OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G – top of its class (smartphone review)

The OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G revitalises this OPPO sub-brand that has not been updated since the Reno4 series. It is well-received by Australians that want more than OPPO’s A-series and less than the Find X-series.

The phone does most things right – AMOLED screen, Qualcomm SD695 5G (that is very similar in performance to the older flagship SD845), a ‘portrait camera’ (50+2+2 and Bokeh Flare) and a new gimmick- dual orbit lights (LED light rings around the primary and depth sensors).

Add to that OPPO build quality, Australia-wide service and a decent 2-year warranty, and it is a winner. But as you will see, the smartphone market is crowded and competitive with many choices.

OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G, 8/128GB, CPH2343, Dual hybrid sim with microSD

WebsiteProduct page
Price$599
ColoursRainbow Spectrum and Cosmic Black
FromHarvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Bing Lee, Big W, Woolworths Mobile, Catch.com.au, TeleChoice, Australia Post
Warranty2-years ACL
Country of OriginChina
CompanyOPPO is now #2 in Australia for Android smartphone market share. It has achieved that through excellent product and after-sales service.
MoreCyberShack OPPO news and reviews

We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

First impression – Applesque – Pass+

At first glance, the OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G is very Applesque – flat back, sides, screen, and big, round camera sensors. But that is what its primary market wants – Apple-like with Android benefits.

The philosophy builds on the OPPO Watch – the best all-around Google Wear smartwatch (review) that is probably the best Android Wear watch with a huge square screen (a.k.a. Apple Watch) and its OPPO Enco series earphones – Buds, Air, Free2, and X – too good to ignore (review) that in many ways are Android equals to the AirPods gen 2 and 3 and Pro.

The new things here are two orbit lights – LED ring lights around two rear camera sensors. Add to that an AMOLED screen, Qualcomm SD769 5G and OPPO camera smarts, and it is a pretty good package.

Market Position – mid-range with benefits

  • AMOLED 2400x1080p screen
  • Qualcomm SD695 5G
  • 8/128GB and microSD to 1TB
  • Dual Sim (hybrid shared slot)
  • 3.5mm 3-pole jack
  • Incredibly strong phone signal reception strength good for all areas
  • Typical use Battery life of 20 hours plus – two days
  • Decent 50+2+2MP rear and 16MP front camera

At $599, its nearest competitor is the $649 OPPO Find X5 Lite – uber-value (review) and $549 Samsung A53 5G – a decent 5G smartphone (review). Motorola has its Edge 30 at $699, but OPPO owns the <$600 price bracket.

Screen – 2400 x 1080, 60Hz, AMOLED – Pass+

It is a 6.43″ fixed 60Hz refresh with an upper left selfie hole. Colours are relatively accurate, and typical brightness is 430nits with maximum of 600. Being AMOLED, contrast is infinite. It has L1 Widevine for Netflix et al., FHD SDR and will support HDR10 content.

Our only comment is that stepped 60/90Hz, or variable refresh is more common (not at this price), but as it does not focus on gamers, this is fine.

Processor – Qualcomm SD695 5G – Pass+

It is the latest and fastest 6-series and performs like a Flagship SD845 of a couple of years ago.

The RAM is 8GB (heaps), plus you can swap an extra virtual 5G ram from storage. The SSD is fast, and you can fit up to a 1TB microSD (shared with a hybrid dual sim).

As with all OPPOs, thermal management is excellent, and it barely throttled 5% over 15 minutes under 100% load.

Gamers should get 50-60fps on medium settings – more for casual gamers.

Comms – Wi-Fi 5 AC, BT 5.1, and NFC – Pass+

It has a very strong antenna design giving it excellent Wi-Fi signal strength out to 19m+ on the 5Ghz band. BT 5.1 supports multipoint and up to 30m signal distance. NFC is expected at this price.

Phone – 4G and 5G – Incredibly strong – Exceed

It has a hybrid dual sim (one slot is microSD or sim). Not only does it find the four closest towers (few others do), the phone’s signal strength is incredible, reaching 20pW (picowatt). Even the fourth, furthest tower away records pW strength signals. It is for the city, suburbs, regional and rural use.

Battery – 20 hours typical use and nearly 29 hours video loop – Exceed

PC Mark 3.0 battery test gives an indication of general office use, and 20 hours is excellent. The video look is nearly 29 hours (50% brightness and sound). If you run it at 100% load, with the screen on, it is a creditable 5 hours.

But (and Samsung can learn from this) it comes with a 33W (5V/2A/10W and 5-11V/3A/33W PD charger for a full battery in one hour and four minutes!

Sound – mono – Pass

It has a mono earpiece for calls and a mono down-firing speaker for hands-free. The maximum volume is 84dB. It is not fair to compare mono devices to stereo as the focus must be on clear voice – not music.

But it has a 3.5mm 3-pole earphone/mic port and Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.1, which gives you SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX TWS+ audio and LDAC. It is perfect for BT headphones, and the wide choice of codecs makes this aspect Exceed.

Hands-free is good with dual mics and some noise cancelling.

Build – Better than most – Exceed

Toughened glass front and plastic back and frame are well made and have a nice feel in hand. OPPO’s strength is its two-year warranty and excellent after-sales support.

The fingerprint reader is optical under glass – it works very well.

Android 11 and should get 12 – Pass

Reno gets three years of quarterly security updates. It is a little disappointing that it comes with Android 11.

Camera – One sensor/lens does most of the work – Pass+

The primary sensor/lens is 64MP, that bins to 16MP – the real post-processed result. This has a 2MP bokeh depth sensor and a 2MP macro sensor. It is missing wide angle, ultrawide angle or telephoto. The front selfie is 16MP (no binning).

Interestingly this ‘platform’ is used in several OPPO (and other brands) models, and the motherboard supports 20 different camera sensors (a supply chain sign of the times). I think we got the best setup in the OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G.

  • 1X Day (well, a slightly overcast one): Primary sensor – the colours are accurate, natural, and good dynamic range. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights.
  • 2X Day: Primary sensor – perfect shot as per 1x
  • 5X Day: Primary sensor – terrific detail for 5X digital zoom and the barest hint of background noise
  • 6X Day: Primary sensor: as per 5X
  • Ultra-wide: N/A
  • Macro: The primary sensor can take macro shots at 4cm. It is OK, but it is critical to get the focal length correct
  • Indoor office light: Perfect, crisp details, bright shots, and accurate colours
  • Bokeh Depth: A 2MP sensor helps for bokeh shots, and the subject is colour accurate and bright, and the background is suitably blurred. There is a Bokeh Flare setting that creatively blurs background lights
  • Dark <40 lumens: The standard (not night mode) takes great shots with good colour and some detail. Night mode improves the detail and saturates the colour without adding a lot of noise
  • Selfie: The MP selfie has natural skin tones and details and a range of filters to enhance any image.
  • Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 1080p@30fps with some Qualcomm EIS (Electronic Image Stabilisation crops the image to the horizon) for a reasonably stable image.

Test shots

CyberShack’s view – OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G owns the $599 space

For the price, it is an excellent Qualcomm Snapdragon device, has a terrific camera, long battery life (and a 33W charger inbox), incredible phone reception and Applesque enough to make people think it is one. Buy the Rainbow Spectrum colour even if you use the clear bumper case provided.

Other reviews have mentioned the Samsung A53 and A73 as competitors. While both are excellent phones with AMOLED screens, the OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G is $50 dearer than the A53 and offers more RAM and a QUALCOMM SD. It is closer to the A73 ($699), which has an SD778 5G SoC but 6GB RAM. Don’t forget the OPPO has a 33W charger, and Samsung is 25W capable but does not supply a charger.

The OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G gets our unreserved buy recommendation.

OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G CPH2343

BrandOPPO
ModelReno8 Lite 5G
Model NumberCPH2343
Price Base8/128
   Price base$599
Warranty months24-months ACL
 TierUpper Mid-range
WebsiteProduct Page
FromHarvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Officeworks, Bing Lee, Big W, Woolworths Mobile, Catch.com.au, TeleChoice, Australia Post
Country of OriginChina
CompanyOPPO is now #2 in Australia for Android smartphone market share. It has achieved that through excellent product and after-sales service.
Test date1-18/07/2022
Ambient temp9-15°
ReleaseJun-22
Other models not for Australia (Don’t buy)Reno7 Lite 5G, Reno 7 Z 5G, OPPO F21 Pro 5G, 12GB models, Champagne Silver colours, OnePlus Nord 20 5G, Single Sim

Screen

Size6.43″
TypeAMOLED
Flat, Curve, 2D, 3DFlat
Resolution2400×1080
PPI409
Ratio20:9
Screen to Body %90.8
Colours bits8-bit 16.7m colours
Refresh Hz60Hz fixed
Touch Response120Hz 5-finger, 180Hz 2 finger
Nits typical (test)430 (tested 435)
Nits max (test)600 HBM (tested 602)
ContrastInfinite – OLED
sRGBGentle 100+%
DCI-P3Vivid 93% of the 16.7m colour gamut
Rec.2020 or other97% NTSC
Delta E
(<4 is excellent)
2
HDR LevelClaims HDR10 but downmixed to panels SDR capability
SDR UpscaleNo
Blue light controlYes
PWM if known250Hz
Daylight readableYes
Always on DisplayYes
Edge displayYes
AccessibilityUsual Android features
DRML1 for FHD SDR playback
Gaming40fps at best
G-t-G 3ms
Screen protection
CommentExcellent bright, reasonably colour accurate screen. It is a shame it is not adaptive refresh, but it is not aimed at gamers.

Processor

Brand, ModelQualcomm SD695
nm6
Cores2 x 2.21GHz and 6 x 1.8GHz
ModemX51 5G
AI TOPSEstimate 10 TOPS
Geekbench 5 Single-core688
Geekbench 5 multi-core1997
LikeSimilar to older flagship SD845
GPUAdreno 619 840Mhz
GPU Test
Open CL1380
LikeSimilar to SD845
Vulcan1158
RAM, type8 LPDDR4X, 2133, 2 x 16bit but can swap up to 5GB virtual from storage
Storage, free, type128GB UFS 2.2 (92GB free)
micro-SDUp to 1TB
CPDT internal seq. Read MBps519
CPDT internal seq. write MBps475
CPDT microSD read, write MBps78/34 mountable
CPDT external (mountable?) MBps27/26 OTG
CommentAll are fit for purpose. Casual gamers only.
Throttle test
Max GIPS190,726
Average GIPS186,148
Minimum GIPS176,230
% Throttle5%
CPU Temp52
CommentExcellent thermal management

Comms

Wi-Fi Type, modelWi-Fi 5 AC supports Wi-Fi display and tethering
Test 2m -dBm, Mbps-20/433 – All very strong antenna signal strength
Test 5m-36/433
Test 10m-49/433
BT Type5.1
GPS single, dualDual
USB typeUSB-C 2.0 480Mbps
Alt DP, DeX, Ready ForNo, Wi-Fi casting and Chromecast
NFCYes
Ultra-widebandNo
Sensors
   AccelerometerYes -combo with Gyro is very sensitive
   GyroYes -combo with Gyro is very sensitive
   e-CompassYes
   Barometer
   GravityYes
   Pedometer
   Ambient lightYes
   Hall sensor
   ProximityYes
   OtherPedometer
CommentWi-Fi 5 AC is strong and keeps signal well to 10m

LTE and 5G

SIMHybrid Dual sim (retail model) shared with microSD
   ActiveOnly one active at a time
Ring tone single, dualSingle
VoLTECarrier dependent
Wi-Fi callingCarrier dependent
4G Bands1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 66
CommentAll Australian 4G bands
5G sub-6GhzN1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 26, 28, 38, 39, 40, 41, 77, 78
CommentAll Australian sub-6Ghz and low-bands
mmWaveN/A
Test Boost Mobile, Telstra
   UL, DL, ms25/17/38ms
   Tower 1 -dBm, fW or pW-70/2.5 to 20pW
   Tower 2-88/1.6 to 3.2pW
   Tower 3-89/1.6 to 3.2pW
   Tower 4-84/2.4 to 4.2pW
CommentThis has exceptionally strong signal strength and would be great for city, suburbs, regional and rural use

Battery

mAh4500mAh single battery
Charger, type, supplied33W SUPERVOOC 5V/2A/10W or 5-11V/3A (33W) – charges at 4.741A
 PD, QC levelPD capable – Overcharge protection may influence results
Qi, wattageNo
Reverse Qi or cableNo
Test (60Hz screen)
   Charge % 30mins52%
   Charge 0-100%1 hour 4 minutes
   Charge Qi, WN/A
   Charge 5V, 2A4.5 hours
   Video loop 50%, aeroplane28 Hours 31 minutes
   PC Mark 3 battery20 hours 37 minutes
Accubattery 19 hours mixed use
   GFX Bench Manhattan battery371.8 min (6.2 hours) 1881 frames
   GFX Bench T-Rex518.1 min (8.64 hours) 3357 frames
   Drain 100-0%
full load screen on
5 hours (confirmed by Accubattery)
   mA full load1050
   mA idle Screen on380-450
   Estimate loss at max refreshN/A – Fixed refresh 60Hz
   Estimate typical useTwo days at typical use
CommentExcellent battery life and a fast 33W charger make this a class-leader

Sound

SpeakersEarpiece and mono down-fixing speaker
TuningNo
AMPTFA9879 NPX Class-D stereo digital amp and DSP 1.6/2.65W@8/4Ω .02% THD
Dolby Atmos decodeNo
Hi-ResNo
3.5mmYes
BT CodecsSBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX TWS+ audio and LDAC
MultipointShould support it
Dolby Atmos (DA)No
EQReal original Sound EQ – smart, movie, game, music and useless for a mono device
Mics2 with some noise-cancellation
Test dB – all on EQ flat DA off
   Volume max84
   Media (music)70
   Ring83
   Alarm83
   Notifications80
   Earpiece55
   Hands-freeDecent hands-free and has 2 mics for some wind noise reduction
   BT headphonesExcellent separation and volume with Qualcomm codec set
Sound quality
Deep Bass 20-40HzNil
Middle Bass 40-100HzNil
High Bass 100-200HzSlowly building
Low Mid 200-400HzSlowly building
Mid 4000-1000HzSlowly building
High-Mid 1-2kHzFlat
Low Treble 2-4kHzFlat
Mid Treble 4-6kHzFlat
High Treble 6-10kHzSteep decline
Dog Whistle 10-20kHzSteep decline
Sound Signature typeMid-centric for clear voice. Missing all the important bass so that this is muddy and missing all the important treble, so there is little character and directionality.
   SoundstageMono
CommentGood for voice but not for music

Build

Size (H x W x D)159.85 x 73.17 x 7.5mm
Weight grams173g
Front glassSchott Xensation Up. Chemically strengthened lithium aluminosilicate (LAS) cover glass is similar to GG5 for scratch and drop resistance.
Rear materialPMMA
FramePlastic
IP ratingIPX4
ColoursRainbow Spectrum
Cosmic Black
Pen, Stylus supportNo
In the box
   Charger33W SUPERVOOC
   USB cableUSB-A to USB-C SuperVooc m3A capable
   BudsNo
   Bumper coverYes
CommentOPPO leads this class with a 33W charger – it is fast.

OS

Android11 and all Google Apps
Security patch date1/06/2022
UIColorOS 1.2
OS upgrade policyShould get Android 12
Security patch policyReno gets 3-years of quarterly updates
BloatwareAmazon, Bookings.com, Facebook, Games, LinkedIn, Netflix, PUGB Mobile Gift Box, Soloop, TikTok and OPPO alternatives to Google Apps
Security
Fingerprint sensor location, typeOptical under glass
Face IDYes 2D
OtherOPPO ColorOS has advanced security features
CommentColorOS is a light touch over Android, and this version is for Android 12

OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G Camera

Rear PrimaryWide
  MP64MP bins to 16MP
   SensorOmnivision OV64B
   FocusAF Open loop motor
   f-stop1.7
   um.7 bins to 1.4
  FOV° (stated, actual)80.6 (69-81.3)
   StabilisationQualcomm 5.3x crop EIS only
   Zoom6X digital
Rear 2Macro
   MP2
   SensorGalaxy Core GC02m
   FocusFF
   f-stop2.4
   um1.75
  FOV (stated, actual)89
   StabilisationNo
   ZoomNo
Rear 3Depth
   MP2
   SensorGalaxy Core GC02m
   FocusFF
   f-stop2.4
   um1.75
  FOV (stated, actual)89
   StabilisationNo
   ZoomNo
Special
   Video max1080p@30fps and Qualcomm EIS
   FlashYes
   Auto-HDRPrimary lens
Photo, Video, Night, Expert, Panoramic, Portrait, Time-lapse, Text scanner, and Sticker
   QR code readerVia Google Lens
   Night modeAI

Front

  MP16
   SensorOV15A1/Sony IMX481/Sony IMX519
   Focus
   f-stop2.4
   um1
  FOV (stated, actual)79 (67.8-80.1)
   Stabilisation
   FlashScreen fill
   Zoom6x digital
   Video max1080p@30fps
    FeaturesPhoto, Video, Panoramic, Portrait, Night, Time-lapse, Sticker
Camera comment
• 1X Day (well, a slightly overcast one): Primary sensor – the colours are accurate, natural, and good dynamic range. Good details in the background, shadows, and highlights.
• 2X Day: Primary sensor – perfect shot as per 1x
• 5X Day: Primary sensor – terrific detail for 5X digital zoom and the barest hint of background noise
• 6X Day: Primary sensor: as per 5X
• Ultra-wide: N/A
• Macro: The primary sensor can take macro shots at 4cm. It is OK, but it is critical to get the focal length correct
• Indoor office light: Perfect, crisp details, bright shot, and accurate colours
• Bokeh Depth: A 2MP sensor helps for bokeh shots, and the subject is colour accurate and bright, and the background is suitably blurred. There is a Bokeh Flare setting that creatively blurs background lights
• Dark <40 lumens: The standard (not night mode) takes great shots with good colour and some detail. Night mode improves the detail and saturates the colour without adding a lot of noise
• Selfie: The MP selfie has natural skin tones and details and a range of filters to enhance any image.
• Video (we are not video experts): You can shoot at 1080p@30fps with some Qualcomm EIS (Electronic Image Stabilisation crops the image to the horizon) for a reasonably stable image.

Ratings

Features8.5
It has everything you need
Value9
At $599, it owns the <$600 market
Performance8
Solid performance, no lag and 8/128GB fast ram and storage
Ease of Use8.5
We hope to see Android 12 or 13, but three years of security patches compensate.
Design8.5
It is very Applesque. It is the Toyota Camry – the ideal 5G phone at a sweet-spot price, proving you don’t need to spend more (unless you want to).
Rating out of 108.5

OPPO Reno8 Lite 5G

$599
8.5

Feature

8.5/10

Value

9.0/10

Performance

8.0/10

Ease of Use

8.5/10

Design

8.5/10

Pros

  • Adequate performance - not for gamers
  • Large, bright, reasonably colour accurate AMOLED screen
  • Superb battery life and 33W fast charge
  • Excellent quality build and 2-year warranty with local support
  • The front and rear cameras are excellent for point and shoot in day or night

Cons

  • Mono speaker - use earphones for music
  • Android 11 (maybe 12)
  • Must use the OPPO 33W SUPERVOOC charger and cable to reach charge speeds
  • 60Hz fixed refresh rate screen
  • IPX4 is rain and sweat resistant