OPPO continues to make progress in the foldable smartphone segment without being hindered by the limitations associated with this form factor. The Find N3 Flip, its second-generation clamshell-style foldable, is a case in point.
The OPPO Find N3 introduces several upgrades over its predecessor, notably an improved cover display interface, a flagship-level camera system, and a high-capacity battery that supports fast wired charging.
Regarding the cover display, the Find N3 Flip maintains the size (3.26 inches) and aspect ratio (17:9) of the previous model. It now features an improved user interface with support for smartwatch-like gesture navigation. You can swipe up for notifications, swipe down for quick access to settings, swipe left for apps, and touch-and-hold to change wallpapers and edit widgets.”>/p>
OPPO has optimised over 40 apps for the cover display, including its own applications such as the camera, recorder, timer, alarm, and calculator, as well as commonly used third-party apps. However, you cannot add apps outside those optimised by OPPO for the cover display.
Since the cover display has a vertical orientation, apps with vertical content deliver an experience comparable to the main display, while other apps are optimised to show only essential information due to the compact display size. The cover display is designed for quick interactions, with features like one-touch replies, speech-to-text, emojis, and a full QWERTY keyboard.
The upgraded interface for the cover display also brings new customisation options, including about 20 styles and the ability to use up to three quick access widgets from Messages, Camera, Battery, Recorder, Timer, and To-dos. Additionally, the phone offers interactive digital pet wallpapers that react to taps.
One significant upgrade in the OPPO Find N3 Flip is its imaging capabilities. The smartphone boasts a triple-camera setup next to the cover display, including a 50-megapixel primary sensor (Sony IMX890) with optical image stabilization, a 48MP ultra-wide-angle sensor with auto-focus, and a 32MP telephoto sensor optimized for portraits. There is also a 32MP sensor on the main display accommodated in a display punch-hole.
The imaging experience on the Find N3 Flip surpasses other flip-style foldable smartphones, making it a flagship-grade camera system. However, compared to bar-shaped flagship smartphones, it does not rank among the best, with modest overall image quality across sensors. The primary sensor is the most consistent performer, working well in various lighting conditions, capturing good colours, wide dynamic range, and quick focus. The ultra-wide-angle sensor is also good but with different colour science, resulting in a lack of colour symmetry between it and the primary sensor. The telephoto lens is useful for 2x optical zoom shots and optimised for portraits but lacks consistency in subject-background separation.
The device offers an impressive on-battery time, providing all-day use on mixed usage. This is achievable by limiting the use of the main foldable display and using the cover display for functions it supports, such as reading notifications, scanning emails, and listening to music. Charging time is equally impressive, taking a little over an hour to fully charge, thanks to the included 44W fast charger.
In terms of performance, the OPPO Find N3 Flip is generally responsive and maintains consistent performance even after extended usage, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 9200 system-on-chip. However, the user experience includes both positives and negatives. While OPPO has optimised apps for a consistent experience on both the main and cover displays, there are too many pre-installed third-party apps (bloatware) that may hinder the overall experience.
Verdict
The Find N3 Flip focuses on refining essential aspects of foldable smartphones. It addresses more limitations associated with this form factor than the first-generation model. With its elegant design, foldable display with a less prominent crease, vertical cover display with more optimised apps, a capable imaging system, responsive performance, and a decent battery life, the Find N3 Flip offers an improved experience. At a price of Rs 94,999, it is slightly more expensive than the Find N2 Flip but delivers significant core upgrades.
