The Oppo Find N is a foldable smartphone that has something to seduce with its small size. We were able to take it in hand in order to give you our first impressions.
The Oppo Find N unfolded // Source: Frandroid
We have taken over the foldable smartphone Oppo Find N unveiled in China in December 2021. Very small, it can yet hurt larger competitors such as the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3. What reminds us of the myth of David against Goliath , the young shepherd who defeated the giant Philistine.
You will understand, the Oppo Find N puts on David’s costume here. Why ? Simply because this folding smartphone offers a very compact size when folded. Here are our first impressions of this device.
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Oppo Find N: a successful design, but perfectible
The Oppo Find N is successful in terms of design for the simple reason that it meets almost all the promises it makes on this criterion. This device wants to be a foldable smartphone that is easy to hold in the hand and not too complicated to store in a pocket.
The little Oppo Find N in hand // Source: Frandroid
I am therefore going to avoid dwelling on the neat finishes of this product, to focus more meticulously on its dimensions. Just note that the ceramic coating on the back is well made, especially on the black version which benefits from a matte back.
132.6 mm. This is the height of the Folded Oppo Find N. It is therefore almost the same size as Apple’s very small iPhone 13 Mini. In comparison, the Galaxy Z Fold 3 peaks at 158.2 mm (count 159.2 mm for the Z Fold 2 that we used in comparison in the photo below).
The Oppo Find N (left) is much smaller than Samsung’s Z Fold 2 // Source: Frandroid
The Oppo Find N is a small thumb with an external OLED display of just 5.49 inches. The adjective “cute” even comes to mind when trying to describe this foldable smartphone. In the palm of the hand, it even exudes something comforting.
Despite its small diagonal, the external screen remains easy to use thanks to an 18: 9 ratio which has become fairly standard in recent years. The user will not have too much difficulty in tapping on the keyboard, for example.
The back of the Oppo Find N // Source: Frandroid
Despite all this, the Oppo Find N remains a beautiful beast that displays 275 grams on the scale as well as a thickness of 15.9 mm in folded mode. If you store it in a pocket, it will therefore be much less likely to stick out compared to another foldable smartphone, but it will continue to distort your pants unfortunately.
For a truly compact foldable smartphone, it would be interesting to polish these details on a possible Find N2.
The small size of the Oppo Find N // Source: Frandroid
An official waterproof guarantee via IP certification would not be refused either.
A foldable smartphone that literally doesn’t crease
Let’s open up this first foldable smartphone from Oppo. The large 7.1-inch panel inside benefits from an OLED display, but its refresh rate drops to 120 Hz compared to 60 on the external screen. In return, it loses Gorilla Glass Victus protection. Indeed, a foldable panel is essentially made of plastic, even if we find on the Find N a thin layer of UTG glass (Ultra Thin Glass) for better resistance. This suggests that it is Samsung which provides Oppo since we find the same technology on the devices of the South Korean giant.
Note in passing that when you open the Oppo Find N by holding it vertically, it offers a display in landscape mode. Indeed, even if the internal screen has an almost square format, it is slightly wider than it is high. The manufacturer explains that he made this choice so that users can more easily enjoy a video.
The Oppo Find N unfolded to the left, folded to the right // Source: Frandroid
Beyond these technical details, there is one point that appeals to many about the Oppo Find N when it turns into a tablet and that concerns the fold in the center of the big screen … Or rather, the almost total absence of this fold. Indeed, even if the Chinese brand very probably gets its supplies from Samsung, it has developed its own hinge system. However, the latter was designed with the objective of reducing as much as possible the hollow line that separates the slab in two.
During my grip, I was able to compare the fold of the Find N to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 2 and the difference is palpable. As I run my finger over the first slab, I hardly feel the indentation in the center. Conversely, on the second, the fold was more noticeable. Even with the eye, it is much more difficult to see the fold on Oppo’s phone. Beautiful feat.
The hinge of the Oppo Find N // Source: Frandroid
The folded Oppo Find N // Source: Frandroid
We can also see that there is almost no empty space at the hinge of the Oppo Find N when it is folded. On this point, it therefore has the means to deal a blow to the models of Samsung.
A word about the software part of the Oppo Find
The Oppo Find N copies Samsung with a FlexForm mode that allows you to use the phone when it is in a seated position. Developers have yet to play the game to adapt their apps, but this option already works on the camera. The preview is thus displayed on the upper part of the screen, the interaction buttons for changing shots or triggering a photo are at the bottom.
Obviously, the smartphone also relies on multitasking for its large screen and this requires two shortcuts. First of all, by sliding two fingers from top to bottom on the middle of the screen, we access the option to open two applications at the same time. Then, by pinching an app with four fingers, it is passed into a floating window that can be used as Picture in Picture. You can also store it on the side to miniaturize it and keep it warm if you quickly reopen it later.
Video feedback on the Oppo Find N external screen // Source: Oppo Find N
One more note on the photo. Again, Oppo is inspired by what has already been done before. By pressing a dedicated button on the interface, you allow the person you are photographing to see video feedback on the external display so that they can strike the best pose.
On the technical side, note also the presence of a Snapdragon 888, a 4500 mAh battery that recharges in 33 W (15 W wireless) and a main 50 megapixel photo sensor accompanied by an ultra large- 16-megapixel angle and 13-megapixel x2 telephoto lens. The two front cameras (one for the folded format, the other for the unfolded format) have a definition of 32 megapixels.
The rear photo module of the Oppo Find N // Source: Frandroid
The Oppo Find N is also compatible with the 5G network, embeds stereo speakers and Dolby Atmos compatibility and offers a fingerprint reader positioned on the edge.
A small Oppo Find N that can grow big
The Oppo Find N is an interesting initiative to pose as an alternative to foldable smartphones from Samsung and manufacturers who have adopted an approach very similar to that of the South Korean. Indeed, betting on a very compact format when the phone is folded up is a strategy that can pay off with a public tired of the very large models that have imposed themselves on the mobile market.
This public exists and was clearly manifested when we solicited our readership on the subject of small smartphones. Be careful though, the risk remains quite significant. Despite long resistance, Sony ended up abandoning its Xperia Compact range a few years ago. More recently, there are rumors that Apple will not release an iPhone 14 mini in 2022, due to disappointing sales results in this segment.
The Oppo Find N in white and black // Source: Frandroid
So it’s a big yes for this little Oppo Find N who has effective weapons to bend his competitors as David was able to do against Goliath. However, let us remain attentive and cautious about its commercial success. Success that unfortunately cannot be measured in France, the product being reserved for China where it is displayed at a price of 7699 yuan for the 8/256 GB version and at 8999 yuan for the 12/512 GB version. This is equivalent to respectively at around 1060 and 1250 euros excluding taxes.
Three colors are available: black, white and purple. Only the first is mat.