Oppo Reno 11 F 5G review

Oppo’s Reno series phones promise to deliver high-end specifications at affordable prices, and the latest entrant, the Reno 11 F is continuing this tradition. I’m not sure what the ‘F’ stands for exactly, and Oppo doesn’t seem too sure either, but it essentially means that this model is even cheaper than its predecessor.

This more affordable handset loses out on the 2x portrait lens of last year’s Oppo Reno 10 5G, but it comes with a brighter display, an IP65 rating and an unusual ultra-low temperature charging feature.

A lot of the focus has been placed on the device’s durability and longevity, so if you’re an adventurous type, and like to hang on to your phone for a long time, it could be a great choice. After living with it as my main device for the past week, here’s everything I learned.

Find out what other phones the Reno 11 F has to compete with in our best mid-range phone chart.

Design & Build

• Only 177g
• Plastic construction
• IP65 rated

The Reno 11 F is a large phone, and its boxy, flat-sided design makes it feel big in the hand. Despite that, it’s extremely lightweight, coming in at just 177 grams.

Aside from the display, the phone is constructed entirely from plastic, and it’s not particularly well disguised. It feels plasticky to the touch, especially the rear panel. It was immediately noticeable coming from higher-end devices with glass and aluminium designs.

In the UK, the Reno 11 F will only be available in Palm Green, which has a shimmering back panel

However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’ve already mentioned how lightweight it is, but it should also be extremely durable. Oppo’s marketing materials show the phone being driven over by a car without damage. I didn’t go that far with my testing, but I used it without a case for the entire time, and it took a few tumbles without leaving a mark.

It should handle inclement weather without issue, too. The IP65 rating means that it‘s effectively dustproof and can handle jets of water from all directions. So rain poses no issue, just don’t go dropping it in the ocean, as it’s not rated to withstand submersion.

The haptics motors are fairly powerful, but there’s a lack of precision that makes it feel like a constant low rumble when you type quickly. I have come across far worse, but they’re not going to impress you much, either.

In the UK, the Reno 11 F will only be available in Palm Green, which has a shimmering back panel that shifts between different shades of green as the light hits it. It’s the most subtle of the colour options, and my favourite, so UK buyers needn’t feel like they’re missing out too much.

I have the Ocean Blue version in for testing, which will be available in some other European countries, and it’s a pretty bold choice. It comes in a light blue colour with a glittery wave pattern across the back. To me, it makes the phone look a bit childish, but I’m sure others will feel differently.

Screen & Speakers

• 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED display
• FHD+ resolution, 1100 nits peak brightness
• Mono speaker

The display is impressive. It’s large, flat and very bright.

1100 nits might not sound astounding, with smartphone manufacturers currently engaged in an ever-increasing brightness race, but it’s more than enough to compete with direct sunlight.

The FHD+ resolution is ample for smaller displays, but on a screen this size, I found the reduced pixel density noticeable. It’s still decent, but if you’re used to higher-resolution panels, it will feel like a slight step down in quality.

The screen supports HDR10+ playback, but during my testing, I was unable to get Netflix to play in HDR due to missing DRM certifications. Hopefully, this gets fixed in an update, but for the time being, YouTube looks superb in HDR. The highlights are dazzling, while the dark areas are deep and detailed.

There’s only a single speaker on this device, so don’t expect any stereo effect, but it does a decent job regardless.

As usual, it’s a little lacking in the bass department but there’s plenty of detail in the mids and upper frequencies. This speaker can get insanely loud, too. If you keep hitting the volume rocker it’ll boost to an amusing “300%”, but it distorts quite badly if you push it to such extreme volumes.

Specs & Performance

• MediaTek Dimensity 7050
• 8GB RAM
• 256GB storage

The Oppo Reno 11 F is powered by the same mid-range MediaTek chip as last year’s device, so don’t expect blazing-fast performance. It’s paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as standard which is fine but not outstanding.

You won’t find this phone topping any benchmark charts, but in use, it feels plenty quick enough for day-to-day tasks.

I experienced a couple of animation stutters during heavy multitasking, but aside from that, I could essentially forget I was using such an affordable phone. Apps opened quickly and navigation was smooth throughout.

Even running benchmarks and stress tests, the Reno 11 F remained as cool as a cucumber.

This phone handles basic games without issue, and if you want to run something graphically intensive, it’ll do so, as long as you stick to a low preset. I was able to run Genshin Impact at low settings in 30fps and had an enjoyable experience. However, even on these low settings, there were a few frame drops during intense battles.

What impressed me the most, though, was the fact that this phone barely heats up at all in the process. Even running benchmarks and stress tests, the Reno 11 F remained as cool as a cucumber.

Oppo Reno 11 F benchmarks

Cameras

• 64Mp main sensor
• 8Mp ultrawide
• 2Mp macro
• 32Mp selfie camera

On the rear, you’ll find three camera modules, but one is far more impressive than the others. The 8Mp ultrawide and 2Mp macro are mainly there to up the camera count, and they’re the same lack-lustre units that we’ve seen on many other devices in this price bracket as well as the budget market.

The main camera, however, is pretty good. It captures vibrant poppy images with plenty of sharp detail. Shots using the digital 2x lens (a crop of the main sensor) also look good in daylight, but there is a slight drop in quality, which gets more noticeable and grainy as the light gets dimmer.

The main weakness of the 64Mp main snapper is that it lacks optical image stabilisation (OIS). This means it can struggle with motion blur, especially in the dark. The relatively small sensor also introduces plenty of grain and noise in dim lighting, but switching to the dedicated night mode cleans things up a lot.

The ultrawide provides a useful focal length, but if you view the images on a larger display, the lack of quality is immediately apparent. It could still prove handy for the odd Instagram snap, though. Meanwhile, the 2Mp macro is just too low resolution to be of much use to anyone.

Around the front, the 32Mp selfie camera is another highlight. It captures lots of detail, accurate colours and comes with a boatload of beautification options, if that’s your kind of thing.

The portrait mode works excellently, too. The cutouts are quite accurate and the bokeh effect looks good, however, you might want to dial it down a few notches to make it look authentic, as it has a tendency to overdo the blur.

For video capture, you are able to shoot at 4K/30fps on the main and selfie cameras. The ultrawide is limited to 1080p.

For the best results, though, you’ll probably want to stick to 1080p no matter which camera you’re using. 4K video has very poor stabilisation, which means unless you’re using a tripod or a gimbal, the 1080p footage looks far better.

Battery Life & Charging

• 5000mAh battery
• 67W wired charging
• Charger included in some regions (but not in UK/EU)

The Oppo Reno 11 F packs a fairly large but not uncommon 5000mAh battery, and working in tandem with its efficient mid-range processor, the end result is brilliant battery life.

The Reno 11 F never came close to dying before the day was done, and if I used it sparingly, two days on a single charge was a realistic prospect.

My review unit came with a 67W wall adapter in the box, but unfortunately, that won’t be the case for European buyers. So if you’re in the the UK or Europe, you’ll need to factor in the cost of a decent charger if you want to charge at full speed.

If I used it sparingly, two days on a single charge was a realistic prospect.

With the right charger, you can expect a full charge from flat to take around 52 minutes, while half an hour plugged in will juice you back up to 66%. There’s no wireless charging, as is usually the case in this price bracket, but there’s one more interesting charging trick that this phone has up its sleeve.

The Oppo Reno 11 F can charge at full speed in temperatures as low as -20 degrees, thanks to a unique feature that Oppo calls ultra-low temperature charging mode. It works a bit like the system used by electric cars, essentially it creates an artificial load on the CPU to heat the battery up, and then proceeds to charge at full power regardless of the ambient temperature. 

I’ve personally never needed to charge my phone in such cold conditions that it refused to charge, or trickle charged extremely slowly, but for some people, it’s a real problem, and it’s cool to see Oppo addressing it.

Software & Apps

• ColorOS 14 (based on Android 14)
• Lots of bloatware
• Two years of OS updates

The Reno 11 F runs ColorOS 14, built on top of Android 14, and for the most part, I enjoyed my time using it.

It doesn’t stray too far from stock Android (what you find on Google phones like the Pixel 7a), everything is where you expect it to be and the Google Discover tab is present if you swipe to the right on the home screen.

There are a ton of customisation options, too, so if you’re not into the default styling, you can change it with ease.

I really like the live wallpapers that feature subtle animations as you navigate the home page, they add a bit of character and they aren’t present on a lot of competing Android skins.

Another highlight is the new Smart Image Matting feature. Essentially, if you long press a subject in the image gallery, the Reno 11 F will cut it out and then you can use it as a sticker in messaging apps like WhatsApp. It’s almost identical to Apple’s sticker feature, so no points for creativity, but it works really well.

As mentioned earlier, I saw the occasional animation stutter when the phone was working hard, but thankfully it never completely froze. Otherwise, there were no major bugs to speak of, and it ran very smoothly the majority of the time.

Unfortunately, the software comes with lots of bloatware, so you’ll have to spend some time cleaning things up when you first get the phone. It’s expected in this price range, but even though I was careful to reject all the app offers during setup, I still ended up with two pages of clutter to remove. 

there were no major bugs to speak of, and it ran very smoothly the majority of the time.

Most of it is deletable, but it’s a chore and it sours the initial experience. The pre-installed apps range from social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok to folders full of random games. It’s far from ideal.

When it comes to the support promise, Oppo offers a basic two years of OS updates and three years of security patches so bare this in mind when thinking about how long you want the Reno 11 F 5G to last.

Price & Availability

A lengthy patent dispute with Nokia saw Oppo reducing its activities in Europe, but now that’s been resolved, the brand is back in full swing. The Reno 11 F is available to pre-order in the UK and Europe right now and it will go on general sale starting 30 April.

There’s a massive early bird discount available which reduces the phone to just £259 on Oppo’s website, but you’ll need to be quick, as the regular £349 pricing kicks in on April 26. It will also be available via Very.

As usual, this phone is very unlikely to launch in the US, but since the phone received a proper UK launch, we may see UK contract deals emerge in the future.

At the time of writing, pre-orders are for the unlocked handset only. So, if you decide to pick one up, be sure to check out our guide to the best SIM-only deals.

Should you buy the Oppo Reno 11 F 5G?

The Reno 11 F is a capable mid-range smartphone and I have enjoyed my time using it.

It has excellent battery life, fast charging (albeit with no adapter supplied), a very nice display, a couple of solid cameras and performance that’s good enough for the casual user.

There are some nice features included, too, the ability to cut out subjects and use them as stickers is still uncommon on Android devices, and the low-temperature charging, although useless to me, could be great for certain people.

The problem comes when you look at the competition. At its £349 MSRP, the Reno 11 F doesn’t quite offer enough to be a standout choice.

The similarly priced Poco X6 Pro is leagues ahead in gaming performance and still has great cameras. The Honor Magic 6 Lite is cheaper but still offers comparable specs and an even bigger battery. Vivo’s V-series phones, like the V30 Pro, offer a better photographic experience if you can get your hands on them, too.

Then there’s the Google Pixel 7a which is our top overall choice at the time of writing. It’s normally £449 but is easily found for more than £100 less right now with the Pixel 8a around the corner.

If you see an excellent deal, then the Oppo Reno 11 F is a solid phone that won’t disappoint, but at full price, savvy shoppers can get more for their money elsewhere.

Specs

• ColorOS 14, based on Android 14
• 6.7-inch, 2412×1080, AMOLED, 120Hz
• In-display fingerprint sensor
• MediaTek Dimensity 7050
• 8GB RAM
• 128GB storage
• Cameras:
  • 64Mp main sensor
  • 8Mp ultrawide
  • 2Mp macro
  • 32Mp selfie camera
• Up to 4K @ 30fps rear video
• Single speaker
• Dual-SIM
• MicroSD card slot
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax
• Bluetooth 5.2
• 5000mAh battery
• 67W charging
• 161.6 x 74.7 x 7.54 mm
• IP65 certified
• 177g
• Colours: Palm Green, Ocean Blue