OPPO Reno13 5G Long Term Review - Undercooked unlike its bigger brother
Here is our long-term look at the OPPO Reno13 5G, which has the Dimensity 8350 octa-core processor, a 5,600mAh battery, and underwater camera mode.
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| OPPO Reno13 5G |
The new Reno13 5G is the brand's most ambitious premium mid-range smartphone to date. It comes with the MediaTek Dimensity 8350, LPDDR5X RAM, UFS 3.1 storage, and a 5,600mAh battery with 80W SUPERVOOC charging via USB-C.
The phone comes with the new Butterfly design, and it meets all IP69, IP68, and IP66 ratings under IEC standards. OPPO advertises that it can withstand water jet volume at 14-16 liters per minute and water pressure of 8,000 to 10,000 KPa for seconds in laboratory conditions.
In front is the 120Hz 6.59-inch FHD+ Flexible AMOLED screen and the 50MP selfie camera, while at the back are the 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, and a 2MP f/2.4 monochrome camera with an LED flash.
Other features include WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and NFC.
In the Philippines, it is priced at PHP 34,999.
Let's take a look at it.
Unboxing/Accessories
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| OPPO Reno13 series Silver box |
It comes in grey packaging with OPPO branding, a dark gray square with butterfly-shaped lines, key features, and regulatory information.
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| Box inclusions |
The phone, the 80W SUPERVOOC wall plug, USB-A to USB-C cable, SIM ejector, silicone case, and documentation are inside the box.
Unfortunately, there are no earphones in the box.
Build Quality/Design
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| Bright white with Butterfly design |
At first glance, the phone looks eye-catching because of the bright white color and butterfly-shaped shadow. It is made of an Aerospace-grade aluminium frame and a one-piece sculpted glass.
Lighweight and premium to hold
Upon holding the phone, you immediately notice how lightweight and premium it is. The softened curves, textured glass, and aluminum frame add to the overall upscale experience while significantly reducing fingerprint smudges.
It is IP66, IP68, and IP69 water and dust resistant rated, meaning that the product is dust-tight and can withstand high-pressure, high-temperature water jets. This is also the highest IP rating on smartphones yet. OPPO is claiming that it can withstand 80-degree Celsius hot Water Splashes and can be submerged in 2 meters deep fresh water for 30 minutes.
IP69 rated!
It measures 157.90 x 74.73 x 7.24 mm and weighs 181 grams.
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| Large screen 6.57 inch Flexible AMOLED |
In front is the aforementioned 6.83-inch Flexible AMOLED screen. Around the panel are slim and symmetrical bezels. The punch hole with the selfie camera is on the upper part of the panel. Above it and inside the top bezel is the super-slim earpiece. The same slim earpiece acts as the second speaker, too.
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| Top and bottom sides |
On top are the antenna lines, microphone port, second speaker grill, and an IR blaster, while at the bottom are the bottom-firing speaker grills, USB-C port, microphone port, and antenna lines.
The SIM tray accommodates up to two nano SIM cards or 1 nano SIM and 1 microSD card. It has a rubber gasket.
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| Left and right sides |
On the left are antenna lines, while on the right are the aluminum volume rocker and the power button. Both buttons have a firm resistance to them while feeling satisfying when pressed.
On the upper left corner is the rectangular camera module with the 50MP main camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and the 2MP monochrome camera with an LED flash.
Multimedia Experience
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| Symmetrical bezels |
In front is a 6.83-inch Flexible AMOLED screen with a 2,800 x 1,272 resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and a 240Hz touch sampling rate. It is Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protected.
The panel is bright, at 600 nits typical and 1,200 nits peak brightness. This means it's readable under direct sunlight. The colours pop, while the text and fine details are crisp.
It supports 10 multi-touch points, making it good for multitasking or games that support multiple simultaneous touch inputs. It responds quickly and accurately to our taps and gestures.
The bezels around the panel area are symmetrical and are the thinnest bezels yet on the Reno series. On the top bezel is the super slim earpiece, while below it is the punch hole that houses the selfie camera.
The phone is equipped with stereo speakers (top and bottom firing) for audio. Around the phone are microphones used for noise cancellation in calls and audio recording.
The sound from the speakers is always surprisingly loud, especially at 90 percent. What surprises us is that it maintains good sound quality until 80 percent. Distortion is apparent from 81 percent until its maximum. It can be pushed to 300 percent with minimal penalties, too.
The microphones do a good job of picking up sounds from a meter away, while the noise-cancellation for calls is good too.
Cameras
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's rear cameras |
The back is the rear camera made up of a 50MP f/1.8 main camera with OIS, an 8MP f/2.2 116-degree ultra-wide angle camera and a 2MP f/2.4 monochrome camera with an LED flash.
The included modes of the stock camera app include Photo, Video, Portrait, Night, Pro, Hi-Res, Pano, Slo-Mo, Time-lapse, Dual-View Video, Sticker, Doc Scanner and Underwater.
The Pro controls include EV (+-3), ISO (50-3200), Shutter speed (1/8,000-30 secs), Focus, and White Balance.
Added features include Aspect Ratio, Timer, Action Mode, Interval Shooting, and Live Photo.
The Portrait Mode can use the 1x and 2x camera, and it comes with bokeh strength control (f/1.4-16), and Retouching (1-100).
In both the Photo, Portrait, and Video Modes, users can use preset filters. The Photo and Portrait modes are the Soft Light Misty, Glowy, and Dreamy filters first introduced in the Find X8 series.
Unique to the Reno13 series is the new Underwater mode. It allows users to take advantage of the freshwater resistance of the phone by turning off inputs with the touch screen, and allows users to capture both photos and video with the main camera using the power button and volume buttons. To turn off this feature, you need to press and hold the power key while in Underwater mode. It will then blast sound to flush the water out of the ports.
If you want to see a deeper look into the Underwater mode, our Review of the Reno13 Pro 5G covers it.
Rear Camera Samples
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's rear camera 1x daylight |
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The images from the ultra-wide, 1x, and 2x are good. Detail, color, and contrast are good. Although the ultra-wide is somewhat softer than the rest.
There is a 20x hybrid zoom, but we don't recommend using it even in daylight.
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With close-up images, the areas that are in focus are sharp while the out-of-focus areas have a nice fall-off. The color and contrast are good, too. White balance is on point too.
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's rear camera 2x indoors |
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's rear camera ultra-wide indoors |
Indoors, the images from the 1x, 2x, and ultra-wide are sharp and detailed as well, but we noticed that bright light sources tend to overexpose, especially in the ultra-wide angle images.
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's rear camera 2x low light |
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's rear camera ultra-wide low-light |
For low light, the camera app automatically runs Night Mode-like shots. The 1x and 2x are good while the ultra-wide aren't as sharp as the others, but have consistent white balance, color, and contrast.
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| Portrait mode with 1x and 2x cameras |
For portraits, the Reno13 5G offers a choice between 1x and 2x, allowing users to apply filters and artificial bokeh. The bokeh is slightly less pleasing than what we find on the Find X8, offering great edge detection while maintaining a near-natural swirl effect.
Soft lighting is a nice addition for those who want a misty, dreamy or glowy effect on their images.
Burst shooting on the Reno13 5G is the same as the one on the Find X8, it saves all shots in one file. Once viewing the file on the Photo app, there is a burst icon on the top right. Once tapped, it will show the user all the shots. The user can then choose which shots to export. The above image is the shot the camera app picked as the best shot.
Overall, the rear camera has produced consistently good images from a smartphone so far. Our only nitpicks are that the ultra-wide and 2x aren't as sharp as we would like, and that the white balance between cameras can be inconsistent.
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's selfie camera |
The 50MP f/2.0 selfie camera on the punch hole on the display.
Camera modes include Photo, Video, Portrait, Panorama, Night mode, and Dual View.
Selfie Camera Samples
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| Selfie daylight |
Daylight selfies from the OPPO Reno13 5G are good too. The colors, sharpness, and contrast are around what we expect in its premium price point. However, we noticed a green color cast where Neil's hair meets his skin. This could be a software update fix in the future. We did not find green-cast on the Reno13 Pro 5G.
Like with the portrait mode bokeh of the rear cameras, the edge detection is great, but the bokeh looks good with a decent swirl. However, the green cast on hair fibers to skin tones are still apparent.
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| Selfie camera indoors |
Indoor selfies are the same as daylight. It never disappoints, even with the slight increase in grain or noise. The green cast is nearly gone in this one.
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| Selfie lowlight |
In low light, the selfie looks good even though some grain was introduced. Softness is apparent from the noise reduction, however, it is what we expect at this price point.
Overall, the front cameras produce were decent images across the board. Our only nitpick is that the grain softens the image of the low-light selfies and that there was a set of images where green-cast was present. In addition to that, the ultra-wide camera's low-light performance is slightly less than the rest of the cameras.
The rear and front cameras can record up to 4K at 60fps with Dolby Vision. The footage is sharp and vibrant in color. The noise is noticeable in some areas. Stabilization is okay. Not the best, but it's better than none. If you want to reduce micro jitters, there is an Ultra Steady mode that records up to 1080 at 60fps but crops the field of view.
The rear and front camera video capability of the Reno13 5G is good.
Performance
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's AnTuTu and 3D Mark results |
Inside the OPPO Reno13 5G are the 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 8350 octa-core processor, Mali-G615 MC6 GPU, NPU 780 Advanced AI Processor, 12GB LPDDR5X RAM, and 512GB UFS 3.1 storage. It is cooled with a large 4,791 mm2 vapour chamber.
During the AnTuTu test, the phone's temperature increased by 9.7 degrees while the Silicon Carbon battery lost 7 percent power.
In the more intensive 3D Mark Wild Life Extreme, the Reno13 5G managed to score 2,820 overall with an average frame rate of 16.89. While it scored 4,7040 in Solar Ray.
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| GeekBench, GeekBench AI and CPDT results |
In GeekBench AI, it scored 1,707 in single precision, 1,690 in half-precision, and 2,943 in the quantized score. The internal storage got 568.96 MB/s in sequential read speeds and 786.48 MB/s in sequential write speeds.
OPPO Reno13 5G benchmarks:
- AnTuTu - 1,346,122
- Geekbench 6 - 1,335 (single-core), 3,946 (multi-core)
- 3DMark Wild Life Extreme - 3,134 overall score, 18.77 average FPS
- 3DMark SolarBay - 4,746 overall score, 18.05 average FPS
- CPDT - 568.96 MB/s sequential read speeds and 786.48 MB/s sequential write speeds
- GeekBench AI - 1,707 single precision, 1,690 half-precision, 2,943 quantized score
The OPPO Reno13 5G scores in AnTuTu and Geekbench are within the range of what is expected in its price range. It is even within distance of the scores from its bigger brother, the Reno13 Pro 5G. However, there are better-performing smartphones with a similar price point. The new 4nm CPU and GPU performance offer decent sustained performance.
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| Genshin Impact graphics settings and live gameplay screenshot |
We dive deeper into gaming with the Reno13 5G in a separate article. Our takeaway is that when playing games, the Reno13 5G is best when in Balanced Performance mode. It is powerful enough to play games at decent frame rates even after extended play sessions. However, users must tweak the graphics settings to have consistent, smooth frame rates on demanding games such as Genshin Impact.
OPPO has added the new Adaptive Frame Booster, which the brand claims produces a smooth 120fps gameplay experience but with 18 percent power consumption.
In our experience, the phone can handle the majority of tasks like navigating through the OS, opening apps, web surfing, and social media without struggling.
The phone has an optical In-Display fingerprint sensor and face unlock for security. The initial setup and subsequent uses are quick, and it detects our biometrics instantaneously. It works even if your finger is a little sweaty.
The face unlock only struggles when the camera is dirty. The screen brightens up when used in the dark.
Regarding connectivity, we have the following: WiFi 6E, 5G, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.4 LE, NFC, OTG, GPS, GLONASS, Beidou, Galileo, and dual nano SIM.
Connections are usually stable for WiFi, and we get 4 to 5 bars of mobile data signal most of the time.
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| OPPO Reno13 5G's battery usage |
Inside the phone is a large 5,600 mAh Silicon Carbon battery. In daily use, we would end the day with 25 to 30 percent battery after 7 hours and 20 minutes of on-screen time (on balanced mode) even when constantly connected to 5G, WiFi, and Bluetooth devices.
When running High-Performance mode all day, the phone would yield 5 hours of on-screen time.
The battery charges via USB-C with the 80W wall charger, which charges the phone 100 percent in under 70 minutes.
It does not have wireless charging.
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| ColorOS 15 |
It is running on ColorOS 15 based on Android 15, which we first saw on the Find X8 and Reno13 Pro 5G. It comes with builds on the previous generations' visuals and features by polishing them while making them more accessible for less tech-savvy people. In fact, it takes the best features, UI elements, and ease-of-use from other brands and integrates them into ColorOS. So much so that when used side-by-side with an iPhone, there would be barely any struggle switching between the two.
Pre-installed is the AI Studio app, where users can select from a gallery of pre-selected generated designs. They can then upload their own photos to generate photos of themselves that are based on both their photos and the preselected generated design. Currently, it costs 10 stars per press of the generate button. They even added new art styles
Other AI features include the AI Editor. It is an image editing suite in the Photos app. Users can select 4K Enhance Clarity, AI Eraser, Unblur, and Remove Reflections.
AI Eraser offers options to select the unwanted object in the photo with Smart Lasso, Paint Over, and Remove People. At first, the people detection and removal wasn't something to write home about. Over time and after several updates, it got better. Overall, it is a nice-to-have feature when it works, but how often do we really need it is the question only time will tell.
The same can be said for Remove reflections. It does not totally remove the reflections, but it does minimize them to the point where you have to be looking for the reflections to actually see them.
There have been several updates over the past few months with the AI features, and they have gotten better, but not dramatically different. It needs more time.
It also comes with Google Gemini and Circle to search. It is the same as the iterations from recently launched smartphones.
One last unique and groundbreaking feature is the Touch to Share with iPhone. ColorOS 15 introduces a feature that can effortlessly transfer files with a single NFC tap between a Reno13 5G and an iPhone or iPad. The iOS user just needs to install the O+ Connect app, and seamless transfer can now occur between operating systems. This bridges OPPO's devices to the Apple ecosystem. We hope that OPPO will develop this even further.
Pros - Eye-catching and Slim design, Premium build materials, IP66/68/69, Power-efficient performance in gaming, Good photos and selfies, long-lasting battery life, fast 80W charging, cross-OS features in ColorOS 15
Cons - SoC performance is good, but competition is stronger, Novel Underwater mode, AI features improved over time, but needs more time to get there, inconsistent white balance between cameras, green cast in some selfie shots
OPPO Reno13 5G Specs
Display: 6.59-inch Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protected Flexible AMOLED screen w/ 120Hz refresh rate, 240Hz touch sampling rate, FHD+ 2760 x 1256 resolution at 460 ppi
CPU: 3.35GHz 4nm MediaTek Dimensity 8350 octa-core processor
GPU: Mali-G615 MC6
RAM: 12GB LPDDR5X
ROM: 512GB UFS 3.1
Back Camera: 50MP f/1.8 w/ AF, OIS + 8MP f/2.2 116-degree ultra-wide-angle + 2MP f/2.4 Monochrome + LED flash
Selfie Camera: 50MP f/2.0
Battery: 5,600mAh w/ 80W SUPERVOOC
OS: Android 14 w/ ColorOS 15
Connectivity: WiFi 6E 2 x 2 MIMO, 5G SA/NSA, 4G LTE, Bluetooth 5.4 LE (SBS, AAC, aptX HD, LDAC, LHDC5.0), OTG, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, Galileo, QZSS, dual SIM (nano)
Sensors: Accelerometer, light, orientation, proximity, gyroscope, sound, magnetic
Others: In-Display fingerprint sensor, IP69 dust, and water resistance, stereo speakers, 3x microphones, AI X-axis linear motor, Multi-Cooling System, USB-C, Colors: Plume White, Luminous Blue
Dimensions: 157.90 x 74.73 x 7.24 mm (Plume White), 7.29 mm (Luminous Blue)
Weight: 181 g
Price: PHP 34,999
Verdict
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We are happy with how great the looks, the cameras, and the performance of the Reno13 5G. But, like the Pro mode, at what cost? If you can find it on sale, it may be a better deal.
The Reno13 5G is made of a solid metal frame and glass panels. It is slim and lightweight with an eye-catching Butterfly design. One of the prettiest mid-range phones yet.
The Dimensity 8350, G615-MC6 GPU, LPDDR5X, and UFS 3.1 storage offer fast, reliable, and cool performance. However, there are similarly priced phones with more powerful SoCs.
Its cameras perform consistently well with vibrant colors and deep contrast. The images are sharp and detailed, especially on the 1x and 2x. The ultra-wide and the 2x are softer than we would like. Also, there where instances of green color cast with hair fibres.
The new Underwater mode is novel in its current state, but can be even better with further development.
Ultimately, we love the Reno13 5G, but the price point is a decent option, however, there are more competitive smartphones in the price range. What is even worse is that in the last few months, lower price segments have introduced even more competitive features. Ultimately, what makes the Reno13 5G stand out is its build, design, software, and battery performance.
What do you think, guys?
Build/Design - 4.25
Multimedia Experience - 4.25
Cameras - 4.25
Performance - 4.25
Average - 4.25/5
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