OPPO Reno 6 5G Review: Proves Why User Experience Matters

Sudarshan Ravichandran — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 14:30:19 +0000

OPPO announced the OPPO Reno 6 5G alongside the OPPO Reno 6 Pro 5G in India in mid-July. The device is on sale in the country since the end of July. It is ₹10,000 cheaper than the Pro model and offers almost all the features of its bigger sibling with some exceptions.

So is it really a better option of the two? Let’s find out the answer in my review.

OPPO Reno 6 5G Review

Disclaimer:

This review of OPPO Reno 6 5G is based on the author’s first-hand experience with a review unit loaned by OPPO India. The opinions stated here are the author’s alone.

The smartphone was running ColorOS 11.3 based on Android 11 with firmware version CPH2251_11_A.14 throughout the review period.

This review will be divided into the following two sections.

The usual vanilla model dilemma
Why does user experience matters?

The usual vanilla model dilemma

The OPPO Reno 6 5G is the smaller sibling of the OPPO Reno 6 Pro 5G that I reviewed back in July. The phone shares its DNA with the expensive model. However, to keep the price down, it arrives with an inferior set of specs.

Hence, there’s a dilemma whether you should save some bucks by opting for the vanilla model or go all-in for the Pro variant.

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The OPPO Reno 6 has a smaller 6.43-inch flat AMOLED display with a resolution of 2400 x 1080 pixels (FHD+), a 90Hz refresh rate, and good sunlight visibility with up to 750 nits peak brightness. The panel resolution is fine for the asking price, but the refresh rate isn’t, given the competitors offer a 120Hz refresh rate.

Since the Pro model itself comes with the same refresh rate, I don’t find this as a con. Above all, 90Hz is enough to experience smoothness throughout the UI. A normal user won’t find a significant difference between 90Hz and 120Hz or more refresh rates.

Personally, I liked the curved display on the Reno 6 Pro as opposed to a flat-screen on the Reno 6. Because curved screens enable a better experience for gesture controls.

Talking about the design, although the vanilla Reno 6 features the same OPPO Reno Glow design as its costlier brother, there’s a distinction between the two. The AG glass on both phones look identical with a similar hue, but they feel different in your hand.

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Both devices have crystal structures on the rear, but the ones on the Pro variant are more prominent. In other words, you can sort of feel the crystals while holding the Reno 6 Pro. At least, that’s what I remember from my experience. The same cannot be said for the vanilla Reno 6.

Additionally, I felt more comfortable holding the Reno 6 Pro. Because the curved rear and front of the phone with a thin frame nested in my hands without the sharp sensation, which I felt while holding the Reno 6.

Though the iPhone 12/13 series-like metal frame on the Reno 6 offers good grip, my preference is towards the plastic frame on the Reno 6 Pro.

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But there’s one thing that I don’t like about these two handsets. That’s none other than their cameras. The Reno 6 not only has a near-identical camera setup, but also a very similar processing standard.

It features the same 64MP primary sensor, 8MP ultra-wide shooter, 2MP macro snapper, and 32MP selfie camera from the Reno 6 Pro. The only lens it misses is the 2MP monochrome sensor.

The output from these cameras is average, just like the cameras of Reno 6 Pro. This applies to both still photography and videography. Thankfully, OPPO appears to have fixed the issue with brightness with new system updates. Users need not fiddle with the slider to adjust brightness every time they click pictures.

Another noticeable improvement is in skin color tones. They are better than earlier, but not perfect. Hopefully, we will finally get to see true-to-life skin color tones from the cameras of Reno phones in the near future.

At the end of the day, the cameras need further improvements. Perhaps, we might see more refinements in the subsequent OTA software updates.

Coming to the performance, the MediaTek Dimensity 900 inside this handset is comparable to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 768G present inside the devices like iQOO Z3 5G. It is capable of playing high-end games in average graphic settings.

It has the same optimization issues in games as I faced on the MediaTek Dimensity 1200-powered Reno 6 Pro. This restricts the phone from utilizing the silicon’s true potential. However, I did not face any performance issues in day-to-day usage.

Now, as I am done talking about where the phone has cut corners, let’s take a look at why this smartphone matters despite its shortcomings.

Why does user experience matters?

A few years back, smartphones were all about specifications. When I was a high schooler and in my early days of college, even I was obsessed with specs. But I eventually realized that the decision of buying any device should not be solely dependent on specifications and features, rather it should be based on day-to-day user experience. Let me explain this using the OPPO Reno 6 5G.

The Reno 6 has its shortcomings, as discussed above, but that doesn’t make it a bad purchase. Because it offers certain things that can be experienced only by using the handset yourself.

The hardware powering the device is nothing without the software that users interact with. The Reno 6 nails this with ColorOS 11.3 based on Android 11. I never felt that I was using a mid-range smartphone. The phone felt as smooth as its more expensive OPPO Reno 6 Pro 5G sibling.

The only noticeable difference for me at least was the app opening times. A random user wouldn’t know this unless they have used smartphones with more powerful processors.

That said, the software is not perfect because of a few reasons. The ‘Browser’ and the ‘Theme Store’ throw push notifications every day though I have never opened these applications even once. Then, there’s the ‘Hot Apps’ apps recommendation folder that neither can be uninstalled nor disabled.

There are also several preloaded apps, in addition to Google Phone and Google Messages, instead of stock ColorOS Contacts and Messages applications.

I am not against OEMs using Google Phone and Google Messages because of the ‘call recording notification’ that most people detest. I don’t like them because they look out of place on an Android skin that’s not designed by Google.

As far as the connectivity is concerned, the device has a dual-SIM card slot that offers 5G connectivity. It has support for 13 5G bands and therefore, users need not worry about compatibility when the networks go live in India in the future.

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Then, there’s VoLTE, VoWiFi, dual-band WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC, and a USB Type-C port. The internet experience through both WiFi and 4G mobile data is seamless. I didn’t face any call drops either. Also, the connection with Bluetooth earphones remained stable without any issue.

The earpiece and microphone perform well, as they should. The performance of the mono speaker is good, but it could have been even better with a stereo setup.

The best thing about the OPPO Reno 6 5G is its endurance. The phone can easily last for two days on moderate usage that does not involve gaming.

The standby performance is also fantastic. It’s difficult to kill this handset’s battery in a day unless you game or use cameras extensively.

Even if it dies, the battery can be fueled up in around 30 minutes, thanks to SuperVOOC 2.0 fast charging protocol. The smartphone not only ships with the required charger and cable, but also a pair of USB Type-C earphones and a transparent silicone case.

In a nutshell, customers get everything out of the box. They even need not invest in a screen protector as soon as they make the purchase. Because the handset comes with a basic screen protector pre-applied.

The only thing that hampers user experience on the Reno 6 is its haptics. OPPO shouldn’t have cut corners on this one. The haptics from the Reno 6 Pro should have been retained.

Now you know why day-to-day experience matters more than the specs. It is not a pleasure to use a smartphone without these traits. Hence, I personally prefer using a mid-range device with a good user experience rather than investing in a phone with powerful specs that lack crucial attributes discussed above.

Conclusion

Just like the OPPO Reno 6 Pro 5G, the OPPO Reno 6 5G is not meant for everyone. If you are one of those customers who value user experience over specifications and features, then you should definitely consider checking out this handset.

On the other hand, I certainly do not recommend this phone to those looking for a device for gaming or cameras. There are better options in this price segment for these purposes.

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