<\/b> to extend the display\u2019s lifespan, manage power consumption, and minimise motion blur. Most of these added perks are under-the-hood upgrades, but there\u2019s no doubt that the panel is amazing to use and see. For those wondering if the display is different from that offered on the Find X9 Pro, it\u2019s a resounding yes. For the spec freaks, here\u2019s a quick comparison between both phones across the board:-<\/p>\n
The external speakers\u2019 audio works best at half volume in a quiet place, with excellent balance across normal hearing frequencies. Go any louder, and it starts to lean into a boxy, bass-forward version of an otherwise neutral sound signature.<\/p>\n\nUnsurprisingly, the Find X9 Ultra comes with some AI tools. Happily, they are not completely superfluous. <\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The phone runs on ColorOS 16 (OPPO\u2019s version of Android 16). Besides an uncannily smooth navigation experience across the Home Screen and its menus, it\u2019s still the same ColorOS on the OPPO Find X9 Pro<\/u> and OPPO Find N6<\/u>. Instead of going through every tiny detail, we\u2019ll only highlight what\u2019s newly added to its software.<\/p>\n
AI Bill Manager <\/b>is an OPPO AI-powered sub-feature that relies on Mind Space. Basically, if you use your Snap Key to \u201cscreenshot\u201d a digital receipt, AI Bill Manager will read it for you and organise the receipt\u2019s information into a more legible, copyable format, including details like the date, time, and any reference or invoice numbers you might need.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s cool is that it also works with physical, offline receipts, including handwritten ones. We tried by taking a photo of a handwritten cash sales receipt from a mattress shop, and it was able to itemise the things purchased, the date, the exact measurements of each product, and other sensitive information like the delivery address, salesperson\u2019s name, and invoice number. This conversion of handwritten receipts into digital records relies on legible handwriting; otherwise, the AI might read them incorrectly (such as \u201c7\u201ds that resemble \u201c1\u201ds or a \u201cu\u201d that resembles a \u201cv\u201d).\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n
<\/p>\n
\n
We tried AI Bill Manager with an old receipt and it works fine.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
AI Menu Translation at work.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The only catch AI Bill Manager has is that it needs an Internet connection to work. This is mildly concerning, given that personal finance data and its related details are among some of the most sensitive types of information one can divulge.<\/p>\n
Moving on, AI Menu Translation<\/b> is a feature in OPPO\u2019s own Translate app that converts foreign text on restaurant or caf\u00e9 menus. OPPO said we are limited to 30 uses per month. We experimented with a ramen shop menu written in both Japanese and English to check for translation errors. It captured every food and drink item correctly, save for some nuances it couldn\u2019t understand. You can also zoom in or use the \u201cbilingual\u201d button to get a more legible layout, but it messes up the translation\u2019s order and flow. It also supports offline translation if you\u2019re prepared to download the required language packs.<\/p>\n
While it\u2019s a nice alternative to cross-check against Google Translate\u2019s photo translation feature, the limited number of uses and messy digitisation mean you can\u2019t truly replace your translator with OPPO AI.<\/p>\n
Finally, OPPO Find X9 Ultra\u2019s Quick Share will get native compatibility with Apple\u2019s AirDrop. In short, your friend with an iPhone or iPad can receive files or photos from your Find X9 Ultra without needing to download another app, because the Find X9 Ultra\u2019s Quick Share feature connects automatically to their AirDrop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sadly, this feature wasn\u2019t ready when we reviewed the phone. The O+ Connect app for iOS devices still worked fine for us, so it wasn\u2019t much trouble moving photos over to an iPhone anyway.<\/p>\n
All in all, the operating system is a joy to use (like before), and we can see OPPO trying their best to make more useful AI features, even if they don\u2019t get it right all at once.<\/p>\n