OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G Smartphone Review

The next Reno series of smartphones from Oppo is powered by the 5G-ready MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chipset. One of the major highlights of this phone is Sony’s IMX707 sensor to capture memories. Oppo has switched up the design in a good way. Having a colour-changing design, Reno7 Pro 5G Startrails Blue is made using a new laser process to create hundreds of diagonal micro-etches, which are visible when lights hit the back panel at an angle and look stunning.

Design and feature

The unique and premium-looking smartphone have opted for a rectangular slab design with flat edges on all sides and a flat back. The lightweight and slim phone feature a polished metal frame. It weighs 180 grams and measures 7.45mm in thickness. The rear has a colour-changing panel covered from glass with a matte finish on the top that doesn’t attract fingerprint smudges. The triple-camera setup is slightly raised from the chassis and is dominated by two gigantic lenses while an LED flash unit and a Colour Temperature sensor.

OPPO provides a clear silicon case that has a textured grip for ease of use. I also love the nice tactical feedback on the volume rocker button and the power button’s lower positioning on the side. The usual combination of a speaker grille, USB C port, and dual-SIM slot can be seen on the bottom. Oppo ditched a 3.5mm headphone jack, and microSD card slot for extended storage, a few people might miss that. Unlike its predecessor, the Reno7 Pro 5G misses out on an official IP certification.

Display

Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G comes with a 6.55-inch AMOLED screen with a 90 Hz refresh rate, which is lower than many other smartphones at this price point. Having a 20:9 aspect ratio, this fits comfortably in hands and make single hand operation easier. The display works well under most conditions and offers a comfortable viewing experience outdoors but it is a little reflective under direct sunlight. You can enjoy games and videos contents on this all thanks to impressive colour reproduction but could have been better with a higher refresh rate.

Cameras

Reno7 Pro 5G is packed with a 50 MP Sony IMX766 primary sensor, 8 MP wide-angle sensor, 2 MP macro sensor and a colour temperature sensor at the back. Oppo kept the top-notch camera at the rear and at the front - a 32 MP Sony IMX709 selfie camera.

Primary sensors are large enabling them to seep more light while capturing any scene. Dynamic range is also excellent. The camera UI has various options to shoot a perfect shot or you can leave everything to AI and just focus on your object. OPPO’s Croma boost feature is rebranded as AI Color Portrait, one who click numerous images or heavy social media enthusiast can use this feature to capture the different image quickly with the best possible results.

The cam UI is typical ColorOS with gallery preview, shutter, and selfie camera toggle at the bottom. On the top, you can find toggles for flash, HDR, AI scene recognition, 50 MP mode, and a three-dot icon to access the timer, aspect ratio, and settings. It also has a night mode, video, photo, portrait, and ‘More’, where you will find expert, extra HD, pano, macro, film, slo-mo, time-lapse, dual-view video, sticker, text scanner, and soloop templates. The UI lets you capture 108 MP resolution images using the extra HD mode that uses sub-pixel interpolation to enhance the picture’s final resolution. There are buttons for retouch, filters, and Google Lens on the viewfinder itself.

The daylight shots capture detailed photos with good colour accuracy. The 50 MP and extra HD modes struggled with dynamic range and noise levels. The low-light shots were able to retain natural colours and details when using the default photo mode. While using the night mode, it delivered a better dynamic range. The portrait mode worked exceptionally well and the wide-angle lens performed excellently with sharp focus and details all across the frame. I am not happy with the macro 2 MP camera, it would be better to use the closeup mode to get better colour accuracy and details.

The front 32 MP Sony IMX709 shooter captures detailed selfies with vibrant colours. Even if you are not using the beautification, still you will get some level of masking, which is a bummer. The impressive part of the front shooter is – when it detects more people in the frame, automatically switches to the wide-angle mode.

Performance

Oppo Reno7 Pro 5G is equipped with MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity 1200 Max chipset, customised by Oppo. Having the top line of hardware, the smartphone runs quite smoothly. I was able to run every app and game. I played different games including Asphalt 9, NFS no limits, Shadow Fight, Battle Ground India, etc. I played these games one by one and then switch between these games, but there was no issue. I did find that the device heated up a bit while playing games. Whopping 12 GB RAM lets you play games even when a multitude of apps running in the background.

The speakers on the Reno7 Pro produce dynamic and rich sound. The under-screen fingerprint sensor works flawlessly on most occasions. The face unlock also worked flawlessly however, its functionality is quite dependent on lighting conditions.

The ColorOS 12, based on Android 11, is quite user-friendly. It offers various themes that could be applied and has personalisation options. OPPO has implemented a Memoji-style 3D emoticon called Omoji which can be added to your always-on display and the company claims it has over 200 accessories and dynamic expressions.

While using the device for day-to-day usage, it worked really well. I included different productivity apps such as MS Office and used them simultaneously, again no performance lag. The phone handled every app smoothly. The phone has two stereo speakers added on the top and bottom of the screen. these speakers are loud enough to enjoy music, watch videos and play games.

Battery life

The phone is backed by a 4,500mAh battery that charges at 65W thanks to the company’s proprietary Super VOOC charging technology. The Dimensity 1200 Max’s 6nm fabrication does help in power efficiency and with moderate usage, the battery can last for more than a day. While with heavy usage, gaming, video/image shoot, net surfing, etc., it would end by the evening or soon. But thanks to the superfast charging, it juices up the phone to 100 per cent in about 35 minutes.