OPPO Reno 13 5G: 5 Ways It Is Punching Above its Weight

Two acronyms dominate the world as we head into 2025. EV and AI. The buzzwords for both automotive and tech, what was once seen as exclusive have now become more affordable and mainstream.

There was a time where only a handful of makers were able to produce EVs, or smartphones with AI capabilities for the same reason. Cost and affordability. Those days are long gone as numerous carmakers such as BYD and Geely now make relatively affordable EVs while on the smartphones front, AI is no longer confined to the exclusive group of flagship-tier models.

Enter the OPPO Reno13 5G. OPPO’s latest and most refined smartphone carrying the ‘AI Phone’ branding. A follow up to the Reno 12 Pro where AI debuted under the OPPO brand, the Reno 13 5G improves on its predecessors in more ways than one.

Today, we decide to take a different spin in reviewing OPPO’s latest AI smartphone which aims to make portable AI more affordable and accessible to the masses.

1. Artificial Intelligence = Affordable Innovation

Retailing from RM2299, you no longer have to break the bank in order to get AI capabilities in your phone. This is a great trend in making cutting-edge technology more accessible to all as well. Well done, OPPO.

2. All-Inclusive

A bane of modern smartphone purchasing is the lack of accessories that comes with the device out of the box. The same cannot be said for the Reno13. Not only did they include an 80W charging block, OPPO even included a phone case for you to slap on the device from the start. Aces.

3. Powered Up

The Reno13 5G comes with a chonky 5600mAh battery which should easily last you beyond a day or two. While the eventual real-life performance may vary depending on your usage habits and pattern, having a large capacity battery packed into your smartphone is always welcomed. Coupled with the capability to fast charge and the 80W charging block that comes with the set on purchase, topping up juice while on the go would be a breeze. Having said that, tread carefully so as not to jeopardise your battery health.

4. If Looks Could Kill

The Reno13 comes with a 6.59-inch Gorilla Glass 7i front screen with decently-size bezels and aluminum-alloy frame making it a fairly tough device that’ll get through the day relatively unscathed. It is IP68/IP69 dust tight and water resistant so a day at the beach won’t leave you with a brick made of glass and aluminum at the end of the day. We aren’t a big fan of the plasticky rear and its graphics, though. Sorry.

5. Bang for the Buck

We are always in search for the best-value smartphone in the market and OPPO’s Reno13 5G, at its price, offers a very compelling package under the hood. It’s got Mediatek’s relatively modern chip, the Dimensity 8350 which pairs with 12GB of RAM allowing it to stand toe-to-toe with even more expensive rivals in the market. In short, affordable efficiency.

Rounding Things Up

If iPhones and flagship Samsungs are the Teslas and Porsche Taycans of the smartphone market; then the OPPO Reno13 would easily be the BYDs and GWM models in the very competitive EV market. Affordable yet with respectable performance sometimes rivaling those costing several times over, talk of true value emerge once actual pricetag comes into play.

Of course there are shortcomings with the Reno13 however considering most of its specs would have been considered flagship-tier only a few years back, these are forgiven. A device should be judged within the cost of its development and the pricetag slapped on the box and in the OPPO Reno13 5G; it’s hard to beat.

The OPPO Reno13 5G is now available for purchase. Sample unit provided by OPPO