The Rise of the Oppo Find X9 Pro: Why It Might Outshine the iPhone 17 Pro Max in 2025
In 2025, we possibly have an unexpected front‐runner when it comes to the best smartphone experience: the Oppo Find X9 Pro. It might surprise you to see a non-Apple phone being labeled “best iPhone experience,” but hear me out – this flagship doesn’t just play the game, it flips it.
We often expect a Chinese flagship to push limits: big specs, bold design, and aggressive innovation. The Find X9 Pro exemplifies exactly that. It’s not merely a specs sheet wrapped in hype – it delivers a real, tangible experience that can legitimately challenge the iPhone 17 Pro Max. While the comparison might feel ironic given this is an Android device, the reality is that Oppo has created something that in many respects surpasses Apple’s top offering.
Why Compare with the iPhone 17 Pro Max?
One could ask: why draw direct parallels between the Find X9 Pro and the iPhone 17 Pro Max? At first glance, the cues are obvious. Both devices occupy the premium tier, with similar materials, polish, and ambition. But the deeper reason is this: Oppo isn’t referencing Apple lightly. The similarities go beyond aesthetics – they reflect a goal of matching or even overtaking iPhone’s class-leading status.
That said, the Find X9 Pro isn’t a mere clone – it’s a reinterpretation. Almost like when we talk about our 98.8% DNA similarity with chimpanzees (don’t quote me on the exact number) – Yes: while the base template is noble, the variations matter. The Find X9 Pro stands on its own merit, even if it mirrors Apple in some ways.
Design, Feel & Materials
From the moment you pick it up, the Find X9 Pro feels undeniably premium. Its satin-matte finish on the back evokes the powdery texture you’ll find on Apple’s high-end models, helping keep fingerprints at bay while offering a subtly luxurious tactile sensation. The aluminium frame feels sturdy, and at approximately 224 grams it is lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro Max – remarkable, especially when you consider its thinner profile.
Oppo even adds some bespoke hardware features: two extra physical keys labelled “Snap Key” and “Quick Camera.” The former echoes Apple’s Action Button, allowing user-customizable shortcuts; the latter is a dedicated camera-button – simple, intuitive, and unabashedly straightforward. While Apple might stylize such a feature with marketing speak, Oppo’s approach is refreshingly direct: it’s just a button you can press to zoom and shoot in landscape mode.
On durability, Oppo takes things seriously: the Find X9 Pro holds an IP69 rating – a step up from the iPhone’s IP68 – meaning it can survive high-pressure water jets, not just immersions. On the glass front, it uses Corning Gorilla Glass on both sides, although Oppo hasn’t specified the exact variant – so Apple may still have the edge here.
Software: The Look & Feel of ColorOS 16
When you power the phone on and swipe through the interface of ColorOS 16, you’ll instantly recognize aspects of iOS: the quick-settings layout, the “Liquid Glass” UI elements. It’s bold but effective. Yes, the design language is heavily inspired by iOS, yet Oppo manages to blend Apple’s clean aesthetic with Android’s adaptability.
In other words: ColourOS 16 feels like a familiar friend to iPhone users, but with the openness and customization of Android. That’s a fine balance, and Oppo nails it in a way that many Android manufacturers struggle to achieve.
Unrivalled Battery Life
If the defining achievement of the Find X9 Pro is battery life, then we’re looking at a landmark performance. Inside its sleek ~8 mm chassis lies a 7,500 mAh silicon-carbon battery that produces incredible longevity in real-world tests. In fact, it lasted about 9 hours 50 minutes in one standardized battery test – roughly two hours longer than the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s 7 h 46 m. That kind of gap is substantial in a market where phones are very good at lasting a day.
In simpler terms: if you’re tired of charging your phone mid-day or relying on power banks, this is the phone that pushes the boundary. It’s easy to see it as a true two-day device – sometimes even three – if you’re moderate in usage. Apple’s efficiency is legendary, yes, but when sheer capacity and smart battery chemistry combine, the result is a leap ahead.
Charging Speeds That Actually Matter
Fast charging is no novelty, but the Find X9 Pro handles it particularly well. With 80 W wired and 50 W wireless charging, the phone doesn’t just last longer – it charges faster. Roughly 30 minutes gets you to 50% – enough to comfortably cover a full day of usage. In contrast, the iPhone 17 Pro Max caps at around 40 W wired and 25 W wireless – better than previous years, but still not quite in this league.
Put simply: Oppo’s charging infrastructure complements the endurance. When you rarely need to plug in, and when you do, you don’t lose hours of your day waiting – it matters.
Display: A Visual Powerhouse
Display quality is often where premium phones distinguish themselves. Apple’s screens are known for superb color accuracy – but Oppo’s offering pushes even further. The Find X9 Pro’s panel peaks at over 3,500 nits (at 20% APL), a brightness level so intense it can double as a flashlight. That exceeds the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s ~2,700 nits at the same measure.
In real-world terms: outdoors in bright daylight, shadows and reflections – it handles them better. HDR movie nights? Cinematic. The display doesn’t just meet expectations – it redefines them.
Camera Hardware That Means Business
Let’s talk cameras. The Find X9 Pro is no shy competitor – it scored an impressive 152 in one benchmark (compared with the iPhone’s 158). But here’s the kicker: in still-photo tests it tied Apple at 162 points. That’s telling.
The camera setup is bold: a main sensor (Sony LYT-828) boasting ~17 stops of dynamic range, a 50 MP ultrawide and a massive 200 MP telephoto lens offering 3× optical zoom and clean detail out to 10×. And for the close-ups? Oppo uses the telephoto lens for macro shots, giving superior detail compared to more conventional setups.
And then there’s the wild add-on: a Hasselblad Teleconverter Kit allowing true 10–200× optical zoom – yes, you read that right. It’s not just camera tech – it’s camera theatre. Oppo calls it “unhinged,” and that label might just fit.
Performance: MediaTek Makes a Statement
In recent years, chips from MediaTek have been overshadowed by flagship offerings from other vendors – but the Find X9 Pro’s Dimensity 9500 is a wake-up call. It came very close to matching Apple’s A19 Pro in multi-core testing and actually surpassed it on GPU benchmarks. And it did so while maintaining efficiency and cool-running behaviour.
In stress-tests where phones often throttle after heavy use, the Find X9 Pro showed minimal performance dip after 20 minutes, while the iPhone began showing signs of thermal limitation. For gamers, creators or anyone who demands consistent performance – not just peak bursts – this is meaningful.
Where Apple Still Holds the Edge
No phone is perfect for every user, and Apple keeps critical advantages.
Video Capture and Creative Options
The iPhone remains the gold standard for video. The iPhone 17 Pro Max supports ProRes and ProRes RAW up to 120 fps, Apple Log 2 for advanced colour grading, full audio mixing and Dolby Vision HDR capture – even on the selfie camera. Oppo’s video is sharp, impressive, and very usable – but it still doesn’t match Apple’s consistency across lighting conditions, colour science, and professional workflow support.
Design Refinements & Ecosystem Strength
Apple’s craftsmanship, such as the Ceramic Shield 2 front glass, gives the iPhone resilience – even if corners can still chip. The iPhone’s display also benefits from a reflective coating that improves visibility outdoors. While it might not match the brightness of Oppo’s screen, the usability under real-world conditions is excellent.
And then there’s the ecosystem: MagSafe accessories, wireless charging docks, a massive accessory market and a seamless symbiosis between iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, Mac and other devices. That depth of integration is hard to replicate on Android – no matter how strong the device.
Why the Find X9 Pro Matters
Let’s pause and reflect. Yes, the Find X9 Pro borrows design cues and UI inspirations from Apple. But that’s not the whole story. What Oppo has done is take learnings and established benchmarks – and then pushed them further. Battery life that whispers “two days if you ease off”; display brightness that dominates; a camera system that delivers real photographic power; performance that stays steady under strain. This is more than catching up: it’s leapfrogging in some areas.
Now, it is unfortunate that in some regions – particularly in the U.S. – you may not have easy access to phones like this. This means that while many users still associate “cutting edge” with Apple or Samsung, much of the real innovation is occurring elsewhere. Brands like Oppo (and its peers) are keeping that spark alive.
Should You Choose the Find X9 Pro Over the iPhone 17 Pro Max?
The answer depends on your priorities.
- If battery life, blazing brightness, high-end camera hardware and rapid charging are your top concerns – then yes: the Find X9 Pro is a compelling choice.
- If you’re deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, rely on MagSafe accessories, demand top-tier video workflows (ProRes, Dolby), and want maximum global availability and service coverage – then the iPhone 17 Pro Max remains a sensible pick.
In short: for many power users, the Find X9 Pro represents value and capability that might surprise you. For ecosystem-loyal users, Apple still offers a premium, streamlined experience.
Final Thoughts
We often say innovation in smartphones has plateaued – but that’s a myth. The Find X9 Pro is proof. It shows that fun, bold, and meaningful advancement is alive and well. Oppo may be borrowing some aesthetic language – but it’s rewriting how the high-end flagship phone can perform.
Yes: the iPhone still has its strengths and the ecosystem it offers is unmatched in many ways. But when you peel back the layers, you’ll find a phone here that asks: what if we pushed just a little further? What happens when the limits are tested? In 2025, the answer might just be: we get a champion from outside Apple.
What do you think about the Oppo Find X9 Pro? Have you tried it, or plan to? Share your thoughts – and let’s spark a conversation on where smartphone innovation is headed.
1 comment
Still think Apple wins for video creators though. If you shoot content you know what’s up