The ‘camera bump’. It’s a design challenge most smartphones have to grapple with. How do you keep a device slim and still manage to work around that inevitable protrusion that houses multiple lenses that we need to get all our camera stuff done. The rear camera design on the OPPO Reno 8 Pro was the first thing that caught my attention as soon as I unboxed this device. We’ve been impressed with the design language of the last few devices from the OPPO Reno line – slinky, yet packed with a large display; devices that feel good in your hand. The Reno 8 Pro sticks to that lineage. Does it offer more than just ‘flaunt value’?
Cool green
We’ve lost track of the eclectic shades of green that have played out on smartphones all year. The Reno 8 Pro joins that list with a cool, mint green. OPPO calls it Glazed Green (there’s also a Glazed Black colour option) and if you do buy this device, it ought to be this cool shade. The most distinctive design element is the rear camera module. We like the large, bold lenses that dominate the back. ‘Flat edge’ design has been trending since end 2020 with devices like the iPhone 12 Pro. We dig OPPO’s newest interpretation of this flat form factor. It looks every inch premium and feels great in your hand. The device features a glass back and is finished with an aluminium frame. OPPO manages to keep the heft just above 180g. We’ll say this, the Reno 8 Pro is one of the best looking smartphones under Rs 50,000.
MediaTek magic
The MediaTek Dimensity 8100 Processor is clear evidence of how much MediaTek has upped its game over the last couple of years. This chipset gives the Reno 8 Pro extra wings. The Reno series has traditionally leaned more on its fashion quotient but the 8 Pro backs that up with a solid performance. This processor is complemented by 12GB of RAM and 256GB of Internal storage. The 8 Pro clocked an impressive 3539 on our Geekbench benchmark test (multi-core). We wish OPPO had eliminated some of the bloatware on this device though.
Hitting the right notes
The Reno 8 Pro scores on the three key fronts that matter to most consumers across price points. The 4500 mAh battery won’t let you down. We managed to comfortably sail through a whole day. OPPO sweetens the deal with an 80W in-box charger that takes it from 1 to 100% in just over 30 minutes. We were impressed with the low light capabilities of the rear cam. OPPO is betting big on the 4K ultra night video feature. The versatile shooter brings a 50MP primary lens together with an 8MP ultra-wide lens and a 2MP Macro lens. There’s also a 32MP selfie shooter in the mix. OPPO has bumped up the display to 120Hz, a trick it missed on a couple of its previous flagships. Colours are vibrant on the 6.7-inch AMOLED display (1080 x 2412 pixels) that peaks at 950 nits of brightness. The Reno 8 Pro is the most complete OPPO Reno device we’ve checked out. At Rs 45,999, OPPO has its work cut out in a segment where consumers have quite a few options.
The OPPO Reno 8 Pro costs Rs 45,999 and comes in Glazed Green and Glazed Black. OPPO is offering instant discounts of Rs 4,000 on multiple credit cards.
