The OPPO Find X6 Pro marked a major milestone in mobile phone photography

The OPPO Find X8 Ultra has just launched—and much like the Find X6 Pro, it won’t be getting a global release. That’s disappointing, sure. But let’s be honest: for most tech-savvy users, sideloading the Play Store is no big deal. So why let that stop you?

One of the main features tech reviewers are highlighting in the Find X8 Ultra is its 1-inch type sensor in the main camera. And that brings us to the star of this post: the OPPO Find X6 Pro, which also sports a 1-inch sensor. Yes, the X8 Ultra comes with the newer Sony LYT-900, which may bring marginal improvements. But the core strengths of a 1-inch sensor—excellent low-light performance, creamy natural bokeh, and beautiful shallow depth of field—are already masterfully delivered by the older Sony IMX989 on the Find X6 Pro.

So why does this matter in 2025? Because the Find X6 Pro still holds its own—and then some—when it comes to photography. It currently ranks #13 on DXOMARK, scoring an impressive 153. That’s just one point shy of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and only four behind the iPhone 16 Pro Max. Remarkably, alongside the Huawei Mate 60 Pro+, it's the only phone from 2023 still in the top 15 today.

2023 was the year Chinese flagships embraced the 1-inch sensor, and even though some brands have since moved away from it (for reasons only they know), many top reviewers still swear by it. I agree. These sensors produce images that rival mirrorless cameras in quality. And the Find X6 Pro didn’t stop at the main sensor—it also introduced a groundbreaking periscope lens, setting records in size and quality.

More Than Just Cameras

The excellence of the Find X6 Pro doesn’t stop with photography. Its build quality is arguably better than some of its successors. Seriously, check it out yourself.

It features a premium stainless steel ring around the massive camera module, with either a sleek all-glass back (protected by Gorilla Glass 5) or a more luxurious two-tone design combining metal and brown vegan leather. On the front, you get a QHD+ LTPO 120Hz curved display with up to 1500 nits of peak brightness.

Now, I get it—some brands have embraced a flat, boxy aesthetic (looking at you, Apple and Samsung), but if you prefer the elegance and feel of a curved screen, the Find X6 Pro delivers that classic flagship vibe that’s getting harder to find these days.

Performance? Still a Beast

Sure, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset won’t post the same benchmark-crushing numbers as the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or 8 Gen 3 Elite. But let’s be real—unless you’re deep into gaming or synthetic benchmarks, you won’t notice the difference.

Think of it like this: a well-tuned V6 or V8 engine might not match a supercar, but it still delivers exhilarating speed and performance. Likewise, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is more than enough for any daily task, heavy multitasking, and even demanding mobile gaming. For the last several years, mobile processors have reached a point where improvements are more about bragging rights than real-world benefits.

The Best $600 You’ll Spend in 2025

At around $600, the OPPO Find X6 Pro is a flagship-grade powerhouse at a mid-range price. It offers premium build quality, elite camera hardware, a gorgeous display, and excellent performance—even by 2025 standards.

In many ways, OPPO released a 2025 flagship back in 2023.

So before you spend $1,000+ on the latest flagship with only marginal improvements, come back and give this post another read. You might just realize that the smartest buy in 2025... is actually two years old.