There are more and more options to choose from among the mid-range, especially options from Chinese manufacturers, such as Xiaomi, Huawei or even Oppo. I'm going to talk to you about this last manufacturer. And specifically, the Oppo Reno Z, one of its latest mid-range phones. This Reno Z is a somewhat cheaper version of the Oppo Reno, but it inherits some of the most interesting features of this version, such as a fingerprint reader under the screen, a triple camera, an eight-core Qualcomm processor and a very similar design. I have been able to test this mobile for 15 days, and I will tell you about my experience of use and complete analysis below.
One of the most distinctive aspects of this device is its design. The Oppo Reno Z is very similar to the brand's flagship, although it does not include some features, such as the retractable shark-fin camera. The rear is glass, with a rounded finish where the cameras meet in the center, in a band that does not protrude from the edge. The version that I have tried is the one in black, a finish with a shiny appearance that makes it very elegant and eye-catching , which you will hardly get tired of seeing. Depending on the light there is one finish or another. Of course, the glossy finish of the glass is a magnet for fingerprints. There is a very interesting detail at the back that is worth highlighting. It is the 'O-Dot' that we see in the center.
A priori it looks like just another camera, a small sensor similar to the ToF that some mid and high range terminals incorporate. However, it is not a lens. It is a point that protrudes slightly from the edge in order to avoid a breakage in the cameras . That is, in the event that this Oppo Reno Z falls to the ground or a flat surface, the first thing that will impact will be this module called 'O-Dot', which will protect the cameras, since they will not have contact with the ground . During my two weeks of use I have not had any incident with the terminal, so you cannot guarantee its resistance. Although I must admit that this system seems more than interesting. In hand you hardly notice that point. Also not when you put the device on a flat surface
The glass is fused with aluminum frames, frames that have the same finish in the same color as the back and a matte tone. They are about 9 millimeters thick, somewhat thicker than what we see in the mid-range, but with the curvature of the rear it does not give that feeling. In general, the terminal feels very good in the hand, although they are somewhat slippery. E n the right side are the power button. This has a different tone to be located more easily. The button panel for the volume is in the left area. On the other hand, in the lower area we find the USB C connection, speaker and headphone jack.
The front does not have much mystery, it is very similar to what we have been seeing throughout this 2019. Even identical to the OnePlus 7 (not the Pro). It has a drop-type notch where a selfie camera is housed. The speaker is at the top of the frame, so the bezels are pretty well put to use . There is no curved screen like in some high-end models , as you would expect. We do have a fingerprint reader under the screen.
Reader that works very well: it is fast and quite accurate, and it has hardly any glitches. We can combine this scanner with facial recognition that is done through software and that is not so reliable.
In short, the Oppo Reno Z is a very nice terminal. The sensations in hand are the same as those of a high-end terminal. Comfortable, with a suitable thickness and a very elegant design.
Oppo Reno Z, features
| screen | 6.4-inch AMOLED, FullHD + at 2,340 x 1,080, Ratio 19.5: 9 | |
| Main chamber | 48 megapixel IMX586 5 megapixels | |
| Camera for selfies | 32 megapixels | |
| Internal memory | 128 GB | |
| Extension | Not | |
| Processor and RAM | Helio P90, 4 GB RAM | |
| Battery | 4,035 mAh, 20W VOOC 3.0 fast charge | |
| Operating system | Android 9 Pie / Color OS 6.0 | |
| Connections | BT 5.0, GPS, USB Type-C, LTE | |
| SIM | Dual sim | |
| Design | Glass with notch in the shape of a drop of water | |
| Dimensions | 157.3 × 74.9 × 9.1 mm, 186 grams | |
| Featured Features | On-screen fingerprint reader | |
| Release date | Available in Spain | |
| Price | 350 euros |
A high quality AMOLED screen
One of the most outstanding features of this Reno Z is its screen. In size we do not see great news: it mounts a 6.4-inch panel with Full HD + resolution and AMOLED technology. In addition to a 19: 5: 9 ratio. This screen does not stand out for its size or resolution, but for the quality of the screen.
The Oppo Reno Z has a very good quality AMOLED screen, and it shows in all circumstances, even in bright conditions. The screen has a more than decent brightness, both indoors in low light, and outdoors. In addition, with a very correct automatic brightness, which is hardly faulty and changes quickly. In terms of colors, the panel offers those saturated tones typical of AMOLEDs. Personally I do not dislike them, and it is not a problem for the user either, since in the screen settings we have different options to adjust the screen tones. The viewing angles are correct and the sharpness of the panel is excellent. A mid-range screen that some other high-end needs. Very good experience when watching movies and consuming different multimedia content.
The system settings have different options for adjusting the screen. We can choose the calidel of the panel, in case we prefer warmer tones. We can also activate the 'Clock on screen off' or 'Always-on screen', which shows the time and different information when the screen is off. Being an AMOLED panel, it hardly consumes battery.
Performance and autonomy
The fingerprint reader on the Oppo Reno Z.
Oppo has opted for a Mediatek processor for this model. Specifically, a Helio P90, with eight cores, and which is accompanied by a 4 GB RAM. On paper we realize that we are facing a mid-range terminal, and possibly performance is where we notice it most. The Oppo Reno Z has a correct performance for day to day. The processor and its 4 GB of RAM do a good job in managing daily tasks: WhatsApp, social networks, surfing the internet, transferring ... Although in the occasional animation I have noticed some LAG, but nothing important.
In terms of games, the Oppo Reno Z also manages well. Especially in those that require little performance. Where we do see that it lacks a little more strength is in those more complex processes. For example, in more powerful games, such as PUBG, or in multitasking, file transfer or multitasking. In these aspects I have missed those 6 GB of RAM that we already see in other terminals with a similar price. Even so, the experience is not affected, since they are quite specific moments.
In autonomy there are no complaints. The battery is 4,035 mAh, and although the lack of optimization of the processor is noticeable, the AMOLED screen does a good job and the battery of this Reno Z is more than enough if we want to reach the end of the day with intensive use or even more. one day with more moderate use. It is charged via USB C and is compatible with 30W fast charging. In about an hour we can charge 100 percent of the battery As is usual, the closer the charge is to completion, the slower it is.
An excellent camera on a mobile for less than 400 euros
We move on to the photographic section, one of the most interesting aspects of this terminal. The Reno Z has a dual camera. the primary lens is a 48-megapixel Sony sensor , and is accompanied by a 5-megapixel secondary sensor, which is dedicated to depth of field. In addition, the camera allows us to zoom in two magnifications, although it is digital.
How does this lens perform? The 48-megapixel main sensor performs perfectly in good light and outdoors. The image quality is good, especially in those scenes where the sun allows us to capture more detail. Of course, the colors are somewhat more saturated. The rendering of objects and shadow is very good. We also noticed a good dynamic range with clear and colored skies, as well as more than correct focus and fast shooting.
Indoors with good light the results are similar. Here we see slightly less overexposure in colors, but the high detail and good brightness achieved by the 48 megapixel sensor is maintained. As usual, in night situations we begin to see a little more noise, but the color and brightness are maintained, allowing objects to be seen clearly.
How could it be otherwise, we have a night mode. This mode allows us to achieve somewhat more colorful and bright night images, and perfectly fulfills its mission. While the results are not comparable with the Pixel 3a camera, for example, they do offer good color and help us get out of trouble when the normal lens, without the night mode, picks up a lot of noise.
The HDR mode is activated automatically , but we can deactivate it from the camera settings. This mode allows us to obtain images with a greater dynamic range, and the results are more than decent - although with excess saturation on some occasions.
The Oppo Reno Z camera also allows you to zoom 2x digitally. Regarding the angular sensor, we noticed a small loss of detail and color, but with good brightness.
GALLERY OF PHOTOS TAKEN WITH THE OPPO RENO Z
The second lens on the Reno Z is a 5 megapixel depth of field sensor. This allows us to achieve a greater effect in portrait mode, and the truth is that it works quite well. It might seem that this lens does not do its job, and that it is simply a 'decoration' to simulate a double camera. However, we noticed that the ToF lens works when we enter portrait mode and cover the first camera. When covering this sensor, a message appears asking us not to cover this lens.
As for the results, the truth is that they are quite correct. Comparing it with photographs taken with the main camera I have noticed that some color is lost and, but the photographs, in terms of blur, comply perfectly . The crop is good and the blur level is more than correct. Of course, I miss an option so that we can manually adjust the degree of blur.
32 megapixel selfies
Selfie taken with the front camera of the Oppo Reno Z.
We go to the front camera, where we find a sensor of nothing more and nothing less than 32 megapixels. Here we notice a very good detail in the selfies, with acceptable colors, good dynamic range and a more than correct angle for group selfies. Indoors that good detail and color is maintained. The front camera also allows us to take selfies with portrait mode, although the results are very different from those of the main lens and the crop tends to fail on some occasions, it is a very interesting mode and that can give us a different effect to our selfies in occasional occasion.
How about video recording? In technical details, the camera allows us to record up to 4K at 30 fps or in Full HD at 60 fps. In Full HD video the results are good: good focus, colors, stabilization more than correct ... In 4K we continue to see these good results with a little more detail.
We finish the photographic section talking about the camera application and its different modes . The truth is that, in terms of interface, it reminds me a lot of an iPhone. Modes are at the bottom and camera settings at the top. We also have a button that allows us to access different modes, such as night mode, a panoramic mode or even an expert mode where we can adjust parameters manually. There are also different modes for video recording.
In short, the Oppo Reno Z camera meets perfectly in most situations. It is a lens with good detail, color and very interesting modes. Photographs with a portrait effect have a good blur and in most cases the crop is correct. These good results are maintained indoors. Also in low-light settings, although we see some noise. Therefore, and if you are looking for an inexpensive mobile with a good photographic section, you can be sure that this terminal will comply without any problem.
Software, ColorOS with very interesting options
Layers of customization are present in most Android terminals. Unless you choose a Google Pixel or a mobile with Android One, you will have a layer of personalization on your mobile. There are very interesting bets, and this Oppo Reno Z arrives with Color OS. Let's see what it offers.
It is not the first time I have tried Color OS, but the layer has changed in recent months, and now it is quite different from what I saw a few months ago with the Oppo Find X. As soon as we navigate through the interface we realize one thing ; But this is not MIUI? Oppo's interface is very similar to Xiaomi's , something that does not surprise us much, since Oppo and Xiaomi are Chinese manufacturers - and precisely in China they are the main competitors. As its name suggests, Color OS is very colorful. All the elements are of a different color, from the icons to the applications. Also, the interface is quite minimalist, with rounded elements.
The interface has an application drawer that is opened by sliding up from the bottom, we do not have a main screen with all applications, as in other devices. On the side of the main page we have a 'Smart Assistant'. This shows different cards with shortcuts to the applications. For example: calendar, time, a step counter etc. We can add different widgets, even from third-party applications.
The interesting thing about this layer of customization are the options and extra settings that we find. Plus some tweaks. We can adjust options in the notification bar, such as battery level, network speed ... We can also change the number of icons that appear in the application drawer, or set a scheduled on and off.
Android 9.0 Pie allows us to apply a navigation bar, and Color OS modifies it slightly. We can choose between a classic navigation button, which also allows us to select different icons and order of buttons. We can also apply a vertical gesture. That is, from the bottom of the screen. It is as if the buttons are hidden in the frame. Therefore, to open the application drawer we can slide from the center etc. We can also select some lateral gestures.
Another feature is the smart sidebar. When we rotate the device and slide from the right side, we can have access to a small bar with the most recent applications and different shortcuts, such as a screenshot or a video recording.
As for customization options, we can change the transitions, desktop background, icon grid or even download themes online.
In short, Color OS is a very complete interface, with a minimalist and colorful design that not all users may like. Even so, we have the possibility to change the theme from the start settings. The extra options are very interesting and the design of the applications is very minimalist.
Price and conclusions
We finish the analysis of the Oppo Reno Z talking about its price and final conclusions. This terminal is already for sale in Spain. Its price is 350 euros for a single version with 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Is this device interesting for 350 euros? We see what it offers and what are its positive and negative points.
If I had to describe the Reno Z in three words, they would be screen, autonomy and camera. It is where this device stands out the most. We start by talking about the device panel. The display is very good, it offers good colors and the brightness and sharpness are excellent. To put a fault, the viewing angles yellow because of the AMOLED panel.
Autonomy is also one of the most positive points. Its more than 4,000 mAh are enough for a user with intensive use. In my personal experience, I have managed to make the battery last a day and a half with average use (social networks, photography, the occasional YouTube video). With more intensive use I have been able (games, series…) I have been able to reach the end of the day with 10 percent. Something that is not bad at all.
Lastly, the camera. Although it is not the best camera in its segment , it does perform perfectly in most situations , with very good detail, a portrait mode more than enough and a correct focus.
There are other aspects in which the Oppo Reno Z does not stand out, but it does fulfill perfectly. For example, the on-screen fingerprint reader is very fast and accurate, and it can be combined with facial recognition that also works very well. In performance it also meets perfectly. As well as in the software, which although for tastes, 'Color OS', has very interesting options and settings. Sound, design, connections ... In practically everything, the Oppo Reno Z fulfills perfectly.
In short, the Reno Z is one of the most interesting mid-range terminals that we can find today. For just over 300 euros we have a large screen, decent performance, an outstanding camera and autonomy that also has a fast charge. Perhaps the negative point is in Color OS and that this interface may not appeal to all users, but the truth is that, with the theme store, it has an easy remedy.
Positive points
- The screen is excellent
- Very good photographic section
- Battery and charging
Bad points
- Color OS can be too 'animated' layer for some users
- At some points, especially heavy duty, we have noticed some LAG and slowdown.