Oppo Reno 12 Pro Review – The Trendy Phone That Doesn’t Live Up To The Specs

When you pick up the Oppo Reno 12 Pro, you’ll notice a number of things. It’s a slim and lightweight device, while on paper it doesn’t look much different from other smartphones. That makes it more comfortable to hold. You’ll also immediately notice the two layers of the back: there’s a matte finish on top, while there’s glossy plastic on the bottom. It’s a bit of an odd sight. And in warm weather, the bottom gets a bit sticky – not to mention fingerprints. Not something we’re excited about.

Oppo says the design should be more durable, so the device can take a beating. The screen also won’t break instantly when you sit on it. Naturally, we weren’t told that twice. We sat on the device, threw it across the room a few times and let it fall out of our hands. We couldn’t detect a scratch or dent. The pre-applied screen protector had a bubble in the corner, but that was about it. Oddly enough, given the emphasis on durability, there’s no IP certification.

Fine screen bezels

The Oppo Reno 12 Pro looks more expensive than it is. That’s thanks to its large 6.7-inch OLED display. The edges curve down slightly on all sides. This is a slight departure from other smartphones, but it looks premium and feels great to operate. The display has a good resolution considering its battery life (2412 x 1080 pixels) and supports a high 120Hz refresh rate. This can take a toll on battery life, but supported apps and games look great on this display.

What we don’t like is that Oppo has given the Reno 12 Pro a big discount when we look at the processor. In China, the device will have a premium processor, which is on the level of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (that processor was among the best devices of 2023). For the European market, the brand has opted for the mid-range Dimensity 7200 Energy processor, which in terms of performance simply doesn’t come close to the Dimensity 9300+ for the Chinese market. The big question is: what do you notice in the processor in practice, and how bad is it?

warm, but not hot

First, the device gets quite warm. It’s not uncomfortably hot, but the edges, back, and screen radiate quite a bit of heat. Additionally, you’ll see frame drops here and there with games, because the processor is a bit erratic. It can suddenly accelerate, but it also gives up that speed in between. Anyway, the CPU is more than adequate for everyday tasks or less demanding games, so we don’t want to pay too much attention to the difference in processors between China and Europe. But we mention it anyway, because it’s a bit weird in a way.

Another difference with the Chinese version, while we’re on the subject, is the addition of a microSD card slot. They don’t have that in China. Now, with at least 256GB of storage, you won’t run out of space anytime soon. But transferring photos, videos, and games via SD card is much easier and more user-friendly than having to rely on a cloud service. Finally, the device offers 12GB of RAM (while you can also buy 16GB in China), which is more than enough for games, apps, and the system.

No attractive pictures

There is always a lot to do with the Reno series and that is the cameras. If we just look at the specifications, the Reno 12 Pro does not disappoint. The camera system has three 50MP lenses: a main lens, a telephoto lens (with 2x optical zoom) and a selfie camera. There is an 8MP wide-angle lens on the back. The photos are edited by AI after shooting. They are good for the device and maybe for social media, but we cannot talk about really attractive photos.

The Oppo Reno 12 Pro doesn’t really darken colors and environments, but it doesn’t render them very naturally either. This means that images are often stripped of colorful environments and skin tones sometimes don’t quite match reality. The camera system seems quite limited, even in very sunny locations. We took the photos for this article during our trip to Ibiza, where we were present for the official unveiling. The environment on the island looks a bit lifeless and grey, which is not the case in reality.

Not a necessary evil

The Oppo Reno 12 Pro runs Android 14, with ColorOS 14.1 on top. This is a heavily modified version of Android, to which Oppo has added quite a few features. Some of the settings are also a little different from what you’re used to. One of the features you’ll find here is the Smart Sidebar (which includes Sony Xperia 10 6th It also has shortcuts to your favorite apps, the clipboard, and the AI ​​toolbox. The latter option only appears when needed.

on gene amnesty international Speak: The oppo Reno 12 Pro is full of that. Not all of the promised functions currently work in the Netherlands or in Dutch. But you can, for example, remove objects from photos, brighten up photos yourself, give them a different style, or take the perfect group selfie (where everyone is open and looking at the camera). These are nice functions but they are not unique, and they are not fully appreciated by the modest camera system. We do not yet know when the other functions will be available in the Netherlands.

To access all the AI ​​options, you will need to sign in with your Opp account. As people become more and more concerned about privacy… things that come from chinaThis is a misstep. We already use a Google operating system that knows all our whims and fancies, but we see it as a necessary evil. We don’t see the need to create an account for some optional AI options. It’s also unfortunate that the functions don’t work offline. Finally, it’s positive that the device gets three years of upgrades and four years of updates.

Excellent battery life

We’ll also take a look at battery life. Oppo promises that the battery will last up to two days. Depending on usage, you can achieve that, but a day and a half is a better estimate. Well, in the middle bracket, then. Charging can be very fast with an 80W charger, but it’s no longer included in the box. So you’ll have to provide your own. And that’s not to blame Oppo: the company simply complies. For European rulesWith the 80W charger, you’ll be full again in 45 minutes. What else you need to know: Wireless charging and reverse charging are not supported.

Do you want to buy Oppo Reno 12 Pro?

The Oppo Reno 12 Pro is a smartphone in line with modern trends. The steps between the different generations are getting smaller, which means that manufacturers have to differentiate themselves in other ways. We see this in the high-end market and also clearly in the mid-range segment. The Reno 12 Pro should have all sorts of options, at least half of which are not yet available in the Netherlands. As for the other half, they only work with an active internet connection and an Oppo account, which makes them somewhat less accessible.

Not everyone wants to create an additional account, no matter how much manufacturers want to see it. Oppo is certainly not alone in this: Google and Samsung could also do something about it. You might think that the “AI for All” slogan of this device means that it will be easy to access, but in practice this turns out to be disappointing. Plus, the camera system plays tricks on the device. For a few dollars less, you could do better. Google Pixel 8a Togo. It has a better camera system, a longer lifespan due to a stricter update policy, and a more enjoyable and clearer operating system overall.