Oppo Reno review: a smartphone with a special camera is average

Oppo Reno review

The Oppo Reno resembles the Reno 10x Zoom but misses almost all the camera functions that make the latter so special. Is it then wise to bring this middle-class home? You can read it in this Oppo Reno review.

This is our Oppo Reno review

Oppo is one of the big boys in the homeland of China, but the company is only just coming to the united states. The manufacturer is – unlike a lot of other Chinese manufacturers – not known for its competitive price/quality ratio, but for innovative functions.

An example of this is the Oppo Reno, the cheaper brother of the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom that will be released in June. The device has an extendable selfie camera and therefore no notch in the screen. Yet it is a shame that the ‘normal’ Reno does not have the camera functions of the 10x Zoom, because the device is otherwise a very average-sized car.

Nice design

But let’s start positively. The Oppo Reno looks beautiful, although it is wise to immediately put the supplied cover on it. The device slips out of your hands rather quickly. The Chinese middle class feels solid thanks to the aluminum rim that holds the glass front and back together. Unfortunately, the otherwise luxurious-looking housing is not dust-proof or waterproof, unlike many of its competitors.

Oppo Reno

What Oppo does have a line for is screen quality. The Reno has no annoying camera hole, but a selfie camera in the housing that slides on command. As a result, the 6.4-inch screen with full HD resolution (2340 by 1080 pixels) actually runs from edge to edge.

The fingerprint scanner is processed under the screen and works pleasantly and quickly. You do have to get used to the position, so unlocking the first few times is still a bit of scanning. The face scanner works surprisingly fast, although this method of unlocking is not the most secure.

On the one hand, such an extendable selfie camera is handy because of the space-saving, but there are also disadvantages. For example, I have noticed that the hinge is an actual fabric magnet. This could cause problems in the long term.

Oppo also claims that the retractable selfie camera folds back into the housing in time during a fall, but according to my test this is not correct. Namely, when I dropped the device from elbow height, the camera was still extended when I caught it close to the ground.

Oppo Reno review Powerful hardware

The Oppo Reno is controlled by a Snapdragon 710, in combination with 6GB of memory and 256GB of storage. In theory, the device is not as fast as the Reno 10x Zoom, which has a Snapdragon 855 chip, but in practice, you probably notice little of this.

The powerful specifications ensure that apps start up quickly, switching between apps goes smoothly and the multitasking is effortlessly done with the Reno. Moreover, even the biggest music fan can easily lose his collection with so much storage capacity. If you need more than 256 GB, then, unfortunately, you cannot insert a micro sd card.

Oppo Reno Z official

In addition to the standard apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, you can therefore also use the Oppo Reno as a multimedia phone. The device even has a special game program, so you can save and apply the optimal settings for each game. It is also nice that the Oppo Reno has a headphone input because you don’t need an adapter that way.

Software: a matter of taste

Oppo phones run on ColorOS, a considerably modified version of Android. Previously this interface was clearly not made for the Western consumer, but with ColorOS 6 they tried to solve this by using less intense, colliding colors. The menus are also more clearly arranged.

Oppo is, therefore, trying to make ColorOS absolutely better, but my preferred Android interface will not be for the time being. If you want to personalize something, such as turning the navigation keys or changing swipe movements, you need a considerable search in the settings menu. I also came across some translation errors and non-translated texts.

Oppo Reno Z

Software, of course, remains a matter of taste, but we can make a factual comment on Oppo’s update policy. It is rather unclear. Oppo has indicated that it will continue to update the Reno series for one to two years with security updates, but only 30 to 60 days after they have been released by Google.

During my test period, the device also ran on a security update from the previous month. Oppo also promises only one system update, that to Android 10.0 (Q). This is a clear downside for a device in this price range.

Oppo Reno review Great camera, but not special

The biggest difference between the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom and the regular Reno is the camera. The former has a striking zoom camera, while the Reno ‘only’ has a dual camera consisting of a primary sensor of 48 megapixel and a depth sensor of 5 megapixels. Because of this, you can only zoom 2x optically instead of 5. This is a shame because what is left is a great camera, but not a special one.

The photos contain enough detail, little noise and the balance is usually in order. In the evening, the device automatically switches to night mode, so that the shutter stays open a little longer to catch enough light. He is very sensitive to movement so that photos quickly become grainy.

Thanks to the dual camera, you can also take bokeh photos, with the background blurred and the subject sharp. This generally works quickly and well. The 16-megapixel selfie camera comes up quickly from the housing and has HDR, with a solid color balance as a result. However, the viewing angle is relatively small, which means that group photos sometimes feel a bit tight.

Battery life could be better

The 3765 mAh battery of the Oppo Reno is great and lasts for a working day. However, he really needs to charge the charger in the evening, this often cannot wait until the following morning. Fortunately, the Oppo Reno has fast charging (20 Watt), which means that the battery is filled up fairly quickly. The device does get a little warm during charging, which can be annoying in the long term.

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