Released earlier this year, Oppo's Reno13 5G is a big step-up from last year's Reno12, incorporating a number of key functionalities. Here are the top 4 new features, at least according to us. 

Long live the Battery

At long last the Reno series can boast about decent battery life, with the Reno13 boasting a 5600 mAh one alongside 80W SUPERVOOC quick charge. During testing we regularly managed to have at least 30% of battery power left at the end of the day, with certain days requiring a charge only in the afternoon of the second day. If you we concerned about your Reno’s charge not lasting, then worry no more.

Get wet

The Reno range now catches up with other smartphones thanks to IP69, IP68 and IP66 water and dust resistance. While we can tell you what these ratings means, on a practical level you can now taking your Reno13 straight into the pool - and actually take photos. Yep, the Reno13 has Underwater Photography as a feature, and you are good to go as long as it’s in less than 2m of water, for less than 30 minutes.

While Underwater Photography might not be a feature used by many, the fact is you feel a whole lot safer next to water, whether indoor or outdoor, with the Reno13 now waterproof.

It's alive!

If you’ve looked with envy at your iPhone friends’ live photos – images that captures a short little video and not just the photo, then Oppo’s got your back. The Reno13 includes AI Livephoto, which captures a 1.5-second “time capsule” before and after the shutter is pressed.

Oppo mentions AI is helping with de-blurring each frame of the video, alongside the electronic image stabilization that is applied, making sure that it looks more like a full image than a screengrab from a video. This means you can select which frame exactly you want as the “cover photo” – the image that is displayed as a photo.  

The Reno13’s Livephotos can also be shared with iPhone users if their device has the O+ Connect app installed.

With and without AI Reflection Remover

AI functionality everywhere

Last year saw the Reno range incorporating AI functionality into the Reno12, including AI summaries from voice notes and webpages. Now the Reno13 focusses a lot on using AI for photography. Our favourites were AI Clarity Enhancer that helps with boosting improved clarity on images, as well as AI Reflection Remover, which does as it says on the box – remove reflection from windows.

However, it wasn’t the AI functionality we used the most, that title belongs to Google’s Circle to Search, first introduced on Google Pixel smartphones last year. By long-pressing the home button a screen pops up that allows you to search the internet for what you can circle on the screen. This can be to help identify sneakers, a watch or to find more information on a specific brand logo. Circle to Search is not foolproof yet, but it worked more than it didn’t and will help you find things much faster than before.

QUICK SPECS - Oppo Reno13 5G

• Screen Size: 6.59"
• RAM and ROM Capacities 12GB + 512GB
• Chipset: MediaTek Dimensity 8350
• UI: ColorOS 15.0
• Camera: Wide-angle 50 MP, Ultra-wide angle 8 MP, Monochrome 2 MP, Front 50 MP