Oppo Reno11 F 5G: Flash in the fun
SINCE it launched the Reno Series in 2019, Oppo has constantly proven why its “Portrait Experts” are among the best mid-rangers when it comes to smartphone imaging capabilities. Unfortunately, besides a quick hands-on during their launch events, I haven’t had the chance to thoroughly review any of the recent Reno Pro smartphones.
This time around, Oppo is introducing a new addition to the Reno Series—the Oppo Reno11 F 5G, which should appeal to Filipinos who have an eye for photography but don’t exactly have the budget for the main Reno11 series.
The Oppo Reno11 F 5G is packed with a similar camera system to the Reno11 series, eye-catching colorways and design, a slim profile, and a bunch of other fun features. But should you go for it or just save up more and get the pricier “Renos” instead?
DESIGN, DISPLAY AND SOUND
THE Oppo Reno11 F 5G is clearly aimed at Gen-z users with its flashy colorways and design. It’s available in three nature-inspired colorways including Coral Purple, Palm Green and Ocean Blue. Of the three, the Coral Purple is the standout, with a soft lilac tint against playful glittering particles and flowing ripples to create a perfect blend of fashion and fun. It’s not the most purple but if you’re a K-pop stan, this is probably the color that would appeal the most to you, especially with BSS (Seventeen) members Seungkwan, DK and HOSHI having been announced as the newest faces for the Oppo Reno11 F 5G.
There’s also a Palm Green, which is for those who prefer darker colors. By harnessing Oppo Glow, this Palm Green reveals layers of emerald and soft leaf tones, with fine glitter that diffuses light with elegant confidence and a natural flair. In some angles, it even looks black.
The color I have is Ocean Blue, which is perfect for the summer, as it is almost like holding the beach in the palm of your hand with its glistening azure and white color that ripples differently at every angle thanks to Oppo’s Magnetic Particle Design.
The Reno11 F 5G has a 7.54mm Ultra-slim Body that slips easily into a pocket or bag, with flat sides and rounded corners. It weighs only 177g making it super-comfortable to hold for extended use, whether you’re browsing your feed, gaming, or watching some movies.
To ensure a longer lifespan, the Reno11 F 5G has been tested to withstand 100,000 volume key presses, 200,000 power button presses, and 20,000 instances of plugging in and taking out the USB-C cable. This testing translates to years of reliability, so you can be confident that Reno11 F 5G won’t let you down. It also has an IP65 Ingress Protection rating, so it can withstand a heavy downpour or even those clumsy spills.
I must commend Oppo for the design, but despite its eye-catching appearance, the Reno11 F 5G’s departure from the capsule camera module of the main Reno11 series to a more conventional layout feels like a missed Opportunity. This change, while not detrimental to the device’s overall appeal, positions the Reno11 F 5G less like a direct family member and more akin to a distant relative. Incorporating the same capsule camera module could have reinforced the family lineage, offering a more cohesive visual identity across the series.
The display of the Reno11 F 5G is a 6.7-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ certification. This ensures vivid, smooth visuals whether you’re scrolling through social feeds, watching videos, or enjoying games. The high screen-to-body ratio and 10-bit color depth enhance the immersive viewing experience, supported by good outdoor visibility thanks to a peak brightness of 1100 nits.
On the audio front, the 300 percent Ultra Volume Mode is a nice feature, designed to enhance the sound output significantly, and particularly useful if you are in a small room and don’t have any earphones or speakers. However, the device’s single speaker setup could disappoint those yearning for a more immersive stereo sound experience, particularly evident in its lackluster performance in delivering spatial audio effects.
CAMERAS
UNLIKE others that brag about having a 200MP camera, the Reno11 F 5G has a humbler triple camera array, led by a 64MP main sensor, which is complemented by an 8MP ultra-wide and a 2MP macro lens. This configuration is a mixed bag of impressive capabilities marred by a few shortcomings, placing the Reno11 F 5G right smack in the middle of other phones at the same price point.
The 64MP main sensor is the star of the show, delivering crisp, detailed images. The high resolution ensures that photos retain clarity even when cropped or zoomed in, making it suitable for capturing everything from scenic vistas to subtle portrait details.
Leveraging Oppo’s software prowess, the Reno11 F 5G excels in portrait shots, applying effective background blur (bokeh) to emphasize the subject. The camera’s AI capabilities can enhance skin tones and textures, making it a strong contender for portrait photography enthusiasts.
Despite the main sensor’s large aperture, low-light photography is a bit inconsistent. Images shot in dim environments may struggle with noise and loss of detail, but you can use night mode to brighten the image.
Complementing the main sensor is an 8MP ultra-wide lens, offering a 112-degree field of view for expansive landscapes or group shots. The 2MP macro lens, on the other hand, is just there to fill that third camera module, and like all other 2MP lens, it falls short in terms of resolution and image quality.
The Reno11 F 5G supports 4K video recording both for its back and front cameras so you can shoot cinematic clips and ultra-clear vlogs. However, it lacks optical image stabilization (OIS), relying instead on electronic stabilization (EIS). This can result in less smooth footage so use a tripod if you can.
FUNCTIONAL PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE-WISE, the Reno11 F 5G is powered by the Mediatek Dimensity 7050 chipset, paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. This hardware combination ensures that the device can easily handle everyday tasks, from navigating through apps to multitasking and moderate gaming. The inclusion of dynamic RAM expansion further enhances the smoothness of the user experience, allowing the phone to keep more apps in memory without noticeable slowdowns.
However, do note that this isn’t a gaming phone and it may struggle with more demanding gaming titles at the highest settings. Stick to the default settings for the smoothest gameplay.
The Oppo Reno11 F 5G ships with Coloros 14 and this latest update introduces an array of features designed to enhance the user experience, marrying functionality with intuitive design to elevate your smartphone interaction to new levels of convenience and efficiency.
My favorite has to be Smart Image Matting, which is like having digital scissors to cut up your photos.
This feature simplifies the process of cutting out subjects from photos.
Traditionally a task requiring meticulous effort on a computer, Smart Image Matting allows for quick subject extraction with just a long press. The Reno11 F 5G analyzes the image, isolates the foreground object, and converts it into a transparent PNG. This functionality extends beyond portraits, working effectively on groups of people, objects, and even pets, providing you with instant stickers or elements for creative projects.
Next is File Dock which allows for seamless saving and retrieval of images, texts, or files, enabling quick drag-and-drop functionality across apps. Simply drag an item into File Dock for easy future access. What sets File Dock apart is its ability to sync across your Coloros 14-enabled devices. Simply log into your Oppo account on both your phone and tablet to effortlessly access your saved items from either device, ensuring your important files are always at your fingertips.
Smart Touch elevates your ordinary screenshots. Once captured, you can extract content from the screenshot, whether it be images, text, or even text within images, and drag them into File Dock. This capability makes previously unselectable content easily accessible and shareable.
At the core of Coloros 14’s enhanced performance is the Trinity Engine. This next-generation computing system ensures your Reno11 F 5G operates with unparalleled smoothness and stability. It optimizes the device’s CPU and storage, clearing up to 23GB of additional space by compressing unused data and eliminating duplicate files. The Trinity Engine also adapts to your usage patterns, optimizing for the best possible user experience and battery life, ensuring your device performs efficiently over time.
While Coloros 14 brings a lot of nifty features, the initial setup experience can be a bit cumbersome with the presence of bloatware, pre-installed apps, and even more app suggestions.
Lastly, a 5000mah battery has somewhat become a standard, and the Reno11 F 5G, offers more than sufficient endurance to get through a day of moderate to heavy usage. The 67W SUPERVOOC fast charging technology is impressively quick, capable of recharging the phone from 0 to 100 percent in just over an hour, ensuring minimal downtime for users on the go.
FINAL WORD: THE Oppo Reno11 F 5G excels in its flair for design. It also has a very capable 64MP main shooter that’s great for portraits and an overall balanced set of specs and features. However, it faces stiff competition in a very saturated market especially at its P18,999 price point.
Still, the Reno11 F 5G represents Oppo’s efforts to balance features and affordability becoming sort of an enticing “gateway” for those aspiring to experience the Reno series for less, making it a compelling option for users who prioritize style, display quality, and battery endurance in their smartphone.
However, the choice to deviate from the iconic camera module of the Reno11 and Reno11 Pro subtly relegates it to the margins of the Reno family, casting it more as a longing stepchild rather than a direct descendant or even a first cousin. ■