Oppo Find N3 Flip review

Design, build quality, handling

The Oppo Find N3 Flip is quite similar to the N2 Flip, and that's hardly a surprise - the phone comes just nine months after the N2 Flip launch. Oppo still tweaked enough to make those different in a meaningful way.

Oppo Find N2 Flip and N3 Flip

Let's start with one of the major improvements - the IPX4 shielding. The Find N3 Flip model is splashproof, which is a very welcome upgrade. While the IPX4 rating doesn't cover water submersion, it still means the N3 Flip can survive 360-degree low-pressure water jets - like rain or shower - and this should be enough for most of the potential buyers out there.

Then we have the improved cover screen protection - Gorilla Glass Victus vs. Glass 5 on the N2 Flip.

The two rear panels now use glass instead of plastic, another step towards what has been widely considered a premium build.

Oppo Find N2 Flip and N3 Flip

Another change is the now thinner aluminum frame, which made space for even curvier panels and, hence - arguably, a fancier shape. Oh, and there is a new control on the frame coming from OnePlus - the Alert Slider - with three different positions.

The gapless Flexion Hinge has been enhanced, and it's now allegedly more durable thanks to a new stainless-steel core. It is now rated to last over 600,000 folds or more than 16 years if you fold the N3 Flip 100 times each day.

Other than these minor but important improvements, the N3 Flip looks similar to the N2 Flip. It's a compact foldable smartphone with glass rear panels, aluminum frame, what looks like a solid and sophisticated hinge mechanism, and a large foldable OLED with a special cover sheet on top of it.

Oppo Find N2 Flip and N3 Flip

And now, let's take a closer look at the Oppo Find N3 Flip.

The 6.8-inch foldable LTPO AMOLED is the centerpiece of the N3 Flip, rightfully so. The first impression is that this is a lovely screen, colorful, bright, and of high contrast. The tiny punch hole is also appreciated.

The foldable panel has no visible black bezels before it reaches the plastic housing. Of course, this thick plastic border is enough of a bezel itself, though one that is yet impossible to get rid of. It acts both as housing and additional protection against tiny particles, as it sticks out a bit, and when the N3 Flip is closed, it doesn't allow dust to get in.

There is technically a crease you can see at a certain angle, but unless you press with your finger, it is actually a tough job to feel it. We've experienced the same thing on the OnePlus Open a.k.a. Oppo Find N3. Samsung can learn a thing or two from the competition.

There is one long dotted grille on the plastic housing just above the screen - this is one of the sound outlets of the top speaker for earpiece purposes. There is a second outing at the top of the phone, too.

As we mentioned already, the Oppo Find N3 Flip closes perfectly and leaves no gaps.

The back has two glass panels with curved edges and a glossy finish. Fingerprints do stick here, but they are not obvious on the pink and gold models, while we suspect the Black one should eventually become a giant smudge magnet.

The top part of the rear panel envelops the new triple-camera setup, the dual-tone dual-LED flash, and the 3.26-inch cover OLED screen. This OLED is perfect for an external viewfinder for the main camera and is ideal for video-capturing purposes. It also offers a lot of nice features, including running a dozen full-blown apps.

The camera housing is sticking out of the back, and it's surrounded by a textured metal ring that imitates the ring of a professional camera filter.

This setup contains the 50MP OIS primary, the 48MP ultrawide/macro, and the 32MP 2x tele cameras. You can spot the Hasselblad logo here.

The dual-LED dual-tone flash is outside this setup, and it appears there is a color-temperature sensor next to those LEDs, too.

When the Find N3 Flip is closed, you can see and feel the bottom of the Flexion hinge. It has a brushed finish.

Finally, let's look around the sides of the Find N3 Flip. The volume and the power/lock keys are on the right. The power button also contains the always-on fingerprint scanner, which is incredibly reliable.

The new alert slider has a cool texture, too, and it has three positions - Ring, Vibrate, and Silent. It offers excellent tactile feedback.

The top has one of the microphones and the second sound outlet for the top speaker.

The bottom has the other speaker, the primary microphone, the USB-C port, and the dual-SIM tray.

The Oppo Find N3 Flip measures 166.4 x 75.8 x 7.8 mm and weighs 198 grams, which is about the same footprint as the N2 Flip, but 7g heavier. When folded, the N3 Flip is 16.5mm thick, which is not bad at all.

The Oppo Find N3 Flip is an excellent foldable smartphone that not only looks luxurious but also delivers a premium build and hinge; plus, we appreciate the new glass panels and IPX4 rating for splash resistance.

The Fine N3 Flip is easy to handle and use when opened, but in a closed state, it is quite slippery. It is not as slick as the P50 Pocket, for example, but you still need to be careful, especially when you handle it this way.

Like any other foldable of this form factor, the larger screen frame can get in the way of the smooth swiping and scrolling, especially around the crease and the hinge. But it is something you get used to rather quickly.

Overall, we liked what Oppo has done with the Find N3 Flip, and it can easily stand proud among the best in this segment. Plus, there are some cool cases to make the N3 Flip feel grippy and safe in your hands.