Oppo’s Reno series consistently delivers stylish devices with great specs. Their smartphones feature strong camera capabilities and smooth performance. A while back, the company launched its latest series, the Reno series.
The new Oppo Reno 13 5G is one of the company's recently launched trending devices. It offers a sleek design, impressive display, AI-powered features, and solid battery life, all at a very competitive price tag for Indian customers.
But does it justify its price tag in the competitive Indian smartphone market? Let’s find out in this quick review. I reviewed the device for almost three weeks, as my primary phone, and here is my hands-on experience.
Design and build quality
The Oppo Reno 13 5G is available in two colour variants- Plume White with a unique butterfly effect and Luminous Blue with an anti-glare matte finish. Both variants look stylish, but the Luminous Blue variant feels more premium in hand- I can say that as I reviewed the same unit. The phone is lightweight, with an aerospace-grade aluminium frame that enhances durability.
One standout design element is the subtle glowing camera bump, which looks adorable. It creates light refraction through the glass protecting the lenses. This small yet elegant touch adds a refreshing appeal to the overall aesthetics.
The company has focused on durability, equipping the Reno 13 with IP66/IP68/IP69 water and dust resistance. It can withstand high-pressure water jets, making it one of the most durable phones in its price range.
Additionally, the Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protects the display from minor scratches and accidental drops.
Display and audio performance
The Oppo Reno 13 comes with a 6.59-inch AMOLED display (2760x1256 resolution). It comes with slim bezels that provide an immersive viewing experience, making it an excellent choice for media consumption, gaming, and everyday use.
Under direct sunlight, the high brightness levels ensure good visibility, making outdoor usage seamless. However, the stereo speakers are average—while they get loud, they lack depth and bass, making external audio accessories a better choice for serious entertainment.
Performance and software
- The smartphone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset
- It delivers smooth multitasking and lag-free performance
- The device comes with 12GB LPDDR5X RAM
- Also, for storage, the device comes with a 256GB SSD storage- that enhances its speed and responsiveness.
- The handset runs on ColorOS 15 (which is based on the Android 15 operating system)- further runs with pre-installed bloatware.
- One must remove unnecessary apps takes some time, but once cleaned up, the UI feels fast and efficient.
- One notable feature is the Oppo AI Studio, which enables users to transform their portraits into AI-generated artworks, costumes and even animated images.
Gaming and performance under load
- The Reno 13 5G handles daily tasks and productivity apps effortlessly, but gaming performance is slightly mixed.
- While it supports high refresh rates for demanding games like PUBG and Genshin Impact, there are occasional frame drops and stutters.
- The GPU struggles with consistent frame pacing, making it less ideal for competitive gaming.
- Additionally, after extended gaming sessions, the device gets slightly warm, but there are no major overheating issues.
Camera capabilities
The Oppo Reno 13 5G features a 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP monochrome sensor. Here are the details about its performance:
- Daylight photography: The primary camera captures sharp and vibrant images, with a slight boost in saturation.
- Ultra-wide shots: The 116-degree ultra-wide lens provides expansive shots with minimal distortion.
- Portrait mode: Users can choose between 26mm, 35mm, and 51mm focal lengths, producing excellent bokeh effects.
- Night mode: Night shots are reasonably good, with effective noise reduction, but highlights can sometimes appear overexposed.
Oppo’s AI Editor tools enhance photos by enabling users to erase objects, unblur images, and remove reflections. However, results may vary depending on image complexity, with some edits leading to noticeable distortions.
Battery life and charging
Backed by a 5,600mAh battery, the handset could easily last for 1.5 days with moderate usage and a full day with heavy use.
The smartphone is packed with an 80W SuperVOOC charging power which is capable of charging the device by up to 50% in 25 minutes and 100% in 50 minutes.
Pros and Cons:
Talking about the pros, this phone comes with:
- Premium design and build quality
- IP69-rated water and dust resistance
- Vibrant AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
- Solid battery life with fast charging
- Feature-rich AI-powered camera
Some shortcomings of this device are:
- Pre-loaded bloatware takes time to remove
- Gaming performance has occasional frame drops
- Stereo speakers lack bass and depth
Verdict: Should you buy the Oppo Reno 13 5G?
Overall, the new Oppo Reno 13 5G packs a premium design, solid cameras, high-quality display, a durable build, and decent overall performance. Even during the gaming, the phone was decent enough, without any heating issues. So, in case you are looking for a stylish, feature-packed mid-range smartphone with strong camera capabilities and a durable build, then Reno 13 5G is a great choice under Rs 40,000.
However, for serious gaming, this could be used as an alternate, with better GPU optimization might be worth considering.
Overall, this is a great mid-range smartphone for everyday users who want premium features at an affordable price in India.
ALSO READ: Promate Neo 10 Powerbank Review: Compact, fast and reliable
ALSO READ: POCO C75 5G review: Affordable smartphone with good battery life, but..