Oppo is claiming the Find N2 Flip to be a better foldable smartphone compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. Let’s find out in this detailed review of Oppo Find N2 Flip.

Oppo has made a surprise entry in the premium smartphone market in India with the launch of the Oppo Find N2 Flip foldable. Samsung’s foldable smartphones were the only choice for Indian consumers for quite some time but with Oppo entry in this segment there’s at least another similar device that buyers can now compare to.

Talking about comparisons, Oppo seems to have done its homework well. The Oppo Find N2 Flip competes directly with the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4, currently priced around Rs 83,000. On the other hand, the Oppo Find N2 costs more and is priced at Rs 89,999. Having said that, Oppo seems to have solved a few genuine issues with foldable phones that somewhat justifies the higher pricing.

After using the Oppo Find N2 Flip smartphone for some time, here’s what we think about the phone.

Oppo Find N2 Flip: What’s Cool?

Oppo is claiming the Find N2 Flip to be a better foldable smartphone compared to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4. For starters, Oppo has somewhat solved the crease issue on a foldable phone. The crease on the foldable screen of the OPPO Find N2 Flip is barely visible and it can’t be felt while using it. Of course, we can’t really call it “invisible crease” like OPPO is advertising but it’s a huge improvement compared to Samsung’s Flip or Fold smartphones. Rest assured, the crease won’t be a pain point for OPPO Find N2 Flip users as such.

Another big USP is the size of the cover display. In foldables, especially in flip phones, the cover display is important simply because a bigger cover display means users will not be required to unfold the device every time to read notifications, messages, click selfies or use widgets. Apart from the convenience of a bigger outer display.

The quality of the hinge in a foldable smartphone makes a lot of difference. The Oppo Find N2 Flip has greatly improved the hinge design. One of the key innovations is that there is no gap near the hinge area when the screen is folded. This is important because the gap traps dust, debris, coins, keys and other small objects on the screen when the device is folded and kept in trouser pockets.

Apart from the display and design, the Oppo Find N2 Flip offers decent performance capabilities with the Mediatek Dimensity 9000+ chipset. This flip smartphone is meant more for style than for multitasking and gaming. Having said that, you can expect good gaming performance as well on this phone. For regular users, who just want a stylish smartphone, this device has more than enough firepower to cater to their daily needs.

Talking about the cameras, while the Oppo Find N2 Flip can offer great angles to shoot selfies and photos, thanks to the different flex mode, the actual image quality is subject to lighting and the sensor you are using. The main 50 MP sensor does a decent job in offering details and colour accuracy but the 8MP wide-angle may disappoint at times. Oppo needs to work on zoom as the results lack details. Overall, the cameras are fine but given the price tag, users would definitely crave for better images.

Moving on to battery life, this is one area Oppo has definitely done a better job. The 44W fast charging helps a lot and also the battery life is surprisingly good. You can easily expect to get more than 24 hours on a single charge on mixed usage with 5G.

Oppo Find N2 Flip: What’s not cool?

Using a flip foldable phone is all about style but one area that the Oppo Find N2 Flip may have done better is software. It runs ColorOS 13 and the moment you unfold the device, you are greeted with the same UI that you are used to seeing in budget and mid-range phones. Of course, we can’t expect Oppo to create a separate UI entirely for its first foldable device but what could have been better is unique software customisations and a bit of refinements. For example, the UI of the cover screen could have been more appealing while Oppo could have not opted for bloatware and offered a custom set of icons out-of-the-box. Overall, Oppo could have offered unique software experiences and appearance to differentiate the device.

People may argue that there’s no IP rating on the Find N2 Flip, but let’s get this straight– foldable phones are fragile compared to regular devices and you will have to be careful while using them.

Oppo Find N2 Flip: Should you buy?

Oppo Find N2 Flip is a good first attempt. There’s very little room for not liking the phone and if you wish to try out a foldable phone for the first time, you may go ahead. Without doubt Oppo has made a good device and it’s a better flip phone compared to Samsung Galaxy Z Flip4.

But making a good device is different from selling the device. Apart from convincing people to spend their iPhone budgets on the foldable phone in India, Oppo has a big task to change its brand perception to grab the mindshare of premium customers.

One aspect that buyers should keep in mind is that foldable phones are unique and will continue to look in-style throughout 2023 and beyond. More brands like Xiaomi and OnePlus are expected to introduce their foldable phones this year and of course, Samsung will be launching its new range of foldables in August 2023. So, it may be a good idea to wait and watch. More competition is always good news for buyers.