Oppo Reno 7: a successful mid-range smartphone

Oppo was one of the last Chinese brands to arrive in our country. Part of BBK, a giant Chinese conglomerate that also owns Vivo, RealMe and OnePlus, the company was founded by Tony Chen in 2004. Since then it has expanded to over 50 countries and in 2016 became the largest Chinese manufacturer. their country, which they repeated in 2019. Currently, in the global market, they are the fourth best-selling brand in the world, with almost 10% market share and only behind Samsung, Apple and Xiaomi.

Oppo’s rapid growth, which has gone hand in hand with the various models it has launched in certain markets, especially those related to high-end and accessories, ranging from augmented reality glasses to smart bracelets and headphones without thread.

With a very refined blend of elegance and design —including devices like the Find X5 Pro or the foldable Find N, which are not yet available in Chile— they have captivated audiences and critics alike. On the other hand, Oppo can boast of having the most powerful charger ever, capable of recharging a mobile phone from 0 to 100% in just 15 minutes.

Until this year, Oppo models were relatively rare, but after the brand’s arrival in the region and the launch of the interesting Oppo Reno 7, things should change soon. I hope. In the meantime, let’s review this interesting mid-range.

• Dimensions : 160 x 73.2 x 7.5mm approx.
• lester : 175 grams.
• Filter : 6.43″ AMOLED (2400 x 1080) @ 90Hz
• Processor : MediaTek 900 (8 cores) at 2.4 GHz
• Memory : 6 GB of RAM (+ 5 GB expandable by OS)
• Storage : 256 GB (expandable with microSD)
• Drums : 4500 mAh (with reverse charge)
• Rear camera : Main: 64MP, f/1.7; 79° field of view; 6P lens; Microscopic AF: 2MP, f/3.3; 65° field of view; 3P+IR lens; FF Depth: 2MP, f/2.4; Field of view 89°; Lens 3P+IR, FF
• Front camera : 32MP, f/2.4; 85° field of view; 5P lens
• connectivity : 5G / WiFi 6 / Bluetooth 5.2 / NFC
• Operating system : Android 11 (ColorOS 12.1)

There are no big surprises when discovering the Oppo Reno 7 box. Opening its characteristic green and black packaging we find the phone, a new generation after the debut of the Reno6 Lite, which the brand has discreetly presented last year in our country and which, to be honest, does not present major changes compared to the previous model.

First impression: it is light (175 grams) and not so big (just over 6.4 inches), a very nice size since it allows you to have a large screen without too much effort to cover the entire the device with one hand. Interestingly, the hole for the front camera, instead of the usual middle one, is in the upper left corner. Apart from that, we have a charger with its USB-C cable, the obligatory transparent silicone case, and the safety and quick start guides.

With rounded edges, the AMOLED display has a good 90Hz refresh rate and looks understated and even somewhat elegant. We noticed, however, that the base of the screen was unusually thick.

The tested model has a beautiful color “aurora blue” (also available in “cosmic black”) on the back, which changes color slightly in the face of light thanks to a laser finish. It is attractive to the eyes and has a nice detail: its surface leaves no possibility of smudging it with fingerprints.

In the upper left part we have a discreet photographic module, and lower there is the brand logo engraved. On the sides, two novelties or – rather – old features that remain: on the left side, almost in the middle, we find the volume buttons. A little higher we have the port for the SIM card and for the microSD (welcome). Meanwhile, on the right side there is only the power button. This change is extremely comfortable and one wonders why most Android manufacturers choose to have the two buttons on the right side. It will be a matter of taste.

The other small detail, and which many people will surely celebrate, is that here we still have a 3.5″ audio jack connection at the bottom. From then on, it is possible to connect the Reno 7 to any type of headphones or even to pass it on a stereo system. Next to it is the entrance to a USB-C connector and the only speaker it has.

By the standard of most smart phones Running Android, the Reno7 is a refreshing change in size and weight. Picking it up where it is or putting it in your pocket marks a huge change in experience, especially for those who are used to bulkier models. Here, the weight is barely felt.

On the other hand, unlocks from facial recognition or the biometric reader integrated at the bottom of the screen are fast enough that you do not realize that the phone is already unlocked and ready to use. Just one detail: it is much more comfortable and less cumbersome to use the biometric reader on the power button than on the screen.

Also new is that the button includes a tiny, elongated LED light, which lights up when there are notifications to read. This prevents you from picking up and unlocking the cell phone when it is not necessary to do so.

As for its operating system, ColorOS 12 is the proprietary version that the device presents on Android 11. It is very user-friendly, especially since it allows a degree of customization that is not always found natively in these devices. They can be adjusted from icon shape and color temperature to dark mode and choosing different fonts for the system. There are always multiple possibilities and options that allow to renew the user experience. It is known: the more unique our mobile phone can be, the better we will feel with it.

The possibilities even reach the modality always on, more and more popular among devices. There it is possible to include, while the smartphone is not used, various animations, data and types of notifications, including the silhouette of a person that can be extracted from a photograph.

there is something bloatware – pre-installed but not always wanted software – in native system apps, including popular platforms such as Facebook, TikTok or Google’s suite of tools, but also some rare video apps and other tools that have was quickly banned from the cell phone.

Under the hood there is a MediaTek 900 5G processor and 8 GB memory (expandable up to 12 GB). The storage, meanwhile, is 256 GB but expandable with a microSD card. For the range, it is quite good and, in fact, during the test period, the Reno7 did not present any type of setback in its daily use. What was it? Social networks, sending emails, watching TV series in streaming and even some video games. We exclude, yes, graphics-intensive titles, such as Genshin Impact, immortal devil, asphalt 9 That is Call of Duty. This is not a phone for gamers, so you have to resign yourself to playing them under poor performance conditions.

The Reno 7’s battery is no monster. It reaches 4,500 mAh, perhaps a little low today for the mid-range, whose standard is 5,000 mAh. However, the battery lasted almost two days with moderate use. The good thing is that the model comes with a 65 watt charger (with the exclusive SuperVOOC technology), which allows the phone to be charged to 100% in just over half an hour, which ensures that the phone laptop is quickly powered up in a very short time. . .

For its part, the camera is quite correct. The lenses have generous specs, such as high dynamic range (HDR) that can be turned on automatically and imaging features that allow for a wide range of editing possibilities. Options include bokeh portraits, slow motion, hi-res selfies, face enhancement, AI scenes, filters, and more. stickers many other possibilities. For its part, video recording reaches a resolution of up to 4K and 30 frames per second on its rear lens (and 1080p on the front).

For filming, there are the classic panoramic modes and time lapsebut it also has ultra HD, text scanning and a new dual view style, where you can have both cameras – front and rear – active simultaneously.

I had no issues with all three camera lenses in normal daylight conditions. But of course in some environments, especially at night or with low ambient light – such as very cloudy days – the results are a bit less vivid than desired, at least compared to high-end cameras. But overall good photographic performance.

With attractive impressions for a mid-range, the Reno7 is a very good alternative, with a 5G connection ready to use. It covers a wide spectrum of needs and its performance (as well as its price, especially the 128 GB model) place it among the most attractive models in its range on the market.

They enhance the size, design and performance of the phone, for everyday use and create good photographic and audiovisual pieces without much effort. It is a device worthy of the name. But we can’t wait for the brand’s big brothers to arrive on our land.

Note: ⭐⭐⭐⭐★

*Product prices in this article are current as of August 9, 2022. Values ​​and availability may change.