In maybe the most unexpected smartphone battle of the year, we put the OPPO Reno8 Pro up against the brand-new iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the outcome was closer than you’d imagine.
While we’re always clued into the best of the best when it comes to smartphones – take a look at our Samsung Nightography camera test right here – the mid-range or value smartphone market has grabbed our attention as of late thanks to the leaps they’re making in innovation. You can find everything from folding phones to some of the best camera’s on the market for around $1000 AUD and the OPPO Reno8 Pro is the latest.
Related: Samsung S22 Ultra Tips and Tricks to Know
OPPO Reno8 Pro Camera Hardware vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max
| OPPO Reno8 Pro | iPhone 14 Pro Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 50MP, f/1.8 | 48MP, f/1.78 |
| Ultrawide camera | 8MP, f/2.2 | 12MP, f/1.78 |
| Macro camera | 2x 2MP, f/2.4 | 2x 12MP, f/2.8 3x 12MP, f/2.8 |
| Front camera | 32MP, f/2.4 | 12MP, f/1.9 |
Comparing the OPPO and iPhone on paper and the OPPO outdoes the iPhone in sheer MP. This is often the case when you’re comparing Android phones to iPhones which traditionally rely more on software than hardware. The iPhone has the OPPO beat in other categories with a greater number of megapixels in the Ultrawide and Macro cameras.
We were so impressed by the main camera on the OPPO Reno8 Pro that it spurred the idea for this article, but we haven’t been as impressed by the rest of the camera suite. We’ll be comparing images from the main camera and ultrawide camera for the purposes of this article, however, we’ll reiterate that the main camera is the only one that can keep up with the iPhone.
In the case of the OPPO, it takes advantage of Sony’s IMX766 sensor, the same one you’ll find on these devices listed here thanks to Kimovil. This is one of the best sensors to capture good amounts of light without a dedicated ‘night mode’, something that you’ll find on the flagship iPhone 14 Pro Max.
OPPO’s MariSilicon X NPU Does the Hard Work
OPPO unveiled the MariSilicon X imaging 6nm NPU in December 2021 and this is our first time testing the latest chip with a renewed focus on imaging. The standalone unit gives the Reno8 Pro 5G videography capabilities unlike anything else in the mid-range class, and while we won’t be testing the video capability in this article, expect 4K Ultra Night Video for clear, bright, and detailed videos at night, as well as 4K Ultra HDR.
To get really nerdy for a second, the ISP part of the MariSilicon X allows for 20-bit image capture with an expanded 120db dynamic range (four times broader than on the X3 Pro). Remember when we said this is flagship-level capabilities in a mid-range smartphone? It’s these hardware features that add together to create a real ‘flagship level’ experience for the end user.
Related: Apple iPhone 14 Australia: Release Date, Price, Features Revealed
OPPO Reno8 Pro Camera Software vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max
The OPPO Reno8 Pro gets outdone by the iPhone 14 Pro in the software category but still boasts a handful of imaging software features, including Bokeh Flare Portrait to blur the background for selfies, Selfie HDR, AI Palettes, AI Color Portrait, and Portrait Retouching. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a dedicated night mode, however, the large sensor does make up for a lot of the low-light performance loss.
Related: Motorola’s New Edge 30 Smartphones Redefine ‘Fast Charging’
OPPO Reno8 Pro Images vs. iPhone 14 Pro Max
Now it’s time for the main event, we’ve included some side-by-side imagery from the iPhone 14 Pro Max and Oppo Reno8 Pro 5G below. You’ll notice the sharpness of the image drops off quite dramatically when using the Ultrawide on the Oppo, however, the main 50MP camera does a good job of keeping up with the iPhone.
When you consider the $600 price difference between the two phones we were very impressed by the OPPO, particularly its ability to capture a bright image around sunset whereas the iPhone struggled to choose an exposure length in the lowlight conditions.
Where Can You Buy the OPPO Reno8 Pro?
The OPPO Reno8 Pro is available in Australia right now via the OPPO shop link below for a retail price of $1,199 AUD.
You’ll also like:
Samsung S22 Ultra: Price, Specs, Design
Apple iPhone SE Just Copped a Budget Baller Upgrade
Long-Term Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 After 1 Month
