OPPO are hitting the ball out of the park in recent times with their Reno 5G and Reno 10x Zoom garnering plaudits from anyone who comes in contact with them. Capitalising on this they have launched into Australia a mid-range version, the Reno Z.
With the tagline, “Luxury for Less” OPPO are positioning the Reno Z as a high end smartphone at an affordable price. Placed within what could be considered the lower end of the mid-range market the Reno Z starts at just $499 and boasts some impressive specs.
The Reno Z arrives with a 6.4-inch 1080P AMOLED display with a very decent 92 percent screen-to-body ratio — something the Reno does so well at all levels. With a small teardrop notch the display includes an in-display fingerprint sensor — something that is yet to be seen in a phone this price. The fingerprint sensor uses AI to continue learning as you use the sensor, making it faster and more accurate the more you use it.
Imaging-wise, the Reno Z packs a Sony IMX 586 48MP and a 5MP rear camera system — just a dual lens here, it is under $500 — along with a 32MP front facing camera. The camera software includes OPPO’s Ultra Night Mode 2.0 and an AI noise-reduction algorithm. Selfies can be enhanced through the use of one of their five bokeh settings taking advantage of the large aperture of the front-facing camera.
OPPO think that like its Reno predecessors the Reno Z is a game changer:
The Reno 5G and Reno 10x Zoom are transforming smartphone technology and raising consumer expectations of what’s possible in a device. The Reno Z provides Aussies with game-changing power and the most immersive audio-visual experience available, making it one of the best devices in its price bracketMichael Tran, MD, OPPO Australia.
As expected, at this price range it packs a Mediatek processor, the MTK MT6779V, but coupled with 128GB of onboard storage and 8GB of RAM it promises a lot at a decent price. The phone is powered by a decent 4035mAh battery that supports their new VOOC 3.0 to charge that last few percentage of your battery faster.
Running Android 9.0 underneath ColorOS 6 it includes most of OPPO’s smart software and Game Boost 2.0 features present in the higher end Reno smartphones.
The Reno Z is available in Aurora Purple and Jet Black in a styling extremely similar to the gorgeous Reno 5G. Grab it from JB Hi-Fi from July 11 for just $499.
Very tempting. But I for one will be giving OPPO in general a miss. I purchased a R15PRO last year. Sitting on April 2019 security patch and ColorOS 5 (Android 8.1.0). OPPO Australia won’t confirm when ColorOS 6 (Android 9) will be available for this phone, if at all. Great hardware but let down by their update regime.
“With a small teardrop notch the display includes an in-display fingerprint sensor — something that is yet to be seen in a phone this price.”
The Samsung A50 also includes an in-display fingerprint sensor at a similar price point, although it suffers from less than stellar performance.