OPPO is a well-known player in the budget Android industry across the globe. The Chinese tech giant is catering to the Indian as well as the global audience with multiple smartphone lineups. OPPO has a stronghold in the affordable and the mid-range smartphone space; specifically, it’s Reno smartphone lineup which has been setting up new standards every time with mobile photography experience. This year, the brand launched the Reno7 series with the Reno7 Pro being the top-end variant.
The OPPO Reno series has radically evolved over the last few years. The Reno7 Pro is one of the newest members in this lineup that brings some refined hardware and design to the table. With a maximum retail price of around Rs. 39,999 for the 12GB RAM and 256GB storage configuration, the Reno7 Pro is amongst the best options that you can get in the premium mid-tier Android segment.
But the Indian market has numerous new Android smartphones under Rs. 40,000 in India backed by 5G network support and some high-end features. Does the Reno7 Pro has it all to take on some of the popular sub Rs. 40,000 segment phones in India? How well is the Reno7 Pro 5G for long-term usage? Is this OPPO Reno phone worth an investment? We at Giznext have been using the Reno7 Pro 5G for the past few months and are sharing our feedback on whether it’s a good long-term investment or not?
Pros And Cons
Pros:
- Premium looking sturdy design
- Up to 12GB RAM for lag-free multitasking
- Flagship-grade Dimensity 1200 Max 5G chipset
- Fast and reliable in-display fingerprint scanner
Cons:
- Older Android 11 OS firmware
- Refresh rate could have been 120Hz instead of 90Hz
- Cluttered user interface with pre-installed bloatware
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G Review: Practical Design Approach For Daily Use?
The OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G ditches the hefty and tall form factor and rather opts for a compact design with flat edges. It is a practical design approach that helps with easy usage in every scenario. But it’s not just the flat-edged compact form factor that makes it all premium, but the iconic Reno Glow design which grabs the attention. We are speaking of the glowing camera module. Yes, you read that right.
The vertical camera module on the upper left of the Reno7 Pro 5G lights up when you plug the device to a charger. The Reno7 Pro 5G’s remaining design aspect is practical for daily usage. Take for instance the volume and the power keys that are placed on either side of the handset. It’s easier to adjust the volume or lock the device without giving a glance at the side panels.
What impressed us further is the smudge-resistant design. The back panel is a mix of gradient and matte texture that is visually appealing. Thanks to the compact form factor it’s easy to use the Reno7 Pro 5G with a single hand. Of course, that’s for general tasks as completing extensive tasks such as gaming would require both your hands for comfortable usage.
The Reno7 Pro 5G’s remaining design aspects are standard. You get a USB Type-C port at the bottom along with the speaker grille. It doesn’t have a 3.5mm headphone jack. Therefore, if in case you wish to connect any wired headphones, make sure it has a USB Type-C port or you have a connector for the same. In our opinion, the Reno7 Pro has a classic design that will impress the modern masses with its practical approach.
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G Display Review: Good For High-Resolution Video Playback
OPPO has been packing its Reno and other premium mid-tier Android smartphones with a high-resolution panel. The Reno7 Pro 5G is one of the best examples of an OPPO smartphone with a powerful display panel that gives good video playback feedback overall. We have used the Reno7 Pro 5G to watch our favorite TV shows and movies on OTT Platforms as well as via the local directory.
It’s a 6.5-inch AMOLED panel with 1080 x 2400 pixels FHD+ screen resolution makes for a perfect fit if you prefer watching content on the go. The Reno7 Pro 5G’s display further supports HDR10+ certification that allows for an immersive video playback experience. The brightness levels are decent. We didn’t struggle to view content under direct sunlight. That’s possible with the peak brightness levels of 920 nits.
The OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G’s display offers vivid color production and has decent viewing angles. The default color temperature of the Reno7 Pro 5G’s panel is slightly on the cooler side. With this, the display becomes less straining on the eyes. You can make adjust the screen color temperature as per requirements that suit your visibility.
The panel features a tiny punch-hole that is positioned in the upper left corner and hampers least the overall visibility. The Reno7 Pro 5G’s display offers a 90Hz screen refresh rate. Now, this isn’t standard for flagship and premium mid-tier phones. But it is sufficient for graphics-intensive gaming. You’ll experience minimum frame drops despite the highest settings with graphic-hungry games.
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G: Long Term Hardware Performance And Software Experience
OPPO has used the Dimensity 1200 Max 5G chipset to power the Reno7 Pro 5G. This is a flagship range MediaTek 5G processor with octa-cores has a clock speed of 3.0 GHz and is combined with ARM G77 MC9 GPU to handle extensive graphics without any stutters or lags. The Reno7 Pro 5G also has an integrated X-Axis linear motor that helps with improved haptic feedback during gaming.
The Reno7 Pro 5G’s capable chipset along with up to 12GB RAM helps with an overall lag-free user experience. Notably, the Reno7 Pro 5G also features virtual RAM support. This allows the handset to supplement an additional 3GB/ 5GB/ 7GB RAM capacity. We didn’t experience any issues with the speed performance in the longer run.
But one thing we would like to highlight is the device warm-up issue. You will see the device heating up if you are using it extensively. We experienced this issue while commuting where the device was connected to the car charger and location services and mobile data were being used simultaneously. Besides this, you wouldn’t experience any major issues with the Reno7 Pro 5G’s performance in day-to-day scenarios.
As for the firmware, the Reno7 Pro 5G has the Android 11 OS which is layered with a custom ColorOS interface. The software is dated. This is one of the drawbacks that we found in the Reno7 Pro 5G. That’s considering it is a new-generation smartphone and it has been a while since the new-generation Android 12 OS has been released. It would have made sense for the brand to launch the Reno7 Pro 5G with the latest Android OS. The UI is also cluttered which might be a bummer for multiple users. It would have been a respite if OPPO offered a cleaner UI that has the least or zero bloatware installed.
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G Review: Camera Performance
OPPO’s Reno series has been known for its potent camera hardware. The Reno7 Pro 5G can yield high-resolution images with its triple rear camera module. The main camera at the back of the Reno7 Pro 5G is a 50MP wide-angle lens with an f/1.8 aperture which is accompanied by an 8MP ultrawide sensor with 119-degree FoV, and a 2MP macro sensor with an f/2.4 aperture.
The main camera on the Reno7 Pro 5G has been capturing a high level of detailing with each click. However, you will find the colors overtly saturated at some points. There is no direct way to tone down the high saturation levels. You probably would want to switch off the HDR model and the AI Scene detection if you want to avoid oversaturated color production. Take the image below for reference.
The left shot was clicked without the HDR and auto scene detection, while for the right pic we had toggled on the Auto HDR and AI scene detection. The background had lower lighting conditions yet, the camera managed to capture good clarity levels in both modes. However, the colors are more natural on the former.
The Reno7 Pro 5G definitely pleases you with the bokeh shots. OPPO has improved the portrait imaging experience massively with the Reno7 Pro 5G. Its camera is equipped with a Bokeh Flare video technology that aides with recording videos with blurr effects. The bokeh videography experience and the stabilization while recording videos is good here.
Another useful camera mode is the Extra HD that uses AI to capture 108MP UHD shots. Now, this feature has been handy to click images with high level of detailing. The Reno7 Pro 5G performance is decent when it comes to night or low-light photography. The camera app features a Night mode which uses Ultra-nitht AI algorithm for better low-light output. The night scenes are captured well on the Reno7 Pro 5G. The above example shows the clarity levels during low light condition. Overall, the camera performance is satisfactory on the Reno7 Pro 5G.
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G Review: Battery Backup
The OPPO Reno7 Pro has a 4,500 mAh battery unit under the hood. This a decent sized unit for a premium mid-tier phone allowing for more than half a day of battery backup. Well, that’s if you aren’t an extensive smartphone user and generally drain your phone’s battery with extensive gaming or media playback.
If that’s the case, you might need to re-plug the device more than once to the charger. Nevertheless, the 65W SuperVOOC flash charge comes to rescue in such situations. The entire battery refuels under an hour (zero to 100 percent).
OPPO Reno7 Pro 5G Verdict: Worth Buing For Long Run?
In our opinion the OPPO Reno7 Pro is a decent investment. Specifically if you plan on buying a premium mid-tier phone that is good looking, sturdy, and powerful in all aspects. It has a good camera with multiple shooting modes and AI to improve the photography experience and a super fast 65W fasr charging support as well. The Reno7 Pro 5G can be your go to handset in the sub Rs. 40,000 price bracket (specifically the 12GB RAM variant).
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