Oppo Reno 10x zoom: The Good, The Bad, And The X Factor

Oppo Reno comes with a shark fin-shaped pop-up camera.

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Oppo has finally launched its much-anticipated flagship - the Oppo Reno 10x zoom for the Indian market. It brings a totally unique design to the table, thanks to its shark fin pop-up camera. The variant with 6GB RAM and 128GB storage is priced at Rs 39,990, while the 8GB RAM and 256GB storage model will be selling at a price of Rs 49,990.

 
Oppo Reno 10x zoom: The Good, The Bad, And The X Factor

We got a chance to play around with the device and managed to test a few of its features. The device is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 855, so you can be sure of the performance. It has a 6.6-inch OLED display which is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 6. Other features include a triple camera setup with 10x zoom and a huge battery. But is the best flagship to buy right now? Let's break it down for you.

The Good

The Good

Gorgeous looking aesthetics

Well, let's put it out there - the Oppo Reno 10x zoom is one of the best-looking devices out there. It's a blend of great design and movable parts that make it a premium and one of the most desirable phones.

The device has an all-glass design with no notch to come between you and your multimedia content. The bezels are extremely thin providing more real estate for the screen. We spent some time with Ocean Green color option, and it was absolutely gorgeous. Also, the matte finish makes it less prone to smudges and fingerprints.

The rear panel holds the camera setup aligned vertically in the top center followed by a small green dot bump that makes sure that the device doesn't get scratched when placed on flat surfaces and also adds to the overall appeal of the smartphone.

Most importantly, the camera pop-up makes the Oppo Reno distinct from its contemporaries. Though we have seen pop-up cameras in the past, Reno adds another layer to it by giving it a shark fin-like design.

Overall, the Oppo Reno 10x zoom gets it right in the aesthetics department. The subtle gradient color tone and the not so glossy nature make it a beautiful looking smartphone.

Snappy SD 855 at its heart
 

Snappy SD 855 at its heart

The Oppo Reno 10x zoom has the powerful Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 powering its hardware. The processor is backed by 6GB/8GB of RAM and 128GB/256Gb of internal storage. As we know, the SD 855 is the latest generation of Qualcomm's mobile chips, so you expect some top-notch performance from the device.

The new chips pack the fourth generation systems with multi-core Qualcomm AI Engine. They claim to come with three times faster AI performance compare to the previous generation processor.

The device will be able to handle day-to-day tasks with ease, and even high-end gaming won't strain the CPU much. The app launch time will be quicker from the previous processor. On top of that Oppo's optimized ColorOS software will make the battery performance of the device better.

Oppo has also placed a dedicated cooling pipe and graphite layerings to prevent the device from toasting. It's also the world's first smartphone to get the TUV High-performance Certification for games. We will be testing the device further and bring a comprehensive review of the device's performance.

Support for super-fast VOOC charging

Support for super-fast VOOC charging

Oppo Reno 10x zoom draws its power from a 4065mAh battery with support for the company's proprietary VOOC 3.0 fast charging technology. The device is bundled with a 20W VOOC charging adapter.

Oppo has always been known for its fast charging capabilities. And with the new phone, the company doesn't disappoint. It uses a Type-C port for charging the device. We will be pushing the battery to its limits when we review the product.

The Bad

The Bad

Lacks HD streaming support

The Oppo Reno 10x zoom comes with a 6.6-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 1080 x 2340 pixels. We aren't saying that the display is bad, in fact, it offers good viewing angles and is bright enough to for outdoor use.

What's holding it back is the lack of a Widevine L1 certification. A Widewine L1 certified display allows for HD playback from all the video streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, among others.

On the costlier side

On the costlier side

Despite the top-of-the-line specifications and a great design, the Oppo Reno falls in the costlier price bracket. In a budget-conscious market like India, it's imperative to offer a device with top-end features at an aggressive price.

We've seen similar specifications on the recently launched OnePlus 7. It packs a good display, pop-up camera, and the same Snapdragon 855 processor. There's a chance the device could affect the sales of the Oppo Reno 10x zoom. You can opt for the standard Reno variant, but you'll have to miss out on the faster SD 855 processor.

Movable parts make it fragile

Movable parts make it fragile

Though the pop-up shark fin looks pretty cool, placing a moving part in a smartphone is a whole different ball game altogether. The biggest issue would be the age of the mechanical parts that will go up and down numerous times a day. These parts can fail over time similar to the power windows used in cars.

While the company claims to have put their devices through stringent tests to check the reliability of mechanical parts and promises that the Oppo Reno front camera can be used 100 times a day for five years. But, we will have to wait and see how it translates to the real world.

The X Factor

The X Factor

Great cameras

Well, the best part about the Reno 10x zoom is its rear camera setup. The rear shooter offers 10x hybrid zoom making it easy to capture far objects with an ample amount of details. The setup comprises of the 48MP primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture along with support for Oppo's Ultra Night Mode 2.0 that claims to expose enhanced photos in low-light conditions.

Oppo has also taken a page from Huawei's book, as it has incorporated a prism-based periscope sensor in the rear camera setup. It might not be as good as the actual zoom lens, but it still makes for great mobile photography.

You might wanna use a tripod while taking super zoom shots, as stability can be an issue even with dual OIS on board, but that's a price I'm willing to pay to click such shots. There's also an 8MP sensor with f/2.2 aperture and a 13MP sensor with f/3.0 aperture.

As for selfies, the device comes equipped with a 16MP with f/2.0 aperture placed on the movable shark fin. The pictures taken from the front camera were also good, but we will have to test out the camera in all kinds of lighting.

 

Hit or a miss?

Hit or a miss?

Overall, the Oppo Reno 10x zoom is a beautiful-looking device that brings some serious specifications to the table and has a great set of cameras. All this is complemented by a powerful Snapdragon 855 SoC and Andreno 640 GPU.

In terms of design, the device scores really high, but the company could have placed a better display to make it an even better offering. However, we feel the device could have been priced a tad lower, as it will be going against the likes of OnePlus 7, which already has a huge user base.

If you are someone who prefers aesthetically pleasing designs over the innards, the Oppo Reno 10x zoom could be an ideal choice, however, if your priority is performance at a lower price and don't mind missing out on a beautiful design, there are a lot of fishes in the sea.

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