Oppo Find N3 Flip long term review - The end game for flip smartphones

• Oppo Find N3 Flip is priced at ₹94,999
• The Flip smartphone features a HasselBlad camera set-up
• The smartphone features a 3.2-inch cover display

Foldables have ruled 2023, with every major brand launching their variation of this form factor. We saw the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold & Flip 5, the OnePlus Open, Moto Razr and even some affordable alternatives from Tecno. But if we flip back the pages on our calendar the first foldable launched this year was actually The Oppo Find N2 Flip, a device which was generally well received. Offered in a clamshell form factor it did put Oppo on the map for foldables.

Surprisingly enough Oppo launched its new iteration last month with the Find N3 Flip. In a world where the life cycle of a product is super low, this doesn’t come as a surprise. However, does this quick turnaround also mean less innovation? In this case - No. I have used the Find N3 Flip for over a month now, and I can say it is the most reliable Flip Phone that I have reviewed. Let me explain why. If you want a quick tour of the device check out my video.

Price & Availability
Oppo Find N3 Flip is offered at a price of ₹94,999 and comes with 12GB RAM and 256GB of storage. You can buy it from Flipkart and select offline retailers.

Design

Oppo Find N3 Flip follows the conventional design language that we have seen in clamshells lately. Albeit in appearance, however a sincere amount of work has been done in the execution. Yes, I am talking about the hinge here, which is indeed the most interesting hardware of the smartphone. Tested for about 6,00,000 folds this hinge can be certified heavy duty. While I haven’t put the actual number to the test, my experience was mostly favorable. The device closes flat, leaving negligible space in the fold. Not only does that make it look clean, but also avoids the dust that might get settled between the gaps.

The hinge is also very sturdy and doesn’t require unnecessary techniques on your end to put the device in any orientation. Once set-in the device sits in that form without any hiccup. While I will get into my experience with the display in the next section, I do want to highlight that the crease here is minimal. To give a reference it’s a tad bit flatter than the Galaxy Z Flip 5. Which in itself was very well executed.

Another impressive aspect of the smartphone is just how thin it is. When unfolded it’s just 7.8mm thick and when you flip it up, it sits 16.5 mm. So yes it indeed is a slick smartphone. Now it does have flat edges so you don’t have to worry about maintaining a good grip around it either.

The variant with me is in the sleek black color which is subtle yet impressionable. I like the chrome-like treatment on the back, even though it tends to get dirty very quickly and registers fingerprints. For people who like some bling the brand does offer the cream gold color.

The placement of buttons here is also quite conventional. On the top right side we have the volume rockers, panning down a little we get to see the power button here. Yes the power button also houses the fingerprint scanner which is very snappy. Their application and experience also remains familiar, including the drawbacks. The volume rockers while very tactile are placed too high up when you are reaching out for them making it feel unnatural. This is a problem I face with all the flip devices, at this point it is a design limitation.

However what most foldables don’t have is the alert slider. Yes, a familiar sight on OnePlus devices, Oppo Find N3 Flip also packs this hardware. Helping you to change the audio profile it remains reliable here as well.

At the bottom we have the USB Type-C port and the SIM card slot. You can insert 2 nano SIMs here.

Now the Find N3 Flip does feel like a very sturdy device but I have to mention that there is no certification here for water or dust resistance. Something we do get with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5. While it is safe to assume that the majority of the people would be careful with an expensive device like this, an IP certification would have definitely added to the peace of mind.

Display
By the virtue of this device having multiple displays, it’s only fair to review them individually. Let’s start with perhaps the most interesting aspect - the cover display here.

Cover Display
This is a 3.6-inch AMOLED panel with a standard refresh rate of 60Hz. Oppo’s execution of the cover display finds the correct balance between utility and aesthetic. Unlike what we see on the Moto Razr series and the Z Flip 5’s horizontal displays, the one we see here is vertical. This of course comes with its pros and cons. Starting with the pros first, the vertical display here is easy to use, and brings in all the necessary features you would want from a cover screen. From dialing contacts to Google maps and even some gaming, it works well. The peak brightness here is 900 nits which is really bright and visible in outdoor settings.

Like we would expect you can also use the primary camera here from the cover display. And yes that does mean easy access for making videos. While I will cover the camera performance in depth, I can say that it is a great feature for vloggers.

What I particularly find missing is the fact that I can’t stream videos here, something one could do on Moto Razr 40 Ultra. I believe a cover display should be expandable to as many features as possible, this being one of them.

However, this doesn’t take away from the utility of the N3’s cover display since it gets everything productive just right. I also liked the plethora of widgets that are available on the cover display here.

Moving to the internal display here, we have a 6.8-inch LTPO OLED screen with a max refresh rate of 120Hz. As mentioned in the design section the crease on the display is minimal which not only provides a better viewing experience but also aids in improved interaction.

The viewing experience on the display is top notch with the display projecting crisp colors and images that bounce up. I have watched Invincible Season 2 on Amazon Prime on this device along with Gen V season 2. The experience was top notch with the display projecting Z black colors.

Playing games with the display is also a favorable experience with the 120Hz refresh rate. For that matter for the most part in a flat form factor the display behaves and reacts like a regular flat screen.

The displays here are paired with a dual speaker set-up which so far has been the most efficient audio hardware I have seen.

Software
Oppo Find N3 Flip runs on Android 13 out of the box with Oppo’s Color OS skin. While it has been optimized for the foldable form factor to the best possible extent there is ofcourse bloatware.

Let me start with what I liked about the UI here. Firstly customisation, the Find N3 Flip, gives a ton of options to give your own flavor to the UI here. From widgets, to skins and wallpapers you have enough options here to truly call it your own device.

It also retains some of Color OS’ notable features,like auto pixelation. This feature automatically blurs the display of people in screenshots to protect their identity. Although it does miss in some instances when working automatically, you can manually blur objects. The option to do so directly from the screenshot menu is a welcome addition.

Another feature is Multi Screen Connect, which enables connectivity between Oppo products like the Pad Air and allows you to connect your Oppo smartphone with PCs. This is particularly useful for presentations. However, the process of establishing the connection can be time-consuming.

But on the flip side we have bloatware here, and yes these apps can be uninstalled. However, when you unbox an expensive device like the N3 Flip, with the best possible design, booting up to see apps is disheartening. Moreover, some of these apps also push notifications which makes the case harder to advocate.

I hope Oppo works on this, considering the competition at this price point provides a clean OS experience. This can stand out for some users in an otherwise solid smartphone.

Performance
Before I dive deep into the Find N3 Flip’s performance I have to mention how this device manages to behave like a regular flagship smartphone in this aspect. Going in I was not very confident with the processor on board which is a Mediatek Dimensity 9200 5G SoC. But I have been proven wrong.

Not only does the device deliver fiery performance, but it also manages to manage heat efficiently. Starting with gaming, I have played COD:Mobile and Genshin Impact on the Find N3 Flip on the highest possible setting. With visibly zero lag and dependable heat management the experience was noteworthy. There were no random frame drops or ugly buffers.

Moving on, as one would expect the everyday performance is also dependable. Regular tasks like calling, social media and video streaming were also executed without any hiccups.

The 12GB of RAM onboard is more than enough to handle all computational tasks, with 256GB of internal storage is also ample.

Battery performance is at par with the competition with the device averaging at a screen on time of about 5 and a half hours. However it had an upper edge with the 44W SuperVOOC charging, which would juice up the device in less than 30 minutes.

I also ran a Geekbench test on the device, and the results were in the bracket of my expectations. The single-core score was 1845 and multi-score was 4602.

Camera
Oppo has brought in the big guns when it comes to the camera department in the Find N3 Flip. And it is safe to say the device does pack in the best camera set-up on a flip smartphone. Majorly because of the color science and correct sensors that Oppo has used, added with the Hasselblad tuning it stands out.

The available camera setup includes a 50MP Sony IMX890 with an f/1.8 aperture and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Additionally, there's a 48MP Sony IMX581 with an f/2.2 aperture boasting a 114-degree Field of View (FoV), and a 32MP IMX709 sensor equipped with an f/2 aperture, facilitating hybrid zoom capabilities of up to 5X, specifically tailored for exceptional portrait photography.

OPPO harnesses computational photography techniques to refine High Dynamic Range (HDR) photos, and its ProXDR feature asserts an enhancement of up to eightfold in dynamic range. The front-facing selfie camera nestled within the inner screen features a 32MP Sony IMX709 sensor with an f/2.4 aperture.

The 50MP camera delivers remarkable outcomes, capturing sharp images, vibrant colors, and impressive dynamic range, particularly in well-lit outdoor settings. Oppo's algorithm works to elevate these images, potentially altering the final output from what's seen initially in the viewfinder. It excels in capturing spontaneous moments while retaining details upon zooming in. Engaging the dedicated 50MP mode elevates detail levels and ensures precise color reproduction.

Indoor photography shows a slight decline in performance but remains acceptable due to the reliable sensor. Activating the night mode significantly enhances performance in low-light conditions.

The 32MP telephoto sensor stands out for its capability to capture incredibly sharp images in various environments, whether indoors or outdoors. Its portrait mode excels in precise edge detection, creating an appealing bokeh effect around multiple subjects within the frame.

As for the 48MP ultra-wide sensor, it performs optimally by maintaining accurate colors without noticeable alterations. This aspect is crucial for a dedicated ultra-wide sensor, ensuring a broader perspective without sacrificing color precision.

Regarding video recording capabilities, the foldable impresses with its capacity to shoot upto 8K videos at 30 frames per second (FPS) while maintaining clear audio, making it a valuable tool for content creators.

On the front side, the selfie camera boasts 32MP and integrates Oppo's face filters. It adeptly handles Indian skin tones, generally rendering accurate colors in most scenarios. However, it might struggle in specific lighting conditions, resulting in color inaccuracies. The device offers a range of face filters, catering to users who appreciate this feature. Although the front camera's video performance is acceptable, it might experience slower focus adjustments and noticeable lag. Consequently, for content creation purposes, relying on the primary rear sensor is recommended.

Verdict
Oppo Find N3 Flip is truly the end game of flip smartphones for this year. It looks good, comes with a reliable hinge and delivers a camera which is of flagship caliber. Delivering on essentials that you would expect from a flagship. Yes the orientation of the cover display is also subjective to your choice, what I can say is that it does its job well.

If you are in the market for buying your first foldable smartphone and have a budget in this ballpark I would recommend checking out the N3 Flip. However if you have a modest budget but do want to check out Flip smartphones, you can take a look at the regular Moto Razr and Tecno V Flip.