Foldable phones are still not mainstream, but it's not stopping other brands from making them. We reviewed the OPPO Find N3 Flip before, so now it's the OPPO Find N3's turn. While the previous model is exclusively sold in China, the Find N3 is OPPO's first foldable variant to be launched globally.
Design - Ergonomically comfortable, stylish and luxurious
All foldable phones are identical, but the Find N3 has some differences. The phone's large 7.8-inch AMOLED interior display is great for viewing, while the folding crease is not too obvious. its bezels are also very narrow, so the screen feels larger. As for the external AMOLED display, it measures 6.3 inches with thin bezels as well. The bottom chin looks quite thick, but that doesn't bother us much.
Champagne Gold is the best-looking model
No gap at all when folded
The phone's thickness feels like a regular phone when unfolded. However, that's not the case upon folding it. It feels rather bulky when you take a selfie if you have small hands. This shouldn't be a problem for people with large hands, but it would be great if OPPO releases a thinner model for those with smaller hands in the future. On the bright side, the phone's weight is not too heavy or too light.
One thing to give OPPO credit for is the gap when folded. Unlike many other foldable phones, the OPPO Find N3 doesn't have a noticeable gap when folded, which is most impressive. Furthermore, the display wasn't affected by our repeated folding and unfolding.
A strong hinge that exceeds expectations
Additionally, the Find N3 can be used as a super mini laptop when you're out and about. Whether you're in a cafe or office, its hinge is strong enough to stand at 90 degrees for long periods. This means you could do some work on the go without carrying a large laptop, like when we're out for press events.
Other minor things to note are the solid structured rear design, plus the firm and soft grip on the frames that make it so comfortable to hold. Moreover, the Champagne Gold back cover and the rear camera design give off an eye-catching aesthetic. But it can still collect fingerprint smudges, and the camera bump can be too protruding. We also think the LED flashlight should be included in the circular module instead of being left alone at the top left corner.
Tech specs and features - It has everything
Here are the full specifications of the OPPO Find N3:
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2
- 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM
- 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage
- 7.8-inch AMOLED interior display (2240x 2268 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, 2800 nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content)
- 6.3-inch AMOLED exterior display (2484 x 1116 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, 2800 nits peak brightness, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ content)
- Triple rear camera - 48MP (main) + 48MP (ultrawide) + 64MP (telephoto)
- Front camera - 20MP (interior display), 32MP (exterior display)
- Features - IPX4 water-resistant rated, side-mounted fingerprint scanner
- Supoports 5G, NFC, Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6 and dual SIM card
- 4800mAh battery with 67W SUPERVOOC charging
- ColorOS 13.2 based on Android 13
Display size matters
Of all the features, the main attraction is the interior display because it has a high resolution of 2240 × 2268 pixels, an adaptive refresh rate from 1Hz to 120Hz, PWM 1440Hz dimming rate, Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. With such a large display of 7.8 inches, the viewing experience on this phone rocks, and you can even see the screen clearly under the scorching sun.
The Find N3 runs on the latest version of ColorOS 13.2, based on Android 13. While this may be enough for a regular smartphone, a folding phone needs more than that. Therefore, OPPO took steps to offer maximum experiences, such as the "App Library" for easy access to applications and the "File Pocket" shortcut for easy file management.
File Pocket
The App Library
3 tabs can be opened without needing to be saved
Most foldable phones only support two split screens, but the Find N3 can support up to three app screens with the "Unlimited View" feature. It provides more screen space while maintaining efficient app switching. In addition, it shows optimal screen functionality to maintain user productivity.
Like most foldable phones, the Find N3 could capture water and dust when folded. Fortunately, its Flexion Hinge has an IPX4 water-resistant rating (sadly, no dust resistance) and lasts up to a million folds. Besides that, the phone is your typical premium flagship device, albeit a foldable one that can compete with existing ones. Speaking of which...
Performance - Comparable to other foldable phones
As expected, the Find N3 performed well on mobile games. One of our writers tried Mortal Kombat and Asphalt 9 at 60FPS, and there was no lag. We also tested gaming on the cover screen and found it performed just as well.
High scores on both Geekbench 6 and 3DMark
60FPS on Asphalt 9!
But depending on which mobile game you are playing, some may have a rough transition from the main screen to the cover screen. In our case, Mortal Kombat's graphics looked a little distorted when we switched screens. This is likely due to the game not being optimised for the Find N3, so we can assume many mobile games will behave the same way when you fold or open the phone while playing.
Although its battery capacity is only 4800mAh, the Find N3 has impressive energy efficiency. We played games and watched YouTube videos for three hours, and amazingly, the battery only decreased from 89% to 65%. It also recharges fast, only needing around 50 minutes for a full charge with the SuperVOOC 67W charger provided. However, there's no wireless charging support.
The Find N3 isn't just for gaming or watching your favourite shows on the go, as the camera quality is top notch too. Foldable phones typically don't have good camera performance. But the Find N3 achieved impressive image performance with its large sensors and even periscope-style telephoto lens without making the phone too thick.
It's also good at video recording, and the audio on captured videos came out nicely. At max volume, the sound doesn't crackle and has good clarity. By the way, you can check our photo samples below to see how the cameras performed.
Pro mode and Standard mode photos
Standard, Portrait, and macro photos
Night shots in pro and standard mode
XPan camera at night
Selfie with the front camera
Front camera selfie in portrait mode
Zoomed-in shot
Video recording demo
As you should know, the Find N3 is marketed with Hasselblad camera technologies. One of the highlights would be the periscope lens, which works extremely well with Hasselblad's portrait mode, resulting in beautiful photos with excellent Bokeh. There is no macro lens, but you can still capture clear images at a distance of 5cm.
Conclusion – An expensive folding phone but worth it
Honestly, the OPPO Find N3 is among the best foldable phones you can currently buy. It has everything, including top-notch specs like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a camera module with Hasselblad tech, and an elegant design. It would be better if it came with a stylus, as that would work wonders for your productivity. That means you'll spend more since you have to get one separately.
We won't lie here. The OPPO Find N3 is not for everyone, as it's an expensive phone at RM7999. However, the Find N3 is suitable for those who want an elegant foldable phone to show off or as a more portable workstation when outside. But if you want a more affordable option, consider the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5. It's cheaper with prices from RM6799 but has similar specs and is equally powerful.
So, what do you think of the OPPO Find N3? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more tech gadget reviews at TechNave.com.
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