Oppo introduced its new foldable phone, called the Find N2 Flip, globally this week via a launch event in London. This is great news as it is the first real alternative to the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip series to be released internationally (ie outside of China). Yes, Huawei has also introduced its flagship phones to international markets, but without Google mobile services, it will always be very difficult to sell them. Oppo's Find N2 Flip does not have the restrictions imposed in the US and is a very strong contender for Samsung's throne.
If we focus only on hardware, I think Oppo's Find N2 Flip outperforms the Samsung Z Flip 4 in several key areas. Oppo's main screen lacks a deep notch and folds up. And the external screen is much bigger and has a portrait orientation, which is more practical than the screen on the Flip 4. Oppo's Flip also has a bigger battery and faster charging, as well as a main camera with a sensor of Image larger than Samsung's.
But the software needs work. One of the biggest disappointments so far is that the external screen, while relatively large, is unusable at the moment. It only has six widgets to move around and use the screen as a camera view. here it is. You can't even read the full notice or respond in your own words.
The good news is that Oppo is actively working on creating more widgets for this external display so you can do more. But what about widgets? Let's use the whole phone on the external screen. Sure, at 3.6 inches, it's small, but doable. We have seen Android phones with smaller screens. Sure, I won't be using the tiny screen to create a 500-word article, but at least I can browse Twitter or watch TikToks or send a few quick texts. The hardware is there, Oppo just needs to tweak the software to fit the small screen.
The second software complaint is that the camera has a weird video bug at the moment. The video resolution keeps coming back to 1080p even after setting it to 4k.
I can tolerate that second glitch, but having a (relatively) large external display and not being able to do much with it is frustrating.
Let's get back to the good point. The hinge mechanism feels solid and can hold up halfway, though it's not quite as reassuring as Samsung's. But I really like the main screen, which is a 120Hz OLED panel without the deep notches of the Flip 4.
The Find N2 Flip only has two cameras for its main system, with an 8 MP ultra-wide, but the 50 MP main camera is great for the Flip, with a (relatively) large 1/1.56 image sensor. inches. . Shutter speeds are faster, and thanks to Oppo's collaboration with German camera manufacturer Hasselblad, colors are incredibly rich and vivid, a Hasselblad trademark. Overall, I think the camera performance is better than the Samsung Flip 4.
The 4300 mAh battery is also quite large for a device of this form factor, with battery life lasting 12-13 hours of regular daily use.
Software issues I currently have aside, the Oppo Find N2 Flip is a joy to use as its small form factor makes it easier to fit in your pocket and its foldable form factor opens up nice ways to use the phone.
Priced at £850 ($1,080) in the UK (the Chinese version of the phone is available in China and Hong Kong for around the equivalent of $800), the Find N2 Flip is good value for money. It's £50 cheaper than the Samsung Flip 4 and beats the Samsung device in many ways. But the Samsung Flip 4 still has smoother software and wireless charging, which Oppo devices lack.
Personally, if Oppo can fix some of the software bugs, I'd say it's a much better device than the Flip 4.
The good news is that consumers outside of China finally have a choice. The Oppo Find N2 Flip will launch soon in Europe and other parts of Asia, including Singapore and Thailand.
