Oppo Reno 2F Review

Introduction

OPPO has come a long way. The company started out as a budget brand by offering decent smartphones at an affordable price. Fast forward to the year 2020 and OPPO now has flagship devices such as the Oppo Find X, and Reno 10x Zoom. The brand just launched its Oppo Reno 2 series with the Oppo Reno 2, Reno 2F and Reno 2Z. In this review, we’ll be focusing on the Oppo Reno 2F. A slight cut-down version of the Reno 2 that still boasts your essential need in a smartphone.

OPPO Reno 2F Specs

• DISPLAY: 6.5” 2340X1080P AMOLED at 394 PPI
• OS: ColorOS 6.1, based on Android 9 Pie
• CPU: MTK MT6771V Helio P70
• GPU: Mali-G72
• STORAGE: 8GB RAM 128GB ROM
• REAR CAMERA: 48MP f/1.7, 8MP f/2.2, 2MP B/W, 2 MP f/2.4
• FRONT CAMERA: Motorized pop-up 16MP f/2.0
• BATTERY: 4000mAh with VOOC Flash Charge 3.0 Support
• PRICE: Php 19,990

A Closer Look

The prism-style effect on the packaging infuses a premium feel. Unlike other phone packagings, the box of the Oppo Reno 2 only shows a gradient cut-out of its quad-camera setup.

Oppo includes the standard stuff for smartphones. Inside the packaging, you can find the Oppo Reno 2F unit, a silicon case, a pair of earphones and Oppo’s 20-watt VOOC charger.

The 6.5″ FHD+ AMOLED display of the Reno 2F is nothing but stunning. It’s the same display found on the higher-spec Reno 2F.

A notable upgrade from the first Oppo Reno is the rear quad-camera setup. The Reno 2F uses a 48MP Samsung GM1 main sensor with EIS instead of the 48MP Sony IMX586 main sensor found on the Reno2. Moreover, the Reno2 F drops the 13MP telephoto lens of the Reno2 in exchange for a 2MP portrait lens. Rounding up the quad-cam setup is an 8MP-wide-angle shooter and a 2MP monochrome lens.

The right side houses the power button and the SIM card tray.T SIM card tray supports two sim cards as well as another slot for a microSD card to expand the Reno2 F’s 128GB internal storage. Moving to the other side are the volume rockers with separate up and down buttons.

A 3.5mm jack is included in the Reno 2F since it’s a higher tier midrange phone. Just like any other competitive midrange phones, the Reno2 F uses USB-C for connectivity and charging with VOOC 3.0 support. Thanks to the 20watt VOOC flash charge feature, the Reno2 F charges the 4,000mAh battery in just a shy of an hour.

BENCHMARKS and SOFTWARE

Gaming on the Oppo Reno 2F is smooth, though graphics quality has to be lowered to achieve a no-stutter gameplay experience. Once you get past the one-tier lower max graphics quality, you’ll have a fun time playing on a full screen without any weird cut-outs on the edge.

SOFTWARE

The Oppo Reno 2F runs ColorOS 6.2 based on Android 9 Pie. ColorOS is one of the better UIs compared to other Chinese smartphone brands. The App Market lets you install a selection of apps during the set-up phase of the phone. Its convenience depends upon whether the app shows you a list that you would prefer, else you’ll be disappointed, and press skip instead. Nonetheless, it is still a great feature as it helps make the setup process more comfortable.

One cool feature that ColorOS has is the mini-drawer similar to Samsung’s App Edge but offers more flexibility. Actions such as screenshot and screen recording can be accessed using the side-drawer and can be remapped to either side of the screen. It’s a very convenient feature that most smartphone brands should adapt to.

BATTERY

4,000 mAh battery is more than enough for today’s standard. I easily go through the day with less than 20 percent left with mobile data turned on. 20-watt fast charging isn’t as fast compared to other options but it still gets you a full charge in about an hour.

CAMERA

The rear camera setup of the Reno 2F can be considered flagship-like. Most phones at this price point only sport a triple-camera setup but it’s not to say that having an extra lens is better. It has a similar setup with that of the flagship Reno2 but swaps the 13MP telephoto lens in favor of a 2MP portrait shooter.

Like most smartphones, the 48MP shooter does very well in well-lit environments. No fancy post-processing is applied thanks to the huge megapixel count.

Portrait mode on the Reno 2F is a hit or miss. Sharper objects tend to do produce better results. The phone has a harder time producing a bokeh effect at rounder and furrier subjects.

In areas where there’s a concentration of illumination, the software sacrifices the background details of the image to tune out the said area. Game Over Respawn’s roof and the building behind it as seen on the left image barely show up in the right photo where night mode is used.

SELFIE Camera

A motorized pop-up camera received mixed feedback from consumers and reviewers. Oppo is one of the first brands to incorporate such design and concerns over build quality quickly rose. The Reno 2 series is the second generation of smartphones to use a motorized pop-up camera. Frankly, the error rate with the screen of flip phones is higher than that of motorized phones. If you’re into having more screen real-estate than taking a lot of selfies, then the trade-off is worth it.

CONCLUSION

Grant Soriano

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Grant is a Financial Management graduate from UST. His passion for gadgets and tech crossed him over in the industry where he could apply his knowledge as an enthusiast and in-depth analytic skills as a Finance Major. His passion allows him to earn at the same time help Gadget Pilipinas' readers in making smart, value-based decisions and purchases with his reviews and guides.