The Oppo A78 5G is the latest Oppo Smartphone released on Jan 2023, whereas the Samsung A33 was released on March 2022.
Shopee and Lazada list the Oppo A78 starting at RM1059, which is very slightly cheaper than Samsung A33.
The Oppo A78 5G is undoubtedly newer, but is it better?
Let’s compare the new Oppo A78 and Samsung A33 to see how they stack up in terms of specifications, design, camera, performance and battery life.
Key Takeaway:
The biggest differences between the Oppo A78 and Samsung A33 are the Samsung A33 has a better 1080P AMOLED screen with an under-display fingerprint sensor and a more powerful Exynos 1280 Soc.
Comparing the Oppo A78 5G vs Samsung A33 Specifications
| Oppo A78 | Samsung A33 | |
| Design |  |  |
| Size | 163.8 x 75.1 x 8 mm | 159.7 x 74 x 8.1 mm |
| Weight | 188 g | 186 g |
| IP rating | IP54 | IP67 |
| Display | Waterdrop notch 6.56 inches LCD, 90Hz, 480 nits (typ),269 PPI, | Waterdrop notch 6.4 inches, AMOLED, 90Hz, 411 PPI |
| SIM slot | Dual SIM (nano) | Hybrid Dual SIM (nano) |
| OS | Android 12, ColorOS 13 | Android 13, One UI 5 |
| Chipsets | Mediatek MT6833 Dimensity 700 (7nm) | Exynos 1280 (5nm) |
| Memory | 128GB 8GB RAM | 128GB 4GB RAM, 128GB 6GB RAM, 128GB 8GB RAM, 256GB 8GB RAM, |
| Card slot | microSD | microSD (shared) |
| Main Camera | 50 MP, f/1.8, 27mm (wide), PDAF 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) | 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, OIS8 MP, f/2.2, 123˚, (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm5 MP, f/2.4, (macro)2 MP, f/2.4, (depth) |
| Selfie Camera | 8 MP, f/2.0, 27mm (wide) | 13 MP, f/2.2, (wide), 1/3.1″, 1.12µm |
| Sound | Stereo speakers, 3.5mm jack | Stereo speakers, No 3.5mm jack |
| Fingerprint | Side-mounted | Under display |
| Battery | Li-Po 5000 mAh | Li-Po 5000 mAh |
| Charging | 33W wired | 25W wired |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Shopee RM1059 Lazada RM1059 | Shopee RM1199 Lazada RM1149 |
Oppo A78 5G vs Samsung A33 Price in Malaysia
As of January 2023, Oppo A78 will have only one variant, which is:
- 8GB RAM + 128GB ROM – RM1059
Samsung A33 comes in four variants but only one is commonly available in Malaysia, which is as below:
- 128GB 4GB RAM – not available
- 128GB 6GB RAM – not available
- 128GB 8GB RAM – RM1199
- 256GB 8GB RAM – not available
In terms of pricing, the Oppo A78 is cheaper than Samsung A33 with a difference of about RM100.
While both have similar RAM memory and ROM, there are many differences in their specifications that must be considered to determine which is the real winner.
Occasionally, Shopee and Lazada have promotions and discounts for new smartphones, so make sure to check their latest pricing by clicking on the link below.
Oppo A78 5G vs Samsung A33 Design
The Oppo A78 5G is available in two colours: glowing black and glowing purple; whereas the Samsung A33 is available in four colours: black, white, blue and peach. Users have more options with Samsung.
Although the Oppo A78 is slightly larger than the Samsung A33, it is marginally thinner.
Oppo A78 has a more square-ish design, similar to iPhone 14. It looks more modern and stylish than the Samsung A33 but the Samsung A33 is more ergonomic to hold.
On the front, unfortunately, both Oppo A78 5G and Samsung A33 5G use a water drop notch design. However, the Samsung A33’s notch is slightly smaller, so it is less distracting.
Screen-wise, Samsung A33 wins with a 6.4-inch AMOLED screen with under-display fingerprint sensor, whereas Oppo A78 has a 6.59-inch LCD screen with side-mounted fingerprint sensor.
Not only that, Samsung A33 offers a higher screen resolution of 1080p than the Oppo A78, which has 720p.
On its back, the Oppo A78 has a pretty, round camera bump. The Samsung A33 uses a rectangular camera bump design with a slight chamfer that blends into the rear panel. Both phones have amazing rear panels.
I consider the Samsung A33 to have a better design overall, thanks to its vibrant AMOLED display, under-display fingerprint sensor and a narrow water drop notch on its front camera.
Oppo A78 5G vs Samsung A33 Performance
According to nanoreview.net, the Oppo A78’s Mediatek Dimensity 700 has an AnTuTu score of 338k, lower than the Samsung A33 Exynos 1280 AnTuTu score of 405k.
The Exynos 1280 is better than Mediatek Dimensity 700 in all aspects including CPU performance, gaming performance, and supports Bluetooth 5.2 for the best experience when using wireless earbuds or headphones.
Also, the Samsung A33’s Exynos 1280 is fabricated in a 5nm process, far superior to Mediatek Dimensity 700’s 7nm process. It has a major advantage in battery consumption.
The battery life of the Samsung A33 is expected to be better than Oppo A78 if you’re using it for gaming.
Both Oppo A78 and Samsung A33 support 5G networks.
Overall, Samsung A33 is more powerful compared to the Oppo A78 because it has a better SoC.
Oppo A78 5G vs Samsung A33 Camera
The Oppo A78 features a dual camera system, while the Samsung A33 is equipped with a quad camera system.
In addition to the primary camera, the Samsung A33 also has Optical image stabilization, a macro camera and an ultra-wide camera, which the Oppo A78 lacks.
If you’re into photography, I am sure you know the obvious choice here is the Samsung A33.
The front camera of Samsung A33 is 13MP with f/2.2 compared to Oppo A78’s 8MP with f/2.0. The 13MP camera allows for clearer zoomed-in images, while the f/2.0 aperture allows for a faster shutter speed in low light conditions.
So, both front cameras have their respective pros and cons.
The difference in camera between Oppo A78 and Samsung A33 is the Samsung has a Quad camera system that completes with OIS, Ultrawide and Macro cameras.
Oppo A78 5G vs Samsung A33 Battery Life
Based on official data, both Oppo A78 and Samsung A33 has a built-in battery of 5000mAh.
Oppo A78 supports 33W supervooc charging that can charge up to 50% in 30 minutes. Samsung A33 can only support up to 25W charging so the charging speed will be slightly slower than Oppo A78.
On daily usage, Samsung A33’s Exynos 1280 is expected to last about a day and a half, about 13 hours of screen time. With this phone, you don’t need to bring that heavy power bank ever again.
As for the Oppo A78, it is expected to last a few hours shorter than the A33 because the Mediatek Dimensity 700 is less power efficient. But it still provides a sufficient amount of juice for use throughout the day.
Please be aware that activating the 5G connection on your smartphone may reduce the battery life by 1-2 hours.
Oppo A78 and Samsung A33 Video Review
Conclusion: Which is Better, Oppo A78 or Samsung A33
In conclusion, Samsung A33 is better than Oppo A78 in many ways including an AMOLED display screen, Quad camera, under-display fingerprint sensor, and a more power-efficient Exynos 1280 5nm Soc.
The pros of the Samsung A33 clearly outweigh the cost savings of purchasing the Oppo A78 when the saving is only RM100.
Other than Oppo and Samsung phones, there are many great budget smartphones under RM1000. Click here to check them out.