The OPPO Reno16 5G is a mid-range smartphone that combines a distinctive back cover design with fun AI features.
Its standout “3D Pop Planet” has a trippy 3D effect that has to be seen in person. Check it out at your nearest OPPO store. This effect is only available in the white version of the device. There is also the purple version that has a feather effect, and a violet version (the loaner that I got) that is plain, but still distinguished.
On the front, you get a comfortable, one-hand-friendly 6.32-inch 120Hz adaptive AMOLED display set in a sturdy aerospace-grade aluminium frame. The overall look is heavily inspired by a competitor.
Photography is a major strength of this phone. OPPO has four 50MP cameras: a main camera with optical image stabilisation, an ultra-wide lens, a 3.5x telephoto portrait lens, and a 4K-capable ultra-wide front camera. They are paired with a fun set of creative tools, including “Pop Cam” retro film filters, AI Remix moving collages, and 4K horizon-stabilised video modes. These content-creating tools are novel, but not essential.
Inside, the Reno16 5G runs on the 4nm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4 platform, supported by software optimisations the company calls AI HyperBoost 3.0 for smoother gaming and AI LinkBoost 4.0 for stronger connectivity. These are under-the-hood features that should go unnoticed when it works.
Power is handled by a large 6.7Ah silicon-carbon battery with fast 80W wired charging. The phone is also built for tough conditions, featuring a rare IP69K rating for protection against high-pressure water and dust.
The phone runs ColorOS 16, which leans heavily on context-aware AI and looks a lot like a competitor’s OS. A side-mounted “AI Snap Key” gives quick access to “AI Mind Space,” a central hub that automatically organises on-screen text, documents, and expenses. The software also includes “AI Mind Pilot,” letting users compare answers from Google Gemini, Perplexity, and ChatGPT in one place. These AI features are entertaining.
O+ Connect, on the other had takes some setting up, but is practical and useful. It enables sharing with Mac, Windows, and iOS devices.
Completing the experience is a fascinating modular accessory called the “OPPO Bubble”. This 27.5-gram magnetic add-on works as both a 1.73-inch AMOLED external display for rear-camera selfie previews and a customizable digital badge that can show user-selected images or animations on the back of the phone.
While I did not get one to review, the “OPPO Bubble” harkens back to when OPPO devices were a little bit more quirky, which is something that should be encouraged.
