[OPPO Reno8 (Reno 8)] keebfox:
Hello everyone,

I hope you all are doing well! Here is my review of the Reno8 which I received as part of the ambassadors programme.

My unit is in the Shimmer Gold colour with 256 GB storage. As with my previous review of the FInd X5, all thoughts and opinions are my own :)

I have been using the Reno8 as my daily phone over the last month's and have been able to test a lot of different scenarios. In this review I'll go through them and point out things that I have liked and also things I didn't in the following segments:

Unboxing

Design and build

Display

Gaming

Charging and battery

Camera and video

Sample photos

Verdict

Unboxing​

Design & build​

Personally I absolutely love the new design language of the Reno devices. The sleek squared edges combined with a really incredible looking camera module make for a very premium look.

Each time I pick up the device I am impressed with how cool it looks.

Together with this design and very nice colour in shimmer gold it's definitely eye catching. Especially depending on the angle you hold the phone it's shimmering with a lovely gradient of different hues and colours.

Moving over to the sides on the left there's volume up and down buttons that feel tactile and on the right side a power button with the signature OPPO green detail and a even more tactile feel. On the bottom of the device we can find the speaker/microphone and USB Type-C port.

Overall feel of the phone is great too. It's refined, smooth, easy to handle. The new design makes this experience great. Although, there is one downside which are sadly the vibrations and haptics do not feel very premium. For example when typing the vibration motor is quite loud. However this could be improved upon in a software update making the vibration duration shorter for example.

Display​

On the front of the device we have a flat 6.5 AMOLED display which has 90hz refresh rate, a hole punch selfie camera in the left top corner and a relatively large chin with small bezels around.

Colours on the display look vibrant and text is crystal clear. I was really surprised with the quality of the panel and there are no dark corners. I'm glad it's got 90hz as it makes the screen feel much more responsive.

Watching videos on the screen has been a joy. As well as playing games thanks to the smooth response rate.

You can also enjoy OLED features such as Always on Display and Edge lighting for notifications. The display also features a built in under screen fingerprint reader, which has been very fast and reliable when unlocking the device each time. I only wish it was placed slightly further up on the display to make it easier to reach like on the Find X5.

Gaming​

The performance of the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 processor paired with the 8GB Ram and massive 256 GB storage made the Reno8 well prepared for enjoying large and graphics demanding games.

During my testing I played a vareity of games ranging from Genshin Impact, Pokemon Unite, Minecraft, and casual games such as Pokemon Go or Pokemon Cafe Remix. Each game did run without issues, and while the graphics could not be maxed out, they were still enjoyable. Also with the addition of 90 Hz on the AMOED display, games could feel smooth and responsive.

Each game was handled well on the device, thanks to the gaming overlay I could always keep the crucial stats in check and adjust the game settings accordingly.

Charging & battery​

Unfortunately the Reno8 doesn't have wireless charging but makes up for it with SuperVOOC 80W. Battery charging is insanely fast. It's been incredible to quickly connect the phone to the charger for half an hour and it's already done. In times when you are low on battery and forgot to charge this has been a really good help.

And even with the fast charging: Battery life is very good. It can easily last an entire day and a bit more. All while playing casual games, texting on WhatsApp or Discord, listening to music while on a bike ride with Spotify or watching some videos on YouTube.

Camera & video​

The famous photographer Chase Jarvis once said "the best camera is the one that’s with you" and the Reno8 can definetly make this come true in a large variety of situations.

Starting with the main camera:

Featuring a flagship sensor from Sony IMX766, capturing at 50MP. It is capable of taking great photos, which are sharp, have lots of great natural bokeh (blurry backgrounds) and detail.

A small downside I noticed (which I hope can be fixed with software update) is that it can be sometimes a little bit slow with processing the image which makes it not the best for action shots where you want to capture the moment. For example when taking photos of pets, the movement is often still captured making a blurry image.

Other features of the camera are excellent. As the tagline of the Reno suggests, it's the portrait expert. And it really holds true: The portrait mode is stunning and looks very realistic with beautiful bokeh. With a big selection of different styles, my favoruite was with the bokeh background. When analyzing the portrait mode photos, you can see features of the photo which is usually only visible on a real camera lens such as focus falloff. This is where parts of the picture are less blurry at the start and as the background is further away it gets blurrier.

Selfie camera

Taking selfies on the Reno8 has been really fun, especially in portait mode too. Featuring another flagship sensor the Sony IMX709 shooting at a massive 32MP. As you can see from the samples below the selfies are sharp and what you expect from a high quality sensor like the one in the device.

Video camera

You can choose to record up to 4K in video mode, although not every mode supports it. Overall the video quality is good, with very pleasing colours in my opinion and already features some nice software stabilization, which can be enhanced with super steady shot which is especially suited for some more action shots.

When shooting 4K video it is only supported in 1x and 2x using the main 50MP sensor. Switching to ultra wide 0,6x reduces the quality to a supported resolution of 1080p video. Furthermore another limitation of the video camera is that once you start recording, you can not switch between the different lenses. If you start in 0,6x you have to stop the recording to swap to 1x, for example.

AI Highlight Video: it can improve the clarity and also quality of the video especially in low light conditions. The resolution in this mode is maxed out at 1080p but available on all lenses

Photos​

More images on:

https://community.oppo.com/user-main/1156982997707653125/index

Verdict​

Software experience has been overall very consistent on the Reno8. Currenly using ColorOS 12.1 and coming from the flagship Find X5 I was pleased how well and smooth performing the system was.

All features that I use in everyday were there and never let me down. I can rely on quick app start up times and especially fast installations.

I am excited to see what the latest update brings to the Reno with the announcement of ColorOS 13 I am anticipating the release and new features. Software wise I am very happy with the direction.

The Reno8 is an overall great phone, fit for everything the day can throw at it.

In my opinion OPPO has found a great balance of flagship features at a mid price point. The only complaints I had were very minor, and do not take from the everyday use experience which has been overall very consistent and reliable.

Packed with features, a great camera, and exceptional design the Reno8 is versatile, and comes in at a great price point. The great experience starts from the moment you unbox the phone, and continues on each day as you use and explore new possibilities with it. Be it from changing the way you charge your phone, to taking fantastic photos each day.

I hope you did find my review useful and please do let me know your feedback in the comments below!