OPPO RENO 5 5G- MAKE WAY FOR A NEW STAR!
Last year we reviewed the OPPO A72 with OPPO being a new brand introduced into our channel. I was impressed then with the mid-range offering that performed well beyond my expectations. With that in mind I recently received the OPPO Reno5 5G to take for a spin. The Reno5 5G is the first big hitter to come from OPPO in our channel, punching above the R10K line. So, is it worth it? Hell, yeah! If you want to know why read on.
First and foremost, it must be said that I believe OPPO has created a device meant to enhance your everyday life. Why? Well firstly, racing out of the stables like a prized stallion is the battery life! A 4300mAh battery that not only goes the distance but is super quick to charge up with OPPO’s SuperVOOC 2.0 65W charger that comes with the device. That’s right! No need to invest in more money in an additional fast charger – it comes for free!
When tested the charger powers up the OPPO Reno5 5G to full in under 40 minutes – now that’s quick! If you are rushing out the door and find you forgot to charge your device – no worries you get a full 40% in about 10 minutes. Now 40% may not sound like a lot but this battery powers through – it just seems to last forever! I left the device on standby for 5 days with half battery and still had 1% after the 5th day – with that 1% I managed to take at least 10 photos before popping it on charge. This is pretty much the Thor of batteries – powerful and strong.
Secondly, the 128GB onboard memory and 8GB RAM provides the perfect combination for those that rely on their phones – and let’s be honest who doesn’t? You get 109GB of the 128GB accessible to you and the 8GB RAM coupled with the octa-core Snapdragon processor provides a smooth, fast, and efficient user experience which not only covers your average phone users needs but I believe your heavy users as well. The addition of 5G capability tips the scales for me even further, this phone is fast – you can get it done no waiting, lag, no fuss.
Before I get on to the third highlight lets get to the honourable mentions.
Design wise you get a large 6.43-inch FHD+ AMOLED display which is almost bezeless. There is a tiny punch hole camera to the top left which is hardly noticeable and helps the RENO5 5G really live up to OPPO’s claims of an interrupted viewing experience. The OPPO Reno5 5G sports a 90Hz refresh rate which offers a smooth transition experience when scrolling along with a bright, vivid, and crisp viewing experience. Yes, I would have liked to have seen 120Hz refresh rate but at the price point I would be willing to overlook this.
As for the body, you get a hard plastic matte finish on the back in either black or silver. The silver option proved to be fingerprint resistant which I liked. A metal frame encases the device with the power button on the right and the volume buttons on the left. Your speaker is homed at the bottom of the device along with the USB-C charging port and my favourite – the 3.5mm headphone jack. Your quad camera setup on the back has minimal protrusion lying almost flush with the device. SO wise, your device comes with Android 11 out the box overlayed with ColorOS 11.
Security wise the OPPO Reno5 5G comes with both facial recognition and fingerprint scan – worth a mention but not the most exciting feature.
Finally, the camera setup is one of the defining features of this device. Before I delve into the specifics you get a Quad camera setup with a 64MP+8MP+2MP+2MP rear setup and 32MP selfie setup.
The picture quality on the main primary camera was top notch – simple point and click and the images were sharp with great colour replication.
OPPO has also introduced AI scene enhancement as a camera feature – if you not completely satisfied with the main camera (you should be though) or want to add a little something extra, simply activate this and there you go! Image one above has the AI turned on with the second image having AI switched off. The AI scene enhancement works great at night as well – especially for group photos.
Speaking of night, the camera does struggle a bit in low light but that is what night mode is for. I was more than happy with the outcomes of the pics and am super confident that anyone would be. To illustrate the first image below is with night mode off the second with it activated. What you need to know here though is you must have a very steady hand.
I tested out the Macro and Bokeh/Portrait shots as well and was incredibly happy with the outcomes. The Macro shots were detailed and required little fuss and the bokeh was just as easy. Below are the macro and bokeh shots in that order?
With your selfie devices you get an incredible beautification mode that identifies up to 196 key facial features so you can make sure that you always look your best!
The AI scene enhancer, night mode, bokeh and portrait beautification all spill over into your videos as well. You can record up to 4K giving you great quality whist the addition of the above only enhances your videos even more! This is great for vloggers, content creators, travellers etc. Even cooler still is the built-in stabilizers within the camera both front and back giving you steady videos without needing to invest in external gimbals or stabilizers – that alone can cost in the region of R2000 upwards – but you are getting it free with the OPPO Reno5 5G.
Speaking about videos – my favourite feature on the camera is the dual view. What now? Yeah, so your screen splits in two showing two perspectives of the same scene! Imagine going to concert or sharing your content with your followers. It’s a nifty tool and is not bound by the split screen alone. You have a choice of three screen splits each with their own advantage. For me this is awesome and a feature I think is critical to all social media influencers, product reviewers or anyone for that matter.
Finally, to put a unique twist on things there is a feature called Soloop. This is a wide range of video templates that are updated regularly allowing you to make cool video content (short videos) in the same way you would with TikTok. For me TikTok is one of those apps that kids especially need to be aware of. The Reno5 5G will allow your kids to partake in the TikTok craze – without ever going on to TikTok.
I have to say I am a big fan – the OPPO Reno5 5G offers a wide range of awesome and unique features but doesn’t really compromise on the important bread and butter features you would expect from a high-end device. Price wise you are looking at R14299 prepaid or from R499PM on contract making it one of the most affordable 5G phones on the market.
If I have not managed to convince take the time to pop into one of our branches nationwide and get one into your hands! I am sure once you experience what I have you will be ready to take the plunge and get your very own OPPO Reno5 5G!
Lesa J
