Oppo Reno3 Pro review

Alternatives

If you haven’t picked it up by now, we’re going to be straightforward - we are really liking this phone. The Oppo Reno3 Pro is one of those pleasant surprises in the mid-range class, which reminds us that if you put in enough work, you inevitably get a great product. But even when you have a great product on your hands, you have to price it right, too, and it appears Oppo is aiming a bit too high with this one. The phone will run you INR29,990 for the 8GB/128GB version, which is around 375 euros. It's a pretty steep price in the sea of flagship killers - especially in a price-sensitive market such as the Indian one where Oppo is launching the Oppo Reno3 Pro first. So let's have a look at the other available options there and see the sort of company in which this price is putting the Reno3 Pro.

Let’s start with an easy one - the vivo V17 Pro. It’s around INR 4,000 cheaper than the Reno3 Pro in India (~50 euros), it offers pretty much the same performance but inferior screen, although there are no cutouts of any sorts. The camera experience on the Reno3 Pro is way more polished even without the final software. So even if it’s cheaper, the Reno3 Pro is still the winner in this duel.

Looking further from the strictly mid-range segment, we begin to find some cheaper, yet more powerful alternatives. If you are a fan of the full-screen design with a pop-up camera for the selfies, the Redmi K20 Pro is by far the better option. Despite the comparable camera experience, the K20 Pro’s Snapdragon 855 chipset is significantly more powerful and future-proof. Perhaps the fast charging solution on the Reno3 Pro is the only advantage worth considering.

vivo V17 Pro • Xiaomi Redmi K20 Pro

Another true flagship killer alternative that’s currently priced exactly INR 30,000 in India is the Realme X2 Pro. Yep, the Snapdragon 855+ beast with 90Hz display and even faster charging can be had for roughly the same price as the Reno3 Pro. The Reno3 Pro’s camera performance is probably the only comparable aspect.

And if you are willing to spend some more (INR 5,000), you can opt for another high-tier offering - the OnePlus 7T. In return, the 7T will give you better camera experience, Snapdragon 855+, smoother 90Hz display, comparable battery life, the same 30W fast charging tech and stock-ish Android experience, which some of you may appreciate.

Realme X2 Pro • OnePlus 7T • Samsung Galaxy A71

And last, but not least, the Samsung Galaxy A71 is another recently launched, similarly priced alternative with a big Super AMOLED screen, a better chipset and almost identical battery life with competitive fast charging solution. The camera department is where the Galaxy A71 lags behind the Reno3 Pro. But it’s the best One UI-running alternative at that price if you are a fan of Samsung’s customization and if you are after a large-screen phone.

Verdict

The Oppo Reno3 Pro has all bases covered as great phones should. It's got a class-leading vibrant and bright OLED; a generous 4,025 mAh battery, which provides great battery life; the 3.5mm audio jack is still here; and the overall camera experience is impressive even on the pre-production software. This cameras on the Reno3 Pro punch above its class.

Perhaps the choice for chipset is the phone's only weak spot. The "new" Helio P95 feels a bit outdated and drags behind the competition in this market segment. It's got adequate performance for a daily driver, and it's plenty power-efficient, too. It's just that there are more powerful solutions for the price in terms of raw performance. With all the alternatives offering either more powerful SoCs or even flagship chips, the Reno3 Pro may be a bit hard to sell - especially at the current price level.

Other than that, the Oppo Reno3 Pro gets our thumbs up and if you manage to find a good deal, it's definitely worth your consideration.

Pros

• Exceptionally bright and vibrant OLED.
• Excellent battery life.
• Impressive camera experience all-round.
• Dependable and lightning-fast under-display fingerprint reader.
• Competitive fast charging solution.

Cons

• The punch-hole camera eats away a bit too much of the screen.
• There are devices with more premium build for the price.
• The Helio P95 chipset feels like a step back for the series.
• No NFC.