Priced starting at ₹37,999, the Reno13 is certainly not inexpensive, but it has so much going for it that the price is justified, in my opinion.
Let’s start with the design. The Reno13 comes in two colours, Luminous Blue and Ivory White.
The latter is said to feature an engraved pattern that changes depending on how light hits it. But the Lumious Blue colour is where the design really impresses — it feels more like a fashion statement than a smartphone colour choice.
The cherry on the top? The Reno13 is no slouch, either in performance, battery, or cameras.
Let’s dive in.
The design
The Luminous Blue variant is a visual treat, with a glowing effect surrounding the camera module. OPPO says it achieved this effect through a combination of offset printing and a super-reflective coating, which create a faint outline that changes with the light.
The back panel uses anti-glare glossy-matte glass, which feels nice to touch and doesn’t smudge easily. You need to have really greasy digits to leave a mark, but even that can be wiped off easily.
The Reno13 5G is thin at 7.29mm and weighs 181g, which makes it easy to hold and carry around. It has a sturdy frame made of aerospace-grade aluminium and a one-piece sculpted glass back, which gives it a seamless look. What’s more, the phone has IP66, IP68, and IP69 ratings, so it can handle dust, splashes, and even strong water jets at extreme temperatures, though I was understandably hesitant to put it to the test on my review unit.
The display
The Reno13 model sports an ‘Infinite View Screen’ with super-thin bezels, making for an immersive viewing experience. Its 6.59-inch 120Hz smart adaptive screen shows off a 1.5K resolution (1,256×2,760px) and 460 PPI pixel density, which means you’ll see crisp lively images and buttery smooth scrolling and animations.
Also read: OPPO Find X8 Pro Review: Flagship excellence
On the brightness front, the Reno13 boasts 1,200 nits of peak brightness, which is adequate under bright light. It also uses high-frequency PWM dimming at 3,840Hz and has a hardware-based low-blue-light feature to reduce eye strain.
The performance
The Reno13 5G runs on a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 processor, which uses a 4nm process. This chip packs a punch — you’ll notice few slowdowns when playing games, running multiple apps, or using resource intensive AI features.
The phone comes with a 5,600mAh battery, which translates into at least a full day of moderate usage with quite a bit left in the tank. Should you run out, the included 80W fast charger can top up the phone in minutes. In my testing, the phone was charged from 0% to 100% in just under 50 minutes, which is plenty quick for most people.
Cameras
The Reno13 5G comes with three cameras: A 50MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera, and a 2MP monochrome camera. This setup gives users plenty of options for taking photos. The phone also has AI features that improve image quality — during shooting or in post — such as AI LivePhoto, AI Clarity Enhancer, and AI Reflection Remover. I’m really glad about that last feature, which I only found on Samsung smartphones. I really wish more smartphones would come with this feature.
The knockout punch that the Reno13 delivers is the underwater photography feature. Thanks to its advanced water resistance, users can take some great photos and videos up to 2 meters deep in water for half an hour.
The verdict
The OPPO Reno13 5G Luminous Blue model combines style, new ideas, and top-notch performance. The unique colour, vibrant display, strong cameras and unflinching performance should make this a shoe-in for anyone looking for a good smartphone for under ₹40,000.
Also read: OPPO Find X8 Review: A compact powerhouse
