Oppo Reno 13 FS review: Well-priced battery champ

Price When Reviewed

Not available in the US

Best Prices Today: Oppo Reno 13 FS

The Oppo Reno 13 FS is a well-rounded mid-range smartphone that leans heavily into battery endurance, stylish design, and durability.

With a large 5,800mAh battery that comfortably stretches into two-day territory, a bright and vibrant AMOLED display, and IP69-rated water resistance, it’s an appealing choice for users who prioritise longevity and everyday usability over sheer power.

While its Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset is outperformed by rivals such as the Poco X7 or Galaxy A36, it remains competent for general tasks, aided by a generous 12GB RAM and 512GB of storage. Oppo’s ColorOS 15 is packed with useful AI features and long-term update support, although the inclusion of unnecessary bloatware and a junk-filled App Market detracts from the user experience.

The triple camera system is decent but nothing special, with the 50Mp main shooter delivering solid results and the 2Mp macro offering limited value. If you’re after the fastest phone for your money, you’ll find better options.

But if battery life, a refined design and durability matter most, the Reno 13 FS delivers a satisfying and dependable package.

Design & Build

• Slim and lightweight frame with a matt-finish plastic back
• IP69-rated water and dust resistance adds rare durability
• Simple, attractive look in three colour options

At just 192g and 7.8mm thick, the Reno 13 FS is one of the most manageable mid-range phones I’ve held recently. The matt plastic finish gives it a fingerprint-resistant surface and light, modern feel – especially in the “Plume Purple” colourway, which subtly shifts under light.

One of the only phones at this price with enough resistance to survive rain, splashes, quick underwater shots

My handset came in black, which I also quite liked – it looks rather smart. Though clearly not glass or metal, the plastic doesn’t feel cheap, and it helps keep the phone’s weight down.

Durability is a genuine strong point here. With an IP69 rating, the Reno 13 FS exceeds most rivals when it comes to water and dust protection. That makes it one of the only phones at this price with enough resistance to survive rain, splashes, quick underwater shots, or or even hot water jets.

The buttons are satisfyingly clicky and placed within easy reach on the right side, while the under-display optical fingerprint sensor is quick and mostly reliable, if not as consistent as ultrasonic solutions seen in pricier phones such as the Galaxy S25 series.

One thing that I did notice immediately is that the vibration motor is terrible – it feels extremely finicky.

Screen & Speakers

• Bright, colourful 6.67-inch AMOLED display
• 120Hz refresh rate keeps UI and animations smooth
• Stereo speakers sound fine, but lack punch and separation

The 6.67-inch AMOLED panel on the Reno 13 FS is a definite highlight. With a resolution of 2400×1080 and support for HDR10+, colours are rich and black levels are deep, giving Netflix or YouTube content that extra pop. Indoors or outdoors, the screen holds up well, even in bright conditions. It could be brighter – other mid-range smartphones I’ve used are – but it’ll more than get you by in most situations.

Scrolling is fluid thanks to the 120Hz refresh rate, which also helps gaming and general navigation feel slick. I’m glad to see such a high refresh rate, as some mid-rangers max out at 90Hz, even in 2025. There’s no adaptive refresh rate here though, so the phone won’t scale down to conserve battery as flagship models do.

The 6.67-inch AMOLED panel on the Reno 13 FS is a definite highlight

Audio quality from the inbuilt speakers is passable but not spectacular. While it gets reasonably loud, it lacks depth and clarity, especially at higher volumes, and bass is almost nonexistent. For casual use or voice calls it’ll do, but for music or movies, headphones or a Bluetooth speaker are a must.

Specs & Performance

• Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset falls behind faster rivals
• 120Hz screen
• Generous 12GB RAM and 512GB storage

The Reno 13 FS uses the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset – a 4nm octa-core processor that’s now starting to feel slightly dated. But in real-world use, the phone handles daily tasks just fine. Messaging, calls, browsing, and light social media use are smooth, and the 120Hz screen rarely feels bottlenecked by the CPU.

But throw any demanding games or heavy multi-app usage at it and the cracks start to show. This smartphone couldn’t really handle any games more intense than Subway Surfers. If you try to do slightly more intensive tasks, you’ll begin to struggle.

In Geekbench 6, the Reno 13 FS scores 937 in single-core and 2679 in multi-core tests – slightly below newer mid-range competitors like the Galaxy A36 and Moto G85. That means performance is fine for everyday users but not ideal for those looking to future-proof. It’s miles behind the Reno 13 Pro, but that’s what you’d expect.

Throw any demanding games or heavy multi-app usage at it and the cracks start to show

What helps is the generous 12GB RAM and 512GB of storage – a rarity in this price tier. It gives the Reno 13 FS more breathing room for multitasking and media than competitors such as the Pixel 8a or Samsung Galaxy A36. There’s even a microSD slot, which many rivals now skip entirely.

Oppo Reno 13 FS Benchmarks

Cameras

• 50Mp main sensor delivers decent daylight shots
• 8Mp ultrawide is useful but soft around the edges
• 2Mp macro is frustratingly limited and often unnecessary

Camera performance on the Oppo Reno 13 FS is a mixed bag. The 50Mp main camera is capable of producing attractive images in good light, with fairly natural colour reproduction and acceptable dynamic range.

It’s quick to focus and can deliver crisp results, especially when scenes are evenly lit. Night mode helps, but this isn’t a low-light champ – shots were lacking in clarity and quickly became fuzzy.

The 8Mp ultrawide sensor is welcome for fitting more into a shot, but there’s a noticeable drop in sharpness, especially around the edges of images. Colour consistency with the main sensor is decent, though contrast and noise control aren’t quite as tight.

And the 2Mp macro? It’s just there. Like so many phones in this mid to budget range, it’s included more for marketing than function. Focusing is fiddly, shots are often washed out, and getting usable detail is tough. I never once found myself wanting to use the lens outside of testing the device.

The 32Mp front-facing camera fares much better. Selfies are sharp and detailed in daylight, and AI beautification tools can be adjusted or disabled entirely. It’s one of the better selfie cameras in this tier, so your social media shots won’t disappoint.

Battery Life & Charging

• Massive 5800mAh battery
• 45W SuperVOOC charger included in box
• Easily lasts two days with moderate use

Battery life is where the Reno 13 FS shines. The 5800mAh cell is larger than most competitors, and the results speak for themselves. While testing this phone, watching Netflix or YouTube, the phone dropped just 2% after an hour. It’s one of the best results I’ve seen in this price bracket, and is a good step towards the handset lasting through the entire day.

Even with heavy use, the Reno 13 FS easily stretches to a day and a half. Moderate users can likely get two full days without plugging in. That kind of longevity is a huge advantage, especially for users who travel or don’t want to carry a charger all day.

Battery life is where the Reno 13 FS shines – the 5800mAh cell is larger than most competitors

Speaking of which, Oppo includes a 45W SuperVOOC charger in the box – another increasingly rare move that even the Pro version of this phone skips. It’s proprietary tech, so you’ll need to use the bundled brick and cable for best results, but it juices the phone up to 44% in just 30 minutes and a full charge takes under 90 minutes.

Software & Features

• Runs ColorOS 15 based on Android 15
• Oppo promises 5 years of updates, and 6 years of security
• Too much pre-installed bloatware, especially in Oppo’s App Market

ColorOS 15 runs smoothly over Android 15 and is one of Oppo’s more polished recent efforts. That said, it feels very similar to iOS. As an iPhone user, I enjoy the familiarity, but at times it feels like a very blatant copy.

The interface is bright, snappy, and packed with AI features including live translation, smart gallery organisation, and Oppo’s cross-device file sharing tools. While not everyone will use them, they don’t get in the way either.

It’s great to see Oppo commit to five years of OS updates and six years of security patches. That’s on par with Pixel and Galaxy devices, and it bodes well for long-term support.

ColorOS 15 runs smoothly over Android 15 and is one of Oppo’s more polished recent efforts

The main drawback? Bloatware. The Reno 13 FS comes preloaded with a batch of third-party games and redundant tools. The App Market, Oppo’s alternative app store, aggressively recommends suspiciously titled apps such as “Explosion of the Month” and “Going Balls”. Thankfully, most of this can be uninstalled, but it leaves a bad first impression. Bloatware is one of my biggest smartphone gripes, so I’m disappointed to see it on yet another Oppo smartphone.

Price & Availability

The Oppo Reno 13 FS is available now in the UK. It has an RRP of £399 for the configuration with 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That’s a competitive price on paper, especially considering that the device includes a large battery, high-resolution AMOLED display, and IP69-rated protection.

You can purchase the phone from Amazon, where it’s currently available for only £314.99, and Oppo’s website for £329, with colour options including Graphite Grey, Luminous Blue, and Plume Purple. A silicone case and Oppo’s 45W SuperVOOC charger are included in the box.

Compared to rivals, the Reno 13 FS sits in the same price bracket as the Samsung Galaxy A36 and the Poco X7, both of which offer better raw performance but lack this level of battery capacity. If you value long battery life and water resistance more than processing power, the Reno 13 FS offers solid value – but power users may want to consider those alternatives instead.

You can see all our top mid-range recommendations in our round-up of the best mid-range phones we’ve tested.

Should you buy the Oppo Reno 13 FS?

The Oppo Reno 13 FS is a tale of two priorities. If what you care about is battery life, this is one of the best phones in its class. It lasts ages on a charge, ships with a fast charger, and delivers a big, vibrant AMOLED screen to enjoy all day long. The sleek design and IP69 rating sweeten the deal for users who want a stylish and durable phone without going premium.

However, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is holding it back. It’s simply not as fast or future-proof as similarly priced competitors such as the Galaxy A36, Poco X7, or even the Moto G85. The cameras are serviceable but not standout, and the macro lens feels like wasted space.

Still, for users who value endurance, style, and simplicity over raw power, the Reno 13 FS makes a strong case – just go in with an awareness of its limitations.

Specs

Screen: 6.67-inch AMOLED, 2400×1080 resolution, 120Hz
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
Memory: 12GB RAM
Storage: 512GB (expandable via microSD)
Rear Cameras: 50Mp (f/1.8, OIS) + 8Mp ultrawide (f/2.2) + 2Mp macro (f/2.4)
Front Camera: 32Mp (f/2.4)
Battery: 5800mAh
Connectivity: 45W SuperVOOC wired charging
Software: Android 15 with ColorOS 15
Dimensions: 162.2 x 75.05 x 7.82mm
Weight: 192g