Oppo Reno2 Z: Features | Specifications | Pricing

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Design

• Sky White or Luminous Black finishes
• 6.5-inch AMOLED display
• Notch-free design
• In-display fingerprint sensor

• Read more about the Oppo Reno2 Z's design

  Oppo's line of Reno phones is still relatively new in the market, but the Chinese manufacturer isn't taking it slow when it comes to releasing new models. You might have expected the successor to the Oppo Reno Z to be the Oppo Reno Z2, but instead it's the confusingly named Oppo Reno2 Z.

  It's a 6.5-inch, 2,340 by 1,080 pixel screened phone with an AMOLED display and absolutely no front-facing notch of any kind – no notch, holepunch or teardrop design. Instead, borrowing a design idea that Oppo's used for other phones such as the Oppo Reno 5G or Oppo Find X, the Oppo Reno2 Z uses a pop-up module to hide its front-facing camera.

  There's also no fingerprint sensor around the back; instead it uses a sensor hidden underneath the front glass display. That may lead to a few fingerprint smudges, but it should stay reasonably scratch-free thanks to the inclusion of Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

  In Australia, Oppo will sell the Oppo Reno2 Z in two colour variants, with the more sedate "Luminous Black" or the showy "Sky White" options to pick from.

Camera

• Quad-lens camera
• "Ultra Dark" mode for low light photography

• Read more about the Oppo Reno2 Z's camera

  Oppo has long pitched itself as the "camera phone" company, and the Oppo Reno2 Z is a good example (at least on paper) of what it does best. We've seen a few quad-camera set-ups in the premium flagship space, but not so much at mid-range price points, which is where the Oppo Reno2 Z plays.

  At the rear, you'll find a primary 48MP f/1.7 sensor, paired up with a secondary ultrawide 119-degree 8MP lens for direct shooting. Then there's a pair of 2MP f/2.4 lenses, one for monochrome capture and the other for portrait shooting. It's quite a recipe, and while pure megapixel numbers never tell the full story of a phone's camera capabilities, there's plenty of scope for creativity here.

  Oppo's particularly keen to point out the Oppo Reno2 Z's low light capabilities. It features what Oppo calls "Ultra Dark Mode", which Oppo claims can capture shots even when the ambient light dips below 1 lux in under 2.5 seconds.

  It's a serious challenger, at least in a specifications sense, for phones such as the highly regarded Google Pixel 3a.

Performance

• Helio P60 processor with 8GB RAM
• ColorOS is easy to use but won't be to everyone's taste

• Read more about the Oppo Reno2 Z's performance

  At the heart of the Oppo Reno2 Z lies the rather average Mediatek Helio P60 processor, which we've seen in a number of budget and mid-range phones recently, including the Mintt UltraMintt Y3. Oppo pairs that with 8GB of RAM, which is quite generous for a mid-range handset.

  As it has long done, the Oppo Reno2 Z will use Oppo's own "ColorOS" launcher on top of Android, in this case Android 9. Oppo's track record when it comes to updates isn't brilliant, and it would have been nicer to see it launch with Android 10 on board. If you're coming from iOS or prefer a more guided Android experience ColorOS may appeal, but fans of Android's flexibility – or those who don't like being asked for location and contacts permission on most of the in-built apps – might find it all a bit annoying.

Battery life

• 4,000mAh battery
• VOOC charging

• Read more about the Oppo Reno2 Z's battery life

  Oppo packs a 4,000mAh battery into the Oppo Reno2 Z, which again is quite a generous inclusion for a phone in this price bracket. Oppo's pitch is that it should be capable of up to 13 hours of continuous video playback, but we'll have to wait to formally test that to see how true it really is.

  Like Oppo's other phones, you also get fast wired charging capability, as long as you're using one of Oppo's own VOOC chargers. The Oppo Reno2 Z can charge up to 51% of capacity in 30 minutes if you're using the supplied VOOC charger, but naturally it'll be a little slower if you're using a more generic charger.

Early outlook

• Oppo plays well in the mid-range, but it has plenty of competition

• Read our early Oppo Reno2 Z verdict

  Oppo has always presented good – and sometimes exceptional – phones in the mid-range space, and the Oppo Reno2 Z has all the hallmarks of being a good value phone.

  However, in 2019 it has a lot of competition, because the value we're seeing in a wide range of phones at or around this price point is quite staggering. We're awaiting a review sample to put through its paces, so stay tuned.

Pricing and availability

• Available in Australia from 10 October 2019
• $499 outright

The Oppo Reno2 Z went on sale in Australia for $499 outright on 10 October from JB Hi-Fi, Kogan, The Good Guys and Officeworks. From 14 October 2019 it was also sold by Woolworths, Wireless 1, Mobile Citi, Telechoice and Catch.

Oppo Reno2 Z specifications

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