Oppo Find N3 Flip Review: Better Cameras Dont Make Up For A Squandered Cover Display
The Find N2 Flip was spotted with a front-facing display earlier this year, which is the best we've seen at the time. However, the Find N3 Flip was released a few months later compared to newer versions like the Motorola Razr+ and Galaxy Z Flip 5. Although the OP didn't improve it as much as it should have had a foldable screen, the Find N3 Flip was a success. . Depending on the camera, it will bring more significant improvements.
At first glance, the Find N3 Flip looks like a remake of the Find N2 Flip - and that's why. This makes sense since there were only six months between these two launches. Therefore, not much has changed between the two devices, so we return to our previous review of the N2 Flip Finder to find out more about this new version.
So let's start by talking about the hardware.
The Find N3 Flip takes on the foldable devices that have been around for years. The "Flexion" hinge is stable and keeps the screen wrinkle-free. Compared to the Motorola Razr+'s squeaky hinge and the Galaxy Z Fold 5's somewhat stiff hinge, Oppo's engineering here is simply incredible.
However, the folded body of the device seems too much - a little too much. That's not a problem, but I still want to avoid using a case because it affects the efficiency of the glass and the camera module looks too big.
The mirror is a magnet for fingerprints of all colors. During my test in August (when I took some photos in this test) I played with all three and after a while the fingerprints stopped showing. They can be clearly seen on the gray/black model I'm using here. Worse, the accumulated oil makes the device a bit rough and requires constant cleaning. Overall it looks great, but only for a few minutes.
When you open the device, you will find a 6.8-inch screen. It's very similar to other foldable phones in that it's quite large, but the Oppo's aspect ratio is slightly wider. Also, this time Oppo changed the display to avoid the problem of polarized lens on all mobile phones.
. As far as the software goes, ColorOS 13 is number one, in my opinion it is good. I'm still not a fan of the Oppo (and now OnePlus) experience, it feels bloated and cluttered, but it's definitely usable. (For more on the software, see our Find N2 Flip review.) Performance is still good, just like the Find N2 Flip, and is slightly improved by the new MediaTek 9200 chip.
The battery life is also very good. The 4,300mAh battery has no room for wireless charging, which is disappointing, but it's the longest-lasting battery I've seen in a foldable phone. While this device can last a full day, the Motorola Razr+ and Galaxy Z Flip 5 often need to charge before the day is up.
Now let's talk about three big changes.
Start by presenting the cover. It's physically unchanged, with the same 6.8-inch panel mounted vertically on the outside of the device. The software experience has been improved with new widgets on the home screen and the ability to launch full apps. This is the only issue I've had with the Find N2 Flip's display and I'm glad to hear that Oppo has fixed it.
As far as I know you can't run all apps externally.
Oppo has a short list of authorized apps that run on the cover screen of the Oppo Find N3 Flip. This includes things like Google Maps, Messages, Twitter/X, Reddit, YouTube, Gmail, Telegram and more. While it brings a lot of benefits, the unfortunate thing is that you can't run the apps you want on this screen unless you authorize them with Oppo. Samsung also has a limited list of Flip 5-based apps, but there's also an official way to launch whatever you want. There is no such option on the Find N3 Flip cover screen.
It sounds strange, but in general the program works very well!
In fact, I can't help but consider it a waste.
Oppo's external display is a smaller version of a standard smartphone screen, so most apps should work well, and at least when we look at Oppo's certified apps, they do. Of course, there will be exceptions, but not giving buyers any choice is useful and, in fact, only happiness.
To be honest, during my time with the Find N3 Flip, I rarely used the external display because I couldn't do the things I really wanted to. Checking the weather or checking notifications without unlocking your device is great, but you know what else you can do? A smart watch on my wrist.
Another new addition to OnePlus devices. The Find N3 Flip has an alarm slider on the side so you can switch between sleep modes. While I find its use limited to traditional flip phones, I really like it on the Flip as it allows me to change settings without opening the device or thinking about sound direction.
All this shows that Oppo has made significant improvements to the camera.
The Find N3 Flip doesn't have two cameras, but three. A 50-megapixel primary camera, a 48-megapixel secondary ultra-wide camera and a 32-megapixel triple telephoto camera are not found in all these foldable phones. To be clear, this is not the best telephoto lens as colors vary slightly between prime and telephoto lenses. It also only supports 2x optical zoom, but that's still a big improvement for the form factor.
In general, the camera system is very good. The footage is sharp and clear and doesn't look hacked just to wear a mobile phone. After spending some time with the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr+ earlier this year, this is a breath of fresh air, and I only wish it was paired with better software and a more capable foldable display.
To me, this is what the Find N3 Flip looks like and what the Find N2 Flip should look like. A six-month launch time is too short to sound like a true successor, and the Find N2 Flip is a slap in the face to anyone who bought it. (At least Oppo has confirmed that older devices will get the new flip screen feature.)
But the device is still a solid foldable device. It has the best battery life and camera of the "big three", although the cover screen is much smaller than its current competitors.
However, the Find N3 Flip will not be sold in the US market and there is no news on what kind of OnePlus devices will be released. However, in the markets where it's sold, the Find N3 Flip looks like it's at least worth a look if you're in that market.
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