The Oppo Reno 12 Pro has been launched in India at a starting price of ₹36,999. Yup, the Reno is already in its 12th generation because Oppo updates this lineup every 6 months.
This phone is also quite different from the Reno 11 Pro because it goes all-in on AI features, but at the cost of processing power.
Anyway, the upper mid-range segment is an extremely competitive space, and the most preferred option in this segment is none other than Reno's own cousin, the OnePlus 12R. It is priced starting at ₹40,000.
So, with its new AI features and a supposedly great camera system, does the Reno 12 Pro have enough finesse to be the segment leader? Let's find out.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Design
The Reno prioritises sleekness. It is quite lightweight and feels quite comfortable in the hand. This is partly due to the fact that it has a plastic frame, which I'm OK with, but some of you may not approve of it.
Also, the display of the Reno 12 Pro is flat this time around. Oppo calls it a quad-curved display because it tapers subtly around all sides, although the functional screen area is all flat.
At the back, the smartphone has this distinctive matte and glossy colour combination, which gives it a bit of personality. And this distinction is required because the rest of the rear design of this phone is quite generic.
The OnePlus 12R is a completely different beast. It has a curved display, and it's noticeably heavier than the Reno due to its metallic frame and larger battery.
It does have a quality feel to it, but prolonged use of this phone can result in wrist fatigue.
Which of these two smartphones do you think looks better?
Both smartphones also have durability ratings: IP65 on the Reno and IP64 on the 12R. Cheaper smartphones nowadays come with IP68, so these ratings are definitely not the best.
On the other hand, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection on both the displays is a welcome feature.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Performance & Software
Now let's talk about what lies under the hood, because this is where things get really interesting.
Oppo has decided to equip the Reno 12 Pro with the Dimensity 7300-Energy chipset.
Now, I do not have the energy to explain these weird suffixes with Dimensity chipsets. Just know they're not that important!
What is more interesting is that this chip cannot quite keep up with the Dimensity 8200 that powered the Reno 11 Pro, let alone the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 on the 12R.
So obviously, you are not the Reno 12 Pro's target audience if you are into mobile gaming.
But Reno does want to entice you with its fancy AI features. In fact, this phone debuts many useful AI features on ColorOS in India.
With the Reno, you can quickly summarise the information on a web page while browsing or have the AI voice read the web page for you.
You can also ask the AI to summarise voice recordings for you.
Then, there are AI features for the cameras, which can artificially fix a person's closed eyes in group photos or enhance facial details as a whole.
You also have the handy Object Eraser tool for cleaning up unwanted objects from your photos in post-processing, although the 12R also has it.
This brings me to the obvious: while many of the AI features debut on the Reno 12 Pro, for how long will they remain exclusive to this phone?
And since ColorOS and Oxygen OS are basically the same software, it is only a matter of time before the 12R will get these features too via an update.
Anyway, the Reno 12 Pro also has more bloatware than anyone would appreciate.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Cameras
So, the camera system is touted to be the Reno 12 Pro's best feature. Does it deliver?
It has a clear advantage over the 12R, at least on paper. You get a 50MP primary sensor, a 50MP ultrawide sensor, and a third 50MP 2x zoom lens.
The 12R, on the other hand, does not have a dedicated telephoto camera.
Please see the video for camera samples.
The main camera on the Reno has a lead over the 12R in well lit scenarios. None of the phones exactly produce true to life colours, but Reno's post processing is superior to OnePlus' overly bright photos.
Nighttime shots are more of a mixed bag: while the OnePlus extracts out more detail, I like Oppo’s colour processing here as well.
The 8MP ultrawide cameras on both phones take serviciable shots, given there is enough natural light.
You cannot expect much detail from 8MP ultrawide sensors and I do wish that the Reno had a better sensor given its focus on cameras.
The 50MP telephoto camera on the Reno is a welcome addition, but it lacks OIS. So, you have to be careful while taking portrait photos in ambient light, because they can easily get blurry.
Video recording is not a strong point of either of these phones, although these videos are good enough for social media.
Important to note that Oppo cannot do 4k 60fps which is quite strange for a camera-focused smartphone.
On the other hand, Oppo can do 4K 30 fps with its selfie camera, while the oneplus is stuck at FHD 30 fps.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Battery Life
The Reno 12 Pro has a 5,000mAh battery, and it is surprisingly frugal. This is mostly thanks to its power efficient chipset.
During my testing, while the OnePlus 12R with a larger 5,500mAh battery gave around 8 hours of screen time with mixed to heavy usage, the Reno gave around 7.5 hours.
Charging speed is 80W on the Reno and 100W on the 12R. Given their different battery sizes, both take approximately the same 40 minutes to get fully charged.
Oppo Reno 12 Pro Review
The Reno 12 Pro is a light and comfortable phone to use with very good cameras and some cool AI tricks.
Also, since the Reno 12 Pro is an offline focused phone, you could very well find a fantastic discount on it at your local mobile store.
But, is it better than the OnePlus 12R? Well, the 12R is a powerhouse that’s priced really well for what’s on offer. It also has the cleaner software of the two.
Anyway, if you are after good cameras and futuristic AI features, check out the Reno 12 Pro.
