Oppo Reno 14 is an allround smartphone (for the mid-range)

After its debut in China, the Oppo Reno14 also arrives in Italy. The new family includes the Reno14 Series, which includes the new Reno14 5G and Reno14 F and FS 5G. The promise is clear: to bring artificial intelligence to the centre of the photographic experience. Not just filters or marginal enhancements, but shooting and editing tools that use neural networks to manage light and colour in real time.

 We have been testing the Oppo Reno 14 these past few weeks, and the Chinese manufacturer deserves credit for being a courageous mobile phone company that should never be taken for granted. Such as the stylistic and design choices that break with the past and the competition. The design is different from others and you have to like it. The photo quality is good for mid-range. It is a well built and thought out mobile phone. While the battery is not its strong point.

At the heart of the proposition is AI Flash Photography: sharper photos even in low light conditions, complemented by a set of intelligent retouching tools. For those using the smartphone as a hand-held camera, the stabilisation and creator functions become a competitive asset. The 6,000mAh battery with 80W fast charging and cooling system keeps temperatures below 43°C even in summer gaming sessions, and the 120Hz AMOLED display with HDR10+ certification ensures fluidity. The 'Mermaidcore' design, with an ultra-thin 7.4 mm body and IP66, IP68 and IP69 certifications, positions the Reno14 as one of the most durable yet lightest smartphones in its class. As for the look, it has to please: iridescent finishes, multi-layered light effects. In a market where technical specifications tend to resemble each other, Oppo relies on aesthetic language to differentiate itself. Added to this is a growing ecosystem of smartwatches and integrated accessories.

The positioning is mid- to high-end: it does not challenge the top of the range of Apple and Samsung, but is likely to clash with aggressive competitors such as Xiaomi and Honor. So it is a very good mid-range smartphone with a lot of things the others don't have. Technically and in that price range there is little to reproach it for. One limitation remains that of brand perception in Europe. Despite being among the top five global manufacturers, Oppo has yet to consolidate the trust of Italian users after a period of uncertainty due to regulatory and commercial tensions.

The new model introduces a triple photo flash and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 3.5x zoom, designed to improve low-light photos. Artificial intelligence corrects expressions, removes reflections and blurring, generates new image variants and integrates with social media. It is not just an aesthetic exercise. Thanks to a partnership with Google, the model brings Gemini into the OPPO apps - Notes, Calendar, Clock - allowing it to summarise documents, extract information from a YouTube video and save it directly to notes. A function that anticipates the future of the relationship between smartphones and AI: less time navigating between apps, more actions completed in natural language. Battery life improves after 2-3 weeks, once it adapts to use. Don't expect super battery life, with intensive use you get 7 hours at most. The recommended price is EUR 599.99, which is fair if we look at the technical specifications but is perhaps too close to the discounted first-class ones.