OPPO Reno 16 Pro and OPPO Bubble - Come for the Phone. Stay for the Whacky Accessory

There are two things I think of straight away when I hear the name OPPO; firstly, great camera phones. Secondly, fearless innovation.

For as long as I've been reviewing OPPO phones, they've always had a camera-first philosophy, frequently out-performing more "established" brands when it comes to photographic accomplishments.

On the innovation side of things, we often see OPPO releasing "concept devices" - unusual configurations of folding or rolling displays and of course, outside-the-box camera advances.

The first pop-up camera I ever saw was on an OPPO. And the first time I heard of a "periscope camera" - that was on an OPPO too.

So when I get the OPPO-tunity to review one of their new devices, I'm usually pretty keen. Even when that device isn't a phone. Or indeed, like any other device I've ever used...

OPPO's new Reno 16 range features a couple of extremely capable handsets that stack up very well against other options in their respective price ranges - NZ$1,199.00 for the more mid-tier Reno 16 F and NZ$1,799.00 for the fairly flagship Reno 16 Pro I'm reviewing here today.

I use the quantifier, "fairly" because strictly speaking, OPPO's Find range is supposed to be the flagship selection while the Renos are usually a step down, specs-wise.

However, the Reno 16 Pro certainly blurs that line with its scintillating 6.3-inch, Crystal Guard AMOLED display, capable of a 144Hz refresh rate (depending on the game you're playing), 512GB internal storage, 12GB of RAM and 6000mAh battery - one of the largest you'll find in a phone this compact.

As for the camera array, that deserves its own paragraph.

Not only do you get a whopping 50MP front-facing camera, capable of shooting selfie videos in 4K HDR, but the rear module teams a 50MP Ultra-Wide sensor with a 50MP telescopic lens that allows you to click off 3.5x optical zoom shots and up to 120x digitally. This is capped off with a 200MP main wide shooter that provides enough high-res clarity for you to edit and crop however you want without losing any of its stunning precision.

There are, of course, a host of AI-powered filters and effects, which can be applied before or after shooting.

Like I always say, when OPPO makes a phone, they really make a camera with a phone attached.

But what if you could attach an extra screen as well?

With the advent and swift evolution of the folding phone in recent years, the ability to take selfies or to record and stream selfie videos using the primary camera array has become common practice. All folding phones (and OPPO's own Find N6 is no exception) allow you to use the outer display as a preview screen while making the most of the main camera for portraits, group shots, live vlogs and more.

Boy, those folding phones cost a pretty penny though. And many of them don't actually have a camera setup as good as the one on the Reno 16 Pro anyway.

Which is why OPPO has found a way to bring you the best of both worlds.

The OPPO Bubble is essentially just a second display for your phone - one just for previewing your photos and videos with. Now, unless you skip ahead to my amateurish demonstration in the video below, this may be a hard thing to get your head around, so I'll try and break it right down.

The Bubble is literally just a circular AMOLED touchscreen that pairs with a phone like the Reno 16 Pro via the OPPO Bubble app. Once paired, you swipe to open it - just like a phone screen - and launch the phone's camera app. At this point, you're technically controlling the phone's camera by remote control - from many metres away if you like, which could be handy for a scenic selfie you might want to shoot from distance.

But to help you really use it as a second screen for your phone, OPPO has included an adhesive magnetic ring in the box. Stick this to the back of the Reno 16 Pro (or the case that comes with it) and you can then magnetise the Bubble to the back of the handset just like any other magnetic accessory. Now you can preview what your main camera is seeing, effectively turning that 200MP high-res sensor into one of the most powerful selfie-cams you've ever used.

Unfortunately, while the magnet is strong, it's not quite as strong as I'd like and I have ended up dropping the bubble on a number of occasions - once on an outdoor walking path, leaving a sizeable gash in its edge.

It's probably for this reason OPPO has also included a case with its own key-chain in the Bubble's box too - although, there's a slight design flaw here as well; the Bubble case is not magnetic and the magnetic ring itself is not strong enough to penetrate the case and stick to the Bubble when the case is on. Whoops.

That's all a convenience thing though. What I can assure you is that technically, the Bubble works exactly as it should, immediately opening up a whole new world of more professional selfie options.

For example, as you'll see from the video, I'm now able to shoot ultra-stable, HDR 4K action movies, basically by remote control.

Oh, and you can load it up with a virtual pet of your choice, so there's something fun on the super-clear, 1.7-inch circular display when you're not using it with your camera.

See? Another classic example of the OPPO design team coming up with an unusual solution to a common challenge.

For anyone who loves to take pics on the run, who loves to stream, or who just wants to be able to catch any spontaneous moment that arises in the best quality possible, the Reno 16 Pro / Bubble combo has got to be a winner.

Even without the Bubble, the Reno 16 Pro is an attractive option for someone looking to upgrade from mid-tier to upper end, while stopping well short of the $2k mark. 

Is it perfect? Not quite. I've found, despite its large battery cell, it still finishes out the day without an overly impressive amount of juice in the tank. It's definitely not a two-days-without-charging kind of a phone.

And annoyingly, OPPO has skimped on wireless charging here, as usual. You'll have to graduate fully to the Find Series if that's as much of a dealbreaker for you as it is for me. At least you'll find a very speedy SuperVOOC charger and cable in the box.

Other than those two tiny niggles, it's a pretty great little handset. The camera is crazy good. There's plenty of processing power and storage and the Pop White option I reviewed is actually pretty fun to look at too. 

As for the Bubble? Turning your main camera into a selfie shooter for under $300? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Click here for more information and pricing on the OPPO Reno 16 Pro.

Click here for more information and pricing on the OPPO Bubble.