Full review: OPPO Reno 12F 5G 

To make AI features accessible to consumers, OPPO introduces the Reno12 F 5G. Although leaning towards the more affordable side, it still follows the footsteps of its more expensive siblings, focusing on trendy aesthetics, camera capabilities, and everyday reliability. Let’s find out what’s more to this AI-powered smartphone. 

Design and build

OPPO combined two contradictory concepts in the Reno12 F 5G and the result was amazing: a robust yet elegant-looking device. It draws inspiration from classic watches through a ring design for its camera layout. More flair is added by the halo light outlining the cameras every time you jam to music. 

And just when you thought the tech brand couldn’t be more playful, the color selections start speaking for themselves. The Reno12 F 5G comes in vibrant hues: Olive Green and Amber Orange. Both come in a matte finish so you get to admire the design without those irksome fingerprint marks.

It also has a boxy frame that doesn’t come at the expense of a comfortable grip. Even after long hours of doom scrolling and editing, the smooth edges provided a cozy and pleasant feel. Not to mention, it has a slim (7.69mm) and lightweight (187g) build that amplifies this experience. 

If you have frequent clumsy episodes, you can reap the full benefits of its All-Around Armour structure — OPPO’s very own High-Strength Alloy Framework. At the same time, the IP64 rating will let you brave all kinds of weather and activities.

Display

The Reno12 F 5G features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. As I caught up on the new season of Emily in Paris, I immediately noticed how crisp and vivid the visuals were. What made the experience even more immersive were the lifelike colors — not too vibrant nor dull. 

You can also expect the display to be adequately smooth and snappy as you navigate the screen and scroll through social media. It remains responsive even when your hands are wet or greasy thanks to its Splash Touch feature. 

On a different note, viewing outdoors will become a delight due to the 2100 nits peak brightness. No matter how sunny it gets, no more squinting! 

Since screen time is on a steady rise, it’s great that the device is equipped with smart eye protection to improve visual comfort and eye safety. It reduces the amount of blue light that reaches your eyes and it’s built with a self-adjusting screen temperature curve that provides an eye-friendly display throughout the day. 

Camera

Moving back to the luxurious rear, it houses the triple camera setup that includes the 50MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, and 2MP macro camera. After testing them out, I reckon that the Reno12 F 5G takes after its more expensive sibling especially in the camera department. Photography enthusiasts have a lot of reasons to go for this more affordable option with its AI features.

First off, the 50MP main camera deserves some credit for performing consistently well across various lighting scenarios. Amid well-lit environments, you can see how details and colors stand out. And even when proper lighting is scarce, sharpness wasn’t compromised, with very minimal image noise. 

The ultrawide camera will also come in handy if you want to get creative with your shots — be it beautiful scenery or simply a cute cafe. However, make sure there’s good lighting to achieve satisfactory shots. 

It’s rare to get clean shots when you’re travelling or taking aesthetic shots in public, and that’s where the AI Eraser 2.0 comes in. With just a few taps, you’re able to remove all photobombers and unwanted objects. The execution is often quite impressive. 

The same is true when I played with the AI Studio app. This allows you to transform any photo into a digital avatar to express your unique personality. As a beach girlie, I particularly liked the “Seaside paradise” transformation. 

If you love taking selfies, there’s a 32MP front camera at your disposal. It was effortless to take clear selfies with true-to-life colors at 1x zoom. I noticed, however, that the quality took a minor hit in low-light conditions at 0.8x zoom. 

Other AI features

The Reno12 F 5G goes beyond the creative side of things when it comes to AI features. It generously has productivity applications too. There’s the AI Recording Summary and AI Toolbox. The former processes your voice recordings into easy-to-read summaries, while the latter provides different AI functions (AI Writer, AI Summary, AI Speak) based on the task at hand.

Performance

Under the hood, you have the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor powering the device, paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. For light to moderate day-to-day use, the Reno12 F 5G was able to deliver a smooth, hitch-free experience. Good news for multitaskers out there.

For heavier loads like gaming, it can pass the standards of casual gamers with the smooth gameplay it delivers. This was evident when I tried playing Asphalt Legends Unite at the highest graphical setting and I didn’t experience any lags or frame drops. However, it’s a different story if you play competitively or more intensely. You might want to take it down a notch. 

If you’re a creator, you have sufficient storage for photos and videos that you’ll be shooting daily.

Battery

Continuing the reliability streak of the Reno12 F 5G is the large 5000mAh battery. It’s more than enough to accompany you throughout your daily hustle. For me this looks like answering emails and calls and shooting and editing photos and videos. And even squeeze in some Netflix series to de-stress. 

When you start running low on juice, the 45W SUPERVOOC Flash Charge can power up your device from 0 to 100% in a little over an hour. 

Verdict

The OPPO Reno12 F 5G proves to be the jack of all trades and a master of one. For the price of PHP18,999, you have a dependable device that will satisfy typical users with its well-roundedness — from its striking design and beautiful display, down to its reliable day-to-day performance.

But its camera capabilities come on top. And being the camera-centric smartphone that it is, the attention it might attract would be mostly from photographers and creators, especially with the AI features backing it up.