We subjected the Oppo Reno8 5G to our rigorous SBMARK Audio test suite to measure its performance both when recording sound using its built-in microphones, and when playing audio through its speakers.
In this review, we’ll break down how it fared across a variety of tests and several common use cases.
Overview
Key audio specs include:
- Upper front speaker (for calls only), lower side speaker for audio content
- No audio output Jack
- Noise reduction, dual microphones
- Dirac sound enhancement technology
Reproduction
Pros
- Decent yield from a distance
- Decent maximum volume
- Volume dependence acceptable for Timbre
versus
- Mono speakers limit spatial performance
- Overwhelming tone with a narrow spectrum and muffled sound
- Strong fluctuations in volume to low volumes, loss of information
- Only the speaker is too easily blocked completely
- Disappointing performance in Dynamics
Registration
Pros
- Good tonal balance, homogeneous between apps and particularly bright at high SPLs
- Impressive breadth in the video and memo of life
- Good overall dynamic performance
- Almost free of artifacts
versus
- Audio zooming introduces phase issues and pumping issues
- Tonal Balance lacks low-medium warmth, especially in selfie videos
The Oppo Reno8 5G lags behind some of the competitors in its class. However, its performance is somewhat unbalanced, with much better recording than playback performance, so depending on your needs it might still be an option to consider.
In Playback the device performs at a similar level in movie and music use cases, but works slightly better for games. It offers decent distance rendition and maximum volume, but a single mono speaker means it’s below average for spatial attributes. Dynamics and Timbre also leave room for improvement. A narrow tonal spectrum is very focused on the midrange. Strong volume fluctuations at low volume settings can result in a very frustrating loss of information and you need to be careful not to block the single speaker with your hands while holding the phone.
The Oppo works much better as a recording device. It works best when recording video and selfie reminders, but it also does a decent job with the main camera and is used to record meetings. Recordings benefit from good tonal balance across all apps and excellent breadth when recording main camera videos and memos. It also offers good dynamics and is virtually free of sound artifacts. On the downside, the audio zoom feature can cause phase issues and pumping issues, and tonal balance could do with a little more heat in the low-mid spectrum, especially when recording selfie video clips.
Test summary
Learn about SBMARK audio tests: For scoring and analysis in our smartphone audio reviews, SBMARK engineers perform a series of objective tests and undertake more than 20 hours of perceptual assessment under controlled laboratory conditions.
(For more details on our reproduction protocol, click here; for more details on our registration protocol, click here.)
The following section collects the key elements of our exhaustive tests and analyzes performed in SBMARK laboratories. Detailed performance evaluations in the form of reports are available upon request. Do not hesitate to contact us.
How the audio playback score is composed
SBMARK engineers test playback through smartphone speakers, whose performance is evaluated in our labs and under real-life conditions, using apps and default settings.
In playback, the Reno8 5G lags behind many competitors overall, mainly due to the limitations of the single mono speaker. The dull treble and the total lack of bass and bass extension mean that the tonal spectrum is very narrow and the high and mid range. In terms of dynamics, the attack is ok, albeit not sharp, at nominal volume and loses precision at higher volumes. Bass accuracy is not quite up to par and at low volumes the bass is practically rendered silent on occasion.
As a mono device the Reno8 inevitably does not fare well in the Spatial category. Amplitude, localizability, and equilibrium are null by default. On the plus side, distance rendering is decent, with better results for music than vocals. The device isn’t particularly loud but the steps are fairly consistent when you turn up the volume.
For artifacts, the Reno performs below average for devices in its class. Our testers notice fluctuations at low volumes, bass compression and distortion even at nominal volume, and some audio issues that occur when you hit pause and then play. The single speaker is also very easy to cover with your fingers when holding the phone, which is particularly frustrating when gaming.
Hear about the playback performance of the smartphone tested in this comparison with some of its competitors:
Recordings of smartphones that play some of our music at 60 LAeq in an anechoic environment from 2 microphones in AB configuration, at 30 cm
Here’s how the Oppo Reno 8 5G fares in playback use cases compared to its competitors:
Playback of use case scores
The Timbre score represents how well a phone reproduces sound across the audible tonal range and takes into account bass, midrange, treble, tonal balance and volume dependence. It is the most important attribute for reproduction.
Music playback frequency response
A 1/12 octave frequency response graph, which measures the volume of each frequency emitted by the smartphone when playing a pure sine wave in an anechoic environment.
The Dynamics score measures the accuracy of changes in the energy level of sound sources, such as the precision with which a bass note or the impact sound of drums is played.
Secondary attributes for spatial tests include identifying the position of a specific sound, its positional balance, distance and amplitude.
The volume score represents the overall volume of a smartphone and how the volume gradually increases and decreases based on user input.
Here are some sound pressure levels (SPLs) measured when playing our sample recordings of hip-hop and classical music at maximum volume:
| Hip-Hop | Classic | |
| Oppo Reno8 5G | 70.4 dBA | 72 dBA |
| Realme GT 5G | 76.2 dB | 70.5 dBA |
| Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro | 76.4 dB | 73.4 dB |
The graph below shows the gradual changes in volume from minimum to maximum. We expect these changes to be consistent across the range, so that all volume levels match user expectations:
Music volume texture
This line graph shows the relative playback volume versus the user-selected volume step, measured at different volume levels with correlated pink noise in an anechoic box recorded on axis at 0.20 meters.
The Artifacts score measures the extent to which sound is affected by various types of distortion. The higher the score, the less noise you notice. Distortion can occur due to the sound processing in the device and the quality of the speakers.
Total harmonic distortion reproduction (maximum volume)
This graph shows the total harmonic distortion and noise in the audible frequency range.
It represents the distortion and noise of the device reproducing our test signal (0 dB Fs, Sweep Sine in an anechoic box at 40 cm) at the maximum volume of the device.
How the score of the audio recording is composed
SBMARK engineers test the recording by evaluating recorded files on reference audio equipment. These recordings are performed in our labs and in real-life conditions, using apps and predefined settings.
Thankfully, the Reno8 5G is much better for recording than for playback, beating even the Reno8 Pro in this category. Tonal balance is good in all use cases and in all apps we use for SBMARK Audio testing. A clean treble allows for good intelligibility of voices. It is accompanied by a natural midrange and the lower spectrum benefits from a clean bass rendition. The device is particularly good at high sound pressure levels, which makes it a good option for recording concerts and similar events. It is worth noting that using The audio zoom feature results in a slightly unclear mid-range, and the super-telephoto zoom also loses bass and mid-bass to some extent.
The Reno8 performs well for dynamics in general, thanks to a good envelope in all use cases, with a sharp and precise attack and good intelligibility of the voice. The envelope remains good, even at high sound pressure levels, generating high-impact dynamics with clarity and precision. The Oppo also performs well in the Spatial category, with impressive breadth in main camera video and memo use cases. It is also quite easy to spot sound sources in the stereo field and voices appear at the right distance from the listener. Audio Zoom does well at rejecting background noise, but it’s a bit slow to kick in, which can cause unwanted effects.
The recording volume is good across all apps, but the increments are quite inconsistent when using Audio Zoom. On the plus side, the recordings are virtually free of artifacts and wind noise is handled quite well. However, it works better for selfie videos than the main camera or note-taking apps. The tonal balance of the background is good across all apps, and the overall background feels natural and free of resonances and artifacts.
Here’s how the Oppo Reno 8 5G fares in use case registration compared to its competitors:
Record of use case scores
The Timbre score represents how well a phone captures sounds across the audible tonal range and takes into account bass, midrange, treble and tonal balance. It is the most important attribute for registration.
Life video frequency response
A 1 / 12th octave frequency response graph, which measures the volume of each frequency captured by the smartphone when recording a pure sine wave in an anechoic environment.
The Dynamics score measures the accuracy of changes in the energy level of sound sources, such as how accurately the explosives of a voice (p, tek, for example) are reproduced. The score also considers the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), such as how loud the main voice is compared to the background noise.
Secondary attributes for spatial tests include locating the position of a specific sound, its positional balance, distance and amplitude on recorded audio files.
Directivity of registration
Smartphone directivity graph when recording test signals using the camera app, with the main camera. It represents the acoustic energy (in dB) on the angle of incidence of the sound source. (Normalized to the 0 ° angle, in front of the device.)
The volume score represents the normalization level of the audio on the recorded files and how the device handles noisy environments, such as electronic concerts, during recording.
Here are the sound levels recorded in the audio and video files, measured in LUFS (Loudness Unit Full Scale); as a reference, we expect loudness levels to be higher than -24 LUFS for recorded content:
| Match | Life video | Selfie video | Memo | |
| Oppo Reno8 5G | -23.4 LUFS | -21.3 LUFS | -19.8 LUFS | -17.8 LUFS |
| Realme GT 5G | -19.7 LUFS | -15.1 LUFS | -14.3 LUFS | -16.7 LUFS |
| Nubia RedMagic 7 Pro | -33.6 LUFS | -25 LUFS | -20.5 LUFS | -28.1 LUFS |
The Artifacts score measures the extent to which recorded sounds are affected by various types of distortions. The higher the score, the less noise you notice. Distortions can occur due to the sound processing in the device and the quality of the microphones, as well as user handling, such as the way the phone is held.
In this audio comparison, you can hear how this smartphone handles wind noise compared to its competitors:
Recordings of a voice sample with light background noise, facing a turbulent wind of 5 m / s
Background evaluates how naturally the various sounds around a voice blend into the video recording file. For example, when recording a speech at an event, the background should not interfere with the main voice, but should provide context for the surrounding environment.
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