An excellent budget phone, but it comes with two significant flaws.
Oppo Reno 10 Review: A Quick One
Oppo is known for its unpredictable offerings, but with its latest mid-range phone, the Oppo Reno 10, the brand delivers a device that’s likely to impress, especially for those seeking quality without a high price tag.
The Oppo Reno 10 follows the Oppo Reno 8 from 2022 as the latest globally launched mid-range model. This iteration stands out as one of the most compelling Reno phones in recent memory.
At its essence, the Oppo Reno 10 offers a premium experience at a surprisingly low cost. It ranks among the best budget phones available, outshining competitors from Samsung, Apple, and Google. The phone feels great in hand, performs swiftly, boasts an impressive display, offers long battery life, and has an appealing design. However, it has two significant drawbacks that prevent it from achieving top marks.
The design is a major highlight. Oppo has reintroduced the curved-edge display in an affordable phone while avoiding many common issues, such as accidental side presses.
Though it doesn’t have a high-end chipset, the Reno 10 excels in gaming and video streaming, thanks to its excellent screen. The battery life is impressive, and it charges quickly.
However, there are downsides. One major issue is the camera. Oppo has included a telephoto lens for zoom photography, a rare feature in budget phones. Unfortunately, the overall camera performance is disappointing, producing dull, grainy, and lifeless images.
Another issue is the software. ColorOS is cluttered with pre-installed bloatware; I found 30 unnecessary apps on my phone upon initial setup. Despite the core software being user-friendly with good customization options, navigating through the bloatware can be frustrating.
Credit: Oppo
If you rarely use your phone camera and don’t mind spending time deleting unwanted apps, the Oppo Reno 10 is a fantastic choice, especially given its competitive price. But, be aware of these potential pitfalls.
Now let’s have a detailed review.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: PRICE AND AVAILABILITY
Released: August 2023 Price: £399 / AU$749 (approximately $500) Availability: UK and Australia (not available in the US)
The Oppo Reno 10 debuted in August 2023 and is available in the UK and Australia, but not in the US. Priced at £399 / AU$749 (around $500), it offers a slight discount compared to its predecessor, the Oppo Reno 8, which was £419 / AU$999. This pricing positions the Reno 10 at the lower end of the mid-range market. In the UK, it is cheaper than rivals like the Google Pixel 7a and the iPhone SE, though its price in Australia matches its competitors.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: SPECS
A budget-friendly phone with premium specifications:
Oppo is among the few brands offering curved-edge smartphones at affordable prices. The Reno 10’s display curves at the edges, giving it a premium feel and making it comfortable to hold. Notably, it avoids the common issue of accidental side presses associated with such designs.
Credit: Oppo
However, the Reno 10 is a sizable device, measuring 162.4 x 74.2 x 8mm and weighing 185g. While it’s thin and relatively light for its size, those with smaller hands might find it challenging to use.
The rear camera bump is prominent, housing three lenses and a flash. This protrusion means the phone won’t lie flat on a surface without a case.
The phone’s glass front and back contribute to a premium feel but also make it more fragile compared to plastic devices, so using a case is recommended. In the UK, it is available in a plain gray color called Silvery Gray, though more vibrant options are available in other regions.
The volume rocker and power button are on the right edge, accessible with a stretch. The in-screen fingerprint scanner is positioned lower on the display, which might feel unnatural to use.
For connectivity, the Reno 10 features a USB-C port but lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, necessitating an adapter for wired headphones or speakers.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: DISPLAY
Chunky 6.7-inch screen FHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate Max brightness could be higher
The Oppo Reno 10 features a substantial 6.7-inch display, making it one of the largest screens available at this price point. It boasts a FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2412 pixels), ensuring clear visuals for games and videos, while the 120Hz refresh rate delivers smooth motion.
This screen also supports HDR10+, enhancing the viewing experience whether you’re watching TV shows, playing games, checking out photos, or scrolling through social media. It’s one of the best displays you’ll find on a phone in this price range.
Credit: Oppo
However, the maximum brightness is somewhat lacking. With a peak brightness of 950 nits, the screen is adequate for indoor use or overcast days, but I often had to set the brightness to maximum to see clearly. On sunny days, visibility could be an issue.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: SOFTWARE
Horrendous bloatware issue Quick to navigate and handily laid out Lots of customization options
The Oppo Reno 10 runs on the latest Android 13, with Oppo’s ColorOS layered on top. This version of Android has a playful and energetic design, with several distinctive features compared to stock Android.
Unfortunately, the Reno 10 is plagued by bloatware, with numerous pre-installed apps beyond the essentials. Upon initial boot-up, I counted over 30 extra apps, including games, shopping apps, and entertainment platforms. While having some apps like Netflix pre-installed is convenient, the time saved is offset by the effort needed to delete the numerous unwanted apps.
Once you get past the bloatware, ColorOS proves to be a strong operating system. Its interface is user-friendly, with bold, easy-to-understand buttons and intuitive navigation. The system includes a handy app drawer, well-placed search options, and extensive customization features, such as bespoke widgets, built-in wallpaper options, and various ‘style’ options to personalize the always-on display, fonts, icons, and fingerprint animations.
The 120Hz display and robust internals make navigating ColorOS a smooth experience. For those who find stock Android too plain, ColorOS offers a vibrant alternative—if you can tolerate the initial bloatware cleanup.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: CAMERAS
64MP main, 32MP zoom, and 8MP ultra-wide cameras Pictures lack color, detail, and can be overexposed 32MP front camera suffers from similar issues
The Oppo Reno 10 makes a significant leap in budget camera phones by including a telephoto lens for optical zoom photography. This 32MP f/2.0 lens offers 2x optical zoom, joining the 64MP f/1.7 main camera and 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera. While this setup is impressive for a budget phone, the actual photo quality is underwhelming.
Photos taken with the Reno 10 often look washed out, lack detail in darker areas, and can appear grainy even with HDR turned on. The shutter speed also seems slow, resulting in many blurry images if the phone isn’t held perfectly still.
Night mode is another disappointment, often making nighttime photos look worse. For example, standard photos taken at night may look sharp and clear, while those taken in Night mode can appear blurry and over-processed.
Credit: Oppo
Although the telephoto lens adds versatility to the camera setup, it shares the same shortcomings as the main camera. The 8MP ultra-wide lens is also disappointing, losing too much detail to be useful. The 32MP front camera produces sharper images than the rear cameras, but bright backgrounds can often appear blown out, and colors lack vibrancy.
The Reno 10 can record video in 4K/30fps or 1080p/60fps, with additional options like slow-mo, panoramic photography, time-lapse, and Pro mode. It also offers an Extra HD mode for capturing 64MP photos.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: PERFORMANCE AND AUDIO
Dimensity 7050 chipset with 8GB RAM Handles games and tasks well Bluetooth 5.3 and adequate speakers but no headphone jack
The Oppo Reno 10 performs admirably for a low-cost smartphone. Equipped with a mid-range Dimensity 7050 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage, it handles everyday tasks and popular games like Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile without overheating or lagging.
A RAM boost feature allows you to convert up to 8GB of storage into additional RAM, providing extra performance when needed. The phone scored a middling 2,360 in the Geekbench 6 multi-core test, but in real-world use, it performs smoothly.
Credit: Oppo
The Reno 10 lacks a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you’ll need to rely on Bluetooth 5.3 or the built-in speakers for audio. The speakers are adequate for calls, games, and voice notes, though they don’t offer exceptional sound quality.
OPPO RENO 10 REVIEW: BATTERY LIFE
Large 5,000mAh battery Up to two days of use 67W fast charging
The Oppo Reno 10 is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery, providing ample power to last through a day of normal use. Even with heavy gaming, the battery performs well. With frugal use, the phone can last up to two days on a single charge.
Charging is impressively fast, with the 67W charger powering the phone from empty to full in just over half an hour. Oppo also claims that the battery will retain over 80% of its capacity after 1,600 charge cycles, which equates to about four years of use.
GP99 Verdict
The Oppo Reno 10 offers a nearly perfect package with its long-lasting battery, efficient chipset, attractive screen, premium design, fast charging, and highly competitive price. However, it significantly underperforms in the camera department despite incorporating a lens from premium phones. Additionally, the phone is plagued with bloatware that users will need to remove upon initial setup.
