Hands-On: Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Review

Oppo today brought its Reno 10X zoom to India for a really competitive starting price of Rs. 39,990. The Reno 10X Zoom is one of the cheapest Snapdragon 855 phones around, and even though it’s bursting at the seams with technology and features, the primary highlight is the periscope style 10X zoom camera that certainly makes it unique in its class.   

We did experience the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom at India launch and spent some quality time with the phone in restricted launch event setup. We’d reserve our final verdict till we are done with the Reno 10X Zoom review but meanwhile, read on our first impressions to know if we liked what we saw.

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Price in India and Specifications

Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Design and Build

The Oppo Reno 10X is comparable to OnePlus 7 Pro in dimensions, which is to say it big and carries some heft. Surprisingly, the handset felt lighter than the 7 Pro, even when it’s a good 4 grams heavier.

And while we are talking about OnePlus 7 Pro, let’s also mention a few more similarities – Both phones have the same fast charging tech (Super VOOC and Warp charge are same), nearly the same size battery, are missing audio jack, have Dolby powered stereo speakers and both offer an uninterrupted notch-free screen.

Even with so many things in common, the two phones are very different, which is understandable considering the different segments in which they operate.

To deliver an un-interrupted screen, the Reno 10X houses a distinctive ‘Shark Fin’ pop-up camera. Oppo says this is a better design than a regular pop-up and we tend to agree. For one thing, it allows oppo to conceal more components. Apart from the selfie camera, the ‘fin’ makes room for a selfie flash, regular flash, and also accommodates the earpiece. There’s still a slit at the top edge that channels out audio when the module isn’t elevated.

The back is uninterrupted Gorilla Glass 5 with all cameras and branding lined up right in the center. We say ‘uninterrupted’ because all the three cameras are placed under the Gorilla Glass 5.

This is again something unique and looks appealing. The lack of a raised lining around the cameras, however, increases the risk of accumulating scratches over the module (which could hamper camera quality). Oppo addresses this concern with an ever-so-slightly raised ‘O dot’ positioned right below the camera system. We are not sure how effective it proves to be, but I guess if you are using a case, you should be well covered.

Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Display

For some reason, we keep coming back to OnePlus 7 Pro. Well, the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom doesn’t have the same 2K sharp and 90Hz curved-edge display, but you are still getting a 6.6-inch notch-free AMOLED panel with full HD resolution.

The display adheres to DCI-P3 color gamut, but since the underlying software is color agnostic Android 9 Pie, this isn’t necessarily good news for people fanatic about color accuracy. Since Android doesn’t have color management, it can’t really match sRGB content (which is most content) to the wider DCI-P3 gamut and the end result is often oversaturated colors, which many common consumers are now habituated to or prefer.

However, the display settings in Color OS 6 also include an option to switch to sRGB color mode listed at the very bottom.

Another really handy option is DC Dimming (listed as ‘low-brightness flicker-free eye care’ under display settings). This isn’t perhaps useful to everyone, but people who are sensitive to PWM flicker that maxes in low light, can turn on the option and avoid frying their eyes while using phones in low light. If you think this is relevant to you, we have discussed DC Dimming in detail in a separate article.  

Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Performance and Software

The Reno 10X Zoom is powered by Snapdragon 855 octa-core chipset duly assisted with general helpings of LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.1 storage. Then there’s a big list of performance boosting software enhancements including Hyperboost 2.0 and gaming mode. Going by the launch presentation, Oppo has also optimized the phone for better PUBG experience.

Anyways, the performance hardware is about the best you’d expect at this price. The presence of a beefy 4065mAh battery, VOOC 3.0 charging (that can also fast charge battery while gaming while keeping the temperature in check) and stereo speakers further position it as a gaming phone alternative.

Other notable hardware in the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom includes an in-display fingerprint sensor (which we couldn’t test during our hands-on time), 3 microphones for enhanced audio capture, 3-way antenna for better signal reception, and dual frequency GPS.

The software is Color OS 6.0, and it’s based on Android 9 Pie. It’s not our favorite interface by far, but Oppo has fixed quite a lot of what was wrong with the last version, and we are guessing people who aren’t as particular about their software requirements may very well enjoy it.

For now, we won’t be talking about software optimizations or performance, because that would warrant a full review treatment. We will be back with more real soon.

Also Read: Black shark 2 gaming phone first impressions

Oppo Reno 10X Zoom Camera expectations

The camera hardware is what primarily makes the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom stand out from other Snapdragon 855 powered flagship killers that already exist or will soon join the fray.

It’s the only phone in its class that offers periscope-style lens assembly empowered 10X Hybrid zoom (5X optical). This kind of hyper zoom was really fun on the P30 Pro and based on our initial testing, what Oppo is offering at a significantly lower price isn’t any inferior.

The main camera is a 48MP Sony IMX586 sensor that surely has cash registers ringing for Sony. I mean, it’s about everywhere we turn our head. But that’s because its a great sensor capable of capturing vivid details.

And then there’s a tertiary 8MP wide-angle lens camera that mostly exists because, let’s face it: the phrase “triple camera” has a nice ring to it (dual cameras are so 2018, right?).

And last but not least, there’s a 16MP selfie camera at the front. Beautification was turned on by default on our hands-on unit.

The zoom camera and the primary 48MP camera enjoy OIS. Oppo Reno 10X combines laser AF, Contrast AF, and Phase detection AF for fast focus locking.

Oppo talked about some solid software backing for these high-end cameras, but again, we will need to test these out during the course of our review. This year the company has laid some stress on perfecting skin tones in its pictures from both front and rear cameras.

Also Check: Best Snapdragon 855 Phones You Can Buy In 2019

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom Early verdict

Thankfully the Oppo Reno 10X Zoom has been priced right, which isn’t something we could say for most other Oppo phones in the past. Based on our initial time with the phone, we like the Reno 10X Zoom more than any other Oppo phone we have tested in the last two years.

The last F-series flagship was a colossal disappointment, and the Reno 10X Zoom marks a new beginning for Oppo. But is it a phone we’d actually go ahead and buy or recommend you to? Well, it’s still too soon to say. We will be back with a verdict in our Oppo Reno 10X Zoom review soon.