OPPO Reno 12 Pro: A midrange AI smartphone Features, price and availability

OPPO Reno 12 Pro: A midrange AI smartphone Features, price and availability

On July 12, OPPO, a Chinese company, introduced its first wave of mobile artificial intelligence features to India with the launch of the Reno 12 series. There are two variants in the series that look exactly the same, but the top model, the Reno 12 Pro, has a dual-tone design on the back cover and a more powerful camera system. Based on paper specs, the midrange smartphone with MediaTek Dimensity 7300 seems to be more expensive. However, the Reno 12 Pro is not as simple as it first appears. Specifically, what? Let’s investigate:

Design

Reno 12 Pro, which has an eye-catching dual-glass finish at the back, carries on the OPPO Reno series’ reputation for innovative design. The lower portion has a glossy appearance, while the top portion, which makes up the majority of the back, has a matte surface. A substantial glass strip with the OPPO logo prominently displayed separates these two parts. With three camera sensors arranged vertically over a rectangular hump, the rear camera module is more discrete.

The front of the phone is what really draws attention, even though the back also feels and looks high-end. The smartphone has a flat display with a quad-curved glass design that gives it a bezel-less look. The curved glass improves ergonomics, but it also

The glossy bottom half and the camera module are the only downsides I could find. They both have a tendency to gather dust easily and need to be cleaned on a regular basis. Furthermore, when the smartphone is set on a level surface, it wobbles a little.

All things considered, the OPPO Reno 12 Pro has a stylish appearance and a pleasant grip for prolonged use. In terms of weight distribution, it seems light and balanced. Gorilla Glass Victus 2 and an interior design that is resistant to impact are examples of the durability qualities that OPPO claimed to have included. Although the phone might be robust, I strongly advise against abusing it to verify the company’s claims.

Display

The 6.7-inch fullHD+ flat display of the OPPO Reno 12 Pro is protected by a quadruple-curved glass cover. Regardless of the information on screen, the panel maintains optimal color accuracy and vibrancy, making for a good viewing experience. The smartphone offers a high-end experience with its smooth animation effects and refresh rate of 120 Hz. Additionally, the display is bright, guaranteeing clear viewing from all directions when outdoors.

Value-added display features from OPPO include Adaptive Tone, which automatically modifies the screen’s color temperature in response to outside lighting. I left this option on throughout my testing, and depending on the surroundings, it would actually alternate between a faint yellowish and bluish tinge. Long-term usage of this feature lessens eye strain, however it occasionally degrades color contrast when watching media.

With appropriate content, the HDR viewing capabilities of the Reno 12 Pro produce richer blacks and more vivid colors. Additionally, it has a Bright HDR video mode that, when engaged, brightens the screen even more for HDR-compatible content. In order to improve the watching experience, OPPO has integrated a number of AI functions through the side panel. The smartphone suggests the Air navigate feature when you launch a video on streaming services like YouTube, Disney+ Hotstar, and others. This feature lets you navigate hands-free by simply flicking your palm in front of the front camera. This functionality functions, if a little slowly.

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Camera

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro sports three different types of sensors: an 8MP ultra-wide, a 50MP telephoto for 2x sensor-level zoom, and a 50MP main. The smartphone sports a 50MP autofocus camera sensor on the front.

In natural illumination, images captured using the primary camera sensor are crisp and clear. But because of the software processing, which has a tendency to overexpose brighter areas, making them appear whiter, the colors may appear a little wrong. The camera has trouble capturing skin tones accurately in artificial illumination, and it frequently blurs face details to make up for the limitations of the sensor. The ultra-wide-angle lens seems to be more of an afterthought because it takes dull, low-light shots and glossy, daytime pictures.

The telephoto lens is a particular standout. Although images taken at a 2x magnification are not as sharp as those taken with the primary sensor, the colors seem more vibrant, and the sensor functions admirably even in situations with artificial illumination. A welcome surprise is the front-facing 50MP camera, which produces photos with more accurate skin tones and better saturation levels.

The subject separation and edge detection for portraits generally perform well, though it can be a little harsh around hairlines. The bokeh effect is subtle and unforced.

Regarding videography, the OPPO Reno 12 Pro can record in 4K at 30 frames per second and in 1080p at 30 and 60 frames per second. Nevertheless, the telescopic camera can only record in 1080p at 30 frames per second. On the plus side, the front camera can also capture 4K films. Both front and back camera systems can record in 1080p while using the ultra-steady mode.

Performance

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, paired with 12GB RAM and 256GB on-board storage (review unit). The smartphone offers smooth and lag-free performance, handling daily tasks such as minor multitasking, web surfing, watching videos, and casual gaming with ease. However, I did encounter some glitches on the review unit, including delays in opening the keyboard and occasional sudden app closures. These issues can likely be resolved through software updates and patches.

For more demanding tasks like high-resolution video recording or graphics-intensive gaming, the smartphone starts to reach its limits when used for extended periods. There is also minor heating around the frame. To mitigate this, OPPO has included a RAM expansion feature and it does offer more breathing space during intensive tasks.

Software

Running on Android 14, ColorOS 14 is a stable and seamless operating system with enhanced transitions and animations for the OPPO Reno 12 Pro. It has a number of practical features, like the side panel’s File Dock. You may keep a photo or file on the File Dock, which functions as a clipboard and facilitates sharing with other programs, by simply dragging it to the side after turning on the Smart Side Bar, which provides quicker access to frequently used apps and other features. The Flexible Window setting in the settings, which allows you to multitask by making apps and notifications appear as floating window tiles, is another useful feature.

Agoda and Bubble Pop are among the few third-party apps and games that are pre-installed on the smartphone. Furthermore, there are sections on the home screen labeled “Hot Games” and “Hot Apps” that recommend third-party games and apps. Although it may seem a little bothersome, these games and apps don’t send out unsolicited notifications and are simple to remove.

AI features

With the Reno 12 Pro, OPPO has included a number of AI functions, including speech transcription, text summarization, and photo editing. First up is the AI toolbox located on the Smart Sidebar, which provides pertinent AI-powered tools based on its intelligent recognition of the material displayed on the screen. For instance, you’ll see two options at the top of the sidebar when you read an article in the web browser: “AI Speak” and “AI Summary.” While “AI Summary” creates a bullet-point summary of key information, “AI Speak” speaks aloud the content from the webpage. However, this capability is only available in browser apps.

Additionally, the AI tool box includes an AI Writer feature that helps with writing and shows up on the sidebar when you enter a text field, such an email. When you tap on the feature, a floating window with pointers, keywords, or phrases to generate text around the screen appears. The function scans the screen. Additionally, you have a selection of tone options for the generated content, including “polite,” “detailed,” and “concise.” I used Gmail to test this feature and asked it to create a nice email asking for a leave of absence. It worked perfectly.

The generated text is simply copyable and displays in a floating window. This function can also be used to create picture captions for social networking posts. Although it performed admirably on Facebook and Instagram, it was less dependable on Reddit since the AI toolbox occasionally did not provide the AI Writer option for the app.

In order to facilitate audio transcription and text summarization of voice recordings, OPPO has also included AI into its native voice recorder app. Audio recordings longer than 30 seconds can be summarized using this feature, and the summaries are kept in the Notes app. Audio recording summaries are generated in bullet points, emphasizing key passages and including quotes from the tape, much to the AI toolbox text summariser for the web. Notably, anonymity is improved because no names from the recordings are mentioned in the summaries or transcriptions. In addition, the text transcription conceals clear terms.

OPPO offers tools including AI Eraser, AI Best Face, and AI Clear Face for photo editing. The AI Eraser efficiently eliminates undesired elements from images, then uses generative fill to fill in the vacant space. In group photos, the AI Clear Face feature eliminates hazy faces; nevertheless, under some lighting circumstances, it may also diminish facial details. But during testing, AI Best Face—which uses AI to recognize human faces and expressions and enhance images—performed worse than the other two and occasionally produced error messages.

Battery

A 5,000 mAh battery, which is currently the industry standard, powers the Reno 12 Pro. With typical use, the smartphone may easily last the entire day on a single charge. But prolonged gaming or video streaming quickly depletes the battery, so you may need to recharge it the same day. Positively, the smartphone supports 80W rapid wired charging, which enables it to charge from zero to 70% in just 27 minutes.

Verdict

The OPPO Reno 12 Pro is priced at Rs 36,999 and up. It has a brilliant display, elegant appearance, and a sturdy build, but what sets it apart is a collection of artificial intelligence technologies that improve user experience. The smartphone does not, however, provide a long-lasting battery life or a reliable photographic experience. Furthermore, while considering price-performance from an angle, performance is not up to par. However, if you’re searching for a midrange smartphone with mobile artificial intelligence characteristics, the OPPO Reno 12 Pro can be a decent fit.