The Oppo Reno 11 F 5G review focuses on unveiling one of Oppo’s latest smartphones, a smart tool with an affordable price and significant functions. In the midst of competition, Oppo needs to establish its proper place in the market and release a new gadget that will have a base price which will be affordable, yet effectively safeguarded from damages, while at the same time performing efficiently.
In terms of protection, the phone has an IP65 rating that enables it to resist dust and water accumulation, it comes with a bright AMOLED touch screen, and runs on MediaTek Dimensity 7050 platform to control its processes.
In this review, it sees it important to guide the readers into appreciating the design, the camera, the software experience, the performance and the battery life of this particular brand of the handset that falls under the budget range.
Weatherproof and water-resistant gadgets are a big deal for adventurous users. The Oppo Reno 11 F is IP65 rated, meaning dust and dirt aren’t an issue, and it can survive even the heaviest downpours, though not full immersion. That’s a decent showing for a sub-£350 phone; the Nothing Phone 2a is only IP54, while higher-rated handsets like the Google Pixel 8a cost considerably more.
Oppo Reno 11 F 5G review shows how bold toughness claims, with one marketing slide showing the Reno 11 F getting run over by a car and surviving. While not tested to that extent, the handset held up to several weeks of continuous use without so much as a surface scratch. Display glass aside, the entire outer frame is made from polycarbonate, making it very lightweight at just 177g.
It feels like plastic, which reveals it is a budget phone when held. However, the straight sides and flat display align with today’s flagship phones, giving the impression of a pricier device from a distance.
The Palm Green review unit is the only color option available in the UK; other markets have more choices, including Ocean Blue and Coral Purple. The green phone’s plain rear panel is preferable to the wave effects on the other two, although it struggles to hide fingerprint smudges.
Speaking of fingerprints, the under-display sensor is reasonably quick and accurate. Oppo Reno 11 F 5G face unlock feature is good enough to skip the lock screen but not secure enough for banking apps. There’s no IR blaster here, a feature usually found on Oppo’s more premium models, but the inclusion of a microSD card slot is appreciated. The 256GB of onboard storage is already generous given the price, but being able to add more capacity later is very welcome indeed.
Oppo certainly hasn’t skimped on the display front, fitting a superb AMOLED panel inside the Reno 11 F’s frame. At 6.7 inches, it's as large as many high-end smartphones, and while the 2412×1080 resolution means pixel density isn’t as high as those rivals, things still looked detailed at normal viewing distances.
The phone defaults to a dynamic refresh rate, switching between 60Hz and 120Hz based on the amount of onscreen movement. It responded quickly, making scrolling smoother than expected given the underlying hardware. However, forcing 120Hz on all the time provided the best user experience.
Colors are rich and dynamic as expected from OLED, with great contrast and the deepest blacks. Officially, the screen tops out at 1100 nits, which was enough for use in direct sunlight, though darker scenes are best viewed in the shade. A significantly better viewing experience would require stepping up to the next price bracket.
The Reno 11 F’s single speaker doesn’t quite match the display’s performance, with anemic bass and slightly shrill upper frequencies. While the “ultra volume” mode, which promises 300% on the volume slider, gets impressively loud, it also introduces a lot of distortion, making it rarely useful.
The Reno 11 F falls into the familiar budget phone trap of camera quantity over quality. It has three sensors at the rear, but one is a 2MP macro that’s beyond basic, and another is a distinctly average 8MP ultrawide. Only the 64MP lead lens is worth attention, along with the 32MP selfie camera up front.
The lead sensor isn’t the largest and lacks optical image stabilization (OIS), making hand shake an issue, particularly in low light. However, Oppo’s image processing is very good, with natural color tones and plenty of resolved detail without relying on oversharpening. It focuses quickly outdoors, even with moving subjects, but struggles more under artificial light, where shots can look a little soft.
The ultrawide lens shows a noticeable drop in detail and can’t match the lead lens for sharpness or color accuracy. The camera app’s pro mode is restricted to the main snapper, and changing between lenses isn’t rapid. The inclusion of a 2x zoom toggle is appreciated, effectively cropping the sensor during the day, with a dip in detail only noticeable in low light scenes.
Face retouching is enabled on the selfie camera by default but can be switched off easily. The sensor captures clean, detailed shots with convincing colors, though it’s not as effective as the rear camera in balancing areas of light and shadow.
Compared to rivals with fewer but better sensors, the Reno 11 F is merely an OK cameraphone. With the Google Pixel 7a now regularly available for less than £300, photographers have plenty of better options.
Oppo’s ColorOS interface isn’t drastically different from stock Android 14, which it builds upon. It features bespoke app icons, a tweaked Quick Settings menu, and a more customizable home screen with an extensive selection of home-grown widgets.
A standout feature, Smart Image Matting, allows users to long-press a subject in Oppo’s image gallery to cut it out and share it as a sticker in WhatsApp and other messaging apps. While Apple introduced this feature first, Oppo’s implementation is effective at recognizing subjects and cutting them out accurately, making it a useful addition for chat enthusiasts.
However, Oppo inundates users with bloatware. Even after rejecting the list of suggested downloads during initial setup, numerous third-party apps were pre-installed on the home screen. Fortunately, these apps are easy to uninstall, and this isn’t the worst offender in recent memory.
Oppo’s commitment to three major Android updates and four years of security patches is commendable, providing better long-term support than many budget handsets.
The MediaTek Dimensity 7050 chipset powers the Reno 11 F, a second appearance after being used in the not-for-Europe Reno 10 in 2023. Paired with 8GB of RAM, it delivers modest performance across the board, providing a mostly smooth Android experience with occasional stutters.
Demanding apps, 3D games, and heavy multitasking reveal the phone’s budget roots, but daily use was generally trouble-free. Apps opened quickly, responded promptly, and handled basic games without issues.
Synthetic benchmark results place it just behind the Qualcomm-powered Honor Magic 6 Lite and the Nothing Phone 2a, which has a more powerful MediaTek CPU. The Oppo slightly outperformed the Honor in gaming tests, though lower detail settings were necessary for playable frame rates in demanding games like Genshin Impact. The phone remained cool throughout testing, avoiding overheating even under heavy load.
A 5000mAh battery is standard for phones with 6.7-inch or larger screens, and the Reno 11 F is no exception. Combined with a mid-tier chipset, it easily lasted through entire days of moderate to heavy use. Avoiding gaming extended the battery life to two days, outperforming budget efforts from Nothing, Google, and Honor.
The phone supports 67W charging with a compatible power brick, although Oppo doesn’t include one for European customers. Wireless charging isn’t available due to the budget price target. Interestingly, the phone can charge at full speed down to -20°C, a potentially useful feature for those in particularly frosty environments.
The Oppo Reno 11 F 5G review found no area where it performed poorly, considering its asking price. However, there were also few areas where it truly excelled. With numerous alternatives available, it might not be the most affordable phone for everyone.
It lacks the standout design of the Nothing Phone 2a, can’t match the Poco X6 Pro for performance, and Oppo’s take on Android is busier than the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion. A Google Pixel 7a, available for roughly the same price, is the clear winner for photography.
However, for those seeking a long-lasting handset that can brave the elements, the Reno 11 F is worth considering.
The Oppo Reno 11 F 5G is priced at around £350 in the UK. However, early bird deals offered the phone at a significantly lower price.
Yes, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G is IP65 rated, making it resistant to dust and water, although it is not suitable for full immersion.
The Oppo Reno 11 F 5G has a triple-camera setup with a 64MP main sensor, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 2MP macro lens. While the main camera performs well in good lighting, the ultrawide and macro lenses are less impressive.
The phone is equipped with a 5000mAh battery, which can easily last through a full day of moderate to heavy use. With lighter use, it can extend to two days.
Yes, the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G supports 67W fast charging. However, the charger is not included in the box for European customers.