Oppo Reno16 review: IP69K-rated base flagship with 50MP cameras, but a steep price

The Oppo Reno16 proves to be a well-balanced smartphone with a quality display and water resistance, yet its launch price undermines its appeal against rivals. In the new lineup, the manufacturer has shifted its positioning: the base model now shares the same dimensions as the Pro variant and borrows much of its feature set.

The key difference lies in the processor — the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, the same chip used in the previous generation. The camera setup has also been revised: the 200MP main sensor is replaced with a 50MP module. The ultrawide shooter, however, gets a major upgrade, swapping the outdated 8MP sensor for a full-fledged 50MP unit. The front camera also packs 50MP, placing the device among the leaders in portrait quality.

The compact body measures 151.2 × 72.4 × 8.2 mm and weighs 188 g. The front is made of glass, with an aluminum frame. The smartphone is dust- and water-resistant to IP66, IP68, IP69, and IP69K standards. The display is a 6.32-inch AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate, HDR10+ support, and a peak brightness of 3600 nits, at a resolution of 1216×2640 pixels.

Under the hood sits the 4nm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4. Configurations include 8 or 12GB of RAM and UFS 3.1 storage of 256 or 512GB. It runs Android 16 with ColorOS 16 on top. All three rear cameras are 50MP: the main one with optical stabilization, a telephoto with 3.5x optical zoom and OIS, and an ultrawide. Video recording tops out at 4K at 30 or 60 frames per second.

Strengths include strong battery life, detailed shots from every camera, and a handy side-mounted AI Snap Key with neural network features. However, rivals offer faster processors at the same price. Video quality is rated as average. The European version comes with a smaller battery and slower charging than models sold elsewhere, which, combined with the steep launch price, dampens the device's overall appeal.