a uniquely designed mobile phone designed to last for many years

The photographic quality of cell phones is no longer exclusive to the most expensive models. Premium terminals benefit from the best technology, but those who choose the most austere ones no longer give up the pleasure of taking photos or good performance. This is one of the features that OPPO boasts with its new Reno11 F, the recently released mid-range of the Asian brand and sold in Europe this week with excellent battery, balanced performance and a unique design, so to speak.

This is intended to be The oldest OPPO phone in its mid-range, the company has placed particular emphasis on the resistance of its elements such as a large battery which, in addition to withstanding several days of use, has 4 years of durability and in extreme conditions such as deep frost or heatwaves. This smartphone has also obtained IP65 certification, i.e. protection against dust and splashes.

As if that wasn’t enough, it promises excellent performance and extensive photography capability thanks to its AI-enhanced 64 MP triple camera. All for a price of 399 dollars in Europe. Until April 30, the OPPO site includes at this price OPPO Enco Buds2 headphones worth 49 dollars and a 67W adapter worth 39 dollars.

Design and screen

OPPO has chosen a design to decorate the back of the mobile that does not go unnoticed. Blue waves run through the c ase, changing position as the light hits them, causing a sinuous movement that is almost hypnotic and relaxing like sea waves. This effect is unique to each terminal

Thanks to the chosen manufacturing system, magnetic particles are sprayed onto the case to form these unique waves. Those who prefer a more austere and sober design can choose the bottle green version, also very elegant.

It’s a clean phone, fingerprints are barely noticeable when using the phone without a case. You won’t find a plastic protector in the box like other manufacturers add, but that’s the point. The fear that the terminal, its cameras, its screen or its sides will be hit hard, encourages many to place cases that cover their style.

Although flat and smooth, the phone does not slide on surfaces, thus avoiding any risk of falling. It’s also not uncomfortable to hold, it feels like it’s not going to slide as easily as other models, despite its low weight and lack of curved edges. Its thickness is only 7.54 mm and weighs 177 grams, one of the lightest I’ve ever tried.

On the screen, the fingerprint unlocks the phone accurately, although it is a slightly slower system than its competitors. When unlocked, it lights up a large 6.7 inch panel and flat for those who cannot tolerate screens with curved edges. In this case, it is framed by a thin black box which prevents any accidental marking when holding the phone. The screen-to-body ratio is 93.4%.

The image quality is beyond doubt, being capable of displaying over 1,000 million colors, reaching a peak brightness of 1,100 nits. The refresh rate is 60 and 120 Hz, it regulates itself. A screen where you can clearly see the photos taken and read comfortably. Additionally, it has good sound that can be adjusted from high volume to a minimum whisper.

Performance

Inside, OPPO has chosen MediaTek Dimensity 7050 processor, based on a 6nm manufacturing process. Last year we were already able to test this mid-range chip on phones like the OPPO Reno 10, so the experience is familiar. In addition, the brand has chosen to combine this chip with 8 GB of RAM and an additional 8 GB that can be borrowed from the internal 256 GB, also expandable with a microSD card up to 2 TB, a possibility that is less and less common on phones mobile. price scale.

The result is on-spec performance, similar to other similar models. The working capacity of this device allows intensive playing of most games, for example the most demanding task one can ask of a phone. Continuously take photos and videos and switch between apps This has never been a problem. Even coming from a high-end mobile experience, I was very happy with the use it gave me.

Performance also depends on your operating system and the customization layer, ColorOS 14, OPPO’s layer based on Android 14 (with 3 years of updates). The way this system works is easily recognizable to all regular Android users, with features such as the File Dock app, which allows you to drag images and files between apps or Smart Touch to extract images and texts from a screenshot. Although the most interesting discovery I made was Smart Image Matting with which you can crop up to six people precisely and quickly from a photo

and turn them into “stickers”.

The rest of the specifications are as expected, connectivity is provided by Dual SIM, Bluetooth 5.2 and WiFi 6. Via cable, a USB-C port connects the phone to other devices. There is no headphone jack.

Cameras

In the photographic section, The OPPO Reno11 F stands out for its 64 Mpx main camera, which benefits from the valuable help of optical stabilization (OIS). It is followed by an 8 Mpx wide-angle camera and a third 2 Mpx macro camera of little use. On the front, a 32 Mpx selfie camera which benefits from several advantages.

During the day, the photographs are powerful with a wide spectrum of colors and without oversaturating the scene. Its zoom maintains its type despite the absence of telephoto lens and the wide angle respects the shapes when enlarging the scene, but slightly darkens the light and tones of the image, creating harsher shapes.

The zoom result doesn’t take away from what you get when shooting at the camera’s full resolution. Instead of a telephoto lens, OPPO is relying on a macro camera. This is usual for phones in this range, but not practical for everyday use.

Photographs captured by this triple camera set are powered by AI in features like the Portrait Expert Engine, designed to take high-quality portrait mode photos. To do this, it has advanced facial recognition, person detection and skin tone protection. Cropping the silhouette to blur the background continues to make common hair mistakes. and other details when higher contrast is requested.

At night, software and hardware work together to even out lights and shadows. A good result is obtained in easy scenes, but in the most contrasting scenes it fails by excessively clarifying the scene. Additionally, image processing takes a long time. Regardless of these details, the tones are appropriate without a tendency to exaggeration, either day or night.

For its part, the 32 Mpx selfie camera does its job well, as expected, both in background cutout and at night. With the help of night mode, you can adjust the face and background lightingwhat you see on screen when the image is taken is not as precise as what post-processing offers.

Regarding video recording, OPPO offers 4K resolution on both sides, although for moving scenes, optical stabilization only works at 1080 pixels with 30 frames. This helps control sudden movements, but leaves a bit of shake in the image.

Infinite battery

The battery is another of the strong points of OPPO’s mid-range, accompanied by the icing on the cake which is its ultra-fast charging, albeit in the small print. Its 5,000 mAh battery lasts two or more days of use with intermediate to heavy use. In case this autonomy is not enough, the mobile recharges in one go with SUPERVOOC 67W fast charging. With it, 10 minutes is enough to recover 30% of the battery and if we want to fully recharge it, it will take around 50 minutes.

Considering the greater risk of deterioration caused by the use of these fast charging systems in mobile batteries, OPPO promises a maximum durability of 4 years when charging the battery. In addition, he wanted to show us that his Reno11F is capable of working in extreme temperature conditions, even at 20 degrees below zero.

This, yes, 67W charger is not included in the box, just the cable. You will need to own one or invest in purchasing this accessory. Its price is 39 dollars in the OPPO online store, although other compatible models can be found.

I buy it?

For less than 400 dollars, OPPO offers a comfortable and lightweight phone with a robust and different design, equipped with what is needed to multitask throughout the day. A durable and balanced phone. However, the waters in which it operates are complex and full of options, many of which are very similar and more competitively priced. OPPO has a complicated task with models like Xiaomi’s Redmi Note 13 which are more competitive in terms of price. It is difficult to decide between one or the other, but if you opt for the protagonist of this analysis, the purchase does not disappoint.

In addition to OPPO’s initial offer, buyers from the brand’s store benefit from a 4-year battery protection plan. However, at major OPPO resellers the phone is sold until April 30 with the OPPO Enco Air 3 headphones as a gift (they cost 69 dollars).