Upgrading to a new phone? Perhaps, you're still on the fence about investing your hard-earned money in one that's tailored to your needs. Without further ado, here's my take on the Reno 8Z 5G.
DESIGN
If you're familiar with the portrait master Oppo Reno 7Z 5G, the Oppo Reno 8Z 5G will be nothing new to you with the difference mainly in expanded storage of 256GB compared to the 128GB of the latter. Measuring 159.9 x 73.2 x 7.7 mm and weighing 181 grams, it has a slightly different rear design compared to the OPPO Reno7 Z camera part which is slightly larger and has a glossy finish. The main and macro cameras have two big lenses, resulting in a noticeable camera hump and it is advisable to use the provided jelly case to protect it from scratches.
Quite frankly, it resembles an iPhone based on its flat back and sides. That is not exactly negative but in fact, gives it a premium look and feel. Available in Dawnlight Gold and Starlight Black, the former color is preferable since it creates a shifting rainbow effect on the back of the phone as it is moved from different angles. Despite being somewhat sparkly on the back, the finish is matte.
The volume buttons and SIM tray are on the left side of the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G, while the power button is on the right. A 3.5mm audio jack, a USB-C port, and a speaker are located at the bottom of the device.
FEATURES
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chipset is combined with 8GB of LPDDR4x RAM to power the smartphone. On the other hand, it features a 6.43-inch AMOLED display with a refresh rate of 60Hz and FHD+ resolution, as well as a 4500mAh battery with SUPERVOOC 33W rapid charging capabilities. Having colors that are on the balanced side allowed us to utilize it for a long time.
Furthermore, the display includes a snappy optical fingerprint scanner. The screen can reach up to a maximum of 600 nits brightness which should be enough to use in bright rooms and sunny outdoors but upon testing, I experienced a little difficulty viewing the display clearly.
On the rear of the OPPO Reno8 Z 5G are three cameras with LED flash namely a 64MP f/1.7 for the main shooter, a 2MP f/2.4 macro camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 depth helper. The usual features from the app can be expected like night mode, slow-mo, time-lapse, panorama, and macro. Pro mode allows you to fine-tune the settings to get the best out of your photos. Upfront is the selfie camera which also has portrait mode. Options for video are 720p or 1080p resolution.
To control the dual orbit lights tucked subtly beneath the camera modules, the Breathing light feature can be set to Always on while charging, Quickly blink for incoming calls, and Slowly blink for notifications.
Bloatware comes standard but most of them can be removed translating to more available memory.
PERFORMANCE
The performance of the phone is great, with hardly no latency when it comes to games. Call of Duty mobile had no lag or frame drops and the screen is responsive for classic and battle royale mode. For Mobile Legends, it worked well with ultra graphics and a high refresh rate. Detailed, bright, and great resolution were evident. Lastly, Genshin impact can only run smoothly if the graphics are set to low or medium preset at 45-50fps. The phone gets hot and lags a little when used for a long time.
With casual use like Web surfing, social media posting, and YouTube video viewing over WiFi, the phone can last all day with the provided 4500mah battery and 8-9 hours for games.
In terms of volume, it is sufficient to be heard in a modest space, including the living room.
CAMERA
The OPPO Reno8 Z 5G main cam can produce images with a nice balance of colors and tones while being consistently sharp, and its indoor photos were good. HDR mode can either be set to manual or automatic and turning it off will make photos look more natural. The 16MP front camera produced accurate colors and clear images even at night thanks to selfie HDR. The portrait mode, which is the star of the show delivers smoothly blurred backgrounds and creamy bokeh photos that appear to come out straight from a DSLR.
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| Selfie |
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| Indoor |
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| Outdoor |
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Night
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| Food |
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| Cat |
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| Iron man |
Due to the lack of optical zoom, using 2x zoom is advisable for acceptable image quality. On a side note, to remedy the grainy low-light shots, using the night mode is a great help to provide more detailed and lively colors.
PROS AND CONS
On the good side, I'll start with the ultra-slim retro design and a tasty-looking rear in Dawnlight Gold featuring a seamless gradient coating of different tones of yellow, cyan, purple, and gold. Next, the AMOLED display delivers punchy visuals and rich colors. Another one is the presence of a jack for the headset which is a feature audiophiles are looking for. The 33W SUPERVOOC flash-charging feature only takes an hour to fully power the phone which is opposite to how very slowly the battery drains. It takes out the hassle of daily charging the phone for people on the go. Memory-wise, 128GB is sufficient and it can still be expanded to 1TB which for most cases is more than enough. The onboard RAM makes transitions smooth from one app to another and we can't notice any lag at all. The phone was simply designed to deliver where it counts.
On the downside, the lack of an ultrawide lens can discourage photo enthusiasts. Capturing group photos and sceneries is essential for the average person. The refresh rate is only 60 Hz which is standard for games, but with a higher number, the smoother the screen will appear to the human eye. The phone is equipped with a 64MP primary camera but lacks OIS and instead relies on EIS. The lack of it results in lower performance in low light. EIS actually does a better job with moving pictures in sequence. Finally, it has been a while but an increase in screen size will be ideal for a better viewing and gaming experience.
VERDICT
With the SRP of P19,999 and if you're on the lookout for a mid-range phone that can handle most modern games without lag, excellent-performing rear and front cameras in good light conditions, a capable multitasker, and has fast charging capability under its sleeve, then this one's a solid choice. The deal breaker for some is the 60Hz refresh rate but to an Oppo fan, the brand name speaks for itself. Based on the datasheet, an upgrade from 7Z 5G is not the best move but in the grand scheme of things, what matters most is your budget and most of all, your opinion.
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