Oppo Reno 14 Pro Review: A beautifully balanced phone

The Hindu

17-07-2025

Just a few months ago we saw the launch of the Oppo Reno 13 series. Now, we have the latest Oppo Reno 14 Pro, a variant from the 14th series, launched this month. With such a short gap between launches, the obvious question is how much Oppo has actually changed this time around. On paper, the Reno 14 Pro brings a bold design refresh, packs in the MediaTek Dimensity 8450 processor, flaunts a brighter and smoother display, a beefier battery, faster charging, and a fresh suite of AI smart features, all pointing toward a well-rounded upgrade over its predecessor. But how do these upgrades hold up in real-world use? Let's dive in and find out.
Design
At first glance, the Oppo Reno 14 Pro carries forward the sleek, sophisticated look of its predecessor. But spend a moment with the Pearl White variant, and you'll notice something captivating — a swirling interplay of light and shadow across the back, thanks to the Gradient Aura Design. While this visual flair might seem unnecessary, it certainly grabs attention and adds a refined charm to the phone's aesthetic. It's Oppo's way of making sure your device doesn't just blend in.
In the hand, the Reno 14 Pro feels impressively smooth, thanks to Oppo Velvet Glass, a finish that combines a silk-like texture with anti-fingerprint resistance. The one-piece sculpted rear lends a seamless, premium touch. Despite its glass build, the phone feels neither too slippery nor bulky. The aerospace-grade aluminium frame further boosts the durability factor while maintaining a slim profile of 7.58mm for the Pearl White variant and 7.48mm for the Titanium Grey variant, both weighing just around 201g. The placement of the power button and volume rockers is ergonomic, and the tactile feedback is spot on.
Flip it over, and the front continues the elegance with an ultra-thin 1.6mm bezels surrounding the expansive OLED display. There is an in-display fingerprint sensor and trio of IP66, IP68, and IP69 certifications offering dust resistance, water immersion protection, and even resistance against high-pressure water jets.
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Display
The Reno 14 Pro features a 6.83-inch LTPS OLED panel with a 1272 x 2800 resolution, supporting a dynamic 60/90/120 Hz refresh rate. The display hits 600 nits of typical brightness, ramps up to 1200 nits in high-brightness mode, and comes certified with HDR10+. Whether you're binge-watching HDR content or gaming in bright conditions, the visuals are vivid, sharp, and smooth.
With features like Adaptive Tone for ambient light adjustment and 3840 Hz PWM dimming, eye strain is significantly reduced, and especially during prolonged use. Compared to the OnePlus Nord 4, the Reno 14 Pro offers a notably brighter and more immersive display, making it a solid companion for media consumption and gaming alike.
OS and AI
Running on ColorOS 15, the Reno 14 Pro feels polished right out of the box. It brings the Trinity Engine for optimised CPU and GPU performance and the Luminous Rendering Engine, ensuring fluid animations and responsive controls. Thanks to smart caching and performance management, the system maintains its smoothness even when used extensively.
On the AI front, the Reno 14 Pro pushes boundaries. With AI VoiceScribe for real-time translations and summaries, AI Call Summary, and AI Mind Space for smart content management, it feels like a genuinely helpful assistant. The deep integration with Google Gemini across Oppo apps like Notes and Calendar adds a layer of convenience that stands out in day-to-day tasks.
Performance
Powering the Reno 14 Pro is the MediaTek Dimensity 8450, a chipset built on the 4nm process clocking up to 3.25 GHz. It is a curious choice from Oppo, especially when competitors like the similarly priced OnePlus 13s and the Poco F7 are flexing the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform and the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, respectively.
Still, the Reno 14 Pro holds its ground. With 12 GB LPDDR5X RAM and 256 GB UFS 3.1 storage, multitasking is seamless, and the phone rarely breaks a sweat during daily tasks. The Geekbench scores — 1623 single-core, 6402 multi-core, GPU score of 11827, and AnTuTu score of 1637028 — suggest reliable performance, though clearly outclassed by the OnePlus 13s and the more budget-friendly POCO F7 with their beefier numbers.
When it comes to gaming, titles like COD Mobile and BGMI run at high settings effortlessly, with fluid frame rates and no noticeable throttling. Oppo's AI Adaptive Temperature Control and Nano Dual-Drive Cooling keep the phone comfortably cool, even during long gaming sessions. The AI Game Highlights and Footstep Sound Boost features round off a pretty solid gaming experience, though if you're chasing benchmark bragging rights, this isn't the segment leader.
Camera
If there's one department where the Oppo Reno 14 Pro confidently claims the spotlight, it's the camera. On paper, a quad 50 MP camera setup comprising a main lens, ultra-wide, 3.5x telephoto, and a 50 MP front shooter sounds impressive. But it's in real-world use where this setup truly shines.
The 50 MP main camera delivers crisp, vibrant images with outstanding contrast and lifelike color tones. Whether you're shooting bustling street scenes or serene landscapes, the Reno 14 Pro ensures every shot pops with clarity and depth. The dynamic range is well-balanced, avoiding blown-out highlights or crushed shadows.
Low-light photography is where Oppo's AI wizardry makes its mark. With the new AI Flash Photography paired with a Triple AI Flash System, even challenging lighting conditions feel easy. The difference is instantly noticeable — low-light shots appear brighter, sharper, and remarkably detailed, without sacrificing the mood of the scene. Shadows stay natural, highlights don't wash out, and faces retain their true skin tones. Whether at a dimly lit party or on a late-night city stroll, this phone captures moments with a finesse that genuinely surprised us.
The 50 MP 3.5x telephoto lens is a gem for portrait lovers. Tuned to hit that golden focal length sweet spot, it flatters facial features and nails depth perception beautifully. Portrait shots consistently came out with a nice background blur, sharp subject focus, and a richness in skin tones.
On the selfie front, the 50 MP autofocus camera delivers outstanding results. Selfies pack in sharp details even in indoor lighting, with Oppo's AI algorithms ensuring that skin tones remain natural and not over-smoothened or artificially brightened. The front camera also features an AI Vlog Voice Enhancer, making it perfect for content creators.
And then come the AI tools: AI Perfect Shot for fixing blinked eyes, AI Recompose for reframing, AI Unblur, and even an AI Reflection Remover that works surprisingly well. Add to this the Underwater Photography Mode, which lets you capture photos and even 4K videos underwater — no extra case needed. Honestly, Oppo has loaded the Reno 14 Pro with camera features that don't just tick boxes but actually deliver, giving this phone a solid claim to being one of the best camera phones in its segment.
Battery
The phone packs a massive 6,200 mAh battery, the largest ever on a Reno device. It comfortably supports two days of typical use. Even with heavy usage, you're likely to get through a full day with enough power to spare.
For charging, the company has given 80 W SUPERVOOC fast charging, taking the phone from 0% to 100% in around 50 minutes. For those who prefer going wireless, 50 W AirVOOC wireless charging is a welcome addition, rounding off a solid battery and charging experience.
Verdict
Oppo Reno 14 Pro is a beautifully balanced phone — a head-turner in design, backed by a stellar camera system, reliable AI features, and a dependable battery. Personally, had this been a slightly more compact device, it might have been a real eye-catcher.
Starting at ₹49,999, the Oppo Reno 14 Pro finds itself in tricky waters. The performance feels average compared to what the OnePlus 13s and the Poco F7 offer at similar or lower price points. If Oppo had priced this more aggressively, the Reno 14 Pro could have been an easy recommendation.
Still, if style, camera prowess, and smart features are what you're after and you can accept average performance for the price, the Reno 14 Pro does a commendable job. It's clear: this is a phone that doubles down on design and AI, while leaving pure performance to the competition.