OPPO Reno6: The dazzling mid-ranger

One of the most frequently reviewed phones by us in the last few years is OPPO. The phone has evolved from its initial mantra and has instead of focusing on a few gimmicky aesthetics, the brand has embraced the needs and wants of the users to bring out several lineups of devices. Today we are going to review one of the newest entrants of the Reno series in the local market - the Reno6. Here's our take:

Reno is the upscale camera-focused device lineup of OPPO. Usually, these phones are aesthetically pleasing and have above average hardware and come with a price tag of upper mid-range. Reno6 is no different. Interestingly, Reno6 can be termed as an iterative update to the Reno5 5G as most of the specs and form factors are almost identical. Our review unit was an Aurora colour schemed one. To be honest, it is not the most original colour scheme out there, but the grainy metallic-like plastic finish will give you a weird tingly sensation.

The display on the device is a 6.4 inches AMOLED screen which is gorgeous. The screen does not offer much protection so putting a screen protector is, sort of, a must. The display is bright with 750nits on its peak so reading texts and email under direct sunlight should not big a big deal. The phone comes with a 90Hz refresh rate which is kind of a let-down as most phones in this price range offer a 120Hz refresh rate. The under-display fingerprint scanner felt a little bit sluggish but I am sure with use it will start to grow on you.

The camera of the phone is the biggest selling point of the phone according to OPPO and we absolutely do not disagree with it. It has four sensors of which the 64 MP, f/1.7, 26mm works as the primary sensor. We tried the phone's primary camera in different environments and found it to be excellent for stationary photography. The ultrawide camera was also excellent for its class. The macro sensor, however, in our review unit was taking more time than usual to focus on the intended object. The videos came out average in our tryouts. The electronic image stabilisation of the phone was not the greatest we have encountered in this range. However, in stationary mode, the video came out quite well. The front-facing camera offers all the refinements you might want in a mid-range phone.

The performance of the phone was decent. The Snapdragon 720G (8 nm) processor can handle most everyday tasks without much trouble. We only wished OPPO had added a bit faster processor. Then again, we have to keep in mind this is a camera-focused device rather than a gaming-focused one. But that does not in any way mean you cannot play any games on it. We tried Call of Duty Mobile and it ran decent without any lag on medium settings.

A few interesting pointers about the phone: it charges quite fast thanks to VOOC 4.0 with 50W fast charging. The phone has only one speaker grill which is something that might bother you if you love playing out music loud. The headphone that comes with the phone delivers a bit of flat bass.

All in all, it's a great phone for folks who love taking snaps and do not want to put a dent in their wallet.