When Oppo announced it, the headlines were predictable “Giant 1 inch sensor!”, “Four 50MP cameras!”, “The DSLR killer!”. But in tech, hype can be a dangerous thing. We’ve all seen phones that promised the moon only to deliver a slightly shinier rock.
So, I spent weeks living with the Find X8 Ultra shooting thousands of photos, running it through daily use, draining and charging it repeatedly to see if it truly earns its place among the greats.
Spoiler alert, if you love photography, you might not want to read further… unless you’re ready to start budgeting for this phone.
First Impressions: Love at First Hold
Unboxing the Find X8 Ultra is an experience in itself. Oppo clearly wants you to feel like you’ve bought something premium. The box is sturdy, minimalist, and opens with that satisfying resistance that feels… expensive. Inside, the phone rests like a centerpiece in a jewelry box, flanked by a hefty 100W SuperVOOC charger, a USB-C cable, and even a protective case that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.The first thing you notice is the camera module a huge, circular slab of glass and metal that screams “this phone is about photography.” It protrudes, yes, but it’s not awkward. Think of it as a sports car’s hood scoop functional, bold, and a little bit show offy.
The model I reviewed came in a soft matte ceramic white. It’s smooth but grippy, fingerprint resistant, and has just enough curve on the edges to melt into your palm. At 8.8mm thick and 226g, it’s substantial without being unwieldy lighter than Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Ultra but still hefty enough to feel serious.
The Display: A Feast for the Eyes
Flip it over and you’re greeted with a 6.82 inch LTPO AMOLED panel that’s frankly one of the best I’ve ever seen. We’re talking QHD+ resolution, 120Hz adaptive refresh, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and a claimed peak brightness of ~2500 nits.Numbers aside, here’s the real world takeaway:
- Watching Dune, Part Two on this screen was like looking through a portal.
- Reading in bright sunlight? No squinting necessary.
- Scrolling social media? Butter smooth.
The Cameras: Where the Magic Happens
This is where the Find X8 Ultra earns its name. Oppo’s camera department, in collaboration with Hasselblad, went all in.Camera Specs
At night, the 1 inch sensor flexes its muscles. Street scenes are crisp with minimal noise, colors stay vibrant, and thanks to optical stabilization, even handheld night shots are sharp.
Zooming in is a joy. The dual periscope setup means you can go from a sweeping landscape shot to picking out the texture of a building 300 meters away all without pixel mush. The 30x digital zoom is surprisingly usable, though it’s best kept for those “I can’t believe I can see that” moments rather than everyday shooting.
Portrait mode? Chef’s kiss. Edge detection is near flawless, bokeh looks natural, and Hasselblad’s tuning gives skin tones a film like quality.
Gaming is similarly excellent, though I did notice some thermal throttling in extended sessions of Genshin Impact at max settings. It never got uncomfortably hot, but the frame rate dipped slightly after about 30 minutes.
For most people, though, this phone’s performance will feel limitless.
When you do need to recharge, the 100W SuperVOOC charger fills the tank in about 35 minutes. Wireless charging? Yep, 50W which is faster than most wired charging on other phones.
That said, the Find X8 Ultra is currently China only, which means out of the box software may require sideloading apps and tweaking settings if you import it. International users may want to wait for a global ROM if it ever arrives.
It’s also a joy to use day to day, the display is gorgeous, the battery is massive, charging is lightning fast, and performance is top tier.
But it’s hard to recommend without acknowledging the China only caveat. For now, the X8 Ultra feels like a grail phone one you lust after, maybe even import, but which isn’t designed with global users in mind.
- Main (Wide): 50MP, 1 inch Sony LYT-900 sensor, f/1.6
- Ultrawide: 50MP, f/2.0, 123° FOV
- Priscope Telephoto 1: 50MP, 3x optical zoom, f/2.4
- Priscope Telephoto 2: 50MP, 6x optical zoom, f/4.0
- Wide : 32 MP (Front Camera)
Real World Performance
Let me just say it, the main camera is absurdly good. In daylight, it produces images that feel alive with micro contrast and detail that rivals my Sony A7C. The dynamic range is vast, letting you shoot straight into the sun without blowing out highlights or drowning shadows.At night, the 1 inch sensor flexes its muscles. Street scenes are crisp with minimal noise, colors stay vibrant, and thanks to optical stabilization, even handheld night shots are sharp.
Zooming in is a joy. The dual periscope setup means you can go from a sweeping landscape shot to picking out the texture of a building 300 meters away all without pixel mush. The 30x digital zoom is surprisingly usable, though it’s best kept for those “I can’t believe I can see that” moments rather than everyday shooting.
Portrait mode? Chef’s kiss. Edge detection is near flawless, bokeh looks natural, and Hasselblad’s tuning gives skin tones a film like quality.
Video: Stable, Sharp, and Cinematic
If you shoot video, the Find X8 Ultra doesn’t disappoint.- 4K at 120fps or 8K at 30fps options
- Excellent stabilization in both walking and panning shots
- Rich, cinematic colors without that oversharpened look many phones fall into
- Great audio capture with directional microphones
Performance: Snapdragon Muscle
Under the hood, you’re getting the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset paired with up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB UFS 4.1 storage. In daily use, the phone flies apps open instantly, animations are slick, and even heavy multitasking doesn’t make it break a sweat.Gaming is similarly excellent, though I did notice some thermal throttling in extended sessions of Genshin Impact at max settings. It never got uncomfortably hot, but the frame rate dipped slightly after about 30 minutes.
For most people, though, this phone’s performance will feel limitless.
Battery Life & Charging: Big and Fast
Here’s where Oppo flexes another muscle a massive 6,100mAh battery. In my testing, I averaged 1.5 to 2 days of moderate to heavy use. That’s with the screen at QHD+ and 120Hz enabled, plus a lot of camera usage.When you do need to recharge, the 100W SuperVOOC charger fills the tank in about 35 minutes. Wireless charging? Yep, 50W which is faster than most wired charging on other phones.
Software: ColorOS 15
ColorOS has come a long way. It’s still colorful and feature rich, but it no longer feels bloated. Animations are fluid, customization options are plentiful, and I didn’t encounter any major bugs.That said, the Find X8 Ultra is currently China only, which means out of the box software may require sideloading apps and tweaking settings if you import it. International users may want to wait for a global ROM if it ever arrives.
Durability & Extras
- IP68/IP69 dust and water resistance
- Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and back
Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If photography is your top priority, the Oppo Find X8 Ultra is in a league of its own. The combination of a massive main sensor, dual periscope zooms, Hasselblad color science, and genuinely useful pro modes makes it the most versatile camera phone of 2025.It’s also a joy to use day to day, the display is gorgeous, the battery is massive, charging is lightning fast, and performance is top tier.
But it’s hard to recommend without acknowledging the China only caveat. For now, the X8 Ultra feels like a grail phone one you lust after, maybe even import, but which isn’t designed with global users in mind.