Oppo Reno 10 Review: Affordable Excellence with a Catch

The Oppo Reno 10 arrives equipped with the latest Android 13 software out of the box, overlaid with Oppo’s ColorOS interface. While ColorOS retains a familiar layout akin to stock Android, it incorporates unique design elements, infusing the software with a lively and dynamic ambiance. Additionally, it introduces several tailored modifications beyond the standard Google-designed software.

However, a notable downside is the abundance of bloatware pre-installed on the Reno 10. Bloatware encompasses non-essential apps beyond the fundamental ones required for device functionality, ranging from proprietary applications to third-party licensed software. In the case of the Reno 10, Oppo appears committed to an extensive inclusion of such apps.

Upon initial setup, users are confronted with a plethora of random games, shopping apps, entertainment platforms, and more—amounting to over 30 pre-installed applications. While some of these may align with personal preferences, the inconvenience of sifting through and deleting unfamiliar apps outweighs the convenience of having essential services like Netflix readily available.

Nevertheless, once the cumbersome task of app deletion is complete, ColorOS reveals itself as a robust operating system. Its user interface features bold and intuitive buttons across quick settings, notifications panels, and the home screen. Navigation is seamless, facilitated by an easily accessible app drawer and well-positioned search functionalities. Furthermore, ColorOS offers extensive customization options, including bespoke widgets, a variety of built-in wallpapers, and customizable style settings for elements such as the always-on display, font, icon, and fingerprint animations.

Benefitting from the Reno 10’s 120Hz display and powerful hardware, navigating through the phone’s software is effortlessly smooth. ColorOS caters to users who find stock Android somewhat lacking in visual flair, albeit overshadowed by the inconvenience of excessive bloatware.

The Oppo Reno 10 brings a remarkable advancement to the realm of budget camera smartphones by introducing a telephoto lens, a feature unseen in low-cost mobile devices for approximately five years. Unlike digital zoom, which compromises image quality through cropping, this telephoto lens offers optical zoom capabilities, preserving detail even when zooming in.

This innovative addition includes a 32MP f/2.0 snapper with a 2x optical zoom lens, complementing the primary 64MP f/1.7 and 8MP f/2.2 ultra-wide cameras to form a versatile trio. While the prospect of this lens trio might ignite excitement—echoing the setup found in premium smartphones from industry giants like Samsung and Apple—it regrettably fails to elevate the Oppo Reno 10 from the realm of camera mediocrity.

While photos captured with the Reno 10 are not outright poor, they are notably underwhelming. Colors appear muted, shadowed areas lack depth, and images often exhibit unexpected graininess, even with HDR enabled. Additionally, achieving sharp, clear shots requires a longer stabilization period, resulting in a surplus of blurry images in the camera roll.

Furthermore, the Night mode feature, intended to enhance low-light photography, disappoints by producing inferior results. A comparison between a standard nighttime shot and one captured in Night mode illustrates a stark difference: while the former boasts sharpness, distinct light reflections, and balanced contrast, the latter transforms the scene into an unappealing, painterly rendition.

Oppo deserves recognition for achieving parity among its lenses, ensuring that zooming in to 2x maintains consistency with the main camera’s issues. While this feature doesn’t eliminate the challenges present in the primary lens, it does offer users the flexibility for versatile photography. However, the same cannot be said for the ultrawide lens, which, with its 8MP sensor, suffers from significant loss of information, rendering it less practical for use.

On the front side of the phone, a 32MP f/2.4 wide camera produces marginally better results than its rear counterparts, albeit with some limitations. While selfies exhibit sharpness and accurate digital bokeh in Portrait mode, there are instances of overexposed backgrounds and insufficient color richness. Notably, the camera gallery below showcases two selfies where the intended forest green color of the shirt is not accurately represented.

In terms of video capabilities, the Oppo Reno 10 supports recording at 4K/30fps or 1080p/60fps, alongside standard phone camera features such as slow-motion (1080p/480fps or 720p/960fps), panoramic photography, time lapse, and Pro mode. Additionally, it offers an Extra HD mode, enabling users to capture images at 64MP instead of the default pixel-binned option.

The Oppo Reno 10 delivers performance that meets or exceeds expectations for a budget smartphone—unless your mobile gaming sessions outweigh outdoor activities, this phone is more than capable of meeting your needs.

Equipped with a mid-range Dimensity 7050 chipset, 8GB RAM, and 256GB storage, the phone offers sufficient power for everyday tasks. Additionally, users can enhance performance by utilizing a RAM boost feature, temporarily converting storage into additional mobile power. While benchmark tests like Geekbench 6 yielded a modest multi-core score of 2,360, real-world performance remained consistently reliable. Popular games such as Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG Mobile ran smoothly without experiencing overheating, lag, or stuttering—mobile gamers will find the experience satisfying.

Oppo’s dedicated games mode provides options to boost processing power, monitor the phone’s performance, and block notifications, although gaming performance remained impressive even without activating this feature.

Notably, the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack necessitates alternative audio solutions, such as utilizing the handset’s Bluetooth 5.3 connection for headphones or speakers, or relying on the built-in speakers. While the built-in speakers may not deliver exceptional audio quality, they are adequate for gaming, calls, voice notes, and similar tasks.

Like many budget smartphones, the Oppo Reno 10 boasts a sizable 5,000mAh battery, which stands among the largest capacities available in mainstream phones.

This ample power reserve comfortably sustains the device throughout a typical day of usage, even enduring extended gaming sessions without compromising longevity (within reason). For conservative users, the phone can potentially stretch to two days before necessitating a recharge, although most individuals won’t require such endurance.

Moreover, recharging the device is a swift affair, thanks to its impressive 67W fast charging capability—one of the fastest among budget phones. With this feature, the phone can recharge from empty to full in just over half an hour. Additionally, Oppo promises sustained battery capacity over time, addressing concerns commonly associated with fast-charging devices. According to the company, the battery’s capacity should remain above 80% of its maximum even after approximately 1,600 charging cycles, equivalent to around four years of usage.