Oppo has launched a new series of Reno 4 phones in Europe, and it contains three different models at varying prices. It's a neat, three-phone tiered set of devices, but what exactly do you get for your money? 

In this comparison, we'll go over the different specs and features to help you decide which might suit you best. Of course, it might just come down to budget for you, in which case the choice will be fairly simple. 

To read our initial review/hands-on with the Reno 4 Pro, you can head here

Design and build

  • Reno 4 Pro: 159.6 x 72.5 x 7.6mm - 172g
  • Reno 4: 159.3 x 74 x 7.8mm - 183g
  • Reno 4Z: 163.8 x 75.5 x 8.1mm - 184g
  • Reno 4 Pro: Curved glass
  • Reno 4 and 4Z: Flat glass

Oppo's Pro model in the Reno 4 series features an elegantly curved build. There's 3D curved on the front and on the back, to help give the phone its sleek and slim build. It's the narrowest, thinnest and lightest phone in the range. It comes in a blue gradient variety with a soft 'Reno Glow' finish, plus a glossy Space Black with a rainbow layer and monogrammed 'OP' pattern and a limited 'Green Litter'. 

The standard Reno 4 doesn't feature the same curves. The glass on the front is mostly flat and is slightly wider and thicker than the Pro. It also comes within the Reno Glow finish, but the Space Black doesn't have the monogrammed pattern on it. 

As for the Z, that's the biggest and chunkiest phone in the range. It's noticeably taller, thicker and wider, plus it has a much more flat display. It also has a fingerprint sensor built into the side of the phone, while the other two use in-display sensors. 

The design of the Z's camera housing is quite interesting two, featuring a square panel with a diagonal pill-shaped protrusion within that square. The other two have a more elegant glass rectangle with the three cameras in a straight line. 

Displays

  • Reno 4 Pro: 6.5-inch 90Hz OLED - 1100 nits peak
  • Reno 4: 6.4-inch 90Hz OLED - 800 nits peak
  • Reno 4 Z: 6.57-inch 120Hz LCD - 400 nits peak
  • All three: FullHD+ (2400 x 1080) resolution
  • Reno 4 Pro: Single hole-punch cutout
  • Reno 4 and 4Z: Dual cutout

All three phones use the same resolution panels: 1400 x 1080 (full HD+), but the exact makeup of those panels is different on each of them. 

The Reno 4 Pro features a 90Hz OLED panel that can reach up to 1100 nits peak brightness and 100 per cent DCI-P3 colour gamut. It curves around the edges of the phone and features a single cutout for the selfie camera. 

The Reno 4 has a 90Hz OLED panel too but isn't quite as bright. It reaches 800 nits peak brightness and 96 per cent NTSC colour gamut. It's a flat panel and has a dual pill-shaped cutout for the dual selfie camera in the top corner. 

As for the Reno 4 Z, that has an LCD screen but it's bigger than the other two and features a 120Hz refresh rate. It reaches 400 nits peak brightness and 81.5 per cent NTSC colour gamut. 

Clearly then, there's a clear difference in quality between each of the three panels and shows where cost-saving measures have been made on the cheaper models. 

Hardware and performance

  • Reno 4 and 4 Pro: Snapdragon 765G processor (5G)
  • Reno 4 Z: MediaTek Dimensity 800 processor (5G)
  • RAM/Storage variants: 
    • 12GB/256GB - Reno 4 Pro
    • 8GB/128GB - Reno 4
    • 8GB/128GB - Reno 4 Z
  • Reno 4 Pro: 4,000mAh battery w/65W Super VOOC 2.0 charging
  • Reno 4: 4,020mAh battery w/65W Super VOOC 2.0 charging
  • Reno 4 Z: 4,000mAh battery w/18W charging

Both the Reno 4 and the Reno 4 Pro feature the same Snapdragon 765G processor, while the cheaper model has the MediaTek Dimensity 800. That means all three of them support 5G. 

Battery capacity is very similar on all of them, with the Pro and Z both featuring a 4,000mAh battery and the regular Reno 4 featuring a 4,020mAh capacity. 

It wouldn't be Oppo without fast-charging, and so the two more expensive models both have the ultra-fast 65W Super VOOC 2.0 charging. That means 100 per cent charge in 35 minutes, and 0-66 per cent in just 15 minutes. The Reno 4 Z doesn't use Super VOOC 2.0, instead, it has 18W fast charging which isn't quite as speedy. 

Storage and RAM makeup is the same on the Reno 4 Z as it is on the Reno 4. That means you get 8GB RAM and 128GB storage on both. The Pro ups the ante with 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. All three use LPDDR4x RAM and UFS 2.1 flash storage. 

Cameras

  • Reno 4 Pro triple camera: 
    • 48MP primary f/1.7 primary w/OIS
    • 12MP Ultra Night ultra-wide-angle f/2.2 'video lens'
    • 13MP telephoto 5x hybrid zoom f/2.4 lens
  • Reno 4 triple camera: 
    • 48MP primary f/1.75 camera
    • 8MP ultra-wide-angle f/2.2 lens
    • 2MP mono (b&w) lens
  • Reno 4 Z quad camera: 
    • 48MP primary f/1.7 camera
    • 8MP wide angle f/2.2 lens
    • 2MP 'vintage portrait' monochrome filter lens
    • 2MP monochrome portrait lens

All three cameras have multi-camera setups, but it's only the Pro which has only useful cameras, it's not just adding cameras for cameras' sake. It has a regular 48-megapixel primary camera with OIS, plus an ultra-wide 12-megapixel camera with ultra-night capabilities for low light video. The third is a 13-megapixel telephoto zoom with up to 5x zoom. 

With the regular Reno 4 you get the same primary sensor, but a lower resolution 8-megapixel ultra-wide which doesn't feature the same ultra-night feature for night time shooting. The third is just a low resolution black and white sensor. 

As for the Reno 4 Z, it uses a 48-megapixel sensor in the primary camera, but it's not the same premium Sony sensor. It's joined by an ultra-wide camera with an 8-megapixel sensor and two 2-megapixel monochrome sensors. 

Price 

  • Reno 4 Pro: £699
  • Reno 4: £499
  • Reno 4 Z: £329

Unsurprisingly, it's the Reno 4 Pro that's the most expensive of the three. It's pushing on premium prices with a £699 price tag. The Reno 4 is £200 cheaper at £499, while the Reno 4 Z is £329. 

All three products are available to buy from 15 October. 

Conclusion

It's clear from looking at the features and the design that the Reno 4 Pro is the most premium of the three. In fact, everything about it screams 'flagship', except perhaps the Snapdragon 700-series processor inside. But that's been a solid, fast processor in all the phones we've tested it in so far. It's a lovely-looking, elegant phone with all the features you could want. It's something to consider if you want a flagship-like phone, but don't have £1,000 to spend on one. 

As for the Reno 4, that's your classic mid-ranger with a lot of great specs. It's not as elegant and doesn't have the same quality in the camera department, but it's just as powerful and features the same ultra-fast charging. It's a good compromise if the near £700 Pro price is a bit too steep. 

As for the Z, that's the bottom tier phone. It cuts back a lot on camera, screen and build quality. Still, with 5G and a 120Hz screen at the £329 price tag, you're getting a good deal for your money.