Oppo Reno13 review

Competition

At first glance, the Oppo Reno13 is a nice all-rounder with a standout design and solid fundamentals - a bright enough screen, exceptional battery life, fast charging and nice-sounding stereo speakers. But in the grand scheme of things, you can easily find devices with better value per dollar.

At its price of €550 for the 12GB/256GB model in Europe or INR 38,000 in India, the Reno13 faces competition from the upper-mid-range segment. It goes against the likes of Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and Xiaomi 14T Pro.

Both devices offer superior performance and better displays, and the 14T Pro pulls ahead in the fast-charging race. They also seem to provide a much better camera experience, except for the selfies. This is where the Reno13 shines.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE • Xiaomi 14T Pro

In fact, if the all-around camera experience is the most important aspect for you, you will be better off with either alternative on this list. Even the Realme 14 Pro+ has a more competent camera system with a periscope telephoto camera and a bigger main sensor. But the Reno13 really stands out with its selfie camera.

Realme 14 Pro+ • Google Pixel 9

All of the listed alternatives thus far are considerably larger, though, so if you are looking for a more compact solution like the Reno13, look no further than the Google Pixel 9. Sure, it's slightly pricier, but it provides more value. It has a much better camera experience, brighter and better display, slightly better performance and promises longer software support.

The Reno13's only considerable advantage over its competition is battery life and charging speed. The Reno13 scored excellently in our battery life and we can even go as far as saying it's class-leading in this respect.

Verdict

All in all, the Reno13 may convince some of you with its nice looks, fast charging, exceptional battery life and great selfies, especially in this compact 6.59-inch package. But there's more nuance to that. Looking at the broader picture, we find more powerful alternatives with superior all-round camera performance. And some of those have brighter displays, too.

Still, we see the potential in the Reno13. It's not a bad phone per se, but it's a bit pricey for what it is. As the price settles with time, it will gradually become more competitive, but for now, it's a tough pick among its immediate competitors.

Pros

• Lightweight and premium design with IP69 rating.
• Unrivaled selfies, excellent videos by the main cam, AF on the ultrawide.
• Exceptional battery life.
• Fast charging (with the proprietary SuperVOOC charger).
• Nice stereo speakers.
• Infrared blaster, eSIM support.

Cons

• Launch price is not competitive.
• Image quality from the cameras on the back is not great.