Oppo Reno8 T set for Kenya launch

Smart device brand Oppo is set to launch its latest smartphone, the Reno8 T in Kenya on February 16th.

The Kenya launch puts the country on the same launch roadmap as many other markets. In short, Kenya is a launch market for the device which has just been announced globally this month.

Being a launch market for a device means that there are lots of expectations regarding the said device’s performance, something we will wait to see how it unfolds.

“The latest addition to the Reno series brings a level up in ultra-clear imaging system, stylish design, powerful performance, and an all-around smooth experience to its users,” Oppo Kenya says in a statement.

The Reno8 T comes in two variations: there’s a 4G and a 5G model, just as was the case with its other sibling in the series, the Reno8.

Both devices come with a fibreglass-leather design, “focused on giving the phone an ultra-premium look and feel by removing plastic edging and replacing it with a new leather stitching pattern”.

The Oppo Reno8 T 5G features a 108-megapixel main camera at the back, “the first in the Reno series,” according to Oppo Kenya.

“It also has an exclusive 40x Microlens feature to discover the micro world as it enables users to zoom in on the micro details in their surroundings and capture stunning images,” says Oppo.

The main back sensor is backed by a pair of 2-megapixel microscope and depth sensors. On the front is a 32-megapixel camera.

For those that loved the ring light on the Reno7, which still stayed on the 4G variant of the Reno8 but completely disappeared in the 5G variant, it lives on in the Reno8 T but with a twist: it’s hidden inside the camera and isn’t as pronounced to the naked eye when it is not in use as the one we are used to.

Other specifications of the device include a 6.7-inch Full HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 695 5G chipset from Qualcomm and a 4,800mAh battery with support for the 67W Super VOOC fast charger included in the box that takes it from 0 to 100% in three-quarters of an hour. There’s a choice of 128GB and 256GB onboard storage to pair up with the standard 8GB RAM.

The 4G model makes do with a 6.43-inch Full HD+ display with a 60Hz refresh rate, a MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging and the same choice of memory and internal storage options as its 5G sibling.

In place of the hero 108-megapixel sensor that headlines the 5G model, the 4G model gets a 100-megapixel sensor that is coupled with the same secondary sensors as its pricier (yes, the 5G model will obviously cost more, duh) sibling.

Both devices are powered by Android 13, obviously, with Oppo’s custom overlay, ColorOS, on top. This time, as expected, the latest version that has just rolled out in Kenya and elsewhere around the world, to the rest of the Reno8 series as well as their predecessor, the Reno7 series. I, for one, can’t wait to try out that deeper Spotify integration.

The Reno8 T should be the first of the devices from Oppo available in the Kenyan market that will benefit from its promise to update its devices to four major versions of Android.

While the 3.5mm headphone didn’t make the cut, Oppo’s on-and-off relationship with the microSD card slot continues with the Reno8 T getting it – the Reno8 didn’t.

How much do you think the new devices will cost?