There's Really No Reason Not to Love this Phone

Ah, the perils of tech journalism... not that I'd ever dare to refer to myself as a journalist. More like an enthusiast. Let's just say I do move in similar circles though.

Anyway, the peril any journalist faces is becoming so engrossed in their core subject matter, they forget most other people aren't.

One of the primary reasons I started writing gadget reviews was FOMO - I just couldn't stand the thought of missing out on the latest tech - in fact I still can't. I'm obsessed with getting my hands on each new generation of phone or earbud or TV or whatever. I don't really know why, it's just my thing.

But when I write about "my things" I have to force myself to remember they're not necessarily other people's things. While I change my phone every couple of weeks, most research indicates "normal" people are only likely to upgrade every two to three years - and recently that interval has been growing even longer.

Which is why I've been somewhat taken aback at the level of criticism directed at this year's base-model iPhone...

Although the iPhone 14 arrived a week or so earlier than many predicted, that was about the only cat that hadn't been let out of the bag prior to its launch.

For months I'd been reading rumours about Apple making an unprecedented decision to split up its base and pro models by reserving the new-generation A16 Bionic chip for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max while recycling 2021's A15 chip for the cheaper iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. What a shock. 

Perhaps even more shocking is most of those articles neglected to point out there were two different chips used last year too; it's just they were just both called A15. The '21 Pro version boasted better graphics performance which also meant more powerful camera capabilities and it's that A15 Bionic running the iPhone 14.

This means a noticeable uptick in gaming and photography before you even touch the rest of the phone. The physical camera sensors have also been tweaked and combined with the processor boost, the photography experience on the iPhone 14 feels much more like what the pro models offered last time around.

Low light is becoming less of a barrier - which is just as well as many other manufacturers have made indoor and night shooting a priority too, often extremely successfully. The good news on the iPhone 14 is the selfie camera also works much better in the gloom. That front-facing cam now has full auto-focussing abilities too, not just a feature reserved for Cinematic mode on the primary shooter. This means group selfies or perhaps shots from a distance set with a timer are more likely to have you as the main subject, instead of the table in front of you or the building behind.

Back round the back, the main camera now offers Action mode - Apple's latest digital stabilisation tech to eliminate a lot of the wobble and bobble from the vids you take when you're out and about.

So you get all this extra functionality - and a slight bump in battery life too. This is all mostly thanks to that chip - that's right, the "same" one as last year. Although it isn't.

More importantly, I'd like to point out something so many tech critics often fail to; even if the iPhone 14 was exactly the same as the iPhone 13 - which as we've already established, it isn't - it would still be a great phone.

Features like its ceramic shield screen and MagSafe wireless charging and accessories are still totally unique in the market and are amazing. In fact, I've become so enamoured with MagSafe over the last couple of years I get withdrawal symptoms when I have to review another handset without it. Being able to magnetise my wallet onto my phone or my phone onto its car charger isn't just super practical, it's pretty cool too.

There's also an argument to be made that the A15 chips were so advanced you could probably keep putting them in next year's phones and they'd still outperform most of the competition.

Above all else, don't forget the Apple ecosystem. There are just so many apps I use on a daily basis that work much better on an iPhone because that's the device they were designed for. Not to mention how seamlessly you can connect to other Apple devices like Apple Watch and AirPods - although I'll highlight more on those in future reviews.

These days, Apple finally seems to be more amenable to connection with other devices as well and the very latest Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity on the iPhone 14 is further evidence of this.

And did I mention it now comes in blue and purple? (Along with the more traditional Midnight, Starlight and (PRODUCT)Red)

This year, the really good news is, if you like a big screen, the new iPhone 14 Plus model means you can upsize from 6.1 to 6.7-inches without having to stretch the budget to Pro Max prices.

Look, was the iPhone 12 a great phone? Yes. And it still is. Was the iPhone 13 a great phone? Yes. And it still is. Is the iPhone 14 dramatically different to either of those phones? Maybe not. So what does that mean? Yes, it's a great phone. Again. If it's been longer than two years you'll definitely appreciate the difference and if you're coming from another platform entirely, you may be surprised by just how good iOS has got. I know I was.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on Apple iPhone 14 and Apple iPhone 14 Plus.

That Often Neglected Other Camera

You know, when I think about it OPPO has never let me down.

Far from it in fact. From the first OPPO handset I tried, I was immediately impressed with its style and honestly blown away by its camera performance.

Over the years, time and again OPPO has pushed the barriers of phone camera abilities - certainly it was an OPPO device on which I first experienced the ingenuity of a periscope lens, enabling optical zoom functionality within the limited physical confines of a virtually flat device.

Perhaps even more impressively, OPPO seems committed to bringing many of its innovations - both in design and technological breakthroughs - to its mid-range handsets, meaning consumers on a budget can also access better-than-average photo performance.

This year it's more of the same... Which means more difference, yet again setting OPPO's mid-tier offering apart from the pack...

First things first; the Reno8 5G is a very groovy looking phone - especially in the Shimmer Gold variant I've been supplied with. For several generations now, OPPO has come up with some totally unique, unibody designs that really set them apart from the rest of the pack - and it's no different with the Reno8. I've never been a massive fan of the big camera bumps most high-end phones seem to sport these days but OPPO keeps managing to make these much more streamlined with its seamless, curvy one-piece rear panel. It really does "Shimmer" too - it's a hard effect to capture in photos or on video but it's almost prismatic. Best of all, despite the shimmer it's still a matte finish so no issue with fingerprints ruining the effect. I'm not sure exactly how shimmery the Shimmer Black option is but I'm sure it's almost as eye-catching.

Flip the Reno8 over and you're presented with a 6.4-inch FHD AMOLED display - big without making the whole phone too oversized to fit comfortably in one hand. It's covered by Corning Gorilla Glass 5 - pretty tough. Unfortunately, the factory fitted screen protector doesn't seem to be quite so tough and I've already managed to accumulate quite a few scratches in the week or two I've been using the phone.

As far as using the display goes - great. It's bright, it's sharp and its 90Hz maximum refresh rate is a good selling point in this price range. Using the Reno8 is a fluid, smooth operation. When I reviewed its more premium cousin, the Find X5 Pro earlier this year I remarked on how much more refined the ColorOS interface seems to be these days - lots of features and settings tweaks without confusing and unnecessary options. The same story applies to the Reno8. Add to that 8GB of RAM, a very generous 256GB of storage (that's standard issue for this handset) and a fairly grunty MediaTek Dimensity 1300 CPU, and you've got a pretty powerful wee beastie in your pocket, once again belying its sub $1000 price-tag.

Another area where OPPO often sets the standard is battery life and charge times. Again, the Reno8 steps up to the plate here. Not only am I always left with more than 50% juice left in the tank by the end of the day, there's an 80W SUPERVOOC charger included in the box. I don't know if you've ever seen SUPERVOOC in action but it's pretty freaky seeing the charge numbers ticking up right before your eyes. Sadly, no wireless charging option though - obviously one compromise OPPO conceded to keep this phone affordable.

They haven't made too many others though; the in-display fingerprint sensor is fast and reliable - but then so is face unlocking. While other mid-tier offerings are often bulky and heavy, the Reno8 is super slim and weighs in under 180 grams.

But of course the main event here, as it usually is with most OPPO phones, is camera performance. The Reno8 proudly puts the emphasis on low-light photography and pretty much nails it - not just with the two giant 50MP Sony sensors on the back but also with the front camera; a 32MP Sony that capitalises on OPPO's new generation RGBW technology to bring light and colour to even the most terribly-lit selfies. The selfie camera often misses out on some of the most groundbreaking enhancements but not this time. OPPO claims it captures 60% more light than other RGGB sensors and reduces noise by a crazy 35% more. All I know is I can no longer hide in the shadows.

Video shot from either front or rear arrays is also quite amazing in low light - the Reno8 boasts some pretty decent stabilisation skills too. The upshot is a very capable vlogging all-rounder - as advertised.

I don't know why I'm always so surprised when a new OPPO phone turns out to be amazing - they usually are. In this case I guess I thought the Reno8's low light promise - especially low light selfies - was more hyperbole than fact. And yet, from what I've seen, OPPO has delivered again.

    

Click here for more information and pricing on the OPPO Reno8 5G.