OPPO is gearing up to launch the new mid-range Reno 3 line in the Philippines. This line of phones is headed by the Reno 3 Pro with its 64MP main camera and Helio P95 processor. While the Pro model is undoubtedly the highlight of the series, the base Reno 3 is still very much worth looking into, especially as it still packs most of the Reno 3 Pro’s features.
From the back, the Reno 3 looks almost exactly like the Pro model, with both phones each having a quad camera module that’s located on the left side, as well as an OPPO logo on the lower right corner. The main way to distinguish the Reno 3 to its Pro counterpart is the slightly slimmer camera module on the base model that also comes with a silver outline.
From the front, the Reno 3 is much easier to distinguish from the Pro model. While the Reno 3 Pro packs a dual selfie camera in a holepunch notch, the base Reno 3 has a single front camera in a watedrop notch. Aside from the difference in notch styles, the Reno 3 shares the Pro model’s 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED display.
While the Reno 3 loses the unique sharks-fin pop-up camera module of last year’s Reno 2, it more than makes up for it with an improved selfie shooter. At the front, the Reno 3 packs a 44MP selfie camera. At the back meanwhile is a quad camera setup consisting of a 48MP main shooter, a 13MP telephoto (2x optical zoom), an 8MP ultra-wide, and a 2MP B/W depth sensor.
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- Main Camera
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- Telephoto (2x zoom)
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- Ultra-Wide
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- Main Camera
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- Ultra-Wide (macro mode)
I’ve yet to try out the Reno 3’s selfie shooter, though I did find the quad camera setup to be pretty good in my initial test shots. The main camera captured detailed photos, and the telephoto + ultra-wide cameras were no slouch either. Much like the Reno 3 Pro, the base Reno 3 also has a macro mode using its ultra-wide camera. Upon testing, I found that macro mode of the Reno 3 was better compared to some other mid-rangers with dedicated macro cameras.
For its processor, the Reno 3 has a Helio P90 that’s complemented by 8GB of RAM. On paper, the performance of the Reno 3 shouldn’t lag behind the Reno 3 Pro all that much, considering that the Pro model has a Helio P95, a processor that’s only slightly more powerful.
Another thing that the Reno 3 doesn’t lag behind in is battery life. This phone shares the Pro model’s 4,025mAh battery, as well as the 30W VOOC 4.0 fast charging support.
Even though the Pro model is still the highlight of the series, the base Reno 3 has most of the Reno 3 Pro’s impressive features, including the 44MP selfie camera and the VOOC fast charging support. The only clear advantage of the Pro is its 64MP main shooter and Helio P95 processor.
The only question that remains now is pricing, if the Reno 3 is priced competitively, it can not only be a good alternative to the Pro model, it should also be a compelling premium mid-range option.
OPPO Reno 3 Specs:
- Mediatek Helio P90 processor
- PowerVR GM9446 GPU
- 8GB RAM
- 6.4-inch FHD+ AMOLED Display
- 128GB storage
- 48MP F/1.8 + 13MP telephoto (2x optical) + 8MP ultra-wide + 2MP B/W depth sensor rear camera setup
- 44MP F/2.0 + 2MP depth sensor front camera setup
- 3G, LTE (Dual SIM)
- WiFi, Bluetooth
- Fingerprint scanner (in-screen), USB Type-C
- 4025mAh battery w/ 30W VOOC 4.0 fast charging
- Android 10 with ColorOS 7
Watch out for our full review of the Reno 3 soon!