Oppo Reno 15 5G first impressions

The Oppo Reno 15 5G is in the house and after spending some quality time with this mid-ranger, we have to say that it’s been giving us a lot to think about.

Oppo Reno 15 5G: Design and display

The first thought when picking it up was that this phone has some presence. At 197 grams, it’s got a satisfying heft to it that makes it feel like you’re actually holding something substantial. The 7.8mm thickness keeps things reasonably slim though, so it doesn’t feel like you’re lugging around a brick in your pocket.

That glass back with the aluminium frame feels genuinely premium. But we’ve received the Aurora Blue variant and it has this weird light effect to it – clearly meant to simulate an aurora – except it looks like a smudge. Maybe we’ll get used to it.

Now let’s talk about that display. The 6.59-inch AMOLED panel boasts a 1256 x 2760 resolution which translates to around 460 pixels per inch, and in practice everything just looks crisp and vibrant. The 120Hz refresh rate makes scrolling through social media feeds feel buttery smooth, and that HDR10+ support means streaming shows on Netflix actually looks proper good.

The screen-to-body ratio sits at around 89.4% so you’re getting a lot of display real estate without the phone itself being unwieldy. Meanwhile, those bezels are equal all around, so kudos to Oppo for that.

Oppo Reno 15 5G: Performance and camera

ColorOS 16 running on top of Android 16 is actually pretty delightful to navigate. Oppo has cleaned things up considerably from previous versions, and the whole UI feels snappy. We’re not going to make any grand proclamations about CPU performance just yet, though, since that requires proper benchmarking and extended testing, but initial impressions of day-to-day smoothness are encouraging.

ALSO READ: Oppo Reno 15 Pro, Reno 15 Pro Mini unveiled in India, Reno 15, 15c tags along

Camera setup is where things get interesting. You’ve got a triple rear system with a 50MP main shooter, a 50MP telephoto lens offering 3.5x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide. We’ve snapped a few shots around the office and initial results look promising. That telephoto especially has been fun to play with. The 50MP front camera is also no joke for selfies.

As for battery life, we’re working with a 6500mAh cell. That’s quite substantial on paper and it’s further helped by the fact that the 80W wired charging can juice up to 100% in about 50 minutes. We haven’t had a chance to properly drain this thing yet, but on paper those numbers suggest you won’t be hunting for outlets throughout the day.

Oh, and the IP68/IP69 rating means this can handle being submerged in 1.5 metres of water for half an hour. Plus it’s rated against those intense high pressure water jets. So if you’re the type who takes calls in the shower or regularly drops your phone in puddles, Oppo’s got you covered.

Oppo Reno 15 5G: Early verdict

The early verdict is that the Reno 15 5G feels like a really well-rounded package. Whether it can maintain these positive impressions over a weeks of real-world use remains to be seen, but we’re genuinely looking forward to putting it through its paces — especially since this thing commands a high starting price of Rs 45,999. Stay tuned for our full review on Unboxed by Croma.