OPPO’s Reno series remains a popular series from the brand. Now they are back with the Reno16 series which has some interesting feature additions from before. I have tried several Reno series before and are the changes in this Reno16 the most noticeable with the previous model. I will explain everything in this review article.
Device Specifications
OPPO Reno15 5G
AMOLED screen, 1B colors, 120Hz, HDR10+
6.32-inch 1256 x 2760 pixels
(~460 ppi density)
Corning Gorilla Glass 7i
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 processor (4 nm)
1 x 2.8 GHz Cortex-720 chip
4 x 2.4 GHz Cortex-720
3 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-520
Adreno 722 Graphics Chip
RAM 12GB RAM LPDDR5X
Virtual RAM (+12GB RAM)
Internal Storage 256GB UFS 3.1
Primary Camera 50 MP, f/1.8 (wide), PDAF, OIS
50 MP, f/2.8, (telephoto), PDAF, OIS,
3.5x optical zoom
50 MP, f/2.2 (ultra-wide)
Front Camera 50 MP, f/2.0 (ultra-wide)
Battery 6700 mAh
80W SUPERVOOC wired
SIM/Dual SIM Nano /5G Telephony
NFC Yes
Infrared Yes
Waterproof IP68/69
Scanning System Fingerprint Scan
Face Scan
Selling Price RM2499 (8+256 GB)
RM2799 (12+256 GB)
RM3299 (12+512 GB)
Design
OPPO will always provide a completely new design for all their phone series, especially for this Reno16 series. For the unit I am reviewing, it is in Pop White which has a rather interesting rear panel design. It has a 3D effect that can give an optical illusion to make it appear as if it is floating from the rear panel. This is a rather interesting and fresh touch.
The rear panel uses a shiny glass material so it is easy to stick fingerprints if you do not use a frame. The frame is made of aluminum material which makes this device feel more premium. What I like most is the compact size of the device itself, which is only 6.32”. This is the same size as the iPhone 17. This small size makes it easier to use with one hand and more comfortable to put in a pocket.
In terms of button position, it still maintains the same position as several previous OPPO devices, but what is special this time is that OPPO has added the Snap Key button to the Reno series for the first time. The USB-C charging port, SIM slot, and main speaker are still at the bottom of the device. At the top there is only an infrared sensor.
Screen
The OPPO Reno16 uses a 6.32” screen and uses an FHD+ resolution AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR10+ support. For me, these specifications are good enough because the small size of the device makes the content displayed on this device still look sharp. Color reproduction is also very good for everyday use.
The bezel on this screen also looks even to provide a more satisfying experience. In terms of brightness levels, it can go up to 3600nits to display HDR content, but when I use it outside, I often increase the brightness level of this screen to the highest, especially in hot conditions.
In terms of screen protection, OPPO Reno16 uses a Crystal Guard panel. To be honest, I'm not sure how strong this glass is compared to other competitors, but after a few weeks of using this device, there are no noticeable scratches and it's not too critical.
Software - ColorOS 16
OPPO Reno16 comes with ColorOS 16 based on Android 16 straight out of the box. The user experience still maintains the ColorOS identity that I've used on other OPPO models, showing that OPPO is able to offer a consistent experience across their range of devices. Throughout use, everything feels very smooth, whether when navigating the interface, viewing animations, or opening and closing applications.
The ColorOS interface also comes with a cheerful design and offers various personalization options according to user tastes. I personally like OPPO's approach to their software because it is easy to understand and does not make users feel awkward, even if it is their first time using ColorOS.
However, the issue of pre-installed applications has not completely disappeared. The difference is that the number of applications available as soon as the device is turned on is not as many as is usually found on OPPO's mid-range models, and most of them consist of everyday applications that users often use.
Oppo provides 5 Android version updates and 6 years of security patches for the Reno16 5G which is very good support for a mid-range device.
Performance
The OPPO Reno16 is powered by the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip and is combined with 12GB of LPDDR5X memory along with 256GB of UFS3.1 storage. Honestly, this device is the third device I have reviewed with the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip so the performance provided is more or less the same as the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro and the Realme 16 Pro+. Below is a list of some compatible devices compared to the Reno16 5G.
iQOO Z11 – Snapdragon 7s Gen 4
Oppo Reno15 – Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
Vivo V70 – Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
Realme 16 Pro+ – Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro – Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
Poco X8 Pro – Dimensity 8500 Ultra (4 nm)
AnTuTu 3D
Score Device
Oppo Reno16 5G 1,427,573
IQOO Z11 1,152,162
Oppo Reno15 1,412,018
Vivo V70 1,464,284
Realme 16 Pro+ 1,424,007
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro 1,408,711
Poco X8 Pro 2,086,502
Geekbench 6
Single Core Multi Core Device
Oppo Reno16 5G 1246 3889
IQOO Z11 1207 2799
Oppo Reno15 1280 3857
Vivo V70 1361 4181
Realme 16 Pro+ 1337 4132
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro 1282 3907
Poco X8 Pro 1721 6340
3DMark Wildlife Extreme
Chip Score
Oppo Reno16 5G 1997
IQOO Z11 1117
Oppo Reno15 2082
Vivo V70 2093
Realme 16 Pro+ 2108
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro 1993
Poco X8 Pro 4120
The daily performance provided by this chip is very satisfactory, you will not feel anything slow when using daily applications. If in terms of performance through the front, this device can provide adequate performance. Games like PUBG Mobile can be played at medium settings for a more satisfying experience. The device will also heat up a little during gaming sessions.
Perhaps my only slight disappointment with this device is the use of the same chip for 2 different models. This Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 chip has been used in the Reno15 before. The logical reason I can give is to further reduce the cost of manufacturing this device by using an old chip.
In a market filled with various mid-range phones that offer more powerful chips, the OPPO Reno16 may seem a little less prominent in terms of performance than some of its competitors. However, the use of a chip that is not so new is not a big disadvantage. For users who prioritize daily usage experience over maximum performance, this chip is still able to provide adequate performance for most tasks
Camera
Of course, the main focus of the OPPO Reno16 is on its own camera. OPPO Reno16 is equipped with a 50MP f/1.8 OIS main lens, a 50MP f/2.8 OIS telephoto lens and a 50MP ultra-wide lens. Finally, OPPO left the ultra-wide lens with 8MP which provided less satisfactory image results. For the selfie camera, it also uses a 50MP lens as a complement.
The image results provided by all the lenses from OPPO Reno16 are very good, especially during the day or in sufficient light conditions. The color reproduction is very intense and the image still looks sharp. There are some situations where I noticed that the image had a slight 'bloom' effect, perhaps this problem can be fixed in a future update. If you zoom in more than 7x in low light conditions, the image will be a little soft and less sharp.
I also really like this 50MP ultra-wide lens because the image production looks sharper and the color production is also not too different from the main or telephoto lens. This is much better than the ultra-wide lens with 8MP on the previous Reno15.
What's interesting about the Reno16 series camera this time is the Pop Cam feature which can provide several different filters to use. This is a feature to attract the attention of young people because it has several very interesting filters such as Light Leak, Digicam and many more. The production of pictures is also more interesting than taking pictures with normal mode.
Battery
Although the size of the OPPO Reno16 has become more compact than the previous Reno15, OPPO still managed to pack a larger battery capacity of 6700mAH with the help of Carbon Silicon technology. For typical daily use, I can get up to 8 hours of SOT and maybe you can get longer use without actively using the camera.
For charging, it is still the same as the previous Reno15, namely SUPERVOOC 80W wired which can charge from 30% to 90% in under 1 hour. Unfortunately, there is still no wireless charging for the Reno16 series even though the price has increased like a flagship device.
Audio
What surprised me a little was the quality of the speakers on the OPPO Reno16. This device uses a stereo audio configuration with the main speaker on the bottom and another on the top of the device. I didn't expect the audio quality to be too melodious, but for everyday use the audio quality produced is quite good. The audio produced is almost balanced and quite loud, but it doesn't produce the exact sound like you're wearing earphones.
Competitors
Oppo Reno16 Honor 600 Realme 16 Pro+
6.32″ AMOLED 120Hz
HDR10+, 3600 nits 6.57″ AMOLED 120Hz
Vivid HDR, 8000 nits 6.8″ AMOLED, 144Hz
HDR10+, 6500 nits
Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
1 x 2.8 GHz Cortex-720
4 x 2.4 GHz Cortex-720
3 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-520 Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
1 x 2.8 GHz Cortex-720
4 x 2.4 GHz Cortex-720
3 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-520 Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 (4nm)
1 x 2.8 GHz Cortex-720
4 x 2.4 GHz Cortex-720
3 x 1.8 GHz Cortex-520
Adreno 722 Adreno 722 Adreno 722
8/12 GB LPDDR5X 12 GB LPDDR5X 12 GB LPDDR5X
256 GB UFS 3.1 512 GB UFS 3.1 512 GB UFS 3.1
Primary Camera
50 MP, f/1.8, OIS (Wide Angle)
50 MP, f/2.0 (Ultra Wide)
50MP,f/2.8, OIS (Telephoto 3.5x) Primary Camera
200 MP, f/1.9, OIS (Wide Angle)
12 MP, f/2.2 (Ultra Wide) Primary Camera
200MP f/1.9, OIS (Wide Angle)
8MP f/2.2 (Ultra Wide)
50MP f/2.8, OIS (Telephoto 3.5X)
Front Camera
50 MP f/2.0 Front Camera
50MP f/2.0 Front Camera
50MP f/2.4
IP69K IP69K IP69K
No audio jack No audio jack No audio jack
Audio Stereo Audio Stereo Audio Stereo
6700 mAh
Wired 80W 7000 mAh
Wired 80W 7000 mAh
Wired 80W
ColorOS 16, Android 16
Updates
5+6 Years MagicOS 10, Android 16
Updates
6+6 Years Realme UI 7.0, Android 16
Updates
4+6 Years
Launched
July 2026 Launched
April 2026 Launched
April 2026
RM 2699 (8/256GB)
RM 2999 (12/256GB) RM 2599 (12/512GB) RM 2,399 (12/512GB)
What In the Box
Here is what was included in the box we received:
1 x Oppo Reno16 5G.
1 x 80W Charger Head.
1 x USB-C to USB-A Cable.
1 x Silicone Case.
1 x User Manual.
1 x SIM Pin.
Conclusion
After a few days of using the OPPO Reno16, I can say that the experience of using this device is not too different from the Reno13 and Reno15 F models that I have tried before. However, this time OPPO is trying to provide something a little different by offering a brand new design and also interesting camera features.
In terms of performance, it is also not the best but it is enough for normal daily use. If you are still using the Reno14 or Reno15, you do not need to worry about upgrading to the Reno16 because the experience you get is probably the same.
Pros
Compact body is comfortable in the hand and lightweight.
Brand new design.
Quality and beautiful screen.
Improved camera performance.
Smooth ColorOS 16 based on Android 16.
Long-lasting battery with 80W SUPERVOOC charging.
5 Android version updates and 6 years of security patches.
Cons
Not the most powerful device in its class.
Camera nighttime performance is less than satisfactory.
Relatively high selling price.
Not much difference from the previous model.
