Oppo Reno 8 5G: Stylish Design Meets Competitive Performance – A New Contender or Just Another Face in the Crowd?

Oppo has broadened its Reno lineup by launching the Reno 8 5G alongside the Reno 8 Pro 5G (Review). These smartphones are branded by Oppo as “The Portrait Expert.” We have already reviewed the Reno 8 Pro 5G, which impressed us in terms of aesthetics and craftsmanship, though its performance didn’t quite match that of its rivals. Will the Oppo Reno 8 5G provide a comparable experience or perhaps an advantage over its competitors? Let’s explore.

Oppo Reno 8 5G pricing in India

The Oppo Reno 8 5G is available for Rs. 29,999 for its single variant featuring 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Oppo provides this model in two color options: Shimmer Gold and Shimmer Black. This pricing places it in direct competition with the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G and the Mi 11X 5G.

All ports are located at the bottom of the Oppo Reno 8 5G

Oppo Reno 8 5G design

The Oppo Reno 8 5G features a sleek design, and the Shimmer Gold variant attracts attention effortlessly. Aligning with modern design preferences, Oppo has introduced flatter edges on the Reno 8 5G. This alteration enhances grip and makes it convenient for one-handed operation. The rounded corners do not dig into your palms during use. The frame is composed of plastic, which lacks a premium feel.

The device boasts a large 6.4-inch display on the front, featuring a cutout in the top-left corner for the selfie camera. Its relatively thin bezels contribute to an engaging visual experience, except for the chin at the bottom. Oppo has implemented Corning Gorilla Glass 5 to safeguard the display.

Weighing in at 179g, the Reno 8 5G is lightweight and comfortable for prolonged use. The power and volume buttons are situated centrally on either side of the frame, making them easily accessible. These buttons provide a satisfying click, eliminating uncertainty regarding user inputs. The top of the frame is solely for the secondary microphone. The SIM tray, USB Type-C port, speaker, and primary microphone are all located at the bottom.

The Shimmer Gold variant is adept at concealing fingerprints

At the back, the Oppo Reno 8 5G showcases a triple camera array, seamlessly integrated into the rear panel. The camera cutouts are notably large, drawing immediate attention to the camera setup. The design reminds me of the OnePlus Nord 2T (Review).

Oppo Reno 8 5G specifications

The Oppo Reno 8 5G is equipped with an AMOLED display that offers full-HD+ resolution, a 90Hz refresh rate, and a 180Hz touch-sampling rate. While the OnePlus Nord 2T also supports a 90Hz refresh rate, devices like the Motorola Edge 30 (Review) provide a higher 144Hz refresh rate.

Powering the Reno 8 5G is the MediaTek Dimensity 1300 SoC, an octa-core processor running at 3GHz. Users can take advantage of a RAM expansion feature that allows for an additional 5GB. The fixed storage could pose an issue for some as it cannot be expanded. Oppo might have considered offering an option with greater storage capacity.

The phone offers two nano-SIM slots, with the tray designed with a rubber ring for added protection against dust and water ingress. However, the Reno 8 5G does not have an official IP rating. Connectivity options include Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3, NFC, dual 5G standby, and dual 4G VoLTE. Additionally, it supports six satellite navigation systems. The device houses a 4,500mAh battery that supports 80W fast charging, and a compatible charger is included in the package, which is a great advantage.

The plastic frame on the Oppo Reno 8 5G lacks a premium feel

Running on ColorOS 12.1 over Android 12, the phone was equipped with the July 2022 Android security patch when this review was conducted. A fair amount of bloatware comes preloaded, including Byju’s, Dailyhunt, FinShell Pay, HeyFun, Josh, Moj, Netflix, Paytm, and Snapchat, among others. Most can be uninstalled. Oppo provides various customization options through the Theme Store app, allowing users to change accent colors to correlate with their wallpaper.

Additionally, Oppo has incorporated Air Gestures, enabling users to interact with the smartphone using hand gestures without screen contact. I found this feature somewhat gimmicky, as it did not perform as expected. Traditional gestures, such as a three-finger swipe for screenshots, double-tap for waking the screen, and flipping the phone to mute calls, remain available.

Oppo Reno 8 5G performance

During my experience with the Oppo Reno 8 5G, it provided a fluid operation without any noticeable lag. The 8GB of RAM, alongside the additional 5GB of storage allocated as RAM, enabled smooth multitasking without delays in app loading. Both the in-display fingerprint scanner and face recognition were consistently fast in authenticating users.

The AMOLED display is sharp and provides great viewing angles. Although there is only a single downward-facing speaker, having dual speakers could have enhanced the video viewing experience. Fortunately, the single speaker is sufficiently loud. Scrolling through menus was smooth thanks to the 90Hz display. By default, the panel is set to 90Hz, but users can switch to 60Hz if desired; however, there is no dynamic refresh rate option. I utilized the device at 90Hz throughout this review.

The primary camera on the Reno 8 5G features a 50-megapixel Sony IMX766 sensor

 

In terms of benchmarks, the Reno 8 5G achieved scores of 603 in single-core and 2,522 in multi-core tests on Geekbench 5. The smartphone registered a score of 592,361 points on AnTuTu and reached 60fps in the T-Rex and 41fps in the Car Chase segments of GFX Bench. These figures closely resemble those of the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G, while the Motorola Edge 30’s performance is also competitive, employing a Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G+ SoC.

The gaming experience on the Reno 8 5G was positive, enabling me to run Call of Duty: Mobile at ‘High’ graphics and frame rate settings without any lag during gameplay. After playing for 20 minutes, the battery level dropped by only four percent. Following the gaming session, the device was barely warm.

Battery life is impressive, and I was able to use the phone for nearly two days with activities mainly involving social media and YouTube. In our HD video loop test, the device lasted an impressive 22 hours and 48 minutes. The included 80W charger kept charging times short, achieving 84 percent charge in 30 minutes, and fully charging in under 40 minutes.

Oppo Reno 8 5G cameras

The Oppo Reno 8 5G features a triple camera system, including a 50-megapixel primary camera equipped with a Sony IMX766 sensor. This sensor is commonly found in devices like the Nothing Phone 1 (Review), Realme GT Neo 3, OnePlus 10T, and the Oppo Reno 8 Pro 5G (Review). This primary camera lacks OIS but utilizes EIS instead. Additionally, there is an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera with a 120-degree field of view and a 2-megapixel macro camera. For selfies, the device is equipped with a 32-megapixel camera, and I found the camera interface user-friendly.

Images taken with the primary camera showcased significant detail and accurate colors, effectively capturing vibrant colors even in well-lit scenarios. While the ultra-wide-angle camera exhibited a slight reduction in quality compared to the main lens, it showed no noticeable barrel distortion, and color tones remained consistent. The camera app houses an AI scene optimization toggle that enhances color saturation for more vivid images.

(Top to bottom): Samples from the primary and ultra-wide-angle cameras (Tap for full-size)

 

Close-up photos were satisfactory, and the camera locked focus quickly. Portrait shots had good edge detection and natural background blur. While macro images were decent, it often required repositioning to maintain proper focus.

(Top to bottom): Macro and close-up photo samples (tap for detailed view)

 

Performance in low-light photography was adequate; the phone captured commendable shots in decently lit settings. However, darker areas of images displayed a watercolor-like effect. When Night mode was used, the phone took long-exposure shots, which resulted in occasional blurring with moving subjects.

Samples from low-light and Night mode (tap for full size)

 

Self-portraits captured with the 32-megapixel front-facing camera performed excellently both in daylight and low light conditions. Even in low light, the phone activated the screen flash automatically for brighter captures.

(Top to bottom): Daylight group selfie and low-light portrait snapshot (tap for full-sized images)

 

For video, the primary camera can record at up to 4K 30fps, while the selfie camera supports 1080p recording. The device uses EIS for stabilizing videos, which works adequately at 1080p, although some shakiness is evident during 4K recordings, particularly in low-light conditions.

Conclusion

The Oppo Reno 8 5G is an attractively designed device featuring competent hardware, priced below Rs. 30,000. It competes well in terms of performance and offers commendable camera quality within its price bracket. However, ColorOS has several features, but users who prefer a minimalist Android interface might be deterred by the amount of pre-installed apps. Additionally, the absence of OIS negatively impacts camera performance, particularly in low-light photography.

Given the intense competition within this price segment, the Reno 8 5G faces a challenging landscape. For instance, the OnePlus Nord 2T 5G (Review) stands as a close competitor, mirroring the Reno 8 5G in hardware configuration. The Motorola Edge 30 (Review) offers a sleek profile with a 144Hz refresh rate display and nearly stock Android experience for a similar price point. The Mi 11X 5G (Review) is also a formidable option for those seeking high performance in this price category.

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