Oppo Reno 12 Pro Review: Premium AI Features at a Mid-Range Price
Oppo Reno 12 Pro: Stunning camera, sleek design, powerful performance. Experience the future of smartphones.
Oppo’s latest mid-range Android phone, Oppo Reno 12 Pro, is clearly aiming to compete with Google’s affordable camera phone Pixel 8a. This new device offers a range of smart AI photography features including impressive magic eraser capabilities and other useful tools, but there’s much more to it than that.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro belongs to Reno series, which is positioned between Oppo’s high-end Find series and more budget-friendly A series. Reno series is known for providing smartphones at mid-range prices with noteworthy features, although some compromises are made to keep costs down. Generally, only even-numbered Reno models are released in Western markets.
Having tested Oppo Reno 10 last year, I can confirm that Reno 12 Pro has made significant strides forward, particularly in terms of camera performance and charging speed. However, it’s a bit disappointing that Oppo has moved away from the curved-edge design of Reno 10 series, as this made phones more comfortable to hold.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro sets itself apart from its sibling, Reno 12 and other mid-range phones with one standout feature: a telephoto camera lens for zoom photography. This addition significantly enhances phone’s photography capabilities, allowing users to take superior portrait, macro and long-distance shots compared to similarly priced rivals. If you’re looking for an excellent camera phone without high price tag of iPhone 15 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S24 or OnePlus 12, Reno 12 Pro is great option. Notably, even Pixel 8a lacks a telephoto lens.
Main attractions of Reno 12 Pro are its AI photography features. While high-end smartphones have had these for some time, mid-range devices are just starting to catch up. Reno 12 Pro excels in this area, particularly in removing unwanted background elements from photos and replacing them with realistic backgrounds. Although this process is slower than on Pixel 8a, it’s still highly effective. For those who prefer not to use Google phone or who want zoom camera, Reno 12 Pro is top contender.
In addition to its camera prowess, Oppo Reno 12 Pro charges quickly, has impressive battery life and performs well for gaming. Its large, attractive display is easy to use one-handed. Best of all, it offers all these features at very competitive price.
However, phone isn’t without its drawbacks, which reveal its mid-range status. Upon first use, I found number of pre-installed apps (bloatware) frustrating. Removing these apps can feel like a game of “whack-a-mole.” Design also feels somewhat cheap, despite attempting to mimic two-texture Pixel back in certain color options.
Despite these issues, I can confidently recommend Oppo Reno 12 Pro as one of best smartphones in its price range, particularly for those seeking an affordable camera phone. With potential software updates enhancing the AI features, Reno 12 Pro could become a strong competitor to Pixel 8a in future.
Table of Contents
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| 📱 Screen | 6.7-inch FHD AMOLED, 120Hz |
| 💾 Storage | 512 GB |
| 🧠 RAM | 12 GB |
| 📏 Dimensions | 161.5 x 74.8 x 7.4 mm |
| 🔊 Audio | Stereo speakers |
| 🔋 Battery | 5,000 mAh |
| ⚡ Charging | 80W wired |
| 📱 Operating System | Android 14 with ColorOS 14.1 |
| ⚖️ Weight | 180 g |
| 📷 Main Camera | 50 MP, f/1.8 |
| 🔭 Telephoto Camera | 50 MP, f/2.0, 2x optical zoom |
| 🌄 Ultra-Wide Camera | 8 MP, f/2.2, 112-degree field |
| 🤳 Selfie Camera | 50 MP, f/2.0 |
| 💻 Chipset | Mediatek Dimensity 7300 |
| 🎨 Colors Available | Space Brown, Sunset Gold, Nebula Silver |
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Price and Availability
Released in June 2024 in UK and Australia, Oppo Reno 12 Pro is priced at £499 / AU$999 (approximately $640). Different models are available in various regions.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro has various releases worldwide, each slightly different. Western version, which was announced in mid-June 2024, is available in UK and Australia. You can buy it for £499 / AU$999 (roughly $640), making it mid-range phone.
Oppo doesn’t typically sell its phones in US, and that continues with Reno 12 Pro. In UK, there’s only one version with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. Other regions may have a reduced-storage model. Oppo’s website offers one color option, while Amazon has different one.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro is priced similarly to Google Pixel 8a, which costs $499 / £499 / AU$849, making it a close competitor. Other phones in this price range include iPhone SE, Samsung Galaxy A55 and Xiaomi 13T.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Design
Oppo Reno 12 Pro is a large but slim and lightweight phone. It has a plastic body that can feel a bit cheap, especially compared to more premium devices. Phone’s back features a two-tone design that might remind you of older Google Pixel phones.
With dimensions of 161.5 x 74.8 x 7.4 mm, it’s wider than some other phones like Pixel but remains slim and easy to handle. It weighs just 180 grams, which is surprisingly light for its size, making it comfortable to hold.
Phone doesn’t have 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead, it uses a USB-C port for charging and connectivity. Power button and volume controls are on right side, positioned well for easy access.
On back, camera bump sticks out a little but not enough to catch on your pocket when you put phone in. Screen features under-display fingerprint scanner that works well, although it sometimes aligns incorrectly if you switch between portrait and landscape modes.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro comes in three colors: Space Brown (black), Sunset Gold (rose) and Nebula Silver (pinkish silver). Color options might vary depending on your region. I tested Space Brown variant, which is actually black.
Phone has an IP65 rating, meaning it’s protected against dust and water splashes, such as rain or accidental splashes from garden hose. However, it’s not fully waterproof, so avoid dropping it in water.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Display
Oppo Reno 12 Pro features large 6.7-inch screen with a resolution of 1080 x 2412 pixels known as FHD+. This is common resolution that suits most apps and media, so you don’t need more pixels for everyday use.
Display uses AMOLED technology, which means it can show bright, punchy colors. It also supports HDR10+ for enhanced color and contrast. With maximum brightness of 1,200 nits, screen remains clear and vibrant even in bright light.
Additionally, Reno 12 Pro has 120Hz refresh rate. This makes scrolling and animations smooth, improving overall experience whether you’re browsing through menus or using apps that support this feature.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Software
Oppo Reno 12 Pro runs on Android 14 with Oppo’s ColorOS 13.1 on top. However, when you first set up phone, you’ll notice it comes with a lot of pre-installed apps. This includes popular apps like Netflix, Facebook and TikTok, as well as some games and various Oppo-made apps. There are even some apps with Chinese names that you might not understand. This can make phone feel cluttered and less personal.
Despite bloatware, ColorOS itself is quite good. It offers many customization options such as changing fonts, adjusting always-on display and customizing quick settings menu. Quick settings menu is user-friendly and lets you easily toggle features. Additionally, Reno 12 Pro includes an app drawer to help keep your home screens organized and tidy.
Oppo hasn’t specified how many software updates Reno 12 Pro will receive, so it’s unclear how long phone will stay up-to-date with the latest Android versions.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Camera
Oppo Reno 12 Pro has versatile camera setup with four different lenses:
- Main Camera: 50MP with f/1.8 aperture. It captures bright and vivid images, though it might lose some detail in dark areas. It has features like PDAF (Phase Detection Autofocus) for faster focusing and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) to reduce shake.
- Telephoto Camera: 50MP with f/2.0 aperture, offering 2x optical zoom. This is nice feature for mid-range phone, allowing for clearer zoomed-in shots. You can also use 5x hybrid zoom or 20x digital zoom, with 20x zoom still providing decent quality images.
- Ultra-Wide Camera: 8MP with f/2.2 aperture and 112-degree field of view. This camera is useful for capturing wide scenes but has lower resolution and vibrancy compared to main camera.
- Front Camera: 50MP with f/2.0 aperture. It takes high-resolution selfies with good detail and color accuracy. Portrait mode adds background blur but can sometimes miss finer details.
Reno 12 Pro also features AI photo tools designed to enhance your photography experience. One such tool is Magic Eraser, which can remove unwanted people or objects from your photos. It’s quite effective and accurate at filling in background where objects or people have been removed. You can also save parts of your photo as stickers.
In addition to these smart features, Reno 12 Pro includes various shooting modes like Pro, Portrait, Night, Full-Res, Slow-Mo and Time-Lapse. For video recording, you can shoot up to 4K at 30 frames per second or 1080p at 60 frames per second, but it doesn’t support 8K video.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Performance and Audio
Oppo Reno 12 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Energy chipset, which is designed to be energy-efficient. This chipset, along with the non-Pro version, is new to the market. In performance benchmarks like Geekbench 6, Reno 12 Pro scored an average of 2,005 in multi-core tests. This score is typical for mid-range phones and suggests it handles everyday tasks well but isn’t built for high-end gaming.
In terms of gaming, phone can handle popular titles like Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile fairly well. However, you might experience occasional lag or slower loading times, indicating it’s not the fastest option available.
Phone comes with 12GB of RAM, which is more than sufficient for running social media apps, using camera, and navigating menus smoothly. Additionally, it includes 512GB of storage, a large amount for its price range. While there is no option to expand the storage, 512GB capacity is likely ample for most users.
For audio, Oppo Reno 12 Pro does not include a 3.5mm headphone jack. Instead, you’ll need to use the USB-C port with an adapter for wired headphones. For wireless audio, Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity is available and phone features stereo speakers positioned at the top and bottom. These speakers are well-placed, so you won’t accidentally cover them while using phone in landscape mode.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Battery Life
Oppo Reno 12 Pro is equipped with 5,000mAh battery, which is quite common for phones in this price range. Despite being a standard size, this battery performs impressively well. In daily use, phone can last more than a day and a half on a single charge, making it suitable for extended use, including long gaming sessions.
Charging is fast with 80W wired charger, which Oppo claims can fully charge the phone in just under 50 minutes. In practice, about 30 minutes of charging is usually enough to get through a full day of use. The phone also supports reverse wired charging, allowing you to use the USB-C port to charge other devices like a smartwatch or headphones, though this is not particularly fast.
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Oppo Reno 12 Pro Pros and Cons
| Pros 🟢 | Cons 🔴 |
|---|---|
| 📸 Excellent 50MP main and telephoto cameras | 📦 Pre-installed bloatware can clutter the phone |
| ⚡ Fast 80W wired charging | 🎧 No 3.5mm headphone jack |
| 🔋 Long-lasting 5,000mAh battery | 🏷️ Design feels cheap and plastic |
| 💾 Large 512GB storage | 🐢 Slow AI features compared to competitors |
| 📺 Smooth 6.7-inch FHD AMOLED display | 🎥 Limited to mid-range performance |
| 🧠 12GB RAM for smooth multitasking | ❌ No 8K video recording |
| 🎵 Stereo speakers with good placement | 🌈 Limited color options in some regions |
| 🌧️ IP65 rating for dust and splash protection | ❌ |
Conclusion
Overall, Oppo Reno 12 Pro offers strong value for its price. Despite some minor drawbacks, such as pre-installed bloatware and a somewhat plain design, it provides excellent features for the cost. The display, camera system, battery life and charging capabilities are impressive given price point. While no phone is perfect, Reno 12 Pro’s performance and features make it a solid choice for those looking for good value in a mid-range device.
