Oppo Reno 8 Pro review

We got our hands on the Oppo Reno 8 Pro to test out its creative credentials and see if it might also appeal to a wider audience. While it doesn't pack absolutely everything that a top flagship would offer, it's a pretty impressive phone. It looks good too, with a sleek design and a back panel made from one piece of glass which seamlessly incorporates its camera module.

We put the new Reno 8 Pro smartphone through its paces with a variety of a camera and battery tests. Read on to find out why we think it's one of the best Oppo phones you can buy.

• Oppo Reno 8 Pro review: Summary
• What is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro?
• How much is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro?
• Oppo Reno 8 Pro features
• Oppo Reno 8 Pro display
• Oppo Reno 8 Pro battery
• Oppo Reno 8 Pro camera
• Oppo Reno 8 Pro design
• Our verdict
• Where to buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro

Oppo Reno 8 Pro review: summary

The Reno 8 Pro offers up some impressive tech in a well designed body. Its Mediatek Dimensity 8100 processor can handle an array of tough tasks – and backed up with 8GB of RAM, we didn't encounter any performance issues throughout our tests. During particularly tough tasks the phone did heat up slightly, but this is the case for most competitors too and we never encountered an app shutting down, or similar, because of overheating.

We were impressed by the image processing capabilities that MariSilicon X technology has given the phone. Colours were bright and the Reno 8 Pro's photos impressed us, other than the zoom function. Zoom photography fell a little flat but otherwise, the smartphone offers good photography and video capabilities.

Those creators and creatives that Oppo had in mind will particularly like features like selfie auto-focus, automatic portrait re-touching and 4K Ultra Night Video. However, on the flip side, the phone only offers one storage option — 256GB — which could frustrate those capturing and keeping a lot of video content. There's no expandable storage either, unless you downscale to the Reno 8 Lite.

Key features:

• Mediatek Dimensity 8100 processor
• 8GB RAM
• 256GB storage
• MariSilicon X image processing
• 80W SuperVooc charging
• Color OS 12.1.1 (based on Android 12)
• 4500mAh battery
• 6.7-inch HDR10+ display
• 120Hz refresh rate
• 5G connectivity

Pros:

• Sleek and eye-catching design
• Good camera with powerful image processing
• 4K video shooting
• Bright, clear and responsive 120Hz display
• Speedy fast-charge facility

Cons:

• Hit-and-miss zoom photography
• Can heat up during intensive use
• Only one storage option (256GB)

What is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro?

The Reno 8 Pro is Oppo's latest addition to the Reno series. This new entry in the series is pitched towards creative users, according to Oppo, but it's also kitted out with the right specs and equipment to please a wider audience including gamers, content streamers and everyday users.

Across our testing, we used the phone with a variety of apps, used its camera in different environments and loaded up some demanding games, too. Generally the phone performed well, with one or two small flaws. Read on for our full assessment of the Reno 8 Pro.

How much is the Oppo Reno 8 Pro?

The Reno 8 Series includes the Reno 8 Pro (£599), the Reno 8 (£419) and the Reno 8 Lite (£319).

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro UK release date is 1st September, after being revealed at a launch event on 31st August.

This places the Pro into competition with the likes of the Google Pixel 6 — which released at £599 but is now available for less — the upcoming Honor 70, and the £769 Samsung Galaxy S22. Yes, the Samsung is a bit more expensive, but Samsung's guaranteed trade-in offer knocks off £150 in exchange for your old phone, at the time of writing.

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Sky Mobile

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at EE

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Currys

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Carphone Warehouse

Oppo Reno 8 Pro features

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro comes with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of memory. That's the same specs as the standard Reno 8, but the standard model misses out on some camera facilities and carries a slightly more basic processor.

Processor wise, the Pro carries the Mediatek Dimensity 8100 Max chip, which Oppo says will provide "flagship level performance". That's a slightly vague claim, but during our time with the phone it largely performed well and we didn't experience any glitches or issues.

One of the real stand-out features of the Pro is its MariSilicon X powered image processing, which can work wonders with your photos. We'll discuss this in more depth later.

Oppo has also thought about gamers when making the new Reno 8 Pro. It's the first Reno phone to suppose PUBG's 90Hz refresh rate mode, which can help you stay competitive online. Also, games can be updated in the background easily so you don't have to watch a loading screen. We tested this facility out and it worked just fine, but the phone got quite hot while downloading Genshin Impact — a title notorious for testing out phone hardware.

The Multi-Screen Connect feature allows you to hook up your phone to your laptop or PC and create up to three clones of your smartphone on that secondary device. This allows to you work across multiple apps and can speed up tasks like photo and video editing.

Oppo Reno 8 Pro display

The display is one of the Oppo Reno 8 Pro's stand-out features. We switched to this phone after using a handset with a slightly a lower refresh rate and a lower resolution. Firing up the Oppo afterwards was a joy and the display is fantastic.

We tried it out across social media, photo editing and content streaming, and it persistently performed well – particularly for streaming content. The 6.7-inch LTPS OLED panel offers FHD+ picture quality and a 120Hz refresh rate, meaning it's not only great looking but smooth to use, too.

Oppo Reno 8 Pro battery

The Reno 8 Pro packs a 4500mAh battery, the same one that's in the standard Reno 8.

In the box, there's also a chunky and impressive 80W SuperVooc charger which Oppo told us is capable of charging 50 per cent in just 11 minutes.

When we tested out the fast charging facility for ourselves, it re-charged the battery by 10 per cent in just under four minutes, which is remarkably quick.

Charging from 70 per cent to 100 per cent took just 15 minutes during our testing and ultimately left us very impressed. The phone and charger heated up very slightly during this process, but that's to be expected.

Oppo Reno 8 Pro camera

The Reno 8 Pro carries a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera and a 2MP macro camera. These are supported by a beefy 32MP selfie camera which Oppo has prioritised because, as the brand says, the phone is targeted at creators who like to be both in-front of and behind the camera.

Ultimately, one of the big selling points of this phone is that new MariSilicon X image processing, which can work wonders with both photo and video.

We compared the Oppo Reno 8 Pro's camera to that of a well-liked flagship phone and it held its own despite being a cheaper handset. Colours really pop, in a way reminiscent of Samsung's famously bright and colourful image processing. Whether or not you like that effect from your camera is a matter of taste, but the MariSilicon X image processing definitely brought our snaps to life. Sticklers will note that the bright colours can leave the image feeling like it's been processed though, rather than offering a natural image.

The phone offers a 20x digital zoom, but zoomed photos quickly lose detail and we much preferred the results of the main camera at 1x or 2x magnification.

There's also a range of night photography and video settings that make your late-night snaps clearer and easier to work with.

MariSilicon X allows the phone to shoot AI 4K video which is crisp and clear. The video capabilities really impressed us and — just as with photography — shots are deeply colourful and nicely detailed.

Oppo Reno 8 Pro design

We liked the design of the Reno Pro 8. It has a refined, premium look about it and the rear panel is made of one piece glass, giving it a seamless, sleek feeling in the hand. On the front, there's a 93.4 per cent screen-to-body ratio, thanks to those slim bezels.

Then, the chunky flat sides are the next thing you'll notice. They give it a similar grip to an iPhone and mean it rests in the hand nicely, a factor Oppo were keen to emphasise. It's true, though.

However the company also claimed the phone was very, very resistant to any fingerprints or marks and this seemed less the case during our tests. Certainly, it picked up fingerprints anyway. It didn't seem easy to scratch though and survived living in a pocket with keys and change without picking up any unwanted marks.

The Pro handset it available is Glazed Green or Glazed Black.

Our verdict: should you buy the Oppo Reno 8 Pro?

Overall, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is an impressive phone and we especially enjoyed using its camera. Colours stand out and it's easy to take great shots using the natural 1x and 2x magnification. Of course, zoom in a little further and the digital zoom comes into play. This impressed us far less, but most users won't need this as often as they need the standard, non-zoomed camera. The AI 4K video shooting is great too, and will impress Oppo's target audience of creators.

We love the design for the most part: it sits nicely in the hand, offering a firm grip, and it's easy to use. That one-piece back panel is eye catching and doesn't fare too badly in the marking-up stakes.

The display really shines, too. It's great for content streaming and gaming and looks crisp and clear all the time. The high screen-to-body ratio also adds to the phone's premium feel.

Really, the Oppo Reno 8 Pro is a good fit for those who want solid photography and the ability to fire up games and charge speedily on the go. Right now, with offers on the Samsung S22 and Google Pixel 6, it might not be the very, very best value phone out there around this price bracket, but it's got an awful lot to commend it. The mix of appealing design and impressive internals will no-doubt convince some buyers.

Where to buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro

The Oppo Reno 8 Pro is available at a wide variety of UK retailers, online and in-store. If you buy a Reno 8 Pro before 28th September, you'll also get an Oppo Pad Air tablet worth £239 for free.

Check out the links below for the latest on UK pricing and availability.

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Sky Mobile

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at EE

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Currys

Buy Oppo Reno 8 Pro at Carphone Warehouse

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