This story was originally published on March 22, 2023, and last updated on March 24, 2023.
The OPPO Find N2 Flip is one phone I’ve been itching to get my hands on since the company introduced it at the end of last year. As a self-proclaimed flip phone girlie, I’ve been eagerly waiting for improvements in the space. OPPO’s newest (and first) addition to the compact foldable has thoroughly piqued my interest as it addressed one of my biggest gripes about the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4: the size of the cover screen.
The star of the show
I really was pleasantly surprised to see that tall 3.62-inch 60Hz OLED panel when I unboxed the phone. Icons for settings weren’t squished together, the toggles for the different camera modes are easy to tap on, and the ease of setting up for a photo and video isn’t lost on me either. This Always-On-Display also houses some cute interactive pets from OPPO. Now, I kind of wished OPPO turned these into Tamagotchi-esque pets just for that extra bit of fun.
OPPO has talked about how it wanted to simplify the cover screen experience, so the layout and available widgets seem rather similar to Samsung’s. There’s the camera, notifications, music control, quick settings, weather, recorder, and timer. You can’t send quick replies beyond canned responses right now. OPPO promised a Spotify widget at launch, which we hope is coming soon. I’m hoping for more app support in the future and these extra features. Temper your expectations for now on what you’d get from this cover display.
That outer screen is flush against the phone’s back panel, making for a transition between them. OPPO sent over the Astral Black, which was initially a bit of a letdown. I’m personally not too keen on black devices. But when I unboxed this phone, I was pleasantly surprised to see OPPO’s signature sparkly black finish it uses for its Reno devices. The black subtly glimmers in the light, and it goes well with the polished aluminum frame. The brand adds a wave-like flourish on the hinge adding a nice decorative touch.
If black isn’t your favorite gadget color either, the OPPO Find N2 Flip also comes in a beautiful Moonlit Purple.
Looking within
One of the tradeoffs you have with a foldable device is the crease that mars the hinge area. But OPPO mitigates that through its “New Generation Flexion Hinge.” The OPPO Find N2 Flip’s hinge guides the screen into a soft waterdrop pattern along the crease instead of the U-shaped mechanism some of its competitors employ. This method means the phone folds shut without any gaps near the hinge. And when the Flip is unfolded, I hardly saw or felt the crease.
This 6.8-inch E6 AMOLED display is a high refresh rate LTPO panel, which lets it switch between 1 and 120Hz depending on what you’re using the phone for. It also has other display technologies and specs like a 21:9 aspect ratio, HDR10+, 97% DCI-P3 coverage, up to 1,600 nits brightness, and Gorilla Glass 5 protection.
OPPO touts TÜV Rheinland tests that found that even after 216,000 folds and unfolds that the crease would remain almost unseen from most angles. The OPPO Find N2 Flip can supposedly withstand over 400,000 cycles of folding and unfolding. That’s equivalent to opening and closing the phone around 100 times a day for more than 10 years. It has also been tested to withstand 100,000 folds in temperatures as low as -20 degrees Celsius and as high as 50 degrees Celsius. Of course, that’s something that can only be verified over extended use.
One of the downsides of the kind of hinge this flip phone has is its folding angle. The OPPO Find N2 Flip can hold its folding angle between 45 and 100 degrees. It’s narrower than what I get on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. It reminds me of the Huawei P50 Pocket that would unceremoniously flop back into its flat display once it exceeds the supported folding angle. I’m still looking to see how this performs as I use this phone.
A peek at the OPPO Find N2 Flip’s cameras
It’s hard to miss the importance of the cameras on the Find N2 Flip. OPPO brings its ongoing collaboration with renowned camera maker Hasselblad to this smartphone. You’ll see logos of both companies on the rear of the phone. For now, Hasselblad’s contribution seems to be on the software side, which we see on the interface and the image processing. But this is something I still need to explore. Speaking of image processing, OPPO brings its MariSilicon X processor to help.
The natural bokeh is pretty nice to see. And its unusual form factor allows for interesting angles. The option to preview the shot through the cover screen is the most convenient feature for a solo creator like me or an aunt trying to keep the attention of my toddler niece as I try to take or photo or record a video of her.
This phone has a dual rear camera setup with a 50-megapixel IMX890 primary sensor and an 8-megapixel IMX355 camera. Like other flip devices, its advantage is allowing you to use that rear camera as your selfie cam. And the difference in quality is noticeable even from the start. But there is still a capable 32-megapixel selfie (IMX709) camera inside.
I can’t wait to test these cameras more for you in other conditions. I have noticed the phone heat up a bit during a mini shoot I had but that’s something I’ve noticed on any other flip phone I’ve tested.
Bigger is better
When a phone heats up, it contributes to the battery draining faster. But OPPO can flex a bit in this regard. The OPPO Find N2 Flip sports the largest battery capacity in a flip phone at 4,300mAh. It then pairs that with a speedy 44W charging support. I could top it up from 26% to 100% in under 50 minutes. The brand claims you can get from 0% to 50% in an hour, but I need to test that out. I haven’t gotten to do an all-day battery test with this phone yet, but I used up around 50% of the battery in around seven hours. (That isn’t screen on time, though). So, it’s one more thing I’ll test for you.
The OPPO Find N2 Flip runs on a “specially optimized” MediaTek Dimensity 9000+ processor, which the chipmaker boasts offers “flagship-class performance, incredible 5G connectivity, and unparalleled power efficiency in a folding device.” From initial use, this flagship phone shouldn’t cause any issues for the day-to-day tasks of more casual users like me.
The unit I’m testing runs on 8GB of RAM with support for additional virtual RAM it can take from its 256GB storage. Many users will find this adequate for their needs. (I already do.) It runs on Android 13-based ColorOS 13 out of the box, but OPPO is trying to take on Samsung’s promise by vowing up to four years of Android upgrades and five years of security updates. Theoretically, that means you’ll get up to Android 17. But we have to see how the company keeps up with these rollouts.
OPPO Find N2 Flip price and availability
OPPO recently launched the Find N2 Flip internationally. In the UK, the OPPO Find N2 Flip is priced at GBP 849 (around USD 1,020), placing it on the more “affordable” side of the segment.
In the Philippines, it also undercuts the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, retailing for PHP 49,999 (~USD 920). It is available at select OPPO concept stores nationwide starting March 22.
Purchase from Lazada and avail freebies like the OPPO Watch Free worth PHP 5,499 (~USD 101) and the OPPO Enco Air 3 worth PHP 3,999 (~USD 75). You can also enjoy 0% interest installment for 45 days via LazPayLater and free shipping.
With the Globe Plan 1499, you can own the Find N2 Flip with a cash out of PHP 28,800 (~USD 530) and for Plan 999 with a cash out of PHP 33,600 (~USD 620). Both plans have the OPPO Enco Air 3 and OPPO Band as freebies.
For Smart Plan 1499, there will also be cashout available and freebies, including the OPPO Enco Air 3 and OPPO Band 2.
For Home Credit, enjoy 0% interest and installment options for 9, 12, 15, 18, and 24 months, with the lowest monthly payment at PHP 1,504 (~USD 28).
Lastly, for all credit cards, you can avail of the OPPO Find N2 Flip at 6 or 12 months installments at 0% interest.
UPDATE: 2023/03/24, 9:49 A.M. GMT+8 BY NICOLE BATAC
Added Philippine pricing and promos
What else do you want to learn about the OPPO Find N2 Flip? Let us know!