Initial Verdict: The OPPO Reno12 5G is a promising mid-range phone in the Philippines with its software features that include an improved suite of AI tricks that will help you get better photos and be more creative with your images.
Pros
- Improved AI Eraser
- IP65 rating at last
Cons
- The telephoto camera has been omitted
OPPO is bringing over the Reno12 5G series to the Philippines soon, and this time the brand is emphasizing software with improved AI capabilities that are meant to enhance your photography experience. Ahead of its official launch on June 12, we got to try out the standard Reno12 5G, and here are our first impressions:
OPPO Reno12 5G Philippines: Design
Compared to previous Reno phones, the Reno12 5G has a more conservative design in the Astro Silver colorway of our review unit. While the subtle design of the back panel is nice, the included case makes the Reno12 5G look even better with its ribbed design that draws inspiration from expensive suitcases.
While the button and port layout remains the same–still no headphone jack–the Reno 12 5G gets an IP65 rating, giving you adequate protection against dust and water splashes.
OPPO Reno12 5G Philippines: Display and Speakers
Like its predecessor, you get the same 6.7-inch 120hz curved AMOLED display on the Reno12 5G. Since it’s the same display we’re familiar with, you are getting top-end features like Widevine L1, support for HDR10 content, and variable refresh rate.
As for the speakers, it’s still the same stereo setup we’ve seen on the regular Reno11 5G. They do sound good for a mid-range phone but do mind keeping the volume at around 70% to minimize audio distortion.
OPPO Reno12 5G Philippines: Cameras
The Reno12 5G uses the same LYT600 sensor for the main camera with OIS, along with an 8-megapixel ultra-wide camera.
As for the photos we have taken so far, the main camera took great shots with lots of detail in good lighting. We have yet to try them out in low light conditions, so that’s something we will have to try out further for our full review.
While the telephoto camera has been dropped for a filler Macro camera, OPPO made up for it with improvements to its AI Eraser 2.0 feature. While you may need to do a second pass to clear shadows, AI Eraser 2.0 feels more refined compared to the initial version we saw on the Reno11.
The other cool feature of the Reno12 5G is AI Studio, where you can transform your portraits into digital avatars.
While it’s a novel feature, is a fun thing to have on a phone–especially if you are into creating a unique version of yourself.
OPPO Reno12 5G Philippines: Internals and Battery
Powering the Reno12 5G is a Dimensity 7300 processor that’s paired with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The Dimensity 7300 utilizes a 4nm process, making it more power-efficient compared to the Dimensity 7050 used on previous Reno phones. Aside from that, it gets upgrades in both GPU and NPU, allowing the Reno12 5G to have better overall imaging and AI performance. We will need to test this further to see how it fares against the competition.
The Reno12 5G comes with the same 5000mAh battery, but you get better charging speeds at 80w. That should translate to roughly an hour to top up the battery from flat to 100%, but we will verify that in our full review.
OPPO Reno12 5G Philippines: Wrap-up and Initial Conclusions
The Reno12 5G is a promising mid-range phone with all the AI features that it has to offer. Upon our initial test of some of its features, OPPO appears to be delivering on its promise–and it all boils down to how much they plan to price the Reno12 5G come June 12.
