Oppo unveils the Reno 8, its likely best-selling smartphone

The mid-range has become the main challenge for smartphone manufacturers. Privileged price segment of buyers (from 400 to 700-800 euros), the models presented in recent months have expanded the catalog of options for those who do not want to go broke on high-end models (iPhone 13, Samsung Galaxy S22, Xiaomi … 11 or 12, Google Pixel 6…), but you still dream of a smartphone that meets certain requirements in terms of performance, autonomy or even photography.

To satisfy demanding users, but with a smaller budget than its premium Find X range, Oppo has long relied on its Reno range. The aim is to offer excellent value for money with some concessions on high-end features.

And each Reno range usually comes in multiple devices. The newcomers were unveiled this Wednesday, so don’t cut it off. The Reno 8 series is thus made up of the Reno 8 Lite, the Reno 8 and the Reno 8 Pro, three 5G smartphones that want to resume the premium codes of the Chinese manufacturer and come to refresh their mid-range.

Reno 8, a premium look for day and night

The Reno 8 clearly meets all of Oppo’s hopes in the price segment. It has a sleek design with straight edges. Its appearance is also reminiscent of the brand’s high-end models. The 6.4-inch diagonal AMOLED display features a 90Hz refresh rate for smoother usage. This has the merit of making page navigation and scrolling less jerky and therefore more pleasing to the eye. The screen is also bright and the color rendering is well calibrated. It is below this that we find the fingerprint sensor.

With a fairly compact format (73.4 mm wide by 160 mm high and 7.67 mm thick as the maximum of the photographic module), the new smartphone is pleasant in the hand. Its back is made of hot-forged and polished glass. However, it can feel a bit plastic to the touch.

We appreciate the fact that the photo module, even if it looks a bit domed, blends into the surface at the back. Which makes it quite elegant. There is also a camera with three sensors: a 50-megapixel main sensor, an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle and a 2-megapixel macro lens (photo taken 4 cm from the subject).

On the front, the selfie camera shows 32 megapixels in its little punch at the top left and allows you to unlock the device using facial recognition. There are different modes, filters to beautify the subject even before shooting.

But it is in video where Oppo intends to make its smartphone shine with the possibility of recording in 4K at 30 frames per second (except for the Reno 8 Lite) and the addition of an ultra night mode for more brightness and details in videos (4K recording for Reno 8 Pro). Portrait mode is also better at night and better highlights facial contours in low light. And the most daring can even have fun recording with the front and rear cameras of the smartphone at the same time to have two points of view on the same video.

Less than 30 minutes to charge 100%

Paired with an 80W charger and USB-C cable, Reno 8 fully charges in 28 minutes. Its fast charge allows it to recover 50% autonomy in 11 minutes. Despite this intensive use, Oppo ensures that its smartphone can last at least four years before its autonomy begins to fail (about 1,600 charges). For France, the company even guarantees its Reno 8 for three years.

Thanks to its ColorOS interface (Android 12 custom), the Reno 8 integrates gesture functions to start music, pause, take a call or mute with a simple movement of the hand. It works with different applications such as YouTube, social networks or even phone calls. Just enable the setting in the settings.

Less demanding users can turn to the Reno 8 Lite, which noticeably compromises on the same size screen, but with a 60Hz refresh rate. You won’t find an ultra-wide photosensor either (a 64-megapixel main lens, a macro lens and a 2-megapixel monochrome lens). The smartphone charges less quickly (50% battery in 30 minutes, 63 minutes to 100%) and only displays mono sound when its peers have stereo speakers. But you can be proud of having kept your headphone jack (not included).

The Reno 8 Pro takes up the basics of the Reno 8, with a brighter 6.7-inch AMOLED display at 120Hz, a Marisilicon X chip to manage photos and deliver higher-quality shots, but also 4K HDR video, load even more fast (50% in 10 minutes) and an even more powerful processor (MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Max specially designed for Oppo).

Prices and availability of the Reno8 range

The Reno 8 Lite will be offered in black or rainbow with 8 GB of memory and 128 GB of expandable storage (with the addition of a microSD card not included) at a price of 449 euros.

The Reno 8 is announced in black or gold at 599 euros, while the price of the Reno 8 Pro (available in black or green) goes up to 799 euros. Both have 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage (not expandable).