Review of Oppo Find N3 Flip
Our Verdict
The Oppo Find N3 Flip is a great compromise between the tiny cover screens of the past and the enormous ones we have now. The rest of the phone is on par with what you'll get from other flip-style foldables in terms of build, durability, and inner screen. Where the phone stands out most is in the crease (or lack thereof) and the camera. All told this is a solid offering in the foldable space.
One feature of flip-style foldables helped it stand out from the competition: the cover screen. The time and a few buttons were visible on a single strip in the early versions of these flippable gadgets, but that was pretty much all. By 2023, things have changed significantly, with a number of folding gadgets providing much more fully functional cover displays. Between these two eras, the Oppo Find N3 Flip strikes a balance and comes in a charming tiny compact with a really good camera.
A flip phone's main selling point is its standard size and ability to fold in half for convenient portability. The cover screen saves battery life and provides additional functionality without ever requiring the phone to be opened. Although Oppo has restricted its functionality, the Oppo Find N3 Flip's cover screen is the ideal size for displaying a large number of applications. The remainder of the phone is very amazing. So let's get started and determine if this gadget merits a spot in our ranking of the top foldable phones.
Advantages- Great camera for a foldable
- Solid battery life
- Powerful processor
- Almost invisible crease
Cost and accessibility
The Oppo Find N3 Flip is scheduled for release worldwide on October 19, 2023, however details about its availability and cost are still pending. However, given that the corporation revealed a Singaporean pricing of S$1,499, we may guess the retail price. We anticipate that the gadget will start at about that price if it does make its way to the United States and Europe. That comes out to little under $1,100, or just over £900.
This is our comprehensive evaluation of the Oppo Find N3 Flip sample that Oppo gave, which I used for three weeks on the T-Mobile network in the Chicago region. By the way, if you want to know precisely how we assess smartphones here at SmartRead before we go into it, you can check our guide to how we test.
Details
Attributes
The Oppo Find N2 made its debut late last year, and the Oppo Find N3 Flip is the next generation of foldable devices. This improved model has a similar cover screen and style, but it has a newer CPU and better cameras. In this gadget, Oppo makes use of the Mediatek Dimensity 9200 processor. It's the most powerful processor Mediatek has produced to far, packing a surprisingly large punch.
There are two storage options for this device: 256GB and 512GB, both with 12GB of RAM. It also has 44W wired charging and a 4,3000 mAh battery with a decent lifespan. These are the headline figures; the program features include the most intriguing information.
These days, Color OS is hardly new; any Oppo or OnePlus phone will have much of the same software. This contains the very simple method for creating folders. To create a folder, just pinch in with two fingers and mark any program you want to merge into one. This is crucial to me since it's my preferred method to arrange applications and my workflow revolves around it. The option to alter the icon shapes is another feature that I like since it adds some personality to your phone.
The option to expand folders is one of my favorite software enhancements. You may make them larger than the standard single icon groups, up to 2x2. It shows the first nine icons found in the folder within. You may slide to navigate between pages or tap any of those icons to launch the app. It's a great addition that makes the icons more manageable and readable.
Although it is customisable, the cover screen is not as good as some of the other options. Oppo has restricted the capability to a small selection of applications, in contrast to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Motorola Razr Plus, which both allow you to run almost anything on the cover screen. However, those that are included often function effectively.
It's not ideal that Oppo restricts everything else while curating the app experience, but I can see the company's reasoning. Samsung and Motorola give you complete control, but some people may find that a little too much. For those who are unfamiliar with flippable and foldable phones, Oppo makes the experience more approachable by restricting the number of applications. It is up to you and your requirements to decide whether it is a good or bad thing.
Prior to concluding the features section, there are a few items that are still lacking but still need attention. The first is wireless charging, which every contemporary smartphone ought to have. The latter is of more importance. There is no IP classification for this device's waterproofness. It's unfortunate not to have that assurance in case of an aquatic catastrophe when you compare this to the Motorola Razr 40's mediocre IP52 certification and the Samsung Flip 5's excellent X8 IP waterproof rating.
Photographer
This is one of the finest camera configurations on a flip-style folding device right away. It may not be the most reliable, however. Nevertheless, the majority of the time, this camera can produce excellent images. The camera, which has a Starlight Track around it, is dubbed a Cosmos Ring by Oppo. To put it simply, it's a half-dollar-sized camera bump with ridges running around the exterior.
A 50MP primary camera, a 48MP ultrawide camera, and a 32MP 2x optical telephoto lens are the three lenses that make up the Cosmos Ring. In addition, the camera manufacturer is maintaining its long-standing relationship with BBK, the parent company of Oppo, as seen by the big Hasselblad logo on the casing. The telephoto is a portrait camera, much as the OnePlus 11. Rather of serving as a zoom lens, its main purpose is to aid in producing the bokeh effect behind a subject in a portrait photo. If you examine attentively, you'll see that the OnePlus 11 and this camera configuration are almost similar.
The images you take during the day are clear and true to color, as is standard with most modern cameras. You may snap pictures with any of the three sensors and get the colors you choose with great detail since the color constancy throughout the camera lenses is distinct and consistent. Although one of the advantages of a flip-style foldable is the ability to utilize the main camera for selfies while framing your photo with the cover screen, the selfie camera is also better than you may assume.
When using the primary camera, video is beautifully stabilized; however, there is no stabilization on the selfie camera. Again, filming with the phone closed is a highly effective method. However, keep in mind that 1080p is the maximum resolution that can be seen while recording using the main sensor and the cover screen. Overall, it's preferable to utilize the primary sensors the majority of the time and ignore the selfie camera.
The main sensor is the only one you should utilize at night. That also applies to video, and when you're filming in the dark with a subject in the frame, I advise you to stay away from moving about too much or moving quickly. If not, your footfalls have a lot of judder and bounce. Capturing moving subjects might be challenging, but not impossible.
Although the results may vary, overall, this is one of the finest camera setups I've seen on a flip-style foldable. Whenever I would take a picture, it would usually turn out quite poor, but for no apparent reason, if I took the same picture later and in the same situation, it would turn out fantastic. To put it another way, snap a few pictures if you want to preserve the memories. Day or night, there's a good possibility that one of them will work out perfectly.
Design
The hinge of the Oppo Find N3 Flip is excellent; it minimizes the crease to the point of near-invisibility. It flops completely open at around 135 degrees, not as rigid as the one found in the Moto Razr Plus or the Galaxy Z Flip 5.
Conversely, this apparatus may be opened to a degree of around 25 degrees, but I would like a tighter hinge. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 stops anywhere you want, but it feels a lot like the Razr Plus in that you almost have to open it a little bit beyond where you want it.
Glass makes up the body, front, and rear, and color options include Sleek Black, Cream Gold, and Misty Pink. Although it has a fantastic appearance, it is really slick and easily slides off whatever surface you place it on. It is worthwhile to take up a case when they are accessible because of this.
Display