OPPO Reno12 5G Review

Although the OPPO Reno12 5G is a midrange smartphone, it also dances in the high-end range with some of its impressive features. It’s powered by the performance driven MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor, comes with 12GB of RAM plus a whopping 256GB of storage that makes accessing apps, playing games and taking photos a flawless experience. Aesthetically, the slimline (7.57mm thickness) OPPO Reno12 5G comes in two colours, Astro Silver and Black Brown (reviewed) with both colours offering a shimmer effect in different lighting, a metallic bezel and a large 6.7″ FHD+AMOLED 120Hz display for sharp images and popping colours (1.07 billion to be exact). It comes with a large 5000mAh battery and a 80W SUPERVOOC Flash Charger for “supercharging” with a 40-minute power-up when needed!

Besides the stylish appearance, the OPPO Reno12 5G is very lightweight at just 177 grams and it measures at 161.4mm x74.1mm which makes it feel just right in your hands, especially with its curved edges. The three lens camera system on the rear is slightly raised, however protected and speaking of protection, the display is shielded by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i and it comes with a pre-installed screen protector from OPPO. The screen to body ratio of the display is 93.2% which gives you some great real estate to work with. If the screen does become wet, it has splash and touch optimisation and according to OPPO, the Reno12 5G can withstand the equivalent pressure of a 3.2-tonne car running over it. Lastly it is built to last thanks to its shock and absorption capabilities that is part of OPPO’s all-round armour.

Also supporting the user experience is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and although mankind is still in the dawn of this new technology, OPPO have implemented some very useful features via their ColorOS system plus Google. From a photography perspective, AI Eraser 2.0, AI Clear Face, AI Best Face, AI Smart Image Matting 2.0 all help in achieving the best shot. The AI of the Reno12 5G also helps with improved connectivity (AI LinkBoost), changes recordings into text, summarises text, plus an AI writer for smart replies and translating text into speech. It can even monitor your battery in order to prevent overcharging and ensure increased longevity of your new smartphone.

For cameras, the OPPO Reno12 5G has three on the rear, an ultra-wide-angle camera, a main 50MP camera plus a macro camera, whereas on the front you have a high performance 32MP selfie camera with AF. The smartphone also allows for 4K video of 30 frames per second on both the front and rear cameras which again increase the scope of what this device can offer you in terms of video. For buttons, there are three, two volume buttons and also a power button on the right hand side of the unit that are all easy to access. At the bottom is the SIM card tray, speaker grille and USB Type-C port, whereas on the top, the earpiece / stereo speaker plus the IR blaster.

Box Contents

Unboxing Gallery

OPPO ensure that the phone comes with everything you need from a powerful 80w charger plus a USB-C cable.

The most noticeable aspect of its appearance is the shimmer back that changes in different lighting

The display as mentioned is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i that looks crystal clear with sharp images and vibrant colours.

Setup and ColorOS

The setup process of the OPPO Reno 12 5G is super easy and provides a simple wizard to follow that also includes transferring data from your preexisting mobile, iOS or Android. Once set up, it provides you with customisation options, plus tutorials in order for you to master OPPO’s new ColorOS (14.1) which is an interface built upon Android 14.

As you can see from the above images, the setup process is quite straightforward and the layout of your apps is well laid out as is accessing all the features of the OPPO Reno 12 5G. Another useful feature is the Phone Manager (see below) and although not new, it helps keep your fine in top running shape.

Benchmarks

3DMark for Android is built on data-driven stories that help you learn more about your smartphone and tablet. With its unique charts, lists, and rankings, 3DMark gives you unrivaled insights into the performance of your device. It’s a great (and free) app to see where your phone stands against the best and its competitors.

3DMark

For a mid range phone, there were no surprises with the OPPO Reno12 5G with 3DMark which scores it where it should be, however it definitely gives its competitors a run for their money in terms of performance. It even beat the Google Pixel 8 for one test which is a $1000AUD (August 2024) smartphone.

GeekBench

Like 3DMark, GeekBench is a leader in benchmarking as it tests your CPU and GPU compared to other smartphones and tablets.

For single-core, GeekBench scored the Reno12 5G quite high, however in multitasking it did score lower and more in terms of a mid range phone. However given that, you should have no issues whatsoever with general day to day use, including fast loading of apps and cameras. And from a real world perspective, I had no issues whatsoever with this smartphone, it was quick to boot, fast to load apps and all in all, a very responsive device.

Screen Quality

The screen quality of the Reno12 5G is a beautiful work of art – The 6.7″ curved AMOLED panel is pure clarity courtesy of its FHD+ resolution (2412 x 1080p) that boasts a colour palette of 1.07 billion colours with a brightness level of 1200nits. So whether I was using the phone in bright sunlight or at night, clarity, clarity and more clarity. There is even HDR10+ support in order to bring your streaming (and gaming) to life as well. So again day to day usage was great, as was watching movies such as Disney+’s Shogun.

Gaming

Gaming? No problem! The OPPO Reno12 5G played all my favourite titles that included Injustice 2, Sonic Dash, Call of Duty Mobile, Asphalt United and even Diablo Immortal. All games worked without tweaking (as these games choose the best settings) and the most CPU and GPU resource hungry game was Diablo but it played quite well on the Reno12 5G, even with me tweaking the detail up a notch. So yes, gaming is a must for owners of this smartphone.

Injustice 2

Who’s in your Justice League? Join your favorite DC Super Heroes & Villains in the best fighting game on mobile. Assemble a team of heroes like Batman, Flash & Wonder Woman to combat the forces against you. Master new combos and crush opponents in dynamic 3-on-3 battles. Upgrade your Super Heroes with special powers as you fight your way through the game.

Sonic Dash

Join Sonic the Hedgehog on his thrilling endless running and jumping fun game in Sonic Dash, the original and action-packed adventure developed by SEGA!

Asphalt Legends Unite

Collaborate with fellow drivers to blaze through thrilling online multiplayer races, execute jaw-dropping drifts and stunts, and charge towards victory in this high octane racer.

Call of Duty Mobile

Call of Duty: Mobile is a 2019 first-person shooter video game developed by TiMi Studio Group and published by Activision for Android and iOS

Photography

And what about photos? Well, if a picture is worth a thousand words, here are 44,000 of them below! But in all seriousness the OPPO Reno12 5G took some decent shots, especially in good lighting with clear images and vibrant colours. Given the cost of the Reno12 5G, it’s quite an impressive camera system with some stunning results.

Photography Gallery

What about night shots? Fast shots and I was impressed… the pool photos around 9pm with the lights on capture quite a bit of detail and realistic colours.

The moon was out and so were these stars that were not that noticeable to the human eye but captured by the Reo

And in almost total darkness? The first photo below of a pantheon of DC superheroes came out quite good, considering there was no light. Albeit blurry, it did capture quite a bit of details and colours in almost absolute darkness. The second image has a small battery operated light above the figures which was considerably clearer with a great colour range.

Final Thoughts?

The OPPO Reno12 5G is a mid range phone that is jam packed with features and powers – Not only is it a fast smartphone but it’s great for gaming and more importantly, a perfect choice for those not wanting to break the bank but still want the latest features such as AI and fast charging. With a 2-year warranty, OPPO also provides the user with 3 major operating system (Android) upgrades and a generous 4-years of security updates, ensuring an element of future proofing. Then you have the exterior design that looks fantastic as is the high-quality screen which makes images come alive.

Recommended!

OPPO Reno12 5G Full Specifications