The Indian smartphone market is buzzing with options, and Vivo and OPPO have long been favorites, especially in offline stores where 40-50% of buyers still prefer to shop. Known for their sleek designs, solid performance, and impressive cameras, these brands dominate the mid-range segment. The Vivo V50 and OPPO Reno 13 5G, priced around ₹35,000-38,000, are two of the most popular choices for offline buyers. With similar price tags and a range of features, choosing between them can be confusing. This article compares the Vivo V50 and OPPO Reno 13 5G across design, display, performance, camera, battery, software, and more to help you decide which offers better value for money and whether it’s worth your investment. Let’s dive in!
Design and Build: Premium Looks, Personal Choice
Design is a big factor when choosing a smartphone, and both the Vivo V50 and OPPO Reno 13 5G aim to impress. The OPPO Reno 13 5G features a sleek, flat design with a metal frame and glass back, making it feel premium and sturdy. At just 7.24mm thick and 181 grams, it’s lightweight and comfortable to hold. The Vivo V50, however, goes for a flashy quad-curved glass design with a plastic frame, which looks immersive but feels slightly less premium. It’s heavier at 199 grams and 7.39mm thick.
Both phones are built to withstand the elements, with IP68 and IP69 ratings for dust and water resistance, meaning they can handle rain or accidental water exposure. The OPPO Reno 13 5G also has an IP66 rating for extra durability in rugged conditions, giving it a slight edge. The Vivo V50 uses Diamond Shield Glass for display protection, while the OPPO Reno 13 5G has Corning Gorilla Glass 7i, which is slightly more advanced. The OPPO also includes an IR blaster, absent in the Vivo, for controlling appliances.
Verdict: Design is subjective, so visit a store to see which one suits your style. The OPPO Reno 13 5G feels more premium with its metal frame and lighter build, while the Vivo V50’s curved design is bold and eye-catching. Both get a point for design.
Display and Multimedia: Vibrant Screens for Entertainment
For multimedia lovers, the display is key. Both phones feature AMOLED panels with a 120Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling and animations. The Vivo V50 has a 6.77-inch quad-curved AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution (2392 x 1080), a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, and HDR10+ support, making it great for immersive video and gaming experiences. The OPPO Reno 13 5G has a slightly smaller 6.59-inch flat AMOLED display with FHD+ resolution, 1,200 nits peak brightness, and HDR10+ certification, protected by Gorilla Glass 7i.
In real-world tests, both displays perform well in sunlight, with no noticeable difference in visibility. However, the OPPO Reno 13 5G slightly outperforms in multimedia, especially on Netflix, where its colors and dynamic range are more vibrant. The Vivo V50’s curved display feels more immersive, but the OPPO’s flat panel reduces accidental touches. Both have in-display fingerprint scanners for quick unlocking.
Verdict: The OPPO Reno 13 5G takes a slight lead for better color accuracy and multimedia performance, but the Vivo V50’s larger, brighter display is ideal for immersion.
Performance: OPPO’s Powerhouse Advantage
Performance is where the OPPO Reno 13 5G shines. It’s powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8350 chipset (4nm process) with LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 3.1 storage, delivering an AnTuTu score of around 13 lakhs. This makes it perfect for heavy multitasking and gaming. The Vivo V50 uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 chipset, scoring around 8 lakhs on AnTuTu, with older LPDDR4X RAM and UFS 2.2 storage. While the Vivo handles everyday tasks well, its storage and RAM are less efficient, potentially slowing down after 3-4 years.
The OPPO’s faster RAM and storage make it smoother for demanding apps, and its chipset supports ray-tracing games, giving it a future-proof edge. Both phones manage heat well, but the OPPO’s performance is noticeably better.
Verdict: The OPPO Reno 13 5G is the clear winner for performance, offering faster processing and long-term reliability.
Gaming Performance: Smooth and Powerful
Gamers will find the OPPO Reno 13 5G superior. It supports 90FPS in games like BGMI, compared to 60FPS on the Vivo V50. In heavier titles like Wuthering Waves, the OPPO achieves 47FPS, while the Vivo manages 36-37FPS. The Dimensity 8350’s Mali-G615 MP6 GPU and dual-chip X1 architecture ensure stable performance, even during long gaming sessions. The Vivo V50’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 is decent but lags in high-demand games.
Both phones handle heat effectively, with the Vivo V50’s Ultra Large VC Smart cooling system and the OPPO Reno 13 5G’s AI multi-cooling system. However, the OPPO’s higher frame rates and robust hardware make it the better choice for gamers.
Verdict: The OPPO Reno 13 5G is the go-to option for gaming, thanks to its superior performance and higher frame rates.
Camera: Vivo’s Photography Edge
The camera is a highlight for both phones, but the Vivo V50 takes the lead. Its dual 50MP camera setup (main with OIS and ultrawide) with ZEISS optics delivers excellent dynamic range, color accuracy, and detail, especially for landscapes and group shots. The 50MP selfie camera produces sharp images with natural skin tones, enhanced by India-specific features like wedding portrait modes and AI tools like AI Studio Portrait 2.0.
The OPPO Reno 13 5G has a triple camera setup: a 50MP main sensor, an 8MP ultrawide, and a 2MP monochrome lens. It excels in portraits, with better edge detection and filmic skin tones, thanks to its AI Night Portrait mode for low-light shots. For videography, the OPPO supports 4K 60FPS on the primary and selfie cameras, compared to 4K 30FPS on all three Vivo sensors, making it better for video recording. However, the Vivo’s higher-resolution ultrawide and ZEISS processing give it an edge in photography.
Verdict: The Vivo V50 wins for photography, especially for ultrawide shots and ZEISS-enhanced images. The OPPO Reno 13 5G is better for videos and portraits.
Battery Life: Vivo’s Long-Lasting Power
Battery life is a strong point for the Vivo V50, which packs a 6,000mAh battery with 90W FlashCharge, fully charging in about 45 minutes. It delivers 9-9.5 hours of screen-on time (SOT), lasting up to two days with moderate use. The OPPO Reno 13 5G has a 5,600mAh battery with 80W SuperVOOC charging, taking 52-53 minutes to charge and offering 8.5 hours of SOT, lasting about 1.5 days. The Vivo’s larger battery gives it a slight edge, though the OPPO’s battery is rated for five years of health compared to the Vivo’s four years.
Verdict: The Vivo V50 wins for its larger battery and faster charging, ideal for heavy users.
Software: OPPO’s Smooth Experience
Both phones run Android 15, with the OPPO Reno 13 5G using ColorOS 15 and the Vivo V50 running Funtouch OS 15. ColorOS is smoother and more polished, with fluid animations, a smart sidebar, split-screen multitasking, and AI features like AI Summary, AI Write, Screen Translate, Circle to Search, and AI Eraser. The Vivo V50 offers similar AI features, including Live Call Translation and AI Transcript Assist, but Funtouch OS feels less refined, with slightly clunky animations.
Both brands promise 3-4 years of security updates, ensuring long-term support. However, ColorOS provides a more seamless and customizable experience, making it the better choice for software enthusiasts.
Verdict: The OPPO Reno 13 5G wins for its superior software experience.
Connectivity: OPPO’s Extra Features
The OPPO Reno 13 5G supports 16 5G bands, compared to the Vivo V50’s 9 bands, ensuring better network compatibility. It also includes NFC for contactless payments, a feature missing on the Vivo V50, which is a drawback at this price. Both phones support Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and dual 4G VoLTE, but the OPPO’s NFC and broader 5G support make it more versatile.
Verdict: The OPPO Reno 13 5G wins for connectivity.
Specifications Table
| Feature | Vivo V50 | OPPO Reno 13 5G |
|---|---|---|
| Price (Starting) | ₹34,999 | ₹35,999 |
| Display | 6.77-inch AMOLED, FHD+, 120Hz, 4,500 nits, Diamond Shield Glass | 6.59-inch AMOLED, FHD+, 120Hz, 1,200 nits, Gorilla Glass 7i |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 3 | MediaTek Dimensity 8350 |
| RAM/Storage | 8GB/12GB LPDDR4X, 256GB/512GB UFS 2.2 | 8GB/12GB LPDDR5X, 256GB UFS 3.1 |
| Rear Camera | 50MP (main, OIS) + 50MP (ultrawide), ZEISS optics | 50MP (main) + 8MP (ultrawide) + 2MP (monochrome) |
| Front Camera | 50MP | 50MP |
| Video Recording | 4K 30FPS (all sensors) | 4K 60FPS (primary, selfie), 4K 30FPS (ultrawide) |
| Battery | 6,000mAh, 90W FlashCharge | 5,600mAh, 80W SuperVOOC |
| Software | Funtouch OS 15 (Android 15) | ColorOS 15 (Android 15) |
| Connectivity | 9 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4 | 16 5G bands, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, NFC |
| Weight | 199g | 181g |
| Durability | IP68, IP69 | IP66, IP68, IP69 |
Which One Should You Buy?
The Vivo V50 and OPPO Reno 13 5G are both excellent mid-range phones, but they cater to slightly different needs. If you prioritize photography, battery life, and a larger, brighter display, the Vivo V50 is the better choice. Its ZEISS-enhanced cameras excel in still photography, and its 6,000mAh battery ensures longer usage. However, if performance, gaming, software experience, and connectivity are more important, the OPPO Reno 13 5G is the clear winner. Its Dimensity 8350 chipset, faster RAM and storage, smoother ColorOS, and features like NFC make it a more well-rounded option.
Is It Worth It?
At ₹35,000-38,000, both phones offer great value, especially during sales when prices drop below ₹35,000. The OPPO Reno 13 5G feels more future-proof with its superior performance and connectivity, making it ideal for users planning to keep their phone for 3-4 years. The Vivo V50 is a great pick for camera enthusiasts and those who need long battery life. Visit a store to check the design and display, and choose based on your priorities—camera and battery for Vivo, or performance and software for OPPO.
Final Verdict: The OPPO Reno 13 5G wins by a slight margin for its better performance, gaming capabilities, software, and connectivity, making it the more versatile choice. However, if photography is your top priority, the Vivo V50 is hard to beat.
