Oppo Find N2 Flip review – the Z Flip 4's foil?
Oppo Find N2 Flip: Two-minute preview
Although Oppo has held a small presence in the foldable space for years, the newly-launched Oppo Find N2 Flip is the company's first true global foldable, arriving in markets beyond China, including the UK and Europe.
Not only has the N2 Flip got its sights set on new regions, as Oppo's first clamshell foldable, it's hoping to appeal to a different crowd than the company's previous foldable offerings.
While the Oppo Find N and Oppo Find N2 are primarily built for productivity – with vertical hinges and squared main displays – the proposition of a clamshell folding phone is a little different. A clamshell prioritizes compactness and style.
That's the narrative for the Find N2 Flip, just as it was with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4 in 2022 and, in truth, it looks as though the N2 Flip has been specifically engineered to outdo the Z Flip 4.
The design centers around a 6.8-inch 120Hz 21:9 folding AMOLED display, in a body that's 7.45mm thin and weighs 191 grams (that's a little bigger, thicker and heavier than a Z Flip 4).
Oppo has paid special attention to the Flexion Hinge running across the N2 Flip's midriff. It offers one of the least noticeable creases in a folding display to date – both to the eye and under-finger – while allowing the phone to fold closed without a gap (unlike Samsung's best foldables). The N2 Flip also has a wonderfully satisfying feel when being opened and closed, likely thanks to the cam mechanism in the hinge's construction.
The external cover display, meanwhile, dwarves even the Motorola Razr 2022's outer Quick View display, with a 3.26-inch 17:9 AMOLED panel that naturally sits in a portrait orientation, next to the phone's main 50MP and secondary 8MP ultrawide cameras.
As you'd expect, it can be used as a viewfinder when snapping stills, videos and portrait shots with the phone's most powerful camera. It can access quick settings and check notifications, view the weather or your calendar. The display also allows for instant access to timers and even a virtual pet, Tamagotchi-style.
Oppo has augmented the ColorOS 13 user experience on the N2 Flip with what it calls 'FlexForm Mode.' When the phone is folded between 45- and 110-degrees, you can leverage the cameras for everything from time lapse recording to video calls, without the need for a tripod.
On the inside, MediaTek's Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset serves up plenty of power (having already proven its worth in one of the best gaming phones out there, the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate).
It's a shame that, outside of its home market, the Find N2 is only available in a single memory and storage configuration: 8GB RAM / 256GB. In China, the phone can also be had with 12GB RAM and the same storage or a whopping 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage.
There's also a colorway called Flowing Gold that isn't part of the device's international release. Instead, most consumers will have the option of either Astral Black or Moonlit Purple – creating a decidedly similar look to the Galaxy Z Flip 4's iconic purple finish.
Oppo launched the phone internationally on February 15, going on sale in various markets, including the UK on March 2, for £849. Stay tuned for a full review soon, where we decide whether the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has its work cut out.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Price and availability
- Priced at £849 / €1,199.99
- Unconfirmed for the US and Australia
- Pre-orders from February 15, on sale March 2
Oppo launched the Find N2 Flip internationally on February 15, taking pre-orders the same day. In the UK, the phone is priced at £849 (approximately $1,020 / AU$1,480) and goes on sale on March 2. European pricing clocks in significantly higher, at €1,199.99.
UK pre-order availability from Currys doesn't commence until later, on February 19 and Argos on February 21.
For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 – with a base configuration of 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage – cost $999.99 / £999 / AU$1,499, at launch. This renders Oppo's new clamshell a comparative steal, as it not only undercuts the Flip 4's base price by £150 but if you compare pricing between equivalent 256GB models, the Find N2 Flip actually comes in at £210 cheaper (the 256GB Z Flip 4 cost $1,059.99 / £1,059 / AU$1,649, at launch).
One area where the Find N2 Flip can't compete against the Flip 4 is the US. Oppo's new phone has no expected presence in one of Samsung's biggest international markets.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Specs
With the new year, we're seeing devices (like the Samsung Galaxy S23 series and Xiaomi 13 series), with faster and more power efficient LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage. Since the Find N2 Flip originally launched in China in late 2022, concurrent with the Z Flip 4, the Find N2 Flip sports slightly older LPDDR5 RAM and UFS 3.1 storage.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Design
- First clamshell foldable from Oppo
- Satisfying and sturdy hinge mechanism
- Gapless folding design
You can't evaluate a foldable without talking about the hinge mechanism that underpins its construction and Oppo's done a great job with the Find N2 Flip. The phone's latest-generation 'Flexion Hinge' features a system of cams to serve up an incredibly satisfying movement when you fold the phone open and shut, and the whole construction feels impressively solid.
Oppo had the hinge independently tested and, as such, it's verified by TÜV Rhineland to withstand some 400,000 cycles (opening once and closing once equates to one cycle). This translates to 100 cycles per day for over ten years – that's twice the stress-test figure that Samsung quotes for the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Flip 4.
The N2 Flip comes with formal IP-certified water resistance of IPX4. Compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 4's IP68, the N2 Flip can withstand a spray of water, while Samsung's best phones can all withstand full submersion up to a meter.
Oppo insists that the phone's 'gapless folding design' keeps particles out and the mechanism safe, which I'll only be able to verify for myself after living with it a little longer.
There's some nice detail work throughout the Find N2 Flip's design, with two colorways launching internationally: textured Astral Black and glossy Moonlit Purple (pictured). Flowing Gold remains a China-exclusive colorway and any additional colors in the future seem unlikely, as I was told by Oppo EU's Head of Product Management, Arne Herkelmann, at the phone's international launch event in London.
There's a wave-style pattern etched into the outer face of the hinge when the phone is folded shut that catches the light and adds extra interest, showcasing a level of polish and attention to detail that most devices lack.
At 191 grams and 7.45mm thin, the N2 Flip is a little bigger, heavier and thicker than its most obvious rival, but for that additional heft you get a larger display and battery compared to Samsung's current clamshell.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Display
- 6.8-inch 21:9 1Hz to 120Hz AMOLED main display
- 3.26-inch 17:9 30Hz to 60Hz AMOLED cover display
- Largest cover display of any clamshell foldable
Perhaps one of the most striking things about the Find N2 Flip compared to its clamshell folding rivals is its crease, or rather... lack of one.
Part of the phone's Flexion Hinge is an equally flamboyant-sounding element called the Reticular Matrix Plate. When the phone is closed, the plate slides out of the way to allow the display itself to bunch up inside in a waterdrop shape – similar to the Motorola Razr 2022's folding design.
When the N2 Flip is opened back up, the plate slides back and locks into place, creating what is empirically the smallest display crease in any clamshell foldable, for now.
Oppo says the crease is half the depth of the the N2 Flip's "main competitor" and I can attest to how impressively unobtrusive it looks and feels. It's a clear indictor of progress when it comes to the technology and engineering needed to create a phone with a folding display, and suggests we'll soon have foldables with no visual or tactile interruption.
As for the viewing experience, the 6.8-inch 20:9 Full HD+ panel's use of LTPO E6 AMOLED tech ensures sharp and vibrant visuals, with minimal brightness drop-off or color distortion when viewed off-axis, as well as support for a variable refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz, for greater power efficiency than a fixed-efresh panel.
The display manages a peak brightness of 1,600 nits. It's great for enjoying media (helped by minimal bezels) and offers one of the nicest user experiences of any clamshell foldable displays currently out there.
That TÜV Rhineland certification doesn't just cover the hinge for 400,000 folding cycles but the display itself too, with multi-layered construction that features an anti-reflective film Oppo claims is five times less reflective than competing foldable displays. I'll be testing this during the phone's full review.
Then, of course, there's the cover display: bigger than any other clamshell foldable and brimming with features. It can handle tasks that are obvious – like acting as a viewfinder when snapping selfies with the phone's primary camera – to obscure.
There's the option of one of five interactive pet clocks the serve up a Tamagotchi-like experience, for an added layer of character and fun.
While the out-of-box feature set is a solid start, third-party additions would make for a welcome upgrade. At present, Spotify media controls can be accessed from the cover display, and the promise of Google Assistant interaction while the phone is closed is reportedly in the works too, but there's potential for so much more, if Oppo were to open up an SDK for developers.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Software
- ColorOS 13 atop Android 13 at launch
- An almost overwhelming amount of functionality
- Four years OS updates + five years security updates
The Find N2 Flip arrives on the latest Android 13, dressed in Oppo's own ColorOS 13 user experience.
Not unlike Samsung's One UI, it's a departure from stock Android in a few key areas and includes some first-party Oppo apps that dupe some of Google's native apps (like a web browser and app store). Additions like quick access to split-screen multitasking via a three-finger swipe gesture, a universally-accessible Smart Sidebar and floating window functionality all serve the display's tall aspect ratio well and bolster the phone's productivity chops.
At the same time, there's almost too much functionality. Many users will likely never venture to uncover what the O1 Ultra Vision Engine is, learn the difference between Oppo Share and Nearby Share, or discover the freedom of Zen Mode (it locks the phone down for a set period of time to give a break from your device).
The Find N2 Flip does represent one notable positive shift in Oppo's wider mobile strategy, by matching Samsung and out-doing its commitment to updates. The N2 Flip benefits from four years of OS updates and five years of security updates, just like the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. The hope is that this promise starts making its way to other Oppo devices going forward too, and not just its high-end handsets.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Camera
- 50MP primary + 8MP ultrawide
- 32MP selfie camera
- FlexForm Mode camera features
You'll find a trio of cameras across the Find N2 Flip's body, a 50MP primary and 8MP secondary ultrawide on the back, alongside a 32MP punch-hole front-facer, set into the top of the phone's main display.
The Sony IMX890 sensor that leads the N2 Flip's camera system is the same sensor you'll find in OnePlus' latest flagship, the OnePlus 11, although here it's supported by Oppo's dedicated MariSilicon X imaging NPU for image processing. There doesn't appear to be any optical image stabilization on offer.
Image processing may be handled by the MariSilicon X chip, but tuning of the color science through Oppo's ongoing partnership with famed camera brand Hasselblad, defines the overall look of the results out of the Find N2 Flip's camera.
There's also the unique benefits of that clamshell form factor to consider – with regards to photography. That large cover display makes it quick and easy to snap selfies, portrait shots or shoot video using the phone's primary sensors and without having to open the phone up. Conversely, you can be snapping normally but give your subject an idea of the final image you're capturing, with the cover screen preview feature.
As part of that all-important hinge's ability to hold its position between 45- and 110-degrees, the phone's FlexForm Mode is most obviously beneficial when snapping pictures, letting you shift the camera UI to either half of the partially folded display as needed, while angling the camera through that defined range of motion allows for easier hands-free capture too.
There's also a mode called Camcorder Capture, that acts an awful lot like the Galaxy Z Flip 4's FlexCam mode, where you hold the phone sideways while it's folded to 90-degrees to emulate the feel and hands position of a 90s camcorder when capturing video.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Performance
- MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset
- Single memory / storage configuration on international model
Continuing the partnership that the company struck up with MediaTek for the Oppo Reno 8 series, the N2 Flip instead runs on a Dimensity 9000 Plus SoC, unlike the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 that we toyed with in our hands-on Oppo Find N2 review, .
Although MediaTek's high-end silicon isn't established as Qualcomm's, the 9000 Plus has already proven its worth inside our best gaming phone of the moment – the Asus ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. As such, there's plenty of power on hand for everything from multitasking to gaming.
Colors aside, there's only one configuration to worry about internationally, with 8GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 256GB of UFS 3.1 storage on hand, which most users should find more than adequate. In China, the phone can be had with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. Oppo's Peter Lee – head of the Find product line – told me that this is born out of higher demands that Chinese consumers expect from their devices.
One area where Oppo has tried to tailor the experience to the unique qualities of a foldable like the Find N2 Flip is with connectivity. As well as a strong foundation thanks to Bluetooth 5.3 and WiFi 6, the N2 Flip also supports eSIM with simultaneous dual 5G SIM support, while a 360 antenna array means NFC should work with the phone held in any orientation, ideal for contactless payments on public transport and the like.
Hands-on Oppo Find N2 Flip review: Battery
- 4,300mAh battery
- Supports 44W SuperVOOC charging
- Largest battery and fastest charging in a clamshell foldable
One of the big wins that the Oppo Find N2 Flip lordes over its clamshell compatriots is with its battery and charging credentials. While the Motorola Razr 2022, Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Huawei P50 Pocket possess 3,500mAh, 3,700mAh and 4,000mAh capacity batteries respectively, the Oppo barges in with a bombastic 4,300mAh cell that should boast superior longevity.
It's a similar story with charging speeds too, with the Samsung, Motorola and Huawei supporting 25W, 30W and 40W wired charging, respectively. The Find N2 Flip, meanwhile, tops the list at 44W (although you'll find a 67W SuperVOOC charger in-box). This reportedly equates to 50% charge in 23 minutes and 100% in under an hour.
While Oppo's claims still need to be put to the test, the company states that the phone can deliver over 11 hours of movie playback and that its self-developed high density cells offer up 10% more power from the same capacity battery in an equivalent device.
First tested February 2023
0 comments:
Post a Comment