A reliable but boring middle option
Reviewnate’s Final Say: The Oppo Reno 8 has decent hardware for the price, with a nice display and fast charging, and it undercuts many other midrange smartphones with its low pricing. There are, however, a few drawbacks, including as the lacklustre cameras and poor attention to “hand-feel” on the part of Oppo.
TVC-mall WW – available for $0.45 USD
At TVC-mall – you can get one for $0.69 USD.
Pros: +Quick charging +Nice display +Surprisingly potent for the price
Cons: Sharp edges, dull cameras.
While Oppo’s Reno series of mid-range Android phones may not be as spectacular as the Find X5 Pro or as cheap as an A series device, they nevertheless have appealing features and prices. This “vanilla” variant, introduced alongside the Oppo Reno 8 Pro, combines an accessible pricing with a handful of useful features.First of all, it offers 80W charging, which is quite quick for a midrange phone. Sure, the most powerful mobiles on the market today max out at 150W, but 80W is plenty powerful to feel remarkable without immediately draining the battery.
The MediaTek chipset used here is robust enough to handle most activities, including light gaming without demanding graphics.
The screen looks nice and is large enough that you won’t have to stretch your hand too far merely to pick up the phone. Despite lacking a few premium options, this phone is a steal for the price.
This phone isn’t ideal, but it does have its perks. The phone won’t light the world on fire in terms of photography, but its capabilities truly aren’t that poor at the price point; yet, the angular and iPhone-inspired design makes the handset difficult to hold for long periods of time.
We also foresee that some will be put off by the design; while the Shimmer Gold is striking in its ability to reflect light and display the whole spectrum of colours from certain angles, we know that some people prefer more understated handsets. There’s also a black alternative, but the photos we’ve seen of it make it look rather reflective even in real life (we didn’t obtain a sample to test).
OPPO RENO 8 DESIGN
The Oppo Reno 8’s main drawback is probably the quality of its rivals. When compared with other midrange smartphones, such as the Google Pixel 6a, the Samsung Galaxy A53, or the iPhone SE (2022), the Oppo Find X5 Lite delivers nearly identical specifications at a lesser price.
That is to say, while the Reno serves its purpose adequately, it does not exactly stand out from the crowd. You probably won’t be too upset if you end up purchasing this phone, but you might find that the grass is greener elsewhere.
The Reno 8 is one of the more reasonably priced high-capacity mobile devices, with a 256GB storage variant costing about £419 (or around AU$999).
At that rate, not only does it undercut its Pro sister by £180 / AU$200, but it also undercuts two other notable competitors: the iPhone SE (2022) and the Google Pixel 6a.
The phone became available for purchase in late September 2022, but only in Europe and Australia; unfortunately for you, if you live in the United States, you will be unable to purchase any Oppo phone.
The Oppo Reno 8 is a more compact variant of the larger Oppo Reno 8 Pro, however “pint-sized” in the context of smartphones does not imply “tiny.”
It has a smaller screen than its sibling but is only slightly smaller overall (160.6 x 73.4 x 7.7 mm) due to its larger bezel. The 179-gram weight makes it easy to hold.
You may have noticed the Reno’s gleaming appearance, which features a silvery pearl finish on the back that reflects the full spectrum of colours as you move it. We tested the Shimmer Gold version, but there’s also a standard black one.
OPPO RENO 8 DISPLAY
The screen size on the Oppo Reno 8 is 6.4 inches, which is on the lesser end when compared to other phones in the same price range (though it is bigger than those on the Pixel 6a or the iPhone SE).
The screen’s resolution of 1080 x 2400 makes it an FHD+ display. It’s worth noting that this is the most popular resolution for smartphones overall, as it’s found on a wide variety of models from budget to high-end. Take into account the fact that the number of pixels you see in streamed movies and games is the same as it would be for someone who paid twice as much.
The OLED technology used in the display allows for a greater contrast between colours, greater control over brightness, and deeper blacks than would be possible with an LCD screen.
The image refreshes 90 times per second, which is something to keep in mind because the refresh rate is “only” 90Hz. Even low-end mobiles in 2022 use 120Hz, which is much better than the previous standard of 60Hz and makes motion appear exceedingly fluid.
OPPO RENO 8 CAMERAS
The Oppo Reno 8‘s main camera has a 50-megapixel sensor, making it the device’s main selling feature.
Reviews of mid- to low-priced 2022 smartphones typically mention the Sony IMX766 image sensor, and even high-end smartphones like the OnePlus 10T have shipped with this sensor. Many smartphone makers have jumped on the bandwagon of the inexpensive but very effective 50MP sensor because of its huge size, which allows it to “see” a wide range of colours and perform well in low-light.
The Reno 8’s IMX766 performs identically to that of any other phone with this chip. We were able to take some decent photographs despite the low light, and we even managed to make the vivid colours pop more in the brighter shots.
Thanks to pixel binning, which combines pixels to produce a bigger one, the resolution of the resulting images is effectively 12.5MP. 50 megapixel shots are possible.
The Oppo’s main camera is excellent, but the two secondary cameras are disappointing. We have an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro camera. The former is useful since it allows you to take images with a broader field of view, but the later adds nothing to the experience other than a lower quality and a less interesting picture.
Although there is no optical zoom, digital zoom (cropping) can be used to achieve magnifications of up to 20x, albeit the results will be somewhat grainy.
You won’t be let down by the 32 megapixel front-facing camera. We were able to take clear and vibrant photos, albeit the breadth of effects available on an iPhone or Samsung Galaxy was lacking.
The maximum frame rate for 4K video recording is 30 frames per second, which is about par for the course for a phone in this price range, and the maximum frame rate for 1080p video recording is 120 frames per second.
Note that the Oppo Reno 8 has the same camera setup as the Pro model, with the exception of the Pro’s MariSilicon X AI processing chip. We had some issues with that phone’s photography capabilities, but the substantial price difference between the two makes it easy to overlook the device’s average results.
OPPO RENO 8 PERFORMANCE AND SPECS
Reno employs MediaTek’s Dimensity 1300 chipset, a mid-range processor; while not the most powerful chip you’ll find on a mobile, it’s perfectly adequate for the price and serves its intended purpose.
The only games that had problems running were those with extremely high graphical requirements, such as Call of Duty Mobile and PUBG Mobile, and even then, only when we pushed the settings to the absolute limit.
The device has 8GB of RAM, making it easier to switch between apps quickly.
The phone’s 256GB of storage in the UK is double that of typical mid-range devices, allowing you to store numerous media files without resorting to online services (or deleting older files). While a 128GB model is available in some regions, we suggest making the most of the space you already have rather than wasting time tracking it down.
OPPO RENO 8 SOFTWARE
The Oppo Reno 8 is powered by Android 12, and Oppo’s ColorOS UI is used as a skin on top. The most noticeable change from vanilla Android is the use of vivid colours in the theme’s backgrounds and app icons.
A large number of unnecessary applications (or “bloatware,” to use the proper term) are pre-installed on the phone and can be a source of annoyance when first starting it up. Apps like TikTok, Lords Mobile, Amazon Shopping, Facebook, and even games like Tile Master 3D and Bubble Boxes: Match 3D that we’d never heard of had to be deleted.
ColorOS offers one of the most logical and easily-scannable designs of any Android derivative, and we particularly enjoy the quick-settings menu, which can be accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen to see settings like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. In spite of how discouraging that may be, adjusting settings took much less time than it does on other smartphones.
OPPO RENO 8 BATTERY LIFE
We found the battery life of the Oppo Reno 8 to be quite satisfactory; it won’t last you for days on end, but then then, nearly no smartphone does. Instead, it will dependably last the day, whether you use it for light tasks like checking messages once in a while or for more intensive pursuits like gaming and photography.
The 4,500 mAh battery is standard for a phone with this screen size; anything larger would have made the device too bulky and uncomfortable to hold.
The phone’s 80W charging is a remarkable feature, allowing you to go from 0% to 100% battery life in just [TIME]. Reno’s quick charging feature puts it in the lead (pardon the pun) among budget phones.
Wireless charging is absent, which is unusual for phones in this price range.
Is the OPPO RENO 8 Worth Buying?
You should buy it if…
- Apparently, you have a preference for fast charging.
The Oppo Reno 8 is ideal for those who don’t like to leave their phone plugged in for long because its 80W charging and 4,500mAh battery allow it to fully recharge in just 30 minutes. - You shouldn’t get an enormous cellphone
Although the Reno isn’t exactly compact, it’s not nearly as large as many of its competitors at roughly the same price point. - You have a moderate financial plan.
The Oppo Reno isn’t the cheapest smartphone available, but its pricing puts it in the low middle of the market. It’s a good option for those who don’t want to pay iPhone costs.
Do not purchase if…
- You take amazing pictures with your mobile device.
The camera isn’t the best it can be for a phone in this price range, but that’s probably not what Oppo was going for. The camera serves its practical purpose well enough but won’t inspire any creative endeavours. - It’s clear that you won’t be purchasing a full case
Simply said, holding the phone causes pain. If you’re contemplating purchasing it, we strongly advise investing in a case to protect against this possibility. - A product called the Find X5 Lite is now available.
The Oppo Find X5 Lite is preferable to the Reno since it provides a similar experience at a lower price. It has lesser specifications but otherwise shares many of the Reno’s features.
