Oppo Reno5 5G / Find X3 Lite review

Competition

The Oppo Reno5 5G is a solid phone with quite a bit of well0executed features. However, in a typical Oppo fashion, the company wants to position its mid-range handsets as the premium offerings in their respective segments, which is the case with the Reno5 5G/Find X3 Lite. It's challenging some considerably more powerful handsets, but that's not to say Oppo's contender doesn't bring something to the table.

Let's just assume that you didn't come here because the Reno5 5G fits your size. You are here because it fits your price range. If that's the case, then the just-announced Xiaomi Poco F3 is a must-have on your list, priced at €350. The only real advantage of the Reno5 5G is the camera performance, especially at night and the extremely fast charging. Sure, you don't get a 3.5mm audio jack or a microSD card slot, but the F3 boasts a brighter 120Hz OLED, a bigger battery, a more powerful Snapdragon 870 SoC and stereo speakers.

And if by any chance you feel hesitant to use Xiaomi's MIUI or you have your own niche reason not to go for the Poco F3, consider one of Motorola's latest additions to its portfolio - the Motorola Moto G100. It runs on a much speedier Snapdragon 870, it challenges the Reno5's Night mode on the main camera (except for the ultrawide, though) and offers a clean Android experience Moto phones are known for. This comes at an extra €50 on top of the €450 that Oppo's contender asks. Sure, you give away the OLED screen, and you settle for slower charging but the phone's performance is top notch.

Samsung Galaxy M12 (India) • Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G • Motorola Moto G100 • Samsung Galaxy A72

The 4G version of Samsung's Galaxy A72 is another viable option despite its slower Snapdragon 720G. The phone excels in other aspects such as battery endurance, display, camera, build and speakers. Note that the Galaxy A72 has a solid 64MP main camera with OIS aided by a 3x telephoto camera while its body is IP67-certified against water and dust.

Released back in October 2020, the Xiaomi Mi 10T Pro 5G may not be the newest offering from the list, but it's pretty darn relevant. Running on a last year's flagship Snapdragon 865 SoC, rocking probably the best LCD panel we've come across in a while (144Hz at that) and excelling in pretty much every way, the Mi 10T is still a great value proposition sitting a few bucks shy of €400, and undercutting the Reno5 5G. The latter may only compete with the Mi 10T Pro in terms of camera quality and charging speed.

Verdict

It's light, it's compact, it charges fast, and it shoots well in the dark. But it's still no match for the cut-throat mid-range market where even stereo speakers are a standard feature. Oppo's mid-range devices have always had some trouble competing with the rest price-wise. It's hard to argue with the likes of Poco F3 and the Mi 10T Pro as they both offer better price/performance ratio while asking less than the Reno5 5G.

In a parallel universe where the Reno5 5G's price was lower, it would have been an easy recommendation. The handset employs a capable SoC that proves to be energy-efficient too, it has a bright HRR OLED, and it's an excellent shooter that's hard to match even by the supposedly more capable Poco F3. Despite his price, we are sure the camera quality and the compact nature of the phone will win over some users, even if they are just a few.

Pros

• Light and compact build.
• Good 90Hz OLED with tiny punch-hole.
• Surprisingly good battery life despite the 4,300 mAh capacity.
• Great main camera across the board, ultrawide way above average.
• One of the fastest charging around.
• Customizable and smooth ColorOS.

Cons

• Considerably more powerful alternatives.
• Not competitive price-wise.
• No stereo speakers and no microSD card slot.
• Plastic build.