The Oppo Reno 8 Pro poses a difficult question: at what point does a mid-range phone cease to be a mid-range phone and begin to compete with flagships? The Reno 8 Pro doesn’t do much to clarify things at this stage, despite offering potent performance, blisteringly fast charging, and high-quality cameras at a price that barely counts as mid-range.
All You Need to Know About the Oppo Reno 8 Pro
Oppo positions the Reno 8 Pro as an even more cheap alternative after previously posing a serious challenge to the flagship market with its relatively priced Find X5. The fact that it doesn’t forego too many flagship features to achieve this price is also commendable.
You still get a stunning 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate and a triple camera system with a 50MP main lens. The device is powered by a Mediatek Dimensity 8100-MAX processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 4,500mAh battery that allows quick 80W rapid charging. The Reno 8 Pro’s operating system is ColorOS 12.1, which is layered on Android 12.
Pricing and competition for the Oppo Reno 8 Pro
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro, priced at £599, teeters on the edge of the mid-range segment and is only £150 more expensive than the brand’s most recent flagship, the Find X5 (now $745). Both phones have 256GB of storage and 8GB of RAM for similar prices, but the Find X5’s larger battery, wireless charging, and telephoto lens are the primary distinctions.
The OnePlus 10T is the Reno 8 Pro’s main rival. The base model OnePlus 10T costs a little more, at £629. It has the same 8GB of RAM, but just half as much storage, at 128GB. The 10T makes up for these drawbacks with exceptional gaming performance and battery life, but the cameras are nothing to brag about.
Design and main features of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro
The Oppo Reno 8 Pro looks a lot like a flagship for a device that claims not to be one. With its aluminum frame and unibody glass rear, the Reno 8 Pro, which is available in Glazed Black or Glazed Green (reviewed here), has a svelte profile. But, it is somewhat of a fingerprint magnet and is also quite slippery, which is unfortunate considering that Oppo has chosen not to provide a case in the box, a decision it claims is made to reduce unnecessary waste.
The Reno 8 Pro weighs 183g, which is a respectable amount, yet it still feels thin in the hand at 161 x 74 x 7.3mm. With Gorilla Glass 5 covering the front and back and an official IP54 rating, it is also well protected. This means that a small amount of dust or the occasional spray of water won’t hurt anything, but avoid submerging it in liquids.
The 6.7-inch display is surrounded by very thin bezels on all sides, which are reportedly the thinnest ever on a Samsung device. The display also houses the 32MP selfie camera in a top-center notch and hides an optical fingerprint reader beneath it. Face unlocking is also enabled here, and both entry methods are effective enough to warrant inclusion.
The power and volume buttons are situated on the left and right edges, respectively, while the USB-C charging port and dual-SIM tray are on the bottom. The internal storage capacity of 256GB is the maximum because this tray does not accept microSD card expansion, and there is also no 3.5mm headphone jack.
Review of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro: Display
With its brilliant FHD+ (2,412 x 1,080) resolution, snappy 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR10+ certification, the AMOLED screen utilized in the Reno 8 Pro maintains the uncanny flagship experience. The peak brightness I measured of 479cd/m2 isn’t too awful either, and the contrast is practically flawless, as we have come to expect from OLED screens.
Vivid and Natural are the two color modes available. As is frequently the case with color profiles, Vivid delivers brighter, more striking colors across the spectrum, but those who value accuracy over vibrancy should choose the Natural profile.
Here, I measured a sRGB gamut coverage of 98.9%, a volume of 106.9%, and an average Delta E score of 1.36. Although this isn’t the most accurate screen on the market—reds in particular are somewhat off—near it’s enough that you shouldn’t notice any colors looking strange.
Cameras on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro
Up until now, there have been a few odd niggles, but the Oppo Reno 8 Pro’s camera array is the first place where it actively disappoints. To be clear, the 50MP (f/1.8) main lens is not a problem. The problem is with the rear cameras; although I could almost tolerate an 8MP (f/2.2) ultrawide and a 2MP (f/2.4) macro shooter on a phone half this price, their presence here feels more obtrusive.
But, as already indicated, the team is sufficiently supported by the primary lens to avoid collapsing entirely. Photos taken in well-lit environments are rich in color and depth, with accurately depicted windows in the metropolis below and vividly colored tree foliage.
After dark, the main camera performs fairly well, too. The sky is largely free of visual noise, the detail and artificial brightness are adequate, and there are no lens flare difficulties with lamps. My only complaint is that the night mode tends to overly lean toward warm colors while illuminating the scene, giving the entire picture an excessively yellow hue.
With features like autofocus and a bokeh portrait mode, the 32MP (f/2.4) front-facing camera is also well worth the price of entry. I won’t be too critical because I haven’t yet discovered a portrait setting that doesn’t blur out my earring, but the fake bokeh effect worked well overall.
The Reno 8 Pro uses digital stabilization to lessen camera shake and can record in 4K at 30 frames per second or 1080p at 60 frames per second. The MariSilicon X image processor gets to shine when the sun goes down, enhancing the brightness and detail of nighttime video. Although it doesn’t compare to footage taken during the day, it is nevertheless a valuable addition for anyone who frequently films at night.
Review of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro: Final Thoughts
When you look at the numbers, it’s quite impressive how well the Oppo Reno 8 Pro compares to the more costly Find X5. Yet, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro hasn’t done itself any favors by being priced so close to the premium competition. Both phones’ performance is comparable, and the 80W fast charging helps to offset the Reno 8 Pro’s marginally shorter battery life.
The Find X5 does, of course, have a few perks, like as wireless charging and a telephoto lens, but if you’re willing to give them up in exchange for almost £100 in savings, the Reno 8 Pro makes a compelling case for (slightly) undercutting the flagship market.
