Oppo has done a bit of work on the Reno 12 series and it is bringing both phones to the European market. They feature a new energy-efficient chipset, new AI functionality, and even a unique communication feature for emergencies. We should note that these are different from the Reno 12 and 12 Pro for China.
The first difference is the Dimensity 7300-Energy chipset, which MediaTek and Oppo have optimized for “exceptional power efficiency.” The phones are equipped with 12GB of RAM (LPDDR4X) and 256GB (vanilla) or 512GB (Pro) of storage (UFS 3.1). Expansion is possible with up to 12GB of virtual RAM and a microSD slot (up to 1TB).
Oppo Reno12 Pro in: Nebula Black • Nebula Silver
Both phones feature a 6.7″ OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and FHD+ resolution (20:9). It supports HDR10/HDR10+ and has a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. The Pro model has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection, while the vanilla model is the first to use the new Gorilla Glass 7i.
The Oppo Reno 12 Pro has excellent cameras. It has a 50MP main camera (1/1.95”, Sony LYT600) with a 26mm f/1.8 lens with OIS. Apart from this, there is an 8MP ultra-wide (16mm, f/2.2) module with IMX355 sensor.
The Pro model is named “Portrait Expert” by Oppo for its two portrait cameras. The rear 50MP module has a 2x lens (47mm, f/2.0, Samsung JN5 sensor), the front one has the same 50MP sensor and a 21mm wide lens with autofocus. Both cameras can capture shots with soft bokeh and AI portrait retouching, they can also record 4K videos at 30fps.
The vanilla Oppo Reno 12 has the same main and ultra-wide cameras, but lacks a telephoto (it has a 2MP macro module). The selfie camera has a 32MP sensor (1/1.31”) and the good news is that the 21mm lens retains phase detection autofocus (rare even on flagships).
Oppo Reno12 in: Astro Silver • Black Brown
The phone has AI-based features such as AI Clear Face, which improves facial contours, hair, and eyebrows. AI Best Face ensures that everyone’s eyes in the shot are open. Oppo has also updated the AI Eraser.
AI Clear Face: Before and After • AI Best Face • AI Eraser 2.0: Before and After
For text and speech, there’s an AI toolbox that includes AI Write, AI Speak, and AI Summary, which leverage Google’s Gemini model. The recording app has an AI recording summary feature that creates text summaries and organizes them into notes that highlight to-do lists, times, locations, and other important information.
Both phones are powered by a 5,000mAh battery with 80W SuperVOOC charging – 1% to 49% is done in 18 minutes, a full charge up to 100% can be achieved in 46 minutes. Note that neither model comes with a charger, so you’ll need to bring your own charger to reach those speeds. USB-PD is supported, but only up to 55W, so it will be slow.
The Reno12 Pro is slimmer at 7.40/7.45mm (Nebula Black/Nebula Silver) but slightly heavier at 180/181 grams. The vanilla model is 7.6mm thick and weighs 177 grams for both its colour variants. Both are rated IP65 for dust and water resistance.
Oppo is introducing BeaconLink, which is fascinating. It enables voice calls without any cellular coverage or subscription up to 200 meters using a proprietary protocol over Bluetooth. This turns the Oppo Reno12 and Reno12 Pro into high-tech walkie-talkies.
Both models will be available soon. The Oppo Reno 12 costs €500 (12/256GB) and the Oppo Reno 12 Pro costs €600 (12/512GB).
