Oppo Reno6 5G review

Competition

Not much has changed over the last generation Reno, except competition, of course. After all, five months in the smartphone world is a lot. The chipset and the design are the only variables that changed, so we can call the Reno6 5G a refresh with a clear conscience. Sure, the new SoC is sensibly faster than the Snapdragon 765G from before, but the Dimensity 900 still drags behind when put against other €400-500 handsets, where the Reno6 5G competes.

The €410 OnePlus Nord 2 5G and the recently released Xiaomi 11T asking about €500 both run a faster Dimensity 1200 chipset. Going a rung up the price ladder, to around €550, would even get you a Snapdragon 888 in the form of a Realme GT 5G. Funny how the Renoa6 5G faces fierce competition from its relatives from OnePlus and Realme. Even Samsung's Galaxy A52s 5G got a significant upgrade over its predecessor and is now running the shiny new Snapdragon 778G SoC.

Realme GT 5G • Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G • OnePlus Nord 2 5G • Xiaomi 11T

The display isn't any faster either. Clocked at 90Hz, it falls short of the commonly used 120Hz OLEDs in the alternatives above, except for the Nord 2. This may not be a deal-breaker for most, although it adds to the long list of cons. The absence of stereo speakers is another major misstep, along with no ingress protection. The latter is something we often see in even lower-priced handsets. If this is a must-have feature for you, the Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G and the Xiaomi 11T may fit your criteria.

Battery life is on point, although with lower screen-on runtimes than the Reno5 5G, but the speedy charging smokes the competition. When it comes to camera performance, it's not clear cut, but the Reno6 holds up pretty well and shows particularly impressive nighttime and 2x zoom performance despite not having a proper telephoto. And that's rather surprising because the device sports the smallest sensor around - the Nord 2 5G has a 1/1.56" 50MP one, the 11T goes up to 108MP, 1/1.52" and even the A52's and the GT's 64MP units are bigger.

Even though the design has always been a subjective aspect, there's no denying that the Reno6 5G has refreshing and stylish new looks. The back may not be glass but doesn't compromise with texture. Not attracting smudges and fingerprints is a nice bonus.

Come to think of it, the Reno5 5G might not be such a bad deal given that it now sells for less than €400 and offers the same features as its successor. People that are sold to Oppo's ColorOS or some other niche feature that the Reno series offer should definitely consider the previous generation, in case you can still find it on the shelves.

Verdict

The Oppo Reno6 5G isn't exactly a niche product, and it's hard to recommend unless you are in it for the design. It's nice, but it's not enough to sell the phone. All of the phone's competitors are more powerful, even the lower-priced ones, and all have superior displays too. The lack of stereo speakers, microSD card slot and ingress protection are just contributing to the argument.

Camera quality is indeed good, and the fast charging may win over some buyers; however, none of those are exclusive to the Reno6 5G as well. There are plenty of handsets between €400 and €550 that are giving you a better value for money.

Pros

• Light, stylish and fresh new design.
• Bright 90Hz OLED.
• Dependable battery life.
• Good camera experience, especially at night and 2x zoom.
• Blazing-fast charging.
• Customizable and smooth ColorOS.

Cons

• Considerably more powerful alternatives.
• Faster and brighter displays available.
• Not competitive price-wise.
• No stereo speakers.
• Plastic back, lacks ingress protection.