All about the new OPPO Reno7 5G

Cut out the ‘pro’ moniker from a smartphone and what you should get is a phone that’s good enough for everyday usage. That’s exactly what happens with OPPO Reno7 5G, the series of which we reviewed the ‘pro’ model a few days ago. ‘Pro’ smartphones are meant to come with big processing chops vis-à-vis ‘lite’, which means basic support. In 2022, it’s tough distinguish the two when it comes to the mid-range segment. Take the example of Reno7, which has almost all the departments firing on all cylinders and its target are those who don’t need a high-end processor and are are happy with a cost-effective finish.

OPPO hasn’t cut too many corners while leaving out the ‘pro’ moniker. You still get a very good device, minus a few goodies. On the upside, camera is not the department where anything drastic has been left out or modified. The powerful sibling has on the back a 50MP Sony IMX766 sensor, an 8MPultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro sensor. The vanilla model comes with 64MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP macro, which is not at all bad. Pictures appear clear and vibrant, retaining natural colour levels while ultra-wide shots are as good as on the Pro model. The difference between the two models can be seen in the level of HDR performance while shooting against the light. Videos (4K@30fps) are also acceptable while the microphone is among the best in this category. Perhaps the area where OPPO can work on is the electronic zoom, which deteriorates a bit beyond 5X digital zoom. In way of selfies, there’s nothing to complain about the 32MP camera.

Sample shot taken using OPPO Reno 7 5G on a cloudy day

The main difference between the two phones can be seen in the processor. On the ‘Pro’ model MediaTek Dimensity 1200 MAX processor is present, which helps in the camera department and it’s reflected in fast processing of photographs. Here you get an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 900 processor with a Mali-G68 MC4 GPU. It’s a good processor for everyday tasks and can handle gaming while restricting graphics settings.

When it comes to design, both the models in the series look great. Both devices pack a 4500mAh battery that supports 65W fast charging technology, offering the same kind of more-than-a-day battery life. Where you have to make another sacrifice is display size. Reno7 Pro has a 6.55-inch display while Reno7 features a 6.43-inch LTPS AMOLED display, both having full-HD HDR10+ resolution, 90Hz refresh rate, and use Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection. Quibble? OPPO should look at reducing bloatware, which can be uninstalled but it somewhat holds back the experience.

In case you are not into playing heavy-duty games, there’s no reason to go the ‘pro’ route here. Nimble performance and decent camera performance make the OPPO Reno7 a good fit for most people. It’s a reliable phone that manages to maintain a budget without sacrificing hardware.