The OPPO Find X9 Pro isn’t just another flagship, it’s a statement of intent. With a 200-megapixel Hasselblad telephoto lens, a battery that could outlast your weekend, and a display brighter than a Kiwi summer afternoon, it’s clear OPPO is aiming squarely at the very top of the premium smartphone tier.

Design

OPPO’s latest flagship, the Find X9 Pro, immediately impresses with its crisp, modern design. The flat-edged frame feels both contemporary and comfortable, complemented by symmetrical 1.15 mm bezels that lend the display a near borderless effect. At just 8.25 mm thick, it’s slim without compromising practicality.

The camera housing is positioned neatly in the top-left corner, avoiding awkward finger placement when taking photos or gaming in landscape mode. In hand, it feels balanced, solid, and reassuringly premium. The new Snap Key on the left frame allows custom shortcuts – from launching the camera to translating text – while the right-side Quick Button adds tactile immediacy to photography, doubling as a precision zoom slider when shooting horizontally.

OPPO has also ensured the X9 Pro is built to endure. With IP66, IP68 and IP69 ratings, it resists dust, submersion and even high-pressure water jets. It’s available in two finishes: Silk White, a soft, pearlescent tone that reflects light elegantly, and Titanium Charcoal, a matte option that radiates understated strength.

Display

The 6.78-inch AMOLED screen is one of OPPO’s best yet, with razor-thin symmetry around all sides. It’s bright – reaching an astonishing 3600 nits outdoors – and drops to 1 nit for comfortable night reading. The 2160 Hz PWM dimming minimises flicker, reducing eye strain over long sessions. Colours are vivid and balanced thanks to 100% DCI-P3 coverage and full support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and HDR Vivid.

Unlocking is handled by an improved 3D ultrasonic fingerprint scanner, which is 35 per cent faster and 33 per cent more reliable than before, even when your fingers are damp. For those who get queasy reading in cars, Vehicle Motion Alerts subtly synchronise the screen’s edges with vehicle movement to ease motion sickness – a thoughtful, unexpected innovation.

Camera

The real magic of the Find X9 Pro lies in its Hasselblad Master Camera System. Co-engineered with the legendary camera maker, it includes a 200 MP Hasselblad Telephoto lens, an Ultra XDR Main Camera using Sony’s new LYT-828 sensor, and an 8-channel True Colour Camera that ensures lifelike hues across lighting conditions.

The telephoto system is exceptional. The massive 200-megapixel sensor captures immense detail even when cropped, producing crisp 50 MP images at 6x zoom and maintaining lossless quality up to 13.2x. The floating lens design allows macro shots as close as 10 cm, while Stage Mode and a four-mic array make it ideal for live music or performance photography.

The Ultra XDR Main Camera pushes dynamic range to an impressive 17 stops, while the True Colour Camera fine-tunes tones for realism even under neon or café lighting. Together they produce beautifully balanced, natural results.

Behind the scenes, OPPO’s LUMO Image Engine powers the computational magic – combining parallel processing across the CPU, GPU and NPU for faster, more efficient image handling. The result is sharper, cleaner images with natural contrast, free from over-processing. The X9 Pro even captures 50 MP photos by default, with support for 4K Motion Photos and 4K 120fps video in Dolby Vision.

Professional tools like LOG recording, Master Mode, and Hasselblad XPAN panoramic shooting round out a feature set that’s as appealing to creatives as it is to everyday users.

Performance

Inside, the MediaTek Dimensity 9500 chip, built on a 3 nm process, offers a 32 per cent performance boost and 55 per cent greater power efficiency over its predecessor. OPPO’s Trinity Engine optimises resources dynamically, maintaining speed even under pressure, while an expansive vapour chamber cooling system keeps thermals under control.

Connectivity is robust too, with AI LinkBoost enhancing signals in weak-coverage areas and support for Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, and dual-SIM 5G.

Battery life is equally impressive. The 7500 mAh silicon-carbon battery delivers up to two days of regular use, retaining 80 per cent capacity after five years. Charging is versatile and fast, with 80 W SUPERVOOC wired, 50 W AIRVOOC wireless, and 10 W reverse charging.

Verdict

The OPPO Find X9 Pro is a triumph of refinement and capability. From its meticulously balanced design to its groundbreaking camera system and marathon battery life, it redefines what a flagship smartphone can be. This isn’t just a photographer’s tool – it’s an everyday powerhouse that brings premium design and innovation together with remarkable polish.

Price (NZ): $2,599. Colours: Silk White, Titanium Charcoal. Available from 30th October 2025.