REVIEW: OPPO Reno8 Pro – Ahead of the Curve

​​With the launch of every new smartphone under the Reno series, OPPO has gradually increased the cost but, at the same time, also promised to provide exceptional performance (especially with the cameras). The OPPO Reno8 Pro 5G is the latest addition to the list with a price tag of €749.

Using it as my primary phone for a couple of weeks now, it can be said that the Reno 8 Pro has a lot to offer other than the cameras at the given rate. How many things does the OPPO Reno8 Pro get right at the price range it is being offered at? Read the full review here to find it out.

Design & Build Quality

Design is something OPPO has always been keen to showcase, even on its non-flagship devices. Case in point, the Reno8 Pro. The latest version comes with a minimal and classy look and easily grabs your attention. Though positioned as a mid-range segment phone, holding it in your hand definitely gives off more of a premium feel. Similar to the Find X5 Pro, the Reno8 Pro gets a glass back cover that gradually fuses into the standalone camera bump.

The cameras are paired with the Ring Flash on the rear which only enhances the beauty of the phone. The Reno8 Pro is comfortable, easy to hold and carry due to its light weight (183g). It is also thin (7.34 mm) and gets a boxy look. However, given its glass back, smudges and fingerprints are going to keep popping up so you might want to keep this thing covered if that sort of thing bothers you.

Display

The Reno8 Pro gets a 6.7″ Full HD+ AMOLED display with slim bezels and a refresh rate of 120Hz. OPPO finally goes to a 120hz panel for its Reno line and the differences are immediately noticeable. The display is smooth and it feels flawless while scrolling. The AMOLED display allows for great colors and contrasts, while the sunlight legibility only adds to overall great viewing experience. Even the bezels are minimal — almost the same levels as the Galaxy S22. All-in-all, a very good display is present here.

Performance

Available only in one variant of 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, the OPPO Reno 8 Pro gets power from the MediaTek Dimensity 8100-MAX 5G SoC. Also, with the presence of ColorOS12,1 on top of Android 12, the phone manages to handle every task with ease without showing any sign of lag. However, with the price tag, the Reno8 Pro comes with preloaded apps and bloatware, which is a bit disappointing.

From playing heavy games like Asphalt 9 or normal ones like Temple Run, Subway Surfers, among others, or just simple binge-watching Netflix, internet browsing, or handling social media platforms, the OPPO Reno8 Pro handles it all without any lag — that was never in doubt with the mighty Dimensity 8100 at the helm. Also, even after long gaming sessions or using the phone continuously for a couple of hours, the phone does not heat up. The stereo speakers offer great volume, allowing for a loud and clear audio experience to make your binge-watching and gaming sessions enjoyable.

Cameras

Powered by OPPO’s MariSilicon X Imaging NPU and Dual Sony Flagship Sensors (IMX766 & IMX709), the Reno 8 Pro 5G promises a great photography experience. The phone comes with a triple rear camera system, featuring a 50MP main camera, 8MP wide-angle camera, and 2MP macro camera. At the front, you get a 32MP selfie camera along with Sony IMX709 RGBW Sensor.

The images taken in the daylight with the main camera are fantastic, showing every minute detail, and the colours captured were true to life.

There are also a number of additional shooting modes tucked away in from the main camera viewfinder list of options. Some are self-explanatory and others are slightly more vague. We’ve yet to find out exactly what the ‘Extra HD’ mode actually does but the time-lapse and panoramic modes work well.

The front camera performance was also decent while coming to night photography, the photos looked very impressive.

The MariSilicon X chip does help with better HDR and detail gathering at night. You can see how it captured the detail inside the windows in the bottom right of the photo but noise levels are kept in check in the sky and clouds.

The wide-angle and macro lens also captured fairly decent pictures although they are no match for the main camera’s output.

The videos shot both in the daylight and at night also looked impressive as the MariSilicon X allows you to film in 4K Ultra HDR video so colours are reproduced well and detail capture is good.

Battery Life

The Reno8 Pro is equipped with a 4,500mAh battery and gets the support of the 80W SUPERVOOC charger. The phone can easily survive a day with your regular phone stuff, which, in my case, involved audio and video calls, social media browsing, emails, and occasional gaming. While coming to the charging capabilities, the company claims the phone can charge 50 percent of the battery in 11 minutes. When putting this to the test, you’ll be glad to hear it’s actually the case. It took around half an hour to charge to 100 percent from 10. That’s commendable and gives the Reno8 Pro a huge advantage over the slow 25W chargers from Samsung. And yes, you get that 80W charger in the box as well.

Conclusion

The OPPO Reno8 Pro is a smartphone that ticks almost all the right boxes. From its classy and premium design to its great display, good camera performance, and respectable battery life, this phone does all the basics well. However, bloatware bogs down the ColorOS 12 experience and might leave a bad impression for someone seeking a high-end experience.

OPPO Reno8 Pro Pricing & Availability

The OPPO Reno8 Pro will be available in Ireland later this month with an RRP of €749.