[Review] OPPO Reno11 Pro specs & portrait photo performance

The OPPO Reno11 Pro is the latest successor to the brand’s portrait expert series, and with a proud title like “portrait expert”, my expectations are high.

So, I brought the phone out on a trip to Farm In The City, where a bunch of animals would be my models for the day.

Getting a grip on things

At 181g, this has been one of the lightest phones I’ve tested so far, which made it nice to carry around for the outing. Anything that has my bag feeling less like a rock is a plus in my books.

Available in a Pearl White or Rock Grey colourway, the former is for those who prefer a fashionable statement phone, while the latter is for those who like it more discreet.

The Rock Grey we got is quite beautiful regardless, with a sheen that looks like tightly-packed fine glitter under light.

While I’m not exactly sure what the back of the Rock Grey variant is made of, I will say that tapping or knocking on it gives off a rather plasticky sound.

In contrast, the camera module is quite solid, and OPPO has innovated its look from the previous model. 

It’s a lot sleeker now, and I like that the cameras are housed in a smooth pill-shaped glass casing.

The separated lens look and feel of many flagships nowadays isn’t my cup of tea, because I overthink how debris would easily get trapped in the valleys between each lens and the entire thing just often feels… more fragile.

All that aside, the camera module does stick out a bit, so get a case that balances it all out if that bothers you.

Speaking of cases, I highly recommend using the provided case or getting your own, because the Rock Grey Reno11 Pro is super slippery to hold (not sure about the Pearl White), and the curved AMOLED display doesn’t help. 

Thankfully, though the display is curved, it doesn’t seem like the edges are overly-sensitive, so I didn’t experience any accidental touches.

The 6.7-inch screen is nice, going up to 120Hz, and it has a peak brightness of 950 nits. Under the decently sunny weather, I was able to see the Reno11 Pro’s screen at all times while snapping away at Farm In The City.

Now, how did those snaps turn out? 

Okay portrait expert, come through

Full disclosure, I’m no photography expert (mobile or otherwise) but I think I share similar standards to most people as to what constitutes a nice photo in terms of clarity and colours.

And I’d say that the photos taken with the Reno11 Pro came out pretty nice.

Colours weren’t overly vivid, leaning towards a more natural look without being too dull. Overall, they were comparable to what my eyes observed in real life.

The 50MP wide camera performed well, capturing nice detail under good natural light.

In low light though, you do lose some clarity.

The zoom capabilities were sufficient to capture animals that I spotted further away. Though I personally prefer crisper images, I’m still satisfied with the details maintained.

Honest opinion: mobile cameras still have a ways to go before they can truly replicate what DSLRs can do. But what some have achieved is still impressive.

The Reno11 Pro is one of them. Just check out the glamour shots I took of these Farm In The City residents with Portrait mode.

Sure, they’re a little hairier than our smooth-skinned brethren, and maybe the edge detection of the Portrait mode could be better for those blessed with thick fur, but I think these shots are beautiful. The bokeh can also be adjusted post-snap to hide any issues with the edge detection.

The Portrait mode on the selfie camera (32MP) performs really well, keeping faces and colours natural, and the face detection was able to focus on the different subjects in frame.

I think all subjects do have to be facing the camera though for this to work properly.

Colour me impressed.

Verdict

On the performance side of things, you’ve got a MediaTek Dimensity 8200 chipset and a 4,600mAh battery under the hood.

Nothing really stood out here, but playing a demanding game (Honkai: Star Rail) on the Reno11 Pro on maximum settings did have it noticeably warm up within 10 minutes.

When not gaming, the battery has good lasting power, so no complaints there.

Where I do see people having some complaints is at the lack of an IP rating.

I think having an IP rating is a no-brainer for smartphones these days, because of how attached we are to these little devices. 

We bring them everywhere we go, and into all kinds of situations. Like, what if I had dropped this into Farm In The City’s many bodies of water? (Luckily, that didn’t happen.)

So while I don’t see the lack of an IP rating as a deal-breaker per se, it’s definitely something that many appreciate having.

All things considered though, the Reno11 Pro appears to be an all-rounder, if you can acknowledge it for what it is—a mid-range phone.

It comes with 12GB RAM and 512GB storage, and is available in Malaysia at a starting price of RM2,499.

• Learn more about the OPPO Reno11 Pro here.
• Read more VP Verdicts here.

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