OPPO Reno12 5G: It’s More Than Just a Smartphone, It’s an Experience!

India's sub-35K segment is one of its most competitive. However, in the past couple of years, OEMs have always followed a traditional blueprint by pushing either performance, cameras, display tech, software, or design. This makes finding a manufacturer that aims to deliver the complete package difficult, i.e., until now.

Enter the OPPO Reno12 5G, an amalgamation of brains, brawn, and beauty. The OPPO Reno12 5G aims to deliver a segment-defining experience by combining AI capabilities with formidable hardware. So, without any further delays, let's dive into all the aspects that make the Reno12 5G your everyday AI companion.

Cameras | Elevate Your Photography Skills with AI-Enhanced Features

One of the major highlights of the Reno12 5G is the phone's camera performance. In terms of cameras, the Reno12 5G boasts a 50MP Sony LYT-600 primary sensor with OIS that captures detailed and colour accurate shots in day or at night. The 8MP ultrawide lens maintains consistent colours with the main camera and ensures minimal edge distortion. Lastly, the 2MP macro lens can be a fun tool for snapping some close-up shots.

There's no compromise on the front either with a 32MP GC32E2 selfie camera with AF that can capture more realistic lighting effects and natural skin tones. There's no doubt that the Reno12 5G features a formidable array of camera sensors. But dig a little deeper and you'll find that there's more to this camera system than just hardware.

To stand out from a mundane pack, OPPO introduces a whole host of AI camera features to ensure you always get the best results. An excellent example of this is the AI Eraser 2.0 my favourite one, which removes distractions or unwanted objects from the frame ensuring you always get the photo you wished for. Say goodbye to blink-ruined shots with the Reno12's AI Best Face, which fixes closed eyes for perfect group photos every time! Lastly, AI Studio transforms photos into unique digital avatars or profile pictures in a range of styles.

The front camera also supports AI Portrait Retouching for selfies to ensure you get that perfect portrait shot no matter the scenario. AI Clear Face automatically detects the number of people and optimises shots taken on the front camera by enhancing facial details. Good camera hardware can only get you so far but introduce AI to the mix and the possibilities to express your creativeness through photography become endless.

Design & Build | The Sturdiest Phone in the Segment

The OPPO Reno12 5G can be defined as a beautifully built tank. Its sleek and light build, weighing just 177 grams and measuring 7.6mm thin, combined with a 3D curved display and rounded edges make the Reno12 5G rather easy to grip. Moreover, the Reno12 5G's three unique eye-catching finishes - Astro Silver, Sunset Peach, and Matte Brown - which exude a perfect blend style and elegance. But what about durability?

The Reno12 5G masks an extremely tough interior hiding behind that stylish exterior. While we'd recommend using the Reno12 5G with the cover included in the box, you'll still be pleased to know that this phone is built like a tank with aerospace-grade strength and custom cushioning for shock absorption, earning an SGS 5-Star Premium Performance certification.

Add to that is the phone's IP65 rating to give it an extra layer of protection from the elements. The Reno12 further enhances water protection with reinforced components and a high-strength alloy for superior corrosion resistance, temperature resistance, and thermal conductivity. As unpredictable as Indian weather is, the monsoon can be a hellish time to use a smartphone outdoors, unless it's the OPPO Reno12 5G.

Display | Enjoy an Immersive Experience Without Compromising on Comfort

The 6.7-inch FHD+ 3D Curve OLED display on the Reno12 5G aims to offer an immersive viewing experience. And boy does it deliver! The 3D Curved Infinite View Screen ensures excellent viewing angles and maximises screen real estate, all while ensuring a comfortable navigation experience. Furthermore, the display also allows you to stream content from supported apps in HDR10.

But content consumption is not all this screen is designed for as its dynamic 120Hz (60Hz / 90Hz / 120Hz) refresh rate makes it excellent for gaming. The display on the Reno12 5G is also easily visible outdoors, reaching a maximum outdoor brightness of 1,200 nits. You also get two additional features here to make life more convenient. First of which is Splash Touch, which is a lifesaver when you need to use the phone in the shower with wet hands.

Then there's Bedtime Mode, which combines hardware-level low blue light technology and up to 2160Hz high-frequency PWM dimming to intelligently adjust the screen's colour temperature throughout the day to minimise melatonin disruption, enhancing sleep quality. And finally, the display on the Reno12 5G is protected by a layer of Gorilla Glass 7i for protection against impacts, drops, bending, and scratches.

Software | Advanced AI-Powered Software Makes Everything Easier

Hardware lovers are advised to stay on for this bit! ColorOS on the Reno12 5G is an absolute game changer. The software here is enhanced by AI to deliver a seamless experience no matter the task at hand. Before we dive into some of these features, it is worth noting that the Reno12 5G runs Android 14-based ColorOS 14.1.

OPPO's AI Toolbox is essential to the AI experience, making the Reno12 the perfect everyday AI companion. The AI Toolbox's recognition capabilities analyse screen content and recommend AI features based on your needs. AI Writer was undoubtedly one of our favourite tools, giving us an effortless solution for creating social media posts or writing your mails on the fly. In meetings, AI Record Summary proved invaluable, summarizing discussions and exporting them to the Notes app.

The File Dock makes saving and accessing images, text, and files a breeze across apps. With Smart Touch, effortlessly extract content from screenshots and drag it into the File Dock for instant access. With tons of AI features, a clean interface, and endless customisation options, the only one thing missing is support. And OPPO doesn't disappoint here, offering three OS updates and four years of regular security patches with the Reno12.

Performance | Consistent Performance Meets Seamless Connectivity

For long term users, stability is the name of the game. Throwing benchmarking figures on a board is a good attention-grabbing strategy but it often overlooks stability and long-term reliability, which is where the Reno12 5G's custom MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Energy SoC comes in. The 4nm chip trades big numbers for stable performance and we tested this first hand with Call of Duty: Mobile and BGMI. Both titles ran flawlessly with no major frame rate drops or lag even after an hour in.

The chipset on the Reno12 5G is backed by 8GB of RAM and 256GB of fast UFS 3.1 storage. Additionally, the combination of OPPO's Trinity Engine, RAM Vita, and RAM Expansion technology ensured fluid multitasking on the Reno12 5G. This also made switching and opening apps quick and snappy. ColorOS's RAM Expansion converts up to 8GB of storage into temporary RAM.

With the aid of the MediaTek NPU655, OPPO also uses the power of AI to vastly improve connectivity. The Reno12 Series is the first to receive TÜV Rheinland's High Network Performance certification. The Reno12's AI LinkBoost, with its 360° Surround Antenna and nine individual antennas, ensures robust, reliable performance by intelligently switching connections.

Additionally, BeaconLink allows long-distance Bluetooth voice calls without a network signal, ideal for remote areas. Another feature that we found quite useless while commuting was AI Clear Voice, which filtered out background noise for clear communication. OPPO's dedication to vastly improving connectivity on the Reno12 5G is another perfect example of why there's so much more to this smartphone than just specifications on paper.

Battery | Experience All-Day Battery Life and Lightning-Fast Charging

Finally, there's just no way to call a phone the best in the segment if it can't last a day on a single charge. Thankfully, the Reno12 5G has you covered with a large 5,000 mAh battery under the hood, which got us through an entire day without having to run to the nearest plug point. After a full day of moderate usage, the Reno12 5G will give you a decent chunk of battery to take into day-two.

And what's even more impressive is the 80W SUPERVOOCTM charging support, which comes in clutch when your battery is on the verge of dying just before you head out. The included adapter takes the phone from 1% to 100% in around 45 minutes. And while most OEMs would end it at battery life and charging support, the Reno12 5G takes it one step further, promising over four years of optimal battery condition and fluid performance.

Final Thoughts on the OPPO Reno12 5G

Determining the true value of the OPPO Reno12 5G can only come if you dig a little deep. Every aspect of this phone is aimed at offering a seamless user experience, while the AI features fly under the radar to improve the handset's hardware and software capabilities. The cameras, display, performance, battery life, charging speed, AI features, connectivity, and comfortable design perfectly complement each other to deliver the best overall smartphone experience in the segment.

But if this isn't enough to sway you, then the cherry on top of the cake is this phone's durability! The Reno12 5G features three pillar of endurance - over four years of fluid battery performance, rugged build quality, and an extensive software support cycle. And that is how this mid-range masterpiece delivers a segment-defining experience.

OPPO Reno12 5G Price, Availability and Offers

The OPPO Reno12 5G price in India is set at Rs 32,999 for the sole 8GB/256GB configuration. It's available for purchase on OPPO e-Store, Flipkart and mainline retail outlets. Customers can receive an instant cashback of up to INR 3,000 with HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, SBI, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bank of Baroda, and OneCard. No Cost EMI options are also available for up to 9 months.