Oppo is not enough to stand up to Samsung and its Galazy Z Fold with the Oppo Find N2; which, in my opinion, is the benchmark in this category of smartphones. The Asian company also wants to try to compete against what I consider —despite its shortcomings— one of the most recommended mobile phones with a flexible screen; the Galaxy Z Flip 4. It does, with the Oppo Find N2 Flipa shell-type mobile that inherits some of the benefits of its older brother, which fortunately arrives in Spain, and which in hypertextual We have been able to test it first hand.
In a way, the new Oppo Find N2 is very similar to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 from Samsung. Not only because of its format, whose flexible screen folds vertically, but because they have many features in common. Both models, for example, have a 6.8-inch screen with Full HD+ resolution and a frequency of up to 120 Hz. Both have a high-end SoC —although from a different manufacturer—, and they also have a double camera with a very similar setup.
So, and beyond the improvements that one or the other can offer in areas such as screen quality or power, What is different about the Find N2 Flip compared to the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or the rest of the foldables, if they share most of the characteristics? Specifically, they are the following points.
- The outer screen is bigger. This, among other advantages, makes it much more intuitive when accessing the content.
- The wrinkle on the screen is less pronounced. That’s thanks to the hinge mechanism that the manufacturer has included, and which is also present in the Find N2.
- It has a bigger battery: of 4,300 mAh. We must take into account, yes, that its external screen is larger, so it can affect battery consumption.
They are, without a doubt, characteristics that place the Find N2 Flip at the forefront. At least apparently. But, are they really changes that are noticeable and that make you think that it is a worthy option considering the large number of alternatives that exist? And with its arrival in Spain, is it really the folding that Samsung should worry about?
Inheriting the best from his older brother
As I mentioned, one of the main advantages of this Find N2 Flip compared to other “shell-type” smartphones, such as Samsung’s Z Flip 4, is its practically non-existent wrinkle on the screen. This is barely visible thanks to its hinge -the same one we see in the Find N2-, which includes a mechanism that means that the fold of the screen is not so pronounced when it is completely folded and, therefore, it does not become excessively marked when is deployed.
The question: Is the mark visible on the screen? The answer: minimally. Of course, much less than other folding. In fact, it has given me the feeling that the wrinkle of the Find N2 Flip is less noticeable than that of the Oppo Find N2; probably due to the fact that it has less travel as it is a much more compact panel and because it has the hinge in a horizontal position. Hinge that, by the way, withstands up to 400,000 folds (the equivalent of 100 folds a day for 10 years).
The interior screen, by the way, is 6.8 inches. It is an AMOLED panel with a Full HD + resolution, 1080 x 2520 pixels, and has an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120 Hz, as well as up to a 1,600 nits peak brightness. It is a bright screen, very colorful and with a sharpness that will hardly leave anyone indifferent.
I will talk about your outer screen. This one, in particular, is 3.26 inches, with a resolution of 382 x 720 pixels. Its task is exactly the same as the one we see in other similar smartphones: to be able to offer relevant information without having to fully deploy the terminal. In this case, we can see notifications and incoming calls much more easily than, for example, the Galaxy Z Flip 4, since its size is considerably larger. Its quality and brightness, in addition, is very similar to that of the interior screen.
Oppo, on the other hand, has included for this external screen some widgets or shortcuts to different applications. For example, we can see and interact with one that corresponds to the calendar app, to quickly add or view events. There is another to see the time, or shortcuts to some of the functions and modes of the camera.
The outer panel is also customizable. Oppo allows you to set different wallpapers, either static or animated, through GIFsas well as a kind of interactive virtual pet available in various designs that also imitates the actions we do with the mobile.
For example, if I take a photo and close the cover, I can see how that pet also pretends to take a photo with his mobile. If I finish reading an article and fold the terminal, the pet is also reading. It’s bullshit, but it’s surprising how well implemented it is and how intuitive it is to customize this outer panel.
The hardware of the Oppo Find N2 Flip
The Oppo Find N2 Flip also has a lot to offer in terms of hardware. To begin with, the terminal includes a processor MediaTek Diemsity 9000+SoC that competes head to head against the latest Qualcomm chip and that, in this case, is accompanied by 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. It is a somewhat curious configuration taking into account that most of this type of smartphones bet on Qualcomm. However, and after browsing for a few minutes through different applications, I have noticed a fairly convincing overall performance, although it is too early to draw conclusions.
To this we must add a 4,300mAh battery, somewhat larger than that of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 (it is 3,700 mAh) and which, according to Oppo, is capable of offering up to 11.8 hours of video viewing. The Find N2 Flip also has a fast charge of 44 W, which can supply 30% battery in about 15 minutes and 100% in almost an hour.
The Oppo Find N2 Flip’s cameras also play an important role. Are are developed together with Hasselbad with the aim of improving processing and adding some additional modes and functions. It also has Oppo’s own NPU, dubbed MariSilicon X, which allows, among other advances, the capture of images in RAW mode or video recording with a night mode.
Regarding the configuration, the Find N2 has a 50 megapixel Sony IMX890 primary sensoras well as a 8 megapixel ultra wide angle camera. It also includes a selfie camera located on the flexible 23-megapixel resolution interior screen. They are very promising sensors and, by way of first impressions, they have not disappointed.
Now, after taking several captures, both the ultra-wide-angle camera and the 32-megapixel front camera, They have left a somewhat bittersweet taste in my mouth., since the photographs taken indoors offer results very similar to what I usually see in a mid-range / high-end mobile. They are not bad at all, but they are not at the level of a premium range smartphone. In any case, and as with the performance and battery section, it is too soon to reach a conclusion.
The Oppo Find N2 Flip is an upgraded Galaxy Z Flip 4, but at what price?
In the absence of testing three of the key points of the Find N2 Flip in depth: the camera, its performance, and its battery, there is no doubt that This foldable is what the Galaxy Z Flip 4 should have been for Samsung’s mobile to be practically perfect. In part, because of its sophisticated design and hinge mechanism, which in turn makes wrinkling on the flexible screen virtually unpredictable.
Also for that outer screen considerably more intuitive and customizable and by a very well optimized software and with functions that allow you to take advantage of the possibility of folding the screen in different angles.
The Find N2 Flip, therefore, has all the ballots to become the most recommended mobile with a flexible screen. Especially if we take into account its price.
This mobile, in particular, will go on sale on March 1 in two colors: black, with a granite finish; and purple, which is more of a light pink — very pretty, in my opinion. It will also be marketed in only one version: with 8 GB of RAM and 126 GB of storage, and with a price of 1049 euros. Or, 999 euros if you book it from February 15 to February 28.
That is, it costs 50 euros less than the Galazy Z Flip 4, and 70 euros less than the Motorola Razr Z from 2022. I reiterate, it remains to be tested in more depth to see if it really is a worthy competitor to both foldables. But there is no doubt that its arrival in the Spanish market is going to worry Samsung and the rest of the manufacturers with a similar commitment.