Oppo Reno12 F review
The Oppo Reno12 F is an intriguing device that checks many boxes for those seeking a well-rounded smartphone experience. With its sleek design, impressive display, and decent camera capabilities, this phone seems like a solid contender in the mid-range market. However, it's hard not to compare it to its more powerful siblings, the Reno 12 Pro 5G and the Reno 12 5G, which boast more robust hardware and features. Does the Reno12 F's lower price point make up for its slightly reduced capabilities? This review will delve into the phone's strengths and weaknesses to help readers decide if it's the right fit for their needs.
Build Quality and Design
The Oppo Reno12 F boasts a sleek design that is sure to turn heads. The device's build quality is solid, with a premium feel that is characteristic of high-end smartphones. However, as we delve deeper into the design, it becomes clear that the Reno12 F doesn't quite live up to its siblings in the Reno family. The phone's rear panel features a subtle gradient effect, giving it a mesmerizing appearance under different lighting conditions. The curves on both sides provide a comfortable grip, making it easy to hold and navigate through menus. However, the overall design feels somewhat generic, lacking the unique flair that sets other Oppo devices apart. One of the standout features of the Reno12 F is its beautiful display. With vibrant colors and crisp visuals, it's an excellent screen for watching videos or browsing social media. However, the phone's design doesn't quite match up to its visual prowess. In terms of build quality, the Reno12 F feels sturdy, but not particularly exceptional. The device's dimensions are on par with other smartphones in its class, and while it may feel a little heavier than some other devices, it is still manageable for most users. While the Oppo Reno12 F has its strengths, its design doesn't quite live up to expectations. It's a decent smartphone that looks good but not great. If you're looking for a budget-friendly option with a solid display and long battery life, then the Reno12 F may be worth considering. However, if you're willing to spend a bit more on a device that truly stands out in terms of design and build quality, there are other options available that might better suit your needs.
Battery Life
One of the standout features of the Oppo Reno 12 F is its battery life. The phone packs a standard 5,000 mAh hour battery pack, which may seem ordinary at first glance. However, our testing revealed that it can deliver an impressive performance. In our PC Mark Work 3.0 battery test, we achieved a result of 16 hours and 38 minutes with the screen set to 50% brightness, volume turned down, and airplane mode enabled. This is a remarkable score for a phone with this capacity. When put through real-world usage, such as playing games, the Reno 12 F's battery life remained impressive. We played Blue Archive for an hour starting at 100% battery, and afterwards we still had 87% battery left. This suggests that even heavy users can expect to get a full day's use out of the phone. The fast charging speeds on offer are also noteworthy, with the ability to recharge from zero to 50% in just over 30 minutes. Overall, the Oppo Reno 12 F's battery life is a major selling point for anyone looking for a device that can keep up with their daily demands without needing to be constantly plugged in. In short, the Reno 12 F's battery life is a strong point of this phone, and one that will appeal to many users.
Display
The Oppo Reno 12F's display is one of its standout features. The device boasts a vibrant AMOLED screen that delivers excellent color accuracy and high contrast ratios. Whether you're watching your favorite TV shows or browsing through photos, the visuals are sure to impress. The screen itself measures 6.7 inches diagonally, making it a great size for both entertainment and productivity tasks. The resolution is FHD+ (1080 x 2400 pixels), which provides a crisp and clear visual experience. I was particularly impressed by the display's ability to produce deep blacks and rich colors, especially in scenes with complex lighting. One of the most notable aspects of the Reno 12F's display is its high refresh rate. At 120Hz, it's smooth and responsive, making for an immersive viewing experience. Whether you're scrolling through social media or playing games, the screen responds quickly to your inputs, reducing lag and stuttering. In terms of brightness, the Reno 12F's display is more than capable of handling outdoor use. I had no issues reading or watching content in bright sunlight conditions. Additionally, the auto-brightness feature adjusts the screen's illumination according to ambient light levels, making it comfortable to use indoors as well. While there are some minor nits to pick – such as a slight blue tint in certain lighting conditions – the Reno 12F's display is an excellent addition to this smartphone. Its vibrant colors, high contrast ratios, and smooth refresh rate make it perfect for watching videos, browsing photos, or even playing games on-the-go. Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed with the Oppo Reno 12F's display. It's a feature that elevates the phone from good to great, making it an excellent choice for anyone seeking a smartphone with top-notch visuals.
Camera
The camera on the Oppo Reno 12F is a mixed bag. While it's capable of taking decent photos in well-lit conditions, it struggles to deliver impressive results in low-light situations or with moving subjects. In daylight, the camera takes good-quality photos with vibrant colors and sufficient detail. However, as soon as the lighting becomes less favorable, the image quality starts to degrade. Noise and grain become apparent, especially in areas of high contrast. When it comes to capturing moving subjects, such as people or animals, the Reno 12F's autofocus system can be slow to lock onto them. This leads to a higher likelihood of blurry photos, which is disappointing given the camera's overall capabilities. One area where the Reno 12F excels is in terms of color accuracy and representation. The camera captures a wide range of colors with good precision, resulting in pleasingly natural-looking images that are true to life. The Reno 12F also features a fairly comprehensive set of camera modes and features, including a portrait mode that uses AI-powered depth sensing to create shallow background blur effects. However, the effectiveness of this feature can vary depending on the subject's distance from the camera and their pose. In terms of video recording, the Reno 12F is capable of capturing smooth and stable footage at up to 4K resolution. The image quality is generally good, with minimal noise or distortion, although it can be prone to some minor aliasing artifacts in certain situations. Overall, while the Oppo Reno 12F's camera has its strengths, it ultimately feels like a middle-of-the-pack offering compared to other smartphones on the market. It's not particularly impressive, but nor is it disastrous either – it just sort of... exists.
Price and Value
The Oppo Reno12 F is an affordable smartphone that promises to deliver a great experience without breaking the bank. With a price tag of ₹18,999, it's hard to ignore the value proposition offered by this device. On paper, the Reno12 F seems like a solid offering from Oppo. It features a decent camera setup, a long-lasting battery, and a beautiful display. The phone also boasts 5G connectivity, dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, and GPS, making it a great option for those who want a feature-rich smartphone without the hefty price tag. However, when you look closer at the specs, you'll notice that the Reno12 F is not exactly the most powerful device on the market. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset may seem like a good compromise for the price, but it's nowhere near as potent as the processors found in Oppo's more premium offerings, such as the Reno 12 Pro 5G. The cameras, while decent, are only great in well-lit conditions and daytime shots. Low-light photography is where they fall short, and the lack of advanced features like optical zoom or ultra-wide-angle lenses may be a disappointment for some users. In terms of value, the Reno12 F is certainly a good option for those who want an affordable smartphone with a great display, long battery life, and decent cameras. However, if you're willing to spend a bit more money, you can get a device that offers more features, better performance, and improved camera capabilities. Ultimately, the Oppo Reno12 F is a solid mid-range phone that delivers on its promises but doesn't exceed expectations. If you're in the market for an affordable smartphone with some great features, this may be worth considering. However, if you want the best of the best, you might need to look elsewhere.
Performance
The Oppo Reno12 F is a decent smartphone that checks most boxes, but its performance falls short of expectations. Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, the phone handles everyday tasks without any issues. I was able to run multiple apps in the background, including YouTube and Chrome, without experiencing any lag or frame rate drops. However, when it comes to gaming, the Reno12 F struggles. I tested the phone with Blue AR, a relatively light game, and experienced frequent frame rate drops during battles and animation screens. Even on Pro gamer mode with graphics set to max, the game stuttered and slowed down. Trying more graphic-intensive titles like Genin Impact only confirmed my suspicions - even with settings toned down to low, the game still suffered from occasional slowing down and FPS drops. The temperature of the phone remained steady throughout gaming sessions, which is a plus. But overall, the Reno12 F's performance is not ideal for gamers who demand smooth experiences. In contrast, the Reno12 5G and Reno12 Pro 5G models are much more capable in this regard. Benchmark scores also reveal that the Reno12 F lags behind its siblings. The phone scored around 300-400 points lower than the Reno12 5G and Reno12 Pro 5G in various benchmark tests, indicating a noticeable performance gap. While the Reno12 F may not be ideal for gaming enthusiasts, it still offers decent performance for casual users. But for those seeking a more premium experience, there are better options available in this price range.
Pros
1. It has a decent set of cameras
2. A very long battery life
3. A great display
4. A beautiful design
Cons
1. The chipset isn't the most powerful
2. The cameras are only great in daylight or well-lit conditions
3. Not ideal for gaming, with occasional frame rate drops and slowing down
4. Downgrade from Reno12 5G and Reno12 Pro 5G