OPPO Reno12 F 4G: Can the AI features truly elevate the mid-range experience?

The Chinese smartphone brand OPPO has launched its mid-range smartphone, the OPPO Reno12 F 4G, in Nepal. The Reno12 F 4G is the successor of last year’s OPPO Reno11 F. The Reno12 F is available in two variants this year, 4G and 5G, from which only the 4G version is launched in Nepal. The Reno11 F was available in a single 5G variant and was a tough competitor in the smartphone market under Rs 50,000 in Nepal.

The Reno12 F 4G and 5G models differ in dimensions, chipset, fingerprint sensor, and connectivity features. The 5G version includes the MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, while the Snapdragon 685 chipset powers the 4G version. Additionally, the Reno12 F 4G differs from the Reno11 F 5G in various aspects, including build, display features, chipset, camera, and connectivity options.

The Reno12 F now comes equipped with AI features designed to enhance the user experience. While the inclusion of AI is certainly a positive, the use of an older Snapdragon chipset at a slightly higher price point has caused some confusion among smartphone enthusiasts in Nepal. In terms of competition, the Reno12 F 4G will go head-to-head with models like the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G, Vivo V40 Lite, OnePlus Nord CE 4 Lite, Redmi Note 13 Pro, Honor X9a, and the CMF Phone 1, all within a similar price range in Nepal.

Let us see what the smartphone offers in terms of specifications.

Specifications of the OPPO Reno12 F 4G

Design

The design of the OPPO Reno12 F 4G is very different from its predecessor, the Reno11 F 5G. The Reno12 F has a round, circular camera module at the back instead of the rectangular camera module on the Reno11 F. The design of the Reno12 F has an inspiration from OPPO’s flagship smartphone, the Find X8 Pro.

The circular ring inside of the camera has a halo ring light that lights up in a colourful manner. It can be customised with different colours and patterns to suit the user’s style. The Halo Light lights up for notifications, calls, charging, or to match the music, adding a unique and stylish touch to the phone’s design.

The back of the Reno12 F 4G is made of durable plastic with a solid build quality. Its matte finish provides a premium appearance, while the shiny alloy frame adds extra rigidity and sturdiness. Additionally, the rounded edges ensure a comfortable grip for easy handling. The front of the smartphone has equal bezels all around the display with a hole-punch cutout at the centre for the selfie camera. It features a 6.67-inch AMOLED display with a sharp FHD+ resolution (2400 × 1080) and a pixel density of 394 PPI. It offers smooth visuals with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, adjustable to 60Hz, and a touch sampling rate of up to 180Hz for quick and responsive interactions.

The display supports vibrant colours with 100% DCI-P3 coverage in Vivid Mode and 100% sRGB in Natural Mode. It delivers brightness levels up to 600 nits in normal conditions and up to 1200 nits in High Brightness Mode (HBM), ensuring proper visibility even under bright light. It has a screen-to-body ratio of 92.2% and support for 16.7 million colours. The screen is protected by AGC DT-Star2 glass for durability and is rated IP64 for dust and water resistance, adding an extra layer of reliability.

Performance and Storage

The OPPO Reno12 F 4G is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 chipset, built on a 6nm process. Its octa-core CPU includes four Cortex-A73 cores clocked at 2.8 GHz for handling demanding tasks and four Cortex-A53 cores at 1.9 GHz for everyday use. The Adreno 610 GPU ensures decent graphics performance, which is suitable for casual gaming and multimedia experiences. As for the operating system, it runs on ColorOS 14.0 based on Android 14, offering a user-friendly and customisable software experience.

As for memory options, the smartphone is available with 8 GB of RAM, which is paired up with 256 GB of internal storage.

Camera

The OPPO Reno12 F 4G has a triple camera setup on the rear, featuring a 50MP main camera with an f/1.8 aperture and a 76° field of view for detailed and clear photos. It also includes an 8MP ultra-wide-angle camera with a 112° field of view and an f/2.2 aperture. The third camera is a 2MP macro camera with an f/2.4 aperture and a minimum focus distance for detailed close-up shots. The main camera supports autofocus with an open-loop focus motor, whereas optical image stabilisation (OIS) is not included.

The rear camera offers various shooting modes, including Photo, Video, Night, Pro, Pano, Portrait, Time-lapse, Slo-mo, Text Scanner, Extra HD, Macro, and sticker. This wide range of modes provides users with creative options for photography and videography. For video, the rear camera supports recording at 1080p and 720p at 30 fps, with slo-mo videos at 720p at 120 fps and time-lapse at 1080p at 30 fps. It also offers a dual-view video mode at 720p at 30fps, although video stabilisation is not supported.

On the front, the Reno12 F 4G has a 32MP selfie camera with an f/2.4 aperture and an 82° field of view, delivering sharp and vibrant selfies. The front camera can record videos up to 1080p and 720p at 30 fps, with video zoom available. However, advanced features like 1080p@60fps recording, video stabilisation, and slow motion for the front camera are not included. The front camera supports Photo, Video, Night, Pano, Portrait, Time-lapse, and Sticker modes.

AI Features

The OPPO Reno12 F 4G comes packed with AI-powered features to enhance your experience. Its AI Scene Recognition optimises camera settings for various scenes like landscapes, portraits, and food, while AI Beautification enhances selfies with natural-looking edits. AI Portrait Mode adds a professional bokeh effect for standout portraits, and AI Super Night Mode ensures bright and clear photos in low-light conditions.

For gamers, the AI Game Booster manages system resources for smooth gameplay and better battery life. Additionally, the AI Smart Assistant personalises recommendations and automates tasks, making daily usage more convenient and efficient.

Battery and Others

The OPPO Reno12 F 4G is equipped with a large 5000mAh battery that ensures long-lasting usage for your daily tasks and entertainment. It supports 45W wired charging with PD2.0 and PPS technology, allowing for fast and efficient recharging. It also has reverse wired charging, making it convenient to charge other devices when needed.

In terms of connectivity, the Reno12 F 4G supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0 for smooth wireless communication. It operates on LTE networks and features dual Nano SIM support, providing flexibility for users who need two numbers or networks on one device. The stereo speakers deliver clear and immersive sound for calls, music, and videos. The smartphone includes various sensors for enhanced functionality, such as a geomagnetic sensor, gravity sensor, pedometer, and in-display proximity and light sensors. It also features a side-mounted fingerprint sensor for quick and secure unlocking.

The OPPO Reno12 F 4G is available in three colour options: Amber Orange, Olive Green, and Matte Grey.

The OPPO Reno12 F 4G is official in Nepal at Rs 39,999 for the available 8GB RAM and 256GB storage option.