OPPO Find N2 Flip global launch: Look out, Samsung

For years now, Samsung has absolutely owned the industry when it comes to foldable smartphones. Although competitors have tried, not one has been able to slow down Samsung’s growth. However, on February 15, 2023, OPPO launched the Find N2 Flip to a global audience. This is the first time people outside of China can get an OPPO foldable.

Will OPPO change the tide and take away some of Samsung’s thunder? Here’s what you need to know about the OPPO Find N2 Flip.

Aesthetically, the OPPO Find N2 Flip looks a lot like its direct competitor, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4. Even the Moonlit Purple colorway looks a lot like Samsung’s Bora Purple.

However, when you look closer, you’ll find plenty of differences. For example, the Foldable display closes much flatter than the Galaxy Z Flip 4. In fact, the two halves look almost flush. The cover display (the smaller display on the outside of the phone) is also significantly larger on the OPPO device.

Speaking of displays, the cover display is a 3.26-inch screen with a peak brightness of 900 nits. It only has a 60Hz refresh rate but is a full touchscreen experience with quick access to messages, your calendar, a recorder, a timer, music controls, weather apps, and more. Most importantly, it also has camera functionality, which allows you to take selfies using the rear cameras rather than the weaker selfie cam on the inside of the phone. With all these features, you could perform most of your day-to-day smartphone tasks without unfolding the device.

When you do open the phone, you’ll be greeted with a 6.8-inch OLED display with a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and 1,600 nits of peak brightness. It’s covered with ultra-thin glass (UTG) rather than the weaker, less expensive colorless and optically transparent polyimide (CPI) film. This should make the interior display stronger and less susceptible to scratches.

OPPO also claims that the crease across the middle of the unfolded display is half as deep as its “main competitor” (read: Galaxy Z Flip 4). This is certainly significant news for all you crease-haters out there.

Finally, the Find N2 Flip has an IPX4 rating. The “X” means it is not rated against dust and other particles, and the “4” means it is rated against water splashes. In other words, this phone is not as durable as the Galaxy Z Flip 4, which has an IPX8 rating.

The rear camera system of the OPPO Find N2 Flip is headlined by a 50MP Sony IMX890. It’s paired with an 8MP ultrawide lens with a Sony IMX355 sensor underneath. This is a good system, similar to what you’d find on the OnePlus 11 (minus the telephoto), and better than the hardware present in the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

However, the selfie camera in a centered cutout at the top of the inner display is not-so-great. It’s a 32MP Sony IMX709 RGBW sensor, which is pretty weak. OPPO is aware of this, though, and doesn’t think it’s a problem. The reason for this is because OPPO doesn’t think users will take selfies with the selfie camera. Instead, they’ll use the cover display’s camera app to take advantage of that 50MP primary lens (see image above). The internal selfie cam will be used for things like video calls instead.

Inside the OPPO Find N2 Flip, you’ll find the MediaTek Dimensity 9000 Plus chipset. This processor launched in the middle of 2022. It would be comparable to the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, at least when it comes to raw power. This chipset is paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. Unfortunately, there’s no microSD card slot, so you’re limited to 256GB.

Powering all that is a pretty sizable 4,300mAh battery. This is significantly larger than the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s battery, which is limited to just 3,700mAh. It also charges much faster with a cable at 44W — and yes, there’s a charger in the box. OPPO says this can take you from nearly empty to 50% in just 23 minutes and to 100% in under an hour. Stay tuned for our testing on these claims, though.

The bad news here is that the Find N2 Flip does not support wireless charging. This is something the Galaxy Z Flip 4 does offer.

OPPO promises four operating system upgrades for this phone. That means it will get Android 14, Android 15, Android 16, and Android 17. It will also get five years of security patches. This matches Samsung’s update commitment for the Galaxy Z Flip 4. And, since the Find N2 Flip is newer, it will see support for longer than the Galaxy Z Flip 4.

OPPO also mentioned that it is in talks with other brands for cover screen exclusives. It’s possible the cover display could have more functionality as the phone ages.

Spec-for-spec, the Find N2 Flip can go head-to-head with the Galaxy Z Flip 4. In fact, in many respects, the OPPO phone trounces the Samsung phone. Check out the specs below:

• OPPO Find N2 Flip (8GB/256GB): £849

OPPO launched the Find N2 Flip in London on February 15, 2023. Previously, in December 2022, it launched the phone as a China exclusive. However, at the London launch, the company revealed the phone would be available in the UK starting on March 2, 2023, with pre-orders opening on February 15.

The Find N2 Pro starts at £849 (~$1,020) for the model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That is the only configuration OPPO is offering outside of China. It comes in two color options: Astral Black and Moonlit Purple.

The OPPO Find N2 Flip will be available to pre-order from the following carriers and retailers:

Unfortunately, OPPO has no presence in the United States. That means the Find N2 Pro will not come here, at least not in an official capacity. US buyers should keep an eye out this year for a OnePlus-branded foldable, which could be quite similar to this since the companies are under the same umbrella.