Oppo has always been a strong name in the Chinese market, but remains a very small player internationally. With the release of the Oppo Find N2 Flip, the Chinese manufacturer hopes to increase that rating. The Find N2 Flip showcases Oppo's technical prowess, is the first true competitor to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series, and introduces the Oppo brand to customers across Europe and beyond.
I spent some time with Oppo's foldable phone to see if it was up to the challenge.
After speaking with Oppo Vice President Billy Zhang, one of the design goals of the Find N2 Flip was to provide a smartphone-like experience when the phone is unlocked. Basically, there's no point in having a flip phone that doesn't work like a regular phone. Before all the bells, whistles and technological advances, the N2 Flip functioned like a normal smartphone.
You will be relieved to hear that the answer is yes. Oppo has created a phone that offers a great experience. It's not a huge killer when it comes to specs, and there are a few areas that need attention, but overall the Find N2 Flip is a capable smartphone.
At that moment, the Find N2's whistle stopped, with "Flip" in mind. The first is the camera. The main camera has two lenses: a 50-megapixel main camera and an 8-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera (and a 32-megapixel selfie camera that sits behind the display with a central notch).
There is nothing particularly surprising in the picture. it's not a main lens and sensor, but the automatic settings for full auto mode, image post-processing and various options between points produce a strong image in the well in medium light. Compared to flagships, there is a noticeable drop in low-light performance. The shape is selected, but the color is not strong.
In terms of details, Oppo uses MediaTek's Dimensity 9000+ and uses Qualcomm's SnapDragon series of chipsets. It is the same as the SnapDragon 8 Gen 1, so there is very little noticeable difference in daily use. Developers, especially games and graphics-intensive applications, know all aspects of the SnapDragon system, so the game involves a little less optimization.
Of course, if you're looking for serious gaming, there are more specialized phones out there. For your 2D puzzles and platforming, the MediaTek version works just as well as the Qualcomm version.
Oppo's version of Android is ColorOS. It is well established in the Chinese market and follows many popular user interface trends. This means you have more vibrancy and color in the interface, and some western-oriented shortcuts (such as double-tapping the power button to open the camera) are gone.
How much translation a user interface needs is much debated, but translation sites still need some work, and that's translation. There are areas where the selection of phrases and words seems a bit... mechanical, the translation is not done by hand, but by algorithm. This doesn't interfere with any functionality, but it caught my attention.
In terms of support; Oppo offers four years of Android updates and one year of additional security updates to match its high-end Galaxy and Pixel phones.
If you're looking for a more in-depth look at ColorOS, you can read my review here on Forbes.
Let's go back to the two notebooks. The first is the aspect ratio. At 9:9, you'll find the phone slightly longer and narrower than other comparable rugged phones. It's a small thing, and Android's tendency to use data-gathering apps actually slows down the movement. I find touch a bit limited given the amount of information on the screen; the word wrapping should be a little more aggressive or the font size should be removed, but it needs a little tweaking.
The Oppo gets bonus points for having consistent screen frame sizes and offering a fast 120Hz refresh rate.
The second area is of course the hinges. Instead of the U-shaped curve of competing phones, Oppo uses a teardrop-shaped curve. This, in turn, results in tighter spaces, but also reduces the amount of curvature in certain areas of the screen. Both help reduce the visibility of elbows.
Android dark mode is a savior here. Make it as black as possible and the wrinkles will not be visible to the eye. Switch to white and the tiles are more visible, especially when moving. Even if it didn't look like it, it was enough that the background didn't attract attention.
You will feel it under your finger or thumb when you slide. With today's suspension technology, it definitely is.
The hinge stays open after 45 degrees away from the tablet, so you have a great angle for video calls. Oppo's camera software also lets you move photo thumbnails up or down the screen, and the camera video mode is a very nice step back.
Oppo, like many other foldable smartphone manufacturers, has decided to add an external screen that will allow users to view their notifications and make some quick changes without opening the phone / Solution Find N2 Flip is a cover screen: 3, 5
The main flip screen lets you view notifications (just swipe up) and hotkeys (swipe down). In practice, I haven't found much use for the latter. The former is more useful, allowing you to quickly view what you see on your desktop phone's idle screen. Mission accomplished.
With the main camera lens next to the flip screen, you can use the N2 Flip as a selfie camera when closed, and the flip screen that displays photo thumbnails (and for use when you open the phone) can be activated as usual. shutter screen so people can see where they are for the main camera. The ubiquity of weather apps continues here, and if I don't have a smartwatch on my wrist, the on-screen timer will come in handy.
However, the lock screen does not appear to be part of the Flip Finder N2. It looks closed and has no real interaction with the contents of the phone. Why is the developer supporting Oppo Cover without a user base and why is Oppo offering Cover Screen without an existing app? It's the latter, so Oppo is hoping the developer adds support.
Whether the developer will support the Find N2 Flip, Samsung's Z Flip series, or other flip-only devices in the coming years remains to be seen. The cover screen is more dangerous than the viewport and free space for notifications. Not that it's a bad thing. The Find N2 Flip fulfills its design goals without third-party work, but what will happen to the flip a year from now is an open question.
What happened to the folding mechanism and navigation after twelve months of folding is another matter. Despite talk of testing, certification and experience, Oppo's foldable technology remains untested for global rollout.
The complex folding mechanism is a special feature for those looking for technical skills, but the real magic is how it simply disappears into the background. Ultimately, the Find N2 Flip is a smartphone positioned in the upper mid-range segment. It's short on basic specs, but good enough for an everyday phone.
Folding in half for easier pocketability is a bonus that helps Oppo stand out in the global market. It draws inevitable comparisons with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4… which means the Oppo is on par with the comparisons read by users.
It was a triumph for the number one group in the world.
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