Oppo Reno4 Z 5G review

Competition

The way we're seeing the Reno4 Z 5G's market position, it's the company's entry into the affordable 5G handset market - €300 can pass for 'affordable' when 5G is involved. That's a growing market, and one that we've already had a bit of experience with.

Most recently, we had the Mi 10T Lite 5G over (another mouthful of a name). Another 120Hz LCD, this one offers finer refresh rate control and it can actually go above 60fps in at least some games, plus its screen can shine brighter than the Reno's. The Xiaomi has stereo speakers, a microSD slot, and even an infrared emitter, plus it charges faster on top of its already significantly better battery life. With the two retailing at the same price, it's really no contest.

The Realme 7 5G is a close relative of the Reno4 Z 5G and comes at a marginally lower price. Even so, it has a few small advantages like the macro cam, memory slot, and faster charging, but more importantly, it's got a higher-capacity battery and better endurance. The Reno does perhaps take superior portrait photos for what that's worth.

The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is another cousin to the Reno and the Realme, and it's the most expensive of the three, with a list price of €350. The price premium won't get you a better display (it tops out at 90Hz and it's not very bright either) or a faster chipset (the N10's Snapdragon 690 isn't as powerful as the Reno's Dimensity 800). Going Nord, however, you will get longer battery life and faster charging, much nicer stereo speakers, and a microSD slot, plus generally better image quality.

Not a very popular phone, but one that is well worthy of a mention in this context is the Moto G 5G Plus. The Moto has a nice 5MP macro cam, but outside of that, the Reno4 Z 5G has a superior rear camera. However, the Moto counters with an actually useful ultra-wide secondary selfie cam instead of the Reno's 2MP depth sensor. The Moto lasts longer on a charge and has a brighter display too, plus it's got a memory slot and an FM radio.

Xiaomi Mi 10T Lite 5G • Realme 7 5G • OnePlus Nord N10 5G • Motorola Moto G 5G Plus

Verdict

If 5G is really important to you now or as some kind of future-proofing, and you're operating on a budget, perhaps the Reno4 Z 5G makes sense. After all, it is one of the more affordable handsets with next-gen connectivity available on a more or less global scale.

To make 5G fit the budget, Oppo has apparently compromised on a few of the important bits like display and battery life, and we're not entirely okay with that. Sure, the display has a high refresh rate, but it sacrifices max brightness in the process. Battery life, too, is lagging behind the competition, as is charging speed. The camera system isn't bad per se, but doesn't really stand out in any meaningful way. All things considered, if it was our money, we'd look at something other than the Reno4 Z 5G.

Pros

• Affordable 5G handset
• Super smooth 120Hz LCD
• Capable, brand new chipset by Mediatek
• Great Portrait mode photos

Cons

• Display doesn't get very bright, HRR not available in games
• Below average battery endurance, relatively slow charging
• Overall camera quality is not spectacular