Imagine an affordable phone that does everything you ask of it, and looks good doing it. Oppo has made that phone. It’s the Reno 13 Pro 5G.

The problem with mid-range phones is that manufacturers must make compromises to deliver devices at the right cost – and it can be difficult to find a handset that matches your needs without skipping one of your must-haves.

It’s a juggling act for sure, but Oppo certainly hasn’t dropped the ball with the 13 Pro, a device that actually leaves some of its rival’s flagship phones in the shade.

In your hand, the device is well-balanced, easy to hold and thin. It’s 7.6mm thin – but it feels even thinner, thanks to some clever curves.

Oppo has gone with a curved 17cm screen that protrudes from an aluminium frame, which is also curved. The flat sides of the phone that you hold are just under 5mm thick – and that makes this device feel like a much more expensive offering.

The same size as an iPhone 16 Pro Max or a Samsung S25 Ultra, the 13 Pro is about 25 grams lighter than either at 195g.

Flip the phone and you find a single matte glass back panel covers the entire rear, enveloping the camera lenses with a shimmering wing pattern.

The effect is achieved through 65 steps of precision carving and polishing that Oppo is rightfully proud of.

For the phone’s NZ launch, several local artists were asked to create a complimentary butterfly design to showcase the design. A plain grey option is also available.

Impressive camera and durability

That depth, well, lack of it, and the delicately etched panel gives the phone a sense of refinement that betrays its sturdiness. Along with internal cushioning and shock absorption, the Pro 13 features IP69 protection, allowing it to survive half an hour under two metres of water. It can even shrug off a hosing down from a water blaster – so, with Corning Gorilla Glass 7i protecting the screen, this is not a flimsy phone.

That high level of protection opens up the possibility of underwater photography, which is not something I had the chance to try out but the pool shots I’ve seen are great.

No surprise as Oppo’s offerings always have decent camera set-ups and the 13 Pro excels at imagery with a 3.5x telephoto lens, a rare inclusion on a mid-range device.

It doesn’t sound like much, but it lets you zoom in more than you’d think without losing any quality. The digital zoom can then pull in to 120x, which is more than practically useful without a tripod.

The main 50MP Sony sensor takes great, vibrant shots with ease and there’s a suite of AI tools to help improve pictures. You’d have a hard time finding a better mid-range camera phone.

And when you show off your snaps, the 120Hz, HDR10+ Amoled screen gives them a depth and vibrancy that looks fantastic.

The screen is protected with a factory installed film but Oppo assures us that hardened glass protectors can also be used as the screen’s micro curves are small enough to cause no issue. 

Customisable Android 15 experience with ColorOS 15

The 13 Pro runs the latest Android 15 operating system with Oppo’s ColorOS 15 user interface overlaid.

ColorOS carries with it a fair amount of bloatware but it’s all easily uninstalled, bar Oppo’s own apps for music, photos, games, internet, themes and file manager – though those are nicely designed and some may prefer them over Google’s stock options.

The ColorOS UI really lets you get under the bonnet of Android 15 though with a plethora of options for customisation: shortcuts of every variety, animations, gestures, active wallpapers and themes and accessibility tools.

A full suite of AI tools

Oppo’s own software also includes a full suite of AI tools that can be accessed through a side panel menu.

I found the AI Summary tool, which delivers a bulleted breakdown of text, to be very useful whenever I landed on an ad-focused webpage that I didn’t want to filter through myself.

When it comes to future-proofing, Oppo has reassuringly promised to deliver five OS updates and six years of security updates. I found the interface easy to get to grips with and had the phone working as I wanted it to in no time. 

All that software runs very nicely on MediaTek’s Dimensity 8350 chipset, a solid mid-range performer that Oppo and the chip manufacturer tweaked together to boost its performance and efficiency.

The result is a buttery smooth, lightning-fast experience, with apps whizzing open.

Paired with 12GB of RAM, the Pro 13 even handles games like Wuthering Waves and Fortnite superbly with really decent frame rates.

Plenty to love

There’s so much to like about this device and even the few caveats I do have can be mitigated: there’s no support for a memory card, but there is 512GB of onboard storage; there’s no headphone jack but you could always buy a dongle if that’s a dealbreaker; and there’s no wireless charging, but the huge battery easily lasts a full day and charges from flat to full in 50 minutes with the supplied charger.

The Reno 13 Pro comes with a price tag of $1399 but it still feels like great value. It can be found on shelves alongside its two smaller siblings, the Reno 13 F and the Reno 13.

Remarkably both of those cheaper, lower-specced devices also have aluminium frames, polished glass back panels, IP69 protection and Oppo’s full range of AI tools – and, at just $699 and $999 respectively, are well worth checking out if the Pro is too pricey for your pocket. 

Oppo Reno 13 Pro 5G specifications

• Dimensions: 162.8 x 76.6 x 7.6mm
• Weight: 195g
• Screen: 6.83-inch FHD (1272 x 2800) 120Hz Amoled
• Chipset: Mediatek Dimensity 8350
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage: 512GB
• Operating system: Android 15, ColorOS 15
• Primary camera: 50MP, f/1.8
• Ultra-wide camera: 8MP f/2.2 116-degree
• Telephoto camera: 50MP, f/2.8 3.5x optical
• Front camera: 50MP, f/2.0
• Audio: Stereo speakers
• Battery: 5,800mAh
• RRP: $1399