5 Things You Should Know Before Buying the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom

Oppo Reno 10x Zoom comes with 10x hybrid optical zoom.

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is being laurelled by many as the best smartphone from Oppo in a while and we kind of agree. There has been a drastic improvement in the design and Oppo has worked hard to offer a camera setup that’s giving a tough time even to flagships like the OnePlus 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S10.

But, after using the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom for about a month we found certain chinks in its armour which corroborates the theory: “No smartphone is perfect”.

So at Rs 39,990, should you consider the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom? Here are 5 things you should know about the phone.

TLDR? Listen to the the story here:

1. Charges as Fast as a OnePlus (Almost)

For the ones who brag about the Warp Charging feature on their OnePlus phones, well Oppo has got its own VOOC charging technology which is almost as fast as on the OnePlus.

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom comes loaded with a 4065mAh battery bundled with a 20W VOOC charger (comes in the box) that can charge the phone up to 45 percent in 30 minutes.

That’s decent pace considering that the OnePlus 7 Pro — which starts at Rs 48,999 — offers 60 percent charge in 30 minutes with a 30W charger.

Considering the price bracket in which the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom is competing, this kind of battery charging performance is impressive.

2. A Camera Worth Clicking For

First, let’s go through the numbers. The Oppo Reno 10 x Zoom comes with a 48+13+8-megapixel triple lens camera setup at the back which offers not only a 26mm wide angle lens but also features 10x hybrid optical zoom and 60x digital zoom.

We even tested the zoom capabilities of the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom to see how good it is. Check out the results in the video below.

Even as a video recorder, it offers OIS (Optical Image Stabilisation) which keeps videos jitter-free and that’s a big advantage especially for folks who use smartphones to make professional videos.

The selfie camera is also a decent one although the motor operated lens brings with itself a host of problems.

Like the fact, the “shark fin camera” automatically opens when you receive a video call from any messaging platform. Imagine if the call comes if the phone is in your pocket.

Also, many a time the camera just pops out when apps like Instagram and Facebook try to access the front camera in the background. Even when you aren’t using the front camera.

Hopefully Oppo fixes these small bugs with a software update.

3. Good for Gaming But Only With Bluetooth Headphones

The Oppo Reno 10x Zoom does have a dedicated gaming mode (called Game Space) which eliminates any possibility of people troubling you with messages and calls during a gaming session.

It helps boost the online gaming experience by reducing the amount of data being consumed by background apps and channels it towards improving the game’s network.

It’s a good gaming phone, however I wouldn’t recommend playing without Bluetooth headphones. The reason for that is you always will be blocking the speaker grill with some part of your hand while playing games in horizontal mode. The sound gets blocked and the whole experience is ruined.

You also cannot use the wired headphones provided by Oppo as it also comes in the way while playing games. All this implies, you will absolutely need a Bluetooth headphone. Surprised that Oppo ignored this aspect of the design.

4. Bigger Really Better?

There hasn’t been a single day I have been able to ride back home on my bike with the Oppo Reno 10x Zoom in my pocket. It’s a big phone hence not pocket-friendly (literally). But that’s how most phones are these days, so not a deal breaker.

At 210 grams it’s almost as heavy as the Nubia Red Magic 3 which comes with a 5,000mAh battery and a 6.65-inch screen. One hand use is very difficult due to the extra weight.

Although I love the smoother metallic finish at the back but that also makes the phone slippery. Be extra careful or use the textured cover Oppo gives in the box.

5. Needs a Clean User Interface

I was never a fan of the ColorOS and I still feel there’s a lot of work to be done with Oppo’s operating system.

To start with, it is laden with bloatware (pre-installed apps) that you would never use or want on your phone. I uninstalled almost 10 apps and still have many that can be removed.

App notifications is another battle you have to manage. Unless you are used to using Oppo’s UI, you’ll have a lot of trouble navigating the interface.

The default browser in the phone sends unwanted notifications from sources many would deem inappropriate. I had to manually turn off the notification since I couldn’t uninstall the browser.