The Oppo Find N2 Flip debuted earlier this year with a cover display that, at the time, was the best we’d seen. But, fast forward a few months, and the Oppo Find N3 Flip has been released up against newer releases like the Motorola Razr+ and Galaxy Z Flip 5. While Oppo hasn’t really improved the cover display as needed, the Find N3 Flip does bring another big improvement, and that’s to the cameras.
At a glance, the Oppo Find N3 Flip just looks like a shiny new version of the Find N2 Flip – because that’s exactly what it is. That makes sense, given there are barely six months between these two launches. As such, not much has changed between the two devices, so we’ll be referencing back to our earlier Find N2 Flip review for a lot of points about this newer release.
That said, let’s start by talking about hardware.
The Oppo Find N3 Flip takes the stellar foldable hardware that Oppo has been putting out for a couple of years now. The “Flexion” hinge is strong and leaves the display with virtually no crease. Compared to the crackly Motorola Razr+ hinge and the slightly-too-tight Galaxy Z Fold 5 hinge, Oppo’s engineering here is just stellar.
That said, the folded state of the device feels somehow a little too thick – a little chunky. It’s not a problem, but it made me want to avoid using a case, which directly went against the feeling of how slick the glass build is, and the camera module just feels a bit too big.
That glass is also a fingerprint magnet across all colors. In my hands-on back in August (where I captured some of the images in this review), I played with all three, and fingerprints were almost disgustingly obvious in just moments. They were most noticeable on the grey/black model that I’ve been using here. Worse yet, the collected oils just make the hardware feel a little gross, necessitating constant cleaning. All in all, it looks and feels premium, but only for a few minutes at a time.
Unfolding the device, you get the 6.8-inch display. It’s very similar to other flip phone foldables in that it’s a little too tall, but Oppo’s aspect ratio is a little bit wider. Plus, Oppo revamped its display this time around to ditch the issue with polarized sunglasses that plague all other flip phones.
In terms of software, ColorOS 13 runs the show, and it’s fine, I guess. I’m still not a fan of Oppo’s (and now OnePlus’, too) experience here, as it feels bloated and messy, but it’s absolutely usable. (You can find more on the software in our Find N2 Flip review.) Performance, like on Find N2 Flip, is still great and even slightly improved with the newer MediaTek 9200 chip.
Battery life, too, is excellent. A 4,300 mAh battery doesn’t leave room for wireless charging, which is a bummer, but this is the longest-lasting battery I’ve had on a flip phone. This device easily lasts a full day, whereas the Motorola Razr+ and Galaxy Z Flip 5 often need to be charged before the day’s end.
With all of that out of the way, let’s talk about the three big changes.
That starts with the cover display. Physically, it’s unchanged, with the same 6.8-inch panel that sits vertically on the outside of the device. The experience has been upgraded through software with new widgets on the main page, as well as the ability to run full apps. That’s the one sore point I had with the Find N2 Flip’s display, and I was glad to hear Oppo was fixing it.
That is… until I found out you can’t run every app on the outside.
Oppo has a short list of approved apps that work on the cover display on the Oppo Find N3 Flip. This includes apps like Google Maps, Messages, Twitter/X, Reddit, YouTube, Gmail, Telegram, and others. And while that adds a ton of utility, it’s frustrating that you can’t run the apps you want to on this display unless they’ve been approved by Oppo. Samsung has a similarly limited list of approved apps on the Flip 5, but there’s also an official means of running anything you want. No such option exists on the Find N3 Flip’s cover display.
It feels bizarre, but apps generally run really well out there!
Really, I just can’t help but see this as a waste.
Oppo’s outer display is literally a miniature version of a regular smartphone display, so logic says that most apps should run perfectly fine, and at least looking at the ones that Oppo has approved, they do run just fine. There will, of course, be exceptions, but not giving buyers the choice just ruins the utility and, frankly, the fun.
Honestly, I’ve barely used the outer display at all in my time with the Find N3 Flip because I just can’t do the things I actually want to do. It’s great for checking the weather or seeing my notifications without opening the device, but do you know what else is really good at those things? The smartwatch on my wrist.
Another new addition is one taken from OnePlus devices. The Oppo Find N3 Flip has the Alert Slider along its side to let you switch between ringer modes. While I find this of limited use on a traditional slab phone, I quite enjoy it on the Flip, as it lets me change the setting without opening the device or having to think about volume orientation.
That all leads to the big improvement Oppo has made, and that’s to the cameras.
Oppo Find N3 Flip has not two but three cameras on board. A primary 50 MP camera, a secondary 48 MP ultrawide camera, and a tertiary 32 MP telephoto camera that all these flip phone foldables have been missing. To be clear, it’s not exactly the best telephoto out there, as colors tend to change a fair bit between the main and tele lenses. It also only supports 2x optical zoom, but it’s still a big improvement for this form factor.
And, as a whole, the camera system is really good. Shots are crisp and clear, and they don’t feel like they’re compromised just to fit in a flip phone. After spending time with Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Motorola Razr+ earlier this year, it’s a breath of fresh air, and I just wish it was paired with better software and a more capable cover display.
Final Thoughts
The Oppo Find N3 Flip, to me, feels like what the Find N2 Flip should have been. The six-month difference in launch is too short to make this feel like a proper sequel, and to anyone who bought the Find N2 Flip, it’s a bit of a slap in the face. (At the very least, Oppo has confirmed the older device will get the new cover display features.)
But, still, this remains a solid foldable. It has the best battery life and the best cameras of the “big three,” even if the cover display is well behind the competition at this point.
Oppo Find N3 Flip, however, isn’t sold in the US market, and there’s no word on a OnePlus variety of the device coming out either. In markets where it is sold, though, Find N3 Flip at least feels worth a look if you’re in the market.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments