I still remember the first time I tried an Oppo phone. I'd gone from hardly having heard of one to setting one up and using it in a matter of minutes. That's not even an exaggeration - one thing Oppo has always prided itself on is making the switch from other phones as seamless as possible, then offering some of the fastest charging times around to get you going pretty much straight away.
Above all else, Oppo has always emphasised its camera capabilities ahead of all other features. The first time I encountered a periscope lens, it was on an Oppo. The first time I took a professional-looking group selfie (complete with Bokeh effect) was with an Oppo. For a long time Oppo referred to its own handsets as "Camera Phones" rather than "Smart Phones" - that gives you some indication of where the design priorities tend to be focussed. Pun intended.
Although there will be no "flagship" Oppo handset this year in New Zealand from the top-of-the-line Find X series, if the previously released Find N2 Flip wasn't quite what you were looking for, Oppo now has something else for you to try.
In recent years, Oppo's premium Find X handsets have been standouts for me in terms of physical design so I was most relieved to discover the 2023 Oppo Reno10 Pro has continued the trend. While other manufacturers seem content with flat displays, sharp, thick edges and smudge-prone glossy glass backs, the Reno10 Pro sets itself apart in almost every aspect of its physical design.
The rear camera module is also eye-catchingly unusual with its three lenses contrasting with a CD-like metallic finish. This is a phone unashamed to set itself apart on the meeting table.
Historically Oppo ships its handsets with factory-fitted screen protectors and that's the case here too - although I don't understand the benefit of applying a screen protector that isn't anything like as hard-wearing as the screen it's supposed to be protecting. Within just a few days of normal use, this extra layer was littered with small scratches - something I just haven't seen on any other handset for ages. The Reno10 Pro's display is covered by AGC Dragontrail Star 2 glass as opposed to the Corning Gorrilla Glass we see more often on other phones. I don't know much about the Dragontrail product so for now I'm keeping the protector in place.
Durability aside, the screen is bright and clear with a 120Hz refresh rate that can be dialled back either manually or automatically to save on power consumption.
Speaking of which, as usual, the Reno10 Pro ships with its own SuperVOOC charging brick - 80W fast charging and I do mean fast; Oppo claims just 28 minutes for a full charge and from what I've seen that seems about right. Unfortunately - and this is typical for Oppo - they seem to think super-fast charging speeds are a substitute for wireless charging which is a philosophy I've never agreed with. I hate having to plug and unplug my phone - especially recently as I've been recovering from a broken shoulder and a lot of these sorts of actions have to happen one handed. I don't know if you've ever tried to remove a tiny USB-C plug from its port with one hand but it's a challenge. Oppo has often made wireless charging the first "premium" feature to go when stepping down in price from its high-end offerings and this annoys me. It may be of no consequence to you though, so read on.
In terms of real-world battery life, I've been somewhat underwhelmed. The 4,600mAh battery is large enough and I've certainly had no issues getting though a whole day - usually with 50-60 percent charge intact. However, this still isn't as good as other mid-to-upper range devices I've used recently.
This may be partly due to the chip running everything, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G. While it provides a solid, reliable user experience, this is not the latest or greatest Snapdragon SoC out there. This is another area where the Reno10 Pro proves to be not quite as "Pro" as some of 2023's genuine flagships. Bear in mind I'm pretty fussy about phone performance - I usually get to try out the very best of them. As a result I've found using the Reno10 Pro is smooth and fast - but not glaringly so. There's still plenty of oomph for most games and functions, thanks partly to Oppo's RAM expansion technology which can utilise unused ROM storage to beef up the already pretty beefy 12GB of physical RAM. Oppo also has plenty to say about the Reno10 Pro's cooling system and I certainly never felt it warm up while I was using it.
Personally, I like a phone camera I can just point and shoot with - without having to fiddle with too many settings. This is what the Reno10 Pro provides - although those expert pro settings are there if you want them.
Things like low-light photos just work - quickly too. Check out these two shots - one using Night Mode, one just clicked without any adjustments. Good luck if you can pick which one is which - I think they both look great.
However, it's the 32MP selfie-cam that probably steals the show - Oppo phones always take great selfies (and shoot great selfie vids too) but the options here in terms of effects and filters are at a whole new level. Thanks to the front-facer's auto-focus abilities, that split-focus Bokeh effect is now effortless. I've never looked so good on a phone screen... and that's saying something.
If photo and video performance is a priority for you, the Reno10 Pro should definitely be on your shopping list - at NZ$1,099.00 this is a handset that comes in hundreds of dollars under other phones with similar premium camera arrays. It won't match some of those high-end options in terms of sheer power or battery life and it doesn't charge wirelessly - but it does charge in mere minutes and in my opinion, it's probably the best-looking and best-feeling phone I've used so far this year. Excellent value and pretty too.
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