OPPO has just introduced the OPPO Reno12 series 5G in the Philippines comprised of the OPPO Reno12 5G and Reno12 Pro 5G.
These are not only the latest members of the Portrait Expert series, but these are the latest OPPO AI Phones in the market.
We were allowed to experience and test the latest AI features of the OPPO Reno12 5G and all its glory. If you haven’t checked out our First Impressions on the device, you can check that out here.
With that said, here’s our full review of the OPPO Reno12 5G.
OPPO Reno12 5G – Full Specifications
| Display | 6.7-inch FHD+ 3D Flexible AMOLED 120Hz refresh rate |
| Processor | MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Energy |
| RAM | 12GB LPDDR4X |
| Storage | 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP main (Sony LYT-600, f/1.8, OIS) 8MP ultrawide (Sony IMX355, f/2.2) 2MP macro (OmniVision OV02B10, f/2.4) |
| Front Camera | 32MP |
| Battery | 5000mAh 80W SUPERVOOC charging |
| OS | ColorOS 14.1 (Android 14) |
| Colors | Matte Brown Astro Silver Sunset Pink |
OPPO Reno12 5G – Build and Design
The OPPO Reno12 5G is built around a 6.7-inch panel curved AMOLED panel which helps make the device slimmer and easier to use. The panel is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i which aids against impacts, drops, bending, and scratches.
We received the Astro Silver colorway and I am very grateful we did as it features what OPPO calls its Fluid Ripple Texture which uses a parallax effect to create ripples on the flat surface. This looks very futuristic and eye-catching, especially with the illusion of looking at something that seems 3D.
In addition to the special finish of this colorway, the OPPO Reno12 5G has a textured finish around the rim of the rectangular camera module. I think this though can be quite polarizing but in tandem with the Astro Silver colorway, it works and adds even more depth to the back panel.
The device features a USB-C port at the bottom flanked by the SIM tray, a mic, and the speaker grille. Meanwhile, both the volume rockers and the power button can be found on the right-hand side of the device.
OPPO Reno12 5G – Performance
The OPPO Reno12 5G is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300-Energy for Reno which is developed exclusively by MediaTek and OPPO. The chipset is a direct successor to the Dimensity 7050 that powered the Reno11 5G.
Locally, the device comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage but the latter can be expanded up to 1TB storage via a microSD card.
Before I share my experience with the Reno12 5G, let’s go through the benchmarks namely 3DMark for the GPU, Geekbench 6 for the CPU, and AnTuTu for overall performance.
The combination of the hardware performed pretty well in the real world based on my experience. Where it even impresses more is in gaming. I was pretty surprised to be able to play Genshin Impact at Highest settings albeit with some lags here and there. It was more tolerable than other chipsets and devices but I would suggest lowering it to High or even Medium, especially when you’re out.
Unsurprisingly, this means that the Reno12 5G handled games like Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Honkai Star Rail with even more ease at the maximum settings possible.
OPPO Reno12 5G – Camera
As far as optics go, the OPPO Reno12 5G has a 50MP Sony LYT600 main sensor accompanied by an 8MP Sony IMX355 ultrawide lens and a 2MP OmniVision OV02B10 macro camera.
The camera specs were quite questionable its predecessor had a 32MP telephoto, while the third lens this time around is a 2MP macro lens.
The removal of the telephoto lens may have been a way to manage costs but we wished it was a 2MP depth sensor instead. At least, it should be able to help with portrait shots rather than shooting really close but with poor quality.
The 50MP LYT600 main lens is a very capable shooter with good detail and saturation in bright settings.
The dynamic range is also good in dimmer settings but movement will cause things to blur out.
Meanwhile, the 8MP ultrawide snapper isn’t the best but it includes more elements into your photos at a good quality.
On the front is the same 32MP selfie camera as its predecessor and it’s a decent snapper. It’s good enough to post on social media.
OPPO Reno12 5G – Battery
The Reno12 5G is equipped with a 5000mAh battery.We ran the device through the battery test of PCMark across the three refresh rate modes – Auto Select, High, and Standard.
Auto Select and High showed pretty similar results with just a few minute difference at just a little over 14 hours. The Standard refresh rate mode on the OPPO Reno12 5G was more impressive lasting a little under 19 hours.
Based on my experience, the 14-hour result is pretty accurate on Auto Select and High with moderate use as I switched between these modes the most. The hours will dip more though with gaming sessions throughout the day.
The impressive battery life though is paired with equally matched by support for 80W SUPERVOOC wired fast charging.
80W SUPERVOOC fast charging tops up the device in just a little under 1 hour. Based on our test with the included adapter, you can get up to 58% from 0% in 30 minutes.
OPPO Reno12 5G – Software and AI
ColorOS isn’t on the top of my list as far as Android skins out there but ColorOS 14.1 is quite an interesting iteration, especially with the AI features on the OPPO Reno12 5G.
Before I get to the AI features of the latest Reno device, it must be said that ColorOS has so many pre-installed apps upon boot up. I’m not the biggest fan of opening a new device and seeing the home screen already cluttered with apps that I will most likely uninstall.
That said though, OPPO has introduced quite a lot of new features in its latest ColorOS version that I just find pretty cool. This includes the Aqua Dynamics that is said to shift between bubbles, capsules, and panels. I didn’t quite see it that much but it was so interesting to see a little pill on the upper left of the screen while having Spotify play in the background.
Moreover, it introduces AI-powered features like Smart Touch and Smart Image Matting. Smart Touch allows you to extract text and images displayed on your screen with just one tap. Meanwhile, Smart Image Matting allows you to extract elements from a photo which you can then use to send to a friend or even as a sticker to add to other photos.
In addition, three other AI-powered features stood out to me namely AI Eraser 2.0, AI Studio, and AI Toolbox.
I mentioned AI Eraser 2.0 in my First Impressions and with more use of the feature, I grew accustomed to using it and properly editing photos. Here are some samples of my edits:
It may be a feature that you’ll use often or just totally forget. Additionally, it can be a bit dodgy, depending on what you want to be removed. However, if you enjoy taking photos but don’t have the liberty or time to remove certain elements in your photos through apps like Photoshop, this can come quite handy.
AI Studio, on the other hand, was quite entertaining. It uses AI generation to create avatars based on photos of your choosing. However, I can see how at some point, the novelty will run out, especially if there aren’t new options added.
Last but not least is AI Toolbox, which has added support from Google Gemini, which can be a feature that you totally miss out on. It will require you to activate the Smart Sidebar and run you through Screen recognition. However, it can offer AI Writing when you open your social media apps or AI Speak/Summary when reading through articles on the web.
OPPO Reno12 5G – Verdict
The OPPO Reno12 5G is an interesting device that can hold its own despite even as a vanilla member of the new Reno series.
It’s a decent upgrade from the Reno11 5G minus the telephoto lens, which could be a make or break depending on the user. That said though, the OPPO Reno12 5G is still worth checking out especially for its AI features that I think have practical uses like the AI Eraser 2.0 to polish up a photo you’ve taken.
For more information, visit the official website. If you want to check out the OPPO Reno12 5G for yourself, it is now on sale via Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.
Ram found his love and appreciation for writing in 2015 having started in the gaming and esports sphere for GG Network. He would then transition to focus more on the world of tech which has also began his journey into learning more about this world. That said though, he still has the mentality of "as long as it works" for his personal gadgets.
