Oppo Find N3 review

Design, build quality, handling

It's hard to find fault with how the Find N3 looks and feels in the hand - it's a properly nice high-end device. The one bit that might rub some people the wrong way is that this third generation betrays the original Find's concept of holding compactness above all. But then the N3 is about the same weight as the N2, so perhaps that will ease tensions and help convert the naysayers.

Indeed, the new model is a lot closer in size and proportions to the 'mainstream' take on a large foldable - the 5.54-inch cover display of the N2 has been replaced with a 6.31-inch one, and the device has been reimagined in order to maximize display estate (both inside and out) and boost productivity. And just because some of us liked the Find N and N2's unorthodox form factor doesn't mean that the N3's way is bad.

While it has grown in size, it hasn't so much in weight - the new model tips the scales at 239g or 245g depending on the back panel's material. The glass-covered Champagne Gold version (the one we have for review) is heavier, while the vegan leather-clad Classic Black will save you 6g.

Find N3 in Champagne Gold

While the Oppo global website only lists the above two color options, we got a glimpse of a couple more at a recent Oppo event. The glass-backed greenish one looks a lot like the OnePlus Open's Emerald Dusk colorway (and, in fact, the Classic Black Find N3 is quite like the Voyager Black Open). At the same time, the leatherette red option is entirely the Find's own and looks rather regal.

Find N3 in more colors

Glass or faux leather, the back isn't going to be too welcoming of fingerprints. The frosted finish of the glass version does show some smudges at the right angles, but it's not too bad. It's quite slippery though, while the leatherette version offers substantially better grip.

The rear is dominated by that massive circular camera bump, which Oppo has somehow styled in a way that makes it look less ugly than its sheer size suggests - in fact, we'd go so far as to say it's quite appealing. We're just wondering if they could have fitted the flash inside the camera bump as opposed to where it is now, but maybe they had more considerations than what we can think of.

Aerospace-grade alloys have been used on the frame, chassis and new Flexion Hinge assembly, while the flexible display's supporting plates employ carbon fiber in place of the steel boards used on the original Find N. All that has helped keep weight in check while also ensuring the rigidity and longevity needed for a trouble-free foldable experience - the Find N3 should be good for more than a million folds.

The Find N3's frame is flat around the periphery, and on our review unit's colorway, it's treated to a satin finish.

There is more than the usual number of physical controls on the Find N3, with the OnePlus alert slider making its way to this Oppo phone. This three-position switch (Ring, Vibrate, Silent) has a knurled finish and very positive click action.

Similarly, the volume rocker and power button click nicely. The power button also houses the fingerprint reader, and we found that to work seamlessly, be it with the right thumb or the left index finger. We're less thrilled about the volume rocker's position, which requires some conscious effort to operate.

All the Find N3's buttons in one photo

The external display is protected by a new glass called Ceramic Guard, a proprietary solution with ceramic crystals that is supposedly 20% more impact-resistant than the Gorilla Glass Victus. There was a factory-applied plastic screen protector on top, which you could keep on until it gets scratched beyond recognition or you can remove it as soon as you pull the Find N3 out of the box.

The foldable display has the usual ultra-thin glass layer, with a plastic protector on top that keeps the vulnerable flexible screen from the usual dangers like dust and sand particles. It is not recommended to peel off this layer.

This bendy panel stretches remarkably flat when opened. While you can see a crease if you look at it at the correct angle, feeling it in actual use requires special attention - if you just go about your business and casually swipe across the display, it's as good as flat.

The hinge is also one of those designs that allow the display to be left folded at intermediate angles, enabling tripod-like use cases or overhead or waist-level camera operation.

Oppo hasn't made a big deal out of it, but the Find N3 should support stylus input. The Oppo Pen was designed for the Find N2 but is nowhere to be found on official sites for the time being. Third-party retailers have listings for it, and there's a video online of someone using the accessory on a OnePlus Open, so it only makes sense that it would work on the Find N3 as well.

A stylus would greatly enhance the Find's productivity chops

The Find N3 is IPX4-rated for splash resistance - an improvement over the Find N2 where no rating was cited, but not quite as good as some of the other foldables that offer proper IPX8 rating for submersion. That said, having seen how the IPX4 test is done on the OnePlus Open, with multiple nozzles rotating at 360-degrees and spraying low-pressure water all over the device - the Find should be pretty safe.

Bright-colored SIM tray gaskets make us feel safer

Overall, the Find N3 may no longer be the unique mid-size foldable that got the lineup started, but it's not necessarily worse simply for being larger. On the contrary, we think it's a superbly built device that manages to offer a pleasing in-hand experience in both phone and tablet states. It will take up a bit more space in your pocket, but it's only as heavy as a Galaxy S23 Ultra and has twice the displays. Not too bad.