OPPO Reno 12 vs Samsung Galaxy A55: Which Should You Buy?

When it comes to some mid-range phones in Nigeria, two names are among the ones being mentioned in 2025: the OPPO Reno 12 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy A55. 

Both products offer style, strong performance, decent cameras, and long battery life. Still, they also differ in aspects relevant to Nigerian buyers, including durability, charging speed, AI performance, gaming smoothness, and camera consistency.

If you are torn between Samsung's sleek A-series and OPPO's stylish Reno series, this detailed comparison will help you determine what is truly worth your investment.

Samsung substituted the Galaxy A55 with a premium aluminium frame that aligns it with the Galaxy S24 series. Its straight edges, matte glass back, and traditional triple camera design give it the feel of a flagship. It weighs enough at 213 grams, and you also get the advantage of IP67 dust and water resistance. It comes in Ice Blue, Lilac, Navy, and Lemon.

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro prioritises lightness and style. It weighs just 180 grams, is thinner, easier to carry, and more comfortable to use over prolonged periods. Built with an alloy structure, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 front, and inner buffer cushioning for durability, OPPO claims that it's drop and pressure-proof. It has IP65 dust and water resistance, slightly less protected than Samsung's IP67, but still impressive. OPPO has more stylish colours: Space Brown, Sunset Gold, Nebula Silver, and Mannish Malhotra.

Verdict: If you like to have a long-lasting, near-flagship feel with strength, go for Samsung. If you want light comfort and flashy appearances, go for OPPO.

Samsung equips the Galaxy A55 with a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, Full HD+ resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10 support. The panel shines outdoors, even under Abuja’s midday sun, and you’ll easily see your screen. The only letdown is its slower in-display fingerprint scanner, which takes over a second to unlock.

OPPO's Reno 12 Pro features a 6.7-inch OLED display, as well as Full HD+ and 120Hz refresh. Its curved glass edges give an otherworldly look, making it all the more "flagship"-like. OPPO embeds the fingerprint sensor with other shortcuts so that you can swipe into apps when you unlock.

Verdict: Both are excellent, but OPPO scores for its immersive curved build and clever fingerprint shortcuts, and Samsung for visibility outdoors.

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The A55 is powered by Samsung on the Exynos 1480, supported by 6–12GB of RAM and 128–256GB of storage, which can additionally be expandable to 1TB via microSD, a rare element in 2025 mid-range phones. Gaming on titles like League of Legends: Wild Rift was buttery smooth at 60fps, and frames were never dropped, nor did it overheat. Scrolling and multitasking feel intuitive.

OPPO Reno 12 Pro uses MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 along with 12GB RAM and 256–512GB storage. It performs everyday tasks decently, but occasionally experiences minor touch lag during app opening. Its AI features, however, run smoothly, and it holds its own against others like the Galaxy S24 when it comes to AI responsiveness.

Verdict: For gaming and dependability, Samsung takes the cake. For heavy multitaskers and AI feature enthusiasts, OPPO is attractive, but you might experience lag.

The Galaxy A55 comes with Android 14 and One UI 6.1, and Samsung guarantees 4 years of software updates and 5 years of security patches, a big bonus for Nigerians who tend to keep their phones for longer periods of time. One UI continues to be refined, customizable, and functional, with additions such as lock screen widgets and always-on display.

The Reno 12 Pro runs on Android 14 with ColorOS 14.1, a feature-rich skin that's full of shortcuts and AI extensions. Its sidebar lets you drag-and-drop text or documents between applications, and the AI toolbox pops up when necessary, such as when you're editing videos or photos. There's also AI Studio, which generates cartoon avatars.

Verdict: Samsung leads for long-term reliability, but OPPO appeals to users who want fun, AI-heavy personalisation.

Samsung’s Galaxy A55 has a 5000mAh battery, easily lasting a full day of heavy use, 6–7 hours screen-on time, with 30–40% left by bedtime. The only drawback is charging speed; Samsung is conservative here, and you’ll be waiting over an hour for a full charge.

The Reno 12 Pro also features a 5000mAh battery, although its real-world longevity is slightly lower, at about 10 hours of YouTube viewing, compared to Samsung's 12–15 hours under less intensive use. Where OPPO is superior is in charging: its 80W fast charger fills the phone up to 100% in a mere 41 minutes, a game-changer in Nigeria, where power supply may be unreliable.

Verdict: Samsung wins at longevity, OPPO triumphs at charging convenience.

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Galaxy A55 uses a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultra-wide, and 5MP macro, and a 32MP front camera. Photos are natural, well-balanced, and consistent with excellent HDR and strong night mode performance. Video capture is up to 4K 60fps with excellent stabilisation.

Reno 12 Pro boasts higher megapixels: 50MP main, 50MP telephoto, 8MP ultra-wide, and 50MP front. On paper, it's superior, but in practice, its photos are overly processed with mottled skin tones. Selfies look natural, but its ultra-wide is not as powerful as Samsung's. Videos are also shot at 4K, but stabilisation and colour balancing lag behind the A55.

Verdict: Samsung takes better consistent photos and videos. OPPO offers a variety of megapixels, but Samsung's image calibration is superior.

Pricing matters in Nigeria. The Galaxy A55, with Samsung’s strong brand reputation and resale value, appeals to users who want long software support, camera consistency, and reliable gaming performance.

The Reno 12 Pro is typically priced slightly lower, offering rapid charging, a lighter build, and AI features, making it a reasonable trade-off for students or young working professionals.

Verdict: If you don't mind reliability, resale, and updates, then go for Samsung. If you don't mind fast charging, good looks, and AI features, then go for OPPO.

Both the OPPO Reno 12 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy A55 offer excellent value. Choose the Samsung Galaxy A55 if:

• Good performance and gaming are crucial

• Long software updates are critical

• Good nighttime shots and cameras

• IP67 rating and build

Choose the OPPO Reno 12 Pro if:

• Thinner design and fashion colours are needed

• Blistering 80W charging speed

• AI-based software benefits

• Affordable looks with decent performance

Ultimately, the Galaxy A55 is the sure, dependable choice for the majority of Nigerians, while the Reno 12 Pro is the flashy one for individuals who desire fast charging and an eye-catching phone life.