This mid-range phone wants to make underwater selfies a thing

Oppo is one of the best brands for mid-range smartphones, and the new Reno 13 series is no exception. These handsets are some of the most powerful mid-rangers I’ve seen this year, perhaps bested only by Poco’s F7 Ultra. But impressive specs aside, I’m more interested in the push for underwater photography.

There are four smartphones in the series: the Reno 13 Pro 5G, Reno 13 5G, Reno 13 FS 5G, and Reno 13 F 5G. AI is, as you’d expect in 2025, a big push. But the design and MediaTek processors are another area where these mid-rangers shine.

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Oppo’s Reno 13 Pro 5G looks gorgeous with its cold-sculpted glass and aerospace-grade aluminium frame. Rated IP66, IP68 and IP69, it’s more resistant than almost any phone at the sub-£650 price. The screen is massive, at 6.83 inches, with minimal bezels – which makes this mid-ranger feel more premium. From what I’ve seen, colours pop, brightness punches through sunlight, and scrolling feels smooth.

The camera system includes a 50MP main sensor with optical image stabilisation, a 3.5x optical zoom that can be digitally pushed to an excessive 120x (please don’t use that on strangers), and full 4K, 60fps video on both front and rear cameras. Underwater photography is a big push, with the ability to use the phone for 30 minutes in freshwater up to a depth of 2m. I’m really excited to try this out.

If you’re worried about performance, don’t be. It’s got a MediaTek Dimensity 8350 co-developed with Oppo, 12GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and the biggest vapour chamber ever squeezed into a Reno. A 5800mAh battery will keep you going, and fast-charging gets you back to full in under 50 minutes.

If you are interested in AI features, Oppo has plenty for you to get your hands on. AI Livephoto gives you tiny, moving memories. AI Editor can erase photobombers, reflections, unblur shaky shots, and even animate your stills. There’s also AI Summary for meetings, and an AI Writer to zhuzh up your texts.

If you’re not ready to go full Pro, there’s the Reno 13 5G. It keeps the AI party going and shares the same chipset, but drops the design and camera system to one that’s less premium. Then the FS and F models scale things back a bit with the less powerful but efficient Dimensity 6300 chip. They still cling onto the core AI tricks and stylish looks, but scale back the display, cameras, and charging speeds.

Oppo’s Reno 13 series 5G is available to order in the UK. Prices start at £649 for the Reno 13 Pro 5G, £499 for the Reno 13 5G, £399 for the Reno 13 FS 5G, and £329 for the Reno 13 F 5G.

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Connor Jewiss

About

Connor is a writer for Stuff, working across the magazine and the Stuff.tv website. He has been writing for around nine years now across the web and in print too. Connor has attended the biggest tech expos, including CES, MWC, and IFA – with contributions as a judge on panels at them. He's also been interviewed as a technology expert on TV and radio by national news outlets including France24. Connor has experience with most major platforms, though does hold a place in his heart for macOS, iOS/iPadOS, electric vehicles, and smartphone tech. Just like everyone else around here, he's a fan of gadgets of all sorts. Aside from writing, Connor is involved in the startup and venture capital scene, which puts him at the front of new and exciting tech - he is always on the lookout for innovative products.

Areas of expertise

Mobile, macOS, EVs, smart home